Flourless Chocolate Cake

My mom has celiac disease, which means that she cannot have any foods that contain gluten. Gluten is found in any wheat product, so I am constantly looking for recipes that she can have.



8 large eggs
1 pound semisweet chocolate
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces the size of a hazelnut
1/4 cup strong brewed coffee (optional)

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with waxed paper. Wrap the outside of the pan in foil to prevent leaks. Prepare a pot of boiling water.
2. Using a handheld or standing electric mixer, beat the eggs until double in volume (about 1 quart), about 5 minutes. Melt the chocolate, butter, and coffee in a double boiler or microwave until very smooth, stirring occasionally. Fold in the whipped eggs in 3 additions, mixing only enough as is necessary to incorporate them. Pour into prepared springform pan.
3. Place springform pan into a deep roasting pan, and place on the lower middle rack of the oven. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up on the sides of the cake. Bake about 25 minutes, until the cake rises slightly, has a thin, wispy crust, and reads 140 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center. Transfer springform to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight. Warm sides of springform with a hot, wet towel to loosen, then pop open, cut with a hot, wet knife, and serve dusted with confectioners' sugar and/or cocoa powder.

Notes: Garnishes are always pretty. Seen above and to the right is the garnish cool-whip with raspberries and mint. For the chocolate, I prefer to use chocolate chips. I do not melt them all the way, but instead keep them a little chunky. It adds a nice texture to the cake.

Recipe from The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook by Jay Weinstein (page 320)

Chickpeas in Potato-Onion Curry

This dish is super easy to make, takes only about 30 minutes. Can be served with rice (as shown to the right) or Indian breads. Start cooking the rice before making the curry and the meal will be on the table in no time!

2 cups onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons oil, divided
1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes (about 1-inch)
1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (also called garbanzos), drained and rinsed
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder (can add more or less depending on how spicy you want it)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
juice of 1/2 a lemon (optional, I prefer it without the lemon)

1. In a skillet over high heat, cook the onions in 1 tablespoon oil until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and coconut milk; cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes; add the chickpeas. In a food processor, combine the garlic, salt, coriander, turmeric, chili powder, and cumin; process until it becomes a paste, scraping down sides as needed.
2. Heat remaining oil in a small skillet, and fry the garlic mixture for 1 minute, allowing it to become fragrant and slightly browned. Add the garlic mixture to the chickpea pot. Simmer for about 2-3 minutes; season to taste with lemon and additional salt. Serves 4

Notes: The dish will be white in color when only the onions, potatoes and coconut milk are in the skillet. Adding the garlic paste is what turns the dish yellow. The aroma that fills the kitchen while making this recipe is amazing! Doubling/tripling this recipe is great for large groups (I had to triple it when I made it to feed my family). :) I also had a kitchen mishap during this recipe in that I broke our own food processor. But through that I can tell you that if you don't have one, you can make the garlic paste just as easily by hand. Just combine all the ingredients of the paste together, add a little water and smear it all together with a spatula.

Recipe from The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook by Jay Weinstein (page 123). You will notice I get a lot of my recipes from here since I personally do not eat a lot of meat.

Why a cooking blog?

A very good friend and mentor of mine, Bethany Davis, gave me the idea for a cooking blog. It's a chance for me to share the recipes I try! So...this blog was born. A little about myself...I grew up in Wisconsin and am attending the University of Georgia in Athens. I am pursuing a major in Dietetics, I love school, and I love to cook (hense, this blog). Favorite activities include playing Dance Dance Revolution (that hobby also grew on me as a result of Bethany Davis and her husband Brian), running, cooking (again, why this blog was created), and reading. This blog is where I plan on posting recipes that I have made, I'll always give where I got the recipe in case you want to check out other ones from the same source, and maybe one day I'll even get good enough to make some of my own concoctions. Until then, I'll have to still with ones I find in books and magazines. I'd love suggestions on other things to make, and if you happen to try any of the recipes I put on here, let me know how they turn out and what you think of them. Enjoy!

First Recipe: Granola

Homemade Granola

3 cups rolls oats (Quaker quick oats work great)
1 1/2 cups wheat germ
1 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts and almonds, but any of your favorites are good too)
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the oats onto a baking sheet; bake for 15 minutes. Lower oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the toasted oats with wheat germ, nuts, coconut, sesame seeds, nonfat dry milk, oil, honey, and brown sugar. Mix well with your hands. Transfer to a baking sheet; spread into a single layer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned. Toss with raisins. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes: Be careful when using dark/non-stick pans or baking sheets because the oats and the granola as a whole tends to darken really quickly. You might need to reduce baking time if you do use darker equipment. This recipe almost fills a 1/2 gallon Tupperware container. It's a great snack to keep in your purse or backpack or eat for breakfast (I like it with bananas and milk...see picture above).

Recipe from the book The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook by Jay Weinstein (page 145)