Red, White & Blue FAT FREE Vegan Muffins You Must Try!

It's time for a recipe post, no?  For at least 12 years, every Tuesday, Great Harvest Bakery in Boulder, Colorado bakes the most insane bread you've ever indulged in.  I'm not saying it's healthy, but damn! is it worth the splurge.  When we were DIRT poor (grad school anyone?) and living in Boulder I would make sure I set aside $8 (gasp*#!@) every couple weeks just so I could walk over and grab a loaf.  Yes, it was worth the penny jar.  

R,W & B Bread is the perfect white bread with cherries and blueberries.  That's it.  

Total perfection.  Complete bliss in every starchy, carby bite.  

Heaven. 

I've known visitors to pack a loaf or three in their suitcase to take home.  

The jones was so bad this morning that I decided it was worth an attempt at vegan, no oil, customizing a favorite non-vegan blueberry muffin recipe.  Eureka!  It worked and the kids nearly finished off the batch straight out of the oven.

You're welcome.

Red, White and Blue Fat Free Vegan Muffins 

(fresh blueberries, dried sweetened tart cherries* or currants)

18 muffins - grease muffin tin first.  350* 20-25 min.

Prep:

Soak 1/3c. dried Sweetened Tart Cherries, chopped roughly, in 1/2C. of warm water (save the water!!) while you measure & mix the following:

Dry:  Mix well 

• 2 1/2C White Flour OR 1 1/2C White + 1/2C Millet & 1/2C Tapioca Flours (OR try another GF blend?)
• 3/4 C Cane Sugar (less if you wish, but try the recipe first and adjust on your second batch:-)
• 4t Baking Powder (1T + 1t.)
• 1/2t Salt
• zest of one Orange or Lemon (optional)

Wet: Mix well

• 1/3C mashed Banana with a splash of water added - fork mash it until very smooth {oil substitute}
• Vegan Buttermilk - that is, 3/4C sweetened Non-dairy Milk w/ 1t. of Lemon Juice or Vinegar blended in
• 1/4C blended Chia Seeds (blend in coffee grinder 20 seconds until powdered) whisked into your reserved Cherry water (set aside cherries)  {This is your extra nutritious egg substitute}
• 1C fresh, rinsed Blueberries

Mix the dry and wet ingredients except for the berries/cherries. If the dough is really dry** add splashes of water until it’s gooey & shiny, but sticks well to a spoon.  It should not be runny,  nor too dry. Gently fold in blueberries and chopped cherries.  Drop by spoonful into greased tin filling each cup about 2/3s full.  You should easily get 18 muffins.  Bake and stick knife in center to test for doneness.

CHOW!  

Caveat - these are definitely better the second day when the flavors have blended.  I dare you to find a hiding spot where the fam won't find them.  They freeze very well.  Great in sack lunches when packed in a container to avoid the smoosh.

* I find dried, sweetened tart cherries at my natural grocery store in the bulk section (Natural Grocers Vitamin Cottage)

**(millet/tapioca flours and chia seeds will do this as they really soak up liquid)

Now, get on with your happy self.  EAT MORE PLANTS, PEEPS!

Be Green, Eat Green, Wear Green.