Here's to a wednesday filled with love, family and baking. :)

What a busy busy weekend we have had!!  Friday night we went out for ice cream and spent the next couple hours looking for cars.  Saturday we hosted the Razorbacks football party for our sunday school class and spent the rest of the day cleaning the garage, house and being pooped!!  Sunday was filled with church, Bible study and tornado sirens and warnings.  Monday was my sheets/towels washing day, cleaning the house from the weekend and purchasing our new Suburban!!  Tuesday H and I went out to Panera for lunch with 2 friends and that day Chad worked 21 hours at the plant.  Oh My Goodness.  How he survived that I will never know!! 
Today I woke up with lots to do but no motivation to do it and a headache to match it!  Thank goodness a long phone call to my sister gave me motivation and I baked these cupcakes for my blog and then met V at Taco Bell with other 5th and 6th graders for lunch!  That was such a blessing so see her in the middle of the day and spend some time with her.  :)  

This recipe is from the Whole Foods website.  While visiting my family this past summer in MN, I was blessed to be able to spend a week and a half at my parents house and my mom and I sure went through the recipes!!  We both love to collect recipes and this is one she found.  I made these I think 4 times in a couple days while staying there- I made some gluten free and also made some for my brother to take up to the cabin with friends!!  You are supposed to put frosting on these but this time I didn't because frosting and I have a love/hate relationship right now.  I love frosting but hate the way I wear it on my hips!!  :)

Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes
(This makes 12 cupcakes)  310 calories, 17 g. fat and 1 g. fiber.  I am assuming most of the fat comes from the frosting and I don't know what the calorie content is without it.  (Sorry Amanda, my WW partner)



First mix together your dry ingredients (I added some nutmeg and allspice to it) for some more spice flavor

Mix together your wet ingredients

Shred your carrots and zucchini. As a tip- I like to shred these before I start mixing my dry and wet ingred.  It's nice to have it all done and ready to go right when you need it.

Now mix them all together ( wet and dry first) and then add your shredded carrots and zucchini.  Put the batter in a greased muffin pan and I like to sprinkle a little bit of sugar on top of my muffins for a little added sweetness and crunch.  Especially nice if you are not frosting them.

Mmm, don't these look good!  The applesauce and zucchini make these such a moist cupcake.

I thought about frosting them so they were prettier for pictures but a couple of weeks ago I finished a rather large bag of leftover frosting and have gained about 3 lbs.  I am NOT doing that again!!!  I ate it on pretty much everything (incl. squirting it in my mouth) and every day, sometimes multiple times a day, I told myself I was going to throw it away.  Think I did it???  NOPE!  It was too delicious.  Bad bad Sheri!  So, these are only getting sprinkled sugar on top!  That is not so tempting.  :)

I just had to add this.  Isn't this just so precious!!!

Carrot Zucchini Cupcakes

1/4 c. canola oil

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. applesauce

2 large eggs

1-1/2 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. salt

2 med. carrots, grated

1/2 med. zucchini, grated

Frosting:

1/2 c. cream cheese, softened

1-2/3 c. powdered sugar

2 t. freshly squeezed lime juice

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the oil with the sugar and applesauce.  Add eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  ( I added nutmeg and allspice)   Add the liquid ingredients and fold in carrots and zucchini.  Spoon into muffin cups and bake 20-25 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.  Frost them.  Enjoy!

I tried to move this recipe to the left so it looks nicer and is easier to read but after 20 minutes, I'm giving up!  It is just NOT WORKING.  Frustrating!!!!  Sorry  :(