Very Blueberry Vegan GF Muffins, Changing Recipes & Saving Kitchen Fails, Milestones & Reflections

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Hi Bloggies!  How’s your weekend going so far?  For those of us on the west coast, we’re barely awake but you east coast people have probably run 12 miles or something like that already.   I am going to savor my time with Scott and Skylar the next couple days because he’s traveling this week for work.  Ugh.  But, such is life.   Tomorrow I am getting together with my friend who’s in San Diego for the day Scuba Diving, but right now we are off for a power walk and later on I have a guy coming over to buy a Kombucha Scoby Mushroom from my Craigslist ad.

Jar full of Kombucha Mushrooms

My ad is working! The mushrooms are flying out of the jar like hot cakes.  Well, not really, but I’ve unloaded a few so that’s cool.  I actually am growing more, though, on purpose.

The guy that’s coming over also said his girlfriend can’t live without her kombucha and he’s buying a half gallon from me 

Multiple Jars of Kombucha in refrigerator
Inside glass filled with Kombucha
What a boyfriend this guy is.  Not to mention, he lives on the other side of San Diego from me, about 45 minutes away, each way.   Booch addicts will do anything for this stuff!

Yesterday I picked up a few items at TJ’s and then put them to use!

Chutney, Cocoa Powder, Baby Spring Mix and Blueberries on countertopMango Ginger Chutney and Cocoa Powder
Open container of Blueberries
 I love fresh blueberries!

I made a batch of Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Ingredients for Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins in bowl
Mixed up ingredients for Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins
I created a recipe for you lazy cooks that’s just a bowl + spoon.   
No power appliances, and no excess dishes to wash.
 
Blueberries added to batter
I added double the amount of blueberries I called for in My Own Recipe, and probably shouldn’t have because the muffins turned pretty blue, but I do love bloobs so it was fine.  
 
I wasn’t entering these to be judged in the State Fair or anything.
Baked Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins in muffin tin
Close up of one Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffin in tin
  They tasted great, just were a little blue.  And I used frozen blueberries not the fresh ones I just bought today so they may have “leaked” blueberry juice as they unthawed while baking.  No biggie because it’s the taste that matters and that was delish.

 

Side view of muffin tin full of Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Overhead of one muffin
Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins close up on plate

And with the Mango Ginger Chutney

 Mango Ginger Chutney bottle and Canister of Cocoa Powder

I made Mango Ginger Maple Tofu

Mango Ginger Maple Tofu stacked in container
Close up of Mango Ginger Maple Tofu

And with the Cocoa Powder, I made Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse 
The cocoa powder I used isn’t technically raw, but feel free to pay extra to source raw cocoa powder if that’s important to you.  It’s not to me.  

 Tamper showing consistency of Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse  
Put into a Container and Either Refrigerate Or Freeze it for Frozen Perfection!
Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse in clear container
Close up of Raw Vegan Chocolate Mousse 

Yes, I was a busy beaver girl in the kitchen. 

From my Last Post…
I am so glad that you appreciated my post on Strength Training: Lifting Heavy Weights, Myths, Fears, and My Thoughts.  It sounds like some of you struggled in the past with the fear of not wanting to get Too Big or Bulky or “Thick”, so you didn’t lift heavy.  

I didn’t lift at all because I was worried about that.   Good thing I’m over that!  And I love lifting, I love the way my muscles have gotten definition, some size, but not at all “bulky”.  

Woman flexing arms in mirror
Woman flexing arms showing muscles in mirror
Woman in workout clothes showing off toned abs
Also, here’s my How to Get Abs, Exercise Tips and My Thoughts.  Click Here to Check it Out.

As I stressed in the Lifting Heavy Post, to each his or her own.  I mentioned that you must find Your Path and Stay True to Your Beliefs and Your Needs as I have for myself (as a high raw Vegan who’s not particularly into Protein Powder I have definitely had to find my own path with all of this!)

But it’s difficult to get Bulky unless you are:
1. Lifting Heavy and 2. Eating like a Horse In Excess of What You Are Expending.  Yes everyone’s body types are different so do what you need to do and have fun tweaking things til you find what works, for you.  It only took me 3 decades but I have loved evolving with it all!

Thank you to everyone who wrote in to tell me you really appreciated the post and to those of you who wrote to me and told me that I have inspired you to lift heavy and that my overall fitness journey has helped you set forth on your journey.  There is nothing better than that to read.  Thank you to all of you who wrote to me with such touching stories!

Gym & Weights Workout Today From This Tab: Day 5 – Shoulders/Triceps/Biceps

And my Home Gym & Bowflex are going to come in super handy today. 

Bowflex in garage

Side view of Bowflex

Hand lifting blue weight
 I have no desire to schelp to the gym today.  The Garage Home Gym it is!

Tip of the Day: My TofuXpress Tofu Press Give Away!

Tofu Press
Have fun everyone!  Thanks TofuXpress!

 

***The contest ends on Wednesday, August 4, 2010***

 

Click Here to Enter!

Questions
1. What’s On Your Agenda for the Weekend?  What Fun Things are You Going To Eat or Do?
Me = It’s fun to be with my family and meetup with old friends of course!  And it’s also nice to help a stranger learn how to brew their own kombucha.  I’m glad that I’m passing Scoby mushrooms on to people who want them.  “Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.  Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.”  Horrible analogy considering I’m vegan, but you get my drift.

2. Do you ever make substitutions in recipes and sometimes cringe as you’re doing it because you know you’re tempting fate?  Do you change recipes to suit your mood and needs?  Or do you follow them pretty strictly? 
I am a huge recipe tweaker.  In fact, I rarely follow anyone else’s recipes and clearly with by doubling the amount of blueberries in the muffins I made yesterday, I can hardly follow my own recipes!  Haha!  Most of the time this “works” out for me.  The food isn’t always totally beautiful but since I hate throwing anything out, I always find a way to Save It!  I do love “pretty food” but even less than beautiful food tastes just fine most times!

3. Do you find a way to “Save” some potential recipe Fails?  Or do you just say, Screw It, and throw it out and start over?
In raw cooking/uncooking and baking, the addition of more dates, nuts, agave, or cocoa powder can pretty much save anything!  It’s in regular baking or cooking that it can be harder to save things, but I always try!  I loathe to throw things out!  Good thing Skylar and Scott are good sports.

4. Are you a Channel Flipper or Not?  Remote control hog?
I admit that I channel flip quite a bit with the car radio and god forbid I don’t have anything on my DVR to watch when I do sit down to watch some mindless tv which is about 20 minutes twice a week, but I am the worst tv channel flipper.  The grass is always greener on the next station…haha!  Oh and I must retain control of the remote control.  Don’t even think about holding it, Scott!

5. Blogging Milestones & 1 Year Reflections
My 1 Year Blogiversary happened this past week.  I contemplated writing a deep and serious post about some of the things I’ve learned and realized this past year and my reflections.  I have 500 posts and lots of thoughts about the last year.   But then, I didn’t know if I wanted to go there because I didn’t know if anyone cares.  I didn’t want to put energy into a post that was going to be glossed over by others because really, do You care what I’ve Learned?  Do you think I should “reflect” or not?   What did you do or what will you do to celebrate your blogging milestones?  Or tell me something you’ve learned from your time blogging?

Have a Great Weekend Everyone!!  Thanks to new readers for coming out of the woodwork and saying hi, huge appreciation for my existing readers and amazing friends, and I hope you all unplug, go outside and enjoy the company of your family and friends and savor your Real Life as much as your blogging life!   

Young girl in blue zip up hoodie smiling
 I will be out Living Life this weekend as I plan to soak up time with this cutie for sure!



Stay Tuned For The Weekend Recap…

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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