The Versatile All-Day Snack Cake

My husband created a cake recipe that is definitely a family favorite. We literally eat some version of this cake everyday. He makes a couple batches in the morning, and we get to eat it at meals and snacks all day long. It's so nice to have tasty cake whenever we want it. This is not a birthday-style cake. This is a slightly sweet cake that you can spread cream cheese or butter on. This recipe is so great because there are several different ways to make it. We alternate each day so that we eat a variety of grains in our diet. It is a key way that we avoid eating a lot of wheat. This recipe is also egg and dairy free.

Buckwheat Cake
(This is a thick, hearty cake that tastes great with peanut butter or cream cheese, or just by itself. One of our favorite ways to eat it is to mix extra virgin olive oil with organic peanut butter. We break up a piece of buckwheat cake into the mixture and allow the pieces to soak. Then we eat it from the bowl.)

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Place a stoneware or Pyrex baking dish (approx. 8x11) in the oven (while it is heating up) with a small strip of olive oil (enough to cover the bottom and sides once it's hot).

Meanwhile, mix together:
2 cups buckwheat flour
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder

Then:
Pour in 2 cups water.
Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil.
Pour in 1/4 cup agave.
**Optionally you can add a 1 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 tsp. lemon extract

Stir everything together thoroughly, especially the bottom where dry flour collects.

Pull out the heated stoneware from the oven.

Pour mixture into the stoneware. It should pour easily like cake batter.

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. (28 carbs per serving)


Barley Cake (with Barley Ginger variation and Barley Chocolate variation)
(This is reminiscent of an English pudding cake. It is very much like a pudding in the middle, with a crisp outer crust. We like to melt butter on top of this and eat it warm.)

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Place a stoneware or Pyrex in the oven (while it is heating up) with a small strip of olive oil (enough to cover the bottom and sides once it's hot).

Mix together:
2 cups barley flour
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder

Then:
Pour in 2 cups water
Pour in 1/4 cup safflower oil.
Mix in 2 tsp. stevia powder.

***To make the Barley Ginger Cake, add 1/8 c. ginger powder (and less than this if you don't like as strong of a ginger taste).

***To make the Barley Chocolate Cake, add 1/8 c. cocoa powder.

Stir everything together thoroughly, especially the bottom part where dry flour collects.

Pull out the heated stoneware.

Pour mixture into the stoneware. It should be slightly thick, and you will need to spread it out with a spatula.

Bake for 16 minutes

Makes 8 servings. (19 carbs per serving)

Note: This cake stays very pudding-like in the middle even when it's done.


Rye Cake
(This cake is thinner than the buckwheat cake but has a wonderful flavor and texture, also very good with cream cheese on top.)

Place a stoneware or Pyrex in the oven (while it is heating up) with a small strip of olive oil (enough to cover the bottom and sides once it's hot).

Meanwhile, mix together:
2 cups rye flour
1 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder

Next:
Pour in 1 3/4 cups water (add slightly more if too thick).
Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil.
Pour in 1/4 cup agave.
**Optionally you can add a 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Stir everything together thoroughly, especially the bottom part where dry flour collects.

Pull out the heated stoneware.

Pour mixture into the stoneware. You may need to spread it out with a spatula.

Bake for 16-18 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. (31 carbs per serving)

Sloppy Beef

My husband spends just as much time in the kitchen as I do. By his own choosing, he makes a big, warm breakfast for us everyday. When the kids and I get up in the morning after he has already left for work, our breakfast is waiting for us in the warmer drawer. We are so spoiled! One of the many bonuses of having a cooking husband is that he enjoys experimenting and creating his own dishes. He's more daring than I am. Some of his experiments end up becoming family favorites. One such experiment was Sloppy Beef. (Yes, he names his experiments too!) My boys loved the sound of this meal, and so before they even tried it they thought it seemed cool. When they actually tasted it, they loved it. I feel like laughing every time I say "We're having Sloppy Beef for dinner." and it's even funnier hearing my two-year-old say "Mommy, I want some more Sloppy Beef!" This recipe came about one Saturday evening when I was exhausted from the week and from taking care of a new baby along with my two boys. All we had in the fridge, pretty much, was a pound of grass-fed ground beef, so my husband cheerily sent me to sit down and said he'd whip up a dinner for us. Sloppy Beef was the result. In case you ever need a quick, easy meal that even kids love (at least ours do!), here's the recipe.

Sloppy Beef

1 lb. ground beef (or other ground meat)
water
minced onions
garlic powder
parsley
thyme
basil
marjoram
oregano
pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 c. rye or buckwheat or oat flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. agave

Heat a pan on medium with 1/2 c. water.
Once the water is boiling, crumble the ground meat into the pan.
Brown the meat by letting it sit with the lid on, stirring occasionally.
Once meat is browned, drain liquid.
Add another 1/2 c. water and stir into meat.
Add several shakes of minced onion flakes (or 1 large onion, chopped and sauteed).
Shake in your desired amount of the other spices.
Grind in some fresh pepper (3-4 grinds).
Add another 1/2 c. water.
Add 1/2 tsp. salt.
Add 1/4 c. flour and stir into meat. Evenly distribute meat throughout the pan and cover the lid.
Turn heat down to medium low.
Let simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Stir in 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. agave.
Cover again and let simmer approx. 4-5 minutes.

Serve in bowls with spoons.

Note: You can add or remove spices as desired in this recipe. Put in what you like! Also, you can add more agave if you want it sweeter. We find 1 Tbsp. per lb. of meat to be just right for us.

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