Muffin Countdown-- (Vegan) Raspberry Vanilla Muffins

I am hoping my unexplained absences from blogging this past year will be explained in one fell swoop when you see the cover of my new cookbook. I wouldn't have thought 750 muffins were possible before this project landed in my lap, but it was more than possible, and a lot of delicious eats along the way. I have an entire chapter on gluten free muffins (150 total, sweet and savory), a vegan chapter (sweet and savory, 80+ recipes), and more. Here are the chapters:

* Muffin classics
* Good morning muffins
* Decadent coffeehouse muffins
* Lunch and supper muffins
* Farmer's market muffins
* Global muffins
* Superfood muffins
* Gluten-free muffins
* Vegan muffins

Despite a lot of pulling-out-of-hair, late nights, absenteeism from Enlightened Cooking, and added exercise to work off my own muffin top following months and months of testing and tasting, it was an amazing project, and delicious fun. Now it's less than two weeks away from being released (August 1, 2010 is the official release date), and I am so excited! I am going to be sharing some recipes from the book and also doing a giveaway of multiple copies of the book at the end of the month--so stay tuned!

Here's recipe 1, one of my favorites: Vegan Raspberry Vanilla Muffins. Never tried vegan baking before now? This is the perfect place to start. Raspberries are at their lowest prices right about now, and this is an ideal way to showcase them. To muffins!

(Vegan) Raspberry Vanilla Muffins

These muffins taste like late summer. You can make them with just about any ripe berry that suits your fancy, including blueberries, blackberries and or boysenberries.

Makes 12 muffins
Preheat oven to 400°F
Blender
12-cup muffin tin, greased

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp ground flax seeds
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup vanilla-flavored soy yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups raspberries

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2. In blender, process flax seeds and 1/3 cup (75 mL) water for 2 minutes or until thickened and frothy. Add the sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla, and flax seed mixture and process until well blended.
3. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in raspberries.
4.Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.
5.Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.