Quinoa Chocolate Cake

As you can probably tell from my pictures, I'm not a professional photographer. I'm also not one to make something pretty looking, including food. I just kinda do whatever, and it tastes good, so why make it look pretty? It's just gonna get eaten right? Well, I have a sister who can make anything look pretty. Anything! So, every once in a while I decide to make something look pretty, and it's USUALLY when I don't have the camera handy to take a picture, so bear with me while I explain this delectable dessert to you and and how, if you desire, to make it look gorgeous. 

Quinoa Chocolate Cake

1 c quinoa, rinsed well

2 c water

2/3 c almond milk

6 organic free-range eggs

1 1/2 t vanilla

1 c coconut oil, melted

2 1/4 c coconut sugar or sucanut

1 1/2 c unsweetened raw cocoa powder or carob powder

2 1/4 t baking powder, aluminum free

3/4 t baking soda

3/4 t sea salt

strawberries for garnish

Combine the water and quinoa in small saucepan. Bring to boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10ish minutes. Fluff with fork and cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan or 2 round pans and line bottom with parchment paper. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in blender and pulse until combine. Add quinoa and coconut oil and blend until smooth.

Whisk together sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in large bowl. Add blender contents and mix well, adding milk if it's too thick. Pour into pan(s) and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and cool in pans.

At this point, you can serve as is or frost. It's super moist and rich, but we had a birthday in our family when I made it last time, so I did the following:

8 oz good-quality dairy free dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 can coconut milk

1/3 c powdered coconut sugar (just run through your blender until powdery)

1 1/2 t vanilla

Put chocolate in bowl and set aside. In small saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the milk and sugar until bubbles appear at the edges and steam rises from surface. Pour mixture over chocolate and let it stand for 5 minutes. Then stir gently until glossy and smooth-this will take a few minutes. Add the vanilla and stir gently. Pour over cake and let it cool & set up a little bit. Cut a piece and add one of these to each serving:

 All you do is take a strawberry and  cut small slices down to just before the stem. Fan out a bit. Pretty, huh?