Shhhh…I have a secret that will let you eat your favorite chocolate desserts and still look great in your bathing suit!

I’m not sure why I crave dessert just as much in the summer as I do in the winter. In my book, chocolate is chocolate, even if it's 90 degrees out. Yes, summertime fruit is a must on hot summer nights, and the sugar does help my cravings, but if you have a sweet tooth like me, nothing replaces chocolate, and I mean nothing!

Since trying to lose weight and eat healthier, I’ve been experimenting with desserts. At first, I felt that in order to lose the weight, desserts needed to go bye-bye (especially the ones I was eating). But after about a month into the diet, I felt a big withdrawal from sugar. There’s something relaxing about eating something decadent. For me, it sends a signal to my brain that the day is ending. If you’ve followed my journey through my lifestyle change, you’ll know that I always say, “If you miss something that much, you should find a better way to bring it back!” So here’s my secret…

I did not create anything new, just recreated what I liked. I took recipes I loved, and removed or replaced what didn’t work for me and my new lifestyle. I worked with a lot of organic, healthy recipes and opted to use darker tastier chocolate. In some instances, I upped the fat in order to take away the carbs. In the end I ended up with some really great treats…Try them both and see which you love more!

Chocolate Ginger Cupcakes

Shopping List

3/4 cup Trader Joe's coffee flour*

2 scoops chocolate protein powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 tbsp. honey

3 eggs

1/3 cup maple syrup

3 tbsps. coconut oil

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tbsp. of fresh grated ginger

1 tbsp. Hershey’s dark Dutch cocoa powder

handful of fresh berries to top

*Have you tried coffee flour from Trader Joe’s yet? It’s pretty awesome, made from dried and ground coffee cherry husk and skin. It’s in the baking aisle, vegan friendly, low carb and no sugar.

How To's

1.    Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.

3.    In a muffin tin, place cup cake liners or lightly grease with cooking spray and fill each one ¾ of the way.

4.    Bake for 17 to 18 minutes. Insert a fork or toothpick into the cup cake and having it come out clean insures it’s done.

5.    Let cool and top with fresh berries.

6.    Enjoy!

Black Bean Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Shopping List

1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 tbsp. chocolate (or peanut butter) flavored protein powder

1 tbsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ maple syrup

4 tbsp. coconut oil

2 tbsp. Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Cocoa

1 tbsp. Trader Joe’s organic coconut sugar

How To's

1.    Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Mix all ingredients together in a blender.

3.    Grease muffin tin with cooking spray or use liners.

4.    Evenly divide batter into each tin.

5.    Cook for 15 minutes, check by inserting a fork and having it run clean.

6.    Cool, then enjoy with fresh fruit on top!

For more recipes like this, as well as behind the scenes tips and tricks, check out Lori Gizz's thegizzcooks.com and her Insta GizzNYC.

Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of Lori Gizz