Taste Savor Cherish

Not as much fun...

I haven't posted anything in such a long time. I am still cooking, it's just that I am not cooking fun things. When my son started on table foods I was determined that he would eat healthy and flavorful foods. It has proven to be much harder than I expected. Of course, I am thrilled to be able to cook from scratch with fresh produce and organic ingredients. But when you have to cook everyday it becomes a chore rather than a hobby. I had to come up with new recipes eliminating some of my favorite things: cooking with wine, shellfish, spicy dishes, etc. There is also the after-dinner cleanup of my entire kitchen and dining room -- he is in the throwing stage.
He's a great eater though. He doesn't have any problems with new spices, veggies, unusual flavors. Soon he'll be old enough to eat anything and everything and I will be back to adventurous recipes.

Here is a delicious cupcake recipe I made a couple of weeks ago:

Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting (Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger)

3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup natural applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups finely shredded carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
4 ounces 1/3 fat cream cheese (recommended: Neufchatel)
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
Sift together the first 6 ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar and eggs until well combined. Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla and carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chopped walnuts.
Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
With an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts. The cupcakes should be stored in the refrigerator.
Nutritional Analysis per Serving Calories: 236