Gluten Free Red Velvet Cupcakes

These are making me seriously consider going gluten free again (which I really should anyway), just so I have an excuse to eat these daily. As far as that whole health thing is going... yeah. I haven't really been exercising, because I still have NO time. Evan and I went on a mini vacation to Ocracoke Island-- which was amazing-- where I shot a wedding, and now have a ton of editing to do plus this crazy time consuming job. Compared to this winter where I had nothing to do I can't really complain! But after all that editing is over I'm rewarding myself with these, and then I'll go exercise. That's the way to do things, right?

P.S. I've really missed blogging and all of you.

Red Velvet Cupcakes With Cream-Cheese Frosting - found on NPR

These cakes are a gluten-free, healthful way to enjoy red velvet cake with extra fiber and protein from chickpeas. Superlight and fluffy, these cakes are perfectly complemented by a subtly sweet cream-cheese frosting.

EnlargeEve Turow for NPR

Makes 1 dozen cupcakes

For Cake

15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) red food coloring

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Red sprinkles, optional

For Frosting

4 ounces low-fat cream cheese

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon honey

Eve Turow for NPR

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Add beans to a strainer and rinse well. Puree beans, vanilla extract and eggs in a blender or food processor. Add yogurt and continue to blend until all lumps are removed. Pour into a bowl and add cocoa powder, food coloring and sugar. In another bowl, mix together baking powder, baking soda and vinegar. The mixture should begin to fizz. Add to batter and mix in.

Grease cupcake pan or add cupcake holders and pour the batter in, about 4/5 full. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place cakes onto a rack and cool.

For frosting, mix cream cheese, sugar and honey until smooth in a food processor, mixer or blender. Spread on top of cupcakes with a knife or spatula, adding red sprinkles if desired.

The Life List

I was taking the time to de-stress at work a little bit by reading through Outside Magazine's website, when I came across an article titled "The Life List 2010". What I found is this. Someday it's going to happen when the time is right, and I'm really looking forward to it. Impatiently.

 Old Globe (Courtesy ToastyKen on Flickr)

"The world is reachable now, even on a budget. In the past year, on teachers' salaries, my wife and I have been to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, France, and England; the year before that, Egypt, Corsica, Italy, and New Zealand. We backpacked and cycled, but we also applied for residency in New Zealand so we could work there and stay longer. In Egypt, we were volunteers in a film re-creating an ancient voyage in the Red Sea. I taught for a summer in Florence. But our real find was a small sailboat in the Mediterranean. Every summer, for about $6,000, we buy a boat and sail for weeks along the coastline from France to Turkey, enjoying the islands, coves, and medieval walled ports. We're seeing the best for almost nothing, because in the end we sell the boat for about the same amount. We see places the landlubbers don't—and we're spared the crowded umbrellas and banana hammocks."

Tucker the Puppy Hunter

Our dog is crazy sometimes, literally. Like he could take this beast on, who was obviously so disturbed from his afternoon grazing. Gotta give the pup credit though, he has some guts. Us, on the other hand, could do without the constant freaking out at horses, donkeys, turkeys, rabbits, and other wild animals that inhibit the southern mountains. We definitely have ourselves a hound dog. The damn guy is so cute he's worth it though.

*By the way, the concert was incredible. In.cred.ible. The last song they played was The Only Moment We Were Alone. Holy shit, it made me cry. There's nothing like it.