Sweetness // Cupcakes w/ chocolate on top

Chocolate.

It is safe to say that I am pretty enthralled with the magic that comes in the form of a bar of deep brown goodness... Anyone that knows me, knows that dark, slightly bitter, rich chocolate has the power to turn my day around. No doubt. Some people want cigarettes, or coffee, or candy, or a nice glass of wine to make their days a little sweeter. Not this girl. Give me some dark handsome chocolate and we’ll be friends.

On that note, I crave sweetness in general. Not only do I have no reservations against having a treat everyday, but I also don’t think a physical form of sweetness should be our only source of sweetness in any given day. 

Today as I was riding my bike home I passed my good friend, Alex, on her bike. We got each other’s attention just longer enough to holler and pedaled on our ways.  I cut down a side street to get off the busy road, which was the same street that Alex lived on. I didn’t have anywhere to be and my legs liked the idea of a break, so I stopped at Alex’s house to see if any of her roomies were home. Nope. None of them were home, so as I was getting back on my bike, Alex had just rolled up right around the corner…smiles all around.

We sat on the porch. Sweaty, her catching her breath, and me feeling my legs get stiffer by the minute. She caught me up on her life real quick, oozing with all goodness that the Lord has blessed her with lately. I listened, beaming, letting the joy overflowing from her soul seep into mine.

I did not want to leave that sweetness. But as I hopped back on my bike and she got in her car, I could only think about how utterly sweet those short few minutes were. I was thankful; thankful that I didn’t leave my class any earlier or later, thankful that I took the turn and decided to stop, thankful that Alex slowed down to sit with me for a second, and that she told me exactly what was on her heart. 

Nuggets like that are sweet enough to turn my day around. Chocolate works, but real, raw conversations like that, that are so full of His sovereignty and goodness are really what we are living for people. I am all about seeking these moments, asking for more of these moments, and opening our eyes to see the tiny treasures hidden all around us.

So.

Wander down side streets. Take the long way home.

Treasure hunt y’all, because I promise you won’t come home empty handed. 

Sweetness is just around the corner.

Almond Flour Cupcakes w/ chocolate on top

3 cups almond flour

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

½ cup honey (or mix of brown rice syrup and honey)

3 eggs

2 t vanilla

½ t salt

½ t baking soda

preheat oven to 325

stir together dry ingredients in one bowl

in another bowl whisk up wet ingredients (oil, honey, eggs, vanilla) until smooth.

Combine wet and dry. Mix with wooden spoon until just combined.

Grease muffin tin with coconut oil. Portion out the batter- it will be real thick.

Bake for 23-27 min. You will think they look burned (they aren’t) but they need to be a deep golden color and a toothpick should come out clean. If you take them out and they seem to deflate, they need longer.

Chocolate on top

1 bar of dark chocolate, melted

1 t. coconut oil

drizzle of honey

Melt chocolate, stir in oil and honey. Drizzle on top of the cupcakes.