Welcome to the party! Today’s post is in honor of Amy Green of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, who is expecting her first baby. . . well, any day now! Her good friends Hallie (of Daily Bites) and Maggie (of She Let them Eat Cake) have banded together to co-host a virtual baby shower, and you’re all invited! The event includes a group of Amy’s blogging buddies (see list at end of this post). We all hope you’ll join us for some great party food as we celebrate Amy’s impending new family member!
It’s been such a pleasure getting to know Amy over the past few years, both as a fellow sugar-free, gluten-free blogger and as a dear friend. She continually inspires me with her knowledge, her generosity, her level-headed approach to life’s challenges–and of course her RECIPES! (including many from her best-selling cookbook). And now that there will be a new little Green joining her clan, I can’t wait to meet him as well!
(“Mum, we can’t wait to meet him, either! After all, isn’t a ‘little Green’ sort of like a Greenie? And you know how much we love those!”)
This recipe is my gluten-free, anti-candida take on a recipe that The Nurse gave to me quite some time ago, for a Wine and Cheese Charlotte (a savory version of the classic dessert). I’ve had the recipe since I was in my teens, but hadn’t thought about it for decades.
Like so many young girls, as a teen I looked up to my older sister, who (at the time) seemed so much more worldly than I, so much wiser and more talented in so many areas (and who had naturally thick, blond hair that hung down past her waist, perhaps the major source of my teenage envy). I still do consider her a role model today–just not in the same areas that seemed so important to me back then.
When The Nurse was first married and began entertaining at her new home, I was barely out of high school. And while baking was already entrenched in my repertoire, I hadn’t quite made the leap to savory cooking at that point.
This charlotte featured prominently at a family brunch she threw while still a newlywed. It took center stage on the table, which practically heaved with platters of salad (pasta, potato, greens), smoked fish, deviled eggs, stuffed cherry tomatoes and all manner of cookies and sweet bars, which were cut into perfectly identical rectangles or diamonds (my sister’s specialty). At the time, the combination of soft buttered bread, soaked in a bath of eggs whipped with broth and wine, all tossed with grated Gruyère and baked until puffed and golden, was a revelation to my callow self. I couldn’t stop scooping mounds of the light, airy dish, strings of gooey Swiss stretching between the casserole and spoon as it made its way to my waiting plate. I requested the recipe and subsequently made that charlotte for dozens of my own dinner parties and social gatherings over the years.
Well, seemed to me that Amy’s shower would be the perfect occasion to break out this delectable dish once more!
My allergy-friendly version is a tad heavier but just as tasty and moreish. You’ll enjoy a pillowy, creamy, cheesy soufflée-like dish, perfect for spooning onto your plate beside any of the other appetizers and salads on offer at our shower table. And don’t forget the desserts–they all look fantastic as well. Let’s eat!
A kind of savory bread pudding, this charlotte is very reminsicent of soufflé, though a wee bit denser, and perfect for a party or brunch table. The combination of cashews, squash, dijon and apple cider vinegar mimic the flavors of wine and cheese admirably here. This is best served hot from the oven.
8-9 slices mildly-flavored bread (I used sourdough rice bread), cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) cubes–see note
3 cups (720 ml) vegetable stock or broth
1 heaping cup (140 g) raw cashews
1 cup (240 ml) squash or pumpkin purée (about 10 oz/290 g)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease an 8-cup (2 liter) casserole dish with coconut oil, or spray with nonstick spray.
Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside.
Bring the broth to a boil and turn off heat. Add the cashews to the pot and allow to soak for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place all remaining ingredients except for the bread in a blender. Add the cashews and broth and blend until smooth. You should have a very creamy liquid, but one that is easily pourable. If it’s too thick to pour, add a bit more broth.
Pour the cheese sauce over the bread in the bowl and toss gently to coat all the cubes. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, until the bread is mostly soaked through with the sauce (it’s okay if there’s excess sauce in the bowl).
Gently spoon the mixture (the bread may be fragile and crumble otherwise) into the casserole dish. If there is any cheese sauce left in the bowl, pour it over the bread in the casserole and smooth the top (the ratio of sauce to bread may seem high, but even more of it will be absorbed as the casserole bakes).
Bake 55-70 minutes in preheated oven, rotating the casserole dish about halfway through, until the charlotte is puffed and browned on top. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Makes 10-12 servings. May be frozen: freeze individual portions in freezerproof containers, then defrost overnight in the refrigerator before re-heating (about 30 minutes at 350F/180c; sprinkle with 1/4 cup extra broth if necessary when reheating).
Note: The exact number of bread slices you need will depend on how heavy your bread is; the rice sourdough I used is very heavy (8 slices weighed 15.5 ounces or 445 g). If you use a lighter bread (a regular sandwich-type loaf), you may need a couple more slices. The bread cubes should, ideally, soak up most of the “cheese” sauce before you transfer the mixture to your casserole dish.
And here’s a list of all the bloggers participating in our party. Be sure to check out what they’re all cooking up as well! (please note that not everyone on the list is vegan):
Hallie of Daily Bites: Mini Chocolate & Vanilla Pudding Parfaits
Can it really be the last weekend of the YEAR?! After last’s week’s Holiday Edition, I’m pleased to present you with our final Wellness Weekend event–the one that spans right into 2012!
And so, as we make our way out of 2011 (in our case, blanketed in snow, which arrived yesterday–sniff, boo hoo!), I wish you all a stellar end to the year. I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate your support each week, not only for this event (and I’m thrilled with the great response to it so far!), but for DDD in general, its recipes, ACD-related information, and, of course, The Girls’ musings.
I love hearing from you, whether in comments, by email, on Facebook, twitter or Pinterest–so please keep those comments, questions and reactions coming! I can’t wait to see what 2012 holds for all of us.
Here’s to another year together on DDD!
Hugs,
Ricki xo
And now, for last week’s highlighted recipes. . . .based on the theme, “made for sharing”:
Celery and Chestnut Soup from Green Gourmet Giraffe. I was never a fan of chestnuts until I made my own soup with them last year–and now this soup sounds totally dreamy to me!
Readers’ Choice, Sweet: Healthy Chocolate Truffles from Healthy Kitschy Vegan. With over 120 clicks on the linky, Danni’s easy raw truffles were clearly your top choice in this category last week!
Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with!
Please join us for Wellness Weekend 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. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL PER POST, PLEASE.
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 (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
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 don’t contain a link back to this post, 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.
Only one thumbnail per post, please. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
NOTE: A few of you have mentioned problems linking up in the past couple of weeks because of the backlink requirement. If the linky won’t work for you, please let me know so I can tell the Linky Tools owner and the problem can be fixed!
Holiday time is here! After waiting patiently throughout the year, this week people will celebrate Christmas and continue to celebrate Hanukkah. (Have you got all your shopping done yet? Me, neither).
It may be a cliché to say it, but blogging has truly changed my life, and I am so thankful that you’ve chosen to spend a bit of your precious time with me here during the past year. Thank you!
Happy holidays to each and every one of you. I look forward to sharing more great food, health information, stories and comments from The Girls over the next year!
And while I’m sure everyone is insanely busy with their own holiday celebrations, I decided to go ahead with Wellness Weekend this week just in case you have the chance to share some of your festive meals with everyone here. I loved seeing all your entries from last week, with so many already in the holiday spirit!
Enjoy your time with friends and family, and have a great holiday season!
xo Ricki
Some highlights from last week, based on the theme of “holiday veggies”:
Readers’ Choice, Savory: Low Fat Hummus from Healthy Kitschy Vegan. Wonderfully spiced, with a secret ingredient and no oil!
Readers’ Choice, Sweet: Black Bean Chocolate Mint Cookies from Janet at The Taste Space. I just posted my own version of these, so I can attest that they’re yummy!
Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with!
Please join us for Wellness Weekend 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. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL PER POST, PLEASE.
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 (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
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 don’t contain a link back to this post, 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.
Only one thumbnail per post, please. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
NOTE: A few of you have mentioned problems linking up in the past couple of weeks because of the backlink requirement. If the linky won’t work for you, please let me know so I can tell the Linky Tools owner and the problem can be fixed!
No, you’re not imagining: here I am again, a mere day after my previous post–and proffering yet another holiday-themed recipe! I know: totally out of character. But it’s the holidays!
I mean, doesn’t this happen to you, too? You’re invited to a plethora of holiday parties and events; and, since you really want to see all your friends and family, you accept every invitation with the best of intentions. Then, the weekend arrives and–ack!!–not only do you have seventeen shindigs to attend on the same day, you’ve also got your own holiday cooking and baking to take care of as well! You frantically attempt to juggle all your commitments, guzzling a bit of eggnog here and a bite of a cheese ball there before racing off to the next soirée.
(No? You mean it’s just me?).
Well, when Marly (of Namely Marly) and Allyson (of Manifest:Vegan) sent out a request a while back for bloggers to participate in their Virtual Vegan Holiday potluck dinner, how could I refuse such a good party? I offered to bring along an appetizer, then set about searching through my recipes for a tried-and-true favorite. (And don’t forget to check out all the other courses being served up by other bloggers today–full list at the end of this post!).
This carrot pâté is a longtime favorite of mine, and one I’ve been serving at special occasions since my twenties. When I first started serving this at dinner parties, the recipe contained something like 4 eggs and mayonnaise; I revamped it to a vegan version over a decade ago and have been refining it ever since. It’s a fabulous offering for a cocktail party, potluck dinner, or buffet table. Just place your unmolded pâté on a serving platter and allow people to shave off their own slices (be sure to tell them it’s not cheddar cheese–something my guests seem to assume in alarming numbers!). Leftovers are great on toast the next day (in fact, I’ve been known to slather some on an Oatmeal Poppyseed Scone for breakfast–sort of like a carrot jam), in a sandwich for lunch, or as an afternoon snack with crackers.
Because the carrots are first boiled, then baked, they release their natural sweetness and become meltingly soft, almost custard-like, when blended with the other ingredients. I enjoy the hint of thyme in this pâté, but if you’re not a fan, just leave it out or substitute with another favorite herb (I think tarragon would be superb in this, or a pinch of nutmeg).
I actually posted an earlier iteration of the recipe, waaaay back when this blog was still a young’un, but since there were only, like, eight of you reading at that time (okay, I just went back and checked: it was 12 of you), I thought it prudent to post it again, updated for the ACD; I also added a kick of spice in this version, courtesy of either sriracha or chili flakes. Besides, I felt obliged to shoot a new photo so that you wouldn’t assume the pâté was truly the same shade of neon orange that appears in the first picture. . . oh, wait a sec. Scratch that last comment.
Okay, so maybe it does have an electric orange hue. But I promise you, you will love this pâté. Just think of the color as lively, energetic, festive. . . inviting. Sort of makes you want to party, doesn’t it?
“Mum, we like to party, too, you know! And by ‘party,” we mean ‘eat some of that pâté,’ of course! Thanks for making recipe, too, Mum–we were getting nervous with all of that chocolate around the past few days.”
Carrot Pâté (Suitable for ACD Stage 2 and Beyond)
Unlike a traditional pâté, this carrot spread is smooth, creamy, and light–almost like a dense custard. The flavor is a tantalizing combination of sweet, tangy and spicy, and works perfectly with crackers or hearty bread.
1 pound (about 455 g) carrots, trimmed and peeled (6-8 large carrots)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
2 Tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp (30 ml) light or white mellow miso*
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) dried thyme or about 1 tsp (5 ml) fresh (I used 3 stalks)
1 package (12 ounces/375 g) extra-firm silken tofu (I used Mori-Nu)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) potato starch
1 tsp (5 ml) sriracha (for ACD Stage 3 or later) or 1/4 tsp (1 ml) chili flakes (for ACD Stage 2 or later)
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh parsley or cilantro leaves
Preheat oven to 325F (170C). Spray four individual ramekins or 3 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray, or line with parchment. Place the ramekins or pans on a cookie sheet and set aside.
Place the carrots in a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to the boil over high heat. Lower heat slightly and cook until the carrots are just tender, 7-10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
Place the carrots and remaining ingredients in a powerful blender (I use a VitaMix) or food processor and blend until perfectly smooth and no traces of tofu are visible.
Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. Bake (on the cookie sheet) in preheated oven for 50-65 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet about halfway through, until the pâté is puffed slightly and the top appears dry.
Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. To unmold, invert ramekin on a serving plate and shake once to loosen the pâté (if it doesn’t come out easily, run a sharp knife along the edge of the ramekin before unmolding). Garnish with more fresh herbs if desired. Serve with crackers or bread. Makes 10-12 appetizer servings. Will keep, covered in the refrigerator, up to 4 days.
* Note: you can replace the miso with cashew butter, tahini, or another nut butter if you like; I sometimes use half miso and half cashew butter for a creamier result.
Here’s the rest of the Virtual Vegan Holiday Dinner Lineup:
What?! It’s DECEMBER already?? Besides being behind on my holiday shopping, holiday menus, holiday decorating–well, holiday everything–I’m totally in the holiday spirit!
And You?
Actually, seems like many of you got a head start on the festivities in last week’s Wellness Weekend! We had a great selection of Thanksgiving foods, many of which would look great on your Christmas or Hannukah table as well.
So without further ado, here are some highlights from last week’s event on the theme of holidays:
Thanksgiving Quinoa from My Munchable Musings. I think this dish would work well on any holiday table, Thanksgiving or otherwise!
And something new for Reader’s Choice:
I love dessert as much as the next person (well, actually, more than the next person, since my “next person” is the HH), but I do want the focus of this event to be on healthy foods of all kinds! Of course we can make our desserts healthier (and you folks seem to excel at it), but we should give our veggies some lovin’ too! So, starting this week, I’ll be featuring two Reader’s Choice dishes each week–one sweet, and one savory!
This week, with your clicks, you’ve chosen the following two recipes from last week’s event:
Sweet:Roughly Raw Pumpkin Pie from The Palate Peacemaker. Desi does it again with a great recipe, gorgeous photo and thoughtful text.
Savory:Baked Nut Cheese from Triumph Wellness. Emily took the classic Almond Feta and made it her own.
Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with!
Please join us for Wellness Weekend 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. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL PER POST, PLEASE.
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 (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
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 don’t contain a link back to this post, 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.
Only one thumbnail per post, please. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
NOTE: A few of you have mentioned problems linking up in the past couple of weeks because of the backlink requirement. If the linky won’t work for you, please let me know so I can tell the Linky Tools owner and the problem can be fixed!
Before I get to tonight’s Wellness Weekend, I’ve got some winners to announce-how could I have forgotten this yesterday?!
Five lucky DDD readers will each receive a package of Cocoa Cardio, the antioxidant-enhanced cocoa powder that I’ve been enjoying pretty much daily every since the fine folks at iHerb sent me a sample.
Here are the five winners, chosen at random:
Molly, who wrote: “i would love to try cococardio!”;
Liz,who said, “I have never had a MadreLabs product but I love that it’s Non-Alkalized and that it has beets in it! What a great thing to include to start your morning. Thanks for reminding me about buckwheat bakes – I need to make them again!”;
Ashley, who commented, “Happy to hear you were able to retrieve most of your files! That’s the worst part about computers crashing. Your buckwheat bake looks delicious! Those have been on my list of things to make for a while.”;
Kate, who told us: “I love all things chocolate so I’d love to try this product!!”; and
Keith, who wrote, “It’s CHOCOLATE. Which means love. And oh, it’s healthy too.”
CONGRATULATIONS to all five of you! Please send me your full names and mailing addresses (at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom) so that I can forward them to iHerb, who will mail out your Cocoa Cardio! (Please be sure to sign up on the iHerb site first).
And speaking of giveaways, don’t forget about the gluten free cookbook prize (The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen by Laura Russell) over at Cook it Allergy Free, as part of this week’s Gluten Free Holiday 2011 event!
Now, on to this week’s event! Last week’s entries were, as usual, a great mix of sweet, savory, and all types of comestibles from juice to appetizers to main courses to desserts. I’ve chosen four fave recipes on the theme of “Memorable Eats” in honor of Remembrance Day, which is tomorrow:
Raw Nori Nachos from the Palate Peacemaker. I loved the unusual pairing of ingredients!
Collard Greens with Tahini from City/Life/Eats. Collards are one of my favorite greens–these sound great (and check out Valerie’s lovely new site design while you’re there!).
Thank you to every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. Looking forward to the next batch of amazing recipes!
Please join us for Wellness Weekend 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. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL PER POST, PLEASE.
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 (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
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 don’t contain a link back to this post, 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.
Only one thumbnail per post, please. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
I’m from the generation that was raised on soap operas. In fact, I first learned to watch soaps at my mother’s knee (no, seriously: the TV was perched on her dresser at the foot of the bed; she sat on the bed, and I, on the floor. . . at her knee). When I was a child, she watched Edge of Night; then Secret Storm. As a teen, I remember my mom’s daily soap trilogy of Days of Our Lives, Another World, and General Hospital blaring as she did the ironing, folded laundry, or ate her lunch in front of the TV.
Up until it went off the air a couple of years ago, I loved watching my favorite soap as well. Since its demise, I’ve barely watched any television at all (though some might suggest that’s a good thing). My weekday evenings would go something like this: walk the dogs, prep dinner, catch up with the HH, clear up the kitchen together. Retreat upstairs to the TV room where I’d snuggle in to my favorite armchair, feet tucked under me and a steaming cup of herbal tea in my hand. Flick on the PVR and start the day’s episode. Gaze with anticipation at the screen; adjust the volume as the credits roll. Sit back and savor every one of the 42 minutes of the show.
Unless, of course, it was a day when this happened:
Voice Over Announcer: The role of Mary Montgomery will now be played by [some unknown actress's name].
Didn’t you hate when they did that? Poof!–Just like that–one of your favorite characters could become. . . somebody else!
Sometimes, the show didn’t even bother to find a successor who resembled the original actor (as when Peter Bergman replaced Terry Lester as Jack) or–the apex of “please suspend your disbelief”–when they replaced Anne Heche, who had assumed the role of identical twins Marly and Vicky, with two separate actresses who were not only different somatotypes, but also about six inches apart in height.
On the other hand, there are plenty of occasions when a stand-in might just surpass the original. Do you know the story of how Shirley Maclaine got her start on Broadway? Toiling as an unknown understudy to Carol Haney in The Pyjama Game, Maclaine leapt to fame when she replaced Haney at the last minute after the star broke her ankle. The rest, as they say, is history. (And have any of you heard of Carol Haney since then? I didn’t think so). Similarly, I’d say that the unnamed actor’s moves in Flashdance (that eye-popping finale in front of the dance academy judges at the end of the film) certainly outshone anything Beals herself could have done. And who didn’t think that the body double for Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman was infinitely more appealing in those thigh-high boots than the somewhat equine Ms. Roberts herself?
Well, this past weekend was a bit of a whirlwind for the HH and me, one that involved its own stand-in of sorts. After a final celebratory brunch at Fresh in honor of my birthday (don’t you just love a birthday that lasts almost a month?), I threw a little dinner for my office mate, who married his long-time sweetheart a couple of months back. Interestingly, while the number of couples opting for cohabitation continues to increase yearly, Mr. Mate is the second person over 40 that I know who tied the knot recently. (Is there some tax loophole for “legally married in middle age” that the HH and I should know about?).
Our dinner party menu was a truly eclectic affair, with food geared both toward the omnis among us (ie, everyone except me) and a few choice morsels from my vegan repertoire, selected specifically to wow the guests (I didn’t want to overwhelm those folks with a full-on ACD menu; we do want them to come back, after all). So I served these sushi rolls as appetizers, which everyone gobbled up with glee.
Now, I’ve mentioned before that the HH and I used to enjoy a weekly lunch date, which began after I switched my diet from the SAD to the NAG (luckily, those acronyms apply to my eating habits rather than describing me in general). Every Tuesday, we’d meet for sushi: the HH savored his chunks o’ raw seafood, while I relished my beloved veggie maki. For several years, all was well with the Ricki-HH world. (“And our world, too, Mum! Except we weren’t crazy about you leaving us for two whole hours once a week. What’s up with that?“).
Once I reverted to the strict ACD in March, 2009, sushi was off the table–literally. I wasn’t permitted even a minute amount of sugar (used to season sushi rice), and of course the (white, refined) sushi rice was also forbidden. Wahhhh! Instead, I frequently turned to one of my favorite substitutes, raw nori rolls, which I could make at home whenever I craved sushi. Unfortunately, this dietary change also means that my lunch dates with the HH have been put on hold indefinitely since then. (“But Mum, now you have more time with us! How’s that for a bonus??”).
When I came upon Gena’s recipe for raw sushi “rice,” I knew I’d have to give it a try in lieu of my usual rolls. And a bonus for me (besides all that extra time with The Girls) is that it’s made from parsnips–this month’s SOS ingredient! Knowing I could depend on Gena for a recipe that was both reliable and delicious, I went ahead and rolled up a huge batch.
Incredibly easy to make, this sushi rice evokes a distinct Asian palate with a novel combination of ingredients. When raw, parsnips are mildly flavored and don’t overpower the other seasonings; they provide the perfect foil for any vegetables you choose to surround with ”rice,” all wrapped in a glossy, chewy, umami nori sheet. The beauty of this recipe is that you can pair the “rice” with any filling you fancy. The HH and I first enjoyed some simple rolls with just “rice,” avocado and tomato on the first night we tried them. For my guests, I added cucumber, carrot and green onion to the mix. I also drizzled a little sriracha over the top of the veggies before rolling–a great way to provide the “oomph” of wasabi paste when you don’t have the actual wasabi at home (though I’m definitely going to try these again using pickled ginger and wasabi for a more traditional “sushi” experience). I’d even try the “rice” on its own or with other toppings as part of a dinner bowl rather than rolled in sushi–I think it could stand up well on its own.
My office mate and his new bride adored these little bites, as do the HH and I. They had no idea what was in them, except that it wasn’t rice; and they certainly didn’t realize that our appetizers were both ACD friendly and vegan. In fact, I’m already planning for the plant-based replacement I’ll use in our main course, next time.
Raw Sushi with Parsnip “Rice” (adapted from Choosing Raw)
I hope everyone had a great Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend (even if you’re not Canadian–we Canucks are generous that way).
As always, I was amazed by the variety and creativity of the recipes you submitted last week. I’ve decided to go with a different, specific theme to choose my faves each week, so that I’m not swayed by my favorite foods too much (ie, chocolate!). This week, the theme I used to choose my favorites is “Ingredients I don’t have in my kitchen” (next week’s will be different and I won’t decide until all the entries are in!).
Ginger Sesame Soba Noodles from Cupcakes and Kale. I am a huge soba fan from way back. . .now if only I could find some totally gluten-free ones, I’d be a happy camper!
I’m looking forward to seeing what you cook up this week!
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. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL PER POST, PLEASE.
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 (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
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.
Only one thumbnail per post, please. If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE read the guidelines before posting!
This weekend marks Canadian Thanksgiving (October 10), and, therefore, a very special Wellness Weekend! I’m looking forward to all your submissions, of course, but am really curious to see what my fellow Canadians are cooking up for the holiday (and if you need some suggestions, see today’s earlier post).
As usual, last week brought a huge array of fabulous recipes and my “to-try” list is near bursting! Some of the highlights from last week’s event were:
Raw Lavender Blueberry Bars from Hunter’s Lyonesse. I may not be a lavender fan, but these bars looked stupendous–and they’re raw, a bonus!
AND. . .Since the top two were so close this week, I decided to mention the runner up as well:
Carrot Cake Pancakes from The Healing Kitchen! Pancakes with cream cheese frosting/topping? My kinda breakfast!
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!
Have you been keeping up with Vegan MoFo? Now that I've backed out of the festivities because I knew I couldn't keep up--well, here I am, posting virtually every day in October thus far! With our Ontario elections today (go out and vote, people!) and our Thanksgiving coming up (stay home and eat, people!), I'm pretty sure this bombarding-you-with-a-blog-post-a-day foolishness will come to an end asap (though don't forget to come back tonight for this week's Wellness Weekend, of course!)
In any case, I couldn't let the weekend arrive without offering my picks for Thanksgiving-appropriate recipes for the big weekend. My own feast menu is almost crystallized, but sadly, I won't get the recipes posted until after the holiday--but hey, you can always use those for the next celebration (and believe me, you will want to save that dessert recipe for just that purpose. Swoon.).
For those of you who haven't yet finalized all your dishes, welcome to my world here are some suggestions for what might work at your Thanksgiving table. And don't forget there are more anti-candida friendly recipes in my Anti-Candida Feast ebook (specifically holiday-themed), Desserts without Compromise and Good Morning! Breakfasts.
And to all my Canadian brethren, hope you have a fantastic long weekend. And if you've got a favorite Thanksgiving recipe to share, please leave a link in the comments section!
Happy Thanksgiving, all!
[NOTE: Not all recipes below are anti-candida friendly and/or gluten free. Where I've added "A," it indicates ACD-friendly; "GF" indicates gluten free. Other recipes contain spelt or barley flour, or other natural sweeteners (maple syrup, Sucanat, etc.). You can replace Sucanat with coconut sugar to render many of these ACD-friendly. ]
In other news. . . my Meaty Vegan Lasagna recipe is one of eleven featured today on The Huffington Post Canada–yahoo! Hope you’ll check it out (and click on the “Rate It!” button to the right of the recipe to vote for me!)
“Happy Thanksgiving! To us that just means more time to play with our humans! (And more treat, of course!).”
xo
It’s also going to Allergy-Friendly Wednesdays.
