01/16

Saying YES To Dessert With Farm Girl Beverly Hills

Every year, there’s always a new food trend. A couple years ago, it was the year of kale. Then quinoa came on the scene. According to Dana Slatkin of Farm Girl Beverly Hills, this is the year of YES! Yes to cooking at home with whole and organic ingredients. Yes to really enjoying life and what you eat. Yes to a little dessert.

Let me first start off by saying that Dana Slatkin is my new culinary inspiration. When my girlfriend invited me to her cooking class last week, I was there in literally half a second. She’s not only a phenomenal chef but she is passionate about an overall healthy lifestyle at its whole. She was actually in charge of setting up the Beverly Hills Farmers Market in 1992 due to the lack of available organic produce in the community. She’s also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, a cookbook author, and on top of all that—a mom. 

During her class, I learned more tricks than I’ve ever known. Her recipes had so much flavor to the point where I was doubting how healthy it actually was. Well, with the right ingredients and the right techniques you really can make something as delicious as it is nutritious. It’s all about layering the flavors.

Since it’s the year of YES to dessert, I want to start off by sharing her AH-mazing Citrus Cinnamon Almond Cake recipe. As far as tarts go, this one is by far my favorite. It’s simple, too!

Citrus Cinnamon Almond Cake

8-12 slices

Ingredients:

• 8 egg whites
• 1/2 cup organic sugar or maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
• Zest of 2 clementines, 1 lemon, or 1 orange
• 1/2 cup mild olive oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar or ground cinnamon
• Powdered sugar, to decorate (optional)
• Fresh berries, for serving
• Greek yogurt, to garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly oil a 9” spring-form cake tin with oil (or use baking spray)
2. In a large grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy and start to hold their shape. Then slowly add the sugar, a bit at a time, whisking until the mixture is thick and shiny. Add the vanilla pastes and the citrus zest. Then, alternately whisk in the oil and the ground almonds (mixed in with the baking powder) in thirds until they are both smoothly incorporated into the meringue.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Sprinkle generously with the sliced almonds and cinnamon. Place the tin on a doubled baking sheet (to prevent burning) and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top has risen and set, the almonds become golden, and a cake tester comes out clean.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. Once it is no longer hot, spring open the sides of the tin, but don’t try to remove the cake from the base until properly cool. When you are ready to serve, sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with berries.

Stay tuned as I’ll be sharing more recipes from Dana Slatkin throughout the winter months. Also, make sure to check out her website at Farm Girl Beverly Hills for more fast and fresh recipes. She also has a great e-commerce store for your kitchen!