Upside-Down Pineapple Quinoa Cake

Topping
1/4 cup (60 mL) light brown sugar, turbinado, or sucanat
1 - 15 oz (425 g) can pineapple slices in unsweetened juice, drained (reserve 1/4 cup/60 mL juice)

Cake
1 cup (250 mL) cooked white quinoa
2 free-range eggs, separated into yolks and whites
1/3 cup (80 mL) light brown sugar or sucanat
1/2 cup (125 mL) plain, low-fat yogourt
1/3 cup (80 mL) unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 mL) whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground nutmeg
2 tsp (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).

To prepare topping: stir together sugar and reserved pineapple juice in small saucepan over high heat. Boil until mixture is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes.

Lightly grease 8 x 8 x 2 in (2 L) baking pan with vegetable oil. Pour boiled syrup into the bottom of pan and artfully top syrup with pineapple slices. Set aside.

In food processor, process cooked quinoa, egg yolks, sugar, yogourt, applesauce, and vanilla extract until very smooth, about 2 minutes.

In large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Add quinoa mixture to flour mixture and stir together until no flour streaks remain. With spatula, gently fold egg whites into quinoa batter until just incorporated. Gently spoon cake batter over pineapple.

Bake in centre of oven until puffed and golden, and a wooden skewer inserted in the cake’s centre comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes in cake pan before running a thin knife around the edges and inverting the cake onto a serving plate.

Serves 9.

Each serving contains: 113 calories; 4 g protein; 2 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 21 g carbohydrates; 2 g fibre; 227 mg sodium

Source: "Taste of the Tropics", alive #345, July 2011