#54 - Mmmmm! Vegan Zucchini Muffins

JD looks awfully tired, and seeing as it is 7:45 a.m., most of you are probably tired, too. Wake up with my first attempt at vegan baking :]

Sweet Spiced Zucchini Muffins

Makes 2 loaves of bread or approximately 18-24 muffins

Ingredients:
6 tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with ½ cup water
1 cup applesauce
2 cups brown sugar
1½ tsp vanilla
3 heaping cups grated zucchini
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tbsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray your bread or muffin pans with Pam non-stick cooking spray
3. Grate zucchini and press down into measuring cup until you have 3 well packed cups of shredded zucchini.
4. Mix flaxseed liquid, vanilla, applesauce, and brown sugar in a bowl.
5. Add all zucchini to wet mixture, mix, and allow to sit.
6. In a second bowl combine flour, whole wheat flour, sea salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss them together until well blended.
7. Add the wet mixture to the dry mix and stir until the batter is "just mixed" and all ingredients appear to be evenly distributed.
8. Split your batter between the 2 bread pans or your muffin pans.
9. Cook breads for 40-45 minutes and muffins for 30-35 minutes or until you stick a cake tester or other utensil into the center of a bread or muffin and the utensil comes out clean.
10. Cool, enjoy, and share with anyone who needs a little pick-me-up!



These muffins are perfect for you, and your pooches will love them, too! Here's a tip: I like chopped raw pecans, raisins, and dried cranberries in my bread, but the pups can't have raisins and I generally don't give them nuts in case of allergies, so I compromise. I split my batter in half and make half with my nuts and dried fruit and make plain muffins for James Dean and Ringo. If you want to add anything such as nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, etc. to your mix, add it after step #7.

If you make this recipe, please let me know! I'd love to hear how you like it. It is my first experiment in vegan baking, and so far my family and neighbors are giving it rave reviews (which is exciting for me). I looked at several vegan recipes and decided to make them a little more healthy. My neighbor couldn't believe that they were vegan and she quickly asked for the recipe. Some of my family still aren't so enthusiastic. Even though they admitted to loving the muffins before they heard the dreaded word - "vegan", once I let is slip that they were vegan there were some who lost their love. It's quite silly if you ask me... vegan is not a stigma, it's another way to help save animals and to get happy and healthy.

If you do make them and share with your pooches, I'd love to see photos of your pups enjoying these muffins! Anyone who sends in photos will have their photos posted on my blog.

If you have any requests for a recipe that you'd like me to attempt to veganize, I'd love the challenge, so just comment with your favorite dish and I will take a stab at it and post my recipes in upcoming blogs.

Have beautiful day, loves!

x's & o's