Sweet Potatoes Peanut Butter Cup cakes with Peanut butter Cream cheese frosting.

With the goodness of both sweet potatoes and peanut butter combined,these are not your average cupcakes.Though I could eat the super healthy
warm roasted sweet potatoes as it is ,using them in a cupcake makes its incredibly moist delightful treat.Peanut butter adds the extra nutrition.And also one can go generous with the frosting,cause the creamy Mono saturated Peanut butter is healthy replacement for the Saturated fat butter.For more on nutrition of sweet potatoes see my previous post here and Peanuts to fight diabetes here.

Ingredients
2 cups sweet potatoes,mashed or pureed(about 1 medium size sweet potato),See how to cook sweet potatoes?
2 heaping tablespoon Peanut Butter,chunky or creamy,see how to make home made peanut butter?.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder(aluminum free)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large Organic Eggs(or replace with Ener-G egg replacer powder or 1/2 cup flax seed meal)
1 cup reduced fat Organic milk or Soy milk.
1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil or Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry fruits like cherries,cranberries,raisins or blueberries
1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup of natural sweeteners like Honey,maple syrup or Agave nectar

For frosting
1/4 cup Low fat cream cheese
2 tablespoon Pure Honey or Maple syrup or Date Syrup
2 tablespoon of Peanut butter,creamy
Some roasted pistachios for garnish.

Makes about 10-12 cup cakes.

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line the muffin tray baking cups.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.In another bowl whisk eggs,mix in sugar and oil,add the sweet potatoes and peanut butter ,combine. .Now combine this wet mixture slowly in the dry mixture until completely incorporated.
Fill the baking cups 3/4 th full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool completely.

Prepare the frosting by whipping the frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable.Slather over the cooled cupcakes using a spatula ,sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios.

These peanut rich Cupcakes along with the other peanut rich recipes Mirchi Ka salan,Nutty Chutney and Peanut bites are my entry for Let Go Nuts : Peanuts event,hosted by Aquadaze of Served With Love.
Mildly sweet and simple enough to bake for beginners,I'm also sending these to One page cookbooks ,Simple dessert event,hosted by Varsha of Will-o-wisp.And to Vandana's Baking for beginners.


Peanut rich recipes Posted:

Peanut Bites,guilt free snacks for diabetes.

Peanuts are apparently the nutritionist recommended food for a diabetic diet plan.Unfortunately diabetes is becoming common among pregnant women. Evidently half of my girlfriends in US had diabetes while pregnant.They had to see a nutritionist to get proper diet plan for a healthy pregnancy.I almost had a close call with Gestational diabetes(GD) when I was carelessly eating away Junk ,as soon as my appetite bounced back after the bad nauseous phase of first trimester.During the third trimester blood test,my ob\gyn asked me to redo my blood test cause she doubts my sugar levels are sort of on the high end. I was bit intimidated about going on a sugar free\low sugar diet,after all I was mostly craving for dessert,cakes and cookies.Lucky for me for the test came back negative,but the doc still asked to be careful about my eating habits and I seriously was counting my sugar calories.
So before your ob\gyn flashes a red flag for all your guilty cravings,here is a word of advice to all the expectant moms, eat healthy and have more variety in your food ,don't indulge in sweet goodies with excess sugar, which are no good whether or not diabetic.

Peanut butter is the most delicious American way of eating the peanuts.Spread on toast is the common breakfast for expectant moms with GD.Peanut butter Jelly sandwich is a favorite among kiddos.The Hyderabadi Bagare Baigan(Mona's recipe) or Mirchi Ka Salan are made with generous serving of peanuts.Zesty peanut bites could be another delectable way to consume peanuts,don't you think??

To make home made peanut butter.
Roast about 1 cup of peanuts on medium flame for about 15 minutes ,turn occasionally. slightly cool and remove the skin by rubbing the peanuts together in your hands and blow away the skins under the sink.Process the skinned peanuts with a tablespoon of vegetable oil until smooth and store in air tight container in a refrigerator for 2 months.

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoon brown sugar or sugar substitute Agave Nectar
1 Organic egg
2 tablespoon melted and cooled butter
2 tablespoon light Olive oil
1 teaspoon grated Orange zest
few drops of water,if needed.

Makes about 20 bites.
Method
Use a large cookie sheet and line with parchment paper or lightly grease with butter.
Preheat Oven to 375F.
Sift flour and baking powder in to a large bowl.Add all the remaining ingredients and mix to a smooth dough using hands.Knead for a minute and wrap and allow to rest in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Spread some all-purpose flour on work surface and roll the dough using a rolling pin. Using a round small cookie-cutter or any 2inch bottle cap , cut and lay on the cookie sheet.Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown.Cool on rack and store in air tight container.

Peanuts and Diabetes
Peanuts have shown to lower the risk of diabetes .Peanuts contain mainly good unsaturated fat and are low in saturated fat, characteristics which are associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes(most common type of diabetes). Many peanut butters contain a high percentage of peanuts, have a very small amount of salt and sugar for taste.
Nuts also contain fiber and magnesium which decrease insulin resistance and have been inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes. Peanuts have more plant protein than any other nut. They are also rich in vitamin E, folate, potassium, zinc, phytosterols and antioxidants, which are thought to be important to health.

Peanut Bites and the following low sugar recipes are my entry for Sangeeth's Eat Healthy:Fight Diabetes
Sesame Pistachio Cookies,Pumpkin Chocolate Biscotti,Energy Bites,Vegetable Crepes,Green Mung Khichdi,Sesame Buns,Beet Hummus,Wheat Meat Porridge(Harees)

In case you missed ,I also had posted about the sugar substitutes with glycemic index along with another set of diabetic recipes.