Savory Vegetable Pound Cake (Gluten Free)
In all honestly, I had hard time deciding what to call this recipe. This is one of those really tasty creations that doesn’t really have a home in the recipe title department. It’s reminiscent of a pepperoni pizza in flavor, but the the texture is more of a pound cake. It’s made with chickpea flour (also known as garbanzo bean flour) which gave a nice texture and flavor. The addition of peppers, mushrooms and onions added depth of flavor without compromising the texture. My girls called it “pizza cake” and I kind of think that name could work too…..Whatever you and your family decide to call this, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
I’m really into these savory one pan dishes these days and this recipe hits all the spots for me. It’s filling, packed full of protein, fat, and fiber, and I absolutely love the flavor. This tastes great warm, room temperature or even chilled which makes it easy to pack into a school lunch (though if I’m being honest my kids don’t like leftovers for lunch so this didn’t pass the school lunch test.) But for me, I loved eating this straight out of the fridge!
This would taste great as a full meal served with a side salad or roasted or sautéed veggies.
Savory Vegetale Pound Cake
PREP TIME: 15 minutes COOK TIME: 50 minutes SERVES: 12 bars
2 Tablespoons ghee or olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
1 large bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/3 cup finely chopped good quality salami or Spanish chorizo + thin slices for topping the cake
1 1/2 cups chickpea flour (sprouted if possible-I like This brand)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon unrefined salt
1 cup whole milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/4 cup melted ghee, butter or olive oil
4 ounces grated raw cheddar
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease an 8X8 baking dish and set aside.
In a large cast iron skillet add the ghee and heat over medium high. Once melted add the garlic, mushrooms, pepper and onion. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables are softened and fragrant. About 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and oregano and cook for one more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped salami.
In a large bowl combine the chickpea flour, baking soda and salt. Pour in the milk, eggs, and melted ghee. Stir until well combined. Fold in the veggie mixture. Add the cheese and mix.
Use a spoon to spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Add the slices of salami. Bake in the oven until cooked through and lightly browned on top. About 50 minutes.
Wait for 15 minutes to cool before slicing and serving
Notes- Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
