Usually, I bake by myself. I turn on some good music, get the ingredients ready, and off I go. Baking is like meditation to me. I fully emerge myself in the measuring of ingredients, mixing, and kneading and I kind of get “into the flow”. I enjoy being by myself creating something delicious for other people to enjoy. Without any distraction, without emails, Instagram posts, etc. It’s my time to be fully present.
But now and then I prefer company when baking. Just as much as I love sharing meals, I enjoy baking with like-minded people. It’s the being together in the kitchen, debating the best baking methods, tasting the dough (the best part) and then waiting with anticipation for the final result.
Last week I met with Katha and Sarah. We share our passion for healthy food and have hosted a couple of events before. This time we met to plan a second edition of our so-called “Sunday Ladies Brunch”. It’s an event to bring together women who like to celebrate healthy food, life, and themselves. We organized our first edition a couple of months ago, and it was a huge success (there was avocado toast, carrot banana muffins, shakshuka, smoothie bowls, etc.). And while planning the next event, we baked these rhubarb chia muffins. And just as you would expect when three healthy ladies are baking, these muffins are vegan, clean, dairy-free, and low in sugar.
You can have them for breakfast or as a healthy dessert. These muffins also make a great snack – I took them with me on a hike the next day, and they were the perfect treat at the summit!
What are you waiting for? Pick one or several of your loved ones and start baking! Because cooking and sharing food is the most beautiful thing!
Love,
Marion
Rhubarb Chia Muffins
Fruity vegan muffins - perfect for the summer time!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 60ml (¼ cup) water
- 190g (1 ½ cups) wholegrain spelt flour
- 50g ( ½ cup) rolled oats
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 80g (¼ cup) maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 240ml (1 cup) orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 200g (2 cups) rhubarb, cut in 0,5 inch (1cm) squares
- 60g (1/3 cup) chopped dried fruit (apricots, raisins, dates, cranberries, etc.)
- Nuts or seeds for topping (optional)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and line a muffin pan with liners.
- Step 2 Combine chia seeds and water in a glass and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Step 3 In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 4 In a separate bowl, add the chia seeds, olive oil, maple syrup, orange juice and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
- Step 5 Gently fold into the dry mixture until it just comes together (don’t over mix it). Stir in the rhubarb and dried fruit.
- Step 6 Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Add the topping off your choice and bake for about 25 minutes.
- Step 7 Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the muffins to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
