Consuming Consciousness

A heady mixture of tastes and spices, this rich cake and its creamy frosting scream luxury. The cardamom flavor is distinct but not overpowering, and it’s perfectly complemented by the cashews. The cake itself is soft and moist, chock full of carrots and chopped nuts. For the frosting, you make your own cashew buttercream mixture. Though I’ve used only cardamom and cinnamon as spices, you can easily experiment by adding clove, ground coriander, or nutmeg either to the frosting or the cake batter. The cake would also work as well with peanuts as with cashews.

This recipe was inspired by chokylit’s cupcakes, which are lovely but deadly little calorie and fat bombs. I replaced as many of the ingredients as possible with lower-fat and healthier alternatives, including swapping out butter for coconut oil and white flour for spelt flour. It’s by no means a low-calorie dessert, but at 335 calories per rich, filling slice, I think it’s now in the realm of possibility for folks looking to control their intake. (more…)

I love carrot-ginger soup, but most recipes call for an unacceptable amount of expensive and unhealthy butter and cream. After experimenting, I found a way to achieve the right level of creaminess using low-fat yogurt. At less than 200 calories per serving this is a hearty lunch or a satisfying appetizer. (more…)

I gave up sugar and honey a while ago, but every so often I get a powerful craving for something sweet. This sugary-tasting carrot salad always does the trick, and the nuts and raisins make it taste downright sinful. Despite the big flavor burst, it’s surprisingly low in calories, full of Vitamin A and C, and a great source of fiber. Grating the carrots takes almost no time, and the salad is easily assembled in about 15 minutes. (more…)

A very hearty, low-calorie meal that tastes filling and substantial. The texture of the mushroom and carrots augments the full-bodied flavor of the tuna, and the yoghurt gives the filling a creamy and rich taste. The cabbage leaves hold it all nicely, and add to sense of luxurious eating. (more…)