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[In a bit of unrelated news, I'll be doing a guest post on Amy's blog tomorrow. Hope you can drop by and check it out!]
[Looks pretty decadent, doesn't it? Tastes that way, too.]
Okay, so who WAS that woman who wrote my last post?! I do apologize if I alarmed any of you (though I don’t think I went so far as to frighten the horses ). I guess something about that particular topic hit a nerve for me. But wow, did that post ever spike my blog’s traffic! My Google Analytics stats shot through the roof! And man, look at all those comments! Well, I guess we all know how I’ll be choosing my blog topics from now on, hmmmnn? Ahem.
Seriously, thanks to everyone for your insights, reactions, commentary! I am really loving the exchange of opinions and all the differing perspectives on the topic. I think peeking in on the IFBC sparked for me a renewed interest in ideas for ideas’ sake –it felt sort of like what grad school was supposed to be. So, once again, thanks. And it’s not too late to contribute your own ideas about why and how we blog–join the conversation here.
But now. . . it’s time for us to head back from summer holidays and dive back into the daily routines once again–which means (for me, and for many of you)–back to school.
When I was a kid, the beginning of September was always a bittersweet time. After two whole months of sleeping until I awoke; throwing on shorts and sneakers and a T-shirt before wandering outside to meet up with friends; reading books while lounging on the grass in our backyard or writing furiously in my journal, the sun warming the sheets of paper as I wrote; ice cream on demand; or simply soaking in the freedom of “no fixed schedule”–the end of August marked the shift to autumn and a return to predictability.
I didn’t particularly look forward to the the stuffy classrooms, the mercilessly rigid desk chairs, the overloaded backpack, the trek home at lunch or long afternoon hunched over my textbook, pencil in hand, reading from a book that (more often than not) didn’t interest me.
On the other hand, there were some high points in returning to the classroom. September also felt like a fresh start, that moment when you’ve just stepped out of the shower, scrubbed and still glistening before you decide what to wear that day. It was an invitation for self-renewal and embracing new identities, a chance to rectify personal slights or last year’s mistakes. New shoes, a new haircut and (my favorite part) fresh, pristine pages of new notebooks–those were the beckoning aspects of returning to school.
Perhaps because I work in academia, September still feels like the beginning of the year to me. Yet it’s also a tacit “start date” in many other contexts as well: television shows (Hey, Ellen! How about that guest spot this year?); arts and cultural events (you wouldn’t believe how many TSO, TIFF or AGO brochures have landed on our doorstep lately–and, just an aside, does EVERY Toronto-area event use a three-letter acronym?), and even religious holidays (Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, usually occurs around September).
I mentioned in a previous post that I had a few exciting giveaways up my figurative sleeve–and now that we’re on the threshold of back-to-school, what better time to hold them? During the past couple of months, I’ve had the pleasure of sampling and experimenting with an array of new ingredients and products, some of which were truly exceptional.
So now, I’ve chosen the best of the lot–the ones I liked most and think you will, too–and will be giving away one at a time over the next few weeks.
See? Back to school can be fun!
For a great ACD-friendly Fudge Recipe and to enter the first in the “Back to School Swag” series of giveaways, click here!
[You won't believe what's in this fudge. . . or how easy it is to make!]
Last Year at this Time: A Nice Chianti and Some Fava Beans? No. Muhammara? Thumbs Off–Er, Up.
Two Years Ago: Freeform Tomato Tart with “Goat Cheese” and Basil
© 2010 Diet, Dessert and Dogs
[My cookbook, Sweet Freedom, will be on sale until mid-August! For more information or to order, click here.  ]
[A sweet treat to celebrate the firsts: sunflower butter cups--recipe below]
I hope everyone here in Canada had a great Victoria Day weekend!
It seems as if this past week has been filled with a few exciting firsts for me (hmm, that sounds rather like a post-virginal confession, somehow, doesn’t it? True, I was what you’d call a late bloomer, but even I am too old for that kind of “first.”). No, the firsts to which I refer involved a high profile TV appearance; a meetup with a fellow blogger, and happening upon a new ACD-friendly restaurant–all within three days.
First Number One (aka ”First First”): Those of you who follow me on twitter already know that I appeared on Canada AM this past Thursday morning (and thanks for all the good wishes, everyone!). The show is the Canuck equivalent of Good Morning America or the Today Show in the US (it bills itself as “Canada’s most watched national morning show”) so I was beyond excited to be a guest!
I chatted about healthy eating and a few items from Sweet Freedom. It was very gratifying to see the show’s host express genuine delight (and, perhaps, surprise) after tasting some of the goodies. The clip was available last week on the Canada AM main page, but it appears it’s been usurped by more recent ones now; I’ll try to get it up on YouTube if I can.
First Number Two (“Second First”): I’m sure many of you have experienced this: you relate an anecdote about a fellow blogger, or wax enthusiastic about a food blog recipe you tried, and before you know it your husband/ significant other / friend/ relative’s eyes glaze over. Their expression combines equal parts disdain and pity. And without a sound, they arre able to communicate that, in their world, blog friendships couldn’t possibly be “real.” Like the HH, most of my friends perceive blog buddies on par with imaginary BFFs, as if I were a five year-old child recounting her vacant-chair tea party, or Jimmy Stewart in Harvey.
Now, anyone who writes or reads a blog with any regularity, anyone who has enjoyed a lively exchange of ideas in a comments queue, anyone who has shared a series of friendly emails with another blogger, or anyone who has participated in a blog exchange will know just how misguided such judgments are.
[My remake of a favorite salad at a local haunt: Insalata Roma, with mesclun mix, roasted red peppers, walnuts and "goat cheese"]
Last week, I had the unique pleasure of meeting one of my favorite “blogging buddies” in person: Amanda (of Still Life in Southeast Asia) was in Toronto and we met up for lunch. What a total delight it was to meet with her! I’ve been following Amanda’s blog ever since she lived in Buenos Aires, and have always admired her poet, evocative writing style and enchanting photographs. I learned a lot about the different places in which she’s lived (and there have been many) and vicariously enjoyed some of the local attractions through her posts.
Although we’d never set eyes on each other before that moment, we hugged each other warmly and immediately began chattering like Saturday morning regulars at the local beauty salon. To onlookers, we must have appeared like old room mates or relatives reunited. Because of our blog connection, we were able to dispense with so much of the usual introductions; and I didn’t have to explain about my dietary restrictions or the need for an ACD-friendly restaurant.
Have I mentioned before how much I love eating in restaurants? I’m guessing my predilection is partly inherited from my mom (who felt the same way), and partly as a reaction against my dad, who abhorred any food that wasn’t cooked at home. In fact, when my sisters and I were growing up, our family unit would eat in a restaurant perhaps once a year. (No, that’s not a typo: ONCE a YEAR).
Why this aversion on his part? It may have had something to do with the fact that my dad grew up on a farm and was accustomed to made-from-scratch foods. Or perhaps it was a consequence of his discovery, on an early date with my mom in Montreal’s Chinatown, of a matchstick (previously unlit) sharing space with the bean sprouts in his eggroll. Possibly, it was related to his work as a butcher, as he’d regularly share stories about local restaurants purchasing meat for daily specials from his store ; the meat was, he noted, barely a step above (and sometimes, below) dog food. In fact, I was basically forbidden from ever ordering hamburger in a restaurant.
[My version of my regular order at our local Middle Eastern resto: Israeli salad, with diced tomato, cucumber, red onion and avocado (and my addition of mixed lentil sprouts) with lemon-olive oil dressing.]
As for me, I rebelled against my father’s restaurant reluctance as soon as I was able to pay for my own food. With my forays to eating establishments decidedly restricted over the past fourteen months (fourteen months on the ACD? What kind of insanity is that?), I’ve resigned myself to meals in the same three places, over and over, with very limited choices from each menu. So I wasn’t quite sure where Amanda and I would end up. Which leads me to. . .
First Number Three (“Third First”): Almost as soon as we started walking, however, Amanda pointed to a new café (I’d never seen it before) called Kale Organic Eatery. A small, quaint and cosy spot that exuded warmth and welcome, it offered a limited but varied buffet of both cold and hot dishes. And everything on the menu was vegan–with many ACD-friendly options! Whoo-hoo! There was also a terrific selection of homemade desserts (it’s okay; I averted my eyes).
Talking almost nonstop between bites of beets, steamed greens, tamari-marinated tempeh and brown rice with nori, we breezed through two hours of animated chatter and before we knew it, I had to leave for an appointment. The company, the chat, the serendipitous restaurant find–it was a positive, energizing and fun way to spend an afternoon. Thanks so much, Amanda! 
By the time I got home, I’d been thinking quite a bit about those desserts I couldn’t eat. I decided to whip up these sunbutter cups, a sugar-free, allergen free, ACD-friendly version of the classic with peanut butter. Of course, you can use whatever nut or seed butter you like, but I thought the sunflower seed butter offered a nice change of pace. The recipe is fairly small–just enough to share with a friend, whether virtual or otherwise.
Crunchy Sunbutter Chocolate Cups (ACD friendly Phase II and beyond)
Of course, you can fill these cups with whatever filling you choose; almond butter is ACD-friendly and would compliment the chocolate beautifully, as would walnut-cacao butter. I chose sunbutter so that the cups would be allergy-friendly as well–and they tasted terrific!
Filling:
about 1/4 cup (60 ml) crunchy sunflower seed butter (or use 3 Tbsp/45 ml smooth butter and stir in 1 Tbsp (15 ml) coarsely ground sunflower seeds)
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
15-25 drops stevia, to taste (or use about 1 Tbsp/15 ml agave nectar)
Chocolate Cups:
2 oz (60 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp (30 ml) carob powder
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic
35-45 drops chocolate, vanilla, or plain stevia liquid (to taste)
Line 4 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
Prepare the filling: In a small bowl, mix together the sunflower butter, salt, vanilla and stevia to taste. Line a plate with plastic wrap and, using about 1 Tbsp (15 ml) for each, drop mounds of the mixture onto the plastic and place in the freezer until firm.
Prepare the chocolate cups: In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the chocolate, carob powder and coconut oil. Stir constantly over very low heat until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the stevia and stir to combine well. Using about 2 tsp of the mixture for each cup, cover the bottom of the cups with chocolate. Place the cups in the freezer until firm, about 5 minutes.
Once the sunflower butter mixture is firm, shape each mound into a flat disk that is just smaller in diameter than the bottom of each chocolate cup. Place one disk in each cup (it should almost cover the surface of the chocolate, leaving a very thin border of chocolate showing all around the disk). Then, using about 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of chocolate per cup, pour the melted chocolate over sunflower filling, allowing it to flow into the edges and cover the top, effectively effectively encasing the filling in chocolate.
Return the cups to the freezer until all the chocolate is firm. Peel off paper and enjoy. Makes 4 cups. May be stored, wrapped in plastic, in refrigerator up to one week.
This recipe has been submitted to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays over at Amy’s blog, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free.
Last Year at This Time: The Ultimate Slow Food: Lupini Beans with Garlic and Olive Oil
Two Years Ago: You Say Potato Curry, I Say Aloo Masala
© 2010 Diet, Dessert and Dogs
This month’s SOS (Sweet or Savory) Kitchen Challenge asked readers to whip up dishes with spinach, and wow, did you ever take on this challenge with gusto! We received a dozen fantastic, creative recipes to try that all highlight the super-healthy leafy green. And yes, a few desserts are included as well!
Thanks to everyone who entered the challenge this month. As always, if you’ve submitted a recipe and I forgot to include it here, please let me know asap so I can add it to the list.
Here’s what’s on the menu with spinach:
THE SAVORY CONTRIBUTIONS:
Our very first entry was from Janet at Taste Space (Toronto) –a colorful and delicious Quinoa and Butternut Squash Spinach Salad with Cranberry and Pear. Well, I think the title tells you everything you need to know–doesn’t that just sound delectable? This savory salad is also a bit sweet with the pear and cranberries. Suitable for gluten free, vegan, sugar free, egg free and dairy free diets.
Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes (Dundee, Scotland) offers up a great recipe for Spicy Spinach and Potato Curry adapted from a recipe she found in one huge tome of a cookbook. Her pics look great (and check out the gratuitious cuteness of her new baby, Cooper!)  This recipe is suitable for gluten free, soy-free, vegan, and ACD diets (contains coconut milk).
Kiersten from Full of Beans (Charlotte, NC )’s vegan Coconut Curried Chickpeas and Spinach looks like the perfect quick weekday dinner. I love a good curry, and with chickpeas AND spinach, you can’t go wrong with this one! Vegan, soy-free, gluten free, ACD-friendly and otherwise nut-free.
A double savory whammy comes to us from Lisa of Vegan Cookbook Critic (Toronto). First up, Lisa created a quick and easy savory Avocado-Spinach Spread–just look at the deep emerald color of that dip!
She also “uncooked” some gorgeously green Spinach-Hemp Flatbreads on which to spread it. Unlike many other dehydrated flatbreads, these remain soft, perfect for sandwiches. These both are vegan, dairy free, gluten free, raw, and sugar free.
Mom at the Gluten-Free Edge (Georgetown, Texas) decided that her Spinach Mushroom Pie should undergo a vegan revamp for this month’s entry! This is her remake of a long-time favorite recipe, and it worked out beautifully. The recipe is gluten free and vegan.
Donna from Fab Frugal Food (Provo, Utah) turned to Thai inspiration for her Wilted Spinach Salad with Thai Peanut Vinaigrette. Using all natural peanut butter was the key to this delectable looking salad. It’s gluten free, vegan and sugar free.
Chaya from The Comfy Cook is back this month with a fabulous Oriental Rice Pizza. This savory dish is filled with veggies and is a snap to make with its rice-based crust. It’s gluten free, sugar free and dairy free.
Johanna of Green Gourmet Giraffe (Melbourne, Australia) offers a cheezy spinach-based soup this month with her Pumpkin, Bean and Spinach Soup. While the recipe itself looks delicious, half the fun of the recipe is Johanna’s recounting of the experimentation that led her to it. And doesn’t the concept of tofu croutons just sound fabulous?
Valerie of City Life Eats (Washington, DC) has created a Lemony Spinach Pepita Pesto. With a unique combination of ingredients, this pesto would be delicious on more than just pasta. It’s gluten free, vegan, nut free, sugar free and ACD-friendly.
Aubree Cherie, who blogs at Living Free (Kennett Square, PA), decided to move out of her usual spinach zone with these Almond Spinach Biscuits. A great savory biscuit with a hint of sweet (dried cranberries), these treats were gobbled up by her significant other in no time. Definitely a fun (and delicious) recipe. Gluten free, sugar free, vegan and ACD-friendly.
My event partner, Kim at Affairs of Living, cooked up a fabulous Creamy Spinach and Celeriac Soup for those days when you crave something rich and healthy at the same time. The recipe is vegan, gluten free, sugar free, ACD friendly, soy free and nut free.
My savory contribution this month is a Classic Tofu Quiche recipe that I’ve had for years but never thought to post. The millet crust helps to make it quick, easy, and delicious! It’s gluten free, sugar free and vegan.
THE SWEET CONTRIBUTIONS (Yes, even spinach has a sweet side!):
Rachel from My Munchable Musings (WA) treated us to two sweet recipes this month! First up are these Spring Picnic Cupcakes, her take on the classic Strawberry and Spinach Salad–in a sweet mini confection! She’s also included a great bit of additional history and nutritional information about spinach here. These are wheat free, sugar free and vegan.
Rachel also created these adorable Green Thumb Print Cookies, that are gluten free! I love how the strawberry sits perfectly in the thumb print–seriously yummy looking. These are gluten free, sugar free and vegan.
Kim’s second contribution this month is her Invisible Spinach Smoothie. While you may have enjoyed smoothies with spinach before, this quick and easy recipe contains another veggie that you might not expect. Vegan, ACD-friendly, gluten free.
Finally, my sweet contribution is this Green Monster Muffin. Based on the concept of green smoothies, these muffins offer up spinach in a slightly sweet, hearty breakfast baked good. I’ve used chopped apples, but you could add in raisins or even chocolate chips to the mix if you like. Vegan, sugar free, gluten free.
Thanks again to everyone who played along this month. Enjoy these recipes until next month, when Kim–our hostess for June’s Challenge–will announce the new SOS ingredient.
Last Year at this Time: The Ultimate Slow Food: Lupini Beans with Garlic and Olive Oil
Two Years Ago: When Cheesecake is Love (GF filling; spelt crust)
© 2010 Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Now that May has arrived, it’s time for the second SOS Kitchen Challenge from Kim at Affairs of Living and me! Thanks, again, to everyone who participated last time. You helped to make the inaugural event a huge success!
This month, Kim and I decided to go with another versatile vegetable that can be used in a host of different ways. Are you ready to exercise your kitchen creativity and cook up some Sweet or Savory dishes that contain. . .
SPINACH?!
Did you know that, of all vegetables, leafy greens contain the most nutrients? No wonder they’re considered the royalty of the vegetable world! And when it comes to spinach, Popeye knew what he was talking about: this veggie really is a nutritional superhero. With a light, delicate texture and mild flavor, it’s no surprise that spinach is the most popular of all the leafy greens.
Besides offering up ten times your daily requirement of Vitamin K (essential for healthy blood formation), three times the daily Vitamin A, and almost 100% of the daily manganese and folate, a cup of boiled spinach also provides a host of other minerals, vitamins, the amino acid tryptophan, and some heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. The anti-cancer properties of spinach (and all leafy greens) are well-known; this delicate leaf can combat prostate and ovarian cancers, improve bone and cardiovascular health, keep your mind sharp and your eyes healthy (the latter mostly due to the carotenoid lutein, which has been proven to help prevent macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness as people age).
According to Paul Pitchford in his classic tome, Healing with Whole Foods, spinach is also a considered cooling food within the traditions of Chinese medicine; it “has a ‘sliding’ nature, which facilitates internal body movements such as bowel action and urination, and thus is treatment for constipation and urinary difficulty.” Moreover, the high chlorophyll and iron content help to build blood. (Beware, however, which spinach you buy; according to the Environmental Working Group, spinach ranks number eight in the top twelve fruits and vegetables most sprayed with pesticides. With spinach, if you can afford it, it’s best to buy organic).
If all the health benefits don’t convince you, how about the taste and versatility? I love using spinach raw in smoothies, as the main ingredient in a salad or the base for a yummy meal-in-a-bowl; cooked into a quick and easy Mediterranean Rice Casserole, or simply sautéed with garlic and soy sauce. And let’s not forget the sweet possibilities: how about some vegan molten chocolate cakes or (the easier option), chocolate-studded cupcakes?
Finally, I love that spinach is such a lovely shade of green–a fact that ties in nicely with Kim’s focus this month on Lyme disease (it’s Lyme Awareness month), and the “lyme” green logo!
To enter this month’s SOS challenge, simply create and post a recipe using spinach before the deadline of midnight, May 20, 2010, CST, and send it to soskitchenchallengeATgmailDOTcom (note: you don’t have to cook up an original recipe–any recipe that uses the ingredient is just fine, even if you found it somewhere else!).
For full details on what kinds of ingredients to use and how to enter the challenge, see this page. I’ll post the roundup (as will Kim, on her blog) a week after the deadline so you can take your time browsing through the amazing collection of recipes before the next challenge!
My first contribution to the challenge this month is this quiche that’s been a staple in our house for as long as the HH and I have been together (that’s more than a dozen years now–yikes!). In fact, it’s such a standby recipe that I was sure I’d already posted it–but couldn’t find it in the archives.
I first tasted quiche as a callow undergrad at the University of Windsor, one weekend when my room mate’s friend (who hailed from the booming metropolis of Toronto) came to visit. Ildiko (why is it all the good cooks I encountered as a university student had unusual names?) arrived with backpack in tow, from which she withdrew in quick succession, a bag of flour, a pound of butter, a carton of cream, various zip-loc bags of chopped vegetables, and, ultimately, a wooden rolling pin. It was like watching the Grinch and his bottomless bag of gifts at the end of How the Grinch Stole Christmas--every time she pulled out another item, I assumed it would be the last, but there was always one more to follow.
Right there in our dorm room, Ildiko mixed up a pie crust, deftly rolled it out on a piece of wax paper on my desktop, then transferred it, seamlessly, to the pie plate. Next she whipped together the eggs and cream, a few seasonings, and sprinkled in the chopped veggies. We baked the quiche in a toast-r-oven we had in the room, and as the scent began to fill the air, I suspected that quiche was something I was going to enjoy. Later, as we devoured slice after slice, the three of us polishing off the entire thing in no time, I learned that quiche came in infinite varieties–you could add pretty much any fillers you liked, but it was the custard that really defined it.
I can’t say I craved quiche over the years, but I did occasionally notice it on restaurant menus and think, “hmm, it would be nice to have a slice of that.” As with that first quiche back as an undergrad, though, it was the custardy texture that most appealed to me.
And then, I discovered silken tofu–and this recipe. This classic vegan quiche is one I found online and adapted (sorry, I can’t recall the source; so if the recipe looks familiar, please let me know!). To my palate, it reproduces almost exactly the same smooth-yet-firm, moist and creamy custardy filling. I’ve upped the veggies considerably compared to that first pie, but the general idea is remarkably similar to the “real thing.” In fact, this is one of my go-to recipes at home, and a regular feature when I teach gluten-free cooking classes.
With limitless possibilities for the vegetables in the filling, this quiche can be altered to your tastes and the occasion at hand. I use a handy millet crust, but again, feel free to change it up; if you’ve got a nice pastry crust that you think will go well with this, go ahead and use it.
To see Kim’s first spinach recipe (a creamy spinach and celeriac soup), check this post.
“Mum, real dogs do eat quiche, you know. As long as you pick out the onions, that is. And we like that custardy texture, too.”
Classic Tofu Quiche (ACD-friendly, Phase I and beyond)
The real beauty of this recipe is its versatility–as long as the volumes stay the same, you can use pretty much any vegetables in place of those listed.
For the crust:
1/2 cup (115 g) dry millet
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) vegetable broth or stock
pinch of fine sea salt
For the filling:
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1 onion, diced
2 roasted red peppers or 1 fresh, sliced into thin strips
1 carrot, grated
1 cup very firmly packed spinach or chard leaves, stems removed, chopped
2 cups (700 g) firm or extra firm silken tofu, or soft tofu
1 Tbsp (15 ml) white miso (for ACD Phase I, use extra tahini)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) tahini (sesame paste)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) Bragg’s liquid aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Lightly grease a pie plate, or line with parchment paper.
Prepare the crust: Pour millet into a small pot and add the broth. Bring to boil over high heat, then lower heat to simmer, cover, and let simmer for 25 minutes, or until almost all the liquid is absorbed and the millet is soft and beginning to fall apart (if necessary, add extra stock until the millet reaches this consistency). Stir well, then immediately pour the millet into the pie pan and, using the back of a spoon or wet hands (and being careful not to burn yourself!), press the millet into the pie plate to create a “crust.” (Dipping the spoon or your hands in water helps). Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes until slightly dry.
Prepare the filling: Heat oil in a large frypan and sauté onions for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent and soft. Add the pepper, carrot, and spinach, and sauté for another 5 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and other ingredients begin to soften. Cover and turn off heat.
In a food processor or blender, mix the tofu, miso, tahini and Bragg’s until very smooth. Pour the mixture over the vegetables in the pan and stir to combine well. Turn into the crust in the pie pan, and smooth the top. If desired, sprinkle with a little paprika.
Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until the top is light golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes to set before serving. May be eaten hot, at room temperature, or cold. Makes 8 servings. May be frozen.
I’m also linking this recipe to Linda’s Gluten-Free Wednesdays carnival over at The Gluten-Free Homemaker, as well as Meatless Monday at Hey What’s for Dinner and Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory.
Last Year at this Time: Vegetarian Veggie Burgers that are Made from Vegetables
Two Years Ago: Cultured Vegetables
Well, before I write anything else, I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to everyone who tweeted, emailed, commented or otherwise helped me to live out an adolescent fantasy of appearing on The Ellen Show. I have no idea how many of your messages went out, but I managed close to 200 tweets of my own directed at the show in a ten hour period, and had a blast doing it. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: blog readers are the best. And DDD readers are the best blog readers! So thank you!
But the offer to send free ebooks to every participant if I do get on the show still stands–so if you’d like to support my quest to serve vegan and sugar-free treats on The Ellen Show, you can still tweet @TheEllenShow or send an email to the show in support of my visit by clicking here. Feel free to spread the word by Stumbling my ELLENd Me a Hand page, telling your local librarian, getting a tattoo, whatever you can think of! I’ll continue to tweet and mention Ms. E in my blog posts.
In the meantime, as promised, I’m sending out 3 hard copies of Sweet Freedom and 7 ebooks to ten lucky winners chosen at random (see list at the end of this post). AND I’ve picked the winner of the 500 Vegan Recipes giveaway. Congrats to all of you!
Sweet Freedom winners: Please contact me at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom to claim your prize! (And if you won a hard copy, I’ll need your mailing address as well).
500 Vegan Recipes Winner:
Winners of Sweet Freedom Hard Copy:
- Sarah of What Smells So Good?
- Deleilan
- Deanna S
Winners of Ebooks:
- Clairebgood
- Jamie
- Josiane
- FabFrugalFood
- Leah
- Kelly Michelle
- Ari
CONGRATULATIONS, EVERYONE!
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!
[As promised, today I'm posting a giveaway along with this recipe. Who knew there were so many Larabar fans out there? But no, my friends, sorry to say that no one guessed the bar I'm giving away! (Though I did love Alex's suggestion that it might be one of The Girls' treats.). I'm guessing these bars are new to most of you. . .so get ready to be delighted, to be taste-tempted, and to become an instant fan! To learn more about the bars and the giveaway, go here. Then be sure to come back to leave a comment--and for this yummy recipe!]
Remember last week, when I crowed about summer finally arriving in Southern Ontario? Well, little did I know that that single day would constitute the entire season! As of this week, we’re waking up to a distinct chill under ever-darkening skies; there’s condensation on my car windows when I slip into the driver’s seat; and the air has that crisp, hollow clarity that seems to catapult sounds exponentially, even across mountains (not that there are any mountains in our little suburb, of course, but you get the idea).
Huh? Where did our summer go this year?
This type of weather always brings to mind a course in oil painting I took back in tenth grade (my brain tends to free associate that way). With my high school art teacher’s encouragement and visions of a really hip garret in my mind, I rode the Number 17 bus across town for an hour each way every Thursday evening to sit at my easel and soak up instruction about rendering depth, shadows, perspective. . . and to paint nude models. Yep, this little 15 year-old moi was mighty shocked, I must confess, at the cavalier nature with which those women threw off their cover sheets and posed in any variety of positions for us novice painters (as I recall, I came down with a cold the evening of the male model class. . .but in reality, I was probably too freaked out to attend. Ah, sweet and innocent youth!).
One of the things I loved most about oil painting was the pigments themselves, the linimint smell and gooey texture, and the magical, musical names by which they were known: Burnt Umber. Burnt Sienna. Cerulean Blue. Cadmium Red. Cadmium Yellow. Yellow Ochre. I loved the cadences in the sounds and the appearance of the hues just out of the tubes–deep, intense versions of the real-life counterparts (sort of like using super-saturation when you doctor your blog photos–except real!). For some reason (perhaps the fact that I was born in the fall), the warming reds, oranges and yellows were most appealing to me, and I often painted with those.
Suddenly, all around our neighborhood are reminders of my foray into oil painting: amid the remnants of green, the trees are beginning to sport their fall finery, festooned with splashes of ochre, rust and crimson, all vying for prominence on the branches.
So when I served dinner to a couple of old friends last night, I thought this warm summer salad would be perfect. Leaning heavily on the emeralds of June and July, highlighted with the yellows of August and September, this dish bridges the short divide between summer and fall as the weather extends its first chilly grip (or would that be grippe?) on Ontario’s resentful denizens.
Remember that high school reunion I attended back in May? Well, ever since then, I’ve planned to get together with my old friend The Poet. The Poet (so named because he penned the poem that graced our yearbook’s cover page) and I were best buds back in high school and through our undergraduate years. He helped me survive those boyfriendless undergraduate years without feeling like too much of a social outcast, by providing a Saturday night perma-date. A contemplative, sensitive soul, TP could also be uproariously funny and always cracked me up.
Eventually, we lost touch. We had neither seen nor heard from each other until the reunion. Just as Sterlin and I were loitering around the hotel lobby after checkin, I heard a distinctive bellow: “Ricki Heller, I’d recognize you anywhere!” and turned to see none other than TP. (On one hand, I was flattered to hear this; I suppose it means I look sort of the same as I did in high school. On the other hand, I was a bit aggrieved to hear this. I mean, do I look the same as I did in high school??).
And while many of us that weekend promised to get together once we were back in the city, I really meant it when I vowed to contact The Poet again. And so, last evening, he and another old high school chum came to dinner.
This dish was one of the dinner’s highlights. Also featured were a terrific leafy green salad with roasted peppers and “goat cheese” (recipe anon); herbed sweet potato fries; raw almond-veggie pâté; and (for me) herbed walnut burgers (another recipe I’ll post soon) plus salmon for the guys. For dessert, I served the chocolate layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting from Sweet Freedom** and filled it with sweet potato buttercream (a huge hit).
I based this recipe very loosely on one I came across in the Australia Women’s Weekly Vegetarian Cookbook, a salad called “Hot Spinach and Pea Salad” (even though the actual recipe lists chard, not spinach, in the ingredients!). Since I am wont to wax poetic about all things antipodean (I know, it’s more like, ”wax pathetic”), it makes sense I’d veer toward this dish. But I’ve made so many changes to the original, I consider it entirely mine now.
The salad can be served warm or at room temerature (I actually prefer the latter) and features a truly resplendent display of autumnal greens and golds. The flavors are mild and pleasing, without a sharp sting of garlic or spice; just a flavorsome combination of Asian seasonings, just-soft zucchini, crunchy, juicy beans and plump, sweet peas.
Best of all, it only takes 10 minutes to make–so you can still run outside and catch the last few rays of that elusive summer sun.
**For those of you who have the book, be sure to check the correction here!
Gold and Green Warm Summer Salad
A warm, filling dish that can help you through the transition from summer to autumn. You can use edamame in place of the peas if you’d like to boost the protein for a main dish.
1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame seeds, toasted
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic
1 clove garlic, minced
6 collard leaves, shredded
1 medium (250 g) yellow zucchini (summer squash)
2 cups (480 ml) fresh green beans, cut in half
1 cup (240 ml) fresh or frozen peas or shelled edamame, thawed
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1 Tbsp (15 ml) Bragg’s liquid aminos or tamari soy sauce
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) freshly grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or cast-iron skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and collard and sauté until greens are wilted. Add the zucchini, beans and peas and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, Bragg’s, lemon juice and ginger. Pour the mixture over the vegetables in the pan and cook another 2-3 minutes, until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with sesame seeds just before serving. Makes 4 servings. May be frozen.
Last Year at this Time: Roasted Beet and Quinoa Salad
© 2009 Diet, Dessert and Dogs
First, the blog news: Welcome to the new home of DDD! We’re almost there–I’m about 95% moved in and unpacked so far. . . we’ve still got to add a virtual top coat of paint, rearrange some html furniture and hang some digital pictures before the rest is up and running over the next week or so, but everything is on site and functional!. Please don’t forget to update your Google Reader, other subscription info and blogrolls (it’s also much easier to subscribe to this new site–there’s a “subscribe” button to the left, just under the blog’s title–so hope that helps. And note that the page tabs are now across the top of the page and not on the right as in the old site!). I’ll be transferring over here for good by next week.
The site was set up and arranged by Blain Smith of 13 Infinite. It’s been a pleasure to work with him on this–Blain’s communication style is easy and relaxed, yet always professional. He’s also been very accommodating and incredibly quick about responding to all my emails regarding the site (not to mention very patient with my sometimes endless questions and requests!). If you’re looking to set up a new blog, I’d highly recommend him.
Next, the cookbook news: my cookbook finally has a cover!
(I’m guessing you might recognize some of those photos? And I know, the red, white and blue looks very patriotic,no?)
Finally, the Double Giveaway News!!
I am very excited for this giveaway because it’s the perfect melding of my new blog, my new cookbook, and a product I love!
In honor of the cookbook’s cover being finalized, I decided to throw another giveaway to celebrate–add a new blog home, and it’s really a reason to party! (Get those chandeliers and lampshades ready!)
So here’s the scoop:
WHAT YOU CAN WIN
PRIZE ONE: ANYONE IN NORTH AMERICA CAN WIN (again, a HUGE apology to my overseas readers–shipping costs prohibit overseas delivery. BUT I DO PROMISE THAT THE NEXT GIVEAWAY WILL ABSOLUTELY INCLUDE ANYONE ON THE PLANET!)
Win a quart-sized jug of Coombs Family Farms Pure Maple Syrup!
[This is a photo of the glass bottle I received--the quart jug prize is four times this big!]
Yes, the prize is the same amazing maple syrup I wrote about in my previous post. And when the people at Coombs Family Farms heard how much I loved their syrup, and how much my readers wished they could taste some, they said, “Okay! Let’s give some away!” Who am I to argue? I said, “YEEEE-AAH.”
With a full quart (about a liter) of pure maple syrup, you can bake every maple-based recipe on this blog, and probably all the maple-based recipes in my new book, too! And I can’t wait for one of you to sample this extraordinary product as well, and tell me what you think!
PRIZE TWO: THOSE IN THE TORONTO AREA CAN WIN (to ensure freshness, it has to be within Toronto, or you must be willing to meet me within Toronto–I am really sorry it can’t be everywhere! sniff!)
A custom-baked chocolate layer cake from the Sweet Freedom recipe–made to your specifications!
After I posted about the cake I made for my friend Eternal Optimist’s birthday, I was touched by so many positive comments about the cake. This is the same recipe I used for several years when I baked birthday cakes for kids with food sensitivities to wheat, eggs, dairy and refined sugar–and was a regular hit with the kids and adults alike (low-gluten, but not gluten free). The 9-inch layer cake serves 10-12 people comfortably.
Now, I’d love for a lucky reader to sample this chocolately, moist and light cake, too! And you get to design the frosting/filling, plus whether you’d like a message on the cake as well. (We’ll choose a mutually convenient delivery time so that you can even plan to serve the cake to family, friends, or party guests!)
Here’s what you can choose:
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Chocolate layers with vanilla pastry cream filling and chocolate buttercream frosting
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Chocolate layers with all chocolate–filling and frosting
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-
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Message of your choice in any color frosting (or no message–it’s up to you).
I’ll deliver the cake freshly baked and frosted so it’s ready to serve!
HOW TO ENTER:
Entering couldn’t be easier–simply click on over to my new blog home, take a look around, then let me know either:
1) what more you’d like to see on the blog (any other features you’d like me to add? Something you’re missing from the old blog? –etc.) OR
2) what you like best about the new blog if you can’t think of anything you’d like to be different.
FOR A CHANCE AT TWO EXTRA ENTRIES, simply mention the contest on your own blog, if you have one, and link to this very page on the new blog (ie, this page).
Don’t have a blog? You can still earn two extra entries! Simply browse through the Recipe Index on the new DDD (or you can click on the “Recipes” tab, above, or just do a search on “maple syrup”) and choose a favorite recipe that uses maple syrup (some of the links haven’t been shifted to the new blog yet, so you might still be in the old blog when you click on a recipe title–I’m in the process of changing them all over). Then comment again, letting me know which one you like best, and why–and you’ll be entered two more times.
Please be sure to include a valid email address so I can get in touch with you if you win. And if you’re eligible for the cake, please be sure to mention that in your comment, too!
That’s it!
Please post your comments on the new site (this one) to be eligible to win–that way I can keep track of all the entries in one place.
HOW IT WILL WORK:
Once the contest closes, I’ll choose two winners from a bag of names. The first Toronto-area name I withdraw will win the cake. Then all the other names go back into the bag for the maple syrup draw, and the second name I choose wins that.
DEADLINE AND ANNOUNCEMENT:
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Deadline for entries is midnight, March 31, 2009, Toronto time.
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Winners will be announced first thing on April 2, 2009 (I wouldn’t dare post contest winners on April Fool’s Day!).
I loved baking up a storm for the previous giveaway, and was thrilled with Lisa’s kind words about the Sweet Freedom goodies.
I can’t wait to get baking on this cake for you this time round as well. And even if you can’t win the cake, you’re still eligible to win the syrup–so you can then bake your own delectable treats!
HAPPY SPRING, EVERYONE!
* (Originally Number One, but I was waylaid by Tuesday’s astounding news!)
Before I get to the ”Big Announcement” originally scheduled for yesterday, I just want to say THANK YOU once again to every reader of this blog, to those of you who voted for me in the Food Blog Awards (and if you haven’t yet–please do!), and especially for your amazing, uplifting, supportive and heartfelt comments. I’m still in a bit of shock, frankly, even being on the same list as those others, but one thing is certain: DDD wins hands down for best readers of the five finalists. So hugs to you all, and thank you. (And if you’re here from the voting page, you might like to read this first to see some sample blog entries. )
Now, back to blogging.
Really, you guys are so great that I think YOU deserve an award. And so, time for ME to offer a couple of prizes to YOU!
YES, IT’S CONTEST TIME AT DDD!
In honor of Tuesday’s historically transformative event (Obama’s, not mine), I’ve decided to present my own little contribution to US-Canada relations.
Some of you may have heard (though I doubt it) that CBC Radio compiled a list of the 49 top songs north of the 49th parallel (ie, by Canadian artists) to bestow upon President Obama as a gift for his inauguration. (Honestly, do they think he cares? I have a feeling the guy’s got other things on his mind at the moment). I must admit, though, I was surprised to see how many iconic American songs were actually written by Canadians.
Well, in honour of the new Mr. and Mrs. President, I’ve decided to offer my own little cross-border gift. It’s my way of saying, “hey, neighbor!” to those of you south of the world’s longest undefended border (and those of you within the Canadian border, too, if you happen to win the contest). Actually, I’m giving away six prizes!
***** THAT’S RIGHT: SIX (6) PRIZES TO BE WON!******
(There! Are we all in a contest-induced frenzy yet? No? Okay, you can go vote instead!) And then, consider this:
*** THERE ARE SIX
–1-2-3-4-5-6!
SIX ! ! ! ! ! !
Un deux trois quatre cinq six
6 6 6 6 6 6
–PRIZES TO BE WON! ***
Here’s what you can win:
I) FOR THOSE OF YOU IN CANADA AND THE CONTINENTAL U.S. :
(And I am really, REALLY sorry that I can’t send beyond that undefended border; but the Canadian postal system is pretty wacky and not all that efficient, and it would take far too long to get to you–not to mention it would cost me three months’ salary).
You may have read on Mihl’s blog a while back that the Ritter Sport people (who make a few very fine vegan chocolates) have, in their infinite wisdom, altered their peppermint formula so that it’s no longer vegan.
Well, darned if there isn’t at least one advantage to living up here in the snowy north: since our stock doesn’t sell as fast as it does in the States (what with only 1/10 the population), those minty bars are all over the place on our grocery store shelves! I double-checked the ingredients to be sure these were the “old” forumla, and then grabbed a whole stack of bars.
And I can’t wait to send them along to FIVE (5) lucky readers! To win one, just follow the contest rules, at the end of this post.
I got this idea from Amey, who held the first contest a while back–and of which I was one of the lucky recipients. So I can vouch that these bars are fabulous–dark, with a rich chocolate coating and smooth, creamy, sweet, pepperminty filling. Mmmm. Thanks again, Amey! Hope you win one this time.
II) FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE TORONTO AREA:
(Again, how I wish I could extend the boundaries of this one, but you’ll see why I can’t in a moment).
[Chocolate Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies]
As many of you know, I’ve just completed the manuscript for my upcoming cookbook, Sweet Freedom. (According to my publisher, it should be available mid-April; I’m hoping that’s a firm date!).
[Butterscotch Blondies with Chocolate Chips and Dried Cherries]
The recipes are all free of wheat, eggs, dairy and refined sweeteners–in other words, all are vegan, kosher-friendly, lactose free and casein free; and many are gluten free.
And here’s your chance to experience the delectable taste of goodies made with these whole, healthy ingredients first hand!
[Lemon-Blueberry Scones; or variation of Orange Pistachio]
To help you become familiar with the types of desserts in the book, I’m giving away a prize pack of homebaked (by yours truly) goodies from recipes in the book.
[Raw Fig and Cherry Bars]
I’ll bake up any five types of cookie, bar, muffin or biscuit from those pictured on this page (and those listed at the bottom). As the winner, you get to choose which five you’d like! Then, I’ll deliver them to you, within the general Toronto area (Lake Ontario to the south; Highway 427 to the west; Highway 9 to the north; Highway 48 to the east).
[Fruity Cereal Chews]
If you live within those boundaries–or if you’re willing to meet me at an agreed-upon location within them–you’re eligible to win the prize pack!
[GF Coconut Macaroons on the left; GF Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies on the right]
Because these are freshly baked and hand-delivered, I’m afraid I can’t send them through the mail. (I did try, once, to send my goodies to the States and they were stale, broken and really unappetizing by the time they arrived, so I’ve ruled that out this time).
[Seed Jumble Cookies]
I actually have no idea how many of you live in the Toronto area (I’m woefully deficient in techy skills so don’t know those stats). But think of it this way: if there are only three of you, your chances of winning just increased exponentially!
[Ultra Fudgy Brownies]
OKAY, SO HERE ARE THE CONTEST RULES:
[Triple- C Cookies (Cashew, Carob, Cardamom)]
To win either of the prizes, all you need to do is leave a comment at the bottom of this post, any time between now and January 30th. (Oh, and vote for me on the Food Blog Awards, or your entry is disqualified).
Kidding.
But you did look rather pale there for a second.
[Chocolate Chip Cookies]
To be eligible for the Sweet Freedom package, please indicate your five choices in your comment so I know you’re entering for that prize (and you’re still eligible for the chocolate bars, too!)
You can also receive an additional entry, just by mentioning the contest on your own blog (with a link back to this post). Be sure to let me know you’ve mentioned it, though, either through a trackback or through your comment here.
[Cinnamon Coffee Toffee Bars]
Remember, the contest will be open until midnight on January 30th. Once a winner is selected, I’ll get in touch and we can determine the delivery date together (some time mid-February. . . a Valentine’s Day treat, perhaps?)
[Carrot Raisin Oatmeal Cookies]
And the recipes for every one of the treats pictured here will be in the book.
[Ginger-Coconut Cookies]
Here are a few other choices for the prize package:
Maple-Walnut Cookies
GF Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pear and Ginger Mini Loaves or Muffins
Pumpkinseed Shortbread Cookies
Hazelnut Mocha Cookies
I’d love to bake for you! So go ahead and leave those comments, and let me know which goodies you’d like in your gift pack! (And don’t forget, if you have a blog, you can enter again by mentioning the contest and linking to this page on your own blog).
And if you’re not in the Toronto area, don’t worry–I’ll be holding one Sweet Freedom-related contest every month, right up until the book comes out.
Oh, and I promise to post an actual recipe next time.
Last Year at this Time: Mini Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins
© 2009 Diet, Dessert and Dogs
I’d planned my own giveaway announcement today in honor of Obama’s impending inauguration, but that will have to wait for later, because I just found this out:
FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT: DDD IS A FOOD BLOG AWARD FINALIST!
A huge THANK YOU to Tea of Tea and Cookies for letting me know that my l’il blog has been chosen as one of five finalists in the Well Fed Network’s Food Blog Awards for 2008–in the “Best Food Blog: Writing” category!
WHOO HOO!!!! YIPPEEE!!!! YAY!!! WHEEEEEE! ACHOOO!!!! YOWZA!!!
(Sorry about the sneeze in there–just SO DARNED EXCITED!).
THANK YOU, to each and every one of you who visits this site regularly, who reads this blog and has provided such amazing encouragement and feedback over the past year, to those who suggested DDD for the award, and to the judges for choosing it. I have no doubt that this nomination is a direct result of all your support and comments! I can’t tell you all how thrilled I am to be nominated! (But I’m gonna try. . . ).
But the voting starts TODAY–so please vote! Voting extends to 8:00 PM on Saturday, January 24th, so you can celebrate Obama’s inauguration and still have time to vote!
If you like DDD and think this blog deserves to win. . .
GO OUT AND VOTE!! And even though DDD may be the underdog on the list (the Diet, Dessert and UnderDog?), it’s incredibly exciting even to be on the same list as those other blogs! Okay, before I get too “Academy Awards-speech” on you, here are the details:
Votes must be registered through the official Well Fed Network page, so be sure to click through from there. And please spread the word in case others aren’t aware of the awards!
I’ll post my other (giveaway) announcement in the next day or two, after the excitement has worn off a little (mine, not Obama’s). In the meantime, here’s that link again:
Vote for DDD for Best Food Blog: Writing
and the general page to vote for all other categories:
Well Fed Network Food Blogging Awards 2008
And one more time, THANK YOU. Have I ever mentioned that I think food bloggers and readers are THE BEST?
If you’re new to DDD or arrived via the Well Fed Network, welcome! Thanks for stopping by. You can probably gain a good sense of the writing from the following selection of posts:
Now, I’m off to watch history in the making (see, your votes DO count!!)
xo Ricki
“Sorry, Mum, we just can’t get excited about a blog award. . .oh, but wait–if you do win, does that mean you’ll be able to provide us with extra treats? Yay! Congratulations, Mum!”
I know, that title sounds like something straight out of my Post-Modern Literary Criticism class (oooh, I shudder just re-thinking it!). But both bits of news cheered me so much that I wanted to share them in the same post!
The Wait is Over:
Just when I thought I could wait no longer, I received my prize, as one of the winners in Shellyfish’s great 100th Post (Felty Love) contest! Those of you who’ve read about this here will recall that I’m not the luckiest person when it comes to randomly selected contest winners (another way to say I could buy 50 tickets for the [1-in-3 chances to win] the Heart and Stroke Lottery, and still not win–then again, I suppose that means I’ll probably never be struck by lightning, either). So this prize was doubly delightful: not only was it a first-ever win for me, it was also awarded by one of my favorite bloggers, Shellyfish of Musings from the Fishbowl! I received my prize package in the mail on Friday. And what a package it was!
I ripped the parcel open and was immediately touched by the remarkable care and attention to detail taken in choosing the items, packaging them, and mailing them (all the way from France to Canada!).
Hey, have a look!
[Top row (left to right): Postcard of the Château de Fontainbleau; Felty Love pouch; hand-crafted card emblazoned with maple leaf and ladybugs. Bottom row (left to right): box that contained vegan chocolates, from Chocolaterie Bruyerre--from Belgium; dark truffle square; dark liqueur-infused (I think) round truffle; dark mocha truffle square.]
First, the main prize: a sleek, fuzzy and cozy, handcrafted azure felt change (or whatever else you choose to put in it) pouch. I loved the hand-embroidered leaf motif when I first saw it on Shelly’s blog, and it was even more impressive (and cute!) in person. But the finishing touches tickled me the most; to wit, the ribbon trim, the whimsical orange and white lining and–the pièce de résistance–the little custom “shellyfish” tag sewn into the seam! Now I will remember the source every time I use this sweet little change purse.
[Just look at that adorable tag!]
Shellyfish also sent along a box of vegan Belgian chocolates! (she really knows how to steal a gal’s heart). Now, I do love me some chocolate, and have even been known to munch on it daily for extended periods of time. . . .well, let me tell you, these were exquisite. Each one contained a velvety truffle filling coated with rich, smooth and glossy bittersweet chocolate. I knew I’d devour the whole set myself and so offered a bite of each to the HH, who noted that they were the best chocolates he’d ever eaten. And–miracle of miracles–they made it across the ocean intact! Not even a scratch. I’m planning a vacation to France at this very moment, just so I can sample some more of those babies.
In addition to the pouch and chocolate were a hand-made card with the cutest little ladybugs and maple leaf imprint (thanks for the nod to Canada, Shelly), as well as a postcard of the Chateau Fontainbleau, a lyrical castle in Shelly’s neighborhood, where she lives alongside snippets of history every day (lucky duck!).
All in all, it was a perfect way to end the week, or start the weekend, and flooded me with memories of my own long-ago stay in Bandol as a teenager. It also made me long for another visit now, as an adult!
Thanks so much, Shelly. I will treasure my pouch and the cards. . . and my memories of that insanely rich-tasting chocolate!
The Weight is Under
And what about the “weight is under,” you wonder? (No poem intended, there, though I created one nonetheless–must be that literary influence again). Well, I haven’t written a blog entry related to the “Diet” portion of my blog’s title in quite some time. Partly, I’ve felt there was no sense in rehashing old news (I mean, how many times can one re-start a weight loss plan?). About three months ago, I gave up tracking my weight on a weekly basis, and decided that, given the achingly slow progress of my quest, I’d post an entry no more than once a month. Well, in the interim, something seems to have shifted.
What’s the best way to stop craving sweets all the time? Write a dessert cookbook, that’s how, and bake three or four test items perforce each day!
Have you ever walked into an ice cream parlor, or chocolate shop, or patisserie, and marvelled at how slim the counter folk were? Countless times in my life, I’ve asked the shop person, “How do you stop yourself from eating everything in sight?” I’d usually add, sheepishly, ”If I worked here, I’d weigh 300 pounds in no time.”
“No, no, you wouldn’t,” they’d inevitably respond. “If you work with it all day, you just get sick of it.” Well, sorry to say, when I ran my little bakery, I was surrounded by baked goods for 16 hours a day–for two years. My taste for sweets never waned during that time, and my weight began its ugly ascent during those years as well.
This time, however, something is different. I’m testing recipes in my home; I’m basically forced to eat at least a mouthful of each one (to ensure quality, you understand); and somewhere along the line, I became indifferent to the piles of bars, cookies, cakes, tarts and whatever else positions itself alluringly on the counter. Now, don’t get me wrong; I’ve retained a desire to taste everything, and I’ve definitely indulged. But for some unknown reason, the impetus to keep going even after the first two or three tastes (or two or three brownies, cookies, slices of cake, etc.) has more or less vanished.
Why has this miracle from heaven been bestowed upon me? I have no idea. How can I ensure that this state of affairs never changes? Again, I’m stumped. Will I manage to stay the course this time and keep losing weight? Beats me. All I know is, I am unspeakably grateful, I embrace this current reality, and I am ecstatic to be experiencing it. The greatest mystery of my life so far seems to be, “why have I been able to exercise “willpower” and lose weight at certain periods of my life, but not others?” And so far, like the secret location of Atlantis, like the methods of building the pyramids, like where Sasquatch is really hiding–like the reason for Julia Roberts’s popularity–the answer has eluded me (and all of civilized humanity).
If anyone out there has insight into this particular conundrum, please do let me know.
“Mum, it’s easy to exercise willpower when someone else feeds you. Just get an owner to dole out the food. Oh, and it helps if you learn to raise a paw when asked.”
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