Vegan Buckwheat Blueberry Flax Muffins

 A Friend on Instagram asked me about the recipe for the buckwheat Blueberry muffins I posted about awhile back. They are organic, gluten free, vegan, protein packed muffins filled with goodness!

Banana Blueberry buckwheat muffins
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup oatmeal (use rolled oats or pre-cooked steel cut)
1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup hemp seeds

1/4 cup flax seeds
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp of Flax seed powder mixed with 6 tablespoons water
1 1/4 cup almond milk (use as much as is needed to get good batter consistency)
2 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 - 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup blueberries
Preheat oven at 350 F. Grease a muffin tin with coconut oil.
2) Mix all dry ingredients (buckwheat flour, baking powder, oatmeal,
and seeds) into a medium bowl.
3) Mix all wet ingredients (ACV, flax powder/water combo, almond milk,
maple syrup, vanilla, mashed bananas) into a small bowl.

4) Blend well wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
6) Fill the muffin tin with batter and bake for about 15-20 minutes,
or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of muffin. Let the
muffins cool down for about 10-15 minutes before taking them out.

Joshua Tree, CA

Natural Sisters Cafe- Natural Sisters is a great find in in the desert of Joshua Tree, CA! We have played a few festivals out the High Desert and Natural Sisters always comes through for us with healthy vegan goodness. They have a good juice bar and decent smoothie selection. I got the curried rice wrap- it was a bit bland but the tahini sauce gave it what it needed and as a bonus it came with a side of quinoa. I wanted the veggie burger but it was made with dairy which was a tad bit disappointing for me but my friend had it and loved it. Just a heads up the few times I have been there, Natural Sisters was jammed! The line to just to order was at least 10 people deep, so be sure to budget some time. Natural Sisters was great meal at a totally reasonable price, in an area where there are not many healthy options!

Ashland, OR

Sauce- Looking for a healthy dinner in Ashland, OR? Look no further, Sauce is the place. I was so glad to find this place before our show in Ashland. I had quite an active day with a few hours of tennis (big shout out to Ashland Tennis and Fitness Club!) and a long run and I was so glad to find this great place. The vibe is very casual, which if you read my blog- you know I dig the laid back, healthy spots. Sauce has different rice bowls, salads and healthy plates with a kind of vegan, indian food direction. I chose the 'Rajistan'- steamed Kale, yams, dahl puree, cauliflower, some other veggies and brown rice. The bowl came with some great sauces (true to their name!) including an awesome green sauce. These guys have organic ingredients and the prices was about $10 a bowl. It closed at about 9pm and it was pretty busy, so plan accordingly. I can't wait to return next time we play in Ashland!

Eugene, OR

Coalesce- Super cool vegan food truck in Eugene. We had an afternoon radio performance and I was glad to find Coalesce a block away from the station. Coalesce is entirely vegan, organic and gluten free. They are primarily raw but have a few hot and cooked items as well. They have an extensive juice menu. I had an amazing Spinach Portabella soup with a small superfood salad. Both were great! The prices were steep but as I've said before, quality comes with a price tag!

Sacramento, CA

Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op- This is such a great health market! We always stop here when we are in or passing through Sacramento. It is truly one of our regular stops in NorCal. They have a great juice bar and prepared foods section. The salad bar is small but totally organic and has anything you would want. They also have a solid bulk section. Overall, Sacramento Co-op has good prices and awesome healthy options. Highly recommended by Tourganic!

Lake Tahoe, CA

Lake Tahoe- If you find yourself in the northside of Lake Tahoe in the Crystal Bay area (where we often play shows) I definitely recommend going for a run/walk/hike. It may have been a chilly 25 degrees when I woke up this time but I still got in an awesome 10 mile run at elevation in the beautiful woods and roads around the Lake. There is a public beach close to Crystal Bay, where I often do a workout and go for a swim, the water is SO clear here. Great place to breathe some fresh mountain air and recharge while on the road.

Great place to workout, take a swin, meditate or just hang out!

Albany. NY

Honest Weight Co-Op- This is an awesome organic, health market in Albany, NY. It is huge and has tons of grocery items at pretty fair prices. The prepared foods world is extensive! The've got a full juice/smoothie bar as well as a big salad bar with a bunch of organic items. The soups were on point as well. I got a seriously good Juice/smoothie, the Swamp Thing, which was green juice, wheatgrass juice, blended with spirulina, hemp seeds and some other healthy additions and is highly recommended! What a killer stop if your in or passing though Albany.

Bridgeport, CT

Bloodroot- What a find in Bridgeport! Bloodroot is such a great restaurant and luckily was about a 10 minute walk from the venue. Bloodroot serves all plantbased, vegan food and is located in a residential neighborhood in what looks like a house! I had the tostadas, which were served with avocado, green rice and homemade jicama salsa. They were fantastic. I also had a good simple salad to start. Besides the great food, I was so happy to hear that Bloodroot has been open for 39 years!! The women that own Bloodroot are very committed to health and I was glad to make their aquaintance. Bloodroot is not cheap (about $19 for an entree) but the quality makes it worth it. I highly recommend coming to Bloodroot if in the area or if passing through!

POST WORKOUT RAW VEGAN ENERGY BITES

Lately, I've been rocking these awesome organic, raw, vegan energy bites as a postworkout nourishment blast. They are so good and packed with plant based nutrients, fiber and protein. 

-1 cup of Dates

-1/2 cup of pecans/walnuts

-3 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter (preferably homemade!)

-1 cup of rolled oats

-1 tablespoon of flax seeds

-2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds

-3 Tablespoons of coconut oil

Blend everything in the vitamix, roll into small balls and pop in the fridge and boom your done!

New York, NY

Taim- Hands down the best falafel in NYC. Might be controversial but I say it with confidence! Taim makes everything in house, they offer 3 different types of Falafel- Green, Harissa and Red. Each one is better than the next. Taim has whole wheat pita and all the veggies/falafel fix ins are so fresh. This is the falafel spot for vegans and healthy minded people as they are completely vegetarian and clearly state what items have eggs and are gluten free etc. The price for a falafel sandwich is around $7, which is pricier than others in the city but soooo worth it. Taim is not to be missed! 

Beverly MA

Organic Garden- What a great find in Beverly MA. This plantbased, vegan restaurant/juice bar is a bit off the beaten path about 40 minutes north of Boston. They had so many good options! I went with the Harvest Bowl- with quinoa, spinach, butternut squash, cranberry, sprouts and muchi curry. It was awesome! They have a full juice and smoothie menu as well as vegan and gluten free baked goods. The ambiance is very relaxed and the prices were cool, especially given that everything is organic. Overall, a gem of a find!

Waltham, MA

Masao's Kitchen- My favorite place for many years in Boston- is Masao's Kitchen. Masao's (which is actually located in the nearby suburb Waltham) serves up macrobiotic, gluten free, vegan fare at its best. It is a pay by weight system and you can select how much of each dish you want at the buffet, where Masao serves you. There are rotating dishes by the day and it is always top notch quality and cooking. The atmosphere is casual and very relaxed. The owner and chef Masao is almost always there and with a smile! Masao's Kitchen is a must if in the Boston area looking for healthy lunch or dinner! 

Seattle, WA

Healeo- What a great juice bar/café in Seattle! I highly recommend Healeo, if looking for a good healthy stop. After a high energy show the previous night, an 8-mile run and gym session in the morning and I seriously needed to refuel. I got a ‘Superfood Acai Bowl’ with goji berries and peanut protein powder. Sooo Good! I also had a green juice with all veggies, which was great as well. Healeo is mostly raw, however there were a few cooked/hot dishes. The prices aren’t cheap but totally reasonable and well worth it, given that it is all organic. There were so many other items on the menu that I wanted to try. Looking forward to hitting this spot up again next time I’m in Seattle! 

Brooklyn, NY

Wild Ginger- Got to give a shout out to one of our neighborhood vegan spots Wild Ginger. They consistently have good vegan options for the Brooklynites looking for healthy options. The food is pan Asian and they have lots of good items to choose from. The dishes can be a it heavy on the soy based/meat alternatives but you can avoid that and get a plantbased vegetable dish if if you so desire. They moved from the old standby location on Bedford to North 10th st. The interior is a nice vibe and when the weather is nice they keep the giant front window open, which gives it a nice open air feel. I highly recommend going for the lunch special. A main dish comes with miso soup and spring roll for around $10.  They aren’t too any totally vegan options in Williamsburg, so definitely worth a trip to Wild Ginger.

Newport, TN

The Mustard Seed/Back to the Garden Deli- Whoa, what a find in Newport TN!!! This place is so great and in quite a small town. We topped here on our way from Asheville, NC to Louisville, KY. Truly healthy vegan and gluten free options and organic! They make their own almond milk, veggie burgers and most other items are made in house. Back to the Garden is a small business run by a family, which makes it even more more awesome. The owner is very passionate about health and has owned this place for 12 years. It's really affordable and priced fairly. Can't say enough good things about this spot. If you are in the area or passing through, check it out.

Bellingham, WA

Maikham- I have always struggled to find healthy options when we are playing in Bellingham. There is the Co- Op organic market, which has a juice bar and good options but closes way early, as do many restaurants in the area. Before the show last night we discovered this Laotian restaurant. Laotian food seems to be very similar to Thai but with some different veggies and spices. We both got curries, I chose the Red Curry. It was totally vegan and they were fine with no tofu and giving me extra veggies (always a plus). The highlight at Maikham was the fresh roll. It was indeed fresh and very tasty! They also had housemade peanut sauce, which was a nice touch. The ambiance is super casual, you order at the counter and the prices are reasonable. $10 for a curry with brown rice. Also the owner was very friendly and explained how they are a new place and she is trying to offer healthy options and cater to people seeking vegetarian food in Bellingham. Thumbs up for that!

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Eugene, OR

Morning Glory- This is my staple in Eugene. Awesome old school, vegetarian, healthy spot. They are only open until 3:30pm (so plan accordingly!) Morning Glory has a comfy vibe and the prices are totally reasonable. They have amazing salads and pretty much everything on the menu seems to be great. Morning Glory has vegetarian brunch items- Some of there highlights are: '3 Sisters' their housemade mushroom gravy with sauteed veggies, 'The Bomblette' their take on an omelet with tons of veggies in a potato shell and as previousy mentioned the salads (with homemade dressings) are always great. They also have a small selection of fresh juices (carrot, grapefruit, orange) a fruit smoothie of the month and tons of teas and coffee. If in Eugeene for breakfast or lunch, Morning Glory is not to be missed.

Portland, OR

Blossoming Lotus- There are many healthy options in Portland and this is a great one. Our show was at The Wonder Ballroom in Northeast Portland and this was about a 20min walk away from the venue. Well worth the short stroll! The place is all vegan and has a nice vibe. Its somewhat upscale (not in price though!) and has a classy, relaxed interior.  I had 2 adventurous plant-based dishes. We shared an appetizer of 'spicy live nachos'. Raw 'live' chips made of nuts and seeds, cashew 'sour cream', pecan 'chorizo', cilantro, avocado and spices. Strange but awesome. My entree was a vegan Bim Bim Bap, which was not your traditional style and was awesome. I actually was convinced by seeing someone at the table next to me and it looked sooo good. My buddy got the Green Bowl, which was also a total winner. Overall, a great look in Portland for healthy eats.

Grass Valley, CA

Taste of Thai- This is our now our staple dinner spot when playing in Grass Valley. Its right down the street from the venue we play at and a cool vibe. I love the decor and how they built it out. Taste of Thai doesn’t have a ton of vegetarian and vegan options on menu but the quality of the cooking is very good. Good thing I asked because it turns out only the yellow curry is vegan. The rest of their curries have shrimp paste, which is a little disappointing but hey I’m thankful they have at least one totally vegan curry! Props to Taste of Thai though, we went with a huge group before the show and the service was great and everybody loved what they had!

Eureka, CA

Eureka Natural Foods- We hit Eureka Natural Foods in the morning on the way out of town heading to SF. They have great juice bar with organic items. I got a green juice and a great post workout smoothie with Hemp protein. My buddy Greg from our crew was asking me why I get Hemp protein not whey. I’m a huge fan of plant-based proteins and whey is derived from dairy so it is not vegan. Gotta keep my post workout smoothie plant-based! The prepared foods section was a bit underwhelming but the salad bar and juice bar did the job. Overall, Eureka Natural Foods is a decent market and good juice bar.