Spring has finally sprung here in the midwest and has brought some much needed sunshine and warmth. Hopefully it lasts! It is when the weather changes that my palate gets most excited for the tastes of the new season. The sun evokes brighter flavors such as lemon, strawberries, and mint! It also allows for a renewal of my mind and body, bringing inspiration with its rays of sunshine. I have shed my sweaters for lighter garb and found a need to carry sunglasses once more. I was sure this winter would never end and now that it has I can't stop craving spring freshness!
Which is why when I woke this morning, it was no surprise that I felt a strong desire to create. These lemon chia seed scones are a favorite of mine and are great as a light-but-hardy morning meal. I always have chia seeds on hand as they are good source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and calcium (just to name a few). I try to add them to water, oatmeal, breads and baked goods whenever possible. And since they resemble a poppy seed I decided they would be a powerful substitution in this recipe.
Lemon Chia Seed Scones
Prep time: 10 minutes Bake time: 15-20 minutes Yields: 6 scones
Dry ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup old fashion oats (not instant) partially blended in the food processor approx. 30 seconds
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 lemon’s zest
Wet ingredients:
- 1/2 cup skim milk + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (or low-fat buttermilk)
- ¼ cup Coconut oil
- 1 egg
- 3-4 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a liquid measuring cup, mix together milk and vinegar and set aside. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Using fingers, break coconut oil into small piece and add to dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together egg, lemon juice, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla. Add milk mixture to other wet ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Do not over mix. You should see small pieces of the coconut oil throughout mixture. Allow batter to rest for five minutes. Oats will soak in wet ingredients and batter will puff up. Form batter into a pizza shape about 1 inch thick on a lined cookie sheet. With a knife or pizza cutter perforate 6 pie-shaped pieces lightly into the scone batter. Bake in oven for 15-20 min. Allow to completely cool on pan and top scones with glaze (optional). Recipe Below.
Honey Lemon Glaze:
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Heaping Tablespoon Coconut Oil (melted)
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- Zest of one lemon
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour over scones. Tip: place scones directly on a cooling rack with wax paper on counter beneath. Then pour glaze on scones so that extra glaze falls to wax paper for easy cleanup!
Whats your favorite flavor of spring?