Crunchy Quinoa & Almond Delight Muffins

1. Preheat Oven

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F and preparing a non-stick 12-cup muffin tin. This step ensures your muffins will bake evenly right from the start.

2. Mix Wet Ingredients

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the vanilla soy milk and ground flaxseeds. Let this mixture sit for about a minute. You’ll notice it thickening slightly, which is exactly what we want because it acts as an egg substitute, binding your ingredients together. Once it has thickened, add in the canola oil, agave nectar, and vanilla extract, whisking until everything is well combined.

3. Sift Dry Ingredients

Next, take a large bowl and sift together the all-purpose flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground cardamom. Sifting these dry ingredients helps to evenly distribute the baking powder and removes any lumps, ensuring a smooth batter.

4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Now, pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix as this can make your muffins dense. Add the cooked quinoa and finely chopped dried apricots, folding them into the batter until they are evenly distributed and the large lumps are gone.

5. Fill Muffin Tin

Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters full.

6. Bake Muffins

Place the tin in the oven and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. You'll know the muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the tops are slightly golden and spring back when touched.

7. Cool Muffins

Once done, allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.