I’m not what you would call a confident baker. In fact, there are only two things I bake really well. 1. Insanely unhealthy chocolate chip cookies. 2. Birthday Cakes.

I am my family’s head chef and a chef just wings it. Baking is to far precise for a free spirit such as myself. All the science and the specificity, it just frustrates me. In fact, I am no good with numbers. Seriously. If you are one of my clients you know I can’t count past three. I once deadlifted 10 pounds heavier than I intended because I didn’t count the plates properly.

So yeah… baking? And baking healthy? Not so much. Until recently… I have been doing a lot of research over the past 4 years. There are so many great websites and books out there I owe my new found healthy baking skills to them.

Now, push the clock forward 4 years – I actually find concocting healthy treats relaxing. I love playing with ingredients, tracking their nutritional values and sharing the fruits of my labour with friends and family.

With all the changes I have experienced in my life over the past few months, a friend recently encouraged me to make a “life” list. This basically involves me jotting down all the random things I want to do. I believe doing this will enrich my life and bring balance to my world. One of the things I feel I don’t do well enough is take risks and try new things, mostly because change scares the shit out of me, and I am slightly (and somewhat endearingly?) obsessive compulsive. This year I have gone down scary water slides and I am actually going to be competing at nationals for powerlifting.

I am always talking this nonsense about being fearless, right? Who really cares if I bake a batch of muffins that taste like rocks, or my protein bars go soggy and limp? Its not like the universe will implode. And in all honesty, the first batch of muffins did turn out horribly. They were yucky and moist; but I learned from my mistakes and I didn’t give up! So let’s celebrate fear and relish in the unknown! Here are the coconut cupcakes I made for the group on valentines day.

Coconut Cupcakes : Makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup oat flour

2 scoops vanilla whey

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar blend or Xylitol brown sugar

4 oz unsweetened applesauce

4 oz Greek yogurt

2 egg whites

1 cup unsweetened coconut or almond milk

1 tsp coconut extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Combine ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth.

3. Use a 1/4 cup and scoop into muffin molds. Bake for 20 min on the middle rack.

Icing:

4 oz fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup coconut oil

2 cup Xylitol confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. Combine and blend. 1 tbsp per cupcake. Garnish with 1/2 tsp shredded coconut.

Macros: cal 74 – fat 1.3g – carb 14g – protein 7.7g

With love from the trench kitchen,

xoxoErika♥