Pictures and Caroline's Muffins Recipe

I am finally back after a long vacation. My mom underwent surgery and I got to spend time with her during her recovery. She is doing remarkably well, thank God. Here are some pictures I'm sharing with you all:

Paseo Santa Lucia with El Cerro de la Silla as a background;
this mountain is Monterrey's Landmark

Monterrey is surrounded by mountains

This part of town is characterized by the old architecture;
 colonial buildings, haciendas, stoned paved streets, etc.

Paseo Santa Lucia. Cerro de la Silla (Saddle's Mountain)

There are boat rides available with restaurants and shops alog the way

The public library

MARCO (Contemporary Art Museum)

The Metropolitan Cathedral

Macroplaza's Neptune Fountain

Palacio de Gobierno del Estado
(State's Goverment Palace)

We all enjoyed a while back, Caroline's Blueberry Lemon Muffins (from The Joy of Vegan Baking, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau) As promised, here it is!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2 cups  unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Zest of two lemons
3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup nondairy milk
1/3 cup canola oil (she also made a batch using apple sauce instead of oil)
1 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp white distilled vinegar (I will try lemon juice instead ;)  so I won't use anything fermented)
1 1/2 fresh blueberries, picked over to remove stems

Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Lightly grease your muffin tins.
In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, milk, oil, lemon extract, and vinegar. Mix well. Add the flour mixture, stirring until the ingredients are just blended. Gently fold in the berries using a rubber spatula.
Fill greased or nonstick muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. While the muffins are baking, lick the bowl clean. No eggs means no salmonella!
Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tins and cool on a wire rack.

Yields: 12 muffins