Consuming Consciousness

• » ½ pound carrots, grated fine
• » 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• » ¼ cup water
• » 3/4 cup skim milk
• » 6 whole cardamom pods
• » ¼ cup sugar
• » 2 medium eggs
• » ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• » ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• » 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• » 1½ cups spelt (dinkel) flour
• » 1 teaspoon baking powder
• » teaspoon baking soda
• » teaspoons freshly ground cardamom
• » 1 cup cashews, chopped or 1/2 cup cashews chopped and ¼ cup commercially produced cashew butter
• » 1 tablespoon vegetable or nut oil, (you may need an additional tablespoon, depending on your food processor)
• » 6 oz. non-fat cream cheese
• » 1½ cups powdered sugar

1. Over medium heat, saute the carrots in the coconut oil for up to 5 minutes — until they begin to soften.
2. Add the water to the carrots and bring them to a boil, then cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Uncover the pan and let the remaining water cook off until the pan is almost dry.
3. Add 1/4 milk and whole cardamom to the pan. Simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add 1/4 cup of sugar to the pan and stir until it dissolves. Then simmer for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and allow contents to cool to room temperature. Take out the cardamom pods.
6. Combine the carrot mixture, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, the rest of the sugar, the vegetable oil and the rest of the milk. Process or hand-stir until well mixed.
7. In a second bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and soda, and cardamom.
8. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well mixed. You can do this by hand or continue using the mixer or processor on a low setting.
9. Stir in the chopped cashews.
10. Pour the mixture into a greased 9×9 square pan, filling it about two-thirds full.
11. Bake at 350 F in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Set the cake aside to cool for at least an hour before frosting.
12. To make the frosting (if you’re starting with whole cashews) begin by grinding the cashews in a food processor, adding the oil slowly as you process until it begins to get creamy. You’re aiming at the consistency of chunky peanut putter, though if you like your frosting smooth, you can continue processing until you’re satisfied.
13. Process together the cashew butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly until you reach the desired consistency. If it gets too thick, you can thin it with a small amount of milk.
14. Frost the cooled cake and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

• Serving size: 115g
• Calories: 335
• Calories from fat: 172
• Total fat: 19.1g
• Saturated fat: 5.9g
• Cholesterol: 47mg
• Sodium: 180mg
• Total carbohydrates: 37.1g
• Dietary fiber: 2.5g
• Sugars: 21.2g
• Protein: 6.7g
• Vitamin A: 51%
• Vitamin C: 2%
• Calcium: 7%
• Iron: 10%