While I was home in upstate NY on Sunday, a chipmunk ran into our basement while our jean-jack-wearing non-predator make-love-not-war cat looked on like “Hey, whattup chipmunk. Want to live in my house? I know my owners are screaming desperately for me to catch you but I’d rather browse for jean jackets on eBay. Oh, here’s my food bowl, please help yourself! Come on in, and call me maybe.” No big deal. Thanks for NOTHING, Pumpkin.
My mom and I managed to wrangle that sucker towards the door with the help of a broom and some cardboard box barriers and I’m happy to report that the chipmunk is now back in the wild, AKA our back yard.
When your week starts out with a high speed chipmunk chase, you know it’s gonna be a good one.
It was a week where I peed my pants* laughing at (with?) the kids in my class because we’ve reached the point in the year where they are four-ALMOST-five and they are straight up HILARIOUS. A typical morning this week included at least two children wearing sunglasses inside all day, one child wearing a cape and TRULY BELIEVING she could fly, cinnamon buns delivered from the cinnamon bun queen herself, and overheard conversations such as “Teamwork makes the dream work” and “I am a peddler woman”.
It was a week where I made the mistake of going to Trader Joe’s on an empty stomach and got all fancied up on a Wednesday night.
A week that called for bright pink healthified muffins with raspberry vanilla bean glaze that I made for the SOLE reason of being able to slurp it off a spoon.
Seriously though, the glaze? The perrrrfect pretty little topping for low-fat, low-sugar raspberry dark chocolate muffins. These babies are fancy AND healthy. Win, win.
Raspberry Dark Chocolate Muffins (adapted from America’s Test Kitchen)
yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 additional tablespoon
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup soy milk (or you could use regular milk)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup raspberries (I used frozen)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. In a bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and brown sugar on medium high for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in the oil. Mix until incorporated. Add the soy milk and vanilla; blend well. Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients.
- In a small bowl, toss the raspberries and chocolate with the extra tablespoon of flour. Fold the coated raspberries and chocolate into the batter. Divide the batter among the paper liners and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool on a wire rack; serve warm.
*Exaggeration? Or not?
These look so good!
The cat’s name has been changed to “Useless”, and not surprisingly, she responds to it.
Whoa. These look sooooo good!!!!!