I Feel Fine: Gluten Free Chocolate Beet Torte

One interesting thing about being obviously pregnant is that now everyone asks me how I'm feeling.  "Fine," I say.  "How are you feeling?"   People look surprised when I ask them this, as if the question somehow has less relevance for them.  Why don't we always ask each other how we're feeling?  And why don't people ever ask pregnant women "what are you thinking" or something else more unpredictable?

The thing is, I suspect that most people don't really want to know how I'm feeling.  It's more like making conversation, just something you ask pregnant women.  Or they want to know, and secretly hope I'll tell them some juicy story about lurching over to the toilet bowl in the morning.  Well, I'm not going to tell them I feel like I'm constantly hungry, and that I'm eating way more bad-for-me things, it seems, than I did when I was pregnant with Ian.  I'm not going to tell them I rummage through the cabinets at midnight, looking for bits of chocolate, and ruing my virtuousness at the grocery store, when I didn't pick up that jar of white chocolate peanut butter or at the health food store when I didn't buy this brownie.

I mentioned the other day that I was tired of roasted beets, and that I had  yet another bunch waiting to be used in the refrigerator.  Wouldn't you know it: we were invited to two potlucks this weekend, and one of them was the lucky recipient of this decadent little number, lifted from Elana's Pantry.  Unlike the brownies, you'd never know there were beets in here; it's just pure, fudgy goodness, and gluten free, to boot.  We served it up with a few dollops of whipped cream and some fresh raspberries, just picked from our bushes this afternoon, still warm from the sun.

It's hard not to feel fine after a slice of this cake.

Chocolate Beet Torte

2 1/2 c.grated beets
1 c. agave nectar
4 eggs
1/2 c. grapeseed or canola oil
1 T. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 t. salt

In a medium saucepan, heat the beets and agave to a boil, then cover.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until beets are soft.

Transfer beet-agave mixture to a Vita-Mix (or other high speed blender) and puree on highest speed until smooth.  Blend in eggs, oil, vanilla, almond extract, cocoa and salt until thoroughly incorporated.

Pour batter into a well greased 9-inch cake pan.  Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Cool and serve.