Truly Healthy Carrot Cake

Adapted from the classic Zen Cookbook, "3 Bowls", by Seppo Ed Farrey and Myochi Nancy O'Hara (Houghton Mifflin, 2000.)

This carrot cake recipe alone is a reason to seek out the 3 Bowls cookbook. Whenever I make this cake, it tastes so good that unwitting consumers naturally treat it like some sort of guilty pleasure. In fact, it is good for you!

Tonight's adaptation is as follows.

Zen Folks Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 350F
Grease a 9 x 13in baking dish or set up muffin tins


Grate:
2 c of carrot
1.5 c of zucchini

Toast (in a dry skillet on the stovetop, watching carefully):
1 c pecans
then
1/2 c shredded unsweetened coconut
then
3/4 c wheat germ

Chop the pecans

Combine in one bowl and mix:
1/2 c garbanzo flour
1.5 c whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated xylitol
(The bean flour contributes to a complete protein experience. Xylitol helps prevent tooth decay. You can always just use 2 c of whole wheat flour if you can't find bean flour--I use Bob's Red Mill. Similarly, if you don't have xylitol (look at your natural foods store and prepare for it to be expensive!) you can add 1/2 c honey to the wet ingredients below.)

Mix in another bowl:
1.5 c applesauce
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
grated zest of one orange

Fold wet and dry ingredients together until nearly mixed. Stir in the nuts, coconut, and grated veggies. Do not overmix.

Bake for 35 mins, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving, and let cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

Whip together 12 oz cream cheese, 2.5 tsp vanilla extract, 2.5 tsp grated orange zest