Fair is Fair

Oh, to be 3 and drinking a milkshake made from milk you saw leave the udder.

Much like national spelling bees, YouTube clips of children playing instruments, and the little sugarplum dancers in The Nutcracker...going to the fair makes me feel like I have wasted my life. There are 9 year olds who can shoe and ride horses! I saw a toddler milking a goat! I can't quilt. I can't knit. I'm afraid of chickens (their horrible pointy faces and scale-y feet just creep me out). I may have a green thumb but I'm terrified of bugs so I'll never know.

But I try not to dwell on it. Instead, I remember that I can turn the fruit that someone else has grown into delicious vegan treats. Maybe someday I will enter them into a fair contest and there will be a big ribbon pinned to my plate. Until then, enjoy these recipes and get yourself to your local fair.

Ribbon -Worthy Apriberry Muffins

4 apricots, peeled, pitted, and chopped

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup soy milk

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

3 tablespoons warm water

Toss the apricots and blueberries with the lemon juice and set aside.

Mix the flaxseed and warm water in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the milk and butter to the flax seeds and mix well.

Add the wet to the dry and mix then fold in the fruit.

Spoon into a greased muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Let cool in the pan for a few minutes then remove to a wire rack. Sprinkle the tops with a little cinnamon sugar and enjoy.

Oat-Plum Upside-Down Tartlets

In a blender, puree enough plums (skins on) to make about 1 1/2 cups.

Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons warm water and set aside.

Cream (a hand-held mixer makes this easier) 1 softened stick of vegan margarine with 1 cup of brown sugar.

Add 1 cup of the pureed plums and the flax mixture to the butter and sugar and blend well.

Stir in 1 teaspoon each salt, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Add 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats and stir until just moistened.

Place a few pecan halves in the bottom of a Pam-greased muffin tin.

Spoon the oat mixture over the pecans until the cups are 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes.

While the muffins are baking, mix the rest of plum puree with powder sugar until it reaches a thin, frosting-like consistency.

When the muffins are done, invert them onto a rack while still hot.

Cool for about 5 minutes then spoon enough frosting onto the muffins so some drizzles down the sides.

Serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla rice dream. Or cooled down (they get pretty cripsy) with a big glass of soy milk.