blueberry coconut vegan scones - no butter, no eggs

Hope you are all having a good summer. Can you believe that it's almost August already? I think this is my favourite season (but then, I do say that every season! ) Picnics, trips to the beach, bbqs, road trips...summer is just the perfect time for fun and for portable, finger friendly food, that you can pack and take along, like these blueberry coconut scones. 

We made a trip up to beautiful Carmel some time ago and I baked up these blueberry scones to take with us.  I made them with coconut milk so my little dairy allergic munchkin could have them too, but you could use any kind of milk. For good measure I tossed in some shredded coconut and blueberries which bubbled and burst in the oven, leaking rivulets of purple juices.

Isn't it kind of weird that blueberries are actually a translucent green inside? When you bake them, the inside turns purply too. Baking really makes blueberries even better, turning them jammy and juicy and wonderful.

These are not exactly like the traditional butter scones. These are super simple and quick to make- everything gets mixed together in one bowl with a fork.  The batter is somewhat loose and you drop them by the tablespoons and bake. That's it. They are as delicious though, with a crisp exterior and all tender and soft inside- good on their own, fantastic with some buttery spread and preserves. 
You can skip the coconut if you are not a coconut lover and replace the coconut milk with any other milk. Play around with them- a little zest, some spice, dried fruit?  

Here is a picture from Carmel, on a drive to Big Sur. I had to walk down small trail, braving poison oak and stand on the edge of a cliff, risking my neck to take this pic for you all. It is a truly beautiful place, simply spectacular sights and if we stopped every time I wanted to enjoy the jaw-dropping view and take pictures, the drive would have taken us several days at least. 

Downtown Carmel is like walking into a fairytale. There are moss covered cottages filled with sweets, quaint tea shops, galleries and secret passages. The Monterey Bay aquarium is also close by so if you are making a trip that side, it is definitely worth visiting too.

It was quite sad to come away from a truly dreamy weekend there, but I'm glad to have the memories, pictures and these scones!  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 3 tablespoons sugar ( you can use other sweetner of your choice) 

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup coconut or canola oil ( If you prefer you can use an equal amount melted butter) 

• 1 cup coconut milk ( any kind is ok. You can use soy or almond milk or even regular milk) 

• 1/2 cup shredded coconut ( I used the frozen kind, thawed) 

• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:
Blueberry Coconut Vegan Scones
Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Pour all the dry ingredients into a large bowl: flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Stir in the oil and coconut milk and shredded coconut with a fork just until the mixture is moistened and comes together.
Stir in the blueberries gently so they don't burst. 
Drop tablespoons of the batter on a lightly greased baking sheet
Bake in the preheated oven until golden on the edges, about 8 to 12 minutes. Serve warm.
Store in airtight container or zip bag at room temperature for up to two days. You could freeze them for longer.
They are best eaten on the day they were baked,  when they are crisp on the outside and tender inside,
The will get a little soft and cake-like after the first day. 
You could re-crisp them by warming in the oven for about 5 mins, although I did like them soft too, and by the second day they get a stronger coconutty flavour.
If you want to keep them longer it might be better to refrigerate or freeze them, though I have not tried this, I think they would get even softer, and you might want to warm them up in the oven before eating. 

Take along with you when you are out enjoying these long sunny days, for only just a little while longer!