It's way better than it sounds...

...I promise.

Happy Valentines Week! (I think there is rarely a holiday that doesn't deserve a week of celebration - as in every day life, 24 hours is simply not enough time)

I get the sense people are either pro-Vday or against it. And I seem to meet more of the latter. Often billed the Hallmark holiday, it seems gets a bad rap for pressured expectations... flowers, cards, presents, dinner etc. (fyi Mister, any or all would be lovely!) I get it. But in the big scheme of things, I also think there are lots of people that take things way too seriously.  No matter your situation - happily single, unhappily single, newly loving, newly married, old-ly married - I kinda think you just have to lighten up and laugh it off.

I see no logical reason to complain about a holiday centred around chocolate consumption.  Around here, it will be much of that. (especially when you spend the week making multiple versions of veggie based chocolate goodies)  It will be a family dinner, likely on Saturday night - because half the fun in this house is planning, shopping and prepping creative & participating family meals.

And of course, it will be scouring Pinterest, to steal find the perfect preschooler non-food, allergy-safe, age-appropriate Valentine treat to give twenty 3 year olds.

What's NOT to love about Valentines Day?

I am always on the look out for low sugar and somewhat healthier treats for the Little one. I have no idea how I stumbled across the original recipe here from 2012 but it was too intriguing not to try.  I ended up making it three times until it had just the right balance of chocolate and sweetness. It is not an overly sweet cake (only 1/3 cup sugar in the whole cake) but the chocolate chips and strong cocoa flavour add enough dimension that I really don't think you will miss it. (and it is a great excuse to add some funky icing!) The cauliflower is a massive dose of the B vitamins, Viatmin C & add moisture without oil.

So no matter what you end of doing this Valentines Day, I hope it includes a smile, a laugh, a love....

... and some chocolate with a side of cauliflower.

Just a Chocolate Cake {with cauliflower}

Author: sixtyone45.com

Quick Note: I find often when baking, measuring things in grams is way more accurate. If you don't have a small kitchen scale I would highly recommend one. In lieu of that, conversions can be found easily on line.

Ingredients

• 60 grams whole wheat flour
• 60 grams white flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp ground flax
• 64 grams (1/3 cup) brown sugar
• 250 grams (2 cups) of cauliflower, cooked/steamed & cooled
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted & cooled
• 3/4 cups chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cocoa, flax & sugar. Set aside.
3. Add cauliflower & milk to a blender (or food processor) and puree until smooth. Then add egg, vanilla, & oil to blender and puree again until smooth and almost frothy.
4. Add wet to dry and mix only until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

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