Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl combine the applesauce, tea, and cereal and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Cereal should start to feel heavy and squishy. In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on a low-to-medium speed mix the cereal mixture until it is fairly mushy, much like the consistency of mashed potatoes. If you are shorter on time or your hand mixer gets bogged down, try throwing the lot in the blender or food processor. Add the ground flax and mix well. Add the egg and vanilla and blend well. Add the remaining ingredients one by one leaving the cottage cheese until last. Mix well. Batter should be thick and fairly lumpy with a fibrous texture. Transfer batter to muffin pans and bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.