[Before I launch into today's post, I wanted to thank everyone for their kind wishes for poor, accident-prone Elsie! Our Number One* Girl is doing much better, thanks--still limping a little, but infinitely less than that first scary evening. While her gait has improved, her mood hasn't quite, as she has to stay behind with boring Mum every morning while Dad and Chaser go romp in the park. But one more week, and she'll be on the walking trail again, too. ]
Remember when you were a kid and you yearned to have the same toys (or clothes, or packed lunches) that all of your friends had? And in an effort to teach you deferred gratification, your parents would respond to your imploring by saying, “And if Susie’s parents let her jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, would you want to, too?” In our house, it was different. If one of my sisters or I requested something that all of our friends already had, my parents’ perfunctory response was, “NO.” (My Dad’s idea of deferred gratification was “deferred until you can afford to pay for it yourself.” Hmm. May explain why I started babysitting at the ripe old age of eleven).
Since I could never cajole my parents into getting me what I wanted anyway, I developed a determination to stand apart from my friends and covet less popular items. I couldn’t very well not like The Monkees, of course (you couldn’t be a kid in the 60s and not like them), so I worshipped Mickey instead of Davy (totally radical, I know). Like all my friends, I bought (with my babysitting money) the sought-after designer jeans–you know the ones, that proclaimed their exclusivity loudly and clearly with a playing-card sized label just above the fanny cheek–and then I boldly cut off the label (can you imagine? I was so rebellious that way.).
In university, I inevitably fell for the slightly oddball character, someone who, let’s imagine, had been born to a French hooker in Sudbury, had been orphaned at age 12, had raised their younger sister on their own, had worked as a miner and was now studying to be a customs officer. Oh, wait. That actually was my first boyfriend. Later on, I fell for the boyish charms and rapier wit of Rocker Guy (he of the black leather pants). And let’s not forget the HH, the human synthesis of artist genius and science geek, man of few words (and most of those requiring a dictionary to understand), reluctant dog dad turned canine caretaker extraordinaire, and simultaneously the smartest, funniest, and most eccentric human being I’ve ever met.
The food-blog world has its own trends, too. For a while there, kalechipswere (or maybe still are!) all the rage. There was a time when I felt as if faux tuna salad was on almost every blog I read. Or how about the now-ubiquitous cake pops? And where would we be, tell me, without pumpkin and/or almond butter-laced oatmeal? (One of my favorite trends, though not about food per se, was the “blog meme.” When I was tagged for the ”25 Random Things About Me” meme, I got carried away and wrote 101 things. As I mentioned at the time, I guess that will take care of the meme for a while!).
Well, when I saw Mihl’s recipe for Yeasted Zucchini Pie with Herbed Pepita Cream Cheese Filling, my ten year-old self was resurrected and I immediately thought, “I want that, too! Yum!!” Clearly, with its hunter green shellac and creamy alabaster interior, zucchini is the hipster veg on the culinary scene for August, 2010. And the ingenious mix of ingredients in Mihl’s distinctive filling fulfilled my inner desire for creative departure from the norm.
Since the crust was yeast-based, I knew immediately that I couldn’t make it as originally presented. However, I had seen a quiche a while back with a shredded potato crust and thought that would pair brilliantly with the herby filling. After preparing the crust, I discovered that I was out of firm tofu, so used MoriNu as the stand-in (just to be different, I suppose). It worked beautifully, resulting in a slightly creamy, slightly grainy filling with a subtly sour undertone, like ricotta or cottage cheese. The inclusion of basil worked beautifully with the ground pepitas. And while I loved the trendy design formed by the zucchini slices atop the pie, I think that next time, I’ll simply chop the zucchini and fold it into the cheesy mixture before baking, both for convenience and for a more varied texture.
The finished pie reminded me of savory cottage cheese pies my mother used to make–rustic, hearty, and reminscent of late afternoons in the country. Paired with a simple Caesar salad, it made a pleasing meal as the HH and I sat at the kitchen table bathed in incandescent glow of late summer, shimmering interstices of sunlight peeking through the shutters.
“Well, it’s a bit unusual, but it’s good,” the HH remarked. Takes one to know one, I thought–and just kept on eating.
* in the sense of, “the one that preceded Number Two (Number Two being Chaser) and not in the sense of, “the one we like the best.” Of course I could never favor one of my Girls over the other–duh!
And Also:
There are a few more happenings here on DDD that I’m excited about and wanted to share before I sign off!
First of all, you can still contribute to this month’s SOS Kitchen Challenge, until August 31st! If you’ve got a minty recipe that you’ve made recently or one you’re working on, please consider adding it to the SOS page for August!
I’m also gearing up for some really cool Back-to-School Giveaways on the blog over the next few weeks. I’ll be talking about some products that I’ve tried and really enjoyed, along with the usual recipes and chance to win some great goodies for yourselves. Whoo hoo!
Speaking of giveaways, if you didn’t win a free copy of my latest ebook, Desserts without Compromise, you can still buy it at a great discountuntil the end of the month. Choose either ebook on its own, or pair them together and save even more! For full details or to purchase, check here.
And finally, I’m always tickled when I see that someone else in blogland has tried one of my recipes. So I thought I’d share some of them here with you! And if you’ve made a DDD recipe in the last little while and I’ve missed you here, please email (at dietdessertdogs AT gmail DOT com) to let me know so I can add your link to the roundup next time!
I’m sending this recipe off to Amy of Simply Sugar and Gluten Free for this week’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays–it’s the One Year Anniversary edition, too! (Congrats, Amy!). Go check out the other great entries in the event! Oh, and don’t forget to hop back to Amy’s blog on September 1st–I’ll be guest posting that day!
Zucchini Pie with Potato Crust (ACD Stage 2 and beyond)
2 pounds (900 g) russet potatoes, cut into large chunks
2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely ground flax meal
2 Tbsp (30 ml) chickpea flour
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable broth or stock
Filling:
1/2 cup (60 g) pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
2 cloves garlic
3 green onions, cut in chunks
1/3 cup (15 g) lightly packed chopped fresh basil
1 package (12 oz or 375 g) extra firm silken tofu (such as MoriNu)
6 Tbsp (90 ml) vegetable broth or stock
1 Tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) granulated onion or onion powder
1/4-1/2 tsp (1-2.5 ml) smoked paprika, to your taste
2 tsp (10 ml) light miso
2 tsp (10 ml) dijon mustard
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) nutmeg
1 Tbsp (15 ml) chickpea or soy flour
pepper, to taste
2 medium zucchini, washed, trimmed and sliced
olive oil, if desired
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a 10 inch (25.5 cm) tart pan with parchment and spray sides, or spray with nonstick spray.
Prepare the crust: place potato chunks in boiling water and boil just until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Allow to cool completely, then grate the potatoes and place in a large bowl.
To the bowl, add the flax, chickpea flour,salt and broth and mix well with your hands. Using the back of a rubber spatula or a 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, press the potato mixture evenly into the bottom and up sides of prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, until the top is dry. Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350F (180C).
Meanwhile, make the filling: In the bowl of a food processor, blend the pumpkin seeds, garlic, green onion and basil until you have a paste. Add remaining filling ingredients except for zucchini and olive oil and process again until smooth. If desired, roughly chop the zucchini and fold into the filling at this point. Pour over the crust and smooth the top.
If using zucchini slices, arrange them over the filling in a decorative fashion. If desired, brush with olive oil.
Bake in preheated 350F (180C) oven 50-60 minutes, rotating the pie about halfway through, until the crust is browned and the zucchini has begun to brown. Allow to rest 5-10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings. May be frozen.
First: Thanks to everyone who entered the Desserts without Compromise giveaway over the weekend! I’m delighted by the positive response and will be announcing the winners later today (once I choose the names). If you’d like to purchase a copy of the book, the introductory sale is on until the end of the month–you can purchase either ebook at a discount, or save even more if you buy the package of both together! Check here for details.
And now, before I get to today’s recipe, I thought it would be a good time to paraphrase Oprah (because, really, is there ever a bad time to paraphrase Oprah?). And this is what I want to say:
Mothers, I Salute You.
As someone who has never had the experience of motherhood, I can only guess at what it is like. But this past weekend, I had a teeny glimpse. You see, after an ostensibly normal Friday, the HH and I were sitting enjoying dinner (a fabulous raw kale salad with tangy dill dressing) when Elsie limped into the room. Well, perhaps “limped” isn’t quite the correct term; it was more like “writhed in or agony” or “seized with exquisite pain.” You see, the poor furry girl appeared to have lost the entire use of her back leg–she could not even touch the tip of her paw to the floor, her leg hanging like a cracked branch on a lightning-struck tree as she hobbled over to where we were (pain or not, she wasn’t going to miss out on post-prandial leftovers) on three legs.
How had this happened? More importantly, how had I let this happen? I was racked with guilt. Had I overtaxed her with our extra-long walk that afternoon? Had she stepped on a piece of rusty metal when romping in the pond with Chaser? Had I somehow missed a shard of broken glass on the sidewalk?
But it wasn’t my guilt that I associate with motherhood, no, no! It was the heart-wrenching, excruciating torment I experienced at watching my beloved girl suffer. The helplessness to relieve her pain felt unbearable. It was like the anticipation of knowing your finger is headed right toward the whirring blade of the meat slicer as you slide uncontrollably across the floor. Like having to walk across a vat of deadly scorpions. Like being forced to watch every single Julia Roberts film ever made, in a sadistic marathon session without any intermission (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating; the Julia Roberts thing isn’t quite the same degree of torture as the other two. I mean, you can still live without a finger, right?)
I felt so bad for the poor thing, in fact, that I badgered the HH into carrying her up and down the stairs every time she had to go outside, for the remainder of the day. All this while Elsie, oblivious to the pathos of her situation, soldiered on as if she had always had only three good legs. I, on the other hand, was a whimpering mess. And so, I reiterate: Mothers, I Salute You.
(In the end, we rushed her to the vet first thing Saturday morning and found out she had somehow torn a ligament. Two weeks of pillow rest should repair it. Now we just have to convince Chaser to leave her alone that long.)
She may be stoic, but poor Elsie does seem a bit depressed about it all, too:
“Sigh. Mum, why do I have to stay here at home while Chaser gets to go play in the rain? And why am I so accident-prone?”
I decided to stay indoors and keep my furry Girl company while the HH took Chaser for a trail-walk. Thinking about how to use up the last of our mint (and contribute another dish to this month’s SOS Kitchen Challenge, which continues until the end of the month) led me to Thai rice paper rolls.
Many moons ago during our first year as a couple, the HH and I took a Thai cooking class together. How do I know it was our first year together? The HH agreed to take a cooking class with me. (A guy is never more willing to do “chick” things than during the first few months of a relationship). Anyway, we made a whole bunch of stuff I’ll probably never eat again–Coconut, Ginger and Chicken soup; Red Curry Chicken; Pad Thai–but one thing I do remember is the raw rice paper spring rolls. Man, were they good. And the beauty of the dish was that (a) they were incredibly quick and easy to make; and (b) you could fill them with pretty much anything you liked.
I was transported back to the memory of that evening a few days ago when I came upon Cheryl’s post on these tasty rolls. I decided immediately to concoct the rolls again and, in the process, “adopt” Cheryl (whose blog is Gluten Free Goodness, full of healthy GF recipes and Cheryl’s upbeat approach to better health) for the monthly Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger event. The event asks you to choose a GF blogger and reproduce at least one of their recipes. This month, Shirley of Gluten Free Easily is the host.
I did my rolls ever so slightly differently from Cheryl’s, omitting both the napa cabbage and the sprouts, and using rice vermicelli as a filler instead. But really, you could add pretty much any chopped veggies or fillers you like (my favorite combo would be strips of tofu, shredded carrot, red pepper, rice vermicelli, with a touch of cilantro, basil and mint) as long as they can be cut into matchsticks or grated and rolled into the wraps.
As Cheryl points out, the method is actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. I found that setting out all the ingredients and a bowl of warm water before starting the process was essential for success. I dipped my rice paper wrappers for only about 8 seconds, then allowed excess water to drip off before rolling them. The wrappers then absorbed a bit more of the surface water as they were being rolled, resulting in a final texture that was perfect.
I also figured out how to create pretty patterns with the cilantro, mint or basil leaves; simply lay them down first against the wrappers, then top with your rice vermicelli before piling on the other ingredients. This creates a white “background” for the leaves. Easy, and impressive! These would make great appetizers or a first course for a Thai meal.
For Cheryl’s original recipe and method, see her post here. I served mine with an almond-butter based dipping sauce, based on the one from the ReBar restaurant (recipe here), using almond butter instead of peanut butter, Bragg’s instead of soy sauce, and stevia instead of honey.
Thanks, Cheryl, for the inspiration! The rolls made a satisfying, simple and speedy lunch. (“Mum, you know it’s not nice to mention ‘speedy’ when I’m pillow-ridden like this. But I’d be happy to help you clean up that almond sauce, if you like.”)
[A quick note and special request: The VegNews Awards polls for 2010 are open! If you like Diet, Dessert and Dogs or my cookbook, Sweet Freedom, please head to the site and add them to their lists! You can nominate me for the blog, cookbook author or tweeter categories. How great would it be for an allergy-friendly, whole foods site to top their lists? (And guess what? Ms. Ellen is already nominated! I sense that a meeting will be coming about somehow. . . ) Your support is much appreciated, everyone!]
[Simple to make, delicious to eat: red lentil pâté]
The first time I purchased an ebook from Christy Morgan (aka The Blissful Chef), all I really knew about her was (a) she lived in LA; and (b) she cooked according to macrobiotic principles. Well, since I’d studied the macrobiotic diet in nutrition school, I knew it meshed very well with my own food philosophy and even the anti-candida diet (ACD), as it focuses on whole and local ingredients and traditional preparation methods. And as someone who’s been pining to return to LA (especially on The Ellen Show!) since my last visit there when I was 17, I was pleased to know that fact about Christy, too.
A few weeks ago, I bought the most recent in the “Cooking with the Seasons” series for summer. This is the second in a series of Christy’s ebooks that present recipes geared specifically toward each season. In this ebook, Christy talks a bit about how summer is the “fire” season and why it makes sense to prepare foods that are fresh, mostly raw, quick and easy–to avoid the heat of the kitchen and preserve our energies for other activities during the warm weather. She also discusses her approach to cooking, which she describes as “macrobiotic, vegan, raw fusion.” The sixteen recipes in the ebook reflect that philosophy as well.
The first thing that struck me as I browsed through the recipes was that were so many in it I could eat–with no (or very little) adjustment. Whole foods, low fat, easy preparation and nothing processed–these are the kinds of recipes that fit perfectly with someone on the ACD!
I decided to plunge right in with the ”Red Lentil Pâté with Cashews,” a quick and easy spread that’s perfect to serve to guests or for a light dinner. This is a lovely appetizer with a light texture that’s quite different from the rich, nut-heavy spreads that are more commonly served as vegan pâtés; in keeping with the light summer theme, this recipe has no added fat (though the cashews do add some, of course).
I adored this pâté. It works beautifully as a finger food or even–as I found myself snacking on it–straight from a spoon. The preparation is super-simple (though you do need some time to let the mixture boil down). I was skeptical at first about the amount of curry powder in this–it’s a full tablespoon–but once the mixture cooks up and the lentils begin to soften and dissolve, the final balance of seasoning is perfect. Once cold, the mixture firmed up beautifully as well.
Serve this on crackers, as I did, or slice a thick block to have between slices of hearty bread, with some lettuce and sprouts for a great summer sandwich.
Next up was the “Fresh Herb Salad with White Peaches.” Again, the ingredient list was mostly fresh, whole fruit and vegetables with flavorful fresh herbs as garnish. The combination of peaches, greens, and just-picked herbs sounded fantastic to me, and a great way to use seasonal produce and some of the lovely basil from my garden. Although I couldn’t find white peaches, the final result with conventional fruit was strikingly colorful and vibrant, like a festive float at a summer celebration:
[Fresh Herb Salad with White Peaches--and this is anunretouched photo; the colors really are this intense!]
Finally, I cooked up the “Garden Fresh Millet Quinoa” for dinner; I knew I couldn’t go wrong with two of my favorite grains. Another quick and simple preparation resulted in a light, flavorful dish that was so much more than the sum of its parts. A mélange of colors, flavors and textures contribute to a filling and satisfying meal that both the HH and I enjoyed immensely.
With other recipes like “Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta,” “Creamy Tomato Basil Bisque,” “Kale with Lemon Miso Dressing,” “Summertime Succotash,” or “Mixed-Berry Couscous Cake,” the book offers tasty, fresh ways to use your summer produce and stay cool in the kitchen. And at only $4.99 per book (or $7.99 for both!), Cooking with the Seasons: Summer is a great find.
To provide a sample of the book’s recipes, Christy has graciously allowed me to reprint the Red Lentil Pâté with Cashews. If you enjoy lentil curry, you’ll love this.
This is a light spread and one that tastes equally good cold or slightly warm.
1/4 cup (60 ml) filtered water or broth (I used vegetable broth)
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 Tbsp (15 ml) curry powder (I used mild)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried coriander
pinch fine sea salt
1 Tbsp (15 ml) minced ginger
1 cup (240 ml) red lentils, washed and picked over
3 cups (720 ml) filtered water (I used vegetable broth)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) tamari (I used Braggs aminos)
1/2 cup (120 ml) lightly toasted cashews, chopped
fresh cilantro, for garnish
Heat the 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a medium saucepan over medium-high flame. When the water starts to sizzle, sauté the veggies, spices, ginger and salt for a few minutes. Add the 3 cups (720 ml) water or broth and lentils to the pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 30 minutes. Stir in the tamari and cashews and keep stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot as necessary to avoid scorching, until the mixture becomes very thick and paste-like (this took me another 20-30 minutes).
Place the mixture in a loaf pan, bowl, or decorative dish and let sit at least 15 minutes to cool and firm up (I refrigerated mine for a few hours). Serve garnished with cilantro, with crackers for spreading. Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
On my hectic workday mornings, I love thee all stirred up and blended in a smoothie.
I love thee when I crave something snacky, all coated in a cheezy sauce. And, I have no doubt, I shall but love thee even better after dehydrating.
Yes, there are infinte ways to enjoy kale, and I never tire of the frilly, flirty, leafy green chameleon. Kale is the Meryl Streep of green leafy vegetables; you can dress it up in an endless number of guises, it easily takes on the accent of any country on the globe, it’s comfortable exhibiting countless incarnations–but underneath it all, it’s still essentially the same, every time.
Kale brings to mind my friend Babe’s mother, who used to pad from bedroom to bedroom each night as she tucked in each of her four children. After pulling up the covers and smoothing her child’s hair, she’d lean over and whisper, “I love you the most.” That’s how I feel about kale. No matter what the meal, no matter how it’s prepared, that’s the one I love the most.
And now, there’s a new favorite kale in town! As a subscriber to the McDougall newsletter, I came across this salad recipe tucked inobtrusively behind the savory lentil spread, spicy garbanzo pinwheels, and balsamic strawberry dressing this month. What appears at first a mild-mannered, simple and uncomplicated dish belies the underlying complexity and subtle layering of flavors in this recipe. And once again, the dressing is the true star of the salad. It’s so good that The HH and I ate an entire head of kale this way!
I’m thrilled to have another raw kale salad to recommend. It’s so quick and easy, it’s crazy simple. A perfect way to add fresh greens to your meal–or make it the meal itself, as we did.
Just like a great poem, this one’s destined to become a classic.
After polishing off the entire bowl, it occurred to me that the kale would have been spectacular if spread on a teflex sheet and popped in a dehydrator (or cookie sheet and low-temperature oven) to make my own kale chips. I’m saving that for next time (but let me know if you try it!).
For the salad:
1 head of curly green kale, washed, dried and stems removed
For the dressing:
1/2 cup (120 ml) raw or regular natural smooth almond butter
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
2 Tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice (about one lime)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced, to your taste
about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) piece ginger, peeled and minced
5 drops plain liquid stevia
1/4 tsp (1.5 ml) red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp (30 ml) sesame seeds, raw or lightly toasted
Finely chop the kale and place in a large bowl.
In a smaller bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except for sesame seeds. Pour the mixture over the kale and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve. Makes 4-6 side servings or 2 main course servings.
[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).]
[Uber creamy--with no dairy or soy!]
Thanks, everyone, for all the great comments in response to my last post. One point I found fascinating–and hadn’t thought about before–is how so many vegan options in restaurants are just “meh.” As Julie, Jessy and Danielle pointed out, most often the vegan foods are simply the regular items with the animal products taken out–rather than dishes designed from scratch as “vegan.” In that case, I agree: more fun to eat at home! I do feel fortunate that there are so many great choices here in Toronto, however. (Oh, and summers are the best time to visit: it’s been sunny and between 22 and 30C/72-86F the past couple of weeks. Toronto is a fabulous city, filled with world-class events, sights and culture, not to mention multicultural cuisine. You’re welcome, Toronto Tourism Network).
One of the things I love about the ACD (a veto on over half the usual foods from my diet? Causing a horrendous detox reaction in which I stumbled around with flu-like symptoms, barely able to think straight during the first few weeks of the diet? Forcing me to stave off cravings that persisted unabated, basically for the first six months–sort of like The Bride against the Crazy 88s in that scene from Kill Bill (Volume I)? ) is that, now finally in Stage II, I can rejoice over the return of some fruits to my culinary repertoire.
I nearly wept with elation when I first ate fresh pineapple again a couple of weeks ago; I love it that much (can you believe the HH doesn’t fancy it? “Too acidic,” he says.) Besides its heavenly, ambrosia flavor and distinctively pinecone exterior, pineapple always brings with it the pleasant satisfaction of accomplishment after you finally cut away all the inedible parts and sink your teeth into the luscious, juicy fruit inside. I’ve even been known to gnaw at the yellow flesh clinging to the skin, risking the thorny bits for the joy of pineapple nectar running down my chin. (“Mum, you don’t have to take that risk. Just let us eat it instead–we don’t care about the thorny bits.”)
In my zeal to bring more fresh pineapple into the house, I purchsed a huge specimen last week and went to town cutting away the peel and slicing it into bite-sized chunks. But after two days of gorging on diced pineapple and with over half a container remaining, I realized that radical measures were necessary to finish the beloved treat before it began to ferment (a huge no-no for the ACD).
Some of you may recall the wayward patch of mint growing at the side of our house. Well, this year I determined to take the offensive and begin snipping and using those emerald leaves as soon as I saw their little Martian heads sprouting through the ground. I’ve already made a variation on my original mint smoothie (with the aforementioned pineapple, as well) and today whipped up this quick and easy salad dressing (or mint sauce–it’s very adaptable that way).
With Gena’s inspiration still in my mind, I based this dressing/sauce on the principle of “veggies + flax = creaminess.” I also added pineapple for its natural sweetness and the fact that it contains the compound bromelain, a digestive enzyme that serves to distinguish pineapple (and, similarly, papaya because of its papain) from other fruits as two that are acceptable to consume at the end of the meal even if you’re following principles of food combining (since they aid in digestion rather than delay it).
The dressing turned out light and smooth, its creamy texture complemented by a fresh and subtly mint flavor and aroma. It created a beautiful visual and textural counterpart to my lunchtime dandelion salad (fresh dandelion greens, cucumber slices, and more pineapple chunks). The very slight sweetness along with the spirited minty flavor were the perfect foils for the bitterness of the dandelion and crunch of the cucumber. Just right for a light and summery meal.
While I used the mixture as a dressing, I think it would also make a perfect sauce for your next dinner in a bowl. In fact, I’m going to cook up some millet for tonight’s supper and start thinking about which veggies would work well as a foundation for the sauce (I know; that’s sort of like buying furniture to match the color once you’ve already painted the walls, but hey).
Canada AM update: a few of you asked where you could find the clip of me on the show. I’ve now added it to my Press page (first item under “Television and Radio”).
Creamy Mint and Pineapple Dressing or Sauce
Quick and easy, this is a versatile summer salad dressing, dip or sauce. Try it with crudités, potato salad, or pasta. The zucchini here lends some creaminess, as does the tahini.
1 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
1 cup (240 ml) fresh pineapple chunks
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini (sesame paste)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground flax seeds
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
20-25 fresh mint leaves (or more, to taste)
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then stir before using. Use over salad greens, on grain-based salads or over warm grain and vegetable bowls. Makes about 1-1/2 cups (360 ml). Store, covered, in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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.
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.
[Totally unrelated note: ever wonder how people find your blog? Well, ever since I wrote my post about our holiday in Florida, the number one search term that leads people to my blog is. . . "Alligators." Yes, indeedy: folks looking for reptilian, steel trap-jawed people-eaters are sent to. . . my blog. In droves. Well, hi there, Everglade adventurers! Howdy, outback croc-hunters! Welcome, designer shoe and handbag aficionados!]
By now, it’s probably evident that I’m a fan of spinach. Certainly, devoting an entire SOS Kitchen Challenge to the popular leafy green is one indication (and if you hurry, you can still participate: the deadline is May 20th!).
It was through my friend Sterlin that I first learned to love spinach. Even before I moved to Toronto myself, I was a frequent visitor to Sterlin’s place (her parents had pulled up stakes and made the trek from Montreal to Toronto long before I did). I loved visiting this “exotic” metropolis, where, with Sterlin as both tour guide and chauffeur, we’d scour the city for interesting restaurants, university-based events, or dance clubs (in those days, single undergraduates in search of a boyfriend, we still frequented dance clubs).
After a long evening of inane chatter, bopping in our blister-inducing heels and drinking too many beer (I never did acquire a taste for the brew), we’d drive back to Sterlin’s parents’ house, and, with the intense precision and focus of a neurosurgeon, unlock the door without making a sound, the way only truly inebriated twenty-somethings can. Once inside, we removed our shoes and tiptoed into the kitchen to raid the fridge, where, inevitably, we found. . . nothing. (Okay, not literally “nothing.” There was a half-eaten carton of cottage cheese and a few cans of Diet Coke). At this point, Sterlin would move to the freezer, where she’d withdraw one of 5 or 6 boxes of frozen spinach (the only item in there).
“Want a snack?” she’d whisper, brandishing the box in the air. “Mmm! Let’s have some spinach!”
“Spinach?” I’d counter, equally susurrating, ” As a snack??” I was accustomed to the cornucopia of home-baked chocolate chip cookies, chips, licorice, and other assorted junk foods in my own parents’ kitchen.
But snack on spinach we did. Sterlin loved the stuff so much that is was contagious, and I learned to love it, too. I can’t say I ever think of frozen spinach as a snack these days, but I wouldn’t turn it down if someone offered it. (Beer, on the other hand, still doesn’t tempt me).
The second spinach epiphany I experienced courtesy of Sterlin was the classic 1980′s spinach salad. You know the one: baby spinach leaves coated in creamy, nondescript dressing, topped with a generous toss of chopped hardcooked eggs and a sprinkling of crispy bacon bits. Back then, one of Toronto’s destination restaurants was a brand-new, ultra hip joint called Mr. Greenjeans (a current relative of the original place still exists, in a new location and without the flair or cachet of the original).
Their specialty was–get this–salad (rather ahead of their time, don’t you think?). And what made Mr. Greenjeans’ salads worth driving all the way downtown for? Why, their presentation: each portion of fresh greens was packed into a huge mason jar, perched atop a white plate the size of an hors d’oeuvre tray at a wedding. Once served, you had the choice of picking at the salad right from the jar (the cool way) or emptying it onto the plate (the loser way).
Like an early iteration of Sassafras (where the gliterati hang out during the Toronto Film Festival), Mr. Greenjeans attracted diners not really because of the food, but more because of the reputation for cool. After waiting in line for a table, we’d hope for a window seat, where we could see and be seen, scanning the sidewalk outside for celebrity sightings or people we might know. In those days, everyone who was anyone hung out at Mr. Greenjeans.
No wonder, then, that I thought of spinach as the first vegetable to include in a muffin when I first opened my organic bakery back in 2003. In my zeal to include healthy veggies–especially leafy greens–in my recipes (and to provide an incentive to kids to eat their veggies), I created the Sweet Harvest Muffin, boasting not one, not two, but three different vegetables, including spinach. Providing one full serving of vegetables in each muffin, the Sweet Harvest quickly became my best-selling product, and it was the first recipe I knew I’d include in Sweet Freedom.
With this month’s SOS Challenge devoted to spinach, I decided to create an ACD-friendly variation of that best-selling muffin as my “sweet” entry to the challenge. Based on the Green Monster smoothies that are ubiquitous on the internet, these contain both spinach and apple combined with carob and cinnamon, ingredients I often include in my own morning beverage.
While these Green Monsters aren’t quite as sweet as the original muffins (which contain both raisins and chocolate chips), they do still make a tasty breakfast on the go; in fact, they tasted good enough that the HH noted he’d be happy to take one along to the office for his morning coffee.
With the sepia carob masking its green, the spinach remains hidden in this muffin. You may not be getting quite the same quantity of spinach as you’d consume in an entire box of the frozen stuff, but you can feel good eating one of these babies for breakfast, knowing it provides a good sized hit toward your daily five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables.
And speaking of breakfast baking. . . I’ll be talking about breakfast (and other) baked goods from Sweet Freedom this Thursday morning on the Canadian version of Good Morning America, Canada AM! I am incredibly excited to share information about healthy eating with hosts Bev Thomson and Seamus O’Regan. So set your PVRs, video recorders, etc for Thursday, May 20, between 8:00 and 9:00 AM!
Green Monster Muffins (ACD Phase II and beyond)
These muffins are a great way to start the day with both some fruit and some vegetables. They’re sweet, but not overly so; and you won’t taste the spinach at all. (Promise).
2 small apples, about 6-6 1/2 ounces (170-185 g) each, washed and cored (I used Granny Smith)
3 ounces (85 g) fresh or frozen spinach (include the stems)
1/4 cup (60 ml) natural smooth almond butter
2 Tbsp (30 ml) sunflower or other light tasting oil, preferably organic
2 tsp (10 ml) chia seeds, finely ground after measuring
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) pure almond extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
1-1/3 cups (320 ml) unsweetened soy or almond milk, plus up to 2 Tbsp (30 ml) more, if necessary
1/2 cup (60 g) carob powder*
1/2 cup (75 g) brown rice flour
1/2 cup (60 g) millet flour
1/4 cup (30 g) arrowroot powder
2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum, optional (muffins will be slightly crumbly without it)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with nonstick spray.
Coarsely chop one of the apples and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Dice the other apple into very small pieces (about the size of blueberries) and place in a small bowl; set the second apple aside until later.
Add the spinach to the food processor, and process the mixture until almost smooth. Add the almond butter, oil, chia, vanilla, almond extract, vinegar and milk and process again until well blended. Add the reserved diced apple to the processor and mix it in by hand until all the pieces are coated, but don’t process again. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, or at least 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the carob powder, brown rice flour, millet flour, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, xanthan gum and salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until just blended.
Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until a tester inserted into a center muffin comes out clean. Cool five minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack. Cool completely before sampling; the spinach will be discernible in the warm muffins, but the taste disappears once they’re cool. Store, wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator up to 4 days. May be frozen.
* you may use cocoa instead of carob, but cut back the quantity a bit (perhaps 2 Tbsp/30 ml) and add a bit more sweetener.
One night when I was sixteen, I watched Marvin Hamlisch (composer of A Chorus Line, etc.) on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. The previous guest was Adrienne Barbeau, the buxom actress who played Bea Arthur’s daughter on the sitcom Maude. I was appalled as I witnessed Hamlisch, seated on the couch beside her, stammer and fidget (eyes flitting repeatedly toward her massive chest) while more or less grovelling for a date on air. Despite his musical genius, despite his fame and fortune and an upcoming gig at the Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, it was painfully apparent that Hamlish reverted to a tongue-tied nerd when faced with a beautiful woman who, clearly, barely registered his existence.
As soon as I got up off the sofa and turned off the television (no remotes in those days), I went to my typewriter and typed a letter to Marvin. It said:
Dear Marvin Hamlisch,
Someone with your reputation shouldn’t have to lower himself to ask Adrienne Barbeau for a date. Obviously, she doesn’t appreciate your genius. If you ever come to Montreal, I would go on a date with you any time.
Sincerely,
(Miss) Ricki Heller
I addressed it to “Marvin Hamlisch, c/o Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas, USA” and popped it in the mail.
The following week, I received a handwritten letter on Marvin’s personal stationery. It said:
Dear Ricki,
If I ever get to Montreal, you’re on.
Sincerely,
Marvin Hamlisch
Sometimes I think back on that letter and ask myself, “Wow, did I ever really have such audacity? Where did that starry-eyed insouciance go? And why didn’t Marvin ever call me for that date?”
Then I remember: oh, yeah. I was sixteen.
Well, dear readers, I’ve decided it’s time to dredge up my inner 16 year-old once again. And you can help!
Even at my advanced age, I’m still a pop culture groupie. I’ve been a fan of Ellen’s for as long as I can remember (almost as long as it’s been since I heard from Marvin). I love her even more now that she’s vegan and sugar-free–and I want to be on The Ellen Degeneres Showso I can bring her some amazing baked goods from my cookbook, Sweet Freedom!
[Elsie's definitely on board! (or is that a little board on Elsie?)]
Am I a little bit crazy? You betcha!
As someone who’s followed a whole foods diet for over decade, I know first hand how much a healthy diet can affect your well-being (just look at the impact of the ACD on me over this past year!). Based on the cookbook’s reviews and all your fabulous feedback (thank you! thank you! My blog readers are the best!), I’m confident others will agree that treats from the book are both healthy AND delicious. What better venue to spread the word than The Ellen Show, especially since the show’s star herself has adopted–and now promotes–this same way of eating?
["Here, Mum, you'll need this to dance on the show."]
Besides, I’d be a perfect guest for the show! We have so much in common, Ellen and I: She loves dogs; I love dogs. She eats a vegan diet; I eat a vegan diet. She’s sworn off sugar; I’ve sworn off sugar. She loves American Idol; I love American Idol. She’s gay; I’m—
Hmmm.
She loves dogs; I love dogs!
And you can help! On April 2, 2010, I tweeted for an entire day nonstop, with every single tweet that day directed to @TheEllenShow–with NO laptop, NO BlackBerry, NO pre-scheduled tweets–just me sitting at my desktop computer, typing away (with the occasional bathroom break)! The major blitz is over, but I’d like to keep the campaign going!
["Mum, I know you named me Elsie, but I think I'd like to be called Ellen from now on."]
Together, we can make this happen! If you like my recipes and want to see me serve delicious, vegan and sugar free treats on The Ellen Show, please feel free to tweet Ellen at @TheEllenShow, or send an email in support byclicking here. You can also post a link to this page on your blog, Stumble this blog entry (just click on “I like this” at the top of the page if you see this on StumbleUpon), tell your local librarian, get a tattoo–whatever works!
And don’t forget tohop back here to leave a comment telling me you did so (so I can send you a free copy of the book if when I get onto the show)!
[But where's Mum?]
If I get invited on the show, every single commenter who participates in this blitz will win a FREE copy of Sweet Freedom, the ebook , which is identical to the paper copy! (And isn’t giving away free goodies very Ellen-like of me?).
And even if I don’t get asked to appear on the show, I’ll still choose 10 names at random on Sunday–three people will win hard copies of the book, and seven will win ebook. It’s my way of saying “thank you” for all your support!
I think it’s a win-win-win. If Ellen invites me to her show, she’ll have the opportunity to try some amazing, healthy baked goods. I’ll get to fulfill the dream of a starry-eyed teenager (and, more recently, a starry-eyed menopausal blogger). And you will get a FREE copy of my cookbook–everybody wins!
Let’s make it happen! Let’s show the world what “grassroots marketing” really means! Let’s prove to all the aloof, disinterested corporations that even the little guy (okay, technically I’m not quite “little” yet–but 45 pounds is nothing to sneeze at) can drum up support for an independent project without a huge marketing budget! Let’s help Ellen discover some truly delicious sweets to eat on her sugar cleanse–and share them with the world! And let’s all go try out one of these raw cookie dough truffles right now! (Well, you’ll need a good source of quick energy for all that typing, I figure).
“Mum, that’s a great idea! And we know The Ellen Show would be lucky to have you. But, um, we are your usual kitchen helpers, you know. . . so does that mean we get to be on TV, too?”
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles (ACD-Phase II and beyond)
As soon as I saw this recipe on Alicia’s blog, I knew I had to try it. The filling emulates a real raw cookie dough almost too well–gooey, sweet, chocolately. Except, um, it’s not bad for you! AND it’s ACD-friendly! Variations are endless, as well–in addition to the two provided, you could try banana cookie dough, gingersnap, or snickerdoodles–mmmm!
Cookie Dough:
2 Tbsp (30 ml) raw cacao nibs or chocolate chips*
1/3 cup (80 ml) whole old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cook)
2/3 cup (160 ml) lightly toasted cashews*, walnuts, macadamia nuts or hazelnuts
10-20 drops plain or vanilla flavored stevia liquid, to taste
1-2 Tbsp water or plain soy or almond milk, if needed
Coating:
4 ounces (110 g) unsweetened chocolate
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut oil
2 Tbsp (30 ml) carob powder, sifted (it helps cut the bitterness when unsweetened chocolate is stevia-sweetened)
20-30 drops stevia liquid, to taste
In a small food processor or coffee grinder, pulse the cacao nibs 3-4 times to chop them up. Turn the chopped nibs into a small bowl.
In the same processor or grinder, whir the oats, cashews, cinnamon and salt together to form a fine flour. Take care not to process too much–it should still remain dry and floury.
In a very small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the yacon, vanilla, stevia, and 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water. Pour this over the mixture in the processor and process to form a soft “dough” (if you need more water, add it one teaspoon/5 ml at a time). Turn the dough into the bowl with the cacao nibs and stir to distribute the nibs throughout.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop the dough and place scoops on parchment-lined tray. Freeze until firm, then roll into balls; refreeze until solid.
Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate coating: In a small pot over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil and carob, whisking to ensure that no lumps develop. Whisk in stevia until smooth.
Once cookie dough balls are solid, remove from freezer and quickly dip them in the chocolate; roll them around if necessary. The coating should harden almost immediately. Remove with a fork and tap the fork on the side of the pot to remove most of the excess coating. Place truffles on a tray and refrigerate until firm. Store truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Makes 10 truffles. May be frozen.
* Some anti-candida diets veto cashews. If you don’t eat cashews, use one of the other choices. For ACD Phase I, you can use unsweetened carob chips instead of cacao nibs; omit the coating and just roll the balls in carob powder.
Carrot Cookie Variation: use 2 Tbsp (30 ml) dried unsweetened coconut in place of cacao nibs, walnuts in place of cashews, and 2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely grated carrot in addition to other ingredients. Reduce initial water to 2 tsp (10 ml).
Post-Script: I realize this stunt may seem rather, well, adolescent to some of you (and to others, a clear indication that midlife crisis has struck with a vengeance). And after this post, I promise we’ll be back to business as usual here on DDD. But you know what? I still get a kick out of that letter from Hamlisch. So for now, I’ll once again channel that audacious sixteen year old, just for today. I figure, what have I got to lose? I’ll either be asked on the show; or I may be permanently banned from the show. Either way, the process will be fun.
And maybe–just maybe–that 16 year-old girl of yore will be surprised and delighted once more, with an opportunity of a lifetime. Here’s to healthy baked goods for all!
[The final recipe, here with olives, green onion and almond feta]
I’ve seen it mentioned on twitter. I’ve noticed it in passing on other blogs. I’ve gone to their pages and read them. But sorry, folks, I still don’t get it.
Personally, I’d rather springform (pan) me. Then, at least, I’d have cheesecake when I was done.
Of course, I do understand the appeal of asking a blogger questions about her/himself; we all like to learn a little more about fellow bloggers’ personalities and personal lives. (When I first started blogging, memes were all the rage, and I happily participated. In a way, they accomplish something akin to Formspring, since they answer previously unanswered questions.) But what’s wrong with asking questions the old-fashioned way, through a blog comment, email, or social media? (Okay, maybe those methods aren’t so old-fashioned after all. But an inquisition, interrogation, jury duty interview or Miss Universe Pageant have all been done before).
So please, go ahead, ask me anything! (Like, for instance, what’s up with Kara DioGuardi on Idol this season? I mean, canoodling with Simon? Drooling over Casey? Crying??) Or perhaps you’d like to know: how did I make this inimitable cheese bread?
[An early attempt: higher, but too moist in the middle.]
Question Two: Why Am I Craving Bread All of the Sudden?
Now that I’m following Phase II of the ACD (almost a month with a “moderate” score on the ACD questionnaire! Whoopee!), I’m allowed certain new grains and the occasional flour product. Needless to say, I’ve been going to town baking again. And though the sweet side of the recipe folder may remain a little neglected for a while, I’m perfectly happy to play with savory.
I’m not sure why I ended up with a hankering for this type of meal-in-a-loaf (or any bread, really), since I’ve never been a fan of these floury foods in any form. I rarely consume sandwiches (in fact, you’ll find but one mention of a sandwich on this blog, and only two recipes for breads). The idea of white bread–even a really good, crusty Italian ciabatta or French baguette–leaves me feeling “meh.” Now, give me a dense, hearty pumpernickel or a moist, tawny rye, and I’m there. These were the kinds of breads we had in our house growing up–straight from my dad’s butcher shop (in an area where ethnic bakeries abounded); bread was something substantial, hefty, and dense; bread could double as a doorstop, or a means of self-defense (sorta like my confiscated keychain).
Recently, I completed testing for an upcoming review of Celine and Joni’s amazing 500 Vegan Recipes (on the blog soon!) and found myself with some leftover ”veganzola” cheese (the HH and I both loved it, and indeed enjoyed it for a few days in a row, but the recipe yields a huge amount).
Contemplating what I could do with the cheese, it suddenly hit me: “savory bread!”
Question Three: So How Do You Get the Caramel into the Caramilk Cheese into the Bread?
[Starting out with cheese filled savory muffins]
I thought it would be cool to enclose pockets of cheese within the bread so that each slice revealed a coin of the creamy stuff along with other savory goodies such as olives and green onions. But how to accomplish this feat–how to prevent the cheese from melting and dissipating into the bread, effectively disappearing?
I baked up an early batch in muffin form, simply to test the theory; would the cheese remain distinct from the batter? The answer was, clearly, “yes.” And these savory muffins make a great breakfast accompaniment.
I thought the bread would be more visually appealing, however, as a single loaf, so that’s what I tried next (told you I had lots of cheese left over!). Doubling the muffin recipe resulted in a huge slab, but one that required almost 2 hours to bake–and the middle was still a little too moist at that point.
Back to the flouring board.
[The final product: whole loaf success!]
Finally, I tweaked the recipe and proportions (while preserving the same ratios of ingredients–thanks, Michael Ruhlman!) to create a loaf about 3/4 the volume of my first attempt. This one baked up beautifully in just over an hour. I could barely wait for it to cool before tasting it–and when I did finally sink my teeth in, oooh mama! Success!
The combination of tangy, salty cheese; briny, marinated olives; and delicately pungent onion was divine. The cheese remained soft within the moist, dense bread, punctuating each slice with a warm pillow of creaminess. Manna!
Question Four: Sure, I May Have Liked It, But Are My Tastebuds Skewed From Being on the ACD for So Long?
As I sliced up the bread to photograph it for the blog, the HH observed from across the room.
“What is that?” he asked.
“Cheese bread with olives and onions,” I replied, crumbs dribbling from my mouth.
“Yeah, but it’s veeee-gan cheese, right?”
“Yup.” (munch, munch).
He watched me scarf down the first slice and reach for another. “Okay,” he conceded as I bit into it, “let me have a taste.” I handed over a corner of the slice.
He chewed contemplatively. “Hmm. Not bad,” he said. He broke off another piece from the slice and gobbled it up. Then he reached for the bread on the table.
“You can’t eat that yet–I have to take a photo,” I said.
“Well, hurry up,” he scowled, “this is really good.”
And that, dear readers, is when I knew: if an omnivorous, cheese-loving, gluten-eating, generally ornery and skeptical male wanted to chow down on this GF and vegan bread, I had a real winner on my hands.
Question Five: So What Are You Waiting For? Go Bake Bread!
Cheese Filled Onion and Olive Bread (ACD Phase II and Beyond)
This bread is so hearty, so substantial and satisfying that you may find all you need is a light green salad alongside a slice, and you’ve got a meal. And just look at that crumb!
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp (30 ml) tahini (sesame paste)
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) unsweetened almond, soy or hemp milk
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
3 Tbsp (45 ml) finely ground flax seeds
1/3 cup (80 ml) oil-cured black olives, pitted and cut in half
2-3 green onions, sliced (white and light green parts only)
3/4 cup (90 g) amaranth flour (or use quinoa)
1-1/4 cups (145 g) millet flour
1/2 cup (55 g) soy flour
1 Tbsp (15 ml) arrowroot or organic cornstarch
2-1/4 tsp (12 ml) baking powder
3/4 tsp (7.5 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt
about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of your favorite soft, flavorful “cheese,” homemade or packaged (I used “veganzola” from 500 Vegan Recipes and, in the final loaf, this feta.)
Preheat oven to 350F (190C). Line an 8″ (20 cm) loaf pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk the applesauce and tahini until smooth. Slowly add the soymilk and mix well. Stir in the vinegar, oil and flax seeds. Gently fold in the olives and onion; set aside while you prepare the dry ingredients, or at least 5 minutes (this will allow the flax to absorb excess moisture).
In a large bowl, sift together the amaranth flour, millet flour, soy flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir just to blend (do not overmix or your bread may not rise!). The dough should be the texture of a thick muffin batter.
Very gently, spoon about half the batter into the bottom of the pan (it doesn’t have to be perfect; just estimate), spreading to ensure there are no uncovered spots. Then, using about 2 teaspoons (10 ml) cheese per portion, stagger mounds of cheese across the top of the batter, taking care not to touch the sides of the pan (and ensuring that the hunks of cheese don’t touch each other, either). Carefully spoon the remaining batter over the first half in the pan, gently spreading it to cover the cheese completely.
Bake in preheated oven 70-75 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until the loaf is very deep golden brown on top (the usual test of doneness won’t work here, as the cheese will remain wet; however, if you’re certain you’re poking the loaf where there is no cheese, you can test with a toothpick inserted in the batter).
Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before gently turning the loaf onto a cooling rack. Slice using a sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts (this will prevent the cheese from sticking to the knife, which can cause the slices to crumble). Especially good warm or at room temperature with melted coconut oil. Makes 8-10 generous slices. May be frozen.
I know; nothing is as awesome as George Clooney. (Well, at least according to George Clooney). But this is still one heck of a stud muffin, nonetheless! (*groan*).
So, are you ready for the Oscars?!
As I’ve been remarking on twitter, I’m not sure why I’m so geared up to watch the glitz-and-glamor, botox-and-restalyn, glistening parade of sartorial faux-pas yet again this year, considering (a) I’ve seen but one of the movies; (b) the hosts, while both appealing in their own ways, are really a generation removed from most of the viewing audience; (c) this year’s show, with its surfeit of charity-ops for camera-hungry celebs and its plethora of cause-specific ribbons, promises to offer a massive ego-massage positively onanistic in its over-the-top, only-as-they-can-do-it-in-Hollywood, self-indulgence.
But hey–I might see George Clooney! And Meryl will be there! And maybe even Oprah! And gowns! And a dance number! And Joan Rivers–!!
Oops, no Joan Rivers this year (at least, not in Toronto). Boo hoo! To me, her biting commentary and snarky asides were mostly what made watching the Oscars worthwhile (that, and the squirm-inducing speeches, of course). Well, at least I saw La Joan the other night at her live performance. (For those of you who asked, she was tremendous. Hilarious. Gut-splittingly funny. A force of nature, indeed! And the worst gutter mouth of anyone I’ve ever heard, regardless of age. Nice to know some things don’t change as you get older!)
I’ve always wanted to have one of those Oscar-night parties with friends, at which you all eat themed foods and drink themed alcoholic beverages. Instead, tonight I’ll be watching the show while continuing to work on my puzzle, with the HH gleefully adding his ascerbic commentary from the sidelines. Not a fan of the whole Hollywood-worship vibe, the HH would rather read a book on nuclear physics. For real.
Still, gotta give the guy credit for staying in the same room and keeping me company. And who says couples can’t have different interests? When we were first together, I might have wished that my honey and I would do everything together, but I’ve since realized it’s no fun, for instance, sitting in a movie theater watching The Notebookand bawling your eyes out while your partner silently mocks you for your melodrama. Much better to go with a girlfriend, and let her silently mock you.
And so, in the spirit of each doing her or his own thing, I bring you these Awesomeness Muffins, made especially for the HH to enjoy on his own. Since he’s not on the ACD, and since I would much rather he bring a homemade muffin than a Tim Horton’s muffin to work for breakfast each day, I was happy to do so. And they’ll make a great snack for the guy while he reads that physics text.
The recipe is adapted from the talented Kris Holechek’s 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes. The original muffins, called “Leslie’s Awesomeness Muffins” (see? some things really are better with your girlfriends) featured a combination of banana, dates, and nuts. I took the mix a step further–perhaps feeling a bit of the over-the-top Hollywood influence this weekend–and added butterscotch chips, which I sourced from a local supermarket and have been dying to use. The result was a moist, light muffin packed with a health-promoting punch and just a smidge of decadence. Somehow, I don’t think the Oscars will offer the same restraint this evening.
Light, moist, and with very little added sweetener. You can certainly substitute chocolate for the butterscotch, but the butterscotch chips add a lovely aroma and richness to the muffins.
2 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup/240 ml)
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain or vanilla soy, almond or hemp milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic
2 Tbsp (30 ml) blackstrap molasses
2 Tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup or agave nectar
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 cup (100 g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not instant)
2/3 cup (95 g) chopped dried dates
1/3 cup (65 g) dairy-free butterscotch or chocolate chips
1/2 cup (55 g) walnut pieces, lightly toasted
1 cup (140 g) light spelt flour
1/3 cup (45 g) whole spelt flour
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2. 5 ml) cinnamon
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or spray with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the bananas, soymilk, oil, molasses, maple syrup and apple cider vinegar; stir until well mixed. Add the oats, dates, chips and nuts and stir to coat. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the light spelt flour, whole spelt flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined. Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup (60 ml) measure, scoop the batter into the prepared tins, dividing evenly. Bake in preheated oven 15-20 minutes, until a tester inserted in a center muffin comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes before turning onto a rack to cool completely. May be frozen.
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