Pumpkin & Pomegranate

Happy Memorial Day! I would like to take the time to personally thank all of the women and men who have sacrificed their lives serving the USA. I know that it is something that I personally could not do, and I am grateful to those who choose to wear the uniform.

I hope that you are all enjoying the holiday and doing something to celebrate those many many lives. I am going to be spending the day cooking and also doing a little sightseeing (assuming I can get myself out of my cozy house to do it). I made these last night after pondering the recipe for a few days. They might not be sweet enough for some, but for me I find them to be incredibly satisfying. I have said it before, and I will say it again, if you start cutting the amount of sweet things you eat your taste buds will grow accustomed to it and you will crave them less.

These are so healthy I had two :-)

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C. Coconut Flour
• 2 T. Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
• 3 Large Pastured or Backyard Eggs
• 3/4 C. Pureed Cooked Beets
• 1/4 C. Olive Oil
• 1/4 C. Fig Preserves*
• 1 T. Vanilla

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl mix together the wet ingredients.
4. Mix together the wet and dry ingredients until fully combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing to make sure there are no lumps.
5. Spoon batter into muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Fill each cup 3/4 of the way full.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.
7. Let cook on wire rack and then frost with Coco-late frosting.

*Fig preserves were made by peeling fresh figs and simmering them on the stove until they reach preserve consistency.

Coco-late Frosting

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz. Dark Chocolate
• 3 T. Coconut Butter

Method:

1. In a double boiler, melt together the chocolate and the coconut butter. Once fully melted let cool for about 5-10 minutes or until spreadable.
2. Gently frost the cupcakes. Let frosting set before serving.

My only wish is that they were a bit more red!