Pumpkin & Cinnamon Chip Cupcakes

Hey all, its Therese again with another fall themed recipe. I hope you enjoyed my last recipe, I know I did. Sticking with my orange gourd vegetable theme, I decided to make pumpkin cinnamon cupcakes with whipped cream cheese frosting! I cannot express to you, through this post alone, just how amazing these cupcakes are… you will just have to make it yourself!

I based my whipped cream cheese recipe off of Living Better Together’s whipped cream cheese. I like to make each recipe my own by tweaking the recipe a bit so I added cinnamon to the whipped cream cheese.

After never hearing of their existence, before walking around Walmart, I decided to add cinnamon chips to my cupcake recipe. The rest of the recipe is based off reading around twenty various pumpkin cupcake recipes on Pinterest that were all basically the same ingredients, but to give props to a specific recipe (which really helped in teaching me how to bake the cupcakes): Tracey’s Culinary Adventures brown butter pumpkin cupcakes.

Sticking to the fall theme, I wanted to make a dish that would be great for the season… the season of football. Everyone loves their wings, dips, and beer but what about dessert? Dessert is our ultimate goal anyways… These cupcakes are perfect for tailgating with their festive, football baking cups. I decided to bring these cupcakes to the Alabama-Tennessee game in Knoxville this weekend. However, I taste-tested one with one of my lucky roommates this afternoon and they are MELT IN YOUR MOUTH DELICIOUS- the perfect mixture of salty and sweet.

I also purchased some frilly pink baking cups (mostly so I could take SUPER CUTE pictures) to display how pretty these desserts are! I am saving these cupcakes for our girls’ night in tonight for “TGIT” and red wine.

 

Pumpkin & Cinnamon Chip Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes 15 cupcakes

Ingredients

Pumpkin Cinnamon Cupcakes

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup cinnamon chips
• 2 large eggs

Whipped Cream Cheese Icing

• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

For Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, line cupcake pan with baking liners
2. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, pour into bowl and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cinnamon chips.
4. In a separate medium bowl, mix the pumpkin puree, brown sugar (be sure to pack down in measuring cup), granulated sugar, eggs, and add the butter. Once well mixed, add the dry ingredients to mix together.
5. Divide the batter into the baking cups, inside cupcake pans, fill until about ½ or ¾ full.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (be sure to rotate the pans about 10 minutes in)
7. Cool the cupcakes before adding the frosting

For Frosting

1. Let the cream cheese soften by either setting out while baking cupcakes or soften in microwave (but not me– I recommend microwaving for 30 seconds)
2. Mix the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar in medium bowl and whisk at medium speed (if you own an electric mixer)
3. Add heavy whipping cream and whisk until the frosting forms peaks
4. If the frosting is not thick enough, let sit in fridge for a bit and whip again

15 Commandments of Healthy Eating

Happy Monday NutriFocus Family!!!

With Independence Day around the corner I am reminded of the importance of living in the FREEDOM that has been won for us at a high cost!!! Although we live in the land of the free, it is easy to find ourselves slaves to our daily routine!!!

ITS TIME TO TAKE BACK OUR FREEDOM!!!!

I’m challenging all NutriFocus Family to LIVE IN FREEDOM WITH FOOD!!! Post these 15 Commandments of Healthy Eating in a place that will readily remind you that you are free indeed and you have the CHOICE to treat your body well!!!

DITCH DIETING AND START LIVING!!!!

Image From Blog on The Psychology Easel – http://taradeliberto.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-fifteen-commandments-of-healthy-intuitive-eating-stop-dieting-eating-disorders.html

Eating for Performance – Post Workout

Eating After a Workout is called Recovery Nutrition. 

Goals of Recovery Nutrition Include:
1. Restore fluid and electrolytes (sodium and potassium) lost in sweat
2. Replace muscle fuel (carbohydrate) utilized during your activity
3. Provide protein to repair damaged muscle tissue and to stimulate growth of new muscle tissue

Nutrition for Recovery Needs to Begin Between 15-60 minutes From the Completion of the Activity.

2 Important Areas in Recovery Nutrition:

• Glycogen Replacement: Consume 25-50g carbs immediately after exercise. This can be a combination of food and drink. Examples Include: Energy bar, Bagel, Whole Wheat Bread, Dried Fruit, or Fresh Fruit, Granola Bar or Low-Fat Granola Pieces.  Another option would include replacing your carbohydrate store with a sports drink if you have a difficult time eating immediately after a workout.
• Re-Hydrate: Begin drinking 16oz. of water for every pound of water lost through sweat during a workout. Continue to drink water throughout the day.  Water is generally the best way to replace lost fluids. Sports drinks can help maintain your body’s electrolyte balance and give you a bit more energy because they contain carbohydrates.

Eating for Recovery Will Result In:

Increased ability to Train Longer and with More Intensity

Delay the Onset of Fatigue

Improve Body Composition and Strength

Maintain Healthy Immune System

Reduce Risk of Injury

Reduce Risk of Cramps and Stomach Distress During Workouts

TIPS TO EATING WELL THIS WEEK!

Hello to my beloved NutriFocus Family!   I want all of us to primarily focus on eating well all week!  All week I will be posting tips that will help promote positive eating behaviors so that eating can be an “experience” instead of a rushed & dreaded chore. My wish is that the tips will be daily disciplines that will help you fully experience freedom within your eating behaviors!

TIP #1 – Eat With Intention

Try to have all your meals and snacks in a designated location and without distractions.  In order to allow our bodies to fully experience satiety, we must allow time for our bodies to acknowledge that we are eating. By limiting distractions you give your brain the ability to send proper hunger/fullness cues.  It also allows you time to taste and enjoy your food which reduces cravings!  To improve your mindful eating skills, also consider eat more slowly, stopping to put your fork down between bites, and feeling yourself becoming fuller. Making an effort to be mindful no matter what you’re eating can help break the tendency to binge.

Fighting Fatigue with Food – Miniseries Part I

Over the next several days, I’ll be sharing tips to fighting common fatigue with the way you eat!  Continue to check the NutriFocus blog to learn all tips to experience more energy through eating!

TIP #1:  Planning = Power

Skipping meals is the #1 energy killer for most individuals.  By making meal planning a priority, you will ensure you have the foods available to consume 4-6 small meals each day. By eating more frequently, your blood sugar is stabilized which will prevent mid-day crashes that lead to fatigue and moodiness.  Meal planning will take the guesswork out of food choices in the middle of a mid-day slump when the temptation to reach for non-healthy items is the highest.

 

In what ways could you do a better job planning your meals and snacks?