Chocolate Quinoa Cake with Chocolate Avocado Mousse Frosting

This year I wanted to keep our Valentine's Day Celebrations fairly healthy but I had to find a recipe that I thought would trick my husband, he is extremely picky so I would have to find something that is not only healthy but looks delicious and doesn't lack in flavor. I had been scouring Pinterest for healthy yet tasty recipes and saw a few variations of Chocolate Quinoa Cake and thought it might taste nice with a Chocolate Avocado Mousse Frosting.  I rushed home with my ingredients and started baking so that when my husband got home there would be what he thought was a delicious plain chocolate cake ready to be eaten. 

For the Chocolate Quinoa Cake

• 2 cups cooked quinoa**
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk 
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup melted light butter
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 cup organic white sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Avocado Mousse Frosting

• 56 grams semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt 
• 1 teaspoon Splender
• 1 large avocado, pitted and skin removed

To make the Chocolate Quinoa Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a large round cake pan.
2. In a blender combine the eggs, almond milk and vanilla until fully combined.
3. To the blended mixture then add the cooked and cooled quinoa, the melted butter and coconut oil and blend again until completely smooth.
4. Sift together the dry ingredients cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt into a large bowl.
5. Add the wet ingredients from the blender to the dry ingredients bowl and mix together until well-combined.
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes. 
7. Check the cake with a toothpick after the 30 minutes, if the toothpick remains clean remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool.

To make the Chocolate Avocado Mousse Frosting

1. Place all ingredients except Splenda in a blender and combine until smooth. 
2. Slowly add the Splender and taste as you go to ensure the mousse doesn't become too sweet.
3. Place in a bowl and chill until ready to ice the cake.

Once the cake has cooled place on a serving tray and ice with the mousse frosting, this cake should make around 16 slices and the recipe could easily be adapted into a Vegan Cake.

**Cook the quinoa according to regular cooking directions, approximately 3/4 cup dry quinoa will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa. 

Chocolate Quinoa Cake

• Servings: 16 Slices
• Calories: 172
• Fat: 10 g 
• Carb: 23 g  
• Fiber: 3 g 
• Protein: 4 g 
• Sugar: 13 g
• Sodium: 337 mg 
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 5 mg 
• Cholest: 53 mg

Chocolate Avocado Mousse Frosting

• Servings: 16 
• Calories: 37
• Fat: 3 g 
• Carb: 3 g  
• Fiber: 1 g 
• Protein: 1 g 
• Cholest: 1 mg

Are you trying to create a healthy Valentine's Day?

Do you have a picky eater in your house?

Did you try this cake?

7 days of Detox Drinks

A healthy outside starts from the inside. - Robert Urich
I like many others am health conscious, I want to live my life to the fullest and that includes living my life in the healthiest way possible. Water is everything to our bodies, if I start feeling groggy and unwell its normally because I have not consumed enough water for the day. To help combat this I like to start everyday with a "Detox".
I like to start my morning off with warm lemon water which aids in speeding up the metabolism but also wakes me up and removes the need to head straight to the coffee machine.

Below are a list of detox drinks that I regularly take to work with me, I have also listed the ways in which the ingredients added will benefit you body. 
The Green Tea Mojito

- 1 Handful of Mint Leaves - 1/2 Lime Sliced - 1 Green Tea Bag
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the Green Tea Bag and allow to steep for a few minutes. Remove the green tea bag and add the mint leaves and sliced lime. Enjoy!
Health Benefits: Lime will help to ease digestion and constipation as well as aid in weight loss, citric acid is a great fat burner. Mint will help to aid in digestion as well as stimulate weight loss and relive nausea and headaches. Green Tea will aid in weight loss, keep you feeling awake and help to boost your immune system.
The Citrus Circuit

- 1/2 Lime Sliced - 1/2 Lemon Sliced - 1/2 Orange Sliced
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced lime, sliced lemon and sliced orange. Leave to refrigerate for a few hours.

Health Benefits:

Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body.

Lime will help to ease digestion and constipation as well as aid in weight loss, citric acid is a great fat burner. Oranges are a good source of minerals and vitamin C, will aid in constipation, bowel disorders, coughs, colds and flu as well as pimples and acne.
The Cucumber Cooler

- 1/2 Cucumber Sliced - 1/2 Lemon Sliced - 1/2 Lime Sliced - 1 cm Knob of Ginger  - 1 Handful of Mint Leaves
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced lime, sliced lemon, sliced cucumber, ginger and mint leaves. Leave to refrigerate for a few hours.
Health Benefits: Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body. Lime will help to ease digestion and constipation as well as aid in weight loss, citric acid is a great fat burner. Mint will help to aid in digestion as well as stimulate weight loss and relive nausea and headaches. Cucumber is a great source of minerals and vitamins, helps to reduce the risk of kidney stones, lower blood pressure, aid in constipation and helps aid in managing diabetes. Ginger will help to cure diarrhea, aids in promoting the removal of excess gas, aids in digestion, detoxifies and disinfects by promoting sweating.
The Cranberry Cleanser

- 1 Cup of Sugar Free Cranberry Juice - 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/2 Lemon Sliced - 1 cm Knob of Ginger 
Pour the cranberry juice and apple cider vinegar into a 1 Litre bottle, fill the rest of the bottle up with filtered water, add the sliced lemon and ginger. Leave to refrigerate over night.
Health Benefits: Cranberry juice is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, will help provide relief in UTI's and Kidney Stones, help prevent tooth decay, strengthens bones and teeth and will help with weight loss by emulsifying fat deposits. Apple Cider Vinegar helps to provide relief from arthritis, aid in weight loss, help lower cholesterol levels, speed up metabolism, helps treat diarrhea, helps maintain proper glucose levels and cleanses the entire digestive system. Ginger will help to cure diarrhea, aids in promoting the removal of excess gas, aids in digestion, detoxifies and disinfects by promoting sweating. Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body.
The Berry Blush

- 3 Strawberries sliced - 1 handful of Raspberries - 1 handful of Blueberries - 1 handful of Mint
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and mint. Enjoy!
Health Benefits: Strawberries help to prevent heart disease and reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of gout and arthritis, help maintain a healthy blood pressure, reduce eye issues and boost the immune system. Mint will help to aid in digestion as well as stimulate weight loss and relive nausea and headaches. Raspberries will help to regulate menstrual cycles, reduce risk of macular degeneration, strengthen the immune system and assist in weight loss. Blueberries will help to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, aid in strengthening cardiac muscles, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, aids in preventing UTI's and improves digestion.
The Apple Pie

- 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar - 1/2 Apple sliced - 1 Cinnamon stick - 1 Tsp Raw Honey - 1 cm Knob of Ginger 
Pour the apple cider vinegar into a 1 Litre bottle, fill the rest of the bottle up with filtered water, add the sliced apple, honey, cinnamon stick and ginger. Leave to refrigerate for a few hours.
Health Benefits: Apple Cider Vinegar helps to provide relief from arthritis, aid in weight loss, help lower cholesterol levels, speed up metabolism, helps treat diarrhea, helps maintain proper glucose levels and cleanses the entire digestive system. Ginger will help to cure diarrhea, aids in promoting the removal of excess gas, aids in digestion, detoxifies and disinfects by promoting sweating. Cinnamon is full of vitamin A, C and E it helps to cure coughs and congested lungs, toothaches, bad breath, and can help calm digestion troubles and diarrhea. Apple will help in treating anemia, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, they help control blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, ease digestion and promote weight loss. Raw Honey helps maintain blood sugar levels, regulates insulin in the body and when used with cinnamon and or lemon juice help in digesting fat stored in the body.
The Kiwi Kiss

- 3 Strawberries sliced - 1/2 Lemon sliced - 1 Kiwi sliced - 1 handful of Ice
Fill a 1 Litre Bottle with filtered water, add the sliced strawberries, sliced lemon, sliced kiwi and ice. Enjoy!
Health Benefits: Lemon helps to aid in digestion and constipation, as well as helping to control high blood pressure, fight throat infections and gum disease,  aid in weight loss, help treat dandruff and help in relaxing respiratory issues. Lemon provides many benefits and can help ease and control a large number of issues in the body. Strawberries help to prevent heart disease and reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of gout and arthritis, help maintain a healthy blood pressure, reduce eye issues and boost the immune system. Kiwi helps to promote sleep, boost the immune system, reduce the risk of diabetes, helps the body absorb iron and aids in maintaining a healthy digestive system.

Did you try any of my Detox Drinks? Which one was your favourite? Do you have any idea's I should try?