Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

I can't believe it is already Monday again!

My half marathon training continued this week with a 4 mile run Monday, 3 mile run Tuesday, 4.5 mile run Wednesday, rest on Thursday, 3 miles on Friday, and then 7.5 on Saturday! Sunday was all about cross-training and I am still feeling great.  I got a little nervous on Friday when my foot was hurting for a bit, but after some nice stretching, I ended up being just fine.

Along with all this, I had a super fun weekend! On Friday, I saw a movie with my friend Lauren and then skyped our friend Caryn! It was so great to see her.  She if off being a grown-up in DC and it was fun to hear about her life and all that was going on.  Then, I went out with friends on Saturday and had one of the most fun nights ever.  Finally, on Sunday, I watched the Badger basketball game, baked with Tamara, and then made dinner and watched tv. It was a great time and I am pretty overwhelmed that we are back at another Monday.  Fortunately, I spent a lot of time planning on Friday and Sunday and feel totally ready to take on another week!

I also have a great recipe to share today! I made my Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes and Whipped Chocolate Ganache and had some awesome cupcakes.  They are light cakes with rich frosting, just how it should be.

Skinny Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 cup hot coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup skim milk
2 cups white whole wheat flour
1 4 oz package instant chocolate pudding
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt
For the Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 and prepare 2 12-cup cupcake pans.
2. Heat up coffee and stir in cocoa powder until combined.  Stir in milk and vanilla.  Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, espresso powder, and pudding mix.
4. In a large bowl, beat sugar with canola oil and applesauce.  Beat in egg and egg whites until well combined.  Alternate adding in the dry ingredients and the coffee mixture, starting with the dry and ending with the dry.  Mix until just combined.  Stir in the greek yogurt.
5. Fill cupcake wells about 3/4 full and bake for about 20 minutes.  Let cool.
6. Make the frosting: microwave the cream for about 3 minutes or until just about boiling.  Place chocolate chips in a bowl and pour hot cream over the chocolate chips.  Let sit for 30 seconds and then stir until combined and melted.  Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Mix ganache mixture with vanilla until stiff peaks start to form.  Frost cupcakes.

Enjoy :)

Healthy Avocado Chocolate Pudding

When I saw this recipe, I knew I just had to try it.  It is so simple and it looks delicious.  Also, it is pretty darn healthy and just a little crazy.

I have been so busy lately, but even I had time to whip this up in my food processor and then snack on it while working on homework/watching tv (that's right...I can multitask).  So let me tell you the recipe and then I have to go get ready for school!

Healthy Avocado Chocolate Pudding (adapted from Kirbie's Cravings)

Ingredients:
1 medium avocado
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup skim milk

Directions:
1. Peel and take remove the seed from the avocado.  Place chunks of the avocado into a food processor.  Place the rest of the ingredients in.  Food process until smooth.  Eat immediately, or place in the fridge to chill.

Enjoy :)

Cute Camp Treat

Yesterday was Halloween at camp.  I dressed up as Minnie Mouse, but then it was over 100 degrees again, and I quickly changed back into my loose camp shirt and shorts! It was hot, but it was also Friday and so people were all in pretty good moods.  Also, since it was Halloween, I came up with a great snack idea for the end of the day:

Graveyard Cups!

Ingredients:
chocolate pudding
oreos
gummy worms
milano cookies
gel frosting

Directions:
1. Spoon some pudding into plastic cup.  Top with some smashed oreo and a gummy worm. Next, write RIP or whatever you want on your milano cooke and stick it into the pudding so that it looks like a little gravestone.  Now, you have an adorable snack that kids will LOVE.

Enjoy :)

Today, I have an EPIC dinner planned.  My cousin Chris and I both love to cook and so we are getting together to make a 5 course, plated dinner, for 12.  I am also supposed to run 12 miles this morning, but seeing as there is still an excessive heat warning in effect, I am going to hold off until tomorrow when it  is going to be cooler.  So, get excited for some fun meal ideas and more on my running excursions.  I can't wait to share them all with you!

Blueberry Bread Pudding

My dad always hated bread pudding.

I made challah a while back for the Daring Bakers Challenge.  Three of my four loaves were already gobbled down, but I still had a loaf of blueberry-whole wheat sitting in the fridge.  I really wanted to try my hand at bread pudding and I figured a berry bread pudding with blueberry challah would be amazing. The only problem: my dad.

I decided, as Father's Day wasn't for a few more weeks, I would make the bread pudding, call it baked french toast, and see if he would eat it.

Not only did he eat the bread pudding, he LOVED the bread pudding.  I guess there is a slight chance he was just being nice.  However, seeing as how my father was the type of person to tell me that if I purchased a ring-tone for 99 cents, he would not pay for any of my college tuition, I don't think he was messing around.

Very-Berry Bread Pudding (inspired by Country Cleaver)

Ingredients:
1 loaf of Blueberry Challah 
3 cups of berries (I used quartered-strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries)
2 cups skim milk
2 cups half-and-half
5 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, beat milk, half-and-half, and eggs.  Beat in the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. Slice the challah into cubes and place in the baking dish.  Pour milk mixture over the bread.  Sprinkle the berries all over the top.  Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the middle is no longer jiggly when you lightly shake the dish. Serve warm...maybe even get the whipped cream out!

Enjoy :)