Monday Funday

My husband and I have Sundays and Mondays off, rather than the traditional weekend.  Yesterday I was lucky enough to spend the day with my bestie for an early birthday celebration that consisted of going to dinner and getting massages.  Yes, I let myself eat what I wanted yesterday, because it was for a special occasion.  I didn't go crazy, but I'm more than certain that what I ate for dinner was highly processed.  Back to normal today. :)

I like to cook things for the week on my days off when I have the time to do so.  Today I am making Black Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting.  Sounds dangerously high in calories (and probably odd if you've never made a dessert from Black beans) doesn't it?  It isn't!  

[Starting with this recipe and going forward I will be posting nutrition information for each recipe so those that are counting calories or just want to know the calorie information will have it.  If you have never tried a Black Bean brownie or muffin before, you should.]  It doesn't taste like beans at all!  You won't even notice they are there, plus there is added protein in these chocolately delights.  I have made plain chocolate Black Bean brownies in the past, but after seeing a recipe for "muffins" I decided to take it to the next level and create my own twist on Black Bean Cupcakes.   You can modify some of the ingredients as needed, and I have listed some substitutions if you do not want to use exactly what I did.  The recipe is located in the Dessert Ideas and Recipes tab. :)

Black Bean Cupcakes with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

I also tried a new recipe for dinner, Citrus Ginger Chicken Thighs with Green Beans and Bulgur:

This recipe was definitely a winner.  I created my own flavors based off of a recipe I found while browsing online a few days ago.  Bulgur is a really great whole grain alternative to rice.  You can basically make it taste like anything you want, and I cooked mine in a mixture of (canned) light coconut milk and chicken broth with basil.  YUM.  The full recipe is in the Dinner Ideas and Recipes tab. :)

Last, but not least, I tried a new bread recipe.  I am looking into different baked good ideas to give with my annual Christmas gift baskets for family and friends.  This bread is very delicious, healthy and can be modified for people who are vegan or may have gluten allergies.  Berry Banana Bread:

Seriously delicious.  You can substitute the berries I used (blackberries, blueberries) for whatever kind of berry you like.  I am going to try this with strawberries next time.  You can also use frozen, unsweetened berries if you can't find the fresh berries you like in your grocery store.  Whole grain bread with no oil or eggs.  It turned out sweet, tart, moist and delicious.

As you can probably tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my day off. :)  I can't wait to share my baked goodies with some of my classmates tomorrow!