Solar Juice Muffins Remix

Ok, secret's out. I have been debating whether or not I should share this little gem simply because it came to me via my friend Kristen and her now defunct business Solar Juice. Maybe if I give her the props she deserves, the karma overlords will cut me a break in the next life.

Solar Juice was one of those businesses that was so sustainable it makes you want to barf. Basically, Kristen and her friend Andrew (both of whom I worked with at the farm), made fresh fruit juices every week at the Halifax farmers market using only local organic produce and a solar powered juicer that they hauled around on a bike trailer. Sickening, but it doesn't end there. "What did they do with all the pulp from the juicer?" you ask. "Did they landfill it? Did they throw it in the ocean? Did they use it to somehow contribute to the slaughter of baby pandas?". Nope. They fed it to their friend's urban chickens who were living in a backyard in Halifax. Zero waste. Zero guilt. A perfect system. Love it.

Anyhow, they also made up this recipe whilst making the world a better place. Quite the lead up, no? I have changed a few things, and over the years I have realized that you can pretty much add anything and everything to this and it still is the best little muffin going. Enjoi!

Wet Ingredients:

1/2 c. olive oil
2-3 c. fruit and veg (grated zucchini/ carrots, chopped apple, rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries...but not grapes, never grapes (just kidding))
1-2 Tbsp grated ginger
1 c. brown sugar
1 egg or egg replacer*

*Either 1 Tbsp ground flax with 2 Tbsp water (let sit for 5 min) OR 1 Tbsp corn starch mixed with 2 Tbsp water

Dry goods:

3 c flour (I usually go with spelt and/ or kamut)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
LOTS of cinnamon (5-6 spoonfuls, or until it gets embarrassing)
Couple shakes of all spice
Couple shakes of your booty

Mix wet and dry in separate bowls. Make a well in the dry ingredients (the secret to good muffins, apparently), and pour in the wet. Add a few hand fulls of dark chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, flax seeds, and any other things that look like they came from the giant glass jars of a health food store. Mix everything until it resembles, and I quote "like wet, chunky/ ploppy mud" (yum). Add some milk/ soy/ rice milk if too dry, and some extra flour if too wet.

Bake at 350 for about 15- 20 min.

***Oma's tip for this recipe: Bring these out during breakfast meetings/ classes and make everyone jealous, also maybe you should try eating meat again, enough of this vegetarian bull shit.

Self portrait.