Gluten Free Buckwheat-Goji Muffins

On cold, dreary, rainy Saturday mornings, nothing beats staying in your PJs, snuggling up with a big cup of coffee or tea, a good book, and some quiet jazz.  I admit, I am not much of a baker, but it is days like that where I also find myself craving something warm from the oven, perhaps a throwback to my memories of awakening to the smell of mom’s homemade biscuits, muffins or breads wafting from the kitchen of our old farmhouse on chilly winter morns.

I have attempted to develop many a baked good since taking on a fully plant-based diet.  And it has proven quite the challenge for this willy-nilly eye-baller in the kitchen; no eggs or dairy can equal no rise, moisture, or binding.  And it is near impossible for me to follow a recipe, as my in-the-moment inspiration and impatience for measuring are chronic disabilities in my baker-gene.  I have had many a flunk in the muffin department, and dry, crumbly messes I have tried to call bundt cakes.  Yes, vegan baking can be tough.  But I think I may have finally mastered the game, or at least created a single recipe that I am totally in love with silently gleeful about every time it turns out.  And after a long run of testing, I feel I am ready to share.

Full disclosure: I don’t always use my measuring cups, still.  Just sayin’.

Gluten-Free & Vegan Buckwheat Muffins

3 T ground flax combined with 1/2 C warm water (your egg replacer)
1 & 1/2 C buckwheat flour
1/2 C shredded coconut
2 t cinnamon
1/2 t sea salt
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/4 C sweetener of choice (honey, agave or maple syrup work well)
1/2 C applesauce
1/2 C soy or coconut yogurt (I used Yoso Vanillla)
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C goji berries, raisins, or currants (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin pan with liners or grease with sunflower oil.

Combine flax and water in small bowl.  Set aside.

In a large bowl combine buckwheat flour, coconut, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder.

In separate bowl, add sweetener, applesauce, yogurt, oil and flax egg mixture.   Whisk well to combine.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just until combined.  Add in dried fruit of choice.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes.