ATC's

I spent the weekend gaming. And then time on Sunday making some artist trading cards. There is not much to say about them. One focuses on texture and the other was more about me making something for the sake of doing it. 

Here are the pics. 

 

Blueberry Muffins

Know what makes them awesome? My homemade blueberry liquor. Yeah, I did that. Yeah, it makes them tasty. 

The recipe is from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. But... veganized and tweaked as usual. 

I used frozen blueberries and thawed them and drained them. I saved the liquid to add to the batter, but the process helps the blueberries hold up a bit better. They do not really need the extra blueberry juice, and I would leave it out next time. 

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup soy milk with 2 tablespoons flax seed (egg substitute) well whisked together
3/4 cup soy milk or other milk sub.
1/3 canola oil
(I also added 2 tablespoon of blueberry liquor. I will post the recipe in a later post). 
1 teaspoon or so finely grated lemon peel. 
1 cup well drained blueberries (thawed or fresh)

Oven at 400 degrees

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Combine wet ingredients and add to dry ingredients until just moist. Add blueberries. Fill greased or lined muffin pans 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes.

If you wanted... just before baking you could add a bit of jelly or jam to the top of the batter.

Time to pamper through the allergies.

They kicked in early, those pesky allergies. I am sniffly and sneezy and maybe several other dwarves (like bitchy, by the end of the day). The thing about allergies is that, for me, I don't feel sick. I just sneeze and sniffle and swell up. But by the evening I am exhausted.

So time for a little herbal help. Eucalyptus to the rescue. It is refreshing and opens up all those respiratory passages. I found a recipe that makes shower pucks that I through into the shower. I made them super strong, and added dried eucalyptus leaves at the bottom of each puck. I through them into the freezer, and then when nice and solid, I put them in a jar to store in the bathroom. 

Here is a link to the pucks!

I really love a lot of the stuff at Livingonadime.com. 

Maybe a nice little gift idea...no?

 
 
What I love about this recipe is the ability to add other essential oils to it. Remember that aromatherapy is so good for the soul. For me, lavender (duh). For a refresher  a mint base with a citrus lift. I can't even think of a limit!

Blessings!
 

Coffee Cake Muffins

I haven't been baking much since we decided to move. And here we are... in the new house for two months and I suddenly want to make all the things. 

So I pulled out the big old BHaG cookbook. We all know the one. In it is a bunch of great muffin recipes but not so much with the vegan. That is quite alright. I can fix that.

Coffee Cake Muffins made vegan:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup soy milk and 2 tablespoons ground flax seed (this will be the egg sub.)
1/2 cup soy milk

************

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts ( I used almonds as that is about all anyone in my house will eat)
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon melted earth balance or other vegan margarine

Sift the 1 1/2 cup flour, sugar and baking powder into mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. At the flax mix and the milk and mix until just moist.

Combine the brown sugar, nuts, 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon and melted EB.

Place half the batter into muffin tins (greased or lined with muffin cups), sprinkle nut mixture over, then top with the remaining batter, filling half full. Then bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

They did take a bit longer for me, I think my oven is running cool. But they seem to be a big hit. I would even top them with a light vanilla icing.