Let’s be perfectly honest here; cupcakes are yummy. Cupcakes are yummy, but eating cupcakes is a great way to pack on the pounds. Sometimes I’m not so perfectly honest with myself and I call cupcakes “muffins,” so they sound healthier, but I know that’s just a game.
And I am certainly not one to cut yummy things out of my life, but right now, when I’m trying to get rid of some post-holiday weight, is not such a great time to indulge in cupcakes or (wink, wink) muffins.
Unless… Unless you make these healthy cupcakes that are, indeed, cupcakes, but also, indeed, yummy. The recipe even calls them “cupcakes,” so you know they have to be yummy. But they’re also healthy, so you can enjoy them and not feel bad about it. And while we’re being all honest and everything- you know you can’t eat the whole batch at once, right? Make these healthy Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes from Whole Foods and you can enjoy a treat and eat your vegetables all at the same time! How many cupcakes can claim to do that?
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup expeller pressed canola oil
- 1/2 cup unbleached, evaporated cane sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup unbleached white flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 medium carrots, grated
- 1/2 medium zucchini, grated
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- Frosting
- 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 2/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted, (buy natural and unbleached, if possible)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 12 walnut halves for decoration
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the oil with the sugar and applesauce. Add eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together mix together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add to the liquid ingredients. Fold in carrots, zucchini and nuts. Spoon into muffin cups filling 3/4 full. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until done when tested with a toothpick. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Add lime juice. Ice the cupcakes with a blunt knife. Garnish each with a walnut half.
Nutritional Info:
Per Serving: 330 calories (160 from fat), 18g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 40mgcholesterol, 150mg sodium, 38g carbohydrates, (2g dietary fiber, 25g sugar), 5g protein.