Five Food Group Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes about 16 cupcakes
Adapted from Simply in Season

2 cups cooked beets, chopped
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup oil (or works with a little less per Ellen)
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
3 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chocolate chips and/or nuts

Puree beets and applesauce together in the blender and set aside. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, yogurt and eggs for 2 minutes. Add beets/applesauce, cocoa and vanilla and beat together for 2 more minutes. Mix dry ingredients together and stir into the batter using a spoon, mixing only until combined. If using, stir in chips and nuts then pour into a cupcake pan lined sprayed with cooking spray or lined with paper liners. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes. Top with your favorite frosting (pictured is a cream cheese and coconut frosting).

Note: Because this recipe is lower in fat, the cupcakes will stick a bit to paper liners. When preparing a recipe like this I therefore prefer to just spray the pans themselves instead of using paper liners.