Larabars, Giveaways, and Cupcakes, OH MY!

Since I try and eat every few hours or so to keep my metabolism revved and my hunger down, I am always on the lookout for healthy snacks. Which is why I was so excited to try Larabars since I had heard so much about them from my fellow bloggers. I got to try chocolate chip cookie dough, banana bread, peanut butter & jelly and carrot cake. Banana bread was by far my fav!

Here are the stats:

• Gluten-free
• Free of colorings, additives, preservatives
• Made of fruits, nuts and spices (fits a plant-based diet!)
• Vegan and vegetarian friendly

On another note, I never win giveaways, but when I won Kate’s giveaways on a Healthy Passion, I hit the jackpot! Look at the package I got in the mail today!!

I can’t wait to try all of these products!! Half of these products I’ve never even heard of before so stay tuned for the reviews! Thanks so much Kate! I was also super excited to see that my first strawberry is ripe! I have a very small garden on my porch with cilantro, basil and strawberries! Look how cute:

And I saved the best for last! My sweet tooth reared it’s ugly head again this week and chocolate cupcakes were calling my name. I came across a recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse cupcakes on Mind Over Booty and couldn’t wait to give them a try!

Ingredients:

cupcake

• 1 + 1/4 cup flour (I used wheat but you can use gluten-free, chickpea, white – whatever you like!)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup Almond milk (or your choice of milk)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mousse

• 1 package firm tofu, drain and pat dry
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbs. nut butter
• 1/4 cup agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt (omit if using salted peanut butter)
• Optional – Reese’s peanut butter chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl whisk together all the wet cupcake ingredients. In a separate small bowl combine dry cupcake ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet, about 1/3 at a time mixing just until combined.

2. Spray cupcake pan with nonstick spray. Pour mixture into each cupcake spot. Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, checking after 15 to see if the cupcake are firm. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a drying rack.

For the mousse, using a food processor or blender, break up the block of tofu with your hands and drop directly into machine. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth (about 1-2 minutes). Taste to assure that the flavor is well-balanced adding a little more agave for a sweeter mousse. Place in the fridge until the cupcakes are completely cool and ready to frost.

If you haven’t heard by now, a 20-year-old college woman went missing at Indiana University. She was walking back to her apartment (the same one I lived in my sophomore year) from Kilroys Sports Bar (somewhere I spent many weekends). You hear stories of missing persons all the time but this one hits very close to home for me. I’m seeing places I frequented for four years on the Today show and splashed all over the news and I can’t help but think of how many times I made that very same walk, late at night, sometimes alone, not thinking twice about it. Sometimes I think it takes something like this to jolt you into realizing that it can happen to anyone, anywhere so you always have to be aware of your surroundings, no matter how safe you may feel, or how many times you have made that same journey with no problems. For more on the story click here.