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July 14, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 6, 2004 The Kitchen Coach Carob can substitute for chocolate Rebecca Wood Chocolate excepted, a client of mine, Betsy, followed a healthy diet and lifestyle. Despite all of her positive choices, she felt helpless regarding her chocolate addiction. This despair, along with the inevitable crash following a chocolate high, fueled her depression. Betsy resolved her addiction by making a few dietary adjustments, including substituting non-addictive carob for chocolate. Today, she occasionally enjoys quality chocolate and sometimes uses carob but is relieved to be free of her sweet tooth. Carob, often used as a chocolate substitute, looks and tastes like a mild cocoa powder. Some people use this healthy ingredient in place of chocolate and others enjoy carob for its own inimitable flavor. Carob is the roasted, pulverized seeds and pods of a Mediterranean evergreen. Unlike chocolate, carob is high in calcium and potassium and naturally sweet with 48 percent sugar. While chocolate contains stimulants and up to 60 percent fat, carob is stimulant-free and contains only one percent fat. Sweet, light and dry, with a slightly bitter aftertaste, carob powder is a traditional remedy to soothe upset stomachs. In quality food stores you'll find an array of brownies, power bars and pudding made with carob as well as carob chips. While the carob itself is a healthy ingredient, these snacks are only as healthful as are their other ingredients. Mocha-Maple-Carob Cake looks like a chocolate cake but is uniquely and inimitably carob. If the carob powder is not pre-roasted, then lightly pan toasting it will enhance its flavor. To toast, place carob in a warm, dry skillet and roast, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes or until it's aromatic and its color is one shade darker Mocha-Maple-Carob Cake Makes one 9 x 9 inch cake 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour one-half cup roasted carob powder, sifted if necessary 2 teaspoons baking powder one-half teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon sea salt 2/3 cup maple syrup one stick (8 tablespoons) softened butter 1 egg, beaten 1 cup liquid coffee, decaf, or grain "coffee" such as Pero or Caffix 2 teaspoons vanilla Mocha-Carob icing recipe (see below) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 9 inch cake pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and spray sides of the pan. In a large bowl, combine the flours, carob powder, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, cream together the maple syrup and butter. Mix in the eggs, coffee and vanilla. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing just until the flour is absorbed and any lumps are dissolved. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 30 to 40 minutes. Set on a rack to cool completely. Then run a knife along the outside and center edges and unmold. Spread on the icing before serving. Mocha-Carob Icing Makes about 1 1/2 cups You might wish to double this recipe. Use half to ice the Mocha-Carob Cake and save the remainder. The icing keeps refrigerated for up to 10 days and is excellent spread on a cookie or cracker for those times when you're wanting a quick treat. 1 cup smooth almond or cashew butter 6 tablespoons maple syrup 6 tablespoons roasted carob powder 1 tablespoon powdered coffee, decaf, or grain "coffee" such as Pero or Caffix 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon 5 to 6 tablespoons cream or soymilk In a food processor or blender, mix the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. Process until smooth. Blend in just enough cream to achieve a spreading consistency. Local resident Rebecca Wood is a Personal Chef, Kitchen Coach and author. Her book, "The Splendid Grain," won both the James Beard and the Julia Child Cookbook Awards. She may be reached, or her articles and recipes may be accessed, at www.rwood.com DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams