as warmer weather makes its way to us, so do the hordes of people seeking a place to eat weekend brunch. weekends in the city were always a respite for me growing up - all the cool kids left to go out east to the hamptons, and the city and i were left alone to play, explore and inevitably get lost. the opposite is true now - weekends are reserved for road trips outside the city's perimeters, to explore other places - for finding peace by the shore, and for spending the kind of time with people that isn't rushed by life's chores. i've been enjoying my time in the car, a place of respite from all the noise that's out there; a space i don't have to share with anyone and something that's able to take me where i want to go - whether it's the next neighborhood over or across the country. frank and i have been discussing, with some trepidation, whether we want to live here versus some sort of suburb. we're both pretty confident that staying in the city - more specifically our brooklyn neighborhood by the water - is something we want for the long-term. the question of money always comes into play, a common theme when you talk about new york real estate (or purchasing any real estate i suppose). almost automatically shit gets real when you're faced with how much money has been spent on rent, or how much will be spent in the future (down payments, mortgages...oy!). and then, instantaneously *POOF* you become a grown-up about the whole situation, being all practical and responsible. but, in the meantime, we're content in our 2nd floor apartment that gets natural light only in the spring and summer, that has old squeaky floors and a fire escape large enough for growing a wee garden; that we wake up to the sound of buoys in new york harbor on quiet mornings, and hear ship horns blowing in the fog.
speaking of warm weather, i'm getting a tad stoked about all the summer fruit that's going to be available soon! there's little more that i like doing than cramming as much fresh, fruity goodness into a baked good. so today we're stuffing these chocolatey muffins with as much strawberries as they can handle. therefore, we're calling them "healthy" because they've got strawberries and raw cacao powder in them - two powerhouse antioxidants! speaking of antioxidants and baked goods, melissa, from the faux martha, had me dying the other day when she referred to her cacao nib scones as protein antioxidant scones - a title reserved for days when she's feeling guilty about them - i'm totally with this smart lady! speaking of "healthy" my girl edlyn, over at egeedee, posted this drool-worthy spring-y socca with a walnut pesto! and this rye bread frittata by phi, from princess tofu, is super stunning! also! you can't post a muffin recipe without including a classic dusty muffin skit! cheers, all!
strawberry-oat cacao muffins (gluten + dairy free)
| makes 12 muffins |
ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 3/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 pound fresh strawberries, cut into small chunks
instructions
- preheat oven to 350° and line a muffin tin with 10 liners
- in a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a whisk. in another large bowl, combine the coconut milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla; add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined
- using a tablespoon measure, fill the muffin liners up about half way; distribute strawberry chunks and cover with remaining batter (batter should reach 3/4 of the way up the muffin liner). top each muffin with leftover strawberry chunks
- transfer muffins to oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean
- transfer muffin tin to a rack; allow to cool 20 minutes, then remove muffins and allow them to cool completely
- muffins can be stored at room temp. in an airtight container for 3-4 days
enjoy!