There are two things that always make me smile: the arrival of the weekend, and the arrival of Wellness Weekends! The former because, well, hey–it’s the weekend, silly!! And the latter because you folks never cease to amaze me with your healthy, sugar free, whole foods recipes–every one of which I want to try!
So Happy Weekend, everyone–and here’s to this week’s Wellness Weekend event!
Warm Carrot and Flageolet Bean Salad from The Taste Space. Janet always posts interesting, beautiful bowls bursting with healthy ingredients–and just look at those beans!
Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week.
Please join us 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.
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 do not link more than once to the same web 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, faux “cheese,” faux “meat,” or margarine, 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?”
The most common reason entries are removed is because they don’t adhere to the guidelines:either they contain ingredients that aren’t listed here, they are a re-post of a blog entry that is more than one week old, or they contain neither a recipe nor anything directly related to food preparation. If you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go! For older posts, you’re welcome to re-post them during the week of the event, or choose a newer recipe.
Another reason posts are removed is because the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please do NOT link up posts that are merely referrals to a different post or the home page for another blog event.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
Before I get to today’s recipe, let me wish a Happy Rosh Hashanah to everyone who’s celebrating the Jewish New Year today! I hope you all have a very sweet and healthy New Year.
Another anniversary date last week, while less lofty, involved an iconic children’s book and its famous author. Did you all know that this past week marked the 20th anniversary of the death of Dr. Seuss?
[Breakfast pizza: topped with sweet potato-almond spread, chopped chard, and cinnamon-coated apple slices]
Although the anti-candida diet doesn’t require its victimssuckers followers to eat a grain-free diet, I’ve found more and more that I tend to find it easier to adhere to the tormentmisery regimen when I eat grain free.
But let’s face it: cutting out yeast, sugars, gluten, fermented foods, and basically all common allergens (the critria of the ACD) is hard enough; why would someone also want to cut out all grains as well? (For some insightful, inspiring musings on living a life with food restrictions–for whatever reasons–take a peek at Iris’s honest post about her own dietary parameters).
As it stands, my friends generally think of me as pretty wacky (oh, wait, they thought that even before the ACD) and it’s always a challenge to join in on “normal” social activities while on this diet. Even at home, it can feel like deprivation if the food you eat is markedly different from that of everyone else in the house, or excludes many of the ingredients you enjoy eating.
[A full meal: topped with pesto, zucchini, black olives, green pepper, jalapenos and seasoned tofu]
That’s why I vowed to make my ACD-friendly foods just as appetizing as “regular” food. And, for the most, part, I think I’ve succeeded (well, there was that one early experimental muffin that the HH spewed across the table when he taste-tested it, but we won’t revisit that unfortunate incident today). Today’s recipe for grain-free pizza is a great example of an alternative that works.
After no less than a dozen trials, I finally hit upon the magical combination of grain-free ingredients that (a) mimic the texture of a grain-based crust to a great degree (I won’t say it’s 100%, because let’s face it, the base is made mostly of puréed beans–but it’s damn close); (b) allows you to hold a whole piece in your hands and eat it without crumbling to dust–just like regular pizza!; and (c) contains no xanthan gum (which, while it remains an ingredient in many of my baked goods, is one I know many people dislike). With a wee bit of care in preparation, this crust has become my favorite pizza base and the one I use most often, even on days when I feel it’s okay to consume grains.
I first shared this recipe on Susan’s blog as part of her My Legume Love Affair celebrations over the summer (congrats again, Susan, on four years of a fabulous blogger event!). After I posted photos of last weekend’s apple-cinnamon breakfast pizza on Facebook, I received a few inquiries about it, so thought I’d share it here as well.
Yep, there’s nothing like a classic pizza for dinner. With or without grains!
“Mum, we don’t care if it has grains or not–we love pizza crust! And for some reason, our pals think our diet is wacky, too. Don’t all dogs eat grain-free pizza crust?”
1 tsp (5 ml) dried basil, optional (omit if you’ll be topping with sweet ingredients)
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a large pizza pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In the bowl of a food processor, process the beans and 1/4 cup (60 ml) oil until relatively smooth. Add the soymilk, stevia, vinegar, coconut flour, chia meal, potato starch, buckwheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and basil and process again until the mixture comes together in a ball. Do not overprocess!
Take the ball of dough and, using your hands, pull of chunks the size of baseballs and distribute them evenly over the pizza pan. Use the final 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of oil to grease your palms and fingertips; then press the dough evenly in the pan until all the chunks come together in a single crust. Keep greasing your hands as necessary to avoid sticking. If desired, make a slight rim all around the edge of the dough.
Bake in preheated oven 35-45 minutes, until the crust is quite dry and lightly browned on the edges and bottom (if you underbake at this stage, the inside of the dough will remain moist after the toppings have been added). Top with desired toppings, then return to the oven for another 30-35 minutes, until heated throughout and toppings are cooked. Slice and serve. Makes 4-6 servings. May be frozen. To freeze, wrap slices individually in plastic and freeze until solid, then store in a ziploc bag.
I’m so grateful to all of you who’ve jumped on the Wellness Weekend wagon and have been submitting recipes–thank you all!
Last week, for some reason, I had to remove more than a few entries that didn’t meet the guidelines. I wanted to clarify just in case there’s some confusion about what is or is not “processed.”
Technically, anything that isn’t in its perfectly preserved “fresh” state is processed. In other words, applesauce made from whole apples and nothing added is, technically, processed. Similarly, tofu is processed (processed soybeans). So how can you tell what will or won’t be included?
My Definition of “Processed”:
I suppose I have two main guidelines (and one exception) for what I consider “processed.”
First, the food should either be, or contain, only whole, natural foods or foods that have been considered “traditional” and used safely for centuries. I am okay with evaporating, heating, chilling, puréeing, etc, so to me, applesauce made with whole apples (or even peeled apples) is okay. Nothing artificial has been added. I put potato starch and whole-grain flours in the same category; mostly, these are made by heating and then drying the grains before pounding them into flour. Our grandmothers used potato starch and rice flour before us.
Second, if it could be made in your kitchen, I am okay with it. Tofu can be made at home. Soy sauce can be made at home (just ask Penniless Parenting!). If you can easily pronounce it and could make it at home (even if you don’t), then it’s okay.
Third, the exceptions to the rule: seasonings, sweeteners, organic oils and other ingredients used in small amounts. Most of the sweeteners I use are naturally derived (eg, agave, coconut sugar, yacon) and could also be made at home. But things like spices, dried herbs, soy sauce, vinegar, etc. are likely not ingredients you will choose to make at home. They are still okay.
Finally, what are absolute no-nos? As the guidelines say below, anything containing refined (white) sugar or flour (such as most packaged baked goods), or heavy on the chemical ingredients (such as margarine or faux meats or cheeses) should not be included. Here are the ingredients in Earth Balance:
Expeller-pressed natural oil blend (soybean, palm fruit, canola and olive), filtered water, pure salt, natural flavor, soy protein, soy lecithin, lactic acid, and naturally extracted annatto for color.
These are not ingredients that would exist–or exist together–in nature. In contrast, virgin coconut oil contains:
Coconut oil.
Yes, the coconut oil is removed from the whole coconut. But that’s it.
I apologize if these guidelines seem arbitrary. In our world today, it’s nearly impossible to eat a diet that’s 100% natural and unprocessed (without a huge amount of effort), but I try to do the best I can. I hope this won’t deter any of you from continuing to participate in the event!
And now, on to the details that everyone wants to know--which recipes were the faves from last week? Last week marked a turning point as well on Wellness Weekend, with more plant-based dishes submitted from omnivorous readers than ever before! I’m so glad to see that everyone can enjoy delicious animal-free foods for whatever their reasons. Keep ‘em coming!
Here are the top four from last week’s event (and it was a very difficult choice, I’ll tell you):
Vegan Meat Substitute from Penniless Parenting. Maybe not photogenic, but this mix of veg, legume and nut sounds delicious to me.
Black Mission Fig Ice Cream from City/Life/Eats. Black Mission Figs! Ice Cream! What more do we need to know?
And the Reader’s Choice post this past week goes to:
Quinoa Banana Bread from Farmers Market Vegan! This post was easily the most-viewed from last week–and it looks fantastic!
Thank you to every one of you who’s played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week.
Please join us 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.
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, faux “cheese,” faux “meat,” or margarine, 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?”
The most common reason entries are removed is because they don’t adhere to the guidelines:either they contain ingredients that aren’t listed here, they are a re-post of a blog entry that is more than one week old, or they contain neither a recipe nor anything directly related to food preparation. If you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go! For older posts, you’re welcome to re-post them during the week of the event, or choose a newer recipe.
Another reason posts are removed is because the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please do NOT link up posts that are merely referrals to a different post or the home page for another blog event.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
I well remember the unbridled glee we all felt in grade school when, first thing in the morning, the Principal walked in to announce that we’d have a substitute teacher that day. We kids practically roared with excitement at the prospect of (a) getting a reprieve from homework (because the substitute, of course, never knew exactly what our regular teacher had assigned); (b) getting a reprieve from the usual discipline and classroom structure (we would just make up new rules that we preferred, and she never knew the difference); and (c) getting a reprieve from, basically, any learning at all (she didn’t stand a chance with a group of squealing, shrieking, squirming children who suddenly considered the day to be allotted for play).
Ah, yes, kids can be so cruel.
At least the class embraced the notion of a substitute with gusto. These days, I think, we’ve got the connotation of “substitute” all wrong. A substitute is not a lesser version of the “real thing”–no sir. It’s the brave soldier willing to stand in for his buddy on the front lines. It’s the eager understudy who may just surpass the headliner. It’s the medical resident who steps in to complete the operation when the surgeon’s hands begin to tremble. You get the idea.
Whenever the HH and I go to a restaurant and the menu proclaims “No Substitutions allowed” next to their most popular items, I’m always a little peeved and wonder how much more they’d sell of said pasta or salad if they did allow subs. In fact, I make a point of seeking out eating establishments that do permit changes to the menu–otherwise, I’d have precious few choices most of the time (oh, wait, I still have precious few choices. Damn you, ACD!).
And let’s not forget the common phrase, “poor substitute.” It’s as if those two words are fused at the hip, sort of like Eng and Chang, or coffee and cigarettes, or Simon and Paula (I know–can you believe they’re together, again, on X-Factor??).
Me, I love substitutes. I think substituting is part of the fun in cooking. When I first changed my diet, I wanted to play with every new ingredient I could find and figure out how the new could replace the old (or not). I was so fascinated with substitutes, in fact, that I devoted an entire chapter to substitutes in my cookbook.
The process of coming up with substitutes can be a truly creative endeavor in the kitchen (or, really, any facet of life). Maybe my interest is rooted in my cash-strapped twenties when, as a graduate student, I was constantly seeking cheaper alternatives for the latest fashions, buzz-worthy restaurants, first-class travel, or even a favored bubbly. After a while, it was like a game: what can I use instead of this pernod in the recipe to achieve the same result (without the same cost)? How about this cool aviator jacket from the army surplus instead of the latest runway darling? And these discarded flyers have print on one side only–they’d make great note paper–for free!
My knack for subbing one ingredient for another came back in a flash last week as I prepared a warming soup for the HH and me (sort of how the autumn weather itself decided to blast into town out of nowhere, too). With the cooler clime suddenly upon us, I found myself wanting some classic split-pea soup. After consulting my soup bible, Nava Atlas’s Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons, I settled on the “Golden Curried Pea Soup.”
Everything was going along swimmingly (except of course, no more real swimming, now that it’s turned cool outside–summer, why hast thou forsaken me?). My onion was sizzling, I was chopping up the carrots, I poured the broth into the pot and reached for my jar of split peas, and–oh, noooo! No split peas! (I had been so certain I had some, in fact, that I hadn’t even checked before beginning to cook–kids, please don’t try this at home). But the soup must go on! I scanned the cupboard for a suitable substitute, and came upon a jar of red lentils. Perfecto!
In went the lentils and the the final result worked out beautifully. This version offers up the same thick, nubby, substantial base as a split-pea version, albeit slightly less sweet. The curry provided a warming undertone to the mild flavor of the lentils, and the carrots contributed their own seasonal color and texture. This is a stick-to-your-ribs, hearty and filling bowlful, one you’ll be scraping clean with your spoon.
In this instance, I daresay my substitute was every bit as good as I expect the original would have been. I hope you’ll give it a try–and do feel free to substitute another legume of choice for the lentils.
This is an easy-to-prepare, long-simmering soup that is warming and satisfying on a cool day. Paired with a salad and chunk of hearty bread, it makes a perfect light meal.
1 pound (454 g) red lentils, split yellow peas, or other quick-cooking legume
1/2 cup (120 ml) raw brown rice
2 bay leaves
2 tsp (10 ml) good-quality curry powder, more or less to taste (I used more)
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) turmeric
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly grated ginger
pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion and garalic and sauté until just golden.
Add remaining ingredients to the pot except for salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are mushy, about 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
When the soup is ready, adjust consistency with more water as needed, then season with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaves and serve. Makes 8-10 servings. May be frozen.
Have you seen those magazine and website series called “Separated at Birth”? They usually feature two celebs (sometimes, a celeb and an animal or even a celeb and inanimate object) that–in that one particular photo, at least–eerily resemble each other.
The phrase, of course, refers to the phenomenon popularized by certain nature-vs-nurture studies revealing that sometimes, identical twins who were, indeed, separated at birth still remain very much the same and may develop similar features, behaviors, or personality traits over the years, perhaps marrying spouses with the same names or giving their dogs the same name, even though they’ve lived most of their lives unaware of the other’s existence.
Having grown up with identical twins in my family (my Uncle S was an identical twin) and with my two best friends being twins (I’ve known Gemini I and Gemini II since we were all 4 years old), I’ve always been fascinated by twins and how similar they are–or not. Everyone knows (or has heard of) at least one set of twins who, at some point, fooled a teacher/ babysitter/ cousin/ neighbor by switching roles and pretending to be the other. (And remember that creepy novel--which Canadian director David Cronenberg made into an equally creepy movie–about those two twin doctors? Or how about Bette Davis’s Oscar vehicle, Dead Ringer , in which envy prompts her character to appropriate her (richer, happier) sister’s life (and to eradicate her fingerprints, in a scene that still haunts me on occasion)? On a less deadly note, there’s always Hayley Mills in The Parent Trap or Danny DeVito and Ex-Mr.-Governator-cum-Philandering-Maid-Paramour in Twins.).
I’m glad to report that the Geminis were not like those other identical counterparts. Thankfully, their parents treated them like two distinct individuals with their own (different) sets of clothing, hairstyles, interests and friends (well, except for me, I guess). And that’s how they grew up: even though their teachers had trouble differentiating them as kids, there’s no mistaking their unique personalities and looks today. (In fact, when the HH first met Gemini I and Gemini II, he noted that “they kinda looked like sisters” but that he would never have guessed they were twins (even though they share identical DNA!). That’s a true testament to the power of nurture, I’d say.
In the realm of apricot-swirl cheesecakes, think of these lovely, luxuriously creamy bars as the long-lost twin of that earlier raw version I posted a couple of weeks ago. It started with our organic produce delivery, which I love receiving every week (and which has introduced me to a plethora of new fruits and veggies over the years, at times in a David Letterman-at-the-Oscars sort of way: “Ricki, meet Rapini. Rapini–Ricki”). But there are also times when we receive far more than can be consumed by two childless adults in a single week. (“What do you mean, “childless,” Mum? Did you forget about us??”). These bars hail from the same (very large) bag of apricots that arrived on our doorstep that week.
In this case, though, this latter half of the summer stone fruits were nurtured a little differently from those in the Raw Mini Pies. With these, I baked up a bar much more similar to the original one I spied on the Everyday Food site. These Apricot Swirl Cheesecake Bars offer a more classic vegan cheesecake base, one made with silken tofu. With a shortcake crust and a tangy, cooked swirl of apricot preserves, these are bars you can serve with pride to your bridge club, your PTA meeting, your family on Sunday evening, or your kids after school–and they’ll be equally welcomed by all.
While I really enjoyed the bars, the HH was truly besotted (he liked them better than the raw version; I was the opposite. The HH and I had differing opinions? Quel surprise!). The similarities between the two desserts are obvious, and the differences subtle. Which makes sense, of course, since they were, after all, born from the same crop.
Rather than choose one cheesecake twin over the other, why not just make them both?
Apricot Swirl Cheesecake Bars
Suitable for ACD Stage 3 and Beyond
These are a lovely, fruity treat that tastes rich without being cloying. You could easily try other fruit swirl flavors in place of the apricot, such as peach, plum, or even berries.
For the Apricot Compote:
4 medium apricots, washed, pitted and chopped into chunks
2 Tbsp (30 ml) water
pinch fine sea salt
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
25-40 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste (I use NuNaturals)
For the Cookie Crust Layer:
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut sugar
2 Tbsp (30 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy or almond milk
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
25-40 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia, to your taste
1 pkg (12 ounces or 375 g) aseptically packaged firm or extra-firm silken tofu (I use Mori-Nu)
1/2 cup (120 ml) smooth natural cashew butter
grated zest of one lemon
1/3 cup (80 ml) light agave nectar
25-40 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia, to your taste
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure lemon extract
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
pinch fine sea salt
Make the Apricot Compote: Place the apricots, water and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Continue to cook and stir until the apricots begin to soften and darken, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and add the lemon juice and stevia. Process until smooth and no lumps remain. (Alternately, blend with a hand blender until smooth). Set aside while you prepare the crust and filling.
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut sugar, soymilk, vanilla and stevia until the coconut sugar dissolves. Add the oil and mix well. Sift the remaining ingredients into the bowl and then stir with a wooden spoon until you have a soft and slightly sticky dough.
Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes, until dry on top and beginning to puff at the edges. Remove from oven.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Blend the tofu and cashew butter in a (cleaned) food processor until you have a smooth paste. Add remaining filling ingredients and continue to process until completely smooth and no traces of tofu are visible.
Pour the cheesecake filling evenly over the crust in the pan. Dollop with apricot preserves, leaving some cheesecake visible here and there. Using a sharp knife, draw lines through the preserves to create a swirled or marbled effect.
Return the pan to the oven and continue to bake for 25-35 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until the edges are browned and the filling appears firm when you jiggle the pan. Cool completely, then refrigerate at least 4 hours before cutting into bars and serving. Makes 12 bars. May be frozen (defrost, covered, overnight in the refrigerator).
“Mum, were Elsie and I separated at birth, too? Because we both share lots of the same traits, like being insanely cute, smart, loving the same treats. . . yep, we’re sisters, all right!”
I hope everyone has been having a great week! After my excitement last weekend, the rest of the week seems to have zipped by. . . and now it’s time for another Wellness Weekend! I loved all the entries from last week–your creativity in the kitchen is always so impressive! From upside down cakes to tempeh Reubens to two (two!) types of fried okra, I want to try every single recipe. But since I *have* to choose four to highlight this week, here are my four choices this time round:
Empty Fridge Slaw from My Munchable Musings. I loved this combination of grated roots (and I’m a beet lover from way back!).
Skinny Fudgesicles from Misadventures of Fat Free Baking. Because fudgesicles are classic.
Beans to the Rescue Cheeze Sauce from Veggie V’s Vegan Adventure. A great way to top pasta, nachos, tacos, etc.–and add some extra protein and fiber at the same time!
Creamy Asparagus Soup from the Vegan Cookbook Aficionado. I loved the luxurious texture of this soup (and who doesn’t love asparagus?).
Thank you to every one of you who’s played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week.
Please join us 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.
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, faux “cheese,” faux “meat,” or margarine, 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?”
The major reason entries are removed is because they don’t adhere to the guidelines: either they contain ingredients that aren’t listed here, they are a re-post of a blog entry that is more than one week old, or they contain neither a recipe nor anything directly related to food preparation. If you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go! For older posts, you’re welcome to re-post them during the week of the event, or choose a newer recipe.
Another reason posts are removed is because the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please do NOT link up posts that are merely referrals to a different post or the home page for another blog event.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway for Chef AJ’s cookbook, Unprocessed! I’m so glad to know that so many of you are interested in cooking with whole foods and no added fats or sugars.
I’ve done the Random Generator thing, and the winner is. . .
Number 15, Suzanne! Suzanne mentioned her favorite food, avocado, in one of her comments. Congratulations!
Suzanne, please contact me with your mailing address so that I can get your book out to you.
Next time, I’ll have a yummy recipe to offer. Hope you can handle yet another dessert. . .
Happy Monday! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Mine was filled with some surprise excitement followed by a lovely visit to the Toronto Vegetarian Food Festival, where I watched an amazing demo for Raw “Blizzards” put on by Lisa and Nicole. What I wouldn’t give to have the energy of those two! (And the ice cream was pretty heavenly as well).
Well, summer here in Toronto may be “unofficially” over (don’t wear white after Labor Day, and all that), but you’d never know it by the weather over the weekend. Summer produce is still going strong, too. We’ve had blueberries in abundance and even a fresh pineapple a week or so ago!
I made this fabulous Blueberry-Pineapple Crumble for my guest blog post over at Christy’s The Blissful Chef. Have you heard that Christy has a new cookbook out, filled with simple, delicious and environmentally-friendly meals? Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals that Nourish Mind, Body and Planet offers over 150 recipes that are based on macrobiotic principles and that everyone can enjoy. I reviewed Christy’s e-cookbook here (check out how wonderful those dishes were) and I’ll be doing a review of her new book as soon as I can get my hands on a copy!
Head over to Christy’s blog to read my recipe for Blueberry-Pineapple Crumble.
*Or, Why I Need this Peachy Protein-Packed Smoothie Today
["Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close up. . . ."]
So, where have I been the last couple of days? I was a bit cryptic on Facebook yesterday morning when I announced, “I may have some exciting news! No, I’m not pregnant, and yes, it involves chocolate.” Well, the “not pregnant” part was fairly obvious to begin with (unless we’re talking one of those creepy late-in-life, chemically-enhanced old lady pregnancies), but “chocolate” was a fair bet that could have implied almost anything. And it wasn’t a call from Ellen, either (drat!).
Well, you all probably know by now what a pop culture junkie I am. And you may have heard that some of Ellen’s friends are in town for TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). And guess whose cookies and brownies are currently being served up to that very same list of A-Listers?!
Uh-huh.
That’s right.
Wa-HOOOOO!
[We're ready to get stuffed with Sweet Freedom cookies and brownies!]
I received an email yesterday morning asking if I could bake up some goodies for the swag bags in the TIFF celebrity lounge. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!! Cookies, brownies, raw treats–from my own cookbook–in the swag bags at TIFF?!! OF COURSE I CAN!!!
I started baking at 7:30 AM or so, then wrapping, packaging, printing, ribbon-tying, ribbon-curling and boxing up the bags until around 2:00 AM. Which meant I had plenty of time to daydream about what would happen when I dropped off the boxes of goodies this morning to the tony Yorkville hotel.
Here’s how my fantasy of the delivery went:
Scene: Ricki drives up to the entrance of Celeb Hotel. The doorman greets her.
Ricki: Hello, I’m here to meet with Mr. XXX. [No, wait, that makes him sound too much like a porno star. Strike.]
Ricki: Hello, I’m here to meet with Mr. X.
Doorman smiles knowingly. Calls Mr. X, who arrives immediately.
Mr. X: Hi, Ricki, darling! [Air kisses all around]. Oh, wow, those treat bags look ah-may-zing! Here, why don’t you help me carry them into the Celeb Swag Room?
Ricki [blanching and feeling faint]: Um, why, sure, yes, yes of course, I’d love to!
As they walk down the corridor of the ultra-luxe hotel, a dashing young man in a bathrobe, champagne flute in hand, strolls by. He notices Ricki and smiles.
Ricki [gasping]: Was that–?!
Mr. X: Yep. He finds clothing too constricting.
They continue to the Celeb Swag Room. Inside, Ricki peeks in the swag bags–is that a Rolex I see? Oh, my and La Chocopologie truffles? Oh, and some MAC Cosmetics–cool! And looks like they’ve got some eco-friendly glass straws and reusable bags, too! And is that a pair of hand-crafted gold earrings I see? Oh my gosh–and MY BAKED GOODS!!–and–
[Her reverie is interrupted by Mr. X]: Ricki, can you help me set up this table?
They begin to set out gift bags. There’s a knock on the door. George Clooney pokes his head in.
George: Hey, Mr. X, I was just wondering whether–[he notices Ricki] Well, hellooooooo.
Ricki: [blushing madly]: Hello. . . .
George: Hey, Mr. X, I’m dying for a chocolate brownie–have you got anything?
Ricki: [proffering one of hers]: Here! And it’s wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, too!
George: [biting] Mmmm. Man, this is good! This is the best brownie I have ever tasted in my entire life! I am in love!! Hey, Mr. X, why don’t you and your friend here join me and Brad and Angelina tonight for a private dinner at Morton’s steak house? [Turning to Ricki] I’d love if you’d join us. . .
Ricki: George, I’d love to. Oh, except I don’t eat steak. I’m vegan. . . .
George: For you, we’ll switch venues. Let’s all go to Fressen instead! See you at 8:00?
Scene fades out. . . .
[Wrapped and ready to be delivered to the A-Listers!]
Okay, so when I create a fantasy, I go big.
Instead, here’s what really happened:
Ricki drives downtown at the ungodly hour of 7:15 AM on a Saturday morning. Approaching the street on which the hotel is situated, she realizes that the street is closed off for the film festival. Frantically, she calls Mr. X.
Ricki: I can’t get to the hotel! Is there somewhere else I could park to bring in the boxes–?
Mr. X: No worries, I’ll send someone out.
Moments later, a lovely young woman (birth date circa 2000) arrives.
Child Young Woman: Here, I’ll take those for you.
Ricki: [hesitating]: Um, but there are six boxes. I’m happy to take a few along with you and help you carry them to the Celeb Swag Room. . . .
YW: It’s okay, I can handle it. Thanks.
Ricki: But really, it’s no problem! I’m happy to help!
YW: If you leave your car here you’ll get a ticket.
Ricki [desperate]: Oh, that’s okay, I don’t care! I’d love to help! . . . I’ll just follow you in to the Celeb Swag Room and help you set up. . . .
YW: Sorry, not allowed. But thanks.
Ricki [more desperate]: But really, I’m sure this box of books is waaaay too heavy for you to carry! Let me bring it in, and I can help you set up in the Celeb Swag Room–
YW: Here, just put it on top of these other boxes. [Ricki stacks all three boxes in YW's arms]. Thanks.
Ricki: But if you need some help–
YW: Nope. ‘K, Bye! [She strides away, into the crowded street and disappears].
Ricki’s hopes of meeting a celebrity–any celebrity–fade out. . . . .
So there you have it. I never saw George, I never saw Angelina, I never even saw Mr. X or the Celeb Swag Room. But my goodies did. . . and that’s all that counts!
When I arrived back home, I was famished. I opted to whip up this high-protein smoothie-cum-pudding (your choice, depending on how much liquid you use) and recharge. It’s got a refreshing peachy flavor with a whopping 12 grams of protein per servings, or 24 grams if you scarf down the whole batch as I did this morning after almost 24 hours straight of baking and packing and delivery, with no real meals to speak of in between.
You never know, I may need some extra energy in case George calls this evening, right?
This quick and easy smoothie is a great way to up your protein intake in a cool, creamy and delicious beverage. Or, use less milk and spoon it up as a chia pudding.
1 large peach, washed, pitted and cut in eighths, fresh or frozen (no need to peel)
5-8 strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2-1 cup unsweetened plain or vanilla almond milk (use more for a drinkable smoothie, less for a pudding consistency)
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 scoop plain or vanilla rice-based protein powder (I use SunWarrior)
10-20 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia (I use NuNaturals)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) white chia seeds
Place all ingredients except chia seeds in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
For a smoothie, add the chia to the blender and blend again until thick and smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy.
For pudding, pour the blended mixture into a large bowl and add the whole chia seeds; stir to combine. Allow to sit 5 minutes, then stir again before chilling at least 20 more minutes. Stir before serving. Makes 2 servings with 12 grams of protein each. Best if consumed immediately.
“Mum, we don’t care if they’re green or blue. 
