The GGA Project -- Day #342 "Flour is Overrated Anyway"

I had two reasons for taking on yet another baking project today.  First of all, I wanted to thank my neighbor Sharon--who has been a wonderfully supportive friend this past year, though I haven't seen her often--in a way that she could enjoy.  Secondly, I wanted to include my coworker Isela in the treat that is bringing baked goods to work to share (I refuse to call this sabotage, just because we are in the middle of a Biggest Loser challenge ;)  )


Both of these women, you see, have special diets.  Hey!  I can relate to that.  I have a (semi) special diet!  And it means a lot to me when people remember that and do what they can to include me when there is some kind of group eating going on.


Today's New Activity: Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake


I have to say I've been totally reluctant to travel even two steps down that gluten-free road.  Knowing that people have been working for years to make vegan food taste good and haven't come all that far (in my opinion), I thought the chances the relatively young gluten-free movement had arrived at a tasty place were bleak.


But when I came upon this recipe after a "best gluten-free desserts" Google search, I thought the positive reviews were too many to dismiss.


Who on earth would imagine that this

would have its origins in these?!

Yes, those are chick peas/garbanzo beans.  And that is not to say that the recipe called for chick pea flour. I mean I literally liquified these very beans in a food processor, threw in a few other ingredients, tossed it into the oven and called it a day.  It took only these 5 ingredients (plus confectioner's sugar for the top),

10 minutes of prep time, and 40 minutes in the oven and bam!  That was it.  It was the easiest cake I've ever made (and shockingly it DID come out like cake, or like a less dense version of a brownie).


To my shock, my parents (who are generally pretty freaked out by the alternate-version-of-real-food things I eat as a vegetarian) not only tried but dug the cake well and truly.  Monkey too (not that he's picky when it comes to dessert).


Unfortunately I learned that Sharon, my inspiration for trying the recipe in the first place, also avoids sugar since learning how much better she fairs as a result, so I'm gonna have to do a little more detective work if I want to try and thank her in any kind of culinary way again.  But it's good to know that yummy gluten-free recipes really do exist, especially since so many people are embracing the diet these days.  I'm definitely holding fast and tight to sugar though!