Lunch: Carrot Whoopie Pie

Here's a decadent treat to enjoy on special occasions. It even has fresh carrots baked into it!

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon, Apples

Health benefits of Carrot Whoopie Pie

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form. Apples will improve your body's sensitivity to insulin (Reference: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/27/1/281.full)

Ingredients

Cooking spray
½ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup canola oil
½ cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup old fashioned, rolled oats
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups shredded carrots

Maple Cream Cheese filling
8 ounces fat free cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons Splenda
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Set aside. 
In a medium bowl, combine the Splenda Brown Sugar Blend, applesauce, oil, egg substitute, and vanilla; mix well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the sugar (wet) mixture to dry ingredients (all at once) and mix well.
Stir in the carrots. Scoop mounds of batter the size of a heaping tablespoon onto the baking sheets. Space them about 2 inches apart to get a total of 24 cookies (2 sheets of 12).
Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese frosting ingredients until smooth and fluffy. Spread a light layer of frosting in between two cookies and sandwich together.
Chef Tip: You can use maple extract to cut the carbs a little in the frosting.