Zucchini Chocolate Cake

Test the limits of healthy ingredients with this delicious "good carb" cake.  My kids asked for thirds (I did not tell them the secret ingredient until afterwards).













Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  45 minutes
Yield:   1 cake, 12+ servings

INGREDIENTS
2 small or one large zucchini squash (enough to yield about 2 cups when processed)
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 cup sugar equivalent (I used Truvia)
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup sour cream
1 stick (8 TB) butter, melted
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup 60% dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 350F.  Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Using a food processor equipped with the fine shredding disk, shred the zucchni and place in a colander in the sink to drain for a few minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, then stir in the sour cream, melted butter, agave nectar, and vanilla.  Scrape the egg mixture into the flour, and mix with a rubber spatula.  Stir in the zucchini and the chocolate chips.

Scrape your cake batter into the baking dish, slide into the oven, and bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake is delicious with whipped cream as dessert at the end of the day.  And it's tempting to enjoy with coffee at the beginning of the day.

Tip:  Stevia-based sweeteners vary in sweetness, and most are much sweeter than sugar.  So when using in a recipe you might need to calculate how much is equivalent to 1/2 cup sugar.  Another option, available at Whole Foods, is a sweetener based on hardwoods called Xyla.  Don't ask, I can't explain how it's made.  But it does appear to be a more natural product than conventional artificial sweeteners.

Tip:  A bundt pan also works well with this cake - it will cook faster - check it at 35 minutes.

Photo and Recipe by Tod Dimmick

Cider Donuts

In the department of humor with cooking, here are two "Jekyll & Hyde" recipes for Cider Donuts.  One is a more traditional (and indulgent) method as seen on the Phantom Gourmet, the other is an earnest attempt at a guilt-free version - Baked Whole Grain Cider Donuts!

Pumpkin Cheesecake in a Pumpkin Shell

Photo:
Tod Dimmick











If you like to inspire raised eyebrows, keep this rustic novelty in mind for Thanksgiving. The cook time is unattended, so you can do other things.














Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 30 minutes and 1 hour
Serves: 6-8

1 small sugar pumpkin, about 8-9" across
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup brown sugar or equivalent
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350F. With a large chef's knife, carefully slice the bottom of the pumpkin to make a "pie shell" about 2" deep. Scoop out the seeds and filaments from both sides of the pumpkin, and place flesh side down in a baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until flesh is soft. Cool for 10 minutes, and with a large spoon gently scoop the flesh out of the bottom shell, taking care not to get too close to the edge. Scoop the flesh out the the top half as well. Run the flesh through a food processor equipped with a cutting blade until you achieve a smooth consistency. You'll need 1 cup of this puree. The rest you can use for muffins or other fun things.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place the pumpkin shell in an oiled pie plate. Using a stand mixer (best option) or an athletic forearm to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth and batter-like. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Add the eggs, the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the cream cheese and thoroughly mix. Scrape the batter into your crust to 1/4 inch below the top edge, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula, and slide into the oven. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on the counter for 20 minutes, and serve warm, or cover and chill.

Note: While making the puree is easy and part of the fun, this cheesecake can of course be made in a regular pie crust or graham cracker crust. 1 cup of puree = 1/2 can of the off the shelf stuff.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Strawberry Ricotta Pie

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










Disclaimer (grin): This dish came about because I happened to have extra ricotta at the same time as an urgent need to make good use of Powisset strawberries. It was only after I made it that I realized "this is pretty darn good". Sooo... the recipe below is based on memory. I leave it to your good judgment to tweak as you feel appropriate.

This pie is just as good for breakfast as it is for dessert.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8

1 pie crust, your favorite*
3 eggs
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
pinch salt
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350F. Arrange the pie crust in a pie plate. In a large bowl whisk the eggs, and mix in the ricotta, vanilla, sugar, and salt. Gently fold in the strawberries, and scrape mixture into the pie plate. Bake on the center rack for 30 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.

*The King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook has a recipe for one of the best pie crusts I have ever tasted. It's an added bonus that it's whole wheat.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes