Teff Date Walnut Scones - vegan, no sugar, no oil, no gluten

Muffins and scones have been a fast breakfast food in my house for the past 15 years. It started because it was such a treat for the kids, and my husband has always loved muffins. I really didn't know anything about it, and in a way that liberated me.  That impulse has not changed just because I'm not using regular wheat flour or eggs or milk or any processed sweeteners.  My amazing food coop has such a wonderful range of grains, and I decided to try the TEFF FLOUR to see its impact on texture and flavor in a scone. Teff flour is the main grain in Ethiopian breads. Last time I baked something I used maple syrup to sweeten it, but I wanted to try using no "sweetener" so I chopped up and soaked some organic prunes, and threw in shopped dates. Yum! This is excellent the next day for breakfast, and would make a very delicious dessert with a dab of yogurt or drizzled with honey and nuts. You can play with this, eliminating anything you don't have in the house, and adding something else. I specifically add chick pea flour in order to make sure there's a bit of protein in breakfast. Turns out teff has good nutirional value as well. This makes 4-6 scones and baking times will vary.

Teff Date Walnut Scones

1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup Teff Flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1/3 cup walnuts
1 Tblsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt (optional)
1/4 cup water
6 pitted prunes, chopped
3 dates, pitted & chopped
1/4 cup plain coconut yogurt
1/4 cup + 1 Tblsp soy milk (unsweetened)

1.  Preheat oven to 350F. Put parchment paper in a 9X12 baking pan.
2.  In a medium bowl combine the flours, baking powder, nutritional yeast and salt.
3.  Put the water in a bowl or measuring cup and add the chopped prunes. Heat one minute in microwave or a few minutes in a pot on the stove until the prunes begin softening and giving up their sweetness to the water (water changes color when you stir).
4.  Add coconut yogurt and soy milk to the prune mixture, and then add that to the dry flour mixture, stirring just enough to integrate and moisten. No need to beat this... take it easy, the texture depends upon your moderation here!
5.  Fold in the dates chopped in small bits (they will be sticky) and gently stir in most of the walnuts.

6.  Plop blobs of the dough on the parchment paper with about at least an inch between blobs - 4 large ones (3.5"oval shapes), or 6 smaller blobs. Adjust your cooking time accordingly. The larger scones will need to bake for 30-40 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if there's still too much moisture in the middle but remember that the dates will stay sticky and moist. The smaller ones could be done in 20-23 minutes.

nutrition facts to come...