Sometimes, things aren’t what seem….

Like this “cupcake”:)

It’s actually made of veggies!!! And it’s savory! But first….

News Report: Today, when I let the dog out, there was a huge snapping turtle right by the door! Apparently, it had just laid its eggs. Isn’t that so cool?! So far on this trip, there’s been a bear, a bald eagle, and now a snapping turtle! And we’ve seen so many ducks on the lake, but the pics have been blurry. Hopefully I can capture a pic tomorrow:)

OK, back to the food:) Tonight, I made Broccoli Millet “Cupcakes” with Carrot “Frosting!” They were so whimsical and fun! And absolutely delicious!

And they’re gluten-free and Body Ecology Diet friendly with a Vegan Option!

Here’s what you need:

“Cake:”
3/4 cup millet cooked in 1 1/2 cups veg stock
1 stalk of broccoli, broken into florets and steamed
3 green onions, sliced
2 garlic cloves, grated
2 Tbsp almond flour
1 egg white ((Vegan option: 1 flax or chia egg))
salt and pepper

“Frosting:”
10 large carrots, peeled, chopped, and steamed
1/4 cup raw cashews
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cook your millet until it absorbs all the liquid – about 25 minutes. Then, fluff it with a fork, and spread it out on a plate to cool.

In the meantime, steam your broccoli until it is barely tender. (It will finish cooking in the oven). Shock it under ice-cold water, drain it, and pat dry. Then put it in your food processor, and pulse until it looks shredded. (The stage before “pureed.”) Transfer it to a medium-sized bowl, and add your egg white, almond flour, garlic, green onions, salt (about 1/2 – 1 tsp) and pepper. Then rinse out your food processor — you will use it again.

After your millet has cooled slightly, add it to your broccoli mixture and mix well to combine. Then, scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture into an olive-oil-sprayed muffin tin. It will make 9 muffins. Mist the tops with olive oil, and then bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tops are golden brown!

Finally, the “frosting!” Steam your carrots until they are tender, about 5 minutes.  Shock them under ice-cold water, drain, and pat dry. Then, puree in the food processor with your cashews and about 1/2 tsp salt and several cracks of black pepper. Puree until smooth and creamy!

Let the cupcakes cool, and then carefully take them out of the pan. I did this by putting a plate upside-down over the muffins, and then in one circular motion, flip the muffins onto the plate. They should fall right out!

To assemble: Put the “frosting” into a ziplock bag, and squeeze it down to one corner. Then, snip off the corner, and you will have made a makeshift pastry bag! Then, you can pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes!

With this, I served Lobsta Bakes‘ wild, ocean-caught cod! It was so sweet and succulent! I baked it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes with 1 tsp EVOO, salt, pepper, lemon zest and juice. Yummmm!

This meal was so whimsical and fun! It was like eating from a page of a Dr. Seuss book!! And it was sooo tasty. The “cake” was packed with a wonderful savory flavor from the broccoli and garlic. There was a slight oniony undertone from the green onions. And the outside had a beautifully golden crust that was slightly crunchy, and the inside was soft and chewy!

And then the frosting was just phenomenal! The color was gorgeous and the flavor was outstanding! There was just a hint of natural sweetness from the carrots, and the cashews gave it a creaminess that was out of this world! The texture was luxuriously rich and creamy. Together with the broccoli, it was a magnificent flavor explosion!

What’s the coolest animal you’ve ever seen in the “wild?”

See ya tomorrow!

This recipe is featured on Slightly Indulgent Tues & Real Food Forager & Tasty Tues & Make Your Own Mon & The Tasty Alternative & Wellness Weekend!