No-bake protein cupcake

Okay, so maybe it is more like a muffin. I just liked how "no-bake" rhymed with "cupcake," not to mention my cupcake theme lately.

I have made my fair share of muffins, too. Remember my fake-out April Fools Day post? Mine was really raw, but inspired by the baked variety (I apologize to anyone who thought I really ate a baked one that day).

In the past, I baked a lot. No matter what type of diet I was following, I found a way to still enjoy cupcakes and muffins. I can make them vegan, gluten-free and, of course, raw.

I hate to admit it, but to lose the baby weight the first time, I ate according to the Zone diet. All my carbs, proteins and fats had to fall into a certain balance (I'm so glad I don't do that anymore). Lucky for me, I figured out how to bake cupcakes/muffins that fit the equation with the use of oat flour and protein powder.

At the time, I was opting for soy or rice protein as the secret ingredient, but today, I'd much rather have hemp and skip the baking step. I combined about 1 Tbsp. almond butter in a small bowl with a little less than a tablespoon of agave, some pie spice and sea salt. Then, I stirred in 3 Tbsp. of hemp protein powder (not the sweetened stuff; Trader Joe's puts sugar in theirs) and another 3 Tbsp. of oats. I brought the whole mixture together with about a tablespoon of H2O, added some dried fruit and nuts, and molded it into a muffin shape.

Next, it sat in my fridge until ready to eat (the oats need some time to soften). Now that protein is sweet :-)

By the way, it looks as though the Fitnessista makes a similar concoction she shapes into a cookie. It really is all in the presentation.

*****

friday, october 2, 2009 continued ...
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I'm a raw foodie, and I'm not starving


I just wanted to point out that fact that someone who eats raw food can easily get just as many calories as, if not more than, someone who consumes mostly cooked. The proof is on my Zia's Raw German Chocolate Cake container from yesterday. Since my son's camera (mine is still out of commission) could not focus in on the text, I'll provide the nutritional information for you.

Calories: 757.0, Total Fat: 64.9 grams, Sodium: 112.0 mg.,
Total Carbs: 36.4 grams, Dietary Fiber: 12.4 grams, Protein: 17.5 grams

And, I ate the whole thing myself :-)