autumn in a (vegan) muffin

Each year, when I turn my calendar over to October, I usually think to myself something along the lines of "Yay!  I am so excited that fall is here!" or "Time for apple picking!" or "Man! Halloween will be here before we know it!"  This year, however, when I flipped September's calendar page out of the way and set my eyes on October, I saw my large, hand-written note in big, bold capital letters: "VEGAN MONTH!"  This year, October's arrival has been synonymous with our foray into the world of veganism.  I have been anticipating this dietary experiment nearly as much as I have been anticipating the pumpkins and the apples and the brightly colored trees. 

So, perhaps you're thinking..."Why go vegan?"  Well, I suppose that the simplest answer is as basic as, "I just wanted to try it out."  The more detailed answer involves stories of my past experience with vegetarianism, my recent reading of a rather thought-provoking article, and simply having one of those personalities that likes a challenge.  "Could I go a whole month as a vegan?" I began to wonder after reading the aforementioned article.  Well, I guess we'll find out now, won't we?  My husband, my sister, and I have all agreed to follow a vegan diet for the month of October. 

Once we decided upon this challenge, I headed to my absolute favorite resource for all things unknown and new...the library.  It's quite easy for me to get lost in the cookbook section of the library.  As I sit staring at the glossy, full-color spreads and read through the mouth-watering recipes, I begin to dream of having limitless time with which to whip up creative, healthful, beautiful meals for my little family of three.  I have to snap myself back to reality with the reminder that one of our three is a 15-month-old, who I adore with all my being, but who also makes cooking a bit of a...well...challenge.  With this particular library visit, I had the fortunate limitation of vegan cookbooks, so I left with just a handful of the most interesting-looking ones.  That night I sat on our living room couch, reading, perusing, bookmarking pages, and becoming increasingly excited about this new vegan world.

It didn't surprise me that one of the first recipes to catch my eye was "The Best Pumpkin Muffins" from Vegan with a Vengeance.  We have, afterall, arrived in my favorite season of all - Autumn.  And what says Autumn more than pumpkin?  This seemed the perfect place to begin. 

I only slightly feared that my fervor for fall would be disappointed by a lackluster muffin.  Happily, any twinges of fear were unnecessary.  Despite the lack of eggs and milk, this recipe produced one of the best pumpkin muffins I have ever tasted. My little one adored them as much as I did, and even my pumpkin-shunning husband claimed them to be "excellent."  These muffins made the house smell like fall, and their spicy, wonderful flavors tasted like a little bit of Autumn right on my taste buds.

Of course, in the spirit of honesty, I must admit that my very first thought upon biting into this delightful little muffin was, "This would be great with a cup of milk!"  I had to stop myself from pouring a nice tall glass of cow's milk to go along with my vegan muffin.  Some habits die hard, I am finding.  Fortunately, my love of fall doesn't have to be one of them.