[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
["Caesar" with smoky crumbled tofu, grape tomatoes and romaine.]
Blame it on the rain.
Don’t worry, I’m not referring to the song by that two-hit wonder duo from the 1980s. I’m talking about the fact that ever since January 1st here in Toronto, the weather has been much less like winter and much more like soppy springtime (believe me, I am not complaining). Rain translates to warmer weather, which translates to fewer winter stews and more salads. Lots and lots of salads. All dressed in this rich and delectable, easier-than-the-girls-on-The-Bachelor, Caesar dressing.
Or we could blame it on my fierce desire to resume a stricter anti-candida(ACD) regimen these days, thereby consuming more veggies. . . which translates to more salads. Lots and lots of salads. All dressed in this Caesar dressing. . . .
Or maybe we could blame it on my erstwhile osteopenia diagnosis, and the goal of ingesting more greens, ideally more than once a day. Which translates to. . . . . lots and lots. All dressed in . . . .
Whatever the reason, I’m so glad I discovered this super quick and ridiculously easy salad dressing. It’s called “Caesar,” but really, it’s a lush, velvety, pungent topper that could be used for myriad purposes–salad, as a garlic mayo, a veggie dip, the base for a vegan mac and cheese sauce. . . and whatever else you dream up.
Warning: you may end up eating more of this dressing than you anticipated. It’s okay. Blame it on me.
Incredibly Quick and Easy Caesar Salad Dressing (adapted from here).
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard (or use mustard powder for earlier stages of the diet)
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1/2 medium zucchini, peeled and cut in chunks
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt, or to your taste
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until perfectly smooth. If dressing is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time and blend again (but you want it to remain fairly thick). Toss with desired greens for salad, or turn into a bowl to use as a dip with raw veggies. Makes about 3/4 cup (180 ml). Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
My, it feels as if it’s been a while since I’ve posted something new! Here at the DDD household, 2012 is off to a fairly slow start. I had fully intended to post this recipe last week, but was sidelined by a wiley sinus infection that has had me drinking ginger tea, irrigating my nasal passages (but only after I boil my water carefully!), and taking all manner of naturopath-prescribed herbal remedies to try to stave off the need for antibiotics. So far it’s been one sneeze forward, two sneezes back. . . I’m functioning. . . but barely.
So, since I’ve hardly cooked anything all year (heh heh), I thought I’d take y’all for a little trip down memory lane today (well, actually, more like just “a few steps down memory lane,” since we’re only heading as far back as December 25th, 2011.). It was at our Christmas dinner last year that I first concocted this recipe for Indian-spiced fava bean balls.
I don’t know about you, but it took me a long time to come round to trying the fearful fava. And it all stems from my love of popular culture. Movies, to be exact.
As far back as I can remember, I’ve been ill suited to watching scary movies–and that includes sci-fi thrillers, horror shows, shoot-em-up adventures, monster movies, etc. (My mother loved to tell the story of how, when I was 7 or 8, she had to forbid me from watching The Adams Family on TV with my sister because after just one show, I had recurrent nightmares of being at a tea party in the fictional family’s back yard, served cups brimming with ladybugs instead of liquid; I’d wake screaming). Clearly, not the best constitution for blood, guts, and gore on the big screen.
So it made sense when The Silence of the Lambsfirst came out, I had no desire to go see it. Weeks went by, and soon all my friends were buzzing about Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster, what great onscreen chemistry, what a twisted plot, what a genius performance of a diabolical killer, what a great, great, great movie it was, yadda yadda yadda. “Don’t be such a wimp!” they’d chide me, or “but you’ll really love the suspenseful plot twists and the mystery of it,” or, “Aw, c’mon, Ric, if you come with me I promise I’ll hold your hand through the whole thing–ya big baaaaby!! Hahahahaha!!!”.
I would have stuck to my guns, too, if not for Mr. Ranch Hand. You see, back when the movie premiered (in 1991), I had just recently re-entered the world of singledom. I’d sworn off men for the time being and had spent the previous year (or thereabouts) reading books from the library, watching videos from the library, cooking soup (very comforting) and baking (even more comforting) for my room mate and me, or sitting in our living room every evening watching my (pre-recorded) soap opera with my room mate’s two cats (roomie, on the other hand, was usually out on dates in the evenings.). So when a friend dragged me out to a jazz club one night, and I met Mr. Ranch Hand (from Calgary, Alberta, who had just moved to Toronto) and he asked me out on a date–an honest-to-goodness cowboy–how could I refuse? And–go figure–he wanted to see a movie. Which movie? Yep, you guessed it–Silence of the Lambs.
Let’s just say I didn’t hold Mr. Ranch Hand’s hand during the movie. And oh, there was no second date.
My memory did, however, become indelibly imprinted with the phrase, “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti,” which will forever more be associated in my mind–and heart–with blood, guts, and gore. (New age math equasion: Hannibal Lecter + fava beans = blood, guts and gore.) Needless to say, I avoided fava beans thereafter. In addition, I never again slurped my food. Ever.
As a result, fava beans were put on the back burner (so to speak) as far as “new foods Ricki would like to try,” for the longest time. It wasn’t until I cooked up the Egyptian Fava Bean breakfast on this blog a couple of years ago (it was my love of all things spicy that finally convinced me) that I came to recognize the appeal of favas. And while I never tire of that particular combination of smooth, creamy beans, caramelized onions, spicy jalapeno and juicy tomato all dusted with cumin, I’ve been wondering what other dishes I might create with the formidable fava. Time to move on–and to heck with Hannibal Lecter!
I had planned to create bean balls that could be served atop a larger curry-rice dish. However, by the time I’d finished prepping all the other side dishes for our dinner and The HH had kidnapped and skinned (oops, nope, wrong memory–damn you, Hannibal Lecter!) cooked his turkey, I was too pooped to mix up the rice. Instead, I opted to top the balls with cranberry sauce in lieu of chutney. The outcome was tasty, but I could tell it hadn’t reached its full potential: the insides were a little too soft, the sauce a little too cloying
Last week, I toyed further and developed a chutney of my own, combining grape tomatoes and cranberries. The result was spectacular. These bean balls are crisp on the outside and moist on the inside, with a hearty flavor that’s not quite sweet, exactly, nor quite spicy–yet with an understated sweetness of squash alongside warming Indian spices like cumin and garam masala. The bright blood-hued scarlet condiment is at once tangy, sweet and slightly sour with its own mélange of spices to best highlight the fruitiness in the tomatoes.
In fact, the HH and I loved these little gems so much that we’ve now eaten them three more times. But please, just don’t offer me a glass of chianti to go with them.
Spiced Fava Bean Balls with Cranberry-Tomato Chutney
Compared to most other beans, favas are a truly lofty legume: measured against chickpeas, lentils, and black beans, they offer the most protein for the fewest calories (14 grams of protein per cup/240 ml, second only to lentils for protein; but lentils deliver 226 calories to fava’s mere 182). These balls make a great grain-free main course on their own, or use them to top off a rice pilaf or curry for additional protein.
2 tsp (10 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp (5 ml) yellow mustard seeds
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) garam masala
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) cumin
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) mild curry powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) smoked paprika (plain is fine, too)
1 large carrot, washed and cut in chunks (no need to peel if organic)
2 cups (480 ml) very well cooked small dried fava beans (or use one 19 oz/540 ml can, very well rinsed and drained–I did NOT use fresh [green] beans in this recipe)
1/2 cup (120 ml) packed baked squash flesh (I used butternut)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) almond butter (or use tahini or sunflower seed butter for nut free)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt, or to taste
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
Heat the oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, garam masala, cumin, curry powder and paprika and continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, process the remaining ingredients until almost smooth (it’s okay if there are a few flecks of parsley here and there, but there should be no large chunks of carrot visible). Add the onion-garlic mixture and process again to blend. The texture will be moist, but it will be thick enough to hold its shape.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop the mixture and place on the cookie sheets. Wet your palms and roll each mound into a ball.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the exterior is dry and beginning to crisp up. The bottoms will be well browned. May be served immediately, or, for a firmer texture, make the balls ahead and store in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat. Makes about 2 dozen bean balls. May be frozen (freeze on cookie sheets, then transfer to freezer bags once solid).
This recipe is the result of my quest to do something different with my cranberries, coupled with a box of grape tomatoes on my counter begging to be used. The combination produced one of the best chutneys I’ve ever tasted; and it doubles beautifully as a jam on your morning toast or pancakes.
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt, or more, to your taste
2 cups (480 ml) grape or cherry tomatoes, measured and then sliced in half
2 cups (480 ml) cranberries, fresh or frozen
30-40 drops plain stevia liquid, to your taste (it should be sweet but still tangy)
In a medium sized heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, coconut sugar and vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is very soft and translucent, 7-10 minutes. Add the ginger and mustard seeds and cook another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add all remaining ingredients except for the stevia and stir well to combine. Lower heat to simmer, cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries and tomatoes are very soft and most of the cranberries have popped, 20-25 minutes.
Add stevia and adjust for sweetness. Store in a clean jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Makes about 2 cups (480 ml).
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!
[I should have just given up on the sticky notes, because I want to try Every. Single. Recipe. in this book!!]
Okay, so if you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time at all, you know that I am decidedly not the type of gal to attend a rave. (Read: too old. And even when I wasn’t too old, I was too health conscious. And, well, even when I wasn’t too old or too health conscious, I was too nerdy.). So when I say, “rave,” you probably know I’m referring to the verb rather than the noun; as in, “I simply can’t rave enough about this spectacular new cookbook that has quickly assumed a place among my all-time favorites!” (And believe me, with over 200 cookbooks cramming my shelves at the moment, that is saying a lot).
Full disclosure: as with most reviews I write here on DDD, this book was provided free of charge by Christy’s publishers and I was not required to write anything positive about it (or anything at all, for that matter). You may know Christy Morgan as “The Blissful Chef,” whose blog,ebooks and live cooking classes have been offering up healthy, delicious recipes to eager masses for several years now. Christy also chronicles her culinary adventures (from LA to Texas and elsewhere), on her Facebook page.
Before we begin, however, I feel I must be entirely honest and admit that I was already somewhat biased in favor of the book even before receiving it. You see, I had done a review of one of her previous ebooks, Cooking with the Seasons: Summer Edition, last year, so I already knew I had loved those recipes and suspected I’d like these as well. Perhaps even more important, I was aware that Christy’s focus on traditional plant-based diets (vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, low fat and raw foods) jibed well with the ACD and I’d probably find lots of recipes I could eat within my dietary restrictions, with a minimum of adjustments to boot.
Well, let me tell you, this book is aptly titled. I was literally blissed out as I leafed through this gorgeous tome, which provides not only a full explanation of Christy’s approach to food and eating; a complete list of pantry basics and tools plus various chef’s techniques (now you’ll know just how to chiffonade–perfectly!); over 175 recipes organized by seasons (as well as “anytime”); but also a full resources section at the back and a metric conversion table. The full-color photos offer mouth-watering illustrations of many of the recipes, and the book’s pages are printed on thick, sturdy paper, an important detail when you plan to subject your book to repeated, regular usage (as I most definitely do!).
I literally couldn’t decide what to make first, there were so many recipes that appealed to me–and that I was permitted to have on the ACD! Should I try the Orange-Pumpkin-Ginger French Toast? Or perhaps the Asian Millet and Quinoa Pilaf? Maybe the Blissful Two-Bean Harvest Chili? Eventually, I settled on Kale Salad with Curry-Coconut Sauce, simply because I already had all the ingredients on hand.
[Damn these dark winter evenings. . . this photo totally does not do the dish justice!]
I’m going to preface this next comment by saying that the HH is a very picky omnivore. In other words, he has no trouble whatsoever eating hocks, haunches, brains, kidneys, hearts–even intestines of animals, but will balk at “veggie” foods I serve, such as grated daikon radish (“What is that? Anemic carrot?“), chia seeds (“Looks like fish droppings“) or spirulina (“Isn’t that the water you cleaned your brush in for your watercolor painting?”). Needless to say, he wasn’t thrilled about eating a salad with arame (seaweed) as a major player.
Well, we both swooned over this salad. When I first read the ingredient list, I was a bit concerned about the quantities in the sauce–it seemed like SO much spice–but mixed with the still-moist kale and arame, it was perfect. A spicy, creamy, slightly nutty coating on firm, toothsome kale with light marine influences. I simply loved it, and the HH even requested it again!
Next up was the Broccoli Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing. If you’re familiar with that once-ubiquitous broccoli salad from buffets a few years back, this dish will evoke memories of those times. . .but vastly improved. The piquant dijon is balanced by the sweet (I used stevia instead of the suggested maple syrup); the crispy, green and fresh with a creamy sauce and crunch of radishes. An aesthetically pleasing as well as flavorful mix of ingredients.
We also thoroughly enjoyed the Wasabi Sweet Potato Salad, which had been beckoning me from the moment I first spied the recipe. I adore sweet potatoes, of course, and have had them spiced in sweet potato fries, but never with something quite so hot as wasabi. Again, I wondered at the proportions of the spice mix in the ingredients, but should have trusted Christy. The sum worked out to be greater than the parts, and I loved this salad as well (I had run out of the called-for cucumbers, so subbed radish instead; still worked wonderfully). I could have eaten the entire batch by myself!
[I swear, it's not tomato sauce! But even tastier.]
Next up was another ingenious, fantastic recipe: the Mama Mia Magnifico Sauce, ideal for those who are either allergic to tomatoes or can’t eat nightshade vegetables (eg, those with arthritis). I didn’t tell the HH that this sauce was tomato-free, and he had absolutely no idea. When I finally let the cat out of the bag, he was genuinely surprised and commented that this was “as good as any tomato-based pasta sauce we’ve ever had.” I concur. I loved it on pasta, of course, but also used it the next day on a grain-free pizza crust, and later, defrosted, with crumbled frozen tofu for a sloppy joe lunch. You’ll be amazed by this one!
And I just couldn’t resist one more. . . while I don’t eat many sandwiches (or much bread at all, for that matter), I have always made an exception for Reubens, one of the most satisfying combinations of protein, complex carbs and creamy dressing I can imagine in existence. I couldn’t resist giving Christy’s healthified version a try. The marinated tempeh and tangy Russian-style dressing complemented each other marvelously, and the use of avocado in lieu of standard melted cheese was a brilliant way to incorporate the smooth creaminess you’d expect without the dairy or any artificial ingredients. The HH actually ate two of these (as open-faced sandwiches). With leftovers the next day, I enjoyed mine à la raw, wrapped in a crisp collard leaf, like so:
I literally can’t wait to cook through this entire book (counting the days until I can use maple syrup again. . . ), there are so many appealing recipes in it.
If you’re looking for a cookbook filled with mouth watering, healthy and flavorful plant-based recipes that are also impressive to the eye, I’d recommend Blissful Bitesas your first choice. I love that Christy focuses on whole foods ingredients, low fat and low sweeteners (and when she does use sweeteners, they’re all natural, like maple syrup or brown rice syrup). If you’re on a restricted diet (as I am), this book will likely still offer up a plethora of recipes you can enjoy.
Now, go out and find your Bliss(ful Bites)! (PS. Just checked–if you order through amazon.com, you can still receive it in time for Christmas with 2-day shipping!).
And Happy Hanukkah to everyone who’s celebrating tonight!
Broccoli Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing from Blissful Bites
Printed with permission from the author
This is a healthy plant-based take on salads you may have had at a salad bar or at potlucks. It is easy to make and will be a crowd-pleaser at get-togethers. It’s also a great way to use leftover beans. if you throw in some cooked quinoa, it makes a one-pot meal perfect to take to work for lunch.
1 large crown broccoli, cut into florets
1 large carrot, grated
1 cup (240 ml) cooked chickpeas, or 1 can (15 oz/500 ml) drained and rinsed
2 red radishes, thinly sliced
Creamy Mustard Dressing
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegan mayonnaise [I used this recipe]
2 Tbsp (30 ml) dijon mustard
1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup [I used 10 drops plain stevia liquid]
1 Tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
pinch fine sea salt and black pepper
Steam the broccoli until crisp-tender, about two minutes. Remove from heat and toss with the rest of salad ingredients.
Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl; adjust seasonings. Toss with salad and chill for 10 minutes before serving. Great the next day, too! Makes 3-5 servings.
Welcome to Week 3 of A Gluten Free Holiday 2011, the holiday event created by Amy and shared each week by yours truly (and four others–check below for all the participating blogs)! This week’s topic, Gifts of Good Taste, is hosted by Alta of Tasty Eats at Home. Hop on over to see what edible gifts Alta has to share, or to link up your own favorite gifts-of-food recipes (and be sure to enter the giveaway while you’re there!).
I thought this would be a perfect week to share some of my own favorite recipes on the blog that would also make fantastic homemade–and edible–gifts.
Before we get to the food, though, we’ve got another cookbook giveaway!
The book Alta is giving away this week is Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakesby Kelli and Peter Bronski. So if you’re a cupcake fan, or if you want to win a great gift for someone else who is, enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on Alta’s blog or by linking up a recipe there.
And now, the food. . . .
In my younger years, I made almost all of my gifts myself (edible or otherwise). Of course, the fact that I was a student living in penury (I won’t say I was a “starving” student, because with my love of dessert, that was never even a vague possibility) was one factor contributing to my motivation for making everything from scratch (unlike today, when the motivation is trying to remain free of the dreaded candida symptoms).
More importantly, though, I always believed that homemade gifts demonstrated how much you cared about someone, giving to them both your time and your thoughtfulness. Since time is at a premium for all of us these days, we have to choose wisely–both what we’ll make, and to whom we’ll be giving it!
For those very special people on your lists, you might want to mix up one of the following. (NOTE: Some of these recipes are made with spelt and/or higher glycemic sweeteners such as sucanat or maple syrup. Recipes with an asterisk * fall into that category; the rest are gluten free and lower glycemic.)
“Mum, it’s great that you’ll be making some homemade gifts this year. . . so does that mean Chaser and I will be getting homemade peanut butter treats? Mmm!”
Now, since Canadian Thanksgiving occurred a month ago, many of you have already encountered my own list of favorite Thanksgiving recipes that I posted here (and please do feel free to use them for your American Thanksgiving, too!). Personally, I’m not averse to celebrating twice. So let’s get to it!
I was chatting yesterday with some online buddies about Canadian-vs-American Thanksgiving (I’d say the tacit consensus was that Americans make more of a fuss about it) and I admitted that, in the home of my childhood, we never actually celebrated T-Day. My memory about it is fuzzy (who am I kidding? My memory about everything is fuzzy these days), but I think the first traditional Thanksgiving celebration I attended was at the home of my first boyfriend’s mum.
I was madly in love with Spaghetti Ears and adored his mother, an Irishwoman who had been widowed at a young age and lived on her own in a little bungalow across town from the university. She was a pixieish woman, perpertually smiling, her dancing blue eyes flitting about the dinner table as she regaled us with stories of her Irish relatives and friends. Her cheeks were permanently flushed pink and her bobbed gray hair, normally hugging her head like a shawl, would swing back and forth as she reached across the table to pass bread or pat my hand. She also made the most delicious curried beef I had ever tasted (okay, so it was the only curried beef I had ever tasted). And I still possess–and use–the hand-knit tea cozy she gave me for Christmas almost 30 years ago, its red and green woolen stripes just as vibrant today as they were back then. I was honored to be invited to her holiday celebration!
Although I loved the idea behind the Thanksgiving feast (and the feast itself) from the first time I experienced it, the cranberry sauce was one aspect I just couldn’t rally behind. I always found it far too sweet for my taste; in fact, canned cranberry sauce is the reason I thought I didn’t like cranberries for many years. Last year, I decided to combine the crimson berries with some stewed apples for a stellar Cranberry Apple Compote, which I was happy to eat alongside nut roast or on toast, and the HH was delighted to enjoy with his turkey. This year, I opted for something a little different:
Today’s recipe comes courtesy of our organic produce delivery, which arrives like clockwork every week ,whether or not I’ve finished up the previous week’s fruits and veggies. As has happened in the past, I left some plums in their paper bag to languish on the counter, unnoticed until it was almost too late to save them.
I decided to combine the soft, squishy plums with their hardier, tarter cousins, and cooked up a quick Plumberry Compote. It offered up the perfect mix of tangy, sweet, and spreadable, with a deep magenta hue and gemlike brilliance.
[How I freeze my plumberry sauce. . . no, the color in the photo isn't off--this pic is frozen apricot spread.]
I hope you give this unconventional cranberry sauce a try. The flavors work beautifully in tandem to offer up a thick sauce that is nearly sweet enough even on its own, without added stevia. It’s also tasty enough to use as jam on toast–something traditional cranberry sauce can’t quite match, which means that leftovers will actually get used! It’s quickly become a favorite condiment here, as it can be used by the HH on his Thanksgiving turkey (that is, if he had had turkey this year), can be spread on some savory nut roast, can double as a chutney with a nice Indian curry, or can be used in lieu of maple syrup on a stack of pancakes or a breakfast bake (as in the photo above).
Yep–it’s time to forge a new tradition, I say!
And don’t forget about the fabulous giveaway this week!
Kim is giving away a copy of Laura Russell’s Gluten Free Asian Kitchen. Just head over to her blog to enter! Here’s a list of the other bloggers who are participating in the event as well:
And my post on Dateless Date Squares from last week, click here.
[A new favorite--breakfast bake topped with Plumberry Sauce and chocolate almond butter.]
Plumberry Sauce or Jam (Suitable for ACD Stage 2 and Beyond)
This sauce is so easy to make, it’s almost embarassing to write it out as a recipe. Freeze any leftovers in silicone muffin tins, then pop out and store in plastic bags in the freezer, for up to 3 months.
6-7 small, ripe black plums, pitted (leave the skins on)
20-30 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
In a small food processor or blender, purée the plums. Transfer to a medium pot and add the remaining ingredients except stevia.
Cook, stirring frequently, until desired thickness is reached and most of the cranberries have popped (if you have a splatter screen, this is a good time to use it. Otherwise, place a lid on the pot with just a crack open to let the steam escape. That way, you’ll avoid speckling your stovetop and any other surface within sight).
Once the desired thickness is achieved, add the stevia and stir well. Pour into a clean glass jar or container and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Alternately, freeze in silicone muffin cups, then pop out of the cups and keep frozen in a plastic bag or freezer container for up to 3 months. Makes about 2 cups (480 ml).
Ah, nothing like a short work week, is there? Hope those of you who celebrated on Monday had a great Thanksgiving! (And hope everyone else had a good weekend, short as it was!).
I can’t wait to tell you all about the phenomenal Thanksgiving Vegan Cassoulet I made for The HH and me, or the pillowy, indulgent Black Bottom Almond Mousse Pie for dessert, but those will have to wait–I frittered away slept in thoroughly enjoyed the stupendous weather and extra time with family and friends this past long weekend, which means those blog posts are still to be written. I do, however, have this “taste-it-and-you’ll-be-instantly-addicted,” “so-easy-it’s-almost-criminal,” Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread for you today.
Let me preface this recipe by saying that I have the utmost respect for Weight Watchers. I am not joking on this one (I know, a hundred punch lines just flew through your mind, didn’t they?), as I am (a) most likely one of Weight Watchers’ most loyal former customers ever; (just insert “go on a diet” for “quit smoking” in the old joke: “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it a dozen times”–and you have my history with Weight Watchers); and (b) I believe they really do help people to lose and manage their weight, primarily by teaching portion control more than anything else.*
Well, one of my friends recently embarked on her eleventh or twelfth round with the “Points” system, so I must have had WW on the brain when I serendipitously came across a recipe for Weight Watchers Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese via a link somewhere else (forget where, now).
The original recipe was lauded for having only “two points.” I quickly determined that I could easily make a much healthier (read: no highly processed/fake ingredients, such as whey protein concentrate, guar gum, carob bean gum, sorbic acid as a preservative, etc; and, of course, no dairy) version based on my own lower-fat “cream cheese” and using the original recipe as a flavor guideline.
Apart from soaking the cashews, this recipe was ridiculously quick and easy to make (and soaking the cashews isn’t what I’d call difficult, of course; but you do need 4-6 hours of advance warning). The result was one smooth, silky-spreadable creamy “cheese” boasting a light kiss of cinnamon and other autum spices like nutmeg, ginger and allspice. It paired beautifully with my grain-free scones for breakfast this morning (that recipe coming up soon).
Although I generally don’t worry about nutritional breakdowns (if I’m eating whole foods, healthy ingredients, I know it will all balance out), but in this case, I was curious. Below is how mine stacked up against theirs (note that there was no choice of “coconut sugar” on the Nutrition Data page, where I calculated these figures. As a result, I used “brown sugar” for both recipes, which means that my version is actually even more nutrient-dense than it appears here).
Which would you rather eat?
Servings
WW: 10; Mine: 12 (2 Tbsp/30 ml each)
Calories per serving:
WW: 61; Mine: 62. 5
Total Fat per serving:
WW: 3.5 g; Mine: 3.2 g
Saturated Fat per serving:
WW: 2.1 g; Mine: 0.6 g
Cholesterol per serving:
WW: 12.1 mg; Mine: 0 mg
Sodium per serving:
WW: 106.7 mg; Mine: 2.1 mg
Fiber per serving:
WW: 0.6 g: Mine: 1.3 g
Sugars per serving:
WW: 4.4 g; Mine: 3.1 g
Protein per serving:
WW: 1.9 g; Mine: 2.1 g
Vitamin A per serving:
WW: 40.6% (of daily requirement); Mine: 3.2%
Calcium:
WW: 4.4% (of daily requirement); Mine: 1.4%
Iron:
WW: 1.5% (of daily requirement); Mine: 4.6%
My take on it: of course, I expected the calcium percentage to be larger in the actual dairy cheese (even though that form of calcium is not necessarily well absorbed); but the huge percentage of vitamin A threw me a bit. Then I reread the cheese ingredients and saw that the “light” cream cheese contained added “Vitamin A palmitate.” Eureka! On the other hand, this whole-foods version wins out in virtually every other category, from iron (wowza!) to fiber (wowza again!) to protein.
Hey, you know what? With this luscious spread on hand, heading back to work after a three-day long weekend turned out to be not so bad, after all.
* Please note that the opinions expressed here are entirely my own, highly personal, views, and I am in no way suggesting that you do or do not join Weight Watchers or am I trying to persuade anyone in one direction or another about the company. I will say, however, that no one in her/his right mind should ever repeat my own, previous, behavior and consume 4 packages of Weight Watchers Chocolate Mousse mix in for dinner within an hour.
And don’t forget. . . You can still vote for my blog in the Shape Magazine “Best Blog” Awards! If you’d like to see a gluten-free, vegan and healthy, whole-foods blog in first place–DDD is the only choice with all those qualities! Thanks so much to everyone for your support!
Spiced Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread
suitable for ACD Stage 2 and beyond
This “cream cheese” is perfect spread on biscuits, scones, toast or rice cakes. It would also be heavenly atop a stack of spiced pumpkin or apple pancakes.
1 cup (155 gram) raw cashews, soaked in room temperature water for 4-6 hours and drained
1/2 cup (120 ml) packed pumpkin purée (pumpkin only)
1/2 cup (120 ml) well cooked or canned white kidney or navy beans, rinsed well and drained
6 Tbsp (90 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ginger
1/4 tsp (1 ml) nutmeg (or less, to taste)
1/4 tsp (1 m) allspice
1 tsp (5 ml) Chinese 5 -Spice powder (or use another 1 tsp/5 ml cinnamon)
20-30 drops plain or vanilla stevia extract, to your taste
Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender (such as a VitaMix) and blend until silky smooth, scraping down sides or using the wand to push ingredients toward the blades as necessary. (To make this in a regular blender, first process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, then transfer in small batches to a blender and blend until silky. Place each batch in a medium bowl as it’s blended, then stir them all together to ensure a uniform texture).
Use immediately (it will be soft, but spreadable) or refrigerate for several hours to firm up slightly. Makes about 2-1/2 cups (600 ml).
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!).”
Today I’m delighted to be a featured guest blogger on Sunny’s lovable blog, And Love It, Too. Her theme this month is lunchbox lunches, and I’ve contributed one of my favorites, raw collard wraps. They’re not only sugar free and gluten-free, but grain-free, too! They make a perfect lunch for anyone on the anti-candida diet, at any stage of the diet (and of course they’re great for anyone who simply wants to eat healthier!).
For the recipe and a little info about the wraps, check out my post on her blog, here.
And be sure to come back later today for another raw recipe–this time, dessert!
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
Last week, I was whipping up a favorite walnut-chocolate nut butter when it hit me: why not make a bean-based “butter,” too? Beans could add more fiber and drastically lower the fat content. I looked around and discovered that I’d been preceded in my quest for a bean-based chocolate spread by Celine (of course), Hannah, Stef, and even Oprah! But calling it “chocolate hummus” just didn’t seem right to me. . . so Chocolate Bean Butter, it is!
I blended this up with some raw cacao and posted the delectable result on Facebook:
Then this morning, I decided to try it out with regular cocoa powder for a more intensely chocolate flavor. And wow–this stuff blew me away! The spread is incredibly rich and impossibly smooth and light. I’m happy to eat it right from the container with a spoon.
Made with white kidney or navy beans, the flavor is milder than a chickpea-based spread. This would be perfect as a filler for a back-to-school sandwich or atop your favorite pancake, muffin, or biscuit. Protein, minerals, fiber and chocolatey flavonoids all in one silky, irresistible “butter.”
Bring on more beans, I say!
Chocolate Bean Butter (ACD Stage 3 and beyond, with Stage 1 variation)
I prefer canned beans in this butter, as they are usually softer and easier to blend than my homecooked ones. But if yours turn out really soft when cooked from dried, feel free to go with those instead. If you use the raw cacao here, you can omit the coconut sugar and replace it with more stevia; the spread will be bitter without the coconut sugar if you use regular cocoa, though.
1 can (19 oz or 540 ml) white kidney or navy beans, rinsed and drained, or 2 cups (480 ml) well-cooked and drained beans
5 Tbsp (75 ml) dark unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut sugar (use with cocoa powder), or replace with more stevia (with the raw cacao option)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) stevia powder or 40-50 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid
up to 2 Tbsp (30 ml) water or unsweetened almond milk, if needed
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until perfectly smooth, scraping down sides as necessary. Once you think it’s smooth, process for another minute. Scrape into a container or jar and store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Makes about 2 cups (480 ml).
Variation for ACD Stage One: Use carob instead of cocoa and sweeten entirely with stevia or yacon syrup.
[Damn these dark winter evenings. . . this photo totally does not do the dish justice!]
