Zestful Cranberry Muffins

On the tenth day of October, I shall pause the horror-festing, to bring you my latest recipe. These sweet, tangy, deliciously refreshing muffins will test your resolve when you say you'll only have one. They are still fresh from the oven and, as I type this, the Sidekick is on his third. For the record, his stomach and lack of willpower always amazes me. Not that he needs to worry. The man has a metabolism that would rival that of a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (which reportedly eat 1.5 to 3 times their weight in nectar and insects a day). I am jealous. My metabolism is akin to a blue whale's, as you can tell by these thighs of mine.

As you know, everything I bake is vegan. I am under the impression most any baking can be just as delicious without animal products. It's kind of a life mission for me to prove vegan doesn't mean dry, dense and disgusting. These muffins are moist, fluffy and delectable. Trust me. I have no reason to lie to you. Now, I shall make with the recipe.

Zestful Cranberry Muffins 

Makes 12

Preheat oven 375

Ingredients:

2 Cups - Flour

3/4 Cup - Sugar (I used unrefined)

2 Tsp - Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp - Baking Soda

1/4 Tsp - Salt

1/2 Cup - Coconut Oil (melted, of course)

1/2 Cup - Orange Juice

1/2 Cup - Coconut Beverage

1 Tsp - Vanilla (or more) 

1/4 Tsp - Almond Extract 

Zest of 1 Clementine 

1 Cup - Cranberries

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. 

2. In saucepan, heat orange juice and coconut beverage until just a bit warm. This will prevent the coconut oil from hardening when you add the cold liquids to it, which is exactly what I did. It created clumps in my batter. Rookie mistake, right? Well, I learned from it, because I ended up having to heat up my batter to melt the clumps before I could bake the freaking muffins! 

3. Combine liquids to dry ingredients, then add in vanilla, almond extract and zest of the clementine. Mix until smooth. I actually thought I over mixed and the muffins weren't going to turn out, but I was wrong. They are beautiful. 

4. Fold in cranberries - you can chop them, or leave them whole. I did half and half. 

5. Scoop into lightly greased muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. 

Now, be forewarned, the sugar sprinkling kind of backfired for me. I thought the granules would be intact on top and be like pretty gems. This wasn't the case. In fact, they sunk into the batter and crystallized, which kind of make the muffins look a bit odd, like ripply, but turned out to be wondrous on the taste buds. So, do it. 

6. Bake in over for 20-25 minutes, until they are lightly browned on top. Then scoop them out with a spoon and place on a cooling rack. Don't let them cool. Eat them. Eat them all! 

Here are some pictures of these most delicious muffins. 

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes With Faux Cream Cheese Icing

That's a name and a half, huh?

Because we were camping for the Sidekick's birthday, I didn't end up baking him anything until today. I must say, this recipe actually turned out really well. Sometimes you never know with vegan baking if it is going to rise right or have the same texture as the recipe you are adapting it from. Experience has taught me not to count on anything. But it has also given me the confidence to know that I do, sort of, know what I am talking about when it comes to baking.

My ex used to say it was an exact science, but this actually isn't the case. In fact, the only thing you really need to understand is ideal texture for dough/batter. For example, a cookie batter is going to be denser than a cupcake batter and bread dough for dinner rolls is more sticky than French bread.

It's an exciting life with mixing bowls and measuring spoons. I've always wanted to start my own blog about vegan baking and cooking, but I think posting them here is just fine. If people really want to find a recipe they can just Google it and mine may, or may not, show up. It's not like I'm striving for vegan baked good stardom. Though, if that's a thing, sign me up!

Like I have said before, the reason I love baking is to show the world vegans can (and do) make amazing treats that other vegans (and non-vegans) can love. If I can  get one person to say 'this can't be vegan' then my job is done. But enough of all this blabbering on. Here is the recipe:

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes With Faux Cream Cheese Icing

Makes 12

Preheat oven 350

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup - Oil (I used canola, but I think coconut might be the best)

1/3 Cup - Coconut Beverage (I use unsweetend) (Or other non milky milk, like almond)

1 Cup - Sugar

1 Tbsp - Apple Cider Vinegar

2 Tsp - Vanilla 

1/3 Cup - Lemon Juice 

2 Tbsp - Zest of Lemon

1 1/2 - Cups Flour 

1 Tsp - Baking Soda 

1/2 Tsp - Salt 

1 Cup - Blueberries 

1. Whisk together liquids (oil, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and lemon juice). Then add sugar and zest of lemon. Put to the side.

2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together. 

3. Combine wet and dry ingredients, but don't over mix. You never want to over mix!

4. Fold in blueberries.

5. Fill muffin tin (with paper liners) then use your 1/4 measuring cup to fill the cupcake papers. It will be about 3/4 of the way full.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While you are letting them cool, make the icing. I use the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World Cream Cheese Icing with a couple modifications:

1/4 Cup - Earth Balance
1/4 Cup - Tofutti Cream Cheese
2.5 Cups - Confectioners Suger
1 Tsp - Vanilla
1 Tbsp - Lemon Juice
1 Tsp - Lemon Zest

1. Cream together cream cheese and Earth Balance.

2. Add vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest

3. Slowly add icing sugar by half cup increments.

4. Refrigerate until the cupcakes are completely cool. Once they are, ice them, use lemon zest as garnish and one blueberry.

BAM! Amazing cupcakes for your mouth! But be forewarned, these are super sweet.

Food Is In

Today I was reading a beauty blog about what is in and out.

In case you are wondering, Ombre, smokey eyes, pixie cuts and logo bags are all out. If you want to know what's in, you will have to just make up your own damn mind about what you like and run with it. Taking advice from an unseen nobody behind a computer screen seems a bit odd to me.

The most interesting 'in' for me was food.

Yes, you heard it here first, or second, maybe eighth. Food is good.

What the what?

You know what I am grateful for? The fact that food has never been 'out' to me. Sure, there was more to the post I read. It detailed juice diets and how eating healthy is the new awesome thing to do. But it still confounds me how people get it in their heads that food is bad. Yes, there are bad foods, but do you know how many super awesome foods there are out there?

Mother Nature is one crafty bitch!

She (or maybe God, if that's what you believe) crafted up this assortment of deliciousness that everyone needs. Yes, needs. People need food. Not only does it turn into energy and fuels the body, but it keeps your skin clear, your eyes sharp, teeth strong. Really, the list is endless. You won't believe what food can do for you. Just consult Dr. Googles.

It isn't healthy to starve yourself. Or exist on soup diets. Or juice diets. Or use pills to get the vitamins and minerals you need. That's just common sense. And I know eating disorders exist because people want to be other people. It's mental and dangerous, and scary, really. Everyday, people do unhealthy things in hopes of changing themselves into something they most likely will never be. It boggles the mind.

Since food is in, I am going to share this little salad I made yesterday.

1 Cup cooked Quinoa 

(I cook mine with a splash of lemon juice for awesome giggles and stuff)

1 Roma Tomato

1/4 Cup Red Pepper

1/4 Cup Cucumber

A bit of onion

Cilantro to taste 

Pea shoots

1 Cup chickpeas

No dressing. Trust me, you don't need it. Now eat it all up! 

The Most Amazing & Fluffy Vegan Rolls

A lot of you may know that I love to bake. More than anything, I enjoy creating perfect vegan food that people can't tell the difference when they eat. I often hear how 'vegan' breads and buns are often dense and not so tasty.

This isn't true.

Today I am sharing with you a most amazing recipe for dinner rolls, which can also be used to create the most mouth-watering, and soft, hamburger and hot dog buns. They are utter perfection, won't break the bank and are super easy  to make.

Here is the recipe:

1.5 Tablespoons active dry yeast (I use quick rise)
1 Cup plus 2 tablespoons hot tap water

1/3 Cup vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg replacer (mixed up, usually 1.5 teaspoons egg replacer to 2 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon salt
3 Cups all-purpose flour (enough to make a soft dough)

Directions:

Combine yeast and hot water in a bowl. Add oil and sugar. Let rest for ten minutes. 

Add the egg replacer, salt and flour to form a soft dough.

On a floured surface, knead until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. 

Do not let rise. 

If you are making dinner rolls, divide dough into 12 balls and place in a greased muffin tin. Muffin tins are great for creating perfect dinner rolls. That's a little baking trick I have for you! Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. 

If you are making hamburgers, divide into 6 balls and pat down a bit, put on a greased cookie sheet, let rise for 30 minutes. Same with hot dog buns, just shape them into little logs. This will make six of those too.  

For all of these, bake in the oven  at 425 for 8-12 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove from oven, brush the tops with margarine/butter (of the vegan variety) and let cool. 

Seriously, you won't be disappointed. 

Here are pictures of the ones I just baked!