I bet you never thought you’d see cupcakes on a Nutritionists blog! WELL I DID IT! I made some healthy, darn delicious, don’t-feel-too-guilty-about-eating-these cupcakes. Oh, and I made them festive too – Peppermint & Chocolate!!!
Want to know the secret about these melt in your mouth, rich, chocolaty delights…?
(they are made with chickpeas…. chickpeas. CHICKPEASSSSSS!)
Yup, the base of these cupcakes, has no flour and instead chickpeas take the place of it! So, you also get a boost of protein and fiber, secretly. I promise, you’d never know it!
So what else is so great about these cupcakes..?
They are made with all unrefined ingredients, healthy fats, and dark (antioxidant rich) chocolate… ohhhh momma!
The peppermint in the frosting is the perfect finishing touch, making candy canes and chocolate chips dance in your head as you take each delicious bite. The frosting, made with coconut oil literally melts in your mouth, and then you get just a teeeeny tiny hint of orange from the juice in the cupcake and all the wonderful flavors of Christmas come together…pure Joy. To the Cupcake World.
And one more thing, if you couldn’t already tell how excited I am about the magnificence of these cupcakes… they are, let’s hear it, only 217 calories each! That’s it, that’s all.
Yes ok, sure, that’s more calories than a cookie – but my friends, this is a CUPCAKE… and I’m sorry to break it to you, but most bakery cupcakes out there are at least 400 calories a pop, and they aren’t made with healthy ingredients like these are!! So, have your cupcake, and eat it too!… (in moderation… aghk! Sorry I had to say it, it’s in the Nutritionist Oath!)
I hope you like today’s recipe – December will be full of delicious fun, holiday inspired recipes to lead up to Christmas, my favorite time of year!
For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake tin with liners.
Blend chickpeas and orange juice in food processor until smooth. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, blending in between.
Add remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Mix in chickpea mixture until well combined.
Fill each cupcake liner around ¾ full and bake 18-20 minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting: In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and coconut oil
Stir in peppermint extract
Place frosting in refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to thicken, checking often to make sure it doesn’t get too firm! (if it does, just pop in the microwave for 10 seconds and refrigerate again, or leave at room temperature for an hour)
Remove from refrigerator and whip frosting with a hand blender until thick and fluffy
05
2012Chocolate & Peppermint Cupcakes (Gluten Free!)
I bet you never thought you’d see cupcakes on a Nutritionists blog! WELL I DID IT! I made some healthy, darn delicious, don’t-feel-too-guilty-about-eating-these cupcakes. Oh, and I made them festive too – Peppermint & Chocolate!!! Want to know the secret about these melt in your mouth, rich, chocolaty delights…? (they are made with chickpeas…. chickpeas. CHICKPEASSSSSS!)The peppermint in the frosting is the perfect finishing touch, making candy canes and chocolate chips dance in your head as you take each delicious bite. The frosting, made with coconut oil literally melts in your mouth, and then you get just a teeeeny tiny hint of orange from the juice in the cupcake and all the wonderful flavors of Christmas come together…pure Joy. To the Cupcake World.