Izelle Hoffman is back with her one ingredient challenge!

Her name is Izelle Hoffman and she is also our very own lockdown "Food Fairy Godmother", turning boring, back of the pantry ingredients into nutritious and delicious masterpieces! 

Last week Izelle turned an eggplant in my garden into a 'meat-free Monday' steak - that looked and tasted incredible! The week before, she turned two half-dead sweet potatoes into chocolate brownies! 

More from Izelle: Izelle Hoffman is back! And this week Danny threw her a purple curve ball!

This week she's turning chickpeas into the most decadent dessert you have ever tasted! 

We chatted about lockdown, dessert, and so much more! You can listen here: 

You only live once … so eat that cake!

Cake, biscuits, smoothies, desserts … they aren’t usually best friends with your waistline and thighs, so stop the bus, drop off that perception and change your mindset immediately, because this recipe is not only a life changer, but also a perception changer! So have your cake and eat it … guilt free!

Almond butter cake

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 25–30 minutes

Servings: 1 layer cake or 12 cupcakes

2 x 410 g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

6 Tbsp raw honey

100 g almond butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tsp caramel essence

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

90 g almond flour

1 tsp Oryx desert salt

2 jumbo eggs

Icing

300 g almond butter

6 Tbsp raw honey

2 tsp caramel essence

½ cup unsweetened almond milk (I prefer Almond Breeze Unsweetened as it contains no sugar, no cornstarch nor sunflower oil)

1 tsp Oryx desert salt

Topping

Whole Almonds

Fresh Berries and or figs

Almond flour for dusting

(Replace the berries with pineapple for a delish alternative #WinningAtLife

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C on thermo-fan. Line a 23 x 7cm springform cake pan with baking paper and then spray with non-stick cooking spray. Alternatively, line a cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients except the eggs and process on high for 3–5 minutes, scraping down the sides, until the batter is smooth and well blended. (If you don’t have a food processor, you can pulp the chickpeas with a blender, add the rest of the ingredients and beat with an electric beater for 2 minutes on high speed.)
3. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl until light and fluffy, then add to the batter and beat for another 30 seconds to mix well.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25–30 minutes. The edges will be crispy and firm to the touch, while the centre will remain moist and soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack.
5. To make the icing, spray a small saucepan with non-stick cooking spray. Add all of the ingredients and cook over medium heat until the almond butter starts to melt. The icing will get a glazed look and have a slightly toasted nutty flavour.
6. Apply the warm icing to the cooled cake or cupcakes – you want the icing to cool on the cake to give it that glazed, smooth look. Garnish with almonds, fresh berries and figs as desired and dust with almond butter.

Why do we make use of these ingredients:

Chickpeas

I love chickpeas, whether grilled and flavoured as a snack, served in a vegetarian curry or pulped and mixed with a few other ingredients to form the base of a cake! Chickpeas are a good source of fibre, rich in calcium and anti-inflammatory, and boost the immune system.

Almonds

Whether in the form of milk, flour, butter or flakes, almonds are packed with nutritional benefits. They boost the immune system, help repair damaged skin, help prevent cancer, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and have alkalising properties. They are also a source of vitamin E, magnesium and high-quality protein. 

Bicarbonate of soda

You will find this in my pantry as well as in the bathroom next to my toothbrush. Bicarbonate of soda alkalises the body, and so drinking half a teaspoon dissolved in water before I go to bed at night helps neutralise the acidity build-up of the day. It also provides relief from colds and flu, and supports healthy detoxification

Oryx Desert Salt

What is the purpose of adding salt during cooking? It’s to enhance flavour, right? So why not start by using a good-quality salt to do the job? Sundried and unrefined with no additives will bring out the best in your food in the healthiest way possible.

Raw Honey

Salt needs sweet and vice versa to enhance taste and flavour. So when you add sweetness, choose a sweetness that has a healing effect on your body and health. Raw honey is antiviral and antifungal, and contains powerful antioxidants. Its helps ward off allergies, stabilise blood pressure and balance blood sugar levels. It also boosts the immune system and promotes digestive health.

Another one ingredient challenge: What's in your fridge?

If you would like Izelle to use your ingredient idea to create a recipe that the whole family will love, send us a message on our Facebook page or leave a comment here and you could win a copy of her Ebook - Mindful eating! 

You can also buy your copy here!