OK, so besides trying to buy a house, I have been making other life changes. I am training for another half marathon (my second this year!) and I have joined Weight Watchers. I have always had a problem with portion control and after injuring my foot last year while training, I ended up gaining nearly 20 pounds! This just had to stop. I have taken up the running again and realized I need professional help with the nutrition and portion sizing. I am not one to diet and I am against fad lose-weight-fast! hype so you won't be hearing much in the future from me about this endeavor. You might just notice that my recipes are all looking extra healthy.
So far I love it. I am just doing it online-- (no group weigh ins for me, thank you!) It has only been about 18 days on the program but I have lost 5 pounds and have barely tweaked what I normally eat; I am mostly just eating smaller portions and using less oil while cooking. I have also stopped eating refined sugars and white flour. Yet I am still drinking red wine and putting half and half in my coffee. But I was starting to crave a sweet now and again and luckily my new Runner's World magazine has a chocolate cake recipe that uses black beans, applesauce, oat flour and agave syrup. Sounds weird, but it is pretty healthy and good to eat before running or after dinner!
The only thing I changed was to put them in cupcake pans instead of mini loaf pans. Note: This does seem to use up an awful lot of dishes to make and really makes a huge batch. I am going to try and freeze some and see how that works out.
Chocolate Bean Cupcakes
adapted from Long-Run cake by Gesine Bullock-Prado
1 cup applesauce
1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup agave syrup
2 eggs
1/4 cup coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 F.
1. Blend beans and applesauce in food processor.
2. In mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
3. In electric mixer, blend eggs and agave syrup at medium-high speed until eggs get light and foamy.
4. Switch mixer to low and add coffee. Once mixed in, add bean/applesauce mixture and vanilla. Beat until combined: you may need to scrape down sides of bowl with spatula.
5. Add oat flour mixture all at once and blend until combined, starting with a slow speed so flour doesn't fly everywhere.
6. Divide batter into cupcake pans sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes.
Makes 18. (For all you Weight Watchers fanatics, these are worth 3 points each in the new Points Plus system.)
I ate 2 and they were very filling, very dense and gooey at the same time. I will make them again. They are also gluten free if you can find oat flour that is guaranteed gluten free. The Bob's Red Mill Oat Flour I used was not certified so I can't make it yet for my friend who is a celiac. My husband liked them but thought they tasted more like a breakfast muffin than a dessert. And this coming from a guy who usually doesn't like dessert.
Happy Labor Day weekend!
Good luck on your program! I've been implementing portion control, and have also seen some positive results! Can't wait to try this recipe -- always looking for interesting dessert recipes.
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