Exploits of a Vegan Wannabe

Happy Meatless Monday. It is going to be a delicious week. Yesterday I spent the entire day creating vegan  gift baskets for our friends and family. It was truly divine. We have always given edible gifts, but now they are all vegan and I think that is cool. I made two kinds of hummus, hand dipped dark chocolate pretzels and veganized my mom’s favorite scones. I created Carrot Cake Muffins with a rich Date Butter, while somehow keeping the kitchen relatively clean. It was like  a Christmas miracle.

When I bake I usually trash the place. Cooking for me  is very exhuberant (messy) and enthusiastic. I had so much fun baking and cooking yesterday and now we have abundant gift baskets for people we love. It was worth the time and effort.

I am excited to share this recipe for Carrot Cake Muffins and Date Butter. It is a luxurious gift that is very easy to create. The muffins are rich, moist and amazingly oil free. They are based on the original E2 Mighty Muffin I have shared with you before. I created these to emulate one of Sandy’s favorites, Carrot Cake. The Date Butter is thick like spreadable caramel. After I portioned out all of the gifts….the butter was gone and I was sad. I thought about skimming some off the top of all the gifts, but that felt almost Grinch-like so I didn’t.

Carrot Cake Muffins w/Date Butter

Muffins inspired by E2  Diet Mighty Muffins and reinvented by: S. Duquet

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

3 Ripe bananas

1 C pure pumpkin

1 large Granny Smith apple shredded

Juice of 1 lemon

2 C grated carrot

1/2 C water

1 Tbsp vanilla

3/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg (or more if you would like)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Rice Syrup

3 C  oat bran

1/2 C chopped, raw walnuts

Make It Happen

~Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

~Mash the bananas and pumpkin leaving chunks for texture. Add all other ingredients except for the Oat bran and mix well.

~Add oat bran and stir until combined

~Pour into sprayed muffin pan and bake in 375 degree oven for 28 minutes or until tops are crispy and golden brown. You can do the toothpick test but remember the muffins are really moist inside even when cooked.

~Put muffin pan on cooling rack until cool.

Date Butter

Original recipe from Sharon on Tribe.net and slightly  modified by S. Duquet

Ingredients

2 C pitted and chopped dates

2 1/2  C water

1/8 tsp sea salt

Make It Happen

~Put all ingredients into a sauce pan and simmer on low for one hour, stirring periodically.

~Blend slightly cooled mixture n food processor until creamy. Chill and serve.

Package your muffins and Date Butter for gifting or just enjoy them at home throughout the week. You are worth the gift of good food.

Have a delicious day.

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