["You know what they say about an apple a day, right, Mum?"]
Okay. . . now that you’ve all stopped laughing at the rudimentary blog badge I created above (thanks to all on Facebook who recommended Picnik. . . talk about a steep learning curve), it’s time to introduce the event!
With the SOS on hiatus until September, though, I realized that I’ll really miss having a recipe sharing event! So to tide us all over until then, I’m introducing a new weekly event on my blog: Summer Wellness Weekends! It’s my own little locale where I’ll invite you all to share recipes that you made during the previous week, ones that contain ingredients known to support good health (and of course you’re invited to participate even if it’s not summer where you are right now!).
As you probably know if you’ve read this blog for any length of time, I promote a sugar-free, gluten-free, whole foods, vegan diet. But as a Holistic Nutritionist, I know that what I eat isn’t always the healthiest option for everyone else.
So here’s what you need to know to participate (PLEASE READ THESE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE LINKING UP):
The event will occur once a week, starting on Thursday evenings and running until Monday evenings throughout the summer.
Simply link up a recipe you made (and posted about) within the past week that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). Use the Linky Tool at the bottom of the page.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page.
You may submit more than one recipe, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually.
Please be sure to mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
As always, I hate to remove links, but will do so if they don’t comply with the guidelines.
What your recipe CAN contain:
Any good-for-you, whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT! Any real food ingredients that are sugarfree and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, mushrooms, nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.)
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey)
During the summer, it’s so easy to create healthy dishes with the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables! And even if it’s not summer where you are, there are still loads of foods that could be considered good for your health and contain natural ingredients.
I can’t wait to see what y’all mix up!
“Sounds great, Mum! So, can I eat that apple now?”
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
[Summer has finally arrived, which means time for playing outdoors, fresh food, girls in bikinis. . . and giveaways! I've received several great products for review and giveaway the past few months, so I decided to catch up by offering a summer series--I'll be giving away something every week this month! Here's this week's "Giveaway Gone Wild."]
[Strawberry, kale, protein powder, chia and rice milk smoothie.]
It’s no secret that I love breakfast (I even wrote an entire ebook about the meal), and smoothies are one of my very favorite breakfasts–they’re a delicious, nutritious way to start the day that’s also quick and easy (and who among us doesn’t love quick and easy? At least, that’s what my old boyfriend, Rocker Guy–he of the black leather pants–used to tell me).
A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to receive a sample from Strawesome, “the original glass drinking straw.” The beauty of a glass straw, of course, is manifold: first, it’s totally eco-friendly; reusable, non-plastic (and, therefore, also completely free of BPA or other toxins that can be associated with plastic).
[My typical breakfast green smoothie]
Second, Strawesome straws are made of nonporous, ultra-strong glass (the same kind that’s used for Pyrex and space shuttles!), so there’s no worry about it chipping, breaking, or fracturing in the dishwasher (and totally dishwasher safe). And while it’s still glass (and therefore not indestructible), the folks at Strawesome offer a Lifetime Guarantee for each of their handmade straws–if you ever do notice chipping, cracking, or any other breakage, you can request a replacement straw for no charge. Nonporous glass also means that it’s chemically inert (that is, won’t trigger any kind of allergic reaction) and doesn’t absorb germs, bacteria, or other microorganisms that might live in the minute pores and scratches of a plastic straw.
Third, Strawesome straws are great for kids. Their colorful, fun styles and shapes are a perfect way to encourage otherwise reluctant little ones to sip on a fruity (or perhaps vegetabley?) drink. Children love the fact that they make drinking easier and that they can be taken along wherever they go.
[Now, isn't this a beautiful way to start your day?]
Finally, Strawesome straws are beautiful! Each Decorated straw is adorned with a handmade glass accent that’s as unique as your morning green smoothie (or whatever flavor you choose). And how great would it be to own a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork–that can also help you consume healthy beverages?
I made a few simple drinks with my straws and was delighted with both the size and decoration. Somehow, drinking through a straw makes every beverage look and taste that much better. In fact, it felt like a luxury to sip a thick, fruity smoothie through a lovely, sturdy, Strawesome straw.
THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
And now, Strawesome has offered to give away agreed to give a straw similar to mine (8-inch, straight straw) away to one lucky DDD reader (since no two are exactly alike, they can’t promise an identical straw).
Note: this giveaway is for Canadian residents only–apologies to all my international readers! (But thereARE a few other giveaways open to everyone at the moment–see below!)
Here’s how to enter this week’s giveaway: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
1. Go to the Strawesome page and tell me which straw you like best in a comment, below.
2. All the usual suspects: “Like” Strawesome on Facebook; follow them on twitter; subscribe to this blog; “Like” DDD on Facebook; follow me on twitter. For each entry, come back and tell me that you did so.
The giveaway will run until Friday, June 17th at midnight my time, after which I’ll randomly choose a winner. Be sure to come back next week to see if you won!
OTHER DDD-RELATED GIVEAWAYS & EVENTS CURRENTLY RUNNING:
Iris over at The Daily Dietribe is offering a copy of my new ebook, Good Morning! Desserts without Gluten, Sugar, Eggs or Dairy (until June 28th). To read Iris’s lovely review and enter, click here.
Sweet Freedom is on sale for the summer! I negotiated a one-time discount with my publisher and have 150 books to sell–at the lowest price, ever, for the book! You can also combine the hard copy with any one of my ebooks for further discounts. Details here.
And for those of you in the Toronto area, I’ll be teaching an “Anti-Candida Feasting” cooking class at the Body-Mind Centre in Maple (Keele and Major Mackenzie) on Thursday, June 16th at 6:00-8:00. I’d love to see some of you there! (For full details or to register, click on the “News and Events” tab and scroll down).
[Quick Chocolate-Mint "Milkshake"]
Quick Chocolate-Mint “Milkshake”
suitable for ACD all stages
This is a quick and easy shake recipe that’s great to sip on while you read yor favorite magazine or watch your favorite TV show. The addition of tahini contributes a good hit of calcium (one tablespoon of tahini provides 6% of your daily requirement).
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened rice, soy, almond or hemp milk
1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) raw cacao nibs (or use unsweetened carob chips for ACD Stage One)
20-40 fresh mint leaves, to your taste (will depend on the size of the leaves–I used 40 spearmint leaves)
10-15 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia
1 heaping Tbsp (20 ml) tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender (such as a Vita-Mix) and blend until perfectly smooth. If using a conventional blender, grind the chia seeds in a coffee grinder to a fine powder before adding to the blender. Pour into a tall glass (ideally, with a Strawesome straw!) and sip away. Makes one large serving.
The wonderful folks at iHerb have, once again, offered a $50 shopping spree to one lucky DDD winner! (iHerb is an online shop for all of your supplement and health-food needs. They carry an extensive array of products that you can order for delivery to your home). Read all the details about the giveaway at the bottom of this post (look down. . . .look waaaaay down), but first I want to share my review of the latest products they sent to me: nutritional powders from Madre Labs.
As soon as I read the ingredients list on the Midori Greens jar from Madre Labs, I was in love. I mean, which holistic nutritionist doesn’t want to read the words, “freeze dried marine phytoplankton”? (Okay, we holistic nutritionists are weird that way). But I’ve been taking spirulina (another type of green algae) with my flax and/or chia daily for almost a decade (what the HH calls “Green Slime,” though Chaser loves the stuff) and was more than ready for a little change of pace. And the Midori Greens offered some truly heavy-duty antioxidant superfoods.
Ingredients include organic Japanese matcha green tea (and you know how much I love my matcha tea–as I mentioned here); wildcrafted wasabi; organic ashitaba (Angelica Keiskei Koidzme), which is also known as the “king of vegetables” and “longevity herb”; organic field-grown whole grass blend (with wheatgrass, barleygrass and alfalfa); herb & vegetable leaf blend (Nettles, Parsley, Kale & Spinach); aqua-marine blend (Chlorella & Freeze Dried Marine Phytoplankton); and beet juice powder. These are all amazing ingredients with fierce antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are known to help keep your cells in optimum condition, to keep your immune function strong and to counteract health-depleting free radicals.
In fact, all of Madre Labs products are made with the highest quality whole ingredients, and it’s clear that these guys have done their homework. Their “superfood and nutraceutical” line includes “nutrigenomics”–that is, “the study of how the foods we consume affect our genes and how individual genetic differences can affect the way we respond to nutrients. . . in the foods we eat.” In other words, they believe in using “food as medicine”–exactly the way holistic nutritionists (such as yours truly) do.
The other powder I tried, Acai Heart, contains more familiar ingredients that are all superstars when it comes to supporting heart health: acai berries, pomegranate, freeze-dried beet juice, and a resveratrol blend (the antioxidant found in red wine–though of course there’s no alcohol in this powder!). Mixed with some frozen strawberries, almond milk, chia seeds and stevia, it made a refreshing afternoon imbibement:
Ah, but back to the greens powder! I must admit to you all that I wasn’t exactly enamored of the taste when I tried to drink it on its own (or mixed with simple juice or almond milk). I know that other reviewers have found the taste “neutral,” but something about my tastebuds could really sense the earthy, slightly bitter wheatgrass undertones (I actually really enjoy freshly squeezed wheatgrass juice, but the freezedried flavor doesn’t agree with me). What to do? My desire to benefit from the amazing nutritional qualities of the powder overruled my initial gustatory reluctance. I decided that I had to find a way to create a smoothie that I loved using the Midori Greens.
And guess what? I SUCCEEDED! This combination of the powder, raw cacao powder, avocado and mesquite is a perfect cloak for the greens. All you’ll taste is a slightly chocolate, slightly malted, sweet and appealing drink.
And your cells, no doubt, will thank you.
Chocolate Malted Smoothie
A great mid-afternoon pick-me-up or a rich, creamy dessert. Add ice for a cool summer sipper out on the patio.
1/2 just-ripe avocado, peeled and cut in chunks
1/2 fresh or frozen pear, cut in chunks (I used frozen for a very rich, creamy texture)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw cacao powder (you can use regular cocoa, but the flavor will be more bitter)
1 tsp (5 ml) mesquite powder
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds (see note)
1-1/3 cups (320 ml) plain or vanilla unsweetened almond milk or soy milk
15-25 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1 scoop Madre Labs Midori Greens powder, or your favorite greens powder
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Drink immediately. Makes 1 large or 2 smaller servings.
NOTE: If you don’t have a high-powered blender, grind the chia seeds in a coffee grinder before adding them to the blender.
GIVEAWAY TIME!
The lovely folks at iHerb are offering a $50 shopping spree PLUS a jar of either Midori Greens OR Acai Heart to one lucky DDD reader!
The contest is open worldwide, as long as iHerb ships to your country–whoo hoo! (You can check the iHerb website to see if they ship to your home country). International readers, please note: if there are any extra customs fees or duties on your prize, you will be responsible for paying them. I have received several packages from iHerb sent via air mail over the past 2 years (I’m in Canada) and have never been charged extra fees or duties).
Here’s how to enter:
First entry:
To be eligible to enter the giveaway, you’ll need to register at iHerb. It’s free and there’s no obligation to buy anything. Just go here and sign up. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me that you did so.
Second and subsequent entries:
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following:
Browse through the Madre Labs page on iHerb, then come back here and tell me which product you think has the weirdest-sounding ingredient (I thought “freeze dried marine phytoplankton” was pretty good) [UPDATE: I've been going through the comments so far and am loving the ingredients you've all found--giggling like crazy over here!];
Browse through the rest of the iHerb site, then come back here and tell me what you’d buy with your $50 shopping spree if you win;
Follow me on twitter, then come back and leave a comment telling me you did so (I will receive an email notice that you signed up); or tweet about this giveaway on twitter (use @rickiheller so I’ll see it);
“Like” the DDD page on Facebook, then come back here and leave a comment telling me you did so;
“Like” the iHerb page on Facebook, then come back here and leave a comment telling me you did so;
Follow iHerb on twitter, then come back here and leave a comment telling me you did so;
Subscribe to Diet, Dessert and Dogs via RSS feed or email (email option is just below the “Choose Your Reader” box), then come back and tell me that you did so.
The contest will remain open until midnight my time on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011, after which I’ll randomly choose a winner and announce it on the blog. Please note: it’s up to you to check whether or not you won, then contact me if you did. I”m sorry, but I will not be emailing the winner. If the winner doesn’t claim her/his prize within a week, I’ll choose someone else.
With all the chaos over my dad’s heart attack earlier this month, I’ve been a little distracted and just yesterday, I realized that I’d forgotten to mention a few things I wanted to tell you all about! So today’s post is dedicated to catching up: think of it as a coffee klatch, except with my favorite green tea instead, of course (perhaps a “Matcha Klatch”?)
["I'm glad to hear that your Alpha Dad is doing better, Mum!"]
I. Blogger Lunch Meetup:
The most important event that slipped under the blog radar was the fabulous bloggers’ lunch meetup that Maggie of She Let Them Eat Cake and I organized at Fressen way back on March 5th. Since three weeks have already passed (shame on me!), I won’t bore you by repeating all the details; you can read a detailed, eloquent and comprehensive review of the event on Lisa’s blog. Besides, my little point-and-shoot camera was being temperamental and none of my photos came out, as you can see here:
[Possibly some food-like substances, but we can't be sure. . . ]
But I did want to say how much I enjoyed meeting other bloggers (Ashley, Kristin, Lisa, and my co-host Maggie), Kristin’s sister Shelley and reader Amy (thanks for re-checking the details when I’d forgotten to update the announcement page, Amy!).
[Amy, Lisa and Ashley. Thanks for the photo, Lisa!]
Unfortunately, the venue wasn’t all we’d hoped for–Fressen seems to be past its prime these days. The food was mediocre, there were precious few gluten free options, and service left a lot to be desired. Still, the glitches didn’t dampen our spirits (even the torrential rains didn’t do that), and we enjoyed almost three hours of lively conversation, laughing, sharing ideas about recipes, writing, blogging (of course), volunteering, travel, good food, careers, children, and relationships.
It was such a treat to meet the other women there. And while I wouldn’t recommend Fressen again, I would certainly recommend lunch with any or all of these lovely ladies!
I’m really excited about this new ebook, both because breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and also because of the fantastic feedback I’ve received from my intrepid testers (whom I can’t praise enough!). The recipes include classic breakfast fare like pancakes, waffles, muffins and granola, as well as many savory options, some innovative dishes, and several fruit and nut-based toppings.
[Whole Grain Waffles with Quick Blueberry Topping]
Because of the delay in launching the book, I’ve decided to offer a special discount to anyone who pre-orders by April 3rd!
If you place your order via the “Buy Now” button on this page, your order will be charged by PayPal for the discounted price of $9.95 US, and you will automatically receive the book as soon as it’s ready (I will be sending them out myself–and preorders will be at the top of the list). You’ll be one of the first to receive the completed ebook on April 4th! After April 3rd, the cost will increase to the regular price of $12.95 US.
For a full description of the ebook and photos of the recipes, click here.
III. A Dinnertime TV Gig: Be Sure to Tune in to In the Know on Wednesday, March 30th!
For those of you in the Greater Toronto Area, tune in to Rogers Cable Channel 63 on Wednesday, March 30th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM to see me on In the Know alongside host Julia Suppa for a chat about Living with Food Restrictions. The show will cover several topics related to food restrictions, including reasons to eliminate some foods (allergies, special diets, etc), how to substitute for forbidden foods, common allergens, the anti-candida diet, and more. The show is live and you can call in your questions–so if you’re nearby, please do call in and ask away!
Finally, it’s time for another installment of DDD in Your Kitchen–one of my favorite regular events, featuring all the DDD recipes you’ve made your own. I love to see all the adaptations and variations people create from the recipes and, of course, the feedback you provide.
Thanks to all of you who try out the recipes and let me know what you think. If you made a DDD recipe in the past few weeks and it hasn’t appeared here, please let me know so I can add you to the list.
Andrea made the Chocolate Buttercream again, this time on a golden cake for guests (check out the gorgeous looking cake—looks like snowflakes!); and Maggie tried it out as well;
Thanks to everyone who submitted a stevia-based recipe for February’s SOS Kitchen Challenge! As always, we received a stellar collection of recipes.
Here’s the “Sweet”:
Kim and I were blown away by the creativity in the “sweet” section of the event this past month. While I have added every single recipe to my “to try” list, some that stood out as particularly enticing were
We also had a submission from reader Jess, who made my Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles for her sweetie on Valentine’s Day. Check out the amazing presentation:
Aren’t they beautiful? I bet they’d win anyone’s heart!
And now, for the “Savory”. . . .
Um. . . well, er. . . what the–HUH??
It appears that there was only one savory recipe in the list apart from my own Crunchy Green Salad! I guess most people consider stevia a “sweet-only” ingredient, but if you think about all the savory recipes made with a dash of sugar or honey, you’ll begin to understand the wide range of recipes that can include stevia. I hope you’ll try out some savory variations in the future!
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's "no fuss." I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
[THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!]
If you take a gander through this blog’s archives, you will notice that there are certain ingredients–while fairly common in North America and even beloved by many–that don’t often appear in my recipes. For instance, you won’t find much pomegranate, buttercup (aka kabocha) squash, persimmon or fresh fennel (though that last one is about to change since I recently discovered that I now I like it).
Mostly, the paucity of recipes is caused by my reluctance to use those foods mixed in with other ingredients. I love them so much that I want to experience their uniqueness without distraction or interference, sort of the way the HH listens to classical music (he is one of those rare individuals who actually sits still and listens to music. . . while doing nothing else at the same time).
For me, pineapple falls into this “I want you all to myself” category as well. Consequently, I was particularly excited to reach the second stage of the ACD because it meant re-introducing a few fruits–apples, pears, berries–plus pineapple, one of just two so-called “sweet” fruits (along with papaya) that are permitted because they contain digestive enzymes (bromelain in pineapple and papain in papaya). This means they don’t encourage a lot of fermentation, which can lead to more yeast.
As soon as I was “allowed,” I bought the largest, most fragrant green and gold pineapple I could find, toted it home, then trimmed and sliced it. I sat down at the table as if I were about to listen to my own classical concert, then slowly savored each and every chunk, happily slurping the sweet, tart pieces as the juices trailed down my chin and over my fingers. (The Girls were also pleased to share the fruuit’s core, with plenty of their own slurping going on as well). Pure, clean, and absolutely gratifying.
Then, last week while chatting about favorite juice combos on the DDD Facebook page, a reader mentioned pineapple as an ingredient she often used. I got to thinking that I really needed to expand my culinary horizons a little and take the leap to allow eating pineapple in some other way than merely on the tip of my fork.
What I came up with was a smoothie (okay, maybe not as great a leap as, say, eloping, or gender reassignment, or quitting my job to become a circus acrobat, but a leap nonetheless). The result was this heavenly breakfast concoction that combines all my favorite ingredients from a classic carrot cake.
While I kept this recipe fairly light on greens, on a typical morning I normally include double or more of what I mention here. But if you’re new to greens in smoothies, you might like to start with the lower end of the leafy spectrum.
The smoothie made a refreshing and satisfying breakfast, and is also a great way to use up leftover cooked carrots. And, of course, it’s a way for me to expand the number of recipes containing pineapple on the blog.
DDD In Your Kitchen this Month:
Wow, you folks have been cooking up a storm! I love when readers make my recipes and tell me about it. Here’s a list of the culinary creations you’ve made in the past few weeks based on DDD recipes.
If you’ve tried a recipe and I miss it here, please let me know about it in the comments and I’d be happy to add it next time.
As always, thanks to everyone for letting me know how you like the recipes! I love hearing from you.
And finally, A WEEKEND GIVEAWAY:
[THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!]
While shopping at my favorite health food store today, I came across a sale on my favorite chocolate bars. My immediate thought was, “Yay–chocolate!” (because that’s what I always think every time I see chocolate), immediately followed by, ”Oh, wait, I can’t eat these particular bars” (as they contain evaporated cane juice). But before I could shed a tear, it occurred to me: that doesn’t mean that some of YOU can’t enjoy these bars! So I scooped up four of them, and want to send one each to four of you! *
You can win a Cocoa Camino large-sized (100 g or 3.5 oz) bar in one of the following new flavors: Dark with Coconut, Espresso (dark with coffee beans), Dark with Almonds, or Dark with Raspberries. All are vegan and gluten free. NOTE: THESE ARE NOT ACD-FRIENDLY CHOCOLATE (they contain sugar). [THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!]
To enter, simply leave a comment here telling me which bar you’d like the most. On Sunday evening after midnight my time, I’ll choose four random winners. Please come back Monday to check if you’ve won! I’m sorry, but I cannot contact the winners. If I don’t hear from any of you by the following Friday, I’ll choose someone else.
* Disclaimer: I purchased the bars with my own money and will also cover mailing costs. Cocoa Camino did not ask me to provide this giveaway, nor did they ask me to say anything about their bars. I just happen to love them and want to share!
I know that pineapple isn’t a component of all carrot cake recipes, but the carrot cakes I liked the most were always those that included it. Similarly, you can omit the coconut if you’re not a fan. The walnuts add Omega-3s add more protein.
2-6 leaves mild-tasting lettuce (to your taste)
1 large carrot, steamed
1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh or frozen pineapple chunks
1 Tbsp (15 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tbsp (30 ml) raw walnut pieces
1/2-inch (1 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled
7-10 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
1 scoop of your favorite plain or vanilla protein powder (I used SunWarrior vanilla)
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened soy, almond, rice or hemp milk
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until perfectly smooth, scraping down sides a couple of times if necessary (for a cold smoothie, add 2-3 ice cubes). Pour into a large glass and garnish with a sprinkle more cinnamon, if desired. Makes 1 serving.
I have to admit, it was reassuring to read all the like-minded comments on my recent “I Hate Winter” post (even though it meant that a bunch of you are also having to endure it, too). Thanks, all. Despite my best intentions to abolish my abhorrence of winter, the Season of Slush and Ice just keeps on giving me more reasons to loathe it: this time, a flu bug that’s been dogging me since Monday. Dizziness, fever, chills and general malaise have been my constant companions for the past couple of days. Come to think of it, I retract the word, “dogging” to describe winter’s effect on me–I wouldn’t insult The Girls by associating them with it in any way.
“Thanks, Mum. We appreciate it. And, you know, if you’re feeling chilly in that big, soft bed of yours, we don’t mind if you break the rules just this once and let us hop up there with you to keep you warm.”
Luckily, I had received an email last month from the affable Nicola of G-Free Mom, inviting me to participate in her D-Tox January event, “a month of juices, smoothies and gluten free soups.” As a survivor of Stage 3 breast cancer, mom to a child on a special diet and owner of a hypoallergenic dog, Nicola knows about eating healthfully! Her intention for D-Tox January is to amass a list of fabulous detoxifying, nourishing and delicious recipes that anyone can enjoy–one new recipe each day of the month. At the end of January, she’ll add a linky to this post, where you can share your own recipe for a juice, smoothie or healing soup.
Nicola will choose one contributor from the entries to win a copy of Rebecca Katz’s book, One Bite at a Time: Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends. As Nicola points out, the book is a great resource for anyone who wants to eat healthier foods, whether cancer has touched their lives or not; and most of the recipes are gluten free.
Since I’d already prepared this smoothie for breakfast a couple of weeks ago, it came to mind again this morning when I needed something quick and detoxifying. I called it “Groovy Green Smoothie” because the particular shade of green reminded me of a psychedelic collage The Nurse used to have hanging in her bedroom as a teenager. As a quintessential Child of the Sixties, The Nurse was involved in all things “hippie.” The oldest of the three siblings, she was awarded the coveted bedroom in the basement, sequestered away from the rest of the family and complete with a private bathroom. She would spend hours with her friends locked in that room as they listened to rock n’ roll or did whatever hippies did in those days. Occasionally The CFO and I would be watching TV in the family room and catch a few muffled giggles or the craggy wailing from a Janis Joplin album (her voice rendered even more gravelly by the cheap record player my sister had) emanating from beneath the closed door.
And on the bedroom wall was a collage made from magazine clippings that The Nurse stuck on a bristol board and framed. I clearly remember one image of a Twiggy-like model with spider-leg false eyelashes, glittery lipstick and a sleeveless paisley sheath in shades of neon turquoise, fuchsia and sky blue. The background was a shimmering shade of chartreuse–just like that smoothie you see, below.
I knew that sipping on this green drink would be both comforting and nourishing, the perfect antidote to winter’s harsh chill. It did perk me up a bit, long enough to write this blog post. And if that’s not groovy, I don’t know what is.
Blog News and Updates: I’ve finally updated my Recipe Index pages (both of them) so that you can search for recipes up to the beginning of this month (I’ll add the January recipes at the end of the month). Yay!
Kelly over at The Spunky Coconut is still running her giveaway of Desserts without Compromise (until January 24th)–if you’d like to win a free copy of my ebook, head over to Kelly’s blog and leave a comment!
The SOS Challenge for this month is also still running until the 31st. We’d love to see your recipes made with coconut oil! If you’ve got a recipe to share, link it up on our SOS page and you might win some coconut oil of your own.
Groovy Green Smoothie (suitable for ACD Phase II and beyond)
A great way to start the day with a hit of blood-cleansing chlorophyll and some good-quality protein from the seeds and protein powder. Adding protein will keep you feeling satisfied for hours!
2 cups (500 ml) lightly packed spinach leaves, lettuce, or a combination
2 medium kiwis, peeled and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp (30 ml) raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp (15 ml) hemp seeds
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chia seeds
1 scoop rice-only protein powder (I used NutriBiotic)
1-1/2 cups unsweetened milk of choice (I used vanilla rice milk)
juice of 1 lime
10-25 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) agave nectar or coconut nectar
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Makes 1 large breakfast serving or 2 snack servings.
“It’s not bad under here, Mum, but I sure would like to get on top of that bed with you.”
With all of my 175 students’ assignments, exams and final marks finally submitted–I am now officially on holidays until 2011–whoo hoo! That makes me one very celebratory gal. Par-tay, I say!
And how about having everything all ready to start cooking my big holiday meal?
Um, no. (Insert sheepish expression here).
“Mum, did you say, ‘sheep?’ I’m half border collie, you know. And just being off-leash at the trail is enough of a party for me!”
In an ideal world, I would not only know exactly which dishes I’m cooking, but would have prepared an entire rehearsal Christmas dinner already, expressly for the purpose of photographing and writing about it for this blog (excuse me while I guffaw).
For the past two years, the HH and I have shared an Indian feast at Christmastime with the CFO, who’s made the trek from Montreal. The CFO isn’t able to join us this year, and I have a feeling that the multi-course Indian buffet will also make itself scarce, at least for this year.
I do have a couple of great ideas for potential dishes I’ve been wanting to try (and about which I’ll post, post-holidays.) But what with the HH’s accident; frenzied shopping for a new car; a fire at the campus where I teach resulting in only TWO days to mark all my students’ exams and submit them; a last-minute invitation to appear on a local daytime TV show (which happened this very morning)–I haven’t yet decided exactly what we’ll be eating at the festive table. Throw in a couple of doctor’s appointments, a visit to the vet, a haircut and typical holiday-time social activities, and there has been precious little time to cook.
If you’re like me and still thinking about what to prepare, I thought I’d share this list of some of my favorite holiday-worthy recipes (many of these are not yet listed in the Recipe Index–updating it is one of my new year’s projects!).
All are ACD-friendly recipes (ie, gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, egg free, low glycemic) unless otherwise specified.
And to everyone who’s celebrating this time of year: have a wonderful holiday season!
Sometimes with food, you experience the same coup de foudre as love at first sight. You might spy a mille-feuille (aka Napoleon or custard slice) in the glass pastry case and know just by looking that you’d relish those myriad strata of light, flaky pastry, cool, smooth custard sandwiched between them. Perhaps you were invited for dinner and noticed a saucepan of chana masala simmering on the stove, saffron and cardamon and cayenne dancing in the bubbles that rise gently to the surface, and you knew you’d be smitten. Or maybe the first time you encounter authentic mole, its rich bitter undertones mingling with spicy heat as you inhale its exotic aroma, you know that the warmth on your tongue, the combination of slow-cooked tomato and chilies will send you into paroxysms of gastronomic ecstasy. You want to marry that mole.
Sometimes, you just know.
I’ve had a love affair with eggnog from the first time I caught a whiff of that eggy, nutmeg-dusted scent when I was about seven, as my older sister poured herself a glass of the golden elixir; I knew before I even tasted it. Cartons of the stuff would appear at holiday time, and we were lucky if one lasted a day in our house. Once I moved out on my own, I attempted eggnog from scratch–once. The ethereal combination of cream, egg and bourbon confirmed for me how much I loved it. Even once I eschewed eggs and dairy, I turned to Holly Nog (good) or Noel Nog (superlative) and didn’t for a second miss the “real” thing (adding a shot of bourbon helped, too).
Ever since I began the ACD in March, 2009, there has been no nog in our house. No dairy-based. No soy-based. Nothing. With no sweeteners (except stevia), no fruit, no eggs, and certainly no bourbon, there was no way I could have even a sip of the stuff.
This year, my former love and I have been reunited. After considering severalothervariations, I used my noggin (well, really, you knew that was coming) and came up with a batch of this ACD-friendly (for those past the first phase of the diet) libation. I think it’s pretty darned close to the nog of my youth. Upon taking a sip, the HH even remarked, “Wow, that tastes like the real thing. In fact, the only thing it’s missing is the booze.” (Sorry, sweetheart.)
For those of you following a sugar-free diet, or a dairy-free, egg-free diet, or a gluten-free diet, or (sniff, boo hoo) an alcohol-free diet, this is the nog for you.
Sugar Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Gluten Free “Eggnog” (suitable for ACD Phase II and beyond)
I used pear to augment the sweetness in this drink without adding a discernible “fruity” flavor. And since I had such great success using raw cashews to enrich my Chai Carob Latte a while back, I opted to use those again in this recipe. The combination of flavors really does work to replicate the traditional drink fairly well. And if you’re able to add a splash of bourbon to yours, so much the better!
Per serving:
1/4 ripe pear, cored (no need to peel)
1 cup unsweetened plain or vanilla rice, almond or soymilk*
2 tsp (10 ml) lucuma powder (optional, but highly recommended)
2 heaping Tbsp (35-40 ml) raw cashews
1 tsp (5 ml) chia seeds**
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cinnamon
1/4 tsp (1 ml) nutmeg
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp (1 ml) rum flavoring (optional)
8-12 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
up to one ounce (30 ml) bourbon or rum, if desired/permitted
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender** and blend until perfectly smooth. Refrigerate until ice cold, at least an hour (this will also help it to thicken up considerably). To serve, whisk once more and top with a sprinkling of cinnamon; serve immediately.
*if you use soymilk, the recipe is, obviously, no longer soy-free.
** if you don’t have a high-powered blender, grind the seeds to a fine powder first, in a coffee grinder.
I’m also submitting this recipe to Amy’s weekly Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. . . so many healthier holiday-themed recipes to check out!
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's "no fuss." I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
Do you remember when milk came in glass bottles (the first time)? We had a milk delivery man (yikes–I swear, I really was born in the 20th century) who would drop off the bottles at the door every morning, then zoom away in his milk truck (and didn’t even ask for payment until the end of the week!).
Until I was 11, I thought milk came from trucks.
In those days, the bottles were stoppered with cardboard plugs that looked like inverted baby soothers–the part resembling the nipple was the handle, and you could push the cardboard disk below it back into the top of the bottle to close it. In first grade, our math teacher had us save the stoppers over the course of a month to use as props for addition and subtraction exercises. We each brought in about 50 stoppers–that’s how much milk we drank in those days (no wonder I have a reaction to it now!).
Well, this post isn’t about archaic cardboard milk stoppers, but the milk itself. My mom always ordered four bottles of chocolate milk the day before one of our birthday parties, because it was more expensive and too rich for every day. In fact, most moms would thin out the ultra-thick, ultra-rich chocolate milk with some two percent–but not in our house. We drank it straight–if “drank” is the right word. It was so rich it could coat a spoon, and you had to slurp it, slowly. My sisters and I loved it.
This carob chai latte reminded me of that chocolate milk. The inclusion of cashews and carob chips renders the liquid thick, glossy, and luxurious–just like that chocolate milk of yore, it coated a spoon. The consistency was very much like old-fashioned hot chocolate, frothy on top, with aromatic cinnamon, ginger and cardamom to warm it even more. If you’re not a fan of chai flavors, simply omit the spices for a comforting mug of hot, milky carob. Sipping this by the fire, I could almost see the milk truck in the distance.
Since I was already using my VitaMix to blend this together, I decided to take advantage of the “soup-making” capacity and run the blender until the drink was heated through by the power of the blades rather than dirty a pot. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, melt the chips first to ensure that they will blend in completely.
2 cups (480 ml) unsweetened rice, almond or soy milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened carob chips
2 Tbsp-1/4 cup (30-60 ml) raw or lightly toasted cashews, depending on how thick and rich you want the latte
2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ginger
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cardamom
15-20 drops vanilla or plain stevia liquid
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until hot. Pour into mugs and serve immediately. ( Alternately, place all ingredients in a small, heavy-bottomed pot, and heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until everything is melted and blended together. Then, use an immersion blender or frother to ensure that the melted chips are well-blended and to create a foamy top.) Makes 2 servings.
I’m linking this recipe to Amy’s weekly event, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays (even though it will feel entirely indulgent!). Check out the other entries, too!
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