The human body is just amazing – for so many reasons, I could go on for days.  If you have ever been hurt, and then in a very stressful situation, it is amazing how your adrenaline can make your pain go away.  I have read about it before – but only recently have truly experienced the power.  But what is the hormone that can help you if you are hurt emotionally?  Many people think it is food – they turn to food when they are upset – and more often than not, when that is the case – you are looking at a serious weight problem.  Other people are quite the opposite – they starve themselves when they are hurt or depressed – it seems as though depriving yourself food can make people feel more in control, and sometimes feel better.

Most of the time, when I am in this situation, I go right to the kitchen.  Not to eat, but to cook.  When I am cooking, it releases some type of chemical in me that makes me feel better.  I can get lost in the kitchen, forget about all of my troubles – and just focus on the food.  When it is all over, the hurt comes back, but at least for a few hours, I am able to put things aside, and just relax.  Now that my kids are getting older and they can be in the kitchen cooking along side of me – it is even better medicine – there is nothing I love more.

Today my husband and I celebrated our 17th anniversary.  It is hard to believe that I have spent more of my life with him than without him.  I am an unbelievably lucky person – he loves and supports me unconditionally, but always pushes me to be the best person I can be – he is the best father in the world, and has helped me to be the best mother – he has dedicated his life to cancer research, and never ever stops forging ahead.  I admire him more than he will ever know.

He has been staying away from dairy for some time now – but I know how much he loves cinnamon cake.  My mother sent me a recipe that her friend had made, who also stays away from dairy.  This is very similar to my mother’s recipe for blueberry cake – but for a cinnamon lover like my husband, this recipe definitely “took the cake.”  He absolutely loved this cake – I have a feeling I will be making this weekly for a while.  It is the least I can do, for all he does for me.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 Tbs. cinnamon
• 4 cups peeled, chopped apples
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350o. Grease and flour a 13×9 inch baking pan. In large bowl, cream together first four ingredients thoroughly. Sift together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture, mixing well by hand. Stir in apples.  Spread batter into prepared pan.  Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon in a bowl – and sprinkle over the top of the batter.

Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until straw inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, please click here: Dairy-Free Apple Cake