Lenten Season

Every year, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (this year on February 18th) and ends on Easter Sunday (April 5th), 40 days and 40 nights of Christian/Catholic observance of Jesus Christ walking through the desert. I, a Catholic, practice giving up an item/ thing that is hard to live without, as a way to understand Jesus and his strength to avoid temptation by the devil. In the past years, I have given up anything from Facebook to food. Food is a popular item to give up, usually a treat that is a favorite. Everyone knows how much I love chocolate, ice cream, and meat, and I have given those items up once or more times in my life. Needless to say, I ended up with chocolate ice cream for breakfast on Easter morning, but who's to judge. This year, I wanted to take a step further and try at giving up something I truly love, bread and pasta; more specifically, gluten.  

The idea came from my co-worker, Denise, who, in wanting to take a step into a healthier lifestyle, decided to eliminate gluten from her diet. As morale support, and because I still needed an object to give up, I vowed to follow the trend with her. Let me tell you one thing: IT IS HARD!! Anyone who's worked in the kitchen knows that you eat what you cook and usually what you can get your hands on. If you don't, you will go hungry and irritable, and no one likes you (okay, maybe that was just me)

Snickers commercial anyone??

Lent has only been 2 weeks and I never realized how much I would miss flour and anything made with it. Put in a baker who has to use the stuff everyday, and it is torture staring at my baked goods case. At least I know I am truly working on my self-control by being able to find alternative foods to eat instead of a sandwich. Good thing I'm Japanese and love my rice!

In the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting foods that are gluten-free friendly, but still delicious. I still have a standard to uphold, of course. Today, I have a flour-less chocolate cake to share. Living in West Virginia, I definitely got some weird stares. "How can a cake be flour-less??" But everyone who tried it said they loved it. Please excuse the lack of picture as smarty here forgot to take one (too busy eating the cake), but a picture will come. For now I will give you this picture from Epicurious who took a beautiful picture of this creation. I made mine with berry sauce, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry, cooked with red wine. Let me know what you all think. 

FLOUR-LESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

1- 10" cake

Ingredients:

8 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 cup (2 sticks) Melted Unsalted Butter

1 1/2 cup Sugar

6 Large Eggs

1 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

4 Cups Frozen Berries (or 1 cup of each of your favorite berries)

1/2 bottle red wine (Fruity or spicy, I used Shiraz, Pinot Noir will work too)

1 cup sugar

MOP:

-Pre-heat oven to 325F

-In the microwave, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, using 30 second increments, until chocolate is melted. Mix butter until both are equally melted and homogeneous. With a wooden spoon, mix sugar into the chocolate mix. 

-Crack and beat eggs into separate bowl, until all mixed. Add to the chocolate mixture, mixing with the wooden spoon. Sift and add the cocoa powder.

-Spray a 10" spring-form pan with oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Pour batter into the pan and spread evenly. 

- Place pan into the oven and bake for 20 min. Rotate the pan and bake for additional 20 min. The center may seem wet when inserted by toothpick, but it will set. The outer crust should be crisp and baked. 

-Let chill at room temperature for 15 min. 

-While cake is baking, place berries, wine, and sugar into a small sauce pot. Set on low heat and stir occasionally. Cook until sauce thickens and becomes syrup-y. 

- Slice a piece of cake, dust with powdered sugar, and pour a spoonful of the berry sauce on top of the cake. Serve to any of your guest and it will be an instant hit!