beauty:design:life

Since I've said goodbye to all things law school-related, I've really come to appreciate the moments I had to miss out on before. Sunday mornings for me used to involve coffee, a casebook, and my computer, and I literally couldn't check facebook or twitter because of the inevitably ensuing jealousy of all my friends' and interfriends' Sunday mornings: sleeping in, brunch, lazy time with family, etc.

So now I don't take my Sunday mornings for granted. I make coffee, listen to Amos Lee or other lazy morning-appropriate music, read the newspaper or a book, watch America's Test Kitchen, and make a big, delicious brunch. It really is wonderful.

This morning, I'm doing a little writing while I drink coffee and eat the muffins I made yesterday. I was inspired to make pumpkin muffins by Eat Drink Pretty and the can of pumpkin I've had in my pantry for far too long, so I searched out a similar vegan recipe, partly because I'm trying to adopt veganism, but mostly because I was out of eggs and was too lazy to go buy any. Don't be scared of the vegan-ness - these came out light, fluffy, and delicious.

Makes 12 big muffins

1 3/4 c. flour

1 1/4 c. sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground flaxseed

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1 c. pureed pumpkin

2 tbsp applesauce

1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk (any kind of milk you prefer)

1/2 c. oil (I used olive)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1. Mix all dry ingredients (from top to cinnamon)

2. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients (from pumpkin to bottom)

3. Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients

4. Spoon into a greased or lined muffin tin

5. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon

6. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, at 400 degrees

7. Eat and enjoy!

 My kitchen always looks like a big hot mess when I bake. Don't let the arranged, cleaned-up photos fool you.

 Done...

 ...and delicious!