Is it really fair to devote my first entry in a supposed weight loss maintenance blog to decadent (albeit vegan) dark chocolate, cookie-filled, buttercream-topped cupcakes?
No. Not at all.
But there is a method to my madness. You see, when I started my weight loss venture back in October 2007 I couldn't even successfully prepare brownies from a box. In fact, I think a big part of how I got to be 270 lbs was because I didn't know how to cook real food. And the lovely little cupcake up there is (just about) as real as it gets. Much of the food I'd down in front of the television or hunched over my computer doing school work was from a box or a bag. The produce aisle was a colorful, mysterious jungle to me. And baking? With all the patience and precision involved, I just didn't understand why one wouldn't just run out to Sheetz and buy a package of Tastykakes.
So, I guess a big part of this blog is to depict and promote progress. The me that weighs 150 lbs and can run a 5k also knows how to bake and cook dinner that was not once frozen, stuffed into a pastry pocket, or delivered magically to my front door. I'm learning to love the process of making something from nothing and being able to enjoy eating it as well.
That being said, I only ate one of these cupcakes and maybe a few spoonfuls of batter (shh!). Thankfully, when I do try my hand at baking, I have hungry friends and family eager to consume my experimental sugary snacks. We can all enjoy a pretty little cupcake every once in a while, but one key thing I've picked up throughout the past two or so years is that moderation is key to successful weight loss and maintenance.
Now, onto the cupcakes!
Vegan Oreo Mint Cupcakes
with butter cream frosting
I baked these after a busy day. Half the batch went to my very busy boyfriend and half went to my very pregnant sister-in-law. It's the basic vegan chocolate cupcake recipe from Chow with the addition of some chopped up fresh mint leaves and crushed 365 Sandwich Cremes mixed into the batter.
I hand mixed a vegan butter cream frosting (recipe). It could probably be logged as exercise of some sort. Then I piped on some frosting with a Wilton 104 petal tip, dusted them with cookies that I crushed up with the bottom of a shot glass (ha!), and topped them with mint leaves from my little window herb garden.
with butter cream frosting
I baked these after a busy day. Half the batch went to my very busy boyfriend and half went to my very pregnant sister-in-law. It's the basic vegan chocolate cupcake recipe from Chow with the addition of some chopped up fresh mint leaves and crushed 365 Sandwich Cremes mixed into the batter.
I hand mixed a vegan butter cream frosting (recipe). It could probably be logged as exercise of some sort. Then I piped on some frosting with a Wilton 104 petal tip, dusted them with cookies that I crushed up with the bottom of a shot glass (ha!), and topped them with mint leaves from my little window herb garden.
