Chickpeas in cake?

Photo from recipe site, not my results

Chickpea Chocolate Cake
(Recipe courtesy of Northern Pulse Growers Association)

• 1-1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips (minor substitutions here can make this CF as well as GF)
• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas aka garbanzo beans (or equal amount rehydrated dried chickpeas)
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 c white sugar
• 1/2 t baking powder

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9 inch round cake pan 
2. Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, stirring occasionally until chocolate is smooth
3. Combine chickpeas and eggs in food processor or blender and process until smooth; add sugar and baking powder, blend
4. Pour in melted chocolate and blend until smooth
5. Transfer to prepared cake pan and bake for 40 min or until tooth pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean
6. Cool on wire rack

Makes 9 servings

I know it sounds weird to put beans in a cake, but it's much healthier than packing it with oil, and it removes the flour, making the recipe instantly gluten free. The same little bean that makes the main component of one of my favorite snacks, hummus, makes for a new and different cake. Grandma saw this recipe on The Saturday Evening Post's website and passed it on to me. I had enough chickpeas, so I decided to double the recipe, which gave me a LOT of batter.

To use all the batter, I tried it out in a mini-muffin pan, regular muffin pan, and springform pan. Unfortunately, I didn't spray the pans, so the muffins wouldn't come out neatly, but that's where new ideas come from. I decided it would be great as a "worms and dirt" dessert since it crumbled, or make a great brownie blend in ice cream. The tops of the regular sized muffins came off neatly, so I filled them with marshmallow creme to make whoopie pies.

The spring form cake, made from the remaining batter, is only about 1/8-1/4 in thick, perfect for a crust. I frosted it with a buttercream with just a hint of cream cheese, add sliced strawberries and drizzled of caramel and chocolate syrup to make a brownie pizza. I left 1/4 of it strawberry free for a picky eater in the family, but in my opinion, the strawberries made it SO much better.

Summertime, and the livin' is easy...

If you're prepared.

Well friends, this year's family picnic marked the one year point in my gluten free journey. Last year at this time, I was thinking along the lines that cutting most of the gluten from my diet would alleviate symptoms of several conditions with which I was struggling. I hadn't yet realized that the gluten was not simply exacerbating those problems, but rather causing them in the first place.

Thinking as such, I headed to the 2009 Turner Family Picnic with the idea that I had been so good about cutting out gluten for the whole week that I could go ahead and have some of the delicious baked goods my cousins and aunt passed around. I ate fried chicken brought by another aunt, dutifully stripped of it's coating and skin, but with no regard for the fact that this did not at all guard against cross contamination. I gleefully consumed brownies, cookies, sweet breads and the like, all the while praising myself for my restraint the entire week leading up to this day which allowed me to enjoy these treats.

That evening and for several days to come, I saw the consequences of my error in judgement in the form of stomach cramps, a resurgence of the psoriasis on my knees, a flare up of the acne like condition on my cheeks, sluggishness and many other symptoms I which had been miraculously absent from my life the week before. That day, I promised myself I would never again knowingly cause myself to feel that way.

It's been a year, full of learning and making mistakes, trying new foods and discovering some truly wonderful, naturally gluten free foods, which I might not otherwise have tasted. In the past year, the one lesson most important in my life is one the Boy Scouts have been telling us all along. Always be prepared.

Whether I'm planning ahead for a quick and easy dinner after a late day of work or class, or packing for a family gathering, preparation remains the key element to a successful, low stress day. With that in mind, I began preparing for today's picnic yesterday. I baked Betty Crocker gluten free chocolate chips (add in a little guar or xanthan gum for better consistency) and cornstarch brownies. I cooked the rice pasta salad from my Lil's gift bag, and I took out chicken burgers and OMG's burger buns from the freezer. Before leaving this morning, I wrapped each burger and each bun in a foil package so they could be cooked on the grill beside everyone else's food.

After explaining to my cousin why I needed my food to remain in the foil, and knowing that everything else was ready, I had the easiest day in a whole year. How amazing it felt heading into the meal knowing that I would not need to fill up on chips or cheese to hold me over until I got home (I've done that on less prepared days). When the food was ready and we all gathered in prayer, I offered my own silent gratitude for the gift of foresight, which made the entire day a breeze.

I made a meal of chicken/Swiss cheese/honey mustard burgers on gf buns, pasta salad with corn and black beans, and potato chips, with a dessert of cookies and brownies which matched those being passed around by the wheat eaters.

The simple joy of planning ahead allowed me to enjoy my family, the nice weather, and a delicious outdoor meal. Now, if only the mosquitoes hadn't taken advantage of all those things...

It's my party and I'll sigh if I want to

Today, my family went out to celebrate my brother's and my birthday. I was quite excited to try the gluten free menu at Outback steakhouse, and it did not fail to please.

Contrary to my experiences at some restaurants with gluten free options, I actually had a difficult time deciding what to order, as there were so many good choices. As I also do not eat red meat or pork, often my choices are limited to plain grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. While that is not a bad option, it is always nice to be allowed the indulgence of indecision. While both the Grilled Chicken on the Barbie (BBQ grilled chicken) and the Norwegian Salmon sounded quite tempting, I settled on the Alice Springs Chicken®, described online as:

Chicken breast flame grilled and topped with sautéed mushrooms, crisp bacon, melted Monterey Jack and Cheddar and finished with our honey mustard sauce. (Outback Menu)

I nixed the bacon and substituted Aussie Fries (not GF) for a baked potato. The strings of melted cheese blended perfectly with the sharp bite of the honey mustard and the slippery, chewy flesh of mushrooms.

My meal was complemented not only by a bottomless glass of cool, refreshing iced tea, but by the love and company of my parents, grandmothers, aunt and uncle, brother and his girlfriend. Without the anxiety of what I might eat that wouldn't make me sick, and knowing the wait- and kitchen staff were knowledgeable about my needs, I was able to sit back and simply enjoy my meal and conversation.

What birthday would be complete without a sweet treat? I asked to go to Outback, not just for the dinner options, but because they have a GF dessert. The Chocolate Thunder From Down Under® was a perfect end to a wonderful meal:

An extra generous pecan brownie is crowned with rich vanilla ice cream, drizzled with our classic warm chocolate sauce and finished with chocolate shavings and whipped cream. A chocolate lover's dream. (Outback Menu)

And a dream it was. The first bite, warm and chewy, soaked with creamy melted ice cream and heavy, sweet whipped cream, had a "fresh from the oven, served with a hug from Grandma," feel to it. It was not hard to imagine that I was sitting around a kitchen table with my loved ones rather than in the middle of a public restaurant. I actually stopped for a moment, just tasting, closed my eyes and sighed. Happy Birthday to me.