Flourless Beet Chocolate Cake & Farmin' Friday

For my birthday I really wanted to blow out candles. I wanted some tradition this year. Oh, I got candles. I got the ones that don't blow out. Ever. I yelled "die!" and dropped them to drown in my glass of water.

OK, I wanted some tradition. What I didn't want was the traditional sugar/flour overload. The hubs wouldn't be up for making a raw carrot cake, and besides, that's boring. I wanted chocolate! I've never liked chocolate cake. Until, I had beet chocolate cake. It was so amazing. But while the one I refer to was made with whole wheat flour, coconut oil and without eggs, it was still sugary and well.. full of flour?

I've never tried to make a raw beet cake (ooh, challenge!). I know that may not sound so great, but I love beets. They are naturally sweet, healthy and I'm pretty much sold on the impossibly vibrant hue. I love how it stains my fingers.

What I've found with many gluten free recipes is they are full of butter and eggs. We do have a lot of eggs around, but after many years of baking without them, I just don't use them. Why? I'm used to vegan cooking and baking and so I just do what I'm used to when I make say.. zucchini bread or something.

I googled healthy beet chocolate cake, wheat free chocolate cake, flourless chocolate cake.. and most recipes were full of butter, cream and eggs. While, I could indulge in adding egg, I wasn't ready for the full hit on my cholesterol. So, this was a huge experiment. And, yeah, I kind of made my own birthday cake...

I was determined to add beets. Overall it was successful. I couldn't get it out of the pan very easily, but it tasted pretty good. I loved the not so sweet taste.. but my guests may have preferred it sweeter since they covered it in vanilla ice cream!

Flourless Beet Chocolate Cake
1-2 oz. melted Dark Chocolate or about 1/2 C Cocoa powder
6 Tbs Coconut Oil
3/4 Tbs Vanilla
1/2 tsp dried Stevia
2-3 Good squirts Agave
3 Beets, medium, shredded
3-4 eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of cayenne (yeah baby)

So.. a few notes:
*I used part (half of each amount shown) melted chocolate and part cocoa (raw cacao has been giving me headaches).. because I was just experimenting. You can do either, or both.
*I didn't want it that sweet and still wanted ti healthy, so I used stevia.. then I thought.. ok.. just a couple squirts of agave... soo...
I used 4 medium eggs.. if you have large eggs, use 3.. I didn't say this was vegan right? You can keep in mind when purchasing eggs (support your local egg farmer!), that free range eggs are lower in cholesterol and higher in healthy omegas. I heard it here. That's just my biased opinion. Why eat eggs that came out of an unhappy, abused animal? Some say, why eat eggs at all? Yeah, I was there once.

Back to your normal programming: CAKE.
1) Shred the beets (I used a food processor). Simmer on the stove, covered, until tender.. about 20 minutes. You won't need to add liquid.. the beets have enough.
2) In another bowl, combine melted coconut oil, and all other ingredients, stir.
3) When beets are done, transfer to food processor, puree, add the bowl of remaining ingredients, blend a bit more, scraping if needed.
4) Pour into greased (grease it better than I did) and maybe dusted with cocoa powder- cake pan. I used a 9 inch (I think.. I finger measured). You can use muffin tins too. It was thinner than I had planned. Next time I will double the recipe, or use a smaller/deeper dish.
5) Bake @ 350 for about 10 minutes. No, really. I looked in and the cake had a volcano growth on one side.. it was done. My oven runs hot.. and it will depend on your pan.. but start checking at 10 minutes.

Let cool.

Chocolate Icing
1 Tbs Cocoa powder
3 Tbs Coconut oil
1 tsp Vanilla

I whipped this together in a food processor. Then pour into a bowl, and chilled so the coconut oil would harden a bit, making an icing consistency.

Once cake is cool, ice, top with whatever you want (I did strawberries and coconut) and chill until ready to serve.

Farmin' Friday!
Dinner, one of my funny white chickens that does things like this:

Dust Bath in a Pot Full of Dirt

and was missing for a week? Story here.

Well, she is still alive! The last few days, every time I come in to feed her, she tried to stand up like "See? Don't give up on me!" and then falls back over. But today, she stood! Really, really stood! Using both feet. She's has been more aggressive with her daily strawberries (flinging them in the air) and eggs and is even eating feed now. So happy!! I think she's going to make it for sure. Every time I get that bad feeling, they prove me wrong. Except for the baby barred rock that died in my hand in May. :( I had a good feeling and she just, didn't.
Here she is in all her dirty glory..

Lost weight huh?

A lot going on. A lot growing. Fireweed is about to bloom, Lupine, Wild Iris (pictured below) Yarrow and Comfrey are out. Currants are green and I'm waiting like crazy for the strawberries on the beach to be ready!

The last photo is our 'surprise!' rooster. Silver Leghorn if I'm not mistaken. It messes up our roo to hen ratio a bit, especially given we will likely lose a few hens over the course of the year to various causes (i.e. hawks). He is very friendly and calm. I knew he was a roo when he was a few weeks old, but hoped against it anyway. He lets out a lil baby crow at sunrise (3 am or so) and when he hears me come to open the coop. Just a couple more weeks and they should be big enough to let loose with our adult flock.

I'll let pictures tell the rest:

Surprise! I'm a Purty Roo!

Miso Soup, It's Marvelous Dahling

MMmmm Miso

A lot of the time I don't feel like cooking and end up eating salad, steamed veggies, or soup. It's easy without compromising health and my produce doesn't go bad! My hubs on the other hand has a thing going on with frozen 'all natural' ravioli. He makes it a lot! I'm not into that, even though the ingredients look 'okay.' I'm lucky if my produce comes from as close as California, but that is still fresher than packaged 'all natural' ravioli.

One thing I love to make is miso soup. It's really easy and versatile. While traditional Japanese Miso calls for Dashi, I've never been able to find it, so I just use miso and water for the broth.
Miso Soup
1/2 cup cubed/dry fried tofu (you can use firm/silken etc. or omit)
1 big scallion sliced thin
3-4 cloves garlic crushed
1-2 inch piece ginger grated (yum!)
1-2 big leaves bok choy chopped coarse
1 big carrot grated
1 cup shiitake mushrooms (mine molded so I used cremini-but I normally use shiitake) sliced thin
Couple dashes sesame oil
1/4-1/2 cup miso (I use brown rice miso)
1-3 cups water
sprinkle of Kelp flakes
bean sprouts

So, I eyeball all of the ingredients and add water when I need it (when I go crazy on the veggies!). This is a pretty good guess. You can use any veggies you want. If you have access to dried seaweed, that would be awesome! I never do though. I have tried to chiffonade nori, ended up in bits.. but that works ok. Not the same as wakame! (yum!) I have kelp flakes on hand as an everyday salt substitute and you can just sprinkle it on the top when you are done.

Miso is a super feel good food (google miso gravy for another yummy recipe) that has many health benefits.. but I'll let you google it your self. One important tip when making miso, never boil the water, and only add miso prior to serving, not before simmering your veggies.

Dash some sesame oil in a pan, lightly (on med-low heat) stir saute the scallions, garlic, ginger, carrot and bok choy (adding bok choy just before you turn the burner off).

Transfer to a soup pot, add the rest of the ingredients (except miso/kelp/sesame). This is where you may need to adjust the water. Simmer for a few minutes (or until the veggies are how you like them-I like them crisp not smushy). Remove from heat. In a separate small bowl, stir miso with enough water to dissolve it. Now stir it into your soup. Dash sesame/kelp/sprouts over individual serving. Enjoy! A light, easy, pretty quick and healthy dinner/lunch etc. Miso is a bit salty by the way, so don't add salt to your broth!

Rest Easy Recipes Apple/Cran Juice Phyllo 'pot pie'

Cran Apple Juice

Today is a rest day! Even though I got the normal itch to run, I stayed home because I told myself yesterday I needed a rest. I was draggin' through my run yesterday; heavy legs, felt weak, couldn't. lift. legs. faster.  So, today is yoga, peace and quiet near the woodstove with the dogs and Kukicha twig tea. Ahh... spa treatment!

Here is a basic  Cranberry Apple juice that tastes like candy!  Great anytime drink, but I especially like it in the afternoon as a pick me up (or a "don't reach for those chocolate almonds!").

Candy Girl Cran Apple

3/4 cup fresh Cranberries

1 Sweet Variety Apple ( I especially love Fuji for this! but gala and pink ladies are great too)

Juice cranberries, then apple (cored! Apple seeds contain a small amount of Cyanide-bad for you and especially dangerous for your dogs!)

ENJOY! An ice cube, or previously refrigerated fruit makes this a refreshing and healthy treat!

Phyllo Pot Pie

Aaannnd a recipe for Vegan Vegetable Phyllo "Pot Pie"
1 pack of Whole Wheat Phyllo Dough
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 C Brussel Sprouts (quartered)
1 C Carrot Cubed
1 C Mushrooms sliced
1 C Apple, 1/2 inch chunks or smaller
1 C Leeks sliced in 1/2 inch moons (not the green tops)
2 Cloves Garlic (mashed)

For the sauce:
1 cup vegetable broth (homemade or store bought)
pinches of basil, oregano, tarragon, paprika, dry mustard, black pepper and sage
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
I grind it a bit of salt towards the end, but only is your stock is not salted. Taste and see if you need it.

Springform pan works great, but you can use a flat casserole too.

Sauce first: Mix arrowroot in small bowl with 1 tbs water, set aside.
Combine all ingredients in sauce pan (except almond milk and arrowroot). Bring to boil, then lower heat to med. Add arrowroot mix and let simmer until thickens. You want it a little thicker than you'd think at this point. Turn off heat. Stir in Almond milk. The sauce will be thinner now. If it is too thin, add more arrowroot, but do not reheat.. it will reheat in the oven.

Saute leeks and carrots 5 min.
Add sprouts and mushrooms, and garlic, another 2 min. ( remember it will cook more in the oven and I like veggies crisp versus mushy).
Pour in bowl and set aside.

Melt coconut oil on med heat. Once melted, remove from heat. With pastry brush, oil pan, then layer phyllo one sheet at a time in pan, let it overlap pan rim. You can oil each pastry sheet as you layer, I do every other one or every two.

Do all but about 5 sheets of dough (save for top).

Pour sauce over veggies, stir. Then pour veggies in to phyllo lined pan. Overlap corners/edges of dough over the veggie filling. Brush top with oil. Use remaining phyllo to cover any open space over veggies (make a top crust). Brush with oil.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until brown!  Cool 5 minute or so. Enjoy!

Spiced Pomegranate Avocado Salad

My first post!

This is a delicious way to enjoy pomegranate arils. The salty/cumin spiciness seems to continually reset your taste buds making the pomegranate flavor more intense than ever. The juice bursting in your mouth is a welcome calm to the medley.

    1/2 pomegranate, seeded
    1/2 avocado, sliced or cubed
    1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

    Dressing:
    2 to 3 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
    2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice
    1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin, to taste
    1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl, place avocado and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

2. In separate bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients with fork in bowl or use a food processor.

3. Drizzle dressing over bowl of pomegranate/avocado and enjoy!

I always have leftover dressing.. so perhaps double the salad ingredients.. the dressing keeps well. My husband eats this as a dip with seedy tortillas (like the Food Should Taste Good brand). Delicious!

 RUN:

This morning's run was hot! 32 degrees and I had to take my gloves off after about 1 mile. Even though I decreased layers according to the temp, after the many mornings of -2 to 5,  icy lashes and frozen snot; 32 felt like a sauna in my jacket. My doggy companion must have been heating up too, she stopped, dropped and rolled in the fresh powder!