Olive Oil Almond cake with Dairy-free Chocolate Ganache

For Olive oil cake:

Make 1 boxed vanilla cake as directed on package.  Substitute olive oil for vegetable oil.  Add 1 tsp almond extract.  Bake in a 9x13 cake pan as directed on package.

For Chocolate Ganache:

Put 16 oz chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl.  Heat a 15 oz can of coconut milk in a saucepan but do not boil.  Pour hot coconut milk over the chocolate chips.  Let sit for 5 minutes to melt chocolate.  Add 1 tsp vanilla.  Whisk until coconut milk is incorporated and chocolate is smooth.  Cool in refrigerator until thick.

Toast 1/2 cup sliced almonds for 4-5 minutes in 350 degree oven. Cool

Assemble cake by pouring cooled ganache over cake.  Top with toasted almonds. Serve with Redi-whip.  If you leave out the whipped topping, this cake is basically dairy-free.  There may be some milk solids in the cake mix and chocolate chips.  

Keep refrigerated.

Lentil Soup with Pork or Ham bone

 This could be made vegan by omitting the pork and using vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Dice 3 ribs of celery, 2 large carrots, and half an onion.  In a large soup pot,  saute in canola oil until soft.  Rinse 1 package of green lentils.  Add to soup pot along with 8 cups of chicken or vegetable stock.  Add 1 cup diced cooked pork or ham bone with meat on it.  Add 1 tablespoon garlic granules or fresh minced garlic.  Add 1 tsp cayenne.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I like lots of black pepper.  Bring to boil, reduce to simmer.  Simmer for an hour until lentils and veggies are mushy.  Remove ham bone and cut up any ham to add back to pot after blending the soup.  You need to blend half of the soup and add back into pot.  This gives the soup a creamy texture without adding dairy.  You can use an immersion blender or a regular blender.  If using a regular blender just blend a bit at a time so the hot soup doesn't explode out of the top of the blender.  Keep it chunky.