This moist, delicious dessert is similar to carrot cake, although not as "heavy," and it's full of vegetables. You may glaze it with a mixture of powdered sugar, a little lemon juice, and, if desired, either water or milk until it's the consistency you like-although the cake really doesn't need frosting.
Patty's sister Margaret followed this recipe for a party with great success. You know people are close friends when you can experiment at a party!
Garden Cake
Serves 12
Ingredients:
- ½ cup walnut oil
- ½ cup applesauce
- 3 eggs
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups whole-wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons nonaluminum baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup unpeeled and grated carrots
- 1 cup unpeeled and grated zucchini (could use butternut squash as substitute)
- ½ cup unpeeled and grated beets
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9" x 13" pan.
- In a large bowl, mix the oil, applesauce, eggs, and sugar, beating well with a hand mixer or whisk for 3-4 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir into wet ingredients. Add shredded carrots, zucchini, beets, chocolate chips (if desired), and walnuts.
- Stir until blended and pour into prepared pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
About Patty James:
Patty James, earned her Masters degree in Holistic Nutrition from Clayton College of Natural Health. She is a California Certified Natural Chef.
As a native of Sebastopol, a quaint wine country town in Northern California, it was only natural for Patty to found her cooking school where fine food and healthy eating is highly valued. The Patty James Cooking School & Nutrition Center received organic certification in May, 2007, making it the only certified organic cooking school in the United States.
During the Spring of 2008, Patty closed the school in favor of dedicating her time and expertise to consultations and education in health, nutrition and whole organic foods cookery. She created a superb teaching aid known as the Patty James Health Guide, a poster size guide to life-long healthy eating.
Patty is a frequent guest speaker for parent awareness events in Sonoma County schools and organizations. She teaches at public and private schools around the US, the Clinton Foundation in New York, as well as to health practitioners.
Passionate about the art and science of cooking and natural health, Patty teaches about nutrition in plain language, inspiring students through her dynamic style of teaching people of all ages and walks of life. Her philosophy is simple: "Eating well is not only possible in the busy life you lead, it is essential to living a balanced life. Thru the process & pleasure of cooking we recognize the connection of all beings to each other. Food is more nurturing to body & spirit when we are part of the process."
For more information about Patty, visit www.pattyjames.com or www.shinethelightonkids.org
About the Book:
A vegetable-rich diet reduces risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers, lowers blood pressure, and lowers risk of eye and digestive problems. Vegetables also regulate the appetite, preventing obesity and promoting good health. But if they taste bad, who cares?
In More Vegetables, Please!, renowned doctor and nutrition specialist Elson Haas teams up with natural chef Patty James to offer over 100 simple and nutritious recipes readers can use to add vegetables to their favorite meals-with delicious results.
Also included are tips for adding veggies to basic dishes, such as macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, and sandwiches. Throughout the book, the authors offer suggestions for changing the way the vegetables are prepared and adding specific flavorings and seasonings to make healthy dishes more appealing to picky eaters.
Though it is not strictly a vegetarian guide, this book includes nutrition information specific to vegetables and discusses phytonutrients, enzymes, fiber, and organics. Haas, an organic eating pioneer, explains the importance of eating seasonally and offers tips on changing menus to correspond with the seasons. This book makes it easy for the whole family to enjoy these naturally low-calorie, low-fat foods each and every day.
