Chocolate muffins and fun Father’s Day adventure idea…

Day 3 of my chocolate detox and my daughter decides to make chocolate muffins for my husband for Father’s Day. While it’s really sweet of her, it’s just not fair for, well,…me. There is no way to avoid them. And, let’s be honest, I can’t hurt her feelings. It’s not that I want to eat them….I HAVE to eat them, for her. I’m a good mom, what can I say?

So my daughter and I were talking, and I asked her the difference between a muffin and a cupcake? She came up with the following: one is a breakfast food. Hmm. Good point. Oh, and one has icing. Other than that, I’m not sure there is a difference.

So, while these these taste like really yummy cupcakes, I’d rather think of them as Father’s Day “muffins” for your Sunday breakfast.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot powder (or almond flour)
• 1/4 cup coconut flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
• 2/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 4 eggs (room temp)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (topping)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together but make sure your eggs are room temperature or the coconut oil will clump. (Alternatively, if eggs aren’t room temp, you could always whisk eggs in a small bowl with other wet ingredients (except coconut oil). Then mix egg mixture with dry mixture, stir well, then add warm melted coconut oil to the entire mixture). Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Fold in dark chocolate chips (you can sprinkle some on top, too). In muffin tins, use your silicone muffin holders (worth every penny!) or paper cups or grease well with coconut oil and fill each cup up about 2/3 full. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until you can stick a knife in the middle and they come out clean. Makes 18 muffins.

And if you’re looking for a fun adventure for Father’s Day in Atlanta, the East Palisades area along the Chattahoochee is amazing! I’ve grown up here and somehow missed this place. Luckily for us, it’s only 10 minutes from our house. My buddy Erin would tell me about this place every time we would bike past it. Last weekend we finally decided to check it out and it was so much fun!!! Great hiking and there are fun water stops all along the way!

Check out Tate’s before (where his feet are) and his after (his legs). Why do boys love mud, water, and well, anything dirty!?

Such a neat place…

Anyway, I highly recommend it for a fun family Father’s Day activity. It’s right at the Harris Trail & Whitewater Creek Rd intersection. Here are detailed directions. The web page mentions pre-registering. I just glanced at it, but you don’t have to “register” for anything. Just make sure you have $3 to pay the park fee.

Have a fun Father’s Day to all the dad’s out there!