IV. Week Four: Holiday Entrées and Sides with Hallie at Daily Bites
V: Week Five: Breakfast and Brunch with yours truly
And this week marks one of my favorite themes of all : DESSERT! It’s being hosted by Maggie at She Let Them Eat Cake.
Be sure to hop over to Maggie’s blog to check out her Gingerbread Cupcakes and giveaway! You can also link up your own GF dessert recipes and leave a comment to enter today’s giveaway. Here’s what Maggie will be giving away:
To enter to win either book, just leave a comment on Maggie’s blog, or link up a recipe of your own!
And now, who’s ready for dessert? I think we’ve waited long enough!
I actually first made this pie quite a while ago (some of you may remember that I posted about it on Facebook), but I’ve been holding on to the recipe, clinging to it like Scrooge gripping his last penny so that I could save it for this very post. Seriously, this is one is a show-stopper, a perfect finale to a holiday meal or any special occasion. And it’s worth every second of the effort involved.
I recently served this to a friend of the HH’s who came for dinner (he’s a typical Standard American Diet kinda guy–McMuffin for breakfast, cheeseburger for lunch, Pringles on the go and pizza for dinner) and he scraped the plate clean, eagerly accepting a second serving. The HH, who is fond of any dessert that’s light, cool and creamy, declared this to be one of my best recipes to date. I think so, too.
The funny thing is, I don’t consider myself to be a “pie person.” There are folks who adore pies; those who dive right in to the filling, virtually ignoring the crust; and, alternately, those who pick away at the pastry indifferent to the oozing cherries or blueberries or glistening apple slices within. I would normally consider myself one of the latter, if I ever ate pie at all. I thought of the filling as merely a “crust delivery vehicle.”
In this case, though, the entire package must be savored, the layers of crust, ganache, mousse and drizzle melding together in one tantalizing confection. The base is a chocolate shortbread crust, adapted from the recipe in Sweet Freedom (revamped to be gluten-free and ACD-friendly). Next is a layer of intense dark chocolate ganache, a perfect marriage of smooth and condensed. The top layer, a serendipitous combination of coconut whipped cream, smooth almond butter and dark chocolate, is so pillowy, rich and creamy that you may need a moment to compose yourself after you take your first sinful bite.
I also experimented with the pie as a torte in a springform pan, with an equally enticing outcome. So no matter what your own preference, you can still enjoy this exquisite dessert.
Depending on which format you choose, you may end up with a tad extra ganache at the end of the process. In fact, I found myself with about 1/2 cup (120 ml) left over after the pie was assembled.
So, what did I do with it?
[Pumpkin Oatmeal Bowl with Chocolate Ganache Swirl.]
Oh, yes. Yes, I did. Maybe I am a pie person, after all.
And here are the desserts that other Gluten Free Holiday participants made today:
And don’t forget. . . I’ve got a Holiday Mega Ebook Sale going on from now until the end of the year–any two of my ebooks (including Sweet Freedom!) for just $10.95! Details or place an order here.
Black Bottom Almond Mousse Pie with Chocolate Ganache Drizzle
This is a perfect dessert to serve at a special occasion, a holiday meal, or any time you want to impress your guests. No one will believe there’s no dairy, eggs, or refined sugar in this amazing confection!
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) powdered pure stevia (I like NuNaturals)
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking powder
3/4 tsp (7.5 ml) xanthan gum
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) virgin coconut oil, preferably organic, at room temperature (not melted)
For the Ganache:
7 ounces (200 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (I use Cocoa Camino; I’ve heard that Scharffen Berger is also great)
1/4 cup (60 ml) smooth natural almond butter (I prefer Maranatha, but Nuts to You worked, too)
1-1/2 cups (360 ml)** full-fat coconut milk (from a can), preferably organic (I use Thai Kitchen, which has a high fat content; I can’t guarantee results with other brands)
1/3 cup (80 ml) plain or vanilla rice, soy, or almond milk
1 Tbsp (15 ml) pure vanilla extract
40 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia (I use NuNaturals)
2 cups** (480 ml) full-fat coconut milk (from a can), preferably organic (I use Thai Kitchen, which has a high fat content; I can’t guarantee results with other brands)
1 cup (240 ml) smooth natural almond butter (I prefer Marantha; Nuts to You worked well, too)
60 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia, about 1 tsp/5 ml (I use NuNaturals)
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract
1 level teaspoon (5 ml) xanthan gum
** I used two cans (400 ml or 14 oz) for this entire recipe. Measure out the 1-1/3 cups/320 ml for the ganache; you should have about 2 cups left for the mousse.
Bake the Crust: Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch ( cm) pie plate or 8-1/2 inch ( cm) springform pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Mix the coconut sugar, agave nectar, vanilla and water in a smal bowl and mix to begin dissolving the sugar. Set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients.
In the bowl of a food processor, blend the all-purpose flour, brown rice flour, cocoa powder, stevia, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt until well combined. Add the coconut oil and pulse a few times to break it up, then blend until well distributed (it will look dry and crumbly; this is as it should be). Pour the wet mixture in a ring over the dry and process again until it comes together in a dough.
Press the dough into the pie plate or on the bottom only of the springform pan (if it’s too soft to stay on the sides of the pie plate, refrigerate it for about ten minutes and then re-press; flute edges if desired.) Prick the bottom of the crust here and there with a fork.
Bake in preheated oven for 15-25 minutes, until dry and lightly browned on the edges. Allow to cool while you prepare the ganache.
Prepare the Ganache: Place all ingredients in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot over lowest possible heat. Heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary by adding more stevia, a drop or two at a time (you can add more coconut sugar if you like, but unless you continue to cook the mixture, it won’t dissolve and your ganache will be grainy).
Measure out 2 cups (480 ml) of the mixture and pour it over the crust in the pie plate or pan; reserve the rest to drizzle on top of the pie. Place the crust in the refrigerator for at least an hour so the ganache can firm up.
When the ganache is firm, make the mousse: In the container of a high-powered blender (I use a VitaMix), place all ingredients except for the xanthan gum. Blend for 30 seconds to a minute, until everything is well mixed and very smooth. Add the xanthan gum and blend on low speed until incorporated, then blend on high for 15 seconds or so, until the mixture firms up and appears to no longer be blending; this should happen fairly quickly. (If you don’t have a VitaMix, you can still make this, but you will need to make the mousse in two batches as a regular blender will not be strong enough to mix the entire thing at once; this even stresses the VitaMix a bit! Use exactly half of each ingredient in each batch, then proceed as follows).
Turn the mousse into the prepared crust and spread evenly over the ganache (or you can swirl it into a fancy pattern on top if you like). Drizzle as much of the reserved ganache as you like in a random pattern over the top of the mousse. Refrigerate until the ganache and filling are both firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
Cut slices from the pie plate, or, to unmold the springform pan, run a sharp knife along the edge before loosening the sides of the pan. Makes 8-10 servings. Store, covered, in the refrigerator up to 5 days. May be frozen (I freeze individual slices on a cookie sheet in the freezer; once solid, I wrap each slice in plastic wrap, then store the wrapped slices in a ziploc bag. To defrost, remove the slices and allow to defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator).
Last Year at this Time: My Way of Eating (my food philosophy, sort of)
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
A little taste of impending spring, this is a variation on the classic chia pudding, or a much fruitier, lighter version of Crimson Mousse I made with strawberries from our organic produce delivery last week. (But calling it “Fluff” makes it sound much more appealing, doesn’t it?) Feel free to use another berry if you prefer.
Strawberry Chia Fluff for Spring
The coconut milk adds richness and creaminess, yet this still tastes like a light dessert, and one that is both cool and refreshing because of the strawberries. One spoonful and you’ll know that warmer weather is on the way.
2/3 cup (160 ml) full-fat coconut milk (the kind in the can)
2 cups (480 ml) sliced fresh or frozen strawberries
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole chia seeds*
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract (omit if sensitive)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
15-25 drops plain or vanilla stevia, to taste
Place all ingredients in a high-powered blender* (such as a VitaMix) and blend until perfectly smooth. Pour into glasses and refrigerate until cold, 1-2 hours (or just eat it right away if you can’t wait–thinner, but still good).
*NOTE: If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you can still make this, but grind the chia seeds first in a coffee grinder until they form a fine powder; pour the powder into the blender along with the other ingredients.
With the fresh, simple ingredients in this dessert, I thought it would be perfect for Diane’s Real Food Weekly event. Check out all the other real food entries!
After reading through the comments on yesterday’s SOS Challenge reveal post (this month’s ingredient is MINT and Kim and I can’t wait to see what y’all cook up with it!), I realized I may have sounded perhaps a wee bit whiney about everything that’s going on in my life right now. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that I was on the precipice of a nervous breakdown (well, no more than usual, anyway)
It’s true, I’ve got a lot going on right now. But of course, I am also fully aware that it’s (mostly) of my own doing, too, as I keep adding more and more activities to my schedule. Like so many women out there (and let’s face it, this is primarily a problem for women), I must learn to say “no” more often. For my own physical and mental health. For peace of mind. For the others I care about in my life (because what good will I be to them if I’m a babbling puddle of melting goo?).
(“Um, Mum, sorry to have to break it to you, but you have no trouble saying “NO!” to us. None whatsoever. And anyway, what’s so wrong about gently picking that leftover chocolate cupcake out of the garbage? You and Dad weren’t going to eat it.”)
In fact, my overflowing schedule was actually pivotal in this month’s choice of SOS ingredient; requesting mint-based recipes was really a selfish choice on my part. After considering the overflowing patch of mint at the side of our house, I decided that I needed some creative inspiration to find recipes that would use it up. And so, I’m counting on all of you to save me by providing a huge array of awesome recipes! So settle back, settle into your chef persona and start creating–use fresh, dried, or mint extract–your choice!
In the meantime, here’s my mint ice cream recipe, as promised. This is something I created so that those of us on the ACD (or with dairy, egg, gluten or sugar dietary restrictions) can enjoy ice cream in the summer, too. Imagine: no more silent (or, in my case, not so silent) suffering while your honey and friends gobble up the “real” thing! This verseion is easy and, if you’ve got a food processor, really quick, too. The texture is silken smooth, creamy, and has just the right kick of mint.
So go ahead–it’s real ice cream, and you can enjoy yourself with a clear conscience. Now, if only I could clear my schedule as well.
And even though this ice cream truly does taste more than “slightly” indulgent, I’m submitting the recipe to Amy’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays event to showcase the healthy aspect of the recipe. Hop over to Amy’s blog to see what else is on the list!
Easy Mint Carob (or Chocolate) Chip Ice Cream (suitable for ACD Stage 1 and beyond)
This recipe will appear in my upcoming ebook on ACD-friendly desserts, available August 19th! The ice cream was a huge hit with the HH, my friends and the ebook testers.
1 large ripe pear (6.5 oz or 190g), cored (peel if desired—not necessary)
about 1/3 cup (80 ml) avocado purée (from one small to medium just-ripe avocado)
45-70 fresh mint leaves (depending on the size of leaves and your taste)
20-30 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 can (400 ml or 14 oz) full-fat organic coconut milk (I use Thai Kitchen)
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy or almond milk
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure mint extract, optional (but it really brings out the flavor)
Pinch fine sea salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened carob or chocolate chips (1 Tbsp/15 ml per serving)
Line an 8” (20 cm) square pan with two pieces of waxed paper, overlapping paper in either direction to cover all sides of the pan; or place 10 silicon muffin cups in a muffin tin; or set out three silicon ice-cube trays.
Place all ingredients except carob chips in a high-powered blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Pour into the pan, muffin cups or ice cube trays and freeze until firm. Pop the mixture out of the muffin cups or ice cube trays and place in a clean food-grade plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use. If using the square pan, remove from pan by flipping out onto a cutting board as soon as the mixture is frozen solid, about 4 hours, and peeling off the waxed paper. Cut into 8-10 equal squares; place squares in a plastic bag in the freezer until ready to use.
To make the ice cream, remove the desired servings from the freezer bag (one muffin cup per serving, or 4 ice cubes, or one square from the square pan) and place in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture resembles the texture of bread crumbs, then scrape down sides and continue to process just until it begins to form a ball. Using a rubber spatula, spread out the mixture in the processor bowl to cover the bottom; sprinkle with the reserved carob chips (enough for the number of servings selected). Replace the processor cover and pulse 5-10 times, just enough to break up most of the chips and distribute them through the mixture. Scoop into bowls and eat immediately. Makes 8 servings.
[EDIT, May 2011: I'm linking up this recipe to Brittany's weekly Seasonal Sundays event, as it features mint!]
Okay, I guess that the chance to win something you like–especially if it involves food you like–never becomes stale (even if the aforementioned foodstuff does). Still, with 2010 barely upon us, I’ve decided it’s time to give the giveaways a break. I love being able to supply freebies to my readers, especially when it involves foods I already like–but I don’t want the whole ”leaveacommentclickheretweetmeFBmeRTmewhydoyouwantthisprizenowpickacommentatrandom” thing to become stale. So, for now I think, it’s time to get back to the core of this (or any food-related) blog: the food!
I must admit that 2009 was a strange year for me, food-wise. Like the wallflower at the prom or Brad’s ghost in his old living room, all I could do was watch from afar (or, actually, aclose) while others indulged in some of my favorite comestibles, from chocolate to wine (ah, Shiraz, how I miss thee!), to portobellos, to peanut butter, to champagne on New Year’s (ah, Segura Viudas, how I really miss thee!). Much of this blog before last March focused on just those ingredients.
And with there being no clear end-point to the whole ACD saga, I’ve decided to proceed as if I will be on the diet indefinitely. (Audible gasps! Sounds of tsk-tsks and sympathetic clucking! Tears of pity from compassionate readers!). In the end, I think it’s better this way.
When I began this anti-candida quest, I assumed it would be for only a few weeks. The universe, clearly, had other ideas. In a way, I am grateful: as long as I’m on this diet, I’m no longer overeating, I no longer binge on chocolate, and I no longer worry about my weight. (Seriously. The current tally is 43 pounds and holding steady; two more pounds lost, and I’ll be at my initial goal weight.) I know from my response to the recent chocolate truffles I concocted–in and of themselves, perfectly acceptable, totally innocuous and stevia-sweetened–that I still have not gained control over my sweets addiction, so I’m embracing any excuse to stay away from sweeteners that spike blood sugar (even if they’re all-natural, like maple syrup or Sucanat).
And in keeping with my lighter diet, I’ve decided that 2010 will be the year to lighten up. To wit:
1) Lighten Up My Weight.Although I’ve now almost reached my goal weight, a quick calculation of my BMI places my goal weight barely within the “normal” range for such things (at 23.7). Since I’m fairly small-boned, I’d prefer to settle smack-dab in the middle range, at around 22. This would necessitate another 10 pound loss. And while I’m still not willing to count points, count calories, count carbs or follow any other type of “diet” (after all, I want to be able to follow an eating plan that I can maintain for the rest of my life), I do plan to focus a bit more on raw foods, fruit and vegetables, and a bit less on fat in my diet for a while to see what happens.
2) Lighten Up This Blog. Not to imply that I’ve been moribund or anything in this space, but I do feel as if the initially carefree, slightly irreverent posts of yore have been lacking lately. Maybe it’s my SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or remnants of the SAD (Standard American Diet) in general. Or maybe I’ve just been sad about the lingering candida. Whatever the case, it seems that humor wandered off a while ago, and must be enticed to return. And so, like Norman Cousins in his hospital bed, I’m vowoing to bring more laughter into my life. As my old high school chum John used to tell me, Don’t take take life seriously–after all, you’ll never get out alive.
Of course, illness is serious business, and I’m not suggesting that anyone be irresponsible (not a grain of sugar shall pass through my lips!)–but I’d like to learn to relax more and perhaps deal with stress and worry a bit more effectively. It makes sense that more laughter and less stress can only be a good thing, especially when study after study has demonstrated that stress itself contributes to disease. And if I haven’t earned a little whimsy at my age, when will I?
So, from now on, I resolve to enjoy more of what makes me smile: time with the HH and The Girls, my friends and family. Watching dopey movies. Going to places I haven’t been before (I think I hear the antipodes calling). Reading books that make me think, and books that make me envy the writer’s craft. Writing more. Moving my body more. Dancing to old records (Culture Club, anyone?). Experimenting in the kitchen more (no, no, with food, silly!). Blogging more.
No more fretting over insignificant events for me! I mean, will the world end if the HH doesn’t mow the lawn when he says he will (or even within a week of when he says he will)? So what if our lawn resembles the “before” picture in Field of Dreams?The Girls surely won’t mind, as they enjoy gamboling and frolicking in tall grasses. Will my students evaporate if they don’t get their papers back within 3 days? (And at least I’ve never been as tardy as my former prof, Dr. E, who sometimes took six weeks to return essays to us–and when he did, they sported a single comment, sometimes only one word, at the top of the page: “Splendid!” or “Well done!” beside a letter grade. That averages out to approximately one word a day.) Similarly, will the universe implode if I’m stuck in traffic and can’t meet my friend Gemini I for lunch at precisely 12:15 PM, as agreed? Of course not (although traffic does sometimes feel like a black hole).
Wow. I feel lighter already.
3) Lighten Up Your Sweets. A more immediate way to lighten up is with this dessert. Does anyone out there remember Jello 1-2-3? Well, this mousse-like concoction reminds me of the top layer of that treat: exceptionally light and airy, yet sweet, rich, and fruity (even though it doesn’t contain any fruit to speak of, as you’ll see below). The color is vibrant and happy–light-hearted, even–and the flavor is a tantalizing combination of coconut, almond and vanilla, with an enigmatic source of sweetness blended in.
Like so many recipes on food blogs this time of year, this one possesses detoxifying properties as well, since one of its main ingredients is cooked beets (there–I’ve said it. But it doesn’t taste like beets, I promise!). Besides adding that brilliant fuchsia color and a mysterious sweetness to the dessert, beets are also great blood detoxifiers and liver toners. In addition, they’re a good source of fiber, contain cancer-fighting antioxidants, and help reduce inflammation in the body. What other dessert can boast such benefits?
So when you serve this mousse to your friends and family, don’t tell them the secret ingredient. Instead, just present them with a beautiful, fluffy, pillowy dessert. Then you can smile knowingly as you watch them gobble it up. And if they do balk at beets in a confection, well, just tell them to lighten up a little.
Crimson Mousse
Boiling the beets helps to remove any trace of earthy flavor here; what remains is a vague sweetness and stunning hue. I’ve tried baking the beets instead, and while the color becomes even more intense in that case, so does the “beety” flavor; I wouldn’t advise it.
1 medium beet, peeled, diced and boiled until very soft (at least 30 minutes)
1/3 cup (55 g) raw cashews
1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole chia seeds, measured first and then ground in a coffee grinder to a fine powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) pure almond extract
1/4 tsp (1 ml) coconut extract (optional)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
15-25 drops stevia liquid, to taste (will depend on the brand)**
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
pinch fine sea salt
Once the beets are soft, drain them well (you can reserve the liquid for soup or other uses). Place the drained beets and remaining ingredients in a high speed blender* and blend until perfectly smooth, pushing the mousse down into the blades occasionally as necessary. Turn the mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight (refrigerating allows the cashews to absorb some of the liquid and the mousse to thicken). Spoon or pipe into serving dishes and top with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Makes 4 small or 3 large servings.
* I used a VitaMix, but I’m sure this would work in a regular blender, too, if you have patience. In a conventional blender, I’d do it this way: pour coconut milk and all other ingredients except beets and chia into the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. Add beets and blend again until perfectly smooth; then add the chia and blend to combine. You may need to blend in smaller batches this way, and then stir the contents together in a bowl before refrigerating.
** You can use agave or maple syrup if you prefer, but make these changes: use 1/4 cup agave or maple syrup, remove about 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of the coconut milk and increase cashews to 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp (70 g) before blending.
[I thought it would be fun to run a little series over here at DDD: I'll profile one one of my favorite foods, or a food that I've recently discovered and enjoyed, over several days. The series is presented on an occasional (and entirely arbitrary) basis, before I move on to the next lucky comestible. This is the third entry on apples.]
Did you win the Trail Mix Giveaway? Don’t forget to check here!
And now, our Lucky Comestible Apple series moves on to the soup course of the meal. . .
This soup is an all-time favorite of mine. One taste, and I promise you’ll be a devotee, too. Hey–this soup should have its own fan club! No, this soup should be featured on YouTube! This soup is a souper-star. You will love this soup!
Seriously, if you don’t love this soup, I will eat my hatmy wordsmy way through the northeastern states your portion as well as my own! I would marry this soup if I could. I LOVE THIS SOUP THAT MUCH. (sorry, HH–nothing personal).
In fact, I’ve been dreaming about this soup, on and off, for the past 20 years or so. I first encountered its enticing, tart and textured charms almost two decades ago, when I was invited to my former office mate’s home for dinner. Besides being strikingly beautiful (she had worked as a model for a while before teaching) and incredibly hip, Ms. Mate was also the very first vegan I knew personally (as if beauty and cool were not intimidating enough). I couldn’t believe I’d scored an invitation–I mean, Ms. Mate wore Yves St. Laurent jackets–to teach in! And she donned funky wigs, just for fun! She had a voice like Kathleen Turner and looked like Brigitte Nielsen (well, when the latter was still pretty); and I was in awe of her.
I don’t remember the rest of the meal, but that night I was served a standout apple and red wine soup (after the salad, I might add), and was immediately smitten. The slightly tannic base, thick with puréed apple and red as a lover’s blush, was oddly mesmerizing. I begged her to share the recipe.
Once I’d copied it meticulously from her cookbook (the name of which has dissipated forever into the ether of my age-addled memory), I took it home and filed it in my “soups” recipe folder. There it lay, neglected and withering, for months at a time. Whenever a special occasion would arise–a dinner party, say, or the holidays–I’d determine to revive the apple-red wine romance, slide the page from the folder, place it on the counter, and leave it there it lay for a few days, before I sheepishly returned it to its resting place. For one reason or another, I never made it again.
As soon as I decided to run this Lucky Comestible series on apples, however, I knew which soup recipe I’d use. Last week, I strode over to my cookbook shelves and withdrew the “Soups” folder once again. I began to leaf through the recipes. . . then checked again. . . then went through them all, one page at a time. Horrors!–the soup recipe was gone!!
I can’t adequately express the devastation I felt at realizing I’d somehow either lost or misplaced that recipe. I simply couldn’t imagine leaving it out. It’s the perfect “Let’s-try-something-different-this-holiday-season” soup, the perfect “let’s-wow-the-guests” soup, the perfect “I-love-you-be-my-Valentine” soup. Besides, I hadn’t eaten it in 20 years, and the memory of that unique flavor and texture was still compelling. I decided to try to reproduce the soup from the taste memory.
I’m happy to report that the results were stellar. Not only did I fall in love all over again, the HH was besotted, too.
“Hey, this tastes like real food!” he enthused. (I stared blankly.) “You know, like it has butter and cream and maybe even meat in it.” (For the HH, that is a compliment. But no, there’s no taste of meat in it.)
My soup isn’t quite as red as I remember the original being, but the flavor was just as I’d dreamed it. Thick, rich, and full bodied, with a slightly creamy texture that’s nevertheless robust, both warming and filling. The flavor is definitely that of apple, yet savory and slightly piquant at the same time.
I still love this soup, and am thrilled to have had this reunion, two decades later. And now you can fall in love, too. This would be perfect to serve if you’re looking for something a little different this Thanksgiving.
Just don’t forget where you filed the recipe.
Apple and Red Wine Soup
This is a great first course for a festive holiday meal. As such, serve in small bowls or soup mugs–the soup is filling, and you want to leave room for the rest of the meal! This also makes a perfect winter’s lunch with a salad and big hunk of crusty bread.
1 large onion, chopped
4 large crisp apples, peeled, cored and diced (I used MacIntosh and HoneyCrisp)
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth or stock
2 Tbsp-1/4 cup (30 ml-60 ml) maple syrup, to taste, or 10 drops stevia
2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cloves
2 tsp (10 ml) freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (120 ml) drinkable dry red wine (or use unsweetened cranberry juice for ACD-friendly version)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) arrowroot powder
1/2 cup (120 ml) full fat coconut milk, plus more for garnish
Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and apple and sauté until the onion is translucent and the apples begin to give off a bit of liquid, about 10 minutes.
Add the broth, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, lemon zest and lemon juice; lower heat. Cover and simmer until the apples are tender, 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the arrowroot with the coconut milk in a small bowl. Once the apples are tender, add the coconut milk mixture and stir to blend well. Allow to cook for an additional minute, until thickened. Turn off heat.
Pour the mixture in batches into a blender, or use an immersion blender, and blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the wine, and return to heat until the soup is heated through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with a drizzle of coconut milk, if desired. Makes 4-6 servings. May be frozen.
ACD adjustments: use stevia instead of maple syrup, and unsweetened cranberry juice instead of the red wine.
[Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
Before I get to today’s super-quick, super-easy, SUPER DELICIOUS recipe, I wanted to respond to all your generous comments about the new blog home (AND remind you all that there is only ONE WEEK left to enter the giveaway contest to win a quart (liter) of pure maple syrup or a custom-baked cake–be sure to get your comments in!)
First : Thank you for all your positive feedback and support! And thanks, too, for following DDD to its new home. I’m glad that, overall, most of you like the new site. I’ve attempted to incorporate as many of the suggestions as I could; please know that changes are limited by (a) the existing template, some of which can’t be modified without extensive knowledge of html (my knowledge of which extends about as far as the length of an eyelash); and (b) how much I can badgerenticebeg request from Blain, who has been implementing these revisions for me.
Interestingly, I deliberately chose the white background and sparse look to replicate the old blog (even though it, too, was all white in back with an orange title and green blog post titles, it seems as if many of us–myself included–found the old site less “bare” looking! I wonder what genetic wiring that’s connected to. . . ?). I have changed the font, the glaring black-against-white color, and the comments link (the best we could do is highlight it at the bottom of each post, which I hope makes it more visible).
The original idea for the site was to add a banner under the title (there’s a thin, long white space there now) with assorted photos across the top, but honestly, I don’t like any of my photos enough to leave them there all the time; and I’m growing rather fond of the clean, austere look (I figure at least something in my life should be unencumbered!). I’d love to one day put up a cartoon of The Girls’ faces as a kind of mascot (to the right of title “Diet, Dessert and Dogs”), but so far my cartooning skills aren’t up to snuff. Any volunteers??
So, for now, anyway, this is the new look of DDD. I’m sure it will evolve and grow with time. . . and after I take a few courses in web design.
And now, on to today’s supercalafragafantabuwonderlicious veggie recipe!
(I liked it. Can you tell?)
[I know our cruciferous friend here isn't exactly photogenic. But he makes up for it a thousandfold in personality, believe me!]
Well, with my current (ACD-imposed) gluten-free diet–which will likely drag onimprove my transit timeleave me with post-traumatic stress sydrome continue for at least another month, I’ve been relying mostly on tried-and-true favorites, plus a whole lot of raw dishes (mostly salads–too boring to blog about).
For some reason, I don’t seem to possess my usual zeal to create many new recipes based on the ACD requirements. Oh, and I’m hungry all the time. No, really, all the time. (I used to know a guy in university who was such a chain smoker that his body woke him up around 3:00 AM every night so he could have a cigarette. He’d roll out of bed, light up in the dark, then butt out and go back to sleep. Well, that’s pretty much what it feels like to me, except substitute “food–ANY food” for ”cigarettes.”)
And–worst of all–I seem to have misplaced my sense of humor on this diet.
Curse thou, wretched ACD–
Do not my humor take from me!
(Thank goodness I haven’t lost my sense of poetry–for the time being, anyway).
While I’m waiting for both hunger to subside and humor to return, I discovered a simple and irresistible recipe to help tide me over. For quite some time now, I’ve been a regular follower of Cheryl’s cheery, informative blog, Gluten-Free Goodness (you should see some of the incredible, innovative ways she meets the Daring Bakers’ challenges on a restricted diet!). And every month, I read her contribution to the “Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger” event, and think, “Hmmm. . . . I should take part in that, too.” Though I’m not entirely gluten-free (except when following the ACD), I actually prefer most GF grains to wheat or spelt, and tend to cook that way quite often.
I read about Cheryl’s Coconut Curried Greens a couple of weeks ago and immediately thought, “Yes! I love collards, too!” And I’m always on the lookout for new ways to make them. I mean, oil and garlic is great, but sometimes, you want something a little different–creamy, say, and coconutty, and a little spicy.
This Indian-inspired dish (it features a good hit of garam masala, one of my favorite Indian spices) is ready in a flash and rewards you with a rich, velvety sauce, one that’s slightly sweet from the combination of aforementioned spice and coconut milk–the perfect foil for the assertive, slightly bitter collards. And the extra bit of sauce that pools at the bottom of the pan is perfect for dipping some chickpea cheela, which is exactly what I made to go alongside.
As Cheryl mentions in her own post, these are so good that she and her hubby “ended up fighting over leftovers.” The HH and I didn’t fight, but we did resort to that age-old method used by moms everywhere, to ensure fairness when splitting food between bickering siblings: one of us (that would be me) got to divide the mixture in half, thereby determining the size of each portion; and the other (the HH) got to choose which one he wanted first. It’s the perfect way to guarantee absolutely equal division of portions, believe me.
The only change I made to Cheryl’s original recipe was in preparation of the greens: rather than boil them first and then add to the sauce, I simply added the shredded greens to the coconut milk mixture in the pan and let the whole thing simmer for about 8-10 minutes for the sauce to thicken. I also used a can of full-fat coconut milk instead of the fresh coconut.
* Or, Dream a Little Dream of Rich, Creamy, Delectable Frozen Desserts
[Dried Apricot Pistachio Ice Dream]
When I was contacted about a month ago to see if I’d be interested in examining a review copy of the upcoming The Ice Dream Cookbook by Chef Rachel Albert-Matesz, I have to admit I was a bit hesitant at first. Despite my weak-kneed response to most sweets, I’ve never been terribly smitten with frozen desserts, though I do enjoy a scoop or two every summer (and used to LOVE those chocolate-dipped soft-serve cones we get here from the ice-cream truck that jingles along the streets in summertime).
Then I found out that Rachel is a natural foods chef whose recipes are very much in line with my own and the NAG diet. When I asked whether there were enough vegan recipes for me to try, she responded that virtually all the recipes in the book were already vegan or easily adaptable. In addition, all were gluten free and naturally sweetened. Well, how could I resist?
The Ice Dream Cookbook is actually Albert-Matesz’s second book, on the heels of The Garden of Eating: A Produce-Dominated Diet and Cookbook (2004), which won both the USA Book News for “Best Cookbook 2004″ and the Glyph Award for “Best Cookbook” 2005. She’s also written for the likes of Natural Home, Living Without, Yoga Journal, Oxygen Women’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Veggie Life, Vegetarian Times, Vegetarian Journal, and Macrobiotics Today, among others. Both a cooking class instructor and a faculty member at the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts in Tempe, Arizona, she also hosts a healthy food segment on the show “Your LIfe A to Z” in Phoenix. Clearly, this woman has had quite a bit of experience developing recipes, so I had very high expectations for the ice dream creations in her book. I’m happy to report that they didn’t disappoint.
The book is more than just a collection of recipes, however. Starting with the introduction in which Albert-Matesz outlines her path toward healthy cooking and how she came to write a frozen dessert cookbook, The Ice Dream Cookbook offers a wealth of information for anyone who’s interested in making frozen desserts–or any desserts, really. Chapter One (“Essential Ingredients and Shopping Tips”) outlines the dangers of sugar and (for some) gluten as well as other questionable foods, along with an exhaustive glossary of preferred ingredients and shopping tips. In Chapter Two, she describes the equipment you’ll need to make your own ice dream, from the many varieties of ice cream maker (electric or manual), right down to the bowls and knives that are best. The following chapter covers techniques for measuring and mixing to ensure your success when you whip up the frozen desserts. From there, it’s on to the multitude of flavors–and recipes!
Starting with basic varieties such as vanilla, chocolate or cinnamon ice dream, the book then moves on to more exotic fare such as Avocado, Macaroon Madness, Lemon Cookie Crumble, Green Tea, Chunky Chestnut, Carob Banana, or Mango Orange flavors, among others. I couldn’t resist trying one from almost every section (and it was a difficult choice, indeed). The book wraps up with three additional chapters, with recipes for accompaniments to your ice dream: Sauces, A La Mode (pies, tarts, etc.) and Additional Indulgences (cookies for ice dream sandwiches and other confections).
Overall, I was immensely impressed with the book and really enjoyed whipping up the frozen treats. Because I use a Donvier hand-cranked (non-electric) ice cream maker, my only frustration was having to re-freeze the ice cream container between batches! With all these recipes for amazing desserts, who wants to wait 24 hours before trying out another flavor?
Read on to see what I tried* (and for a sample recipe!):
Dried Apricot Pistachio Ice Dream
This was the first recipe I attempted, and I was amazed at how soft and scoop-able the dessert was, even days after being placed in the freezer. In this case, I used the lowest proportion of sweetener suggested in the recipe (a range is given), and while we certainly enjoyed the result, I think I’d opt for more sweetener next time (the recipes all include some stevia–I assume to reduce the amount of agave or honey–so I might just play with using all-agave instead of the stevia next time). The combination of tangy apricot and chewy pistachio is brilliant here.
Avocado Ice Dream
Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows I love avocado (and even devoted an entire Lucky Comestible series to it!), so I found this recipe irresistible. The avocado lends a creaminess and silkiness to the dessert, and with the combination of chocolate chunks (one of the variations provided), it’s truly addictive. This one didn’t last long!
Cocoa Ice Dream (with candied ginger)
Not wanting to neglect the ”basic” flavors, I chose (of course) chocolate. This recipe is made with cocoa (there’s another made with dark chocolate) and was just delicious. By this time, I was feeling pretty confident, so just threw in my own addition of chopped candied ginger, for a truly winning combination.
Graham Crackers
Given my limited experience with gluten-free flours, I thought it would be fun to try out one of the baking recipes in the book. These crackers were easy to prepare and baked up beautifully. Mine came out a little too crispy to eat on their own, so I’m wondering if I overbaked them (the recipe does caution against letting them crisp too much in the oven). The flavor was lovely, though–just like “regular” graham crackers. And they’d be perfect for an ice dream sandwich, in which they’d absorb some of the moisture from the filling without becoming mushy.
Banana Daiquiri Ice Dream
This last recipe was hands down our favorite here at the DDD household–even The Girls got a teeny lick off my fingers (“Thanks, Mum! Say, is there any more of that stuff around?”). The combination of creamy coconut milk, smooth and velvety bananas and tart lime was incomparable. And with banana and a dash of rum in the mix, the dessert never freezes to the point of solid, so it’s soft and easy to scoop no matter how long it’s stored. Which was a good thing, because we scooped aplenty.
Rachel was kind enough to provide the recipe for this lovely treat, so you can help yourselves to a sample dessert from the book as well.
What a fabulous way to cap off the summer!
The Ice Dream Cookbook is available through Rachel’s blog.
Hands On: 30 minutes / Churning: 20 to 25 minutes / Yield: 4 to 5 1/2 cups; 8 servings
Here’s a grown up version of banana ice cream that I almost left out of the book. Don and I weren’t impressed with it, but we didn’t want to toss it. So I gave it to a few friends. They raved about it. In fact, two little boys wouldn’t let their parents have any of it. Banana lovers, judge for yourself. If you don’t like liqueur, try the variation with rum flavoring or try the Roasted Banana Ice Dream.
Note: If using bottled lime juice, taste it before you use it. If left to sit too long in the refrigerator, lime juice (as well as lemon juice) can develop a strong bitter flavor.
Garnish with coarsely chopped macadamia nuts and fresh or frozen (but thawed) sweet cherries or the Cherry Sauce.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon lime zest (finely grated lime peel; colored part only)
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin or agar agar powder (not the flakes)
3 tablespoons honey or agavé nectar; additional 2 tablespoons as needed
1/8 teaspoon finely ground, unrefined sea salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon clear stevia extract liquid (start with less; add more only if needed)
2 cups unsweetened, preservative-free coconut milk (regular not lite), mixed well before measuring
2 cups packed ripe bananas, sliced (2 large, or 3 to 4 medium)
2 tablespoons coconut rum or dark rum or 1 teaspoon natural rum flavoring
1/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts for garnish, optional
1. Grate the zest from the limes using a microplane or the small holes of a cheese grater. Set aside.
2. Juice the limes and add to a small saucepan. Slowly sprinkle with gelatin or agar agar powder. Let stand for 2 minutes until it softens and dry spots disappear. Warm over medium-low heat, without stirring, until gelatin or agar agar dissolves. Scrape the mixture into a blender, Vita-Mix, or food processor. Cover and process until smooth.
3. Add the honey or agavé, sea salt, and stevia. Blend. Add the coconut milk, banana, lime zest, and rum, or rum flavoring. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula. For a sweeter taste add an additional 1/8 teaspoon stevia and/or 1 tablesppon honey. Blend, taste, and repeate if needed.
4. Pour into one or more wide mouth jars. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before churning.
5. Scrape the chilled custard into the canister of your ice cream maker. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Serve immediately, or spoon into several 8- to 16- ounce freezer-safe containers. Cover and freeze for 3 or more hours for a firmer texture.
7. Soften solidly frozen dessert in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or on the counter for 20 to 30 minutes before serving [note: I found this step wasn't necessary with this particular recipe].
Lite Banana Daiquiri Ice Dream: Replace half of the coconut milk with lite (reduced fat) coconut milk. Alternatively, use 100% lite coconut milk, but plan to use the batch immediately or within 24 hours before it becomes hard and icy.
Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Dream: Replace bananas with fresh or frozen (but thawed), unsweetened strawberries and their juices. Adjust the sweetness with 1 or 2 more more tablespoons honey or agavé nectar as needed.
* For those who might be wondering, yes, I tried all these sweets before I started my current ACD!
Somewhere around the first week of December (either that or the 3rd day there’s snow on the ground, whichever comes first), I decide I’ve had enough of winter. Bah! Who needs lawns covered in a glistening, pristine blanket of white? Who needs billowy undulations of snow-covered hills along the roadside? Who needs that dainty spray of unique, lacy flakes as they gently descend from the heavens? Not I!
Despite all its awe-inspiring beauty, winter also brings with it a whole host of evils: treacherous patches of “black ice” concealed beneath a thin veneer of fresh white powder; knee-high snowdrifts that are agony to traverse in my ponderous, barely-warm-enough galoshes; wooly scarves pulled high over the nose (must protect my delicate proboscis from all that cold air whipping around, after all), causing impaired vision as my glasses fog up from the vapour of my heaving breath; and The Ordeal of the Walk, with its multiple layers of clothing, toque pulled low on the forehead, aforementioned scarf, earmuffs, double-layered gloves, and two wacky canines, each hauling on a leash in an attempt to leap and gambol, totally oblivious to the fact that my being upright is only a temporary state in this dreadful weather.
Right. For me, winter is hellish. The only things that make it even barely tolerable are two major comforts: number one, my friend Gemini I’s country “cottage,” (a palatial residence that offers far more amenities and techno-toys than the city abode in which I normally dwell), and number two, comfort food.
Like most people, when I think ”comfort foods,” what comes to mind are those dishes that populated my childhood as well as those I currently seek out when feeling blue. These fall into two basic categories as well: sweet, and savory. In addition, my favored comfort foods tend to be both soft and warm. The squishier, the better. And if they can be cooked twice as long as the recipe suggests, well, we’ve hit the jackpot.
Many of the savory dishes I used to eat are no longer welcome in my diet, but they are nonetheless ones that conjure fond memories (and ones my mother used to cook regularly): salmon patties doused in ketchup; thick and hearty potato soup with corn kernels; baked beans (the canned variety), occasionally gussied up with maple syrup or hotdogs; or overcooked hamburgers alongside mashed potatoes and green beans.
Of course, the “sweet”category still reigns during the frigid winter months: slow cooked, (or better yet, baked) oatmeal and raisins (though I now consume the steel-cut variety instead of the instant packets we had back then); warm and gooey chocolate chip cookies; sticky, just-out-of-the-oven, tender and delicate cinnamon rolls; and the Mother of All Comfort Foods: rice pudding.
When my sisters and I were kids, the rice pudding my mother made most often was a baked version poured raw into a casserole dish and left in the oven for an hour. What was supposed to end up as a homogenous mixture of custard and grains inevitably turned out as a hardened mass of uncooked rice settled below a thicker layer of eggy custard, which my sisters and I would scrape off without touching the grains. Our preferred rice pudding in those days was the canned variety, an overly sweet concoction of nearly-disintegrated rice in a suspension of various chemical compounds that approximated a pudding-like consistency. Yum.
These days, when I think of rice pudding, I aim for something a little more sophisticated; and I no longer eat polished white rice in any case. So imagine my delight when I discovered a recipe for Brown Basmati Pudding, uniting brown basmati rice, fragrant spices and coconut milk, in Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz’s ReBar: Modern Food Cook Book. The perfect combination of urbanity and unpretentious comfort, this pudding seemed the ideal contribution to the Monthly Mingle hosted by Meeta at What’s for Lunch, Honey?. The theme this month? Comfort Foods.
The final product was, after all, divine, and very grown-up. With a smooth, creamy base cradling tender yet solid grains of rice, mingled with plump, juicy raisins, the pudding was warmed throughout by the subtle interweaving of cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger. Rich, sweet, soothing–warm or cold, this rice pudding is the perfect antidote to winter. In fact, it almost makes the ice and snow bearable.
Almost.
Brown Basmati Pudding with Coconut, Cardamom and Ginger (from ReBar Modern Food Cook Book)
Although I followed the recipe fairly closely, I did substitute ground spices for the cardamom and cinnamon, because I like my spices cooked right into my pudding. I used 1/8-1/4 tsp. cardamom and about 2 tsp. cinnamon.
1 cup (240 ml.) brown basmati rice
2 cups (480 ml.) water
1 cup (240 ml.) soy or rice milk (I used rice)
1/2 tsp. salt
1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
6 cardamom pods, crushed
3-inch long cinnamon stick
2 oz. (60 g.) brown sugar (I used maple syrup)
1 can coconut milk
Rinse the basmati and place in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add water, rice milk, salt, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cover, then simmer for 45 minutes.
Stir in the sweetener and coconut milk and continue to simmer the rice without a lid over low heat. Cook until the liquid evaporates and the pudding thickens (about 30 minutes). Remove the ginger slices, cardamom pods and cinnamon stick. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
The pudding thickens up even more as it cools, so you can stop cooking just before you think it’s thick enough.
Maybe I am a pie person, after all.
I’m glad that, overall, most of you like the new site. I’ve attempted to incorporate as many of the suggestions as I could; please know that changes are limited by (a) the existing template, some of which can’t be modified without extensive knowledge of html (my knowledge of which extends about as far as the length of an eyelash); and (b) how much I can 
