Roasted Beet Cacao Cupcakes
So Today is my birthday. YAY F-O-R-T-I-E-S! But I feel exactly the same as I did yesterday!
The Forties are the new Thirties! Or so I’d like to think. Now that I have passed the big 4-0, it is more prevalent how much I need to feed and nourish my body systems…starting with what I put in my mouth daily. If you’ve been following my site, you know I am an avid eater of all-natural, whole foods using organic ingredients. That doesn’t mean I won’t eat something sweet and delicious. It’s all about balance. However, chocolate and I have been having an affair for quite some time now. Especially on a day like today, my birthday. You know me, I have to throw in something healthy. Vegetables!
Enter Roasted Beet Cacao Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting! So yummy and so healthy, you and your party guests will be in awe that this little cupcake contains so many health benefits.
-It’s packed with fiber. High fiber contents prevent blood sugar from spiking so quickly, like in a normal cupcake. Fiber helps to cleanse and scrub your intestinal wall, keeping your tummy flat.
-Beets are high in many vitamins and minerals such as A, B, & C, folic acid, and beta-carotene.
-Beets cleanse the body, boost your mental health, and are a high source of natural energy.
To knock it out of the park, you can add a cream cheese maple syrup frosting. A dollop of frosting is my favorite, but feel free to blanket the cupcake if you must. Maple Frosting is so delectable you’d never guess it was boosting your immune system and age-proofing your skin (hey, 40s).
Make sure you are using REAL PURE maple syrup; the fake kind is loaded with processed sugars, which will void out all of the good benefits. Just make sure you grab a Grade B whenever possible, like at Trader Joe’s. Grade A syrup is produced early on in the season and is characterized by its light amber color. Lighter color, fewer minerals. Grade A is said to be the most preferred grade by consumers because of its light maple flavor and reminiscence of synthetic maple syrups, aka corn syrup-based impostors. Grade B is produced later in the season and has a darker, grittier color, thicker viscosity, more robust maple flavor, and more minerals, and is preferred by a foodie/health nut like me.
Maple Syrup:
-It’s all natural, made from maple tree sap and animal product-free.
-Loaded with polyphenols, a plant-based antioxidant that helps fight cancer and prevent alzheimer’s.
-High in zinc and manganese.
-Cold-stopping, immune-boosting minerals. Perfect for the winter season, when germs are abundant. And let’s not forget… FLAVOR!
Last but not least, there are many health benefits of using raw cacao, a Mayan superfood. It contains more antioxidant flavonoids than red wine, green tea, and blueberries. Many people are surprised at the nutrients it contains, such as vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and iron, as well as 4 g of fiber and 3 g of protein in 2 1/2 TBLS. You can even make homemade chocolate syrup!
With two birthdays in my family this week, mine and my son Tristan’s, I had to figure out a way to make cupcakes a little less cake and a little more healthy. To our surprise, no one would ever have guessed it was loaded with roasted beets. WINNER!
These cupcakes aren’t just for birthdays! You can make a batch with whole wheat flour and eat them for breakfast with a grapefruit half and boiled egg, oh yeah, cupcakes for breakfast! This is a cupcake that can be a muffin that will make a kid’s lunch turn into a party. Or, wow guests and make them for your next event. Who knew cleansing your body and boosting your immune system could be so delicious?
