Blueberry Lavender Scones

Earlier this month, I discussed my new obsession with adding dried lavender to my treats. Well that obsession had my oven preheating at 7:30 this morning. Shortly after opening my eyes, I thought about the fresh, local blueberries in the refrigerator and how nice they would be paired with lavender in scones. This isn't a far stretch from the lavender blueberry pancakes I've been making all summer but scones are different than pancakes, that's a fact. Scones pair well with coffee or tea, and are a perfect match for my yogurt and granola breakfast. Scones are also good for traveling if you eat breakfast on the run.

The base for this recipe is from my standard scone which I shared last September. This recipe has yielded the most consistent results and held up with a few changes today. Early morning baking is typically unplanned baking; inevitably I'm short on at least one ingredient. This morning it was the buttermilk. It's always the buttermilk. A simple substitution of milk and white vinegar works just fine and I've also used soy milk successfully. Of course, neither of these were in the fridge this morning. It's been an all-almond milk summer. We also didn't have white vinegar. I worried for a minute as I looked at the almond milk and apple cider vinegar, hoping there wouldn't be a trace of either flavor in the final product. When I'm standing at the oven in pajamas and slippers, however, I work with what I've got. I'll post the recipe below using buttermilk but if you're stuck like me use the following substitution:

1 tablespoon white vinegar + almost 1 cup milk = 1 cup buttermilk

this morning's substitution: 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar + almost 1 cup almond milk

Banana Pecan Zucchini Muffins

Almost a year ago, I shared this recipe for a vegan zucchini bread, all spiced up and filled with walnuts.   That recipe calls for two whole cups of shredded zucchini making it a perfect bread when you have a garden full of giant zuccs.

This banana pecan zucchini muffin recipe is much simpler, calling for only one zucchini and adds a banana for extra flavor and moisture. The original recipe came from a farmer friend in Vermont, who made her own adaptation of the version posted on Taste of Home. On Caitlin's recommendation, I swapped out vegetable oil for coconut oil and halved the sugar. I also split the entire recipe in half (the original makes two loaves or 24 muffins).

The moisture in these muffins is perfect. They are just a bit spicy with the cinnamon and you could easily add nutmeg and/or cloves if you want to really spice things up. I dig the pecans as well, and as always you can opt to leave them out or swap them for walnuts. 

Lavender Blueberry Pancakes

There aren't many things as comforting as pancakes in the morning. Here we make one of our favorite comfort foods even more comforting with the addition of dried lavender [happy sigh]. Lately I've been adding dried lavender to muffins, scones, and now, pancakes. Once you get your hands on some dried lavender, add only enough to fit your taste buds. Some of us like the fragrant herbal flavor much more than others.

Served up with Greek yogurt and golden raspberries.

You can opt to leave the blueberries out, or swap them for bananas or even chocolate chips. Whatever you fancy. Once you're comfortable with the basic recipe you can adjust the sugar, milk, and spices without fail. Just don't forget the lavender and pure maple syrup!


Lavender Blueberry Pancakes
Makes 10-12 pancakes

1 c. flour
1 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 T. flax seed, ground
pinch of salt
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 - 1T. dried lavender (adjust to your tastes)
1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 c. fresh blueberries


Heat a skillet over medium heat.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, flaxseed, salt, cinnamon, and lavender in a bowl. Whisk in buttermilk, vanilla, and egg just until combined. Batter should be lumpy. Fold in blueberries.

Grease skillet with butter or cooking spray. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into circles on your pan. Cook until bubbles form and pop in your pancake and sides stiffen. Flip and cook other side. Serve hot with maple syrup. Happy day.

Marionberry Crumb Muffins

Spending my summer in Oregon means heaping amounts of berries around the clock. It also means the curious marionberry, Oregon's famed berry. The marionberry is the 'Marion' cultivar of blackberry, developed by the USDA and Oregon State University and tested in Marion County, OR. One can find marionberry pie, muffins, scones, jams, etc. in every market and bakery around. It was my duty to get these berries into at least one of my treats this summer.

I adapted my recipe for orange blueberry poppy seed muffins that I posted last December. I realize that most of you reading do not have access to marionberries, so swap them for blackberries! Or at the very least, make the original blueberry muffins. The crumb topping is too delicious to pass up!

Mixed Berry Mini Pies

It's been awhile, I know, but I've got mixed berry pie! These pies happen to be adorable (coming in at 5 inches a piece), sweet but tart, and a perfect way to use up the summer's best berries. I've been on a mini dessert kick for a few months. It's a bit more work to make four separate pies but the works pays off in the end when you can claim a pie all to yourself.

Notes on the recipe:

I use a total of five cups of fresh berries in this recipe: blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. Feel free to adjust those amounts and even swap in some strawberries if you like, but keep it to five cups.  

Lemon juice and zest can easily be added in if you prefer a citrus-y flavor to your berry pies. I like the flavor of the berries all their own, with just a bit of added sugar.