Mint Chocolate Cake

What I made for St. Patrick's day:

Leprechaun-friendly.  Will trade for pot of gold.

MmmMmm. I made 4 mini cakelets.

THE RECIPE:

Flourless Chocolate Cake:

4 ounces fine bittersweet chocolate -- I used a little under 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, plus ~ 4 tbs coconut sugar
1/2 cup ghee (or other butter substitute)
3/4 cup coconut sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt

---> Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round springform pan, or four 4-inch springform pans.  Line bottom of pan with a round of parchment paper, and grease the paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a microwave safe bowl, Melt the chocolate over low heat, and stir in butter substitute until they are melted together.
Add cocoa, then whip in eggs, vanilla, and salt.
Pour the batter into cake pan(s).
Bake for ~25 minutes.  Let cool in springform pan.

Mint Frosting:
1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled. --> scoop the thick coconut fat off the top of the can, after it has chilled. leave the watery stuff behind.
mint extract, to taste (i used ~1/8 tsp)
green food coloring (I usually don't use food coloring.... but i couldn't resist!!)
Add powdered xylitol and erythritol in 1:1 amounts until desired consistency
     Note: to make powdered xylitol/erythritol, add the granulated form to a magic bullet, with a dash of tapioca starch or potato starch.  The starch will help it to 'powder' easily. Bullet until powdered.

Topping:
Shaved mint chocolate bar.
    I used Endangered Species Chocolate, Mint Chocolate and shaved off curls using a vegetable peeler.

Assembly:
After cake has cooled in springform pan, pour frosting on top of cake. Chill until frosting is firm.  Then add chocolate shavings on top of frosting.  Garnish with mint leaves if desired.

To serve, gently remove sides of springform pan, then transfer cake onto serving platter.  Enjoy!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 ... and Happy Pi Day- also belated. I've had a lot going on (see bottom of post), so sorry for not getting these up on time!

Leprechaun Pudding with Gold-Chocolate Crumbles!

 

Creme de Menthe Pie

Irish Soda Bread!

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1. Lepruchaun Pudding with Gold-Chocolate Crumbles

 Pudding:

1 banana
1 generous handful spinach
2 tsp vanilla   ---->  puree in magic bullet until smooth


2 tbs walnuts
2 tbs raisins
1 tbs cocoa powder
dash of salt   ----> pulse in magic bullet until it clumps
 
Pour pudding into a bowl and top with chocolate crumbles. It tastes light and sweet-- you can't taste the spinach at all, but it adds a healthy punch (which also makes this recipe very breakfast-eligible!)


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2. Creme de Menth Pie (aka Grasshopper Pie)

So, making this didn't end up going as smoothly as I had hoped.

I was going off of this recipe from pure2raw, but ended up adding WAY too much guar gum..... which turned my filling into rubber. So, whatever you do, do NOT add two tablespoons of guar gum to two avocados and expect edible pie filling. Seriously-- it almost broke my Bullet!

That being said, I worked for about two hours trying to salvage the filling, and I finally got it to a delicious flavor and "acceptable" consistency-- still all but too rubbery for me to really be satisfied. Nevertheless, all three of my taste testers stated it tasted just like the "real" version that my mom made.

So, since I was in "salvage mode" as I threw together ingredients, I didnt' record much. If you're interested in making this pie, I recommend going from the pure2raw version, with the possible modification of adding lemon juice to the avocado layer (helps reduce browning, too!) The color of the pie did start out avodaco-green, but slowly began to brown after some fridge-time.


Crust: (delicious!):

1/4 c walnuts
1/4 c coconut powder/flakes
1/4 c raisins
1 date, chopped
2 tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs vanilla      ----> pulse in Bullet until powdery/clumping, then press into bottom of 6 inch pie pan


Garnish layer: (yummy but not minty) -- this is the dark green layer on top and bottom

1 banana
1/4 c yacon powder (kinda gross)
stevia/agave to sweeten
vanilla (will darken color)
little bit of spinach, purreed/juiced, to green it up 
almond milk to thin to desired consistency     ---> puree it all until smooth


Main filling layer:

2 avocados
1/2 tbs guar gum? start low and add more! (2 tbs = rubber, fyi)
2 tsp peppermint oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
almond milk to thin if guar gum over-rubberizes
agave to sweeten
   ... aaaand a pinch of Irish luck that it works easily!      ----> puree in Vitamix/Bullet/whip together by hand


White whipped meringue layer:

1.5 tbs coconut oil, softened (I used the non-coconut-y kind)
1.5 tbs ghee, softened
1/2 c erythritol, powdered
if needed, almond milk to thin to desired consistency    ----> blend in Bullet until creamy and smooth

Assembly: On top of crust, spread half of Garnish layer, then freeze to harden. Next, pour in all of Main filling layer, freeze again. Cover with the rest of garnish layer or white layer to prevent browning; alternately, use both to decorate. Perfect taste is definitely attainable, even if consistency may be a bit more challenging!


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3. Irish soda bread!    

        
Now THIS is an epic win. Epic, I tell you-- EPIC! Way better than my mom's breadmaker Irish soda bread (probs cuz I made mine sweeter!), and definitely the best ACD bread I've ever made. It's almost like a coffee cake, but still bread-y enough to be eaten with dinner (Irish stew, which we had yesterday!)


THE RECIPE:

2 cups gluten-free flour blend:
         1/2 c oat flour
         1/2 c brown rice flour
         1 cup mix of: garbanzo flour, amaranth flour, all-purpose GF blend
1.5 tablespoons agave (or to taste)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt                     
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg                              ----> stir together dry ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut oil            
2 tbs ghee                                    ---->cut, then pinch fats into dry ingredients to obtain a sandy texture
½ cup raisins                                ----> fluff into the mixture
¾ cups buttermilk:                        ----> add to dry ingredients to form dough
          1.5 tbs apple cider vinegar
          scant 3/4 c almond milk ----> let mixture sit 10 mins

(Batter should taste delicious (almost cookie-like) on its own too!)

Preheat oven to 400. Add extra flour until dough is kneadable, then knead a few times on waxed paper sprinkled with (oat/rice) flour. Shape into a 6-inch loaf on a greased cookie sheet and slice an 'X' on top with a knife. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes. Yum!

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So, I said I've had a lot going on-- most recently, one of our two cats passed away two days ago, after 19 years of being our faithful friend. (This dampened our St. Patty's festivities- hence the late posts!)

Misty and I playing volleyball.

When I was five years old, my sister and I each adopted a kitten. My sister picked a lively black and white kitty, which she named Misty Moonmew Oreo. I picked a friendly orange tabby, who I dubbed Starry Crystalmew Peanut. Misty and Starry were our best companions, and grew up beside us for the greater portions of both of our lives.

Coming up upon their twentieth birthdays (July 13), both cats have been slowing down, but still happy and enjoying life. Misty began fairing a little worse, and she had a noticeable lump on one side of her abdomen. She was active and spunky up until the afternoon of March 16, at which point she laid down on her special chair cushion- and never did get up. She faded for a few hours, occasionally appearing to have minor seizures or spasms of her arms and legs. We stayed with her right up until the end, and are thankful that she did not suffer long. She was cremated today at a special pet facility, and at this point we plan to keep her ashes in a cat-shaped urn, in the home that she loved so well.

Her temporary coffin with candle and flowers.

Misty was lively and smart, and always was the first one to the door to greet company. She had flair: loved to eat cooked broccoli, raw tomatoes, strawberries, grapes-- we called her a 'little human.' She was fascinated by running water in the shower, and thus was also our resident 'hydrologist.'  On her black face she had a white diamond marking on her nose, and a little white beauty-mark dot.

As my sister put it, "We're not kids anymore- Misty's dead!" and indeed, it is a whole new concept to be without one family member. I'm thankful for the time that we had with her and for her companionship throughout the years. RIP Misty!


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Switching gears to a happier tone: I returned from my week-long trip to Carnival in Trinidad on Sunday. It was AWESOME, and my month or raw-dieting sure paid off while I was strutting my stuff in my skimpy costume! Here are some shots from the fun:

Drinking coconut water straight from the coconut!!!!

Chrysocolla girls of the group (guess who I am...)

Summarizes the scene through town- for two days straight!

 Climbing.........                                                                                     for...........

                                                                 COCONUTS!!!

(even though they were unipe/inedible!)

--> all in all, SUPERfun trip! A million thanks to my Trini girl for giving me the best vaycay ever!


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"Little Debbie" Be My Valentine Snack Cakes: Sugar-Free. Gluten-Free. Dairy-Free.

Little Debbie snack cakes.....  I had forgotten about these little devils! And then someone brought a box to work.

And, suddenly I was flooded with memories of mind-blowing sweetness! Litte Debbie Vanilla Be My Valentine Snack Cakes... even when I last ate these circa age 6, I could tell that these were far too sweet and artificial to really even be considered food.

And, of course, I knew I needed to whip up some of my own.

Out of curiosity, I checked the ingredients on the real things before I started. Do you really want to see it? Probably not if you are planning to eat one of these in the near future. Or, you can do what I did: read the ingredients and then run to make the ACD healthier version!

Little Debbie "Be My Valentine" Cakes: Vanilla --- the real deal:

INGREDIENTS (for diabetes):

Sugar, Vegetable(s) Shortening (,, Soybean(s) Oil Partially Hydrogenated, Cottonseed Oil Partially Hydrogenated ),, Corn Syrup, Water, Flour Enriched Bleached (,, Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB) ),, Dextrose, Egg(s) Whites, Color(s) (,, Caramel Color, Red 40 ),, Whey from Milk, Leavening (,, Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate ),, Salt, Emulsifier(s) (,, Sorbitan Monostearate, Polysorbate 60, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Propylene Glycol Monostearate ),, Corn Starch, Sorbic Acid To Retain Freshness,, Egg(s), Soy Lecithin, Flavor(s) Natural & Artificial

 I bolded the ingredients that I deem acceptable on my diet. Water, egg whites, and baking soda-- now that's a tasty combination (blergh!!) Also note that foodfacts.com (from which I got this list) gives them a health score of 32/100, and marks it with "AVOID" and "CONTROVERSIAL INGREDIENTS." Yep, I thought so.

Now let's take a look at what my packaging label might look like:

INGREDIENTS (for awesomness):

White beans, eggs, coconut oil, agave nectar, erythritol, coconut flour, strawberries, ghee, tapioca flour, almond milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, lemon juice, liquid stevia, salt, liquid chocolate raspberry stevia

 Looks a whole lot prettier, huh? Shorter, more natural, more healthy. 

THE RECIPE:

1 cup white beans  ---> puree in high power blender (Vitamix)
1/8 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla
24 drops stevia
2 1/2 tbs agave -----> add, puree well
3 eggs***

1 1/2 tbs coconut flour
1 tbs tapioca flour
1/8 tsp sea salt
3/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda  ----> mix all dry ingredients well, then add to wet and puree again

*** There are two ways to do this to vary cake consistency. For a dense (pound cake-y) cake, blend eggs with wet ingredients. For a lighter, fluffier cake, separate egg yolks and whites. Add yolks to wet mixture, but beat eggs separately in a bowl, until stiff peaks form. After adding dry ingredients to the wet mix in the Vitamix, fold the batter into the egg whites. This will also yield a higher volume of batter, which will end up making more mini cakes.

I used heart shaped silicone cupcake molds to make these. Fill each one halfway, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the middle of the largest one comes out clean.

WHITE FROSTING:

1/2 c powdered erythritol* or, soy milk powder to desired consistency, plus extra stevia to sweeten
1 tbs ghee, sort
1 tbs coconut oil, soft
1/2 tsp vanilla (will slightly brown the color)
1 tbs almond milk (add slowly to make it the right consistency)

* Make your own powdered erythritol! Put ~1/2 c granular erythritol into the Magic Bullet small cup, and pulse for about 20 seconds with the crossblade. BAM-- powder!

To make frosting, blend all ingredients in the magic bullet. Add almond milk as necessary to make it a nice whipped consistency.

PINK FROSTING:

1/4 c coconut oil
1 tbs agave
1 tbs strawberry puree (I magic bullet-ed this first)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
dash of salt
8 drops chocolate raspberry stevia
1 tsp powdered erythritol (optional-- thickens consistency)

Blend all ingredients in the Magic Bullet. This should be a thin consistency which will harden in the fridge.

ASSEMBLY:

Middle frosting layer.

Slice a heart mini-cake in half, and spread white frosting between the two layers- then re-assemble them. Next, coat all visible sides of cake in pink frosting. Finally, pipe white frosting on top in a spider-webby pattern. (I was lazy and used a ziploc bag with a tiny hole cut in one corner, instead of a real piping tip.)

Result? Something delicious, and just about as (sickeningly) sweet as the real deal. But, it's low GI, (sucrose) sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, aaand pretty much awesome!!

Now, I'm not saying that I should (or could) eat these every day (there's a reason I only made six!) But, they certainly are perfect for a rare (non)sugar fix.  Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!

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Also-- what's the deal with hating Valentine's Day? It's an excuse to eat chocolate and celebrate love of any sort- whether it's for yourself, a lover, a pet-- who cares? Just enjoy the day!

~~

Also: check out February's SOS Challenge at Diet, Dessert, and Dogs, with challenge ingredient stevia!

I got off to a rocky start with stevia, back in the day. When I started exploring the world of ACD baking, the only stevia we had around the house was a powdered form left from my mother's dabbling in vegetarian healthfood... which was probably in the 60s. Or 70s. Or sometime when they made pretty poor quality stevia, SLASH it had just gone bad by this current millenium. At any rate, everything we baked using that stuff had a sickening taste... soapy, if you will. Not quite to the "bitter" realm, but just all too "stevia-ish". I could taste a grain of that stuff anywhere... in anything. It haunted me. And ruined many a baked good.

I avoided all baked goods cooked with stevia, subbing in anything from vegetable glycerine, to agave nectar (when I got to the point I could handle it). But as I did my research, I raid many accounts claiming that with the right quality stevia, the disgusting taste problem really wasn't a problem at all.

So, I decided to give stevia another shot. I would buy a new batch. This time, I opted for the liquid form, and purchased a bottle of SweetLeaf SteviaClear (from good old vitacost.com). And it worked wonders! Gone were the days of ruined baked goods.

Stevia still can be a finicky sweetener when used carelessly, and certainly isn't for those with a heavy hand when it comes to measuring. Basically, its sweetening curve looks something like this:

 

Yeah-- tough. But as long as care is taken while sweetening, stevia can work wonders. I especially like it to sweeten beverages-- like when making chocolate almond milk!

So, in summary, I am a stevia convert. I still use it primarily in conjunction with other stronger sweeteners, but stevia does have its place in my baking arsenal. 

And who knows? I just might grow it in my garden this year.