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INTRODUCTION
As someone who was recently diagnosed with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, and has spent the last almost thirty years of my life without any dietary restrictions, you can imagine how hard it is now to suddenly become ill to foods I had been enjoying my whole life. Growing up in an Italian household taught me that food is not just a way of nourishing ourselves- but rather a way of creating memories, uniting family memories together, and becoming a gathering point for so many important conversations.
When I first diagnosed with MCAS I felt as though I could only eat three things- chicken, lettuce, and zucchini. You can only imagine how that went over at Sunday dinner when everyone was grabbing plates of Ziti and meatballs.
It was hard enough explaining the diagnosis to my family and friends, because frankly I wouldn't believe it either if I didn't deal with the random painful rashes- but to not be able to eat the same things they were eating was even harder to explain, especially when I had gone my whole life without any issues.
These very instances lead me to my journey to wellness and to create each of the recipes featured here on damngoodthyme. I wanted to prove that living an anti-inflammatory lifestyle does not have to mean restricting the foods we love, and being left out at the dinner table.
This Pear Cardamom Cake is a testament to that. This cake packs in the rich fall flavors, without being too sweet. It makes for the perfect dessert or pairing with a nice cup of coffee in the morning.
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups Gluten Free Flour
â…“ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tbsp ground hazelnuts
¾ cup maple syrup
â…” cup cold water
â…“ cup coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 small pears
½ cup chopped hazelnuts
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
The maple syrup can be substituted with agave.
HOW TO MAKE THE DISH
Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F and grease or line a 9 inch springform cake dish with parchment paper.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, ground hazelnuts, baking soda, salt, and cardamom
3. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, water, oil, vanilla and vinegar.
4. Combine the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Â Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Fold in the Pears: Gently Fold in the chopped pears into the cake, then pour the batter into the pan.
6. Add the Toppings: Â Top with the remaining pear slices and chopped hazelnuts
7.Bake the Cake: Transfer cake onto baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes, until it’s completely set.
8.Let Cool: Remove it from the oven and allow to cool 10-15 min before releasing it from the springform pan. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
9.Slice and Enjoy: Pair the cake with a nice cup of espresso or tea and enjoy!