Escaping Winter: Low-Calorie Blueberry-Flaxseed Cake

Oh blueberry! My sweet, sweet blueberry. You’re not truly blue and you do explode when exposed to radiation, but you will always be my favorite. Don’t tell the other berries (the black ones and the red ones) for they may become jealous, but you were the favorite all along. I know you won’t believe me because I always eat more of the others, but this is only because they are cheaper. You see, beloved blueberry, I have learned to get by when you are not here in the months snow’s chilling drudgery, but always remember…I am only getting by.

When I saw you at the grocery store, I was enthralled by your deep color. You were so expensive, I didn’t want to buy you, but the memory of your taste filled my mouth and I couldn’t resist. I picked up one box of you. Then another. Then another. I knew I would run out of my food stamps early this month because of you, but I will find a way to cope, even if I must eat nothing but microwave popcorn for a week.

I want to make you last. I want as many bites of you as possible. As much flavor as I can squeeze out of each tiny one of you, I will. I would mix you with the snow piled up outside my window if I could.

I couldn’t resist, though, the moment I came back from the store…I ripped your boxes out of the bag you were in and took just one of you. The flavor that filled my mouth was unlike anything that had passed my lips in what seemed an eternity. I kept chewing and chewing, not wanting it to end.

How magical is this quality of yours: the thought of low-calorie cookies, which but yesterday were chewy and moist, you make seem dense and greasy. I cannot bear to think of eating one now. No, not a chance.

Now, it is only you and me, my blueberry. If only you could stay forever.

5-minute Blueberry-Flaxseed Cake with Almond

makes 1 small cake

1/4 c. mashed Fiber One Original Bran (mash it till it has the consistency of flour)
1 T. flaxseed meal (to make, grind whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder)
1/4 t. baking POWDER
2T. sugar or sugar substitute
1/4 c. egg or egg substitute
a little almond extract
1 T. light butter, melted
blueberries, as many as you can spare*

?Mix the butter, egg and almond extract in a small-medium microwave-bowl.

In a different bowl, whisk the fiber one, flaxseed meal, baking powder and sugar substitute.

Cover with saran wrap (I know it sounds strange but I use old popcorn wrappers, which might not be the best idea but I thought I’d throw it in for kicks). If you are actually using saran wrap, make sure to allow a way for it to vent (a slit, a hole, a few holes….whatever).

Microwave for 1-2 minutes, turning halfway through. My microwave sucks so it took 2 minutes. I probably overdid it a little too considering the blueberries popped.

Eat very slowly, chewing each blueberry several times.

*TIPS: Freeze the blueberries beforehand to keep them from sinking to the bottom.

Alternate recipe idea: Instead of the fiber one plus flaxseed, use 1T. fiber one crumbs and 1T. flaxseed. Mix this with all the other dry ingredients. Add 1/4c. cooked quinoa and mix until quinoa is “coated” with flour. Add wet ingredients and cook.

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