This week’s recipe column is a bit different. The first recipe is what I call exact cooking, following the measurements to a T. The second recipe I call freedom cooking! Look in your fridge and see what needs to be used up.
Chocolate Avocado Cake
I did a makeover with the original recipe and it I am giving it a thumbs up. The biggest change was the flour. It called for self-raising flour and I switched to Loon Song spelt plus baking powder. Sometimes when I use spelt flour in a baking recipe I notice the next day the texture becoming a little dry. Not in this case.
200g dates, pitted
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 large or a whole small avocado flesh
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups self raising flour OR
*substitute with 1 1/2 cups spelt flour with 1 3/4 tsp
baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut milk
Place the dates and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat. Stir in the baking soda and set aside to cool to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Process the date mixture, maple syrup, avocado, eggs and vanilla in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Stir the flour and cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the avocado mixture and milk. Fold until just mixed. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set aside the pan to cool for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. When cool, place on a plate and spread with icing.
Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
Melt the coconut oil over low heat in a medium pot. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, syrup, and vanilla until combined and smooth. Let cool and thicken just a little before spreading on the cake.
Mushroom, Spinach Sauce
I was trying to plan cooking something for dinner and was having a mind block! So here I am opening the fridge door, looking in and thinking at the same time, it’s what my kids used to do, hoping to find something good to eat! What I found was three Portobello mushrooms and fresh spinach that wasn’t looking so fresh anymore and some coconut milk. So here’s the recipe with a gosh and a golly!
I used my sauté pan and covered the bottom of the pan with sunflower seed oil. I added a large sliced onion and sautéed the onion for about 5 minutes. I then added three cloves of diced garlic and cooked for about another 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the sliced or chopped Portobello mushrooms until they have cooked down a bit. Add about two cups coconut milk and the chopped up spinach. Add some salt to taste and if you have in your fridge 1 tsp Miso (optional). Bring it to a gentle boil for another two minutes and then thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. The sauce can be used either on pasta, rice or chicken.
