Vegetarian Recipes

Vegan Meyer Lemon Chia Muffins

https://www.loveandlemons.com/meyer-lemon-chia-muffins/

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a fantastic celebration. Us? Well, we had a nice dinner and then slept through the new year for (I think) the second year in a row. The thing is – I’ve become a morning person. It wasn’t intentional – it just happened. On weekdays, I find that I get my best work done first thing in the morning. On weekends and holidays, I like to get up, pour coffee, and bake something for breakfast. So here are some yummy Meyer lemon muffins that I’ve been baking lately!

This post is in partnership with ALDI, because I wanted to tell you about some new exciting healthy/veggie-forward products that they have like Meyer lemons(!), organic coconut sugar(!), and even vegan cream cheese, which I used to make a simple frosting for my muffins.

I love Meyer lemons because they’re juicier and sweeter than other lemons. They’re sometimes hard to find but, conveniently, they’re at ALDI.

Vegan Meyer Lemon Muffins with chia seeds

Did I mention that these lemon muffins are vegan? There’s no need for an egg here – they rise perfectly without one. I used almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil in lieu of any dairy. I especially love using olive oil in lemon recipes because lemon and olive oil are a great flavor pairing. Coconut sugar makes these refined sugar free.

These lemon muffins are made with some almond flour, which gives them a nutty texture and flavor. Pro tip: you don’t have to buy almond flour, you can just blend slivered almonds in blender until they become a fine meal.

Vegan Meyer Lemon Muffins with chia seeds

Instead of putting poppy seeds in my lemon muffins, I used chia seeds. You get that same look and a tiny bit of crunch, but chia seeds also add some extra nutritional value, so I love using them here. Plus, chia seeds are a more common pantry staple for me; I always have them on hand.

Vegan Meyer Lemon Muffins with chia seeds

The frosting here is light and lemony – it’s made with vegan cream cheese, maple syrup, Meyer lemon juice, and lemon zest. The muffins themselves have a lighter lemon flavor, but the frosting and the zest on top make them bright and tangy.

Vegan Meyer Lemon Muffins with chia seeds

Like all muffins, these are best on the day they’re made. They freeze well, and the frosting can be stored in the fridge for a few days (it’s best to freeze them un-frosted).

Find these ingredients and more fresh and affordable healthy finds at ALDI.

Happy baking!

Vegan Meyer Lemon Chia Muffins

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Breakfast, snack

1 cup Friendly Farms AlmondMilk, Original
1 teaspoon Simply Nature Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
1¾ cups Baker’s Corner All Purpose Flour
½ cup almond flour*
2½ teaspoons Baker’s Corner Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon Baker’s Corner Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Stonemill Sea Salt
½ cup + 2 tablespoons Simply Nature Organic Coconut Sugar
⅓ cup Specially Selected Premium Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon Stonemill Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Simply Nature Chia Seeds, more for garnish

½ cup Earth Grown Vegan Cream Cheese
2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
2 tablespoons Specially Selected Pure Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest, more for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly oil a 12-cup non-stick muffin tin.
In a small bowl, combine the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Stir in the almond milk mixture. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chia seeds and use a ⅓-cup measuring cup to scoop the batter into the muffin tins. Bake for 16 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Make the glaze. Using a hand mixer or a food processor, mix the cream cheese, lemon juice, maple syrup, and lemon zest until smooth. Dollop onto the cooled muffins and garnish with chia seeds and lemon zest.

*Make your own almond flour by blending slivered almonds in a blender until they become a fine meal.

3.4.3177

Vegetarian Recipes

Easy Enchilada Sauce

Enchilada sauce is one of my very favorite things, ever. I love when it soaks into tortillas while baking and makes everything all tangy, spicy, and good. Mmmmm. 🤤 But when the selection at my local grocery store was less than impressive, I decided it was high time to try making some myself. This Easy Red Enchilada Sauce is a total game-changer, and now I can never go back to store-bought. It has ten times more flavor than anything I’ve ever had from a can and literally takes minutes to make. It’s a total winner.

red enchilada sauce dripping from a wooden spoon into a glass jar.

“INCREDIBLE! Super easy, made with common pantry staples, and way tastier than store bought.”

Sarah

Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This EASY enchilada sauce is not an authentic recipe made with dried chile peppers that you’ll find in Texas or Mexico, but it’s a quick and easy version that anyone can whip up in their kitchen using basic pantry staples. But I promise, once you taste it, you won’t regret the shortcuts. It’s still bursting with flavor, and you’ll want to pour it over everything. However, if you want a made-from-scratch sauce with dried chiles in the mix, check out this Authentic Enchilada Sauce recipe from Isabel Eats.

close up of enchilada sauce dripping off a wooden spoon into a jar.

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Easy Red Enchilada Sauce

It only takes 10 minutes to make this super easy red enchilada sauce that is bursting with flavor.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Mexican, Southwest

Total Cost $1.32 recipe

Cook Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings ¼ cup each

Calories 53kcal

Author Beth Moncel

Ingredients

2 Tbsp cooking oil $0.08
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour $0.02
2 Tbsp chili powder $0.60
2 cups water $0.00
3 oz. tomato paste $0.47
1/2 tsp ground cumin $0.05
1/2 tsp garlic powder $0.05
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper $0.02
3/4 tsp salt or pepper to taste, $0.03

Instructions

Add the cooking oil, flour, and chili powder to a sauce pot. Turn the heat on to medium and whisk the ingredients together. Continue to whisk as the mixture begins to bubble. Whisk and cook the mixture for one minute once it begins bubbling.
After one minute, whisk in the water, tomato paste, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper until smooth. Allow the sauce to come up to a simmer. Once it reaches a simmer it will begin to thicken slightly.
Starting with a 1/2 teaspoon, add salt to taste. I used about 3/4 teaspoon total. The sauce is now ready to use!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Video

Notes

*The water can be replaced with either vegetable broth or chicken broth for more depth, just be sure to reduce the salt added at the end to compensate.

A Note on the Spice Level

The “chili powder” listed in this recipe is a store-bought mix of spices used to season chili. It is not straight chile powder, or pure ground chile peppers, which can be extremely spicy. The brand of chili powder I use is completely mild, but other brands can sometimes carry some heat. If you are using a spicy chili powder, simply reduce or eliminate the cayenne powder from this recipe to compensate. The heat level of this recipe, using McCormick’s chili powder, is medium spicy, like a medium salsa.

Nutrition

How to Make Enchilada Sauce Step-By-Step Photos

Toast the flour: Start by adding 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp chili powder, and 2 Tbsp oil to a pot. I use McCormick’s chili powder, which is not spicy, just flavorful, so don’t be frightened by the large quantity in the recipe. All of the heat comes from the cayenne pepper.

Whisk these ingredients together and allow them to come up to a bubble over medium heat, whisking the whole time. Whisk and cook for one minute. This will toast the flour and chili powder, adding to the flavor depth and making sure that the flour doesn’t taste like paste.

Add the wet ingredients: After one minute, add 3oz. tomato paste, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, and whisk in 2 cups water (or broth).

Simmered enchilada sauce in the sauce pot.

Simmer: Let the sauce come up to a simmer and it will begin to thicken. Taste the sauce and add salt to your liking. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more if needed. The salt will really help bring out the flavors. If you’re using broth in place of water, you might not need to add any at all.

And now you’re good to go! Drizzle this thick and flavorful enchilada sauce over all of your favorite foods and enjoy!

side view of a jar of enchilada sauce with a spoon.

How to Use Enchilada Sauce

Of course, the main thing you can make with this sauce is enchiladas! (Chicken enchiladas are a favorite). But I’m here to tell you that’s not the only thing you can make. Here are some other great ways I like to use my red enchilada sauce:

as a simmer sauce for meat (in a slow cooker or skillet)
as a rich sauce to smother burritos
combined with eggs and fried tortillas for Migas
combined with sour cream to make a creamy and spicy dip
as a replacement for taco sauce
a soup base (chicken enchilada soup or 30 minute posole)
to sauce up casseroles like Mexican lasagna, enchilada casserole, or taco stuffed shells

How to Store

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or portion out and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the sauce thaw overnight in the fridge (or, if you forget to set it out, run the freezer bag/container under hot water until it thaws!) Use it as directed in your chosen recipe.