I’m delighted to be taking part in the Home for the Holidays event, organized by Shirley over at Gluten Free Easily. The event spans almost a month, with a new blogger each day (25 in all!) presenting to you the recipe that spells “home” to her or him: the one that sparks memories of family gatherings when you were a child, warms your insides, makes you smile and evokes love and community. The one you immediately think of when you think, “holidays“! And we hope you’ll join in on your own blog by posting the badge, below, and linking up to the event as well!
So what does this mean? Well, there are twenty five amazing recipes–AND twenty five amazing giveaways! Just as there will be a new recipe posted every day (mine’s at the end of the post), there will also be a new set of prizes each day (each blogger will be giving away 3 prizes, with some repeated, so if you don’t win a favorite book on one day, you can try again later!). In addition to the individual bloggers’ giveaways, Shirley is coordinating three incredible Grand Prizes–and you’re automatically entered for each of the grand prizes every time you enter any of the individual giveaways throughout the month (such as the one you’ll find below!). D
To enter to win these three prizes–or any of the others—leave a comment on any, or all, of the blogs presenting in the event. Every entry also counts toward the three grand prizes. The more you enter, the more chances you have to win! The three prizes above will be announced on Gluten Free Easily on Christmas.
Today, I’m giving away these two prizes: THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!
TWO Copies of Living WithoutMagazine! This is a fantastic resource for anyone who has food intolerances, sensitivities or allergies. You’ll find great information and recipes for people who live without eating gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, etc!
TO ENTER TO WIN ONE OF THESE GREAT PRIZES THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED! (all entries are also eligible for the three grand prizes): simply leave a comment on this post.
You can gain extra entries by doing one or more of the following. FOR EACH EXTRA ENTRY, PLEASE COME BACK AND LEAVE A COMMENT TELLING ME THAT YOU’VE DONE SO.
The giveaway will run until MIDNIGHT ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13.THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED! Shirley will announce the winners on her blog at the end of the week, and I’ll also announce them here thereafter.
For a complete list of all the prizes and their sponsors, see the end of this post (just after the recipe).
[Chocolate + peppermint + truffles = My kinda holiday food!]
When I thought about what foods evoke “holidays” for me, there was only one answer: chocolate. As an avowed chocaholic (okay, serious, recidivist, chocolate addict), pretty much any special occasion has to include the beloved blissful brown bite, but wintertime holidays in particular bring this confection to mind.
When I was a singleton living on my own, I rented the basement apartment of a fabulous Victorian home that had been converted into four flats. The woman on the top floor was a jetsetting, run- (and flirt)-with-the-wolves kind of gal, with a fashion sense that combined pixie-cute appeal with a definite siren-sexiness factor. (In the end, she nabbed the son of Canada’s richest billionaire as her husband. The marriage has since dissolved, but I have no doubt that the bank account is as healthy as ever).
One year, Ms. Jetsetter invited me to a Christmas party in her flat. Emerging from the bowels of the building, my eyes still squinting from the light, I was entirely entranced by the fantasty winter-wonderland theme of her party and the dreamy quality of the decorations in her apartment. It was as if she had smeared the camera lens with Vaseline and strung gauze all over the place, with everything slightly blurred, the edges softened, silver and white undertones to the light and shadows throughout the place. The antique tree decorations were illuminated in glimmering beams, reflecting off the glowing embers in the fireplace. Tabletops were crowded with plates of food and drink and small, flickering candles emitting a soft and sensuous glow. And there, in the bathroom (yes! the bathroom!) was a lovely bowl of individually wrapped chocolate truffles on the counter, so guests could sneak a little treat with them after checking their reflections, fixing their lipliner, or straightening a tie.
I was in love with the idea of offering truffles in virtually every room of the party, and since then, have blatantly copied the concept any time I throw a holiday bash. But the truffles themselves were easier to attain, since they came from Canada’s own President’s Choice line. Anyone who lives in Ontario (or has access to the brand) will likely be familiar with these rich little squares, covered in milk chocolate and concealing a mint-chocolate ganache filling.
Now that I can consume neither chocolate nor sugar, I just had to create an ACD friendly version of my own. I think you’ll find these incredibly reminiscent of milk chocolate, and just as irresistible. The insides are a blended-till-silky-smooth mix of coconut, cashews and chocolate (somebody save me), all covered in a thick and intense dark chocolate cloak. The contrast in flavors and textures is enough to make even the richest billionaire swoon.
The next time you throw a holiday party, you can proudly lay these treats out for your guests–in whichever room you choose.
[Didn't I tell you they look like milk chocolate? Rich, minty, smooth. . . heaven.]
“Milk Chocolate” Mint Truffles(ACD Stage 3 and beyond)
The coconut-chocolate combo in the filling really looks like milk chocolate and has a mouthfeel that is very reminiscent of the “real” thing. These truffles are rich and delectable enough to satisfy any chocolate lover in your life! I’m including a more labor-intensive version (my preferred) as well as a quicker and easier version; both are delicious and they are very close in texture.
Filling, Version I (a bit more work, but much more economical):
1.5 ounces (40 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate (I use Cocoa Camino; I hear that Scharffen Berger is great, too)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin coconut oil, preferably organic
2 cups (160 g) unsweetened, dried thick or medium shredded coconut (not coconut flakes or the shredded type that is already ground up into crumbs, unless you weigh it)
1 heaping cup (160 g ) lightly toasted natural cashews (no salt)
Make the Filling: Prepare a small square plastic container, single-serving loaf pan, or other small (around 2 cups/500 ml) square container by lining with plastic wrap. Alternately, you could use miniature silicone muffin cups (for round truffles). I used a small square plastic freezer container. Set aside.
For Filling Version One, Proceed as Follows: In a small, heavy-bottomed pot over lowest heat possible, melt the chocolate and coconut oil; set aside.
Place the coconut, cashews, sugar and salt in a high-powered blender (I use my VitaMix) and, using the wand, blend until you have a smooth and semi-liquid coconut-cashew “butter”. Keep blending until it is very smooth and pourable! (The mixture will be very warm at this point).
Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, stevia and peppermint extract and blend again just to combine.
For Filling Version II, Proceed as Follows: In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the coconut butter, cashew butter, coconut sugar, salt and chocolate. Heat over lowest heat possible, stirring constantly, until melted and very smooth. Add the vanilla, stevia and peppermint extract and stir well. (For a glassy-smooth filling, at this point you can pour this mixture into a blender and blend for 30 seconds to smooth out any last remnants of graininess from the coconut sugar. . . but this is totally not necessary–still delicious without!).
For both Versions, Continue as Follows: Pour the mixture into the prepared container and refrigerate until solid, 40-60 minutes. Once solid, invert onto a cutting board lined with plastic and allow to sit for 5 minutes just to soften slightly (it will get soft fairly quickly, but if you cut it right away, it will splinter and crack). Using a very sharp knife, cut into desired number of squares (I made 16; some cracked or broke, so I ended up with about a dozen good squares).
Place the cutting board with the squares on it in the freezer until completely solid, about an hour.
About ten minutes before you will coat the truffles, make the coating.
For Coating Version I, Proceed as Follows: Bring about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water to a boil in a small pot; turn down to lowest heat. Set a glass or metal bowl over the pot (the bowl should be big enough that the bottom isn’t touching the water in the pot) and add the chocolate and coconut oil to the bowl. Allow to sit about 30 seconds, then stir until the chocolate melts. Remove from the pot and whisk in the carob powder and stevia. Mix well to eliminate any lumps.
For Coating Version II, Proceed as Follows: Place the sugar, chocolate and coconut oil in a small, heavy-bottomed pot over lowest heat possible. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and add the stevia; stir until well combined.
To Coat the Truffles: Place the bowl of chocolate on the counter. Get yourself a big, wide-tined fork (I found a good one at the dollar store; any large fork should do).
Bring the board with the cut-out filling to the counter. Working quickly, grab each piece and dip the bottom in the chocolate; let it drip off a bit, then place chocolate side-down onto the board. When they’re all done, return the board to the freezer so the chocolate can firm up a bit (about 5 minutes).
One at a time, place each square chocolate side-down on the fork. Hold the truffle over the bowl and, using a spoon or spatula, spoon more chocolate over the top and sides, allowing excess to drip through the tines of the fork and back into the bowl. Tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove any excess. At this point, it’s really important to ensure that the entire filling is coated, with no uncovered spots peeking through the chocolate! Slide each truffle off the fork one at a time by pushing it off with the tip of a knife or another fork, and replace them all on the cutting board.
Once all the truffles are coated, you can pop them the fridge to firm up (no need to go back in the freezer at this point).
Once the truffles are firm, you can drizzle any leftover chocolate coating over them to create pretty patterns, or dip a dried cranberry or goji berry in a bit of the leftover chocolate to “glue” it to the top of a truffle as decoration.
Store the truffles in a covered container in the refrigerator. Remove them from the fridge at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling inside to soften up for a smoother, more ganache-like consistency. If you’ve covered the entire filling with chocolate, they should be fine at room temperature, as the coating is solid and will prevent any of the filling from oozing out. Makes 12-16 truffles.
Here’s the full lineup of participating sponsors and prizes for Home for the Holidays:
PRINT BOOKS (Cookbooks and Resource Books, or Combos):
–More Make It Fast, Cook It Slow and Totally Together Journal combos–by Stephanie O’Dea, three combos (3) –Simply … Gluten-Free Desserts by Carol Kicinski, 2 signed copies (2) each with a package of Carol’s Gluten-Free Flour mix –Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking by Pete and Kelli Bronski, one signed copy (1) –Artisanal Gluten-Free Cupcakes by Pete and Kelly Bronski, one signed copy (1) –Gluten-Free Baking for Dummies by Jean Layton and Linda Larsen, one copy (1) (release date Dec. 6) –Gluten-Free on a Shoestring by Nicole Hunn — 2 copies (2) –Gluten-Free in 5 Minutes by Robin Ryberg — 2 copies (2) –Gluten-Free Makeovers by Beth Hillson – 2 copies (2) –The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam, six signed copies (6) –The Gluten-Free Cupcakes Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam, six signed copies (6) –The Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen by Laura B. Russell, two copies (2) –The Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Kitchen by Denise Jardine, ONE EXCLUSIVE ADVANCE COPY (1) –The Pure Kitchen by Hallie Klecker, two copies (2) –Cooking for Isaiah by Silvana Nardone, three copies (3) –Free for All Cooking by Jules Shepard, one signed copy (1) –The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed by Jules Shepard, one signed copy –Healthier Without Wheat by Dr. Stephen Wangen, three signed copies (3) –Sugar Nation by Jeffrey O’Connell, four copies (4) –Wheat Belly by William Davis, three copies (3) –Dangerous Grains by Ron Hoggan and Dr. James Braly, two copies (2) –The Food Allergy Kitchen by Amra Ibrismovic and Carmel Nelson, one copy (1) –The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen* by Lévana Kirschenbaum and Lisa R.Young –The Spunky Coconut Cookbook 2nd edition, by Kelly Brozyna, one signed copy (1) –Grain-Free Baked Goods and Desserts by Kelly Brozyna, one signed copy (1) –Paleo Comfort Foods by Julie and Charles Mayfield, three copies (3) –Go Dairy Free* by Alisa Fleming, two signed copies (2) –Modern Spice by Monica Bhide, one copy (1) (in combo package with Monica’s app, iSPICE) –Perfect One-Dish Dinners* by Pam Anderson, one signed copy (1) –The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Ali Segersten and Tom Malterre, two signed copies (2) –The Steamy Kitchen* by Jaden Hair, one copy (1)
–100 Best Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster, one copy (1)
E-BOOKS (Cookbooks and Resource Books)
–Gluten-Free Goddess E-Book:Best Loved Recipes by Karina Allrich (1) –The Gluten-Free Diner Cookbook by Diane Eblin, one copy with tote bag (1) –7 Quick Start Tips for Living a Healthy Gluten-Free Fit Life, by Erin Elberson, five copies (5) –Sweet Freedom*, by Ricki Heller, one copy (1) –Combo Set of following: Good Morning Breakfasts, Desserts Without Compromise, and Anti-Candida Feast Book by Ricki Heller, one copy (1) of set
MAGAZINES–Easy Eats, three subscriptions–electronic (3) –Delight, two subscriptions–print (2) –Living Without, two subscriptions–print (2)
APPS
–Cook IT Allergy Free by Kim Wilson-Maes, three apps (3) –iSPICE by Monica Bhide, one app (in combo package with her cookbook, Modern Spice; already mentioned above) (1)
THIRD PRIZE—Caveman Cookies giveaway package ($89 value).One large bag of each of the current three flavors , Original, Tropical, and Alpine ($28.95 value) plus one large bag of the soon-to-be released new flavor, Rainforest ($9.95 value; will be shipped as soon as available; anticipated end of Dec); 1 large variety pack ($32.50 value), and 1 t-shirt ($17.50 value; your size, your color).
*Or, Why I Need this Peachy Protein-Packed Smoothie Today
["Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close up. . . ."]
So, where have I been the last couple of days? I was a bit cryptic on Facebook yesterday morning when I announced, “I may have some exciting news! No, I’m not pregnant, and yes, it involves chocolate.” Well, the “not pregnant” part was fairly obvious to begin with (unless we’re talking one of those creepy late-in-life, chemically-enhanced old lady pregnancies), but “chocolate” was a fair bet that could have implied almost anything. And it wasn’t a call from Ellen, either (drat!).
Well, you all probably know by now what a pop culture junkie I am. And you may have heard that some of Ellen’s friends are in town for TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival). And guess whose cookies and brownies are currently being served up to that very same list of A-Listers?!
Uh-huh.
That’s right.
Wa-HOOOOO!
[We're ready to get stuffed with Sweet Freedom cookies and brownies!]
I received an email yesterday morning asking if I could bake up some goodies for the swag bags in the TIFF celebrity lounge. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!! Cookies, brownies, raw treats–from my own cookbook–in the swag bags at TIFF?!! OF COURSE I CAN!!!
I started baking at 7:30 AM or so, then wrapping, packaging, printing, ribbon-tying, ribbon-curling and boxing up the bags until around 2:00 AM. Which meant I had plenty of time to daydream about what would happen when I dropped off the boxes of goodies this morning to the tony Yorkville hotel.
Here’s how my fantasy of the delivery went:
Scene: Ricki drives up to the entrance of Celeb Hotel. The doorman greets her.
Ricki: Hello, I’m here to meet with Mr. XXX. [No, wait, that makes him sound too much like a porno star. Strike.]
Ricki: Hello, I’m here to meet with Mr. X.
Doorman smiles knowingly. Calls Mr. X, who arrives immediately.
Mr. X: Hi, Ricki, darling! [Air kisses all around]. Oh, wow, those treat bags look ah-may-zing! Here, why don’t you help me carry them into the Celeb Swag Room?
Ricki [blanching and feeling faint]: Um, why, sure, yes, yes of course, I’d love to!
As they walk down the corridor of the ultra-luxe hotel, a dashing young man in a bathrobe, champagne flute in hand, strolls by. He notices Ricki and smiles.
Ricki [gasping]: Was that–?!
Mr. X: Yep. He finds clothing too constricting.
They continue to the Celeb Swag Room. Inside, Ricki peeks in the swag bags–is that a Rolex I see? Oh, my and La Chocopologie truffles? Oh, and some MAC Cosmetics–cool! And looks like they’ve got some eco-friendly glass straws and reusable bags, too! And is that a pair of hand-crafted gold earrings I see? Oh my gosh–and MY BAKED GOODS!!–and–
[Her reverie is interrupted by Mr. X]: Ricki, can you help me set up this table?
They begin to set out gift bags. There’s a knock on the door. George Clooney pokes his head in.
George: Hey, Mr. X, I was just wondering whether–[he notices Ricki] Well, hellooooooo.
Ricki: [blushing madly]: Hello. . . .
George: Hey, Mr. X, I’m dying for a chocolate brownie–have you got anything?
Ricki: [proffering one of hers]: Here! And it’s wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, too!
George: [biting] Mmmm. Man, this is good! This is the best brownie I have ever tasted in my entire life! I am in love!! Hey, Mr. X, why don’t you and your friend here join me and Brad and Angelina tonight for a private dinner at Morton’s steak house? [Turning to Ricki] I’d love if you’d join us. . .
Ricki: George, I’d love to. Oh, except I don’t eat steak. I’m vegan. . . .
George: For you, we’ll switch venues. Let’s all go to Fressen instead! See you at 8:00?
Scene fades out. . . .
[Wrapped and ready to be delivered to the A-Listers!]
Okay, so when I create a fantasy, I go big.
Instead, here’s what really happened:
Ricki drives downtown at the ungodly hour of 7:15 AM on a Saturday morning. Approaching the street on which the hotel is situated, she realizes that the street is closed off for the film festival. Frantically, she calls Mr. X.
Ricki: I can’t get to the hotel! Is there somewhere else I could park to bring in the boxes–?
Mr. X: No worries, I’ll send someone out.
Moments later, a lovely young woman (birth date circa 2000) arrives.
Child Young Woman: Here, I’ll take those for you.
Ricki: [hesitating]: Um, but there are six boxes. I’m happy to take a few along with you and help you carry them to the Celeb Swag Room. . . .
YW: It’s okay, I can handle it. Thanks.
Ricki: But really, it’s no problem! I’m happy to help!
YW: If you leave your car here you’ll get a ticket.
Ricki [desperate]: Oh, that’s okay, I don’t care! I’d love to help! . . . I’ll just follow you in to the Celeb Swag Room and help you set up. . . .
YW: Sorry, not allowed. But thanks.
Ricki [more desperate]: But really, I’m sure this box of books is waaaay too heavy for you to carry! Let me bring it in, and I can help you set up in the Celeb Swag Room–
YW: Here, just put it on top of these other boxes. [Ricki stacks all three boxes in YW's arms]. Thanks.
Ricki: But if you need some help–
YW: Nope. ‘K, Bye! [She strides away, into the crowded street and disappears].
Ricki’s hopes of meeting a celebrity–any celebrity–fade out. . . . .
So there you have it. I never saw George, I never saw Angelina, I never even saw Mr. X or the Celeb Swag Room. But my goodies did. . . and that’s all that counts!
When I arrived back home, I was famished. I opted to whip up this high-protein smoothie-cum-pudding (your choice, depending on how much liquid you use) and recharge. It’s got a refreshing peachy flavor with a whopping 12 grams of protein per servings, or 24 grams if you scarf down the whole batch as I did this morning after almost 24 hours straight of baking and packing and delivery, with no real meals to speak of in between.
You never know, I may need some extra energy in case George calls this evening, right?
This quick and easy smoothie is a great way to up your protein intake in a cool, creamy and delicious beverage. Or, use less milk and spoon it up as a chia pudding.
1 large peach, washed, pitted and cut in eighths, fresh or frozen (no need to peel)
5-8 strawberries, fresh or frozen
1/2-1 cup unsweetened plain or vanilla almond milk (use more for a drinkable smoothie, less for a pudding consistency)
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 scoop plain or vanilla rice-based protein powder (I use SunWarrior)
10-20 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia (I use NuNaturals)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) white chia seeds
Place all ingredients except chia seeds in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
For a smoothie, add the chia to the blender and blend again until thick and smooth. Pour into 2 glasses and enjoy.
For pudding, pour the blended mixture into a large bowl and add the whole chia seeds; stir to combine. Allow to sit 5 minutes, then stir again before chilling at least 20 more minutes. Stir before serving. Makes 2 servings with 12 grams of protein each. Best if consumed immediately.
The other evening, my friend Eternal Optimist and I went to see a movie (Friends with Benefits–surprisingly enjoyable, and I even liked Justin Timberlake in it!). We both love watching the trailers before the film, but what struck us this time was how many of them were actually promoting remakes of old movies. First was Planet of the Apes(okay, technically a prequel), followed by Straw Dogs. Even the main attraction itself was sort of a remake (of When Harry Met Sally–oh, and pretty much every rom-com ever written). It got me thinking about the concept of remakes in general: you know, those revised, updated versions of established classics.
For instance, did you know that the movie King Kong has been made at least three times (seven if you count all the sequels and “Sons of–”)? Dracula: seven times (not to mention and entire page on Wikipedia devoted to spinoffs and related films). Invasion of the Body Snatchers: five times. Heck, even Freaky Friday has had two remakes! And (in my humble opinion), each remake is just slightly less effective, less interesting, less engaging than the previous version.
I feel the same way about books made into movies, for the most part. How many times have you read a book, then seen the movie, only to be bitterly disappointed? (Though I must admit I’m really looking forward to The Helpon the big screen; and most people would agree that The Godfather was a better film than novel). With novels, imagination allows for any manner of individual, idiosyncratic characters, appearances, voices, and so on. When you see a movie, it’s all distilled into one face, one voice, one set of mannerisms–there’s no way you can envision anything that isn’t already right in front of you.
I have noticed that certain things, however, do improve with a little revision. In the past, when I lectured at the college where I teach, I’d sometimes have to present the same course to three different groups of students. Each time I delivered the material, I’d think of a new detail to add, or an additional example to illustrate a point. By the third class, I was really rocking, and those students always received the most detailed, most engaging lecture of the three. Similarly, working on refining a recipe usually leads to improvements each time you “remake” it.
When I switched to a gluten-free diet back in March 2009, it seemed a little overwhelming to create tasty foods I could eat. Back then, it never entered my mind to “remake” any of the original recipes on this blog. Eventually, once I was familiar with gluten free flours and low glycemic sweeteners, I began to play with some of the recipes in my cookbook, Sweet Freedom(and by the way–did you happen to notice who included my book in her “Going Vegan with Ellen” website?! Whooooopeeeee!!). I’ve now re-made the Butterscotch Blondies, Fluffy Fruited Pancakes, Cinnamon-Walnut Coffee Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Seed Jumble Cookies, and a few others using my all-purpose gluten-free flour mix in place of the spelt, and every one has come out great!
My sweet successes led me to experiment with other flour-heavy recipes as well, just to see what I could make of them. Last week, I remembered these Chinese Scallion Pancakes, one of the most popular recipes on the blog (and one that the HH and I absolutely adored back in the days when we would meet for lunch during the workweek). What if I could re-create those pancakes to taste just as appetizing as the original? What if we didn’t need to frequent a restaurant to enjoy some chewy, salty, green onion-y flatbreads with our lunch? What if I suddenly lost 15 pounds and had perfectly toned triceps (oops, sorry; wrong fantasy there). What if–??
And so, I give you gluten free Chinese Scallion Pancakes. I have to admit that the process was much easier than even I anticipated; I simply subbed a mix of all purpose flour and sweet rice flour (also called glutenous rice flour) for the spelt, and–presto–the recipe worked perfectly the very first time! I’ve since made these two more times (just to be sure the recipe works, you understand) and they’ve come out beautifully both times. The exterior is browned and crisp; the interior is moist, delightfully chewy, with the murmur of caramelized green onion strewn here and there. Great on their own, or with a spread or dip of your choice.
Now, if only I can figure out how to remake my triceps . . .
Gluten Free Chinese Scallion Pancakes
suitable for ACD Stage 3 and beyond
These pancakes are a perfect accompaniment for Sunday brunch, to sop up some rich Onion Gravy with your next nut roast or veggie burger, or all on their own as a snack. The combination of chewy, salty and bready will have you hooked in no time!
2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil, preferably organic
1/2 tsp fine or coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper, optional
6 green onions, white and light green parts
Sift the flour and xanthan gum into a bowl and whisk to combine well. Add the water slowly, mixing as you go, until you have a very soft dough (use a touch more or less water, as necessary). Form the dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth; let rest for 15-20 minutes.
Flour a large work surface thoroughly with more all-purpose flour, and place the ball in the center of it; dust the top with more flour. Roll out to a disk of around 12-14 inches (30-35.5 cm), dusting with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. Brush lightly with about 1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) of the oil, then sprinkle with salt (and pepper, if using). Scatter the green onions evenly over top.
Roll up the dough tightly to form a long roll. Cut the roll in half and pinch the ends closed as best you can. Stand each roll on its cut end and push down to create two patties (or disks).
Working with one disk at a time, roll it out the floured surface (use more flour as needed), moving outward from the center. Make a round about 7 inches (18 cm) wide.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and brush lightly with the oil. Gently transfer the disk to the pan, and then brush the top of the dough with more oil. Cook 4-5 minutes, until the bottom is browned in spots. Gently flip the pancake and cook the other side another 3-4 minutes. Slide the pancake onto a plate (cover with a clean cloth, if desired, to keep it warm while you cook the second pancake). Repeat the procedure with the second dough patty, rolling it, brushing with oil, and cooking in the same way.
Cut each pancake into 4 pieces and serve immediately. Makes 2 large cakes, or 4 servings. Best eaten fresh, but if you have leftovers, wrap tightly in plastic and store in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350F (180C) oven for about 10 minutes to serve.
[A plate of detox-friendly cookies! In the background, the ailing azalea plant my cousin gave me. Any advice on how to keep it alive?]
Are you a fan of granola? For most of us, the mix of (usually) oats, nuts, seeds and raisins or dates is very alluring. I must admit, however, that I first ate granola in my 20s, and then only for a few weeks before eschewing it entirely until my 40s. Why, you may ask? Well, let me answer by telling you a story (because you know that I will, right?).
As a child, I couldn’t really tolerate the taste of nuts. Which was weird, since pretty much everyone else in my family seemed to love them; my Uncle S , for one, consumed dry roasted peanuts almost incessantly (though I must admit I never counted peanuts as “nuts”; not because I was a child prodigy who instinctively understood that “legumes aren’t nuts”; no, it was just that I never associated the sweet, tan unguent that I slathered on toast or saltines–so far removed in appearance, taste and texture from their original form–with the dry pods that my uncle popped in his mouth all day).
My mother, too, loved nuts of all kinds. Every Christmas, between the shortbread cookies, the pecan bars, the sugar cookies, the double chocolate brownies and the coffee cakes, she baked a huge batch of what she called “Frozen Nut Cookies.” What was considered “frozen” about them I have no idea, as the mixed dough was never placed anywhere near the freezer, nor were any of the ingredients previously chilled. The recipe called for a pound (454 grams) of ground walnuts, an entire jar of maraschino cherries (including the syrupy, sugary “juice”), and lots–lots–of butter. Every year, I scarfed a few of the cookies, hoping they’d convert me into a nut-lover, but really the only part I enjoyed was the chopped maraschinos. (In retrospect, I realize that what I really enjoyed was actually the sugar in the chopped maraschinos).
Then, during my late teens and early 20s while living in a university residence, I finally began to eat nuts in certain foods and actually enjoy them. That is, until what I now refer to as “The Granola Trauma,” an incident that’s gone down in the annals of Ricki lore. My room mate and I had acquired the habit of buying the large plastic bags of “No Name” granola to snack on (or eat as a meal) during the semester (when we weren’t inhaling birthday cake, that is). One evening as we sat cross-legged on opposite sides of the army-style cot, each totally totally engrossed in studying for our next final and entirely oblivious as our spoons repeatedly dipped into the bag with the cheery yellow stripe and then directly into our mouths, the GT occurred. Let me explain what happened by relating this common children’s riddle:
Q. What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple granola?
A: Finding half a worm.
‘Nuff said.
As you can guess, I wasn’t too keen on eating granola for a while. . . like, for a couple of decades. The nuts were just collateral damage.
It wasn’t until my 30s and the advent of the ACD that I really began to appreciate almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts and the like again (of course, meeting the HH during those days also helped, since he’s one nut that everyone’s just gotta love. But you saw that coming, of course.).
By the time I created my first cookbook, Sweet Freedom, I was consuming (homemade) granola again and even had a favorite recipe to share on the blog. I decided I wanted to include my own version of a granola cookie in the book, and came up with Seed Jumble Cookies. The Seed Jumbles were always a hit with my friends and their children (whether or not they could eat nuts–the cookie is nut-free). This recipe is a healthier, gluten-free version of those.
I actually created this recipe in anticipation of this week’s Sweet Victory detox program that begins on Saturday (and today is the last day to register at the early bird discount price!). The program is designed to help participants eschew sugar from their lives and get a grip on those gnawing sugar cravings (a feeling about which I know all too well). I’m also participating in the program, which was designed by holistic health coach Andrea Nakayama to provide crucial information about the nature of sugar addiction, brain chemistry, how to deal with cravings, and more. I wanted to be sure that everyone’s sweet tooth was satisfied with healthy, delicious desserts for the two weeks. Believe it or not, this is the kind of recipe you can eat while detoxing from sugar!
Although I’ve already removed refined sugars from my own diet, I’m going through the program to learn more about why my brain keeps asking for sugar anyway–and what to do about it. But it’s really for anyone at any stage who wants to beat the sugar demon ).
These cookies combine coconut sugar with fresh pear purée and a bit of stevia to achieve a perfect level of sweetness and cookie-like texture. The seeds and SunWarrior powder add enough protein and fiber to offset any rise in blood sugar and prevent a spike that will send you toward the sugar bowl. I was able to eat two cookies and stop there (though the HH enjoyed these so much he actually ate 3, and told me, “These taste like real cookies”!). In fact, they’re healthy enough that I would feel fine eating a couple for breakfast–just the way I might eat a bowl of granola (just please, not the no-name kind).
Baked Granola Haystack Cookies(ACD Stage 3 and beyond)
These are a great cookie as an afternoon snack or even as a quick breakfast-on-the-go. If feeding to people with nut allergies, you can replace the almond butter with sunflower seed butter or more tahini.
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut sugar
1 large pear, cored and cut into 8 pieces (no need to peel)
1/4-1/2 tsp (1-2.5 ml) plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened dairy free carob chips or cacao nibs (optional; may replace with raisins, if you’re allowed)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
Place the coconut sugar and pear in a food process and process until smooth. Add the stevia, vanilla, tahini and almond butter and process again. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, protein powder, cinnamon, salt and flax seeds to break up any lumps. Add the pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and carob chips, if using.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl and stir to coat everything well. It may seem as if it won’t hold together like a “real” cookie batter—this is as it should be.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, place mounds of “dough” about one inch apart on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly and press together with your fingers if it looks as if they’re not holding together on the edges.
Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once about halfway through, until golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before sampling. Makes 16-20 cookies. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. May be frozen.
In my 30s (aka the “Decade of the Dinner Party”), I used to bake a lot of elaborate, very involved recipes. I mean, a lot. As I recall, I held a dinner party in my little basement apartment about once a week. Since most of those soirées featured more or less the same guest list (hey, B & P! Long time no dinner party! Are you guys still in California?), I felt it necessary to bake something entirely different each Saturday. Actually, I would have felt that way regardless–I just like to try new things in the kitchen. (No, no, not those kinds of things, silly! I’m talking about cooking and baking). One of my favorites was a ten-layer meringue-and-buttercream concoction that alternated layers of mocha meringue with either chocolate or coffee buttercream, topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and little gold dragees. Needless to say, that one was a huge hit.
Today’s recipe reminded me of that gilded extravaganza, if only because it’s multi-layered, involves a creamy filling, and–most importantly–requires more than one day’s preparation. (The original recipe, in fact, tells you to take at least 4 days lead time if you wish to serve this beauty, but I’ve cut it down to three. See, there are some benefits to eating ACD-friendly!)
I guess I must love a challenge more than I realize, because as soon as I saw the original recipe from Fine Cooking, I thought, “I must make this anti-candida friendly.” Now, that’s no mean feat, given that we ACDers can’t eat sugar, refined flours, gluten, anything too starchy or moldy, and–in my case–eggs or dairy. Yowzah. Then, a few days later, Iris posted her “Birthday Cake Challenge.” You see, Iris is about to celebrate a major b-day (the last year of her 20s) at the end of this month, and she’s asking for people to post cakes that would be appropriate. And wouldn’t you agree that this beauty fits the bill perfectly?
I decided that I wanted to make the cake as allergen-free as possible–more than just gluten-free and refined-sugar free. In other words, no eggs, dairy, gluten, refined sugar, nuts, corn or soy.
For the cake, I adapted the Golden Vanilla Cake recipe from Sweet Freedom by using my all-purpose GF flour mix instead of the spelt and adding xanthan gum; those were the only changes required to the original recipe (and I was amazed at how easy it was to convert to gluten-free!).
The vanilla pastry cream (used in place of the original corn cream) is from my Desserts without Compromise ebook (no real changes necessary, but I did gussy it up with a pinch of turmeric and a touch of coconut sugar). And while I couldn’t use corn cream in order to avoid major allergens, millet is a different yellow grain, so I figured that would do just fine.
Finally, to replace the strawberry preserves, I cooked up a simple strawberry compote along with the fresh berries. And while the preparation was a wee bit (!) time-consuming, it is all, astonishingly, still within the confines of the anti-candida diet (well, the later stages of the diet, anyway).
The original recipe also instructs you to freeze the cake to “set” it, then defrost in the refrigerator for 36 hours. I decided to forgo the freezing, partly because agar doesn’t freeze well, but also because it didn’t seem necessary–the cake was ready to go as soon as I assembled it.
Having said all that, this is really not a “daily” ACD dessert. Now that I’m in the final stages of the diet (Stage 3), I am able to eat a dessert this decadent, perhaps, once a month. Starch-heavy, high carb and naturally high-sugar foods are generally avoided, even on maintenance, so if you do make this cake, consider it a once-a-month (or less) indulgence, eat only a moderate slice, and consume it only after a day or two of low-glycemic and low-starch eating.
Which will work out perfectly, since you’ll have at least 3 days to think about it while you’re preparing the cake.
[For those of you who think I'm insane to make thisdon't have an extra four days to make cake want to use the individual aspects of the recipe on their own, the cake is great as cupcakes or in a larger pan; the pastry cream is wonderful in a tart shell, covered with fresh berries, or in a parfait; the cookies (uncoated) are terrific as decorated holiday sugar cookies, or with tea; and the strawberry spread is a perfect stand-in for jam, or served atop pancakes for breakfast.]
Special Occasion ACD-Friendly, Allergen-Free Strawberries and Cream Triple Layer Cake with “White Chocolate” Covered Cookie Crumbs (inspired by this cake from Fine Cooking magazine)
If you’ve been on the anti-candida diet for a while, if you can’t eat gluten or sugar or eggs or dairy or nuts or corn or soy–No longer must you miss out on spectacular showpiece cakes on special occasions! This stunning three-layer confection is impressive both aesthetically and for its superb combination of light and tender cake layers, cookie-crumb garnish, custardy-smooth pastry cream filling and sweet-tart, juicy strawberry filling and topping. There’s no need to tell anyone this is a “special diet” cake–they’ll never know.
For the Cake, adapted from Sweet Freedom’s recipe (can be made up to 3 months ahead):
3 Tbsp (45 ml) finely ground flax seeds
3/4 cup (180 ml) light agave nectar
3/4 cup (180 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk
1/3 cup (80 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line three 8-inch (20 cm) round pans with parchment paper, then spray the parchment with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flax, agave nectar, soymilk, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Set aside while you mix the dry ingredients, or at least 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and whisk again to combine; do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the three pans. If you have a kitchen scale, you can weigh them to ensure they are exactly the same; if not, set the pans side by side on the counter and just estimate. Spread the batter evenly in the pan and smooth the tops.
Place two pans on the top shelf and one pan on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through, until the tops are puffed and deep golden and a tester inserted in the center of each pan comes out clean (depending on where they were situated in the oven, the cakes may not all be ready at exactly the same time; if necessary, remove one or more as they are ready and keep baking the others). Leave in the pan until completely cool, then run a knife along the sides and invert onto a cooling rack. Peel off parchment, then gingerly wrap in plastic and place on the cooling rack (or a cutting board or plate) in the freezer until firm. Store in freezer bags until ready to use. May be frozen for up to 3 months.
Cookie Crumb Garnish (coated cookie crumbs can be made up to one week ahead; store in a covered container in the refrigerator):
1 recipe Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies, below
1 recipe “White Chocolate” Coating, below
Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies (adapted from this recipe; can be baked up to 3 months before using)
6 Tbsp (90 ml) light agave nectar
1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground chia seeds
2 Tbsp (30 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut oil, solid at room temperature (if necessary, place in refrigerator until solid)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the agave, chia seeds, soymilk, vanilla and lemon extraact. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, or at least 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine evenly. Drop the coconut oil in large chunks over the flour mixture. Then, using your hands, pinch the mixture between your thumb and forefingers repeatedly until it comes together and the oil is completely blended into the flour. The mixture should appear crumbly but hold together when squeezed in your hand. (Note: the dough should NOT be the same as a pie dough, with visible, pea-sized bits of coconut oil distributed throughout; it should all be smoothly and completely blended into the flour).
Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir well to combine. You should have a soft and sticky dough, but one that holds together.
Gather the dough and form into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about an hour. Once firm, remove the dough from the plastic and place on a lightly floured piece of waxed paper or countertop and roll out to about 1/4 inch (.5 cm) thickness. Cut into rectangles about 3 x 2 inches (8 x 5.5 cm) big. Place the cookies about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on cookie sheets. Gather any remaining dough and roll again; repeat until all dough is used.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-13 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets about halfway through, until cookies are deep golden brown on the edges. Cool completely before removing from the cookie sheets. Makes 24-30 cookies. May be frozen: wrap in plastic and store in an airtight bag or container in the freezer until ready to use, up to 3 months.
“White Chocolate” Coating (should be made just before you coat the cookie crumbs):
4 cups (320 g) unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut sugar
30-50 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender (I use a VitaMix) and blend until perfectly smooth and almost liquid; this will take some time, and you will have to push the mixture toward the blades using the tamper. When it’s done, it should be pourable and the consistency of a very thin natural almond butter. Use immediately to make the Cookie Crumb Garnish.
To make the Cookie Crumb Garnish (coated cookie crumbs may be made up to a week ahead; store in in a covered container in the refrigerator):
Have the freshly made “White Chocolate Coating” at the ready.
Break the cooled cookies into chunks and place them in a food processor. Process until you have coarse crumbs. No pieces should be larger than a pea. Turn the crumbs into a medium bowl.
Pour the freshly made white chocolate coating over the crumbs in the bowl. Toss with a fork until they begin to clump together and form little balls; keep tossing until all the crumbs are coated. If the mixture seems too wet, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and then toss again; repeat until the coating is firm and you have a bowl of little clumps. Break apart with your fingers if necessary to ensure that none of the pieces is larger than a pea. If you’re making the garnish ahead of time, transfer to a covered container and store in the refrigerator. Otherwise, refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Pastry Cream Filling (can be made up to 3 days ahead):
1/4 cup (50 g) dry millet
1/2 cup (120 ml) water or plain or vanilla rice milk (only rice milk will do for this)
1 can (14 oz or 400 ml) full-fat coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) packed coconut sugar
pinch fine sea salt
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) turmeric, optional (for color)
20-30 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1 Tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract, optional
Place the millet and water or rice milk in a medium pot and bring to the boil; lower heat to simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is almost absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, coconut sugar, salt and turmeric and return to the boil over medium heat. Lower heat to simmer once again and continue to cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching (a silicone spatula works well for this) until the grains of millet have begun to open and break apart and the mixture has the consistency of very thick oatmeal or thick wallpaper paste, 30-50 minutes. If necessary, add a bit more water, 1/4 cup (60 ml) at a time, to ensure that the mixture has cooked long enough. Don’t worry about overcooking at this point–the longer it cooks, the better!
When it’s reached the desired consistency, stir in the stevia, vanilla and almond extract. Stir and taste; adjust sweetness if necessary. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Pour the mixture into a high speed blender (I use a Vita Mix) and blend, scraping down sides as necessary, until perfectly silky smooth. Pour into a large bowl. (If you are using a conventional blender, you can still make it; blend in smaller batches and transfer each blended batch to a bowl after mixing, then stir it all together in the bowl). Allow to cool at room temperature before covering and chilling in the refrigerator at least 6 hours or overnight. It will thicken as it chills. May be made up to 3 days ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the Strawberry Filling and Topping (can be made up to 2 days ahead):
3 pounds (1.4 kg) fresh strawberries, preferably organic
juice of 1/2 lime
10-20 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
2 tsp (10 ml) agar powder (not flakes–I used this brand)
Measure out 2 heaping cups of berries (about 15 large berries), choosing the most beautiful looking ones for this purpose. If you’re making the cake now, hull and slice about 2/3 of the beautiful berries into slices; hull and quarter the other third of the beautiful berries (keep the two piles separate). The slices will be used beween the cake layers and the quartered berries will be used as garnish on top. (If you’re making the cake a day or two later, don’t slice or cut the separated 2 cups (480 ml) of berries; leave those whole, and store them in the fridge until you need them. Slice and quarter right before you assemble the cake).
Hull the remaining berries (everything but the 2 cups you removed) and wash well. Place berries in a blender, in batches if necessary, and purée until liquefied. Transfer the liquid to a medium pot. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, until the mixture reduces to 2-1/2 cups (600 ml) total (about half the original volume), 1-1.5 hours. Add the stevia and adjust sweetness level if necessary. Whisk in the agar and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl. Allow to cool until it reaches room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and refrigerate until cold (it will be firm at that point). If making ahead, store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 days (and keep your fresh berries in the refrigerator as well until ready to use).
To Assemble the Cake:
Keep the cake layers frozen (they will defrost very quickly–mine were defrosted by the time I assembled and finished photographing the cake–but it’s much easier to assemble everything with frozen layers). Bring all your other components to your work station: the coated cookie crumbs, the pastry cream, the strawberry spread and the sliced and quartered fresh berries.
Measure out one cup (240 ml) of the cookie crumbs and set aside for garnish. Divide the remaining cookie crumbs in half.
Place one frozen cake layer on the center of a cake platter or serving plate. Cover the top with half the pastry cream; spread evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with one half of the (non-garnish) cookie crumbs. Measure out 2/3 cup (160 ml) of the strawberry spread and dot the top of the cake layer with spoonfuls of it evenly over the crumbs, then spread it as evenly as possible to cover the surface evenly using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with half the sliced fresh berries.
Top the first layer with another frozen layer, and repeat the toppings, first spreading with the rest of the pastry cream, sprinkling with the other half of the non-garnish cookie crumbs, covering with 2/3 cup (80 ml) of the strawberry spread, and sprinkling with the other half of the sliced berries.
Place the final frozen layer on top of the cake. Cover the top with 2/3 cup (160 ml) of the strawberry spread, leaving about 1/4 inch (1 ml) of cake uncovered around the edge. Sprinkle with the quartered strawberries and the cookie crumbs you reserved for garnish. (You may have a bit of the strawberry spread left over at this point; if so, store in a jar in the fridge up to 4 days. It’s great as a jam or atop pancakes).
At this point, you may serve the cake immediately, or store, covered, in the refrigerator for 6-24 hours. Serve cold, from the fridge. Makes 8-10 stupendous servings. It doesn’t keep well for much longer, however, so should be made for an occasion with 8-10 eaters, if possible. . . over time, the cake will absorb moisture from the fillings and will seem more like a trifle by day two (not that there’s anything wrong with that. . . . ).
And since it’s also such a celebratory cake, I’m submitting the recipe to Kelly’s Our Spunky Holiday event as well, for the 4th of July! Drop by Kelly’s blog next week to see all the other recipes in the roundup as well.
[No Gluten, Get Happy: The easiest way to bake gluten-free is with no flour at all! How about Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies?]
Welcome to Day Nine of the blog event from Diane over at The Whole Gang, 30 Days to Easy Gluten-Free Living! The objective of this event is to show you all how easy it can be to eat gluten-free. And today, I’m going to talk about baking.
Baking, gluten-free.
Whew! I think my hair just got a new ‘do after the breeze that whooshed by as hoards of you ran for the exits! For those of you still here, grab a cup of tea, have a seat, and settle in as I explain why, after a lifetime of baking with wheat, I’ve come to love gluten-free baking even more.
In a nutshell, here are my five top tips to create amazing baked goods–all without stress, anxiety, or trauma (and of course, no gluten!).
[My first time using sweet rice flour (also called glutenous rice flour: Red Bean Pastry Cookies. You can, too! ]
1. Something New: Gluten Free
When I first learned that I’d have to adopt a gluten-free diet (as part of the anti-candida regime I’m following), I was more upset about having to give up baking than having to give up gluten per se. As someone who’d been baking since I was about six, I simply couldn’t imagine a life without delicious baked treats!
In Stage 2 of the diet, as soon as I was able to start incorporating flours back into my recipes, I pulled out one of my favorite recipes (I think it was a carrot loaf), and baked it up using brown rice flour in place of the all-purpose wheat. Hmmm. . . .can you say, “brick”? Or how about, “Crumbly, totally tasteless brick” at that!
It wasn’t until I realized that baking gluten-free is an entirely new endeavor that I finally began to learn about–and appreciate–gluten-free baking on its own merits. If I moved to Florida from here in Toronto (and believe me, deep in February, I’ve often thought about it), I wouldn’t expect to wear the same winter clothes over there, now, would I? Or if I started dating a new guy (no worries, HH, this is for illustration purposes only), I’d never expect him to have the same taste in wine, like the same music, or dance the same way as the previous beau, either. So why should gluten-free baking work exactly the same as glutenous baking? Once I “got” that reality, the rest was easy.
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel (or wheel of foccacia, either, for that matter). Whenever I begin a new enterprise, I first check out what the authorities in that field have done before me. I rely on their wisdom and experience to get me started. In the case of gluten-free baking, I began by using all-purpose mixes that would allow me to substitute one-for-one instead of wheat flour, and baked up several batches of my favorite sweets that way first. By using tried-and-true flour mixes, I knew that my baked goods would work and would give me a feel for what goes into an all-purpose gluten free flour mix.
What’s in an all-purpose mix? Well, to answer that question you’ll need to consider a bit more about glutenous versus gluten-free flour. Here are some key points:
i. Gluten-free flour has no gluten (duh).
Gluten is the protein in wheat that acts as “glue” to bind together the baked goods. It provides texture and holds things together. Without it, baked goods crumble and break apart like dried-out sandcastles on the beach. By combining different gluten-free flours in one mix, you help to alleviate that effect. (Another trick is to add a binder that replaces the gluten–see number 3, below).
ii. Wheat flour comes in only a few varieties, but varieties of gluten-free flour are almost endless.
In fact, this is one of the reasons I love baking gluten-free: most of us grow up used to the neutral, bland flavor of wheat in baked goods. Gluten free flours, on the other hand, are often derived from other grains that confer their own distinct taste. Amaranth and quinoa offer a sturdy, almost mineral flavor; buckwheat is earthy and nutty; teff resembles a combination of carob and cocoa; rice is mild and delicate; and so on. In addition, there are loads of non-grain gluten free flours; major categories are starches (cornstarch, tapioca, arrowroot, potato starch, etc.); bean and legume-based (chickpea, garfava, bean, soy, etc.); and nut based (coconut, almond meal, hazelnut, etc.). For a fairly comprehensive list of gluten-free grains, starches and flours, check this post.
iii. The best gluten-free baking uses a combination of flours. I know that some of you out there will disagree on this point, and certainly there are some gluten-free recipes that use only a single flour (often millet, sorghum, oat or almond, in my experience). But since gluten-free flours are so different from wheat and each is unique, I find that my best baking projects combine different flours depending on my mood, the recipe and the kind of result I seek.
For instance, muffins or quickbreads work better with more hearty flours such as quinoa, amaranth, or sorghum; light and delicate results follow when you use a greater percentage of starchy flours or mild-flavored grains like rice or millet; and sandy, chewy cookies seem to work best with a combination of all three main types of flours (grain, bean, starch). As you experiment in the kitchen and learn more about the types of flours, you’ll discover which flavors and textures you like best in your own baking.
But no one wants to waste ingredients while they’re learning, right? So for those who are just beginning, I’d recommend the following all-purpose mixes I’ve tried from some of my fellow gluten-free bloggers:
Maggie’s Bean Free Blend: I used this for a pie crust and it was fantastic–light, flaky, delicate.
As I mentioned above, gluten is the “glue” that helps to bind (and to a lesser extent, leaven) baked goods. As a result, the best gluten-free baking usually includes a binder meant to replace the gluten. The most common binder is eggs, but since I don’t use those, I add flax meal or other vegan egg replacers in my baking. Other binders include fruit purées, nut meals or flours, or nut butters (I tend to use nut butters more than meal; I also sometimes use seed butters, such as tahini or sunflower seed butter).
However, in recent years, most people also use xanthan gum, a powdery substance that you sift into your flours before you mix up your batter or dough, which creates results a lot like gluten in baked goods. You can also use guar gum. I’ve also seen recipes calling for agar agar (a vegan gelatin) as a binder as well, when xanthan gum isn’t used. As a general rule, most flour blends use about 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum per cup of flour; for more sturdy baked goods such as muffins or scones, you may need to add a wee bit more (up to 1 tsp/5 ml per cup). I always use an egg replacer plus the xanthan gum; after all, glutenous recipes contain eggs and gluten, right?
[Yes, you can still have light-as-air, cakey Whoopie Pies, gluten-free!]
4. Lighten Up.
Gluten free flours tend to produce a slightly heavier product than wheat flour (another consequence of losing that gluten!). As a result, I always add a bit more leavener to my gluten-free creations than I used to with my wheat-based baked goods. If a wheat-based recipe calls for 1 tsp (5 ml) of baking powder per cup of all-purpose flour, with my gluten-free mix, I use 1-1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) instead (plus about 1/4 tsp (1 ml) extra baking soda for heavier flours). Again, you may need to experiment a bit as you go, but that’s a good rule to start.
Yes, pun intended: those of us who must eat gluten-free are already going with our guts, of course! But it’s also important to learn what works for you and your digestive system, then experiment until you find those ideal recipes. For me, too many starchy ingredients cause a recurrence of my candida symptoms, so as much as I love fluffy, feather-light cupcakes and cakes, I don’t bake too many of them these days. Luckily, I also love fudgy, dense chocolate brownies and cookies–and they have made several appearances on this blog since I went gluten-free.
[Hazelnut Melting Moments. . . a Divine Gluten-Free Cookie--and thank goodness that Chocolate is Gluten-Free! ]
5. Have Some Fun!
So that’s why I love gluten-free baking: it allows me to be inventive as I mix up something different each time. I can tailor the final flavor and texture to match the character of the particular baked good, whether light and airy or more substantial and dense. And I can benefit from the varied nutritional profiles of the different flours when I bake, instead of producing baked goods that all offer the same set of nutrients over and over in their flour.
Like any creative endeavor, cooking is never quite the same each time we do it; and the same is true of gluten-free baking. If you approach the task with a bit whimsy and a bit of adventureousness–like a playtime in the kitchen–you’ll find that gluten-free baking is fun, satisfying, and really easy, after all.
There will be a whole month of 30 Days to Easy Gluten-Free Living posts on Diane’s blog. Here’s a list of all the topics and contributors:
I suppose anyone who devotes one third of their blog’s name to “dessert” must really love the sweet stuff. (Uh, yeah). A quick glance at my blog’s recipe index will reveal that, ACD be damned, I’m not willing to give up my sweet treats.
You’ll also notice that stevia has been my savior ever since I began the anti candida diet. As I mentioned in yesterday’s SOS kickoff post, it’s up to 300 times sweeter than sugar and also boasts some pretty impressive health properties. For someone unwilling to consume sucralose, aspartame or other unnatural chemical alternatives, stevia is a perfect means to add sweetness without calories to food. Used in conjunction with other natural sweeteners, it can boost a recipe’s sweet quotient while lowering overall calories–and allow you to continue to enjoy perfectly decadent desserts.
Enter this coconut ice cream, the final recipe in my dinner party trifecta (along with the sushi pizza and tempeh bourguignon). I made it last week for a couple of friends who don’t have any dietary restrictions. I served it over a big slice of the Ultra Fudgy Brownies from Sweet Freedom. Both of them (along with the HH) gobbled it up, entirely unaware that they were eating something “healthy.” (Happily, I was able to enjoy a big serving of the ice cream, too, with fresh blueberries, since it’s ACD-friendly).
Because it contains ingredients that are actually good for you, I felt no compunction whatsoever about having some ice cream atop waffles for brunch a few days later. The HH was very appreciative, too.
As you can see, this recipe contains this month’s SOS ingredient, stevia, as well as last month’s (coconut oil). That’s because I had actually intended this as another coconut oil recipe, but, as often happens these days, got behind in my blogging. No matter; like so many other recipes in my life, it coincidentally contains stevia as well–which makes it a perfect anti-candida dessert.
“Mum, it’s also a perfect canine dessert, you know. How about we help clean up those plates once you’re done?”
[Coconut ice cream atop a wholegrain waffle from my upcoming ebook, Top of the Morning: ACD Recipes without Sugar, Gluten, Eggs or Dairy.]
This ice cream is extremely rich tasting, smooth and silky, with pronounced coconut flavor that isn’t overpowering. For a more subtle coconut contribution, swirl in some chocolate sauce, melted nut butter or sugar-free jam after the ice cream is ready to serve.
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy, almond, rice or coconut milk (for coconut milk, use the kind in a carton, not a can)
1 cup (150 g) raw natural cashews, soaked in room temperature water 6-12 hours and drained
1 ripe medium pear, cored and cut in chunks
1 pkg (12 oz or 350 g) firm or extra firm silken tofu (I used Mori Nu)
1/2 cup (45 g) dry shredded unsweetened coconut
2 Tbsp (60 ml) extra virgin coconut oil, preferably organic
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut (palm) sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) agave nectar or food grade vegetable glycerin
10-15 drops plain or vanilla stevia, to your taste (I used NuNaturals)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure coconut extract, optional
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender (such as a VitaMix) and blend until perfectly smooth. This may take a while (if using a VitaMix, you’ll need to push the ingredients down with the wand until everything comes together). If using a regular blender, start with the wet ingredients and then add the coconut and cashews last; blend in small batches if necessary.
Pour the mixture into silicone muffin cups or small plastic containers and freeze until solid. Remove from the cups or containers and store in plastic freezer bags until ready to use.
To make the ice cream: For each serving, remove one muffin cup (or equivalent sized piece) of frozen cream from the freezer and, using a large, sharp knife, cut it into 5 or 6 pieces. Place the pieces in the bowl of a food processor and process until it comes together in a ball (at first it will break apart and resemble breadcrumbs, but eventually it will come together). Stop the processor and spread out the mixture evenly in the bowl, then process again if necessary until it just begins to smooth out (avoid overprocessing or the mixture will be too soft). Scoop into bowls and serve. The full recipe makes 4-6 servings.
[This week's A Gluten Free Holiday (the fourth installment of this event that Amy created) is hosted by Diane at The Whole Gang. You'll probably remember Diane's "30 days to a food revolution"--she even got Jamie Oliver involved! Diane's theme is sides and main courses today, so hop over to her blog if you'd like to see what she made (warning to vegans: meat-heavy recipe!), to enter the contest to win one of several cookbooks (see below) or to post your own recipe, click here.
Diane is giving away TWO books by Shauna James Ahern, everybody's favorite Gluten Free Girl! You could win Shauna's first book:
or the just-released, co-authored book by Shauna and her husband Danny:
Diane is also giving away TEN of my books--a hard copy of Sweet Freedom:
My contribution this week, surprisingly, involves rutabaga. (It's only a surprise, really, if you know my history with this gnarly root--but we've now gotten past our differences, the 'Baga and I).
It all started in the Garden of Eden. Well, okay, not literally, but it began with the promise of a portrait. And before that, it had its roots in the early days of my romance with the HH. And before that, it occurred with basically every man who ever went on a date with any woman, back through the centuries. . . as far back, even, as Adam and Eve.
It all started with a guy who promised, "I'll call you."
Yes, men have gotten in hot water over this one for all eternity. You know how it goes: you're at the end of a first date and he walks you to the door to say goodnight. You're standing beneath the beam of a streetlight as it illuminates the hopeful glint in your eyes. You gaze askance. "I had a great time," you whisper (a little breathlessly), tilting your chin up toward his face.
"Me, too," he replies, and brushes a kiss across your cheek. "Yeah, let's do it again. I'll call you."
I mean, can't you just imagine it? Garden of Eden. Eve says to Adam, "Hey, how do you like them apples?" Adam replies, "Wow, those were great. Let's do this again. I'll call you." And she never hears from him again.
Just as Freud wrestled with the question of What Women Really Want, every woman alive has attempted to solve the mystery of "Why do men say they'll call and then never call?" In fact, an entire movie was even devoted to the conundrum.
I've asked the HH about this (far too many times, according to him). Why do men (or anyone, for that matter) promise to do things they subsequently don't deliver? The HH's theory is that "we mean it at the time we say it." It's just that somehow, between the kiss at the door and buckling the seatbelt, that good intention dissolves as the guys realize that nope, they're just not that into you.
Apart from not calling me after our first date (or our second, or third, or pretty much ever since then), the HH and I have an ongoing joke about another of his unkept promises (no, nothing to do with "The M Word"--I have no desire to repeat youthful mistakes, either).
For years now, the HH has promised to paint a portrait of me. You see, even though he never pursued it as a career, the HH (who studied Fine Arts in university) happens to be one of the most talented artists I've ever seen. (In the early days of our relationship, I was constantly blown away by his artistic abilities. Sitting around the dinner table at my friend Gemini I's cottage one evening, the HH grabbed a pencil on the table, pulled over a napkin and--within the space of 45 seconds--drew a likeness of the niveous scene outside the window: the moonlit cottage across the frozen lake, the towering pines, the drifting snow. Gemini I asked if she could keep it, and it now hangs in their family room.)
Although he doesn't paint any more, I pleadedcajoledbegged asked the HH if he'd do a portrait of me (and make me look 10 pounds lighter in it, of course). When he hemmed and hawed, I questioned what it would take to convince him. His answer? "Make some authentic Scalloped Potatoes for me." (And he meant, to eat!). Well, what can I say--the guy likes potatoes.
Needless to say, he had his potatoes that week. And that week was. . . oh, perhaps 312 weeks or so ago. Do I have my portrait? Of course not. (But he really meant it at the time that he said it. . . ). .
Those potatoes came to mind as I was browsing through last month's issue of Whole Livingmagazine the other day. Like Martha Stewart's other publications (Living and Everyday Food), Whole Living quite often features vegan or vegan-friendly recipes. And right there, in an article about "Dishing Up Nostalgia" with health-conscious chefs, was a recipe for Rutabaga Gratin. Which looked exactly like scalloped potatoes. This might be my chance to nab that portrait after all, I mused.
Although I've never been a lover of rutabaga (unless it's the almond butter-crusted variety, that is), I knew the moment I saw the photo that I'd love this dish. In fact, this is the perfect dress-up ensemble for the otherwise homely rutabaga. Softened and sweetened by its slow roast in the oven, the rutabaga is transformed from dowdy tuber to ravishing root. With its rich, silky robe of cashew cream and nubby breadcrumb collar, little 'Baga gets all dressed up for its big date in this recipe.
I fed this to the HH and he was, like me, enraptured. "This stuff is great!" he enthused, scooping up almost half the casserole onto his plate. "It might even be better than scalloped potatoes," he went on. "You've definitely got to make this again."
"Sure thing," I said. "Maybe next week." Turns out, that was two weeks ago. But I did mean it when I said it. . . .
Rutabaga Gratin (adapted from Whole Living, November 2010)
This is the one rutabaga dish you’ll love even if you don’t like rutabaga. I made some adjustments to the original recipe to accommodate the ACD since the original included nutritional yeast. And while the ingredient list seems long, this comes together really quickly since everything is blended, mixed together and then baked.
For the Cashew Cream:
1-3/4 cups (420 ml) boiling water
1/2 cup (120 ml) sesame tahini
1-1/2 Tbsp (22.5 ml) light miso
2 tsp (10 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup (150 g) raw cashews
For the Breadcrumbs:
2 slices rustic gluten-free bread (I used quinoa bread)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
For the Gratin:
2 small or one large rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch (2 mm) thick rounds
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp (40 ml) herbs de provence [or use the original recipe's seasonings: 4 tsp (20 ml) chopped fresh thyme and 4 tsp (20 ml) chopped fresh marjoram]
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground nutmeg
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
Make the cashew cream:
Place cashews in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water; allow to sit for 15-30 minutes, until they begin to soften. Pour the cashews (and water) into a blender with the remaining cream ingredients and blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Make the breadcrumbs: Tear bread into pieces and place in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs, then toss the crumbs with the oil. Set aside.
Assemble the gratin: Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease a nine inch (22 cm) casserole dish with nonstick spray or a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
Cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of rutabaga slices, overlapping slightly to cover the entire surface (but keep slices in a single layer). Season with salt, pepper, and half the herbs. Add another layer of rutabaga on top of the first and season with salt, pepper and the rest of the herbs. Cover with about 1/3 of the cashew cream (enough to cover both layers). Continue in this manner until the baking dish is full, then pour in the remaining cashew cream. Sprinkle the nutmeg over the top layer.
Bake in preheated oven on a baking sheet (to catch any overflow that spills out) for 30 minutes, then remove and rotate the casserole before sprinkling the top with the breadcrumbs. Bake an additional 45-55 minutes, until the rutabaga is soft when pierced with a knife and the breadcrumbs are browned. Makes 6-8 servings.
Per serving: 149 calories; 1 g saturated fat; 5 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbs; 89 mg sodium; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber
Vegan MoFo: Can you believe that the first week of Vegan MoFo is almost over? And so much has happened this week: over 700 bloggers have joined in on the fun! I’ve been scrambling to keep up with reading all the posts that magically appear in my Google Reader (I think it may take until the end of July to read them all). What on earth made me think I could keep pace with all the young buckaroos on this one and post at least four times a week?? Oh, wait, I’ve already done something similar, nary three years ago. . . well, I was much younger then (a pox on this half-century craziness!). The upside is that I’m learning new things and seeing hoardes of recipes I want to try.
In order to keep up with the frenetic pace of MoFo (in addition to the frenetic pace of my life in general–but that’s another story), I’ve decided that I’ll be posting a few non-food blog entries over this month. To wit, this very post.
As I mentioned in the post title, I’ve got three major bits of information to share: a recent award, a blog birthday, and not one–not two–but threegiveaways within a week on this blog!
I. An Award: This past Friday, the Cuisine Canada Culinary Book Awards were held at Exhibition Place in Toronto. These are national awards (one of only two country-wide book awards), so you can imagine how thrilled I was that Sweet Freedom, my cookbook, was shortlisted! (I won’t keep you in suspense: my book didn’t win, but it did receive Honorable Mention. Considering the heavyweights from FoodTV and various national magazines it was up against, I was happy to accept that for my little self-published tome!).
Mingling with culinary luminaries and sniffing at the spectacular buffet tables (sadly, the only food I could eat at the entire affair was a few spoonfuls of quinoa, originally intended to provide cushioning for beef curry) was thrill enough in itself: Laura Calder (one of the Gold prize winners) was there, along with Elizabeth Baird and Bonnie Stern, true dignitaries in the world of Canadian Cuisine.
I even remembered to bring along my camera, for once–and then promptly discovered that the battery was dead! Lest you think the entire event was a mere figment of my overactive imagination, voilà the proof:
My name tag. . . and
[The HH holding the massive book poster that graced the wall (see his wee hands gripping the top and left side? That's how massive this thing was!]
II. A Birthday!
DDD turned THREE last week! Can it really be more than 1095 days and almost 500 posts since I first began tapping out random thoughts, ideas, musings, recipes and corny jokes in this space? (“And don’t forget about us, Mum!”). Oh, and transcribing comments from The Girls, too, of course. Rather than overwhelm you with a 5000-word post today (and because I do have to save some material for all those MoFo posts coming up), I’ll share my thoughts on the b-day later next week. In the meantime, let’s move to the third part of this blog post’s title: prizes!
III. And Three Giveaways: I also introduced this months’ SOS Kitchen Challenge last week (along with a Linky list so you can share up your own recipes), and I kicked off Amy’s Gluten Free Holiday event (with its own linky list).
Finally, I’m planning a third fabulous giveaway on Tuesday to kick off my own “Festive Freebies” series that will continue through the New Year. I’ve shared Festive Freebies before and really enjoy the idea of giving away gifts for the holidays to some of DDD’s readers. You all hang in there with me throughout the year, reading and commenting (and how I love hearing from you! Keep it up!) and standing by when I disappear for days at a time; and this will be my way of saying “thanks” and “Have a great holiday!”.
[A glimpse of my new breakfast obsession. . . recipe--and giveaway--coming soon!]
This year for Festive Freebies, I’ve handpicked foods and products that I personally already love and use, to share with you–and I can’t wait to have you try them. This first one has quickly become one of my all-time favorite foods! I know you’ll love it as much as I do–and it’s 100% vegan, sugar free AND gluten free!
And now, back to our regular weekend madness–the HH and I are having dinner with my friend Sterlin, who’s in town from England (though I doubt any Date Pasta will be had). Between catching up with old friends and catching up on my pile of work, the weekend will be over before I know it–and I’ll see you all here again on Monday for more MoFo madness.
[This is my first entry for the SOS Kitchen Challenge: Sesame Seeds this month: anti candida friendly, sugar-free, gluten-free halvah. If you've got a sesame-based recipe of your own to share, link up below--and win one of our eleven prizes!]
Have you ever noticed how some of the foods we loved as children seem entirely distaseteful once we’re adults? (This principle works equally well when you compare your teenaged years or early twenties to your 40s and 50s, too: just replace “some of the foods we loved” with “clothes we loved,” “music we loved,” “heartless cads** we loved”. . . you see what I mean).
These days, when I think of foods I ate–with gusto–as a child, I cringe a little. A few of them (Cocoa Puffs, Cherry Blossom) still sound appealing in theory, so the cringe-factor arises more from my current (and oh-so-mature) awareness of their nutritional deficiencies (plus the smattering of high fructose corn syrup, FD & C Red dye #40, sulfur dioxide and butylated hydroxytoluene). Others (Cap’n Crunch, Skittles) no longer tempt me at all.
(“Mum, we don’t have that problem. We still love all the foods we liked as puppies. In fact, if you won’t be eating that Cap’n Crunch, we’d be happy to help you out with it.”)
When we were kids, for instance, the CFO and I performed a Saturday breakfast ritual that involved soda crackers and peanut butter with huge sploshy glasses of chocolate milk. Sneaking into the kitchen while our mother slept (Dad had already left for his butcher shop by 6:30 AM), we’d slide a tray from the cupboard and load it up with a box of saltines, an opened jar of Kraft Smooth peanut butter and two butter knives. Next, we’d add a heaping teaspoon of Nestle’s Quik (after consuming at least one spoonful, dry, first, of course) to the bottom of two tumblers and fill them with milk. If we were really in luck, there would be a carton of chocolate milk already in the fridge–so we’d fill the glasses with that instead.
Then the CFO would grab the tray, I’d snatch the tumblers, and we’d pad down to the basement TV room where we’d station ourselves in front of Boris and Natasha, Bugs Bunny, The Prefab Four or whoever else danced across the TV screen for the next two hours as we slathered saltine after saltine with peanut butter and slurped our drinks. True, I suppose there were worse breakfasts we could have had (those cigarettes and coffee from my 20s come to mind), but we weren’t exactly poster children for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, either (and just thinking of all that sugar makes my fillings ache).
On the other hand, many foods I detested as a child have since become dearly beloved staples. Some of the obvious examples include oil-cured black olives, roasted garlic bulbs, broccoli or parsnip fries. It may be hard to believe, but as a tot I couldn’t face even the smallest tidbit of cheesecake. At my parents’ weekly card games, my mother would serve up cherry-topped cheesecakes, chocolate cheesecakes, no-bake cheesecakes, Farmer’s Cheesecakes, Cheese Danish–and I’d avoid them all. The thick, gloppy filling would stick in my throat and I’d feel slightly nauseated every time I tried to swallow some (too bad my negative response didn’t also stick). Fortunately (or, perhaps, unfortunately), I outgrew my cheesecake aversion by the time I hit my 20s, and the dessert even became one of my specialties in the days when I used to baked conventional sweets.
Another previously loathed–and now loved–sweet was halvah. It was one of my mother’s two favorite confections (the other was known as “Turkish Delight”–gooey, gelatin-based cubes of candy in an array of popsicle colors, each dusted with icing sugar and sold in a rectangular, waxed-paper lined cardboard box, from the local fruit market).
My mother’s preferred halvah, a Middle Eastern candy made primarily from tahini (sesame paste) and honey, was always purchased by the pound at the supermarket deli counter. To me, it resembled a discarded brick of concrete from some abandoned construction site, the oatmeal-gray block streaked with wayward marbling from the chocolate filling. Its texture was dry and grainy with crunchy layers that stuck in your teeth, a sensation I did not enjoy. And overriding the sesame taste was the strong flavor of honey, a sweetener to which I reacted rather viscerally as a child. Needless to say, the mere appearance of either one of those desserts on our kitchen table triggered my gag reflex.
It wasn’t until I hit my 40s and tasted halvah again at a raw foods restaurant that I became truly besotted. By that time, I’d been eating a healthy diet for several years, so both tahini and sesame were staples in my everyday cooking. The halvah this time was soft, with a fudge-like bite and a subtle sweetness (from agave nectar) that encouraged the true sesame flavor to reveal itself. That early sample was studded with bits of cheery green pistachios as well, and I fell in love. I’ve been making my own version of halvah ever since.
This recipe is an adaptation from the one in my cookbook, Sweet Freedom.I’ve used ACD-friendly sweeteners here so that all of us anti candida veterans can enjoy it just as well. Creating the chocolate swirl is easy and lends a bit of elegance to the candy, but if you prefer your halvah plain (or with chopped fruit or nuts), go for it. You can also simply blend the melted chocolate right into the sesame mixture for chocolate halvah, another decadent treat.
** you knew we had to be talking about Rocker Guy (he of the black leather pants), didn’t you?
This is the kind of dessert that looks great on a candy tray alongside chocolates or truffles. At the same time, it contains so many healthy ingredients and is so packed with nutrition that you can feel just fine eating a few pieces as an afternoon snack.
For the halvah base:
1/2 cup (80 g) cashews, lightly toasted
3/4 cup ( 180 ml) sesame tahini
1/4 cup (35 g) sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
pinch fine sea salt
3 Tbsp (45 ml) yacon syrup or agave nectar
10-20 drops plain, vanilla or chocolate stevia liquid, to your taste
For the Chocolate Swirl:
1 ounce (30 g) unsweetened chocolate, preferably organic (I used Cocoa Camino)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) vegetable glycerin or agave nectar (for ACD stage 2, use glycerin)
10-20 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
Make the halvah base: In the bowl of a food processor, whir the cashews until they resemble a coarse cornmeal. There should be no pieces left bigger than a sesame seed.
Add remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture comes together in a ball. It should have the consistency of a thick dough (resist the temptation to add liquid to make it blend more easily; you want it to be fairly dry, but just moist enough to hold together). Break up the ball with your fingers or a spatula and crumble it evenly around the processor bowl. Set aside.
Make the chocolate swirl: Pour enough water into a small pot to fill it about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to lowest possible heat. Place a larger metal or heatproof bowl over the pot (it should be large enough that the bottom doesn’t touch the water in the pot) and add the chocolate to the bowl. Stir constantly until the chocolate melts, a couple of minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot (turn off the heat) and then stir in the glycerin or agave and stevia. The mixture should remain smooth and pourable.
Finish the halvah: Drizzle the chocolate mixture directly over the halvah in the processor bowl, pouring in a ring shape. Don’t worry if it’s not even or if it doesn’t cover the entire halvah mixture. Replace the processor cover and pulse once or twice ONLY to barely incorporate the chocolate in rivulets through the mixture (any more than this and you will end up with chocolate halvah). You want the chocolate to be distributed between the bits of halvah, but not blended into it.
Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap on your counter and turn the mixture onto it. Folding the plastic over the halvah mixture, press the mixture into place to form a compact rectangle. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until firm. Once firm, cut into small squares for serving. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to one week. Makes 20-30 small squares.
And since it’s also such a celebratory cake, I’m submitting the recipe to Kelly’s 
