Time for another weekend of healthy eating (and lots of play in the sunshine, I’m hoping!) Thanks to everyone who contributed your recipes to last’s week’s Wellness Weekend event, which was bursting with sugar-free, whole foods creativity, color and culinary excellence!
Lemon Cashew Frosting from Fox in the Kitchen (and I’d say the cake under it looks pretty darned good, too); and
Heirloom Cherry Tomato Salad from Sometimes I Veg (another burst of gorgeous summer colors in a simple and beautiful salad).
Thanks, everyone!
I hope you’ll join in again this weekend. There are so many options for healthy foods. . . whether or not you’re vegan, remember that many salads, veggie side dishes, pasta dishes, desserts, smoothies, and more are naturally vegan and can all be included!
Here’s How to Participate (PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP!):
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until Monday at midnight throughout the summer.
Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) within the past week that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). Use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the page.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually.
Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
As always, I hate to remove links, but will do so if they don’t comply with the guidelines.
What your recipe CAN contain:
Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT. Any real food ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, those mushrooms, that nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.)
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey)
“Hey! Why was my entry removed?”
Most likely, an entry is removed because it doesn’t link to this post. Other reasons are because it includes ingredients not in the guidelines or the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please read the guidelines before posting!
Do you believe in sharing your food? I don’t mean “sharing” in the (laudable) sense of offering your excess tomatoes to an elderly neighbor who can’t grow her own any more, or asking your single, cash-strapped nephew to your holiday feast, or donating part of your groceries to the local shelter; when I say “sharing,” what I mean is this: do you permit your book-club buddy to use the same spoon as you to taste your cherry cheesecake? Do you offer your yoga partner a sip from your Starbucks chai latte, thereby risking some backwash into your cup? Would you offer your friendly office mate a nibble of your glazed tofu even though her fork had already delivered some pasta salad to her own mouth a moment before?
So what I’m really wondering is this: what is your stance on double dipping?
Okay, maybe I’m being too anal about it all. But I just don’t feel comfortable sharing utensils, drinking vessels, or plates of already-sampled food. I recall once seeing a commercial featuring a quintessentially cute kid–blonde curls, sapphire eyes, impossibly chubby cheeks–seated on a curb while clutching a huge, melty ice cream cone, her loyal Golden Retriever by her side. Without warning, the dog leaned in and swiped a copious slurp of the ice cream–just like that! The little Cutie Patootie simply giggled and continued to lick–right over the exact spot where the dog’s tongue had just landed. Ewwwww! I still have no idea what the commercial was advertising–I’ve been frozen at “she’s licking where the dog’s tongue just licked! Ewww! Ewww!” ever since.
Then, of course, there are the couples for whom sharing restaurant meals is a regular ritual. Mr. Bon Vivant might order one dish, Ms. Bonne Vivante another, and they switch halfway through. Or perhaps Ms BV doth protest too much about not wanting dessert, but then proceeds to consume half of Mr BV’s order (though really, Ms BV can blame it on the wait-person, that fellow who so thoughtfully brought along two spoons with that White Chocolate-Mango-Persimmon Profiterole).
When my friend Sterlin and I went on our epic California vacation back in the 70s, we ended up at dinner one night with two Parisians whom we’d met because we overheard them speaking French and (hailing from Montreal ourselves and everything), we actually understood what they were saying and struck up a conversation. Next thing we knew, we were at a restaurant in San Diego, entirely smitten by the two young men (who professed to be medical interns visiting the US as part of a work term to learn about other cultures and increase their ability to help more people in their unending quest to heal the world . . . entirely altruistic, you understand).
Well, when it came time to order dinner, Jean-Marc (the nerdy one, who, as it turned out, liked Sterlin better) insisted he wasn’t hungry, ordering just a coffee. Phillippe (the suave and sexy one, who, as it turned out, liked me–whoopee!) ordered a full meal. About halfway through, the waitress came by to top up Jean-Marc’s coffee cup. The moment her back was turned, Jean-Marc slid the cup across to Phillippe, who simultaneously pushed his own half-eaten meal over to Jean-Marc. Then J-M proceeded to wolf down his (shared) dinner, while Phillippe sipped on his (shared–and from the same cup, yet!) coffee. Needless to say, that put the kibosh on any chance of romance for me and the suave Frenchman.
The HH has his own idiosyncratic twist on the “couples sharing” concept. If you were to ask him, he’d insist that he’s opposed to sharing. When we head to our favorite (read: the only one where I can actually get food I can eat on my wacky diet) Middle Eastern restaurant, I almost always order the same thing: hummus and Israeli Salad (chopped cucumber, tomato, onion in oil/lemon dressing). The HH orders whatever he darned well pleases, which usually involves a skewer and paschal undertones. But then my dinner arrives first, and the HH invariably ends up dipping his pita in my hummus (which sounds vaguely naughty for some reason, doesn’t it?). Last time we dined there, I opted for the falafel balls (again, naughty!) and, as usual, the HH asked if he could try a little sample.
“Hey! Stick to your own balls!” I snapped (the naughtiness never ends), but of course, his plate was full of greasy, stringy cubes of meat, and my balls looked infinitely more appealing (I won’t even say it). So he ended up sharing my meal as well as eating his own.
Sadly, it turned out that the restaurant’s falafel was (despite their promise to the contrary) plumped up with some wheat flour-filler, and I suffered the rest of the evening and into the next day for it. I don’t have celiac disease, but I do react pretty badly to wheat, usually feeling as if my intestines are a car tire that’s been over-inflated. I promptly decided to make my own falafel, at home.
This recipe is based on one by one of my favorite health gurus, Dr. Ben Kim. What I loved was that the falafel contains no grains whatsoever–the “filler” added to the chickpeas is potato (Dr. Kim used a white potato, but I decided to stretch the idea further with a sweet potato, and I’m glad I did). While the final result is a bit moister in the middle than conventional falafel, the flavor is outstanding. Not too spicy yet rife with exotic aromas of cumin and turmeric, these little balls are a perfect base for a light dinner or take-along lunch. And since they maintain their shape rather well once baked, they transport easily for packed lunches. In fact, the distinct orbs are perfect for sharing–no utensils or double dipping required.
Of course, once you taste them, you may decide you don’t want to share after all.
“Mum, I think you’re right, that dog should never have licked that little girls’s ice cream. He should have just eaten the entire thing–forget about sharing!”
[Here served with some amazing Hemp-Lime Dressing from my newly acquired cookbook, Unprocessed by Chef AJ. Stay tuned--review and giveaway coming up!]
1 medium sweet potato, baked (8-9.5 oz or 225-270 g when raw, with skin)
2 cups (480 ml) cooked chickpeas, or 1 can (19 oz or 540 ml), well rinsed and drained
1 medium onion, cut in chunks
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh cilantro or parsley (I used cilantro)
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 heaping Tbsp (20 ml) tahini (sesame paste)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) turmeric
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) coriander
1 tsp (5 ml) cumin
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
more tahini or another creamy sauce, for serving
Garnishes, for serving (sliced tomato, onion, cucumber, radish, black olives etc)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
Once the potato is cool, cut in half, scoop out the flesh, and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients except for extra tahini and garnishes, and process until almost smooth (it’s okay if there’s still a bit of texture and you can see flecks of the cilantro–this is actually better).
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop out bits of the mixture and roll into balls. Place the balls on the cookie sheet and flatten slightly on top if desired (I flatten the top so that they are easier to turn over halfway through–the flat top becomes a solid bottom at that point that prevents them from rolling around on the cookie sheet).
Bake for 25 minutes, until the tops are dry. Flip the falafel over and continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, until browned. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature with tahini or other sauce and garnishes of choice. Makes 15-20 falafel balls. May be frozen.
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
What, you say, another “Flash in the Pan,” so soon? I guess that means it’s summer! And who wants to cook in all this heat, right? Time for quick, easy, no-cook dishes!
Well, that bowl o’ bliss that you see up there–and which I happily ate for breakfast yesterday morning and two other mornings last week–is the brainchild (or should that be “kitchen-child”?) of my friend and colleague Andrea Nakayama. You may have seen me mention our Sweet Victory sugar detox on occasion (oh, like only about 542 times or so) over the past week.
Well, in preparation for the detox, I compiled and created a whack of recipes so that participants will be entirely covered with healthy, lower glycemic foods (and lots of desserts–we don’t want anyone missing their dessert on a sugar detox!). Part of Andrea’s philosophy for this kind of detox, and it’s something I love, is that you should never feel deprived when you’re detoxing; desserts that don’t spike blood sugar and that employ approved, healthy alternatives are just fine! So we’ll be enjoying treats like raw “cookie dough” balls, fudge, raw lemon poppyseed squares, halvah, coconut “brittle” and caramel ice cream over the next two weeks.
[Caramel ice cream with cinnamon-apple topping. . . .yes, you can eat this on our sugar detox!]
In between testing some new recipes just for the course and sending the entire package to Andrea, I was introduced to her famous “porridge,” which she created for an earlier program. It’s vegan, grain- and gluten-free, high protein, dairy free, and (of course) sugar free. Needless to say, I had to try it.
A hot cereal for breakfast, you say, and in the middle of the summer?
No matter that it was 38C (100 F) the first day I ate this for breakfast–there is no cooking required! So you won’t heat up the kitchen (or heat it up more) by turning on the stove when you make your porridge. Grind up the ingredients, boil some water, and you’re done. Unless, of course, you want to play with the recipe–did I mention that it’s infinitely adaptable, too?
The first time I prepared the porridge, I followed Andrea’s recipe exactly. I LOVED it! The texture is remarkably similar to that of cooked cereal, something I yearn for after a few days of grain-free eating. And the best part? I wasn’t hungry again until waaaaay later in the afternoon! It was that filling–and that satisfying.
So next time you’re craving something carb-y without wanting to actually consume those carbs, have a bowl of this porridge.
Whatever the season.
“We loved it too, Mum! As you know, anything that’s high protein appeals to us. . . any bits of leftover porridge you want to share?”
There’s still time for you to join us on our Sweet Victory cleanse! Andrea and I kicked off the class yesterday morning with a live teleseminar–and wow, what fun that was for this first-time teleseminar presenter! I’ve loved learning about the intricate relationships between brain chemistry and cravings, and the concrete steps you can take to ensure that they don’t run your life ever again. It’s been a blast working with Andrea.
Even though you missed the live class, you can still join us for the entire detox at a special price. Andrea will be opening a special sale window today for those who want to join the two-week detox program starting Monday. You’ll still receive the entire two-hour audio recording of the live teleseminar so you can listen any time before the class starts. The sale price still includes all the course handouts, protocol, food journal, recipe packet, and–my favorite part–the 24/7 online support from both of us via the Message Board, where you can share your experiences or ask any questions you have as we navigate the detox over the next two weeks. Click here to find out more and sign up (discount window is open from 12:00 noon to 6:00 PM PST (West Coast) or 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST (East Coast).
This porridge is quick and easy, and infinitely variable: use sunflower or hemp instead of the pumpkin seeds; substitute another favorite nut instead of the walnuts; include the coconut or omit it, as you wish. It’s also a great all-year round breakfast as you won’t have to heat up the kitchen cooking it on the stovetop. In fact, I daresay, it’s almost instant!
2 Tbsp (30 ml) unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded coconut
1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw flax seeds
2 tsp (10 ml) chia seeds
1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw walnuts (about 6 walnuts)
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon
1/2-3/4 cup (120-180 ml) very hot water
7-10 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid
2-4 Tbsp (30-60 ml) coconut or nut milk, to your taste
1/2 cup (120 ml) blueberries or other fresh berries, or chopped fresh apricots
In a coffee grinder, grind the coconut, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and cinnamon. Transfer to a bowl and cover with water. Let sit for a few minutes to thicken.
Add stevia, coconut milk and blueberries and stir well. Makes one serving.
Note: you can make a large batch of this cereal in advance and store it in single servings in the freezer so it’s ready to go when you need it: defrost overnight in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Hey there, Wellness Warriors! Thanks to all of you who contributed such amazing recipes to last week’s Wellness Weekend event. I am loving how many people are creating healthy, whole foods recipes–without refined sugar!
I thought that all of the recipes from last week were terrific–I want to make them all! Some of the standouts were:
Chai Chia Protein Bites from Spabettie (besides the cute anagram-like name, you won’t believe how easy these are to make!)
Butterscotch Tahini Bars from Sketch-Free Vegan (another super easy recipe that sounds almost too decadent to be healthy!)
Ribolitta from Green Gourmet Giraffe (which manages to sound fabulous while including two kinds of beans).
I hope you’ll join in again this weekend. There are so many options for healthy foods. . . whether or not you’re vegan, remember that many salads, veggie side dishes, pasta dishes, desserts, smoothies, and more are naturally vegan and can all be included!
Here’s How to Participate (PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP!):
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until Monday at midnight throughout the summer.
Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) within the past week that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). Use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the page.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually.
Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
As always, I hate to remove links, but will do so if they don’t comply with the guidelines.
What your recipe CAN contain:
Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT. Any real food ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, those mushrooms, that nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.)
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey)
“Hey! Why was my entry removed?”
Most likely, an entry is removed because it doesn’t link to this post. Other reasons are because it includes ingredients not in the guidelines or the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please read the guidelines before posting!
[A plate of detox-friendly cookies! In the background, the ailing azalea plant my cousin gave me. Any advice on how to keep it alive?]
Are you a fan of granola? For most of us, the mix of (usually) oats, nuts, seeds and raisins or dates is very alluring. I must admit, however, that I first ate granola in my 20s, and then only for a few weeks before eschewing it entirely until my 40s. Why, you may ask? Well, let me answer by telling you a story (because you know that I will, right?).
As a child, I couldn’t really tolerate the taste of nuts. Which was weird, since pretty much everyone else in my family seemed to love them; my Uncle S , for one, consumed dry roasted peanuts almost incessantly (though I must admit I never counted peanuts as “nuts”; not because I was a child prodigy who instinctively understood that “legumes aren’t nuts”; no, it was just that I never associated the sweet, tan unguent that I slathered on toast or saltines–so far removed in appearance, taste and texture from their original form–with the dry pods that my uncle popped in his mouth all day).
My mother, too, loved nuts of all kinds. Every Christmas, between the shortbread cookies, the pecan bars, the sugar cookies, the double chocolate brownies and the coffee cakes, she baked a huge batch of what she called “Frozen Nut Cookies.” What was considered “frozen” about them I have no idea, as the mixed dough was never placed anywhere near the freezer, nor were any of the ingredients previously chilled. The recipe called for a pound (454 grams) of ground walnuts, an entire jar of maraschino cherries (including the syrupy, sugary “juice”), and lots–lots–of butter. Every year, I scarfed a few of the cookies, hoping they’d convert me into a nut-lover, but really the only part I enjoyed was the chopped maraschinos. (In retrospect, I realize that what I really enjoyed was actually the sugar in the chopped maraschinos).
Then, during my late teens and early 20s while living in a university residence, I finally began to eat nuts in certain foods and actually enjoy them. That is, until what I now refer to as “The Granola Trauma,” an incident that’s gone down in the annals of Ricki lore. My room mate and I had acquired the habit of buying the large plastic bags of “No Name” granola to snack on (or eat as a meal) during the semester (when we weren’t inhaling birthday cake, that is). One evening as we sat cross-legged on opposite sides of the army-style cot, each totally totally engrossed in studying for our next final and entirely oblivious as our spoons repeatedly dipped into the bag with the cheery yellow stripe and then directly into our mouths, the GT occurred. Let me explain what happened by relating this common children’s riddle:
Q. What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple granola?
A: Finding half a worm.
‘Nuff said.
As you can guess, I wasn’t too keen on eating granola for a while. . . like, for a couple of decades. The nuts were just collateral damage.
It wasn’t until my 30s and the advent of the ACD that I really began to appreciate almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts and the like again (of course, meeting the HH during those days also helped, since he’s one nut that everyone’s just gotta love. But you saw that coming, of course.).
By the time I created my first cookbook, Sweet Freedom, I was consuming (homemade) granola again and even had a favorite recipe to share on the blog. I decided I wanted to include my own version of a granola cookie in the book, and came up with Seed Jumble Cookies. The Seed Jumbles were always a hit with my friends and their children (whether or not they could eat nuts–the cookie is nut-free). This recipe is a healthier, gluten-free version of those.
I actually created this recipe in anticipation of this week’s Sweet Victory detox program that begins on Saturday (and today is the last day to register at the early bird discount price!). The program is designed to help participants eschew sugar from their lives and get a grip on those gnawing sugar cravings (a feeling about which I know all too well). I’m also participating in the program, which was designed by holistic health coach Andrea Nakayama to provide crucial information about the nature of sugar addiction, brain chemistry, how to deal with cravings, and more. I wanted to be sure that everyone’s sweet tooth was satisfied with healthy, delicious desserts for the two weeks. Believe it or not, this is the kind of recipe you can eat while detoxing from sugar!
Although I’ve already removed refined sugars from my own diet, I’m going through the program to learn more about why my brain keeps asking for sugar anyway–and what to do about it. But it’s really for anyone at any stage who wants to beat the sugar demon ).
These cookies combine coconut sugar with fresh pear purée and a bit of stevia to achieve a perfect level of sweetness and cookie-like texture. The seeds and SunWarrior powder add enough protein and fiber to offset any rise in blood sugar and prevent a spike that will send you toward the sugar bowl. I was able to eat two cookies and stop there (though the HH enjoyed these so much he actually ate 3, and told me, “These taste like real cookies”!). In fact, they’re healthy enough that I would feel fine eating a couple for breakfast–just the way I might eat a bowl of granola (just please, not the no-name kind).
Baked Granola Haystack Cookies(ACD Stage 3 and beyond)
These are a great cookie as an afternoon snack or even as a quick breakfast-on-the-go. If feeding to people with nut allergies, you can replace the almond butter with sunflower seed butter or more tahini.
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut sugar
1 large pear, cored and cut into 8 pieces (no need to peel)
1/4-1/2 tsp (1-2.5 ml) plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened dairy free carob chips or cacao nibs (optional; may replace with raisins, if you’re allowed)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
Place the coconut sugar and pear in a food process and process until smooth. Add the stevia, vanilla, tahini and almond butter and process again. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, protein powder, cinnamon, salt and flax seeds to break up any lumps. Add the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and carob chips, if using.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl and stir to coat everything well. It may seem as if it won’t hold together like a “real” cookie batter—this is as it should be.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, place mounds of “dough” about one inch apart on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly and press together with your fingers if it looks as if they’re not holding together on the edges.
Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once about halfway through, until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before sampling. Makes 16-20 cookies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. May be frozen.
Some of you may recall that a while back, I was working on perfecting a grain-free, bean-based pizza crust. When I finally got the recipe just right, I was thrilled and posted a photo on Facebook.
Today, I’m delighted to present the recipe in a guest post for Susan, blogger over at The Well-Seasoned Cook. Susan originated the incredibly popular monthly blog event, My Legume Love Affair, in which food bloggers submit their best recipes using legumes (just to show you how popular the event really is, Susan’s got guest hosts already lined up through the end of 2012!). This summer, the event turned four!
To help Susan celebrate the event’s toddler status, hop on over to her blog to catch all the celebratory posts–and learn how to create a high-protein, grain-free, perfectly delicious pizza crust!
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
There’s nothing like raw food in the summer. We’re hardwired to seek out lighter, fresher fare when the temperatures soar–and when that sunshine and humidity climb, nothing is more satisfying than biting into something icy cold, crisp, juicy and colorful (except, maybe, for sitting in a room with some energy-efficient A/C).
A while back I saw a recipe for Zucchini Bruschetta somewhere–but now can’t, for the life of me, find it again (happens all the time with my car keys, cell phone, regular phone, phone book, and dictionary of phonetics, too. Okay, not really the dictionary, but I just wanted another “phone” word in there.). Perhaps it was Martha Stewart? (because “zucchini bruschetta” does sound so very Martha, doesn’t it?),
In any case, the original featured some kind of zucchini mix atop crusty rounds of toasted baguette. Really, the original just provided me with the concept from which I invented my own–including the orangey raw replacement for the grain-heavy rounds. I think you’ll love these “crackers” as a base. If not, you can always pile the filling onto your own choice of toast–or just eat it as a salad. It’s great either way.
“Mum, we love rooms with A/C, too, you know! Not to mention raw. . . . anything.”
Supremely Summery Raw Zucchini “Brushcetta”
Summery Raw Zucchini “Bruschetta”
I enjoyed these lovely, light appetizers one evening before moving to a large kale salad, then had an apple with Raw Chocolate-Almond Butter for dessert. I hadn’t intended it to be a completely raw meal, but it came together that way, and provided a totally satisfying summer supper. And yes, you can eat raw sweet potato–in its raw form, the flavor is incredibly mild, so it doesn’t compete with the zucchini topper.
1 medium zucchini, trimmed and washed (leave skin on)
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tbsp/30 ml juice)
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, preferably organic
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh basil
pinch fine sea salt
5 drops plain stevia liquid
1 large sweet potato (or use another base, such as bread, crackers, etc.)
Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini lengthwise in long strips. They shouldn’t be too wide (no more than about 1/2 inch or 1 cm). If they are wider, just stack them on top of each other on a cutting board and cut across the length to create two piles of thinner strips. Place the zucchini strips in a medium bowl.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and zest, garlic, olive oil, basil, sea salt and stevia until well combined. Pour over the zucchini and toss together well. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, tossing again once or twice during this time so that the zucchini will begin to soften.
Meanwhile, prepare the base: peel the sweet potato and cut into rounds about 1/8″ (3 mm) thick.
To serve, toss the zucchini once more in the marinade so it’s well-coated. Remove 3-5 strips at a time and pile them atop each round of sweet potato. Eat immediately. Makes 9-12 servings.
Wow–I was totally chuffed by how many of you decided to join in on last week’s inaugural Wellness Weekends event–thanks, everyone! (And our mascott, Ms. Elsie, thanks you, too).
It’s time for more sugar-free, whole food options this weekend-! So get your grills firing, your cutting boards primed, your blenders polished, or whatever you use to create delicious, healthy recipes, and link them up below! Can’t wait to see what you all create this week.
Here’s a little sneak peek at my own contribution, coming up:
Here’s How to Participate (PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP):
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until Monday at midnight throughout the summer.
Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) within the past week that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). Use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the page.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually.
Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
As always, I hate to remove links, but will do so if they don’t comply with the guidelines.
What your recipe CAN contain:
Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT! Any real food ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, those mushrooms, that nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.)
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey)
“Hey! Why was my entry removed?”
Most likely, an entry is removed because it doesn’t link to this post. Other reasons are because it includes ingredients not in the guidelines or the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please read the guidelines before posting!
“Mum, since I’m the mascot and everything, don’t I get a say? I mean, what’s wrong with a little meat once in a while?”
Some Personal Sharing: My Detox Experience on the ACD
Recently, a few readers have asked me to detail a bit more about my own experience on the ACD. While I’ve written quite extensively about the diet itself, how difficult it was to follow in the beginning, and where to find information, I haven’t written very much about my own physical symptoms, reactions to the diet, or treatments. Partly, it’s because I can’t imagine that anyone would be interested. Partly, it’s because I am actually a fairly private person, and I wasn’t all that comfortable sharing (I know, you’re thinking, But you tell us all about your arguments discussions with the HH! And you tell us about how you and your pal Sterlin were total nerds in high school! And you tell us about your resentment of Rocker Guy (he of the black leather pants)–what do you MEAN, you’re a “fairly private person”–ha, ha, don’t make me laugh!).
No, I haven’t forgotten the definition of “private”; it’s just that those events are all in the past, so I don’t feel particular bashfulness or emotional protectiveness of them any more. The ACD, on the other hand, is very much with me in the present, and that feels a little. . . revealing.
When I thought about it for half a minute, I realized that, back at the beginning of the process, I would have been elated to find a post about someone else’s experience, just so I’d know I wasn’t alone (and that you can come out of it, intact, at the other end). And what if someone out there is going through the same thing? So, if this post can help even a single person, I’ll feel it was worth revealing (and let’s face it, it’s not as if I’m entering a wet T shirt contest or anything here).
A while back on the Candida FAQ page, Megyn asked: “And are you taking any supplements? I was put on undecenoic acid. The first few days were okay, but then my intestines starting really hurting as well as some other “symptoms of die off”. . . . Is there a place where I can read more about your experiences with this?”
When I was first diagnosed and put on the diet (back in January, 1999), there were at least 20 years (okay, more like 30) of the worst possible eating habits behind me. Mine wasn’t simply a case of following the SAD (Standard American Diet), oh no; more like the S-SAD (Sub-Standard American Diet). Case in point: throughout my undergraduate years living in residence, my weekend menu alternated between birthday cake (which my roomie and I bought from the local supermarket each Friday and would eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner) and raw chocolate chip cookie dough mix (which we ate the rest of the time). I kid you not.
[At my all-time heaviest weight, Summer 2008. No wonder I'm not really smiling.]
I had decided to go to the Naturopathic College’s clinic to see an Intern there (since her fee was much lower than that of a practising naturopath). In retrospect, I realize that was probably the worst possible way to approach a detox for the first time. The overzealous, neophyte ND prescribed the strictest of diets along with the most potent herbal decoctions available, simultaneously neglecting to prepare me by either easing into dietary changes first or warning me in any way about ”die-off,” or a “detox reaction.”
I started detox on a Monday in February. The following evening I had dinner plans with a good friend. “No problem,” he said, when I suggested we eat at the only vegan restaurant I knew at the time, where I could order plain brown rice with steamed veggies. About halfway through the meal, I began to feel a bit queasy. “Hmm. . . probably not the veggies,” I mused. “I must be coming down with the flu.” Within 15 minutes, I was shaking, sweating, feeling downright dizzy and just about ready to vomit. “Um, I think I need to get home,” I apologized, and my friend ushered me to my car.
I’m still not sure how I drove home that evening, concentrating with all my might on the lines on the road,barely visible between the curtain of snow that had begun to fall. I was determined to just make it home without swerving into the shoulder. My head began to pound, I began to see flashing lights (and not from the oncoming cars) and my body trembled from my shoulders down to my fingertips (which were gripping so tightly to the steering wheel that it took a moment to unfurl them at home). Outside, the snow floated down in silent accumulation, and I was petrified I’d have an accident.
When I finally did get home, I so weak that the HH had to help me up the stairs; I have a vague recollection of him pulling off my boots and tucking me into bed, still fully clothed. The next thing I remember, it was morning. The HH brought me a glass of water and was reluctant to leave for work. By the time he returned, I was feeling better; the room had stopped spinning and the nausea was leaving.
Was it a strange, 48-hour flu? No. Was it something I ate? In a way, yes: I had experienced a severe–and unusual–detox reaction, also known as a healing crisis, also known as “die-off.” Because of the sudden, harsh change in my diet combined with powerful herbal remedies, I had begun to detox too quickly; with all the accumulated toxins in my body suddenly ducking for cover and high-tailing it out of there, my system wasn’t able to cope–and I felt sick. Really sick.
[What a difference 18 months makes: at my lowest post-ACD weight, February 2010--so much healthier!]
Part II: How to Detox–The Right Way
For most people, detox isn’t that dramatic. They may feel slightly under the weather, or experience flu-like muscle weakness for a day or two; then it passes, and they feel incredible for the rest of the detox. In my case, because I had not been correctly prepared for the change in diet and the additional supplements, and because my body had built up so many awful toxins over so many years, it became a worst case scenario. That’s not how you want to do it.
In fact, when I returned to the ACD again in 2009, my detox reaction was so minimal that I don’t even remember it today. Of course, there had been much less time for toxins to build up (I’d been eating a whole foods, healthy, sugar-free and vegan diet for over 10 years by then, minus the four months I fell off the wagon). And, more importantly, I eased myself into it properly, taking a week or two before I switched to the stricter ACD itself.
Part III: I’m About to Do it All Again!
Even though I haven’t veered from the ACD since I started it, I’ve been feeling recently that it’s time to go through another detox.
A while back, I wrote about the weight beginning to creep up once more. And in recent months since my Dad’s heart attack, I’ve been experiencing a whole host of stressors that have triggered my sugar cravings. Now, don’t worry–as I said, I haven’t actually eaten the Dreaded White Crystals Of Death, but I sure do crave sweets. And it’s possible to overdo it, even if your cake, cookies, or chocolate are sweetened with coconut sugar, yacon, agave or stevia (trust me on this one).
So when Nutritionist and Holistic Health Counselor Andrea Nakayama asked if I’d like to work with her to create a sugar detox program, I jumped at the chance. As it turned out, Andrea and I had an instant rapport from that first telephone conversation and immediately decided to work together. Not only do I think Andrea is an amazing nutritionist–I mean, this woman really, really knows her stuff–she also exhibits the kind of personal empathy and professional integrity that I admire and to which I aspire. And, she’s loads of fun, to boot! Immediately, I had a selfish thought: “hey, I can work through the program myself while it’s being offered!” And that, dear readeres, is exactly what I’m going to do.
I’m truly thrilled to be part of Sweet Victory, a two-week homestudy detox program. The course kicks off with a live teleseminar (also available as an audio file you can listen to at any time) and includes an array of course materials, recipes and–my favorite part–two weeks of online support from both of us, via message board! Andrea and I will both be available throughout the entire course to respond to your queries and comments, share experiences and offer feedback. And since I’ll be detoxing, too, I’ll be right there along with all of you!
To read more about the course and what’s involved, check the Sweet Victory page.
I should note that Sweet Victoryis not strictly an anti-candida detox; it’s actually for anyone looking to conquer sugar cravings and permanently change their relationship with sugar. I wish I had found something like this before I allowed my sugar addiction to become as bad as it did in 2008–ultimately, leading to my more serious problems with candida. Now that the candida is in check, it’s time to tackle those pesky cravings!
[Last month at my dad's 90th birthday party--time for a little refresher to clear out the cravings once more!]
In the next ACD update, I’ll talk about my candida symptoms and where things stand with them today.
Have you ever undergone a detox? How long was it? What was the experience like for you?
[Delicious as a pizza--stellar as a quiche. This recipe has many talents!]
Have you heard that Hugh Jackman, that alluring Aussie known best for his role as a latter day wolfman, is performing a one-man cabaret-style show here in Toronto right now? That’s right: Wolverine’s tricks span beyond giving manicurists nightmares or saving bald-headed professor-types from magnetized death, all the way to singing, dancing, and delivering one-liners.
In the olden days (ie, when I was a tot), entertainers were required to have it all: Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Vera Ellen, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland et al–each one of them could sing, dance and act (with varying degrees of aptitude). Today’s all-in-one players like JLo, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and their crew just don’t cut it the way the old-timers did, in my opinion. If you keep in mind that the stars of eras gone by had to actuallydo it all at once–no lip syncing or pre-taped music!–today’s feature players simply pale in comparison. Back then, an orchestra played live while the thespians sang and danced. Get something wrong, and they had to film the entire scene over again. Now, that’s entertainment.
Similarly, the notion of the true, multi-talented ”Renaissance Man” seems to be in short supply these days. Although I didn’t realize it when we first met, I think of the HH as just that kind of fellow (see, he even incites my use of Renaissance-era words like “fellow”!). It was the height of summer when we started dating, and having just emerged from a divorce, the HH was still in party mode. At the time, I assumed that he would be perpetually a scruffy guy in jeans and a T-shirt, who seemed to like nothing more than spending time on patios or smoky jazz bars, soaking up mindless movies, or reading magazines about expensive race cars.
When winter hit, I tried a new tactic: I invited him to the ballet (The Nutcracker, as I recall). “Sounds great!” he enthused, totally unphased. “I haven’t seen it in a few years. Always a good time for Tchaikovsky.” Huh?! Not only was he entirely familiar with the ballet and all of the music–he had actually been friends with one of the National Ballet of Canada’s principal dancers back in the 1980s! I quickly ascertained (and time has proven) that the HH was one of those rare individuals who could mingle with anyone or go anywhere, equally at ease in tattered Levis and sneakers, or a Hugo Boss suit and brogues (though, to be fair, he only wears his suit about twice a year). Whatever the habidashery, though, the HH is comfortable in just about any context.
[Does this pie sing to you?]
I think of the chickpea flour in this recipe in much the same way: it’s also a kind of ”Renaissance Ingredient.” (What a minute here. Did I just compare the love of my life to a dried legume? Don’t answer that.)
One of the great things about chickpea flour is how well it can serve so many different purposes, equally delicious in all of them. It’s a great high-protein flour to add to your all-purpose gluten free flour mix. It works beautifully in pancakes and other breakfast foods, in savorydishes, as a thickener in sauces. Alone or within a group, chickpea flour plays well with others. It’s multi-talented.
Used as the base of this “quiche,” chickpea flour is simply unrivalled. Now, I’ve written about my love of the Lucini brand’s Cinque et Cinque before (a specially milled chickpea flour) and how I used the mix to create a stupendous “pizza” crust. I do try to get the mix when I can, but when I ran out, I used regular chickpea flour (since that’s the only ingredient in the “Traditional” flavor) instead. I’ve found that the store-bought flour works almost as well. In fact, if you don’t have the Cinque right beside it for comparison, you’d swear they were identical.
The last time I mixed up some cinque (also known as farinata or socca), I decided to try something different. Rather than pile all my “extras” on top of the pie as a pizza, I folded all the chopped veggies right into the batter and cooked it all together. And oh, my goodness–what a difference that made!
The result really did remind me of a true quiche, albeit a crustless one (which made me think of my friend Shirley, who is prolific with all things GF and crustless). Who needs crust when you have a rich, custardy filling punctuated throughout with shreds of dandelion or chard, roasted garlic slices, oven-dried tomatoes and any other chopped veggies you fancy? The beauty of this method, as well, is how it saves preparation time: this way, instead of stopping to place your toppings strategically over the “pizza,” they’re baked right into it. Magically, the baking time is just right to cook those veggies to perfection–including those raw garlic slices.
The HH couldn’t get enough of this pie. He ate 3 slices for dinner, and remarked how “this is way better than that other chickpea pie you used to make” (I didn’t tell him that it contained exactly the same ingredients, just presented in a different format).
Who knows? Maybe he felt a kinship to the multi-talented, multi-faceted chickpea flour, and that’s why he loved it.
Me, I love them both.
[And speaking of yummy gluten free eats. . . the fabulous Alta of Tasty Eats at Home has adopted me for this month's Adopt a Gluten Free Blogger! I am totally honored! Check out her wonderful post and stunning photo. Then go look at Wendy's roundup at Celiacs in the House, where you can see all of the adoptions from this month!]
Chickpea Flour “Quizza” (suitable for ACD Stage 1 and Beyond)
This is a great brunch or light dinner meal-in-a-pan. The slices can be wrapped and saved for another day (they hold up great for packaged lunches, or even as a sandwich filling) or frozen for a quick meal down the road.
For the Filling:
1/2 bunch thin leafy greens, such as dandelion, chard, or spinach
1/2 cup (120 ml) diced red or other sweet pepper, broccoli or zucchini
For the Base:
2-1/4 cups (250 g) chickpea flour, or one package Lucini Cinque et Cinque
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt, or to your taste
3-1/8 cups (750 ml) filtered water
Preheat oven to 475F (245 C). Lightly grease a large (9 or 10 inch/22.5 or 25 cm)cast iron frypan or quiche pan with coconut oil and place in preheated oven for 5-8 minutes.
While the frypan is heating, prepare the vegetables: trim, wash and spin the leafy greens dry. Chop or shred the leaves. Set aside with the other vegetables.
Prepare the base:
Place the chickpea flour, oil, salt and water in the container of a large blender and blend until smooth and frothy (if using the Cinque mix, you can simply whisk it in a large bowl). Pour into a large bowl and mix in the prepared vegetables.
Once the frypan is heated, remove from the oven and pour the quizza batter into it. Using a silicone spatula, spread the veggies around so they are evenly distributed.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat and dollop with goat cheese, if using. Rotate the pan and return it to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until somewhat puffed and browned on the edges. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Makes 6-8 servings. May be frozen.
