Delicious chocolate cupcakes don't mention the zucchini
Ten weeks after Belle started sleeping through the night, is it fair to blame my domestic mishaps on sleep deprivation?It would be nice, after all, to have an explanation for finding my cell phone in among the potatoes. Slightly nervous that I might be on the slippery slope towards dementia, I did a little research.Apparently, when we lose sleep over time, we can't simply catch up with one good night's rest, rather, we create a “sleep debt” that takes a while to restore.Clinging on to this little nugget, I calculated that from the arrival of Belle, up until she slept through the night, I lost approximately 1,288 hours of sleep. If I can recoup this at two hours a night, give or take the occasional bout of teething, I can expect to be back to form by April 2013. Oh God.In light of this, I would like to formally blame forgetting last week's promise of quick dinners for grown ups on the sleep issue. I also got very excited about, and distracted by, some amazing chocolate cupcakes. Much more exciting than beans on toast, I'm sure you'll agree.One of my lovely girlfriends made this recipe for her son's first birthday party. The magic is that, in a very “deceptively delicious” kind of way, the recipe includes a full cup of both carrots and zucchini.It made a refreshing change to let the kids loose on sugar without breaking a sweat over all the artificial colourings. I'm not saying I didn't try and talk Chloe down from a third cake, or stuff her full of healthy snacks first, but given that these cupcakes contain a good dose of veggies, it was easy just to let her get on with it. They were served up as mini cupcakes too: a great idea if you need some help with portion control.Obviously, if you have a veggie-phobic kid, don't mention the zucchini. I can guarantee you your little detectives won't be able to taste it. These little muffins were wolfed down by adults and kids alike. Give them a try as a treat this weekend!
Makes approximately 20.
Ingredientsl1 ¼ cups softened butterl1 ½ cups sugar (half brown, half white, granulated.)l2 organic eggsl1 teaspoon real vanilla extractl2 ½ cups organic all-purpose flourl ¾ cup cocoa powderl1 teaspoon baking powderl1 teaspoon baking sodal ½ teaspoon saltl ½ cup organic Greek yoghurtl1 cup grated zucchinil1 cup grated carrotsl1 pack of Dr Oetker Organic icing mix (chocolate or vanilla) from Lindos in Devonshire.
Directions1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.3. Stir in vanilla.4. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.5. Combine the two bowls, and add the yoghurt slowly, stirring in a little at a time. Beat well.6. Fold in the zucchini and carrots.7. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.8. Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Mini muffins require less time so keep an eye on them. Cool for ten minutes before removing from pans and place on wire racks to cool completely.9. Frost the cupcakes, preferably using the Dr Oetker mix. Otherwise any other icing will do; a low-fat cream cheese frosting would go well too.
The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns.Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the U.K. Please note that she is not a Registered Dietitian. She can be contacted at nourishbda[AT]gmail.com.
