Belated Birthday Cake with a Side of Fresh Fruits and Veggies

This past weekend I went to Michigan to see some family and get out of the city for a bit. It was a lovely little visit filled with fresh veggies and fruit, family history, games and baking. My cousin and I baked this delicious Chocolate Mousse cake to celebrate our birthdays. Not everyone was around to eat it, but it was still scrumptious!

When I got home, I decided to try this enchilada recipe I've been hanging on to for a while. I found it on Pinterest and it looked like it would be fun to try. I had bought the rhubarb and swiss chard the week before but hadn't had time to make them until I returned from my trip. They sure are yummy, if a little unique.

The last two recipes are things I made in the last few weeks but forgot to post. Enjoy!

Chocolate Mousse Cake 

Inspired by Lulu at Home

(Multiple servings, including 1 serving of fruit) 

Cake:

1 1/4 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1/4 cup Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 cup Butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated Sugar

2 Eggs

1 teaspoon Vanilla

2/3 cup Buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp Sour Cream mixed with 2/3 cup Water)

Chocolate Mousse:

200 grams of Dark Chocolate

4 Eggs

150 ml Whipping Cream (very cold)

4 Tbsp Espresso

1 Tbsp Vanilla

2 tsp Sugar

Blueberries, peaches or nectarines for decoration

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or an angelfood cake pan. Set aside.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

With electric beater, mix the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and continue mixing. Add eggs, one at a time. Continue beating for around 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternate to butter mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool completely.

To prepare mousse, make a double boiler and bring the water to a soft simmer. Put the chocolate in a heat resistant bowl and leave to melt. Put a mixing bowl in the freezer.

Split the eggs and whip the egg yolks with the sugar till it becomes light and creamy. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla and espresso.

Put the cream in the bowl that came out of the freezer and whip until it becomes stiff. Add the cream to the chocolate mixture and combine with a spatula until it becomes one liquid.

Beat the egg whites until it becomes stiff and forms peak and add that to the chocolate mixture.

Pour the chocolate mixture onto the cool cake.

Keep in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Decorate with fruit just before serving.

Swiss Chard and Black Bean Enchiladas with Chipotle Rhubarb Sauce

Inspired by Naturally Ella

(3 servings, including three servings of fruits and vegetables)

Sauce:

2 cups diced Rhubarb

1/4 medium Onion

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Chipotle powder

1/2 tsp Paprika

1/4 cup Chicken broth (homemade and stored in freezer)

1/2 cup Water

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Enchiladas:

1 can low sodium Black Beans

1-2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Garlic powder

2 cups Swiss Chard, washed well and chopped

4-6 low sodium Whole Wheat Tortillas

Sour Cream

Preheat oven to 375˚.

In a larger pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add in onions and saute until the onions become translucent. Stir in rhubarb and continue to cook until rhubarb begins to soften. Next, add remaining ingredients. Stir and bring sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 10-15 minutes. Rhubarb will begin to break down and sauce will smooth out.

For filling, heat beans (and their liquid), lemon juice and garlic in a medium skillet.  Remove the swiss chard stem and shred greens. Add to beans and cook until barely begins to wilt.

To assemble enchiladas, spread 1/4 cup the rhubarb sauce in the bottom of an 8×8 pan (or something similar.) Spread one Tbsp of sour cream on tortilla, add 1/4 cup bean mixture and roll. Repeat until beans are gone. Cover with remaining rhubarb sauce. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Lemon Blueberry Puffed Pancake

3 Eggs

1/2 cup Milk

1/2 cup Flour

2 Tbsp Butter, melted

1/3 cup Blueberries

1 Tbsp Lemon juice.

Powdered Sugar

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Beat eggs and add milk. Sift in flour. Whisk until well combined. Add lemon juice and blueberries. Grease baking pan with melted butter.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn down heat to 325 and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until pancake is puffed and browned. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sweet Potato, White Bean and Green Bean Salad with Leafy Greens

Dressing:

1 Tbsp dried parsley

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp olive oil

¼ tsp black pepper

1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 Sweet Potato, peeled and cubed

1/2 a Purple Onion

2 cups Green Beans, fresh or frozen

1 can of White (Cannellini) Beans

2 bags/boxes Leafy Greens (Spinach, Arugala, Lettuce)

Boil sweet potatoes until just beginning to soften. Then transfer to oiled pan and roast in oven until browned on edged. Meanwhile, sauté onions and green beans. Add white beans and cook until beans are warmed.

Allow heated vegetables to cool. Combine with greens and pour on dressing.