The cosmic treadmill

There are numerous reasons why I could have never been a Boy Scout (not least among them, of course, my complete exclusion from the category of "boy"), but this week I feel as though I am falling pathetically short on their principle tenet: be prepared. This being my sixth semester at my institution of higher education, I should really know better. I have often described the start of a new semester as being akin to falling out of the sky onto a treadmill that's already running. Everything would be just fine if I could stand up for a moment, dust myself off, and start to jog. Alas, the treadmill is merciless, and I continue to marvel at how quickly the weeks fly by at the same rapid pace with nary a moment of respite in sight.

Knowing this about my dear school, I should not have been surprised when I found myself scrambling to finish my readings on Wednesday morning when I had to take an unplanned bus ride to People's Food Co-Op to pick up my CSA box. I fully acknowledge that this is quite the minor inconvenience, but one that nonetheless left me flustered and off-kilter for the whole morning. I arrived at People's to pick up my box, which had been hermetically sealed in the refrigerator since Monday. Please do not get me started on the subsequent frustration on the bus thinking about ethylene gas and (blasphemously) refrigerated tomatoes. When I got home, I had to rush to put everything away before scampering off to work (from proverbial jogging to the real-life counterpart, given that my bike is still out of commission). Yet even in a less-than-cheerful hurry, opening that box to see my share melted away all of my frustration. Yes, the red leaf lettuce was a little wilted, and yes I would have hoped for more zucchini, but ultimately all these were minor quibbles. To stand in my kitchen and slice open a cardboard box filled with red pears, white peaches, gala apples, winter strawberries, napa cabbage, red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, green peppers, spinach, leeks, and a loaf of french bread was such a a glorious and appreciated privilege that I instantly thought better about my earlier cynicism. I truly am a lucky girl.

And you know, I made it to work on time. I finished my reading. I even managed to sleep a little. So I might not have been totally prepared for the little hiccups in my week, but I came out no worse for the wear. Besides, even when I'm swamped with reading, all I need is a bowl of fresh berries drizzled with honey and dusted with powdered sugar, all from the farmers' market, and maybe a slice or two of beet bundt cake to put it all in perspective.

And speaking of that cake, I've actually really been enjoying it. I tweaked the recipe a little bit and added some homemade chocolate ganache and raspberry coulis since I had about half a pint leftover from the above pick-me-up. Both were lovely additions, and the syrupy ganache seeps right into the dense cake to add moisture and richness. Plus the color is just jaw-dropping.

Can you believe that (also, please note the beautiful red Le Creuset mixing bowl, courtesy of my wonderful parents)?! The flavor and texture of the final cake (which unfortunately I don't have a picture of) did not quite match that of a traditional red velvet (this one being a little heavier, and more dense), but I think that next time I make it, I'll top it with cream cheese frosting anyway. I love biting in to a piece of red velvet cake and getting that bright and tangy burst of frosting right from the get-go.

Adapted from Epicurious

1/2 cup canola oil (I actually used extra virgin olive oil, partly because we had no canola oil and because I like the way olive tastes in vegetable-based cakes)

1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar

2 cups puréed cooked beets (I used 4 medium-ish beets that I had boiled)

1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted (I used Ghiradelli semi-sweet)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 375º and lightly oil a Bundt pan.

2. In a mixing bowl, cream together oil and brown sugar. Add beets, melted chocolate chips, and vanilla, and mix well.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to wet beet mixture and stir until just combined.

4. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

5. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Cool completely. Brush with chocolate ganache and serve with raspberry coulis.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

from my own improvisation

1/2 cup chocolate chips (again, Ghiradelli semi-sweet)

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1. Melt chocolate chips and butter together in a double-boiler until smooth.

2. Add chocolate mixture to a small saucepan with milk and cinnamon and stir over low heat until mixed.

3. Remove chocolate and milk mixture from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Whisk in powdered sugar and refrigerate until thick. Brush on top of beet bundt cake.

RASPBERRY COULIS

also from my own improvisation

1 pint raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1. Heat raspberries, sugar, and water to a simmer, then reduce heat to low until raspberries begin to fall apart, around 8 minutes.

2. Pour raspberry mixture into a food processor and purée, then strain the berries to remove the seeds. Spoon onto beet bundt cake as desired.