Diet, Dessert and Dogs

Imagine this:  a buttery, graham-like crust almost overflowing with smooth, rich, creamy filling, studded here and there with plump, sweet raisins and infused throughout with the heady fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Top it all off with some coconut whipped cream, and what you’ve got is the perfect dessert for–December?  What the heck am I doing baking a wintery pie in July, for goodness sakes?

Allow me to explain.  You see, there’s a perfectly good reason why I found myself wandering into tart territory on this seventh month of the year, and it involves bunnies. Dust bunnies, that is. 

[The HH's preferred way to eat the pie--as an accessory to whipped cream.]

My tendency when cleaning the house (okay, if I’m being honest, that phrase should read, “My tendency when I used to clean the house. . .” .  You see, ever since the heinous candida reared its ugly spores, I’ve been easily fatigued, unable to concentrate, etc.  and just haven’t had the energy to clean.  Okay, if I’m being really honest, I wasn’t the greatest house-cleaner even before the candida appeared.  I mean, who wants to spend their days dusting and Swiffering when it’s 28C (82F) and sunny outdoors?  Okay, if I am being ONE HUNDRED PERCENT honest, who feels like cleaning at any time of the year?  Because, basically, I’m just really lazy.)

Okay, so, back to the bunnies: when they threatened to seize control of the house the other day, I decided to start cleaning (I did consider training Chaser to crawl under the bed on her belly, military-style, so I could pick the dust tumbleweeds off her fur once she emerged, but for some reason she wouldn’t go for it).  Now, everyone has their own unique style of cleaning; mine would be classified as “distracted.” My well-intentioned disinfecting frenzy might go something like this:

Scene: Kitchen.  Ricki dons rubber gloves, fills sink with soapy water and wrings out a cloth.  She begins to wipe the counters.

Ricki:  La dee da. . . la da da da. . . Hmmm. . . [cloth stops before a pile of papers on the counter.]  Oh, my, what are these?  [riffles through the pile]: Ah, yes, the bills I opened yesterday and meant to take upstairs to the office.  Well, I may as well clear the counter and take them now.  [Removes gloves, grabs pile of bills and heads upstairs.]

Upstairs. Office.  [Ricki heads to desk and places pile of bills on top of existing pile of even older bills. ]

Ricki: Oh, geez, these are nearing their due dates.  Better pay up.  [goes online and pays all the bills.  Glancing down at desktop:] Ooh, look at this, that’s where I left that pair of black earrings.  Gee, I love these earrings; I should really wear them more often.  Better put them away so I don’t forget about them. [Picks up earrings and heads to bedroom].

Bedroom. [Placing earrings in box]: Hmmm. . . I sure do love those pearl earrings the HH gave me a few years back as well. . . hey, look, here’s that funky pair I love to wear in the summer!  Love those, too. . . . [begins to pull out various pairs of earrings and examine them.]

[Twenty five minutes later. . . ]

Ricki:  Okay, now, time to get busy!  Let’s fold some of this laundry that’s been here since yesterday. . .  [pulls T-shirt from laundry basket, folds it and places in dresser drawer.]

[Glancing at framed photo on dresser]: Aw, look at that photo of Mom at her wedding. . . I’ve always loved that photo. . . hmm, let’s just see. .. . [walks back to office and pulls photo album from bookcase] Ah, ha ha, what a great pic of the HH and me at that first party we went to together! Was that really twelve years ago?? Was I really that much slimmer then?  Did the HH really have that much more hair then?  Oh—tee hee giggle giggle just look at that pic of Elsie as a pup!  Oh, she was just the cutest thing. . . ”

[One hour and seven minutes later.  Ricki's legs are cramped from sitting cross-legged on the floor leafing through photo albums. The house is still a mess.] Oh my gosh!  It’s almost dinnertime!  Where do the days go–??

Well, you get the idea.  I suppose it’s true what they say: the course of true lave never did run smooth.  (Sorry, couldn’t resist).

As in cleaning, so in blogging, it seems.  Which leads me to raisin tart.

I have saved something like 200 recipes from other blogs, all of which I definitely intend to try.  In fact, some have been on my computer since 2007.  I know I will eventually make Andrea’s Hot and Sour Soup,  Happy Herbivore’s Cajun Chickpea Cakes, Ashley’s Lemon Miso Tofu & Eggplant, Johanna’s vegetarian Haggis, and approximately 196 other recipes I’ve saved.  Yet somehow, the allure of novelty can wrench me away from my predetermined plan, just as when I’m “cleaning.” 

A few days ago, I sat leafing through an old cookbook I’ve had since the 1980s (I must have been cleaning the kitchen at the time). The American Country Inn and Bed and Breakfast Cookbook (Part II) was a gift from the CFO when I moved into my first apartment as a single professional gal!  I hadn’t even glanced at the book for years, but for some reason, that day I happened upon a very fetching Sour Cream and Raisin Pie.

Now, you may think that Raisin Pie and summer–much like Madonna and Guy, red wine and seafood, Sarah Palin and public office, or a gas leak and cigarettes–is not the most auspicious pairing.  And yet, something about that pie called to me, and I had to capitulate.  Besides, the fact that the original recipe contained dairy sour cream, two eggs white sugar and massive amounts of butter was like dangling a stick in front of Chaser–I was immediately compelled to seize the opportunity (though, unlike our Doodle Girl, I chose not to use my teeth).

“Mum, you’re wrong! It’s not that I am compelled to seize that stick.  It’s that I’m exerting my canine free will and deliberately grabbing that stick. Oh, and about helping you out with those dust bunnies under the bed? You know, I might consider it, but couldn’t you at least sweeten the deal some peanut butter or a biscuit on the other end?”

So I began to play with the original, and came up with this.

[My preferred way to eat the pie, in its naked glory.]

The tart is, indeed, very rich and sour-creamy.  I opted to use Celine’s recently-posted graham-like crust (which I discovered the other day while I was dusting the office), and the combination of slightly crumbly, slightly shortbready crust with the velvety smooth filling is a perfect marriage of textures and flavors.  The HH declared the dessert reminiscent of pumpkin pie, but I thought it was more like a lightly spiced cheesecake.  Either way, it didn’t last long; I’ll definitely be making this again in the fall.

Another Winner, and Another Giveaway!

Dr. Winnie has announced the winner of her Sweet Freedom giveaway–go see if you won!

And a fellow holistic nutritionist in Toronto, Laurie, has generously decided to give away a copy of Sweet Freedom as well!  Check the contest details here.

Last Year at this Time: Corn Cakes with Quick Tomato Tracklement

© 2009 Diet, Dessert and Dogs

I have to admit, it took me a long time to warm up to tofu. 

When I first revamped my diet in accordance with the NAG principles, I had never eaten tofu, let alone familiarized myself with the many varieties in which it’s available.  My naturopath touted the truism you hear so often:  “It’s basically flavorless on its own, so it absorbs the flavor of whatever you cook it with. ” Great!, I thought, I’ll make some tofu tonight! , and went out and bought some. 

Back then, I didn’t know about the importance of buying organic tofu, or which type to buy, so I just got any old extra-firm.  Went home, and created some kind of pseudo-stew (the ingredients of which elude me now) and tasted it.  Bah!  Feh!  Ptewie!  I couldn’t even eat one full mouthful.

No taste, you say?  Absorbs the flavors of whatever it’s with?  Uh, sorry, no.  Tofu tastes exactly like what it is: cooked, compressed soybeans.  Ugh.

It took me several months of experimentation, some great cookbooks, and a dogged determination to finally hit upon a few recipes I could actually eat and enjoy.  Over the years, tofu has become one of my very favorite foods, a staple in our home, despite the many controversies swirling round it.

The trick, I’ve found, is to use assertive flavors that can complement and conceal it.  Pressing the tofu helps considerably, as that causes the water to exude, thereby leaving little gaps for the sauce to sneak its way in and become absorbed.  Baking firm or extra-firm tofu in a hearty sauce is useful, too.  (Now, desserts are a whole other matter, and they most often require aseptically-packaged silken tofu.  But depending on the dessert, you can choose anything from Soft-Silken to Extra-Firm Silken. Occasionally, cheesecakes are good with Chinese-style, water-packed firm tofu. Some souffle-type desserts are best made with medium tofu.  Okay, got all that? Quiz to follow).

I’ve said this before, and it truly bears repeating: I’m a very lazy cook.  Not the best trait for someone whose dietary restrictions require that everything be made from scratch.  Consequently, I try to find shortcuts where I can.  Use the food processor instead of the hand grater; make up huge batches and freeze for later re-heating; or, as in the case of this morning’s breakfast, recyle up leftovers whenever possible.

[Yesterday's Simple Sauteed Greens] 

I enjoyed some simple sauteed greens for dinner last evening (yes, that’s all I even wanted, after a mid-afternoon chocolate frenzy), and so had a container of pre-sauteed broccoli rabe hanging out in the fridge.  The saute was super-easy:  sliced garlic, olive oil, chopped rabe.  That’s it.  I also noticed some leftover canned crushed tomatoes being stored in a glass jar.  I’d been hankering after a tofu scramble for several days, so thought this would be a great opportunity to whip one up (no matter that the house is still not unpacked, and I’m hosting what will probably be my last-ever at home cooking class tomorrow evening–none of which is prepared yet).

Tofu is a wonderful scrambled egg substitute, I find, especially when it’s crumbled (as here) rather than cubed.  This dish provides complete protein courtesy of the tofu, high-protein pine nuts, and the greens.  You’ll also be acquiring a surfeit of minerals here, due to the many trace minerals in the greens and the high iron in the raisins. Garlic and tomato round out the dish for antioxidant benefits–and the many anti-bacterial, anti-viral qualities of the garlic are a true boon this time of year (at least, for those of us enduring a cold, wet winter, such as we get in Ontario). 

You’ll find this dish is still quite saucy, so decrease the tomatoes if desired.  The combination of herbs works wonderfully with the pine nuts and raisins, the sweetness of which act as a perfect counterpoint to the bitter greens and slightly acrid tomato.  If you find broccoli rabe too bitter, I think chopped chard would be excellent here, too.

As I said, I ate this for breakfast, but it seems to me most people would find it suitable as a dinner dish or even a side dish.

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup pine nuts

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried marjoram

1/8 tsp. ground cloves

1 block (about 450 grams) organic extra-firm tofu

2 cups organic crushed or ground canned tomatoes

1/3 cup raisins

about 2 cups chopped sauteed leafy greens (chard, collard, broccoli rabe, etc.)

salt to taste

Heat the oil over medium heat in a nonstick frypan.  Add the garlic and saute 1-2 minutes, until it begins to soften.  Add the pine nuts, then sprinkle with the herbs and spices and continue to saute another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the crumbled tofu and stir to coat.  Pour the tomatoes over all, combine well, then stir in the remaining ingredients.

 Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, until heated through.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings. This may be stored in the refrigerator up to 4 days, or frozen up to 3 months.