(NaturalNews) Trying to maintain good health in our food-obsessed culture is hard. Anywhere and everywhere you go you are faced with advertisements for foods and beverages which are rarely acceptable when trying to stick with a healthy diet. Whether it is an energy drink containing a whopping 83 grams of sugar per serving (1) or a bottle of sugar-laced fruit juice that contains the equivalent sugar to 7 bowls of health-endangering Fruit Loops (2) it is an unending bombardment. Those of us who endeavor to lead health-conscious lives are tempted left and right and one must admit that there are times when you just want a slice of cake and to feel "normal". Here is that cake!
When those desperate moments (or special occasions) come up, you can find recipes all over the internet and in hundreds of cookbooks found at local bookstores that claim to be healthy, but knowing what really is and isn`t healthy can be just as big a challenge as avoiding the sugar-laden counterparts to these healthy alternative baked goods!
Avoiding processed foods is important to good health; wheat and other grains can be detrimental to any attempts at losing weight, reducing risk of cardiac events, and improving health and well-being in general (3). Substituting wheat and other grain flours with flax meal, almond flour, and coconut flour is great for your taste buds and waistline!
Flaxseed is similar to grains but has many health benefits. It is high in fiber, is low in carbohydrates, and has been shown to lower cholesterol in men (4). Its cholesterol lowering effects are due to its high fiber content. This high fiber content is also what makes flaxseed good for stabilizing blood sugar. Flaxseeds also contain high amounts of B vitamins and are a source of Omega-3 fatty acid "good fats" -- which reduce inflammation. Reducing inflammation reduces risk of heart disease, asthma, diabetes and more. (Most of the oil in flaxseed, however, is Alpha Linolenic Acid, or "ALA", and because not everyone can readily convert ALA into EPA and DHA it is best not to rely solely on flaxseed to get those all important Omega-3s).
This recipe uses a combination of
flax meal and almond flour and the result is an exceptionally "realistic" cake that has the taste, texture, and appearance we are all so familiar with. Combine this cake with the below frosting recipe and you have an absolute winner on your hands that even the kids are sure to enjoy!
Too-Good-To-Be-True Chocolate Cake1 1/2 cup
flax meal
1 1/2 cup almond flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 c. powdered Xylitol
6 Tbsp. cocoa
5 eggs
1/4 cup coffee
2-3 droppers liquid stevia
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1/4 c. organic sour cream
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Lightly grease a glass 9X13 dish.
Mix dry ingredients combining well. Blend wet ingredients together. Add wet to dry combining well. Spread immediately in pan (the batter thickens as it sits). Bake 15 - 20 minutes or until
cake springs back to a gentle touch, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely and frost!
Too-Good-To-Be-True Vanilla Frosting1 1/2 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered xylitol
2 teaspoon vanilla
In a medium bowl cream butter until light and fluffy. Add xylitol 1/4 cup at a time until all combined. Beat until fluffy. Add vanilla.
Note: As healthy as this cake is, go easy as it does contain significant amounts of xylitol and flaxseed both of which can have a laxative effect.
References:
1.
http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slide/worst-functional-beverage-0?slide...2.
http://www.naturalnews.com/029395_Froot_Loops_2-methylnaphthalene.htm...3.
http://heartscanblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/in-search-of-wheat.html4.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100326101121.htmAbout the author
Megan Rostollan is a Certified Family Herbalist and works with her husband David, a private natural health and nutrition consultant (
www.reforminghealth.com). She is also the author of a blog which can be found at NaturalHousewifery.com. Her areas of greatest interest include women's reproductive and prenatal
health, as well as organic and green living and dietary and lifestyle changes.
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