Name: Chocolate Walnut Vegan Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 6-7 organic medjool dates, pitted; 1/2 cup warm water; 1 tsp organic pure vanilla extract, non-alcoholic; 1 cup organic almond milk, or non-dairy milk of choice; 1/2 cup organic walnuts, plus 1/2 cup for mixing in and 1/4 cup for topping (optional); Pinch of salt; 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free); 3/4 cup organic brown rice flour; 1 1/4 cup organic almond flour; 1/2 cup organic cacao powder; 1/4 cup arrowroot starch (or tapioca starch)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Combine the dates with warm water and vanilla. Let soak for 5 mins.
Add dates with vanilla water, almond milk, salt, and walnuts to blender. Mix on high until smooth.
Add the baking powder to wet mixture. Blend briefly until just combined. Set aside.
In medium mixing bowl, combine flours, starch, and cacoa powder.
Slowly mix wet mixture into flours by hand until combined thoroughly. Batter should be thick and airy.
Mix in 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts.
Divide the batter between 10 silicone cupcake liners, filling to the the top of the cup.
Smooth the tops and top with 1/4 cups chopped walnuts if desired.
Bake for approximately 32-35 minutes at 350F.
Remove from the oven and let cool in liners on pan for 15 minutes.
Leave them in the liners and remove as you eat them. Or if you need the liners for another recipe, remove all muffins and continue to cool completely on cooling rack.
Store refrigerated up to a week in air tight container.

Notes

To make these paleo, skip the brown rice flour and increase almond flour to about 2 1/2 cups.

You can add a little extra sweetness to these by mixing in 1/3 cup Hu Chocolate Chips before baking.