A note on nutritional information

I have had several people ask if I have nutrition facts for the recipes I've posted so far. If the cupcake doesn't come with a label, it doesn't have any calories, right?

Didn't buy that? Read on.

In the supermarket, I'm that girl reading the label on everything that goes into my cart, but at home I tend to stay away from calculating the calories and fat in my homemade recipes.

Vegetables = healthy            Cream cheese frosting = not healthy 

Here's my opinion: if you're going to indulge, indulge. Low-fat baked goods are notoriously gummy and sticky, and often lacking in taste. My best strategy for not eating too many cookies or cupcakes is simple; bake delicious cookies and cupcakes. If I'm satisfied with the first bite, I'm less likely to go back for seconds.

If you can't help but to go back for more, then go ahead. Making your food from scratch almost always means you're eating whole, all-natural foods. If you lead a healthy, active lifestyle then you can forgive yourself for enjoying a warm chocolate chip cookie from time to time.

When shouldn't you go back for seconds? When you're eating a whole row of store-bought cookies packed with overly processed and enriched ingredients, with a side of high-fructose corn syrup.

If all else fails, bake for friends and family. Not only will you have the joy of making their bellies happy, there will be fewer leftovers for you to snack on in the middle of the night.

Happy baking!

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

I'm not sure you can say you're from Pennsylvania if you've never had a whoopie pie from a local farm stand. There they sit, next to the tomatoes and summer squash, surrounded by zucchini bread and peach pie. You tell yourself, "I don't need that," and yet you know it was baked and individually wrapped just for you.

Germantown Farmers Market

Often a pie (accidentally) makes its way into my market bag. Chocolate cake with marshmallow filling is the standard whoopie pie, but I prefer pumpkin (There aren't many pumpkin-flavored desserts that I don't like). Personal-sized desserts are my favorite: No sharing required and no evidence remains of your indulgence. But the truth is, I don't really love the super sweet, traditional marshmallow fluff-shortening filling. After all, what about that combination sounds appetizing?

These chocolate peanut butter whoopie pies, on the other hand, are delicious. The cakes bake up moist and fluffy, and are filled with a yummy, not-too-sweet, not-too-rich buttercream. You will quickly forget that these are vegan!