Apologies for the missed week. I was making plenty of delicious food… it just looked like a plate of garbage. Hopefully, these delicious bad boys make up for it.
Over the past couple weeks, when school has been busy and my
schedule fills up, I have realized that cooking is an escape. It’s a creative
outlet, a meditative practice. This hasn’t always been the case. I have
struggled with eating and nutrition in my recent past. As a competitive runner
in both high school and college, I wrestled with the idea that lightness equals
speed. Food wasn’t fuel - it was an obstacle in my way of faster times.
Eventually, I began to understand that this perspective is not only untrue, it
is also unsustainable for running and for life.
What brought me to this realization? A journey of sorts,
with the catalyst being my education in nutrition. I learned about how foods -
real, whole foods – provide the necessary elements for all of our bodies’
processes and functions. Nourishment began to make sense to me. It was no
longer about minimizing or eliminating foods, but fueling my body by adding nutrient-dense food. My outlook
was completely changed: no more was the kitchen a place of conflict, but rather
a creative place … a sanctuary.
So what about them cupcakes?! Not only are they an
opportunity to treat yo’ self, they are also little reminders of what real
nourishment is. As you grate the carrots, take a moment to really see their brilliant orange color. That’s
beta-carotene, a form of vitamin A, that does so much good for your body. I
could bore you with the biochemistry behind its many roles, but I’ll spare you
(unless you want the details: tenderlovingkale@gmail.com)
and let you just whip these babies up and feel it for yourself. These
whole-food treats are soothing to body, mind, and soul. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Cupcakes
o
3 ½ - 4 cups gluten-free flour (I use equal
parts brown rice and oat flours)
o
1 ½ TBSP
arrowroot powder
o
1 can (16 oz) of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie
filling)
o
3 packed cups shredded carrots
o
2 ½ TBSP coconut oil
o
3 TBSP dark coconut nectar (or grade B maple syrup)
o
12 Medjool dates
o
1 ½ TSP of vanilla extract
o
1 TSP cinnamon
o
½ TSP nutmeg
o
½ TSP ground ginger
o
1 TSP salt
Icing
o
2/3 cup coconut butter
o
1 ½ TBSP dark coconut nectar
o
1 TSP vanilla extract
Directions:
1.
Begin by making the icing. Simply mix all
ingredients and place in your fridge until you’re ready to frost the cupcakes.
2.
Pit yo dates by slicing them down their center.
Then, add the halved dates into a warm water bath and soak for 30 minutes.
3.
Wash and dry your carrots. Begin the process of
shredding. Let this seemingly monotonous task transform into an opportunity for
you to appreciate the beautiful color of the carrots.
4.
Once you have the 3 cups of shredded carrots,
massage the salt into them. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow for maceration.
5.
Preheat oven to 350 ° F
6.
In a high-speed blender food processor, add the
coconut oil and nectar or maple syrup, pumpkin puree, vanilla, dates and
spices. Blend until mixture becomes a uniform consistency.
7.
Coat the carrots with flour by adding 1 ½ cups
of flour, then add the wet ingredients, followed with remaining 2-2 ½ cups of
flour and mix.
8.
Place cupcake liners in tray and fill with
batter. The batter won’t rise very much, if at all, so make sure to fill them to
desired size. I added enough batter so that looked like cooked cupcakes.
9.
Bake for 40 minutes.
10. Allow
the cupcake to cool to room temperature.
11. Frost
the cupcakes with a dollop of frosting and sprinkle on some shredded coconut.
12. Try not to eat them all at once ;)
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