It's carnival time here in Louisiana. Mardi Gras Balls, parades and parties are in full swing. With all the celebration comes king cakes, gumbo, jambalaya, poboys and more soul foods that us southerners are known for. Unfortunately, us southerners are also known for our expanding waist lines. Yep, I said it, we're getting bigger and less active here in the Gulf region.
Don't get me wrong, you won't see me pass up a slice of Randazzo's cream cheese filled king cake or some grilled oysters with a lemon butter sauce. However, there are lots of ways to celebrate without having to invest in a new, larger spring wardrobe. Here's a few...
Commit to your exercise- My group fitness classes get a big pop with New Year's resolutions, but the biggest increase in gym participants and personal training comes soon after Fat Tuesday when all of a sudden we realize that we've eaten our way through half of New Orleans and warm weather is only weeks away. Start now and/or be diligent through the season. A bonus of exercising through the holiday is having more energy to score the big beads :)
Run with the party crowd- The race season starts now. 5K, 10K and 1 mile fun runs can be found locally just about every weekend. These can be really fun for the whole family or make a day of it with friends. Especially, this time of year, races include live bands and fun post-race activities. If you've never participated in one of these races, have no fear...you can do it! It is perfectly acceptable to walk, jog, run or any combination to reach the finish line. A lot of "racers" are there for the sheer fun of it, they deck out in great costumes, decorate jogging strollers and more. So grab some friends, throw the kids in a wagon and go for a brisk walk with a thousand of your neighbors. Check out http://runningintheusa.com/race/List.aspx?State=LA for local races and registration info or visit your local sporting goods store.
Prepare for hungry masses- Whether your hosting festivities or just taking the family to a local parade, prepare good munchies and pack lots of water. You don't have to deprive yourself of all treats but starting with healthy snacks will keep you and the kiddos from ravaging something on a stick.
Yeah, yeah, you know all this stuff already...The real reason for this post is my health"ier" King Cake recipe, which I have coined my "Queen Cake" recipe. It's a bit labor intensive since it's made totally from scratch, but totally worth it.
For the Dough
1/2 cup almond milk (you can use cow's milk if you must, but try the almond, it's sweeter and healthier)
2 T. butter (ahhhhh! butter! Relax, it's very little, but you could sub olive oil or applesauce)
1 pkg active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup pure cane or raw sugar
1 egg or 2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. finely ground sea salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 3/4 cups whole wheat or gluten free flour
1. Scald milk. Remove from heat and add butter (or oil). Allow to cool to room temperature
2. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water with 1/2 tsp sugar. Set aside until creamy
3. Once yeast is bubbly, add cooled milk mixture. Whisk in eggs.
4. Stir in remaining sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat flour in 1 cup at a time.
5. When dough becomes stiff, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic.
6. Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, roll to lightly oil all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size.
In the meantime....
For the Filling
1/2 cup pure cane or raw sugar
1/2 T. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds *optional*
1/4 cup whole wheat or gluten free flour
1/4 cup currants, raisins or dried cranberries
1/4 cup applesauce
1 plastic baby or token
1. Combine all dry ingredients. Pour applesauce over mixture and stir till combined.
Once the dough has risen...
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Lightly oil a large cookie sheet
3.Turn out dough on wax paper. Roll into a large rectangle approx. 1/4 inch thick.
4. Spread filling evenly along one long edge then use the wax paper to roll dough like a jelly roll. Bring the ends together to form an oval.
5. Place ring on oiled cookie sheet. Make slits 1/3 of the way through the dough every inch.
6. Let ring rise 30 minutes
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
For the Icing
This ones up to you. I like to drizzle the top of the cake with 1/4 cup local honey then sprinkle with dried fruits like golden raisins and cranberries then decorate with beads and other festive, non-edibles. You could sprinkle with colored sugar or make a powdered sugar icing.
*Don't forget the baby! Push the baby or token in from the bottom of the cake while it's still warm.
TIPS-
*Feel free to double, triple or quadruple this recipe to make multiple cakes at a time. You could even freeze the uncooked cake for a later date...just be sure to defrost completely before baking.
*Even if you're not following a gluten free diet, a rice flour or almond flour will be closer in texture to a typical King Cake, as the whole wheat flour is denser and has a darker color.
*The texture of this cake is more like a scone than a doghnut or cinnamon roll, but still supper yummy!
HAPPY MARDI GRAS!!!
