About the Recipe
p.186 Battered: A Whipped and Sipped Mystery
She cut through the alley, unlocked the back entrance and stepped into Whipped and Sipped’s kitchen. The comforting smell of yeast, the enticement of cinnamon and the complexity of chocolate all soothed Alene, who realized she’d been holding her shoulders and neck in awkward stiffness. Ruthie approached with a steaming cup of her favorite espresso topped with whipped almond milk, cocoa and cinnamon powder.
“I talked to Isobel, and she couldn’t get any information about Kacey,” said Alene.
“That poor girl,” said Ruthie. “Let’s send her some healthy food as soon as we know where they took her. You’re not going to believe this, but Edith came in today.”
Alene took a sip of her coffee and nodded, saying, “I texted her last night and told her to take whatever time she needed, but I see her through the kitchen door – looks like she’s back making smoothies.”
“Yup,” said Ruthie, thrusting her hands into a large bowl and pulling out a ball of dough.
Ingredients
1 cup smooth almond butter or peanut butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup pureed butternut squash*
½ to 1 cup chocolate chips (more is more)
*To prepare the squash, spread a 12 oz bag of fresh or frozen cubed squash onto a pan. Spray with olive oil and roast for about 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Cool. Measure out about ¾ of a cup and use the rest in a salad or some other dish. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, just use about 3/4 can of pumpkin instead (but not pumpkin pie filling).
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Set 12 regular or 24 mini muffin liners in a muffin tray
In processor, blend butternut squash until smooth
Add almond/peanut butter with eggs, maple syrup and vanilla and blend together
Add cocoa powder, salt and baking soda, pulse 3 – 4 times
Add chocolate and pulse twice
Spoon into the muffin cups and bake about 20 – 25 minutes
Cool before serving, if you can wait that long