My first lesson in productivity came in my first month in business school. Before then, the day still had 24 hours but never had I done so much in a day. Well.. because I did not have to. In that first month, I understood what maximizing time and efficiency really meant - between classes, papers to submit, group work, and all those academics, I still squeezed in so much fun - hanging with friends and chatting or playing road rash (albeit, till 4 in the morning and waking up again for a 8 am marketing class whence the door would be locked if you are not inside by 7:59 am!), hanging out in the cafe making friends (or networking, if you are cynical…), listening to music, sleeping (yes, yes, I always found time to sleep!), taking long walks with crushes. You know, everyday on repeat. Business school students are the perfect example of stretching time… especially, when it came to that midnight deadline to submit a report! It was an experience that set me up well for my first career post, in banking. Through this all, all in my 20s, I remember being enervated by this adrenaline (and dopamine clearly!) filled days and remember crashing into a deep sleep each night, happy and content.
Then passed 10 years of not needing any of that rush since my life was, initially, turned upside down and then righted back with a very good life balance.
And, then again, I needed that will or grace of a stretched 24-hour day. I need that now. I am re-learning how much can get done in a day if you only set your mind to. Sadly, in my late 30s it comes very reluctantly and not without consequences. Since tiny feet filled my life, I have been trying to find time and space in the nooks and crannies of my day. A conversation with a fellow blogger highlighted the importance of scheduling. Oh I have tried, but you see, when your day is not yours, well meaning calendars and time matrices go for naught! LOL. I struggled and rebelled against it. I begged and pleaded for more control, what am i saying, even a little control. na da. zilch.
Finally, I capitulated.
I gave in to the flow of it all. I let myself be led by what happens rather than striving for something that inevitably led to me being frustrated. After all, I could not afford to be that, nor did I really have reason to be. It was not deliberate. It was just what it was.
I remember fretting about getting this blog going again and how I would find time for it. Ok, honestly, I still fret, because I don’t always find that time. I have deeply considered hiring help, so I can find that time. Now, that turned out to be even more difficult . (Seriously, the state of child support in this country is abominable. It is a wallet draining, limited return endeavor and overall, rather vexing!). So, eventually, I came back to square one - let TF rule my roost and I’ll make the most of the tiny breaks to do things.
It is difficult, because, when I get that little window, all I want to do is sit down and have a cup of tea in peace. But instead, that is the time, I can feed myself in a rush, cook something for dinner, do laundry (and that included folding the clothes), get errands done that need relative quiet. After all that is done, I sometimes find time to cook and shoot something for the space. Those moments feel like magic!! Oh! they do, they do! Especially, when the fruit of the labor is cherished for longer than the labor itself lasted.
This cake is one of those wonderful fruits. It is a one bowl creation and it lasted for a week. Everyday, when I had a slice, I would smile, deeply and with gratitude, because the day I made it made it somehow possible for me to make it. :) For that I am thankful.
Ricotta Coconut Cake
This cake comes out less like a cake and more like a cheese cake because of the type of flours used and the generous portion of ricotta. I love the dense richness and moistness of it. It does however need gentle handling when sliced.
This flour combination is very delicate and does require a long baking time. If you under bake, it simply become more pudding, less cake but is still safe to eat.
It is fine stored on the counter for up to 4 days and I would refrigerate after that.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 T psyllium husk
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup olive oil
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup orange juice
zest of 1 lemon
Icing
2 T powdered sugar
1 T heavy cream
1 tiny drop pink coloring (optional)
sprinkles (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl with a beater until you get a smooth batter. Let sit for 10 minutes for the psyllium husk to start working.
Pour batter into a prepared pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven for 60-70 minutes until golden brown on top and springy to touch.
Remove and cool on rack to cool completely. To make the icing, whisk sugar, cream and coloring. Drizzle over and sprinkle with your choice of edible confetti.
