Dark Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing

  While it's been quite some time since my last post, I hope to update this more frequently this summer as I try out new recipes. I'm also planning to try to make more from scratch and not rely so much on processed, pre-packaged foods. So, we will see where this culinary journey takes me!
This recipe was inspired by my cousin who is an outstanding baker! I made a few changes to her recipe to add some more nutrients and reduce the sugar.

Dark Chocolate Banana Cupcakes 

Ingredients

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c xylitol (or sugar, if you don't have it)

5 T unsalted butter

1 t vanilla

1 1/2 medium, ripe bananas - mashed

1/4 c spelt flour

3/4 c unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

2/3 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add vanilla and bananas and mix.  Combine dry ingredients; add dry ingredients alternately with milk until combined. Pour into 12 cupcake papers. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Nutrition Info (based on 11 servings - yes, I only got 11 out of this)

Calories: 135
Carbs: 12g

Fiber: 1.8 g

Sugar: 6.5 g

Protein: 1.8 g

Peanut Butter Icing

1/2 c unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

1/8 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1/2 t vanilla

2 1/2 - 3 c powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients until smooth. Let's not even go there with the nutrition facts on the icing...

All things in moderation - stay healthy!

 

Pumpkin Blondies

Pumpkin isn't just for fall! It's a great source of anti-oxidants, vitamins A, C, & E, and has no saturated fat or cholesterol. This is a recipe I tried for the first time and lightened up a bit; next time, I'm going to try some more substitutions. This recipe would be great with spelt flour since it is lighter than wheat but has more nutritional value than white. The sugar content in these is a little higher than I like, so that needs a tweak too (amazing, considering I cut the sugar called for by 2/3). Quick and easy, delicious, and not nearly as heavy as a traditional blondie or brownie!

Pumpkin Blondies

Ingredients

2/3 cup + 2 T all-purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 T pumpkin pie spice

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 stick unsalted butter

7.5 oz pumpkin puree 

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 T sugar (sub stevia, sun crystals, etc)

2 T liquid egg substitute 

1 t vanilla

Optional: chocolate/carob chips, walnuts, almonds

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease a 8x8 pan with non-stick spray.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla - mix well.  Combine all dry ingredients; add to wet ingredients and mix until blended.  (If you're adding any optional ingredients, stir them in now or sprinkle them on top.) Pour into pan and spread evenly.  Bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Nutrition (makes 16 2-inch pieces)

Calories: 107

Fat: 5.9 g

Carbs: 14.5

Sugar: 6.9 

Protein: 1.4g

 

Stay healthy!

Light Coffee Cake

Unlike some of the other recipes I post, you probably have all of these ingredients on hand! I've added some substitutions in parentheses if you're looking for other ideas.  Just remember that any substitution changes the nutrition facts.  This recipe isn't as nutritionally sound as I'd like, but I've learned that sometimes too many substitutions results in a not-so-great final product! So, I'm going to chalk this one up to a once-in-awhile treat that includes things I don't normally like to bake with - white flour & white sugar - gasp!  As usual, I've made some healthy swaps from the original recipe and scaled back on the sugar.  I didn't use all of the topping that the recipe made, so next time I will use less ingredients in that part of the recipe.

Light Coffee Cake

Batter Ingredients

1/2 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk  (or any type of milk)

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable or canola oil)

1/4 c liquid egg substitute (or 1 egg)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 c all-purpose flour

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1/4 c sugar (or another powdered sweetener like splenda or stevia)

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt 

Topping Ingredients

1/4 c packed brown sugar (scant) (or evaporated cane sugar)

1/2 c chopped walnuts (or pecans)

1 T whole wheat flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp unsalted butter

Directions 

Preheat the oven to 375 and coat an 8x8 pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine all wet ingredients for the batter; combine all dry ingredients for the batter.   Add wet ingredients to dry and combine (a spoon will do - no need for an electric mixer!).  Spread batter into prepared pan.

In a separate bowl, melt the butter; add all other topping ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle topping over batter.  Bake for 25-28 minutes.  Makes 16 2-inch pieces.

Nutrition (based on 16 servings):

Calories: 90

Fat: 2.5 g

Carbs: 12.4 g

Fiber: 1.3 g

Sugars: 6.8 g

Protein: 2.3 g 

Stay healthy!

 

Carrot Cake Makeover

So, this weekend I had the urge to bake something.  But, as is typical of me, I couldn't just follow a recipe I found - I had to find a way to make it healthier.  Sometimes, however, this has backfired on me, and I've wound up trashing my latest creation.  This time the product was great! The recipe has no oil and low sugar; it also incorporates fiber-rich, whole wheat flour and omega-3 rich ground flax. And, did you know that both cinnamon and ginger are thermogenic herbs that improve metabolism?? Hope you enjoy my made-over, low sugar, carrot cake!

Low Sugar Carrot Cake

Ingredients

3 eggs (mine were fresh, organic, and free range from The Veggie Stand) 

1 cup of unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

1.25 cups unbleached, all-purpose white flour**
.75 cup whole wheat flour

.75 cup white/light brown sugar (I packed brown in the bottom half and filled to full with white)

2 tsp baking powder

.25 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp ground flax

1 tsp cinnamon

.25 tsp cloves

.25 tsp nutmeg 

.5 tsp ginger 

3 cups finely shredded carrots
.25 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

 Pre-heat your oven to 350.  Mix the eggs, applesauce, and vanilla together.  In a separate bowl, whisk together both flours, sugar, ground flax, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.  Once everything is well blended, stir in carrots and walnuts by hand.  Spray pans with non-stick cooking spray before baking.  Baking times will vary depending on what you make: cupcakes = 18-22 minutes; cake = 38-45 minutes.  A toothpick inserted near the center will come out clean when the cake is ready.

Yield

This recipe made about 24 cupcakes.

Nutrition 

 Calories: 95
Total Fat: 1.7g

Total Carb: 15.7g
Fiber: 1.7g
Sugar: 10g

Protein 2.5g

Stay Fit!