Health it up Banana cupcake edition

OK everyone, I'm very excited to bring the second edition of health it up!! The first round took place with Val and her coconut bar recipe (read about it here). This time Gina asked me to health up a banana cupcake with cream cheese frosting! Well Gina, here you go! Now who's next?? Got a recipe you love but it's awful for you?? Send it to stephchows at gmail.com and I'll do my best to heath it up and keep it super tasty!


banana cupcakes
recipe by stephchows

Beat the following together in a bowl
1 Tbs ground flax seeds + 3 Tbs water (do this first then add the rest of the stuff)
2 cups bananans
1/3 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup white sugar (I used splenda granulated)
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk the following in another bowl
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
dash sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Then slowly add the dry mixture to the wet, alternating in the following
1/2 cup skim milk + 2 Tbs nonfat milk solids (powdered milk) (if you don't want to buy dry milk solids just use whole milk... I never have any so I use this lower fat trick to thicken it up a bit)

Pour into a cupcake holder lined muffin tin (makes 12) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

Now for the frosting... so I had some Panera low fat hazelnut cream cheese laying around... so I topped one with that and OMG it was good!!! Now if you aren't looking to buy the cream cheese premade up for you I'd use this sweeter go to recipe.

lighten cream cheese frosting
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese at room temp.
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Beat with a whisk until fluffy and creamy. Top cooled muffins and serve. :)


And then on a completely unrelated note... I bring you the work cats... snuggling on my desk and making me sleepy.



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