Dark Chocolate Raspberry Muffins - gluten free and no processed sugar!

These are so good and so moist and made even better because they have no processed sugar.  I have made these several times and they are delicious every single time.  There is nothing like the combination of raspberries and chocolate -  YUM!

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
adapted from Easy Flourless Muffins, Bars and Cookies by Amanda Drozdz

1 c. almond flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T. ground golden flaxseed
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs, large
1/4 c. (72 g) unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. almond butter (I like the Bare brand with no additives)
6 T. raw honey
1 T. vanilla extract (if you have Mexican vanilla, it enhances the flavor of the chocolate)
1 c. raspberries, fresh if you have them, but frozen works as well
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a muffin pan with parchment liners.  Set aside.

Mix the almond flour, cocoa powder, ground flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a blender and pulse a few times until all of the ingredients are mixed well.

Pour this mixture into a medium bowl and add all of the remaining ingredients except the chocolate and raspberries.  Blend with a hand mixer on medium speed for about 39 seconds or until creamy and smooth.  Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure all of the ingredients are well blended.

Fold in the raspberries and chopped chocolate or chocolate chips just until mixed.  Using an ice cream scoop, fill the lined muffin cups with one scoop of batter. They should be about 3/4 full each.

Bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean.  Let the muffins cook in the pan for 10 minutes, and the place on a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

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Up, Up and Away -

My neighbor celebrated his 65 birthday in quite a memorable way. One of his sons is training to become a commercial pilot up in Alaska, and he flew down for the day to take his Dad (and each member of the family) up in his plane for a short flight over the city.  What fun it was for all of them and what a great way to celebrate a landmark birthday!

I love this stained glass image.    The pattern was traced and cut with the Silver Bullet Platinum.  With the new two tool capability, I was able to "write" the greeting and cut out the label around it without having to change anything. What used to be a painstaking task to switch out the pen for the cutting blade all while trying not to move the image, became effortless with the two tools in place at the same time.  And it was quick too - I loved it and plan to do a lot more!

Acetate was used around the picture to add to the look of stained glass.

It was fun to pick out a variety of papers to fill in the sections of the 

hot air balloon picture and give it interest (and it was a great way to use up

some of those accumulated paper scraps!!)

I added white sparkle Flower Soft to the vellum clouds to give them

added interest and texture.  This was a really fun card to make

and it was totally appreciated by the recipient!

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More Cards for Difficult Times....

It's been one of those difficult periods of time when it seems that too many wonderful people in my life are passing away.  I am grateful that I have the faith to believe that they are now in a better place, but I still with that those who loved them most could have more time with them. I suppose that is the very human side of grief and loss, right?

So these two cards were to remember a very loved and loving wife who brightened the community of Oceanside, and a very dear and loving husband of a special cousin who passed so suddenly and unexpectedly.  Nothing makes the loss easier I am convinced, no matter what the circumstances.

I kept both of these cards very simple with just a little embellishment.

It's no secret that I love using flowers when making cards, 

especially when I need them to make a statement.  

These images were artfully created by Dominic  

and are beautiful in their simplicity..

I hope these cards brought comfort and love to those left behind......... Pin It Now!