Brainy Birthday | Paleo Chocolate Cake

Let Them Eat Cake

One of the drawbacks to having dietary restrictions is in the event of a holiday what are you going to do? Such as Halloween, Christmas, Cinco De Mayo and of course...BIRTHDAYS.

I know. Trust me do I know. A birthday is worth celebrating - it is worth the splurge. But is it? You are half way through your Brain Food Challenge Month and your birthday rolls around...is this what you are going to eat? A tower of little debbie snacks?

Tempting. But trust me when I say, there is a better option.

What is it you ask? I'm getting to that part.

With Elisabeth's (the creator of the Brain Food Challenge) birthday upon us, I (a big fan of celebrating) needed to come up with an alternative plan for birthday dessert. One that didn't require purchasing a $12 piece of raw cheese cake.

A lot of recipes out there call for bizarre ingredients. Ingredients that make no sense and are too expensive to justify. So I dug through the paleo chocolate cake recipes to find the cake that suited me. I needed a simple, easy and relatively few ingredient cake.

Voila.

The original recipe comes from Fast Paleo: Paleo Recipe Sharing Site.

What you need:

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup almond flour (or coconut flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract)
• 1/3 cup honey

Plus: Any add ins you desire. I added a shake of cinnamon and cayenne to spice it up then topped the cake with walnuts.

Heat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Mix the two together. Spray baking pan with coconut oil spray (or olive oil). Pour your batter into dish. Bake for about 20 mins (keep an eye on it). Wait up patiently for the birthday girl to come home and eat. Wait so long you give up and go to bed. Enjoy the cake the next night.

This goes without saying, if you are going to use a larger dish, adjust recipe size. Original recipe calls for double all ingredients. Imagine, a two tiered cake!

Of course no birthday cake is complete without the ice cream topper. But it is ridiculous to get a pint of ben and jerry's to go with your healthy cake. Good news is that there is an easy, healthy and delicious solution to making a quick homemade ice cream (flavor tbd).

Basically, all you need is a couple bananas and your favorite brainy approved mix ins (gummy bears do not count).

What you need:

• 2-3 bananas

What you might want:

• 2 tblsp peanut butter (natural) 
• 1 tblsp cocoa powder 
• Chocolate chips
• Coconut/coconut milk
• Cinnamon
• Berries
• Etc.

Slice the bananas and lay them flat on a tray (*note: slicing bananas before freezing will save you a lot of hassle), freeze for over an hour, blend bananas in blender or food processor until creamy and fluffy. Add in your desired taste. I went with a peanut butter chocolate flavor.

Badabing badaboom. Healthy and delicious. Walk away from birthdays feeling good about yourself. And heck, celebrate every day of the year because it is actually good for you!

Happy Birthday. Or Happy Day.

Let them eat cake.

*Both recipes found in this post are Brain Food Challenge Stamp Approved*

The Brain Food Challenge

My favorite food is hands down any sort of breaded chicken dipped in any sort of sauce. It is my down fall. In the winter months, I created a new meal that consisted of a breaded chicken patty, raisin bread, brie and honey. Yum. It used to be that my roommate/cousin would eat this sort of unhealthy dinner with me. And that we would weekly (ehem, biweekly) get Chinese takeout. Well, a few months back, she committed herself to what has been deemed the BRAIN FOOD CHALLENGE. I finally hitched a ride on the band wagon once I realized she was serious about the whole brainy eating. On top of that, it was actually impacting her in a noticeably positive way.

I'm not nearly as faithful. I cheat sometimes (like with skittles at the movies). Overall, I am making a valiant effort. And I fully believe that the challenge is paying off.

My cousin works for a company called Marbles the Brain Store. It is a fantastic gaming store that sells games, books, and puzzles that focus predominantly on keeping your body and mind strong.

Thus, the Brain Food Challenge made its way into our lives. As a writer, a strong brain is important. When I cloud it with bad food, my ability to think straight -- in my case, think my way through a labyrinth -- is obscured. I am the type who could easily just eat bad food. I really like spaghetti in a can and store bought cookies. It is good stuff - for about twelve minutes. Then the hunger returns with a vengeance because you fed your stomach crap. And your brain screams at you with a sugar high migraine. And your body decides it is time for a siesta.

This is no way to treat yourself, especially when the alternative is so much better.

Basically, the BRAIN FOOD CHALLENGE is when your diet consists of the 50 best brain foods according to Dr. Amen (more information about Dr. Amen here).

It is a lifestyle that cuts out processed foods, refined sugar, dairy, white flour, red meat and breaded chicken. I call it a lifestyle because it is just that. The challenge is to commit one full month to eating only these top brainy foods. The reality is that after one month has transpired, you probably will not want to go back.

We have come to discover that within limitations, there is a sea of possibilities. Like roasted beets, primal fudge and sprouted wheat berries. This challenge is similar to the paleo diet and the new fad, the whole 30. Only more 'brain' focused. There is no calorie counting or point system. It is simple and delicious.

What we have found is that brussel sprouts are probably the most delicious food out there. A real cookie is too sweet. Apparently corn isn't good for you? And there really is no limit to what you can make out of peanut butter (the natural kind of course). We have more energy. Our taste buds have completely changed. A big fat juicy burger just sounds like a stomach ache. And my brain dreams up the most fantastic things at night.

When your lifestyle is healthy on a regular basis, those times when you splurge become that much more special.

Eating healthy isn't about dropping a few pounds (though kicking sugar to the curb will slim you down) or forcing yourself to give up the foods you love. It is about acknowledging that we only have this one body, this one mind and this one heart. So treat it with respect! And challenge it.

Return here often to discover new recipes and ideas on how to beet the challenge (pun intended). 

*Note: The Brain Food Challenge will not improve your grammar.

Grattis

I've said this before and I am saying it again, I love birthdays. If you know me or have read this blog at least three times, then you probably know that birthdays are my favorite. Nobody knows that to be true as much as my dear roommate, cousin and friend - Elisabeth. I start celebrating my birthday on the first of the month even though my birthday is at the end. I believe in decorations, spoiling yourself, cakes, and making sure people know it is your birthday even if it is just by smiling a lot.

So, without further ado, to the person who celebrates my birthday with me the most - it is time to celebrate you.

Elisabeth...

Together we have seen the world. Together we have climbed mountains. Together we have lived and grown. I am grateful for a friend like you. We have so many great memories behind us. Here is looking forward to the great memories that lie ahead.

May you climb every mountain.

May you lounge in Trump style.

May you nap in a hammock for all I care.

Today is your day. Let's celebrate.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the beautiful mothers I know. 

To my mom:

Without you, my world would be a different place. You have shown me so much love, kindness and grace. I thank you for all of the lessons you've taught, wisdom you've provided, and beauty you've demonstrated. You are my world's best mother. Thank you for being all I've needed you to be plus so much more. 

Two Months with Ernest

I have now survived two months in the company of Ernest Miller Hemingway. 

He is quiet company during the day but sure likes to party at night. Two months in and this is what I've learned about the hedgehog. 

1. Hedgehogs always have a story to tell. Because they don't talk, they like to write their stories.  

2. Though cute, they are not cuddly. 

3. They are globe trotters. Ernest can go around the world in 8 seconds. 

4. They feel most at home when you mimic their natural environment. Since Ernest is an African Pygmy hedgehog, he likes it hot. 

5. They make it hard to leave for the weekend. Just look at that cute face! 

6. They require more space than you think. Ernest recently moved out of his bookshelf and into a tv stand on his quarter birthday.   

7. They solemnly swear they are up to no good.

8. They love the classics. I tried to get Ernest to read The Mortal Instruments, but he has to finish War and Peace first. 

I love my little Erniekins!