Invisible eggplant cake

This is our Zucchini Bread substituting Eggplant.   The color of banana bread without that cloying sticky flavor; not too sweet tasting with a curious after- tang, I bet no one will identify the mystery ingredient and it will be universally loved.   Good plain or with Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge icing (the glossy dark color perhaps hints at the original shiny aubergine peel).

1 eggplant, sliced in half and broiled 10 minutes each side.

 3 cups all purpose flour      
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
stir together the dry ingredients            

Add

3 eggs
1 cup olive  oil
           2 1/4 cups sugar

Mix.     Scoop the soft broiled eggplant flesh out of the skin and add to the mixture, beating well.
Bake in 325 for 30-50 minutes (I used an oblong glass pan time.)  It will be a gray-brown, banana bread color.

For optional chocolate frosting, I used unsweetened baking chocolate, 4 large marshmallows and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk.  Melt all together on stove top or microwave, mixing until all ingredients are melted and combined and thick and shiny (yum).  Also makes good fudge as it!  I think my daughter will appreciate it, since she no longer eats cake or icing because the butter is too rich; no buttercream here!

The golden warm cake, unfrosted, and frosted!  Ummm more veggies for dessert!

The way to eat kale

Uniquely flavorful, nodding to traditional greens cooking.

olive oil and/or goose fat
clove garlic
kale leaves, ripped from the tough center ribs
roughly chopped baby bella or other mushrooms
salt and pepper
finely chopped and/or whole hot peppers to taste
sauerkraut--(I had about a cup leftover in the fridge)
finely chopped slices of Canadian bacon


Heat on medium the fat/oil in enameled cast iron casserole, add the ingredients in order listed, toss well periodically and cover and let simmer on medium low for about 40 minutes until kale softens somewhat and the fresh green color becomes more olive colored.

Best. Ever.

More cake-as-vegetable: Zucchini Bread!

Another recipe in the series of how to use up your weekly CSA box of fruit and veggies:  the best zucchini bread.  And let's admit it, it's cake.  You can bake this recipe in two loaf pans like bread, but I just bake it as one big beautiful Bundt.

It's great weather for this as fall blows in, and there's lots of cinnamon to warm you up.  No butter or dairy, just healthy olive oil, lovely fiber-y zucchini and optional cocoa-dusted pumpkin seeds for my nephew allergic to nuts.  Stays moist as long as you can keep it in the house.  10 minutes prep, 50 min. to an hour in the oven.

3 cups all purpose flour          

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tablespoon cinnamon
stir together the dry ingredients

Add
3 eggs
1 cup olive oil
2 1/4 cups sugar

Mix.     Don't be alarmed that the dough is stiff like cookie dough rather than wet like cake batter:  the zucchini adds a LOT of liquid.

Add grated zucchini.  (As much as you like: about 2 cups is one large or two small zucchini.)

Mix.

Add (optional) 1/2 cup cocoa dusted hulled pumpkin seeds https://www.superseedz.com/

Bake at 325 degrees in two loaf pans or one bundt pan, for 50 minutes more or less (until skewer inserted comes out clean).  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar if desired.

Enjoy!  It's ok--it's your vegetable!