[EL-LENd Me a Hand campaign update: Ellen listed my humble little self-published cookbook on her "Books Ellen Reads" page! I couldn't be more thrilled--and I know it only came about because of all of you--so thank you, thank you! This quest also seems to have developed a life of its own. . . seems a few otherbloggers/tweetershave started their own campaigns, too--wowzah! But I haven't given up hope of being on the show! Today's installment is my first ever video on YouTube. . . hope you (and Ellen) enjoy it! ]
[Your morning essentials. . . ]
A couple of nights ago I went out to dinner to Live Organic Food Bar, a fabulous café that was the first all-raw restaurant in Toronto (it has since introduced some cooked foods to the menu–and wine). Since my office mate at the college is retiring, I took her out to celebrate (or mourn–sniff! boo hoo! Where will I acquire my gossip from now on?).
I’ve always loved the food at Live. My dinner that night: a “Green Kick” juice (pear, kale, ginger, dandelion, lemon); raw pecan “tempura” sushi appetizer; “The Manwich” sandwich (Reubenesque, in a rice wrap instead of Ezekiel bread), and an individual pot of Japanese green tea. Sounds delish, no?
The restaurant’s story is an inspiring one: almost a decade ago, Jennifer Italiano, a self-taught chef, opened the first location of Live in the hip and grungy student haven of Dupont Street near George Brown College. The space she could afford was tiny, no larger than a phone booth (for those of you too young to remember phone booths, that’s about 100 times smaller than Kanye West’s ego). I had the honor of attending a cooking demo put on by Jennifer when she had just started out, and was blown away by how innovative and tantalizing her recipes were (sort of like my baked goods will be if I get on The Ellen Show!). In fact, that demo was the first time I tasted what is my still favorite way to serve dandelion greens: Bittersweet Salad.
In the same spirit, I thought I’d stretch my own culinary creativity a bit and try out something new with beets, the star player in the SOS Kitchen Challenge (which I’m co-hosting with the uber-cool and culinarily prolific Kim from Affairs of Living). Since the event focuses on either sweet or savory dishes, I thought I’d post a second recipe using this month’s ingredient, beets. And since my first submission was for savory beet burgers, today’s is for a sweet and refreshing beet-based smoothie.
This smoothie was fabulous. The leafy greens and deep magenta of the final product both herald spring, something of which we’re in dire need today (what?? April 17 and it snowed this morning???). And the gentle nudge of lime here creates a really light yet refreshing flavor, perfect for a quick breakfast. Unlike my typical smoothies, this one isn’t extremely thick; more like a light sunshower than a downpour (which, considering it’s still not snow, doesn’t even sound all that bad at the moment).
It’s not too late to enter the challenge! If you have a beet-based recipe that you’d like us to include, you can send it along until April 20th. Check all the details here.
Brilliantly Beet Smoothie
If you’ve got ready-baked beets in the house, this is an amazingly quick and nutritious breakfast. I’m sure raw beet would be equally (perhaps more) healthful; I just haven’t tried it yet. Let me know if you do!
1 medium beet, baked until soft, peeled and cut in chunks
1 cup (240 ml) mixed fresh or frozen berries (I used blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries)
3 large or 4 medium kale leaves (in keeping with the color scheme, I used purple kale)
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks
juice of 1/2 lime
1 scoop of your favorite plain or vanilla protein powder (I used Vanilla SunWarrior)
1 cup (240 ml) plain or vanilla rice milk
5-10 drops (or 1 packet dry) stevia
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth. (Note: if you use fresh berries, you may wish to add 1-2 ice cubes for a cold smoothie). Drink immediately. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.
* that’s “bites” in the sense of, “little tidbits that can be eaten in one mouthful,” rather than the sense of, “really sucks” (as in, “reality bites”) or even “little nibbles on the flesh of the one you love” (though, to paraphrase our most famous Prime Minister, DDD has no business in the kitchens of the nation–go ahead and nibble your sweetie, if you so please!).
[Two ACD-friendly confections: chocolate fudge on the left, carob-speckled halvah on the right (halvah recipe adapted from the one inSweet Freedom)]
Well, it’s almost V-Day again. So, got any plans?
Over here in the DDD household, the HH and I long ago abandoned romance. Or perhaps I should rephrase that: the HH abandoned romance. I, on the other hand (nerd alert! nerd alert!) am the kind of gal who would swim in a river of romance if I could find one. I’d eat a triple-decker Banana Split of romance. I’d paint a billboard of romance. I’d crochet a three-piece suit of romance. I’d sleep on a duvet of romance. (“Mum, we’d sleep on a duvet of romance, too, you know. Except you won’t let us on the furniture.”)
I’d–well, you get the idea. Basically, I’m just a big blob of schmaltz (in the figurative sense, that is. I’m only a half blob of schmaltz in the literal sense, what will all that weight loss and everything).
In our house, my approach to Valentine’s Day goes something like this:
February 17, 2009: start thinking about ideas for next year’s V-Day.
July 12, 2009: while enjoying the outdoor jazz festival at the Beaches, surreptitiously write down all the HH’s favorite musicians so I can buy CDs for Valentine’s Day.
November 4, 2009: Stop at craft store to select yarn to knit a romantic scarf for the HH for V-Day. If I start knitting now, I’ll have it for Feb 14th.
January 15, 2010: So many cards for Valentine’s Day–which should I buy? Can’t decide. Buy two.
January 28, 2010: Browse through a plethora of blogs and magazines to find the perfect, romantic meal to cook up for Valentine’s Day. Consult existing list (alphabetized by course) to see which dishes would work best for the Big Feb One-Four.
February 2, 2010: Forget the groundhog! Must choose the perfect ribbon to wrap the HH’s Valentine’s Day gift!
February 9, 2010: Consider how best to deliver the HH’s gifts for the Day of Hearts–only five days away! Should I wrap each one separately, and hide them throughout the house in a kind of scavenger hunt? Should I put them all in the same box, and wrap it as one gift? Such decisions!
February 11, 2010: Pretend I’m baking for a TV spot when I am really secretly cooking up various kinds of chocolate truffles to include in my gift for the HH.
February 14, 2010: Fill a shoebox with mini teddy bear, hand-knit scarf, bag of cinnamon hearts, boxes of homemade truffles, key chain with “I heart You” on it, Miles Davis CD and Card #1 (the sappy one). Spend a couple of hours painstakingly drawing hearts and flowers plus line drawings of Ricki and the HH, in various shades of pink and red, on the outside of the shoebox, then wrapping with blue satin ribbon; stick Card #2 (the funny one) on the outside of the box. Set table with best linens (well, polyester made to look like linen, anyway), china, wine glasses and candlelight. Play something soft and romantic like Satie’s Petite Overture a Danser, and wait for the romance to unfold.
The HH’s approach? Goes something like this:
February 14, 2010: “So, is today one of those holidays where I have to get you a card or you get mad at me?”
Okay, I exaggerate. He usually asks me that question on February thirteenth.
Well, for anyone with similar romantic aspirations to mine, I present you with little bites of chocolate fudge–ACD friendly. These are an adaptation of the super-successful Fudge Two Ways I made a couple of years ago (and feel free to use that recipe if you can consume other sweeteners). The communion of unsweetened chocolate, yacon syrup and stevia creates an irresistible flavor, a bittersweet blend of cacao underscored with subtle hints of molasses.
Whether or not you’re hoping for romance this V-Day, these little bites will definitely bring some alluring chocolate into your life. In fact, you may just fall in love.
Love Bites (ACD-Friendly Chocolate Fudge–suitable for Phase I or II)
[Little white dots of cashew and macadamia nut are visible throughout, a result of my home-ground nut butters; the storebought kind won't have these same speckles.]
3/4 cup (130 g) chopped good-quality unsweetened chocolate (I used Cocoa Camino); or use unsweetened carob chips for ACD Phase I
1 Tbsp (15 ml) coconut oil, preferably organic (USE ONLY with carob option)
1/4 cup (60 ml) natural smooth cashew-macadamia butter (I just mixed together half cashew, half macadamia nut butter); or use all-macadamia for ACD Phase I
1/8 tsp fine sea salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) yacon syrup, vegetable glycerin, or a combination
10-20 drops plain, vanilla, or chocolate stevia liquid, depending on the brand and your desired sweetness level
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1/4 cup (30 g) coarsely chopped walnuts, if desired
Lightly grease a 6 inch (15 cm) loaf pan, or line with plastic wrap.
In a large glass or metal bowl set over a smaller pot of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water), stir the chocolate (or chips and coconut oil, if using carob chips) until melted and completely smooth. Add the nut butter and salt and stir again until combined. Remove from the heat.
Add the yacon syrup, stevia, vanilla and nuts and stir well. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Chill until set, about an hour; then cover with more plastic wrap and chill until very firm, 2 hours to overnight. Turn out onto a cutting board, peel away the plastic wrap, and cut into small squares. Makes 12-20 love bites. Will keep, wrapped in the refrigerator, up to 2 weeks. May be frozen.
During a conversation about something entirely unrelated yesterday, the HH uttered that well-known truism: “There are only two things you can really count on: death, and taxes.”
Well, I have to tell you (and I said this to the HH, too, of course), that hasn’t quite been my experience. For instance, I’ve found over the years that you can also count on the government to increase taxes every few years. And that the second I switch lines in the grocery store, the woman just ahead of me will pull out an item without a price code, necessitating a long and protracted search on the store shelves. And that winter will feel far too long, no matter how few snowfalls we receive.
And you can always–always–count on Britney to do something that prompts a flurry of media squealing, while concomitantly providing literature students everywhere a real, flesh-and-blood embodiment of the word, “bathos.”
Most of us also have our “old reliables” that we count on in the realm of food. My friend Sterlin, for instance, habitually cooked up Date Pasta whenever she required a quick and dependable meal to impress a potential beau (sadly, while the food always turned out great, the beau did not). The Nurse, on the other hand, can count two ”Wowzah!-Zowie!-Sacre bleu!” recipes in her repertoire, both guaranteed to dazzle friends who drop in on a moment’s notice; they’re invariably bowled over when presented with a plate of still-warm, enticing and from-scratch hunks of cake within 30 minutes of arrival (either a fragrant, warming Cinnamon Coffee Cake –recipe handwritten, grease-stained and fading, on an old index card from my mother’s collection–or a lickety-split Chocolate Cake from the legendary Second Helpings, Please!, nowadays known as Wacky Cake).
In recent years, the Butterscotch Blondies from Sweet Freedom (which can be mixed, baked, and ready to eat in about 35 minutes) have asserted themselves as my new standard “old reliable” recipe. Before the blondies, however, my favorite quick and easy dessert was always apple crisp.
Which is odd, not least because apple crisp contains no chocolate. It’s neither a dessert I crave, nor even one I particularly love. Part of this indifference stems from a distaste for baked apples (at least, until I tried these). Still, apple crisp is easy, it’s quick, it can be made with relatively few ingredients, and it’s familiar, comfort food. It can pass for pseudo-healthy (an apple a day, and all that). And it’s even permitted within my ACD-determined restrictions on sweeteners, since it relies on the natural sweetness of the fruit itself.
Last week, when the HH and I were invited to dinner at my friend Eternal Optimist’s place, I returned to my Granny Smith roots and threw together a stevia-sweetened crisp to feed the five of us in attendance. Though the dessert went over well, I wasn’t entirely pleased with the texture of the crumble topping, which seemed a tad dry without sugar to caramelize and provide gooey binding power.
The following day, I’d cooked up some savory pumpkin biscuits based on this recipe (I subbed pumpkin for sweet potato, omitted the sweetener, used flax instead of Ener-G and added sage and garlic salt to the mix–fab!), and subsequently found myself wondering what to do with the leftover pumpkin. Then it hit me: why not mix it with the apples in a crumble-type bar? It seemed the perfect solution, adding texture and flavor to the humdrum apple. (“Mum, that combination sounds a little odd to us, actually. And you know we could have helped you dispose of all that extra pumpkin, no problem.”)
So I played with the original and came up with this layered bar that boasts a moister filling and softer crumble than the all-apple one. The topping, when pressed into place, also forms the bottom crust; the filling is tart and textured, with tender shoots of grated apple suspended throughout the pumpkin purée.
If you like your fruity desserts sweet, though, take note: my version only barely verges on what could be called “sweet” (in fact, the HH informed me it wasn’t quite sugary enough for his taste). Feel free to add more stevia, agave, or other sweetener, as you like. And less sweet means you needn’t feel guilty if you decide to consume the leftovers for breakfast the next day–if there are any, that is. But I wouldn’t count on it.
Apple Pumpkin Crumble Bars (ACD Friendly–Phase II)
Dense, moist, and not too sweet, these bars are a perfect afternoon snack or weekday dessert. The fruity filling isn’t gooey like that of a true apple crisp, but more like unsweetened applesauce. The bars are even better the second day, after the crust has a chance to absorb some of the moisture from the filling and softens up a bit.
1/3 cup (80 ml) melted coconut oil, preferably organic
2 Tbsp (30 ml) yacon syrup or agave nectar (or maple syrup would work, too)
20 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid
1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground flax seeds
1/3 cup (80 ml) plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk
zest of one lemon
3/4 cup (80 g) walnut pieces
1/2 cup (90 g) natural almonds (with skin)
1 cup (115 g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats (not quick cook or instant)
1/3 cup (45 g) coconut flour
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cardamom (optional)
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
2 cups canned or homemade unsweetened pumpkin purée (sweet potato would make a great substitute here)
3 medium sweet apples, peeled, cored and grated on large holes of a box grater
2 Tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
20-30 drops plain or vanilla stevia (to your taste), or 1/4 cup-1/3 cup (60 ml-80 ml) agave nectar
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9″ (22.5 cm) square pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, yacon syrup, stevia, flax seed, soymilk and lemon zest; set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, blend together the walnuts, almonds, oats and coconut flour until the nuts are ground and mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the cinnamon, ginger, cardamon and salt and blend just to mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in the bowl and toss with a fork (as if making pie dough) until it comes together in a very moist yet crumbly dough (it will stick together if pressed, but should readily separate into crumbles if tossed with the fork). Set aside while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling, mix together the pumpkin, apple, lemon juice, vanilla and stevia.
Take about half the crumble mixture (you can just estimate) and press it firmly into the bottom of the pan. Top with the filling, spreading evenly. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the filling and press gently with the palms of your hands.
Bake in preheated oven until edges are browned and the top of the crumble begins to brown a bit, 45-55 minutes, rotating pan about halfway through. (The filling won’t bubble the way typical fruit pie fillings do). Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting into squares; reheat if desired to serve. Makes 9 large servings. May be frozen.
How did it get to be Sunday already, and five days since my last post? Well, I haven’t been lounging around watching soap operas and eating bon-bons, that’s for sure (just watching soap operas–I’m not allowed bon-bons on the ACD, silly!). Actually, my dear friend Sterlin has been visiting from England, and I’ve been spending as much time as possible with her (including a surprise birthday party–with Sterlin as the guest of honor–yesterday evening). And though I cooked up a storm for the party, most of the dishes were tried-and-true Indian fare, many of which I’ve already shared on this blog. I fully intended to try out a few new recipes, but ran out of steam, and time, before the party.
[Dishes I contributed to the party: (clockwise, starting with the rice): broth-cooked basmati; peas in a creamy curry sauce; okra masala; cauliflower and pear curry from Celine and Joni's upcoming cookbook; lentil dal; and creamy eggplant stew in the center (also from the upcoming cookbook).]
So, instead of a new recipe today, I thought I’d address a topic that’s garnered a bit of attention on my blog over the past year or so, both from me and from readers. In fact, over the past month, I’ve received quite a few emails asking me about the ways in which I use stevia (the predominant sweetener allowed on the ACD, along with vegetable glycerin or yacon syrup, which I use only rarely).
For anyone just starting out on the ACD, anyone required to eat low-glycemic or low-carb foods (ie, diabetics, people watching their weight, and so on) or anyone interested in ditching artificial sweeteners, stevia is an all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener that you might like to try.
*Please note: I am not a scientist, a chemist, or an expert on stevia, and this post is not intended as advice for anyone contemplating using the sweetener. I’m writing about my own personal experience with stevia, and this is my own, personal, opinion.
How I Discovered Stevia
In the home of my childhood, sweets and desserts were ubiquitous. My mother was an accomplished from-scratch baker and my father, an immigrant to the country, was accustomed to a big slice of home-made cake after dinner each evening. Consequently, my sisters and I grew not only to expect freshly baked confections in our house at all times, but also to prefer sweets to any other types of foods.
As I grew older and my sweet tooth became more ferocious, I began to leap on every chance to eat something sweet without the caloric consequences. When saccharin first became available in Canada, The Nurse and I concocted a cream-cheese based cherry cheesecake sweetened entirely with Sweet N Low (my mouth still puckers at the thought). Later, I found myself buying Weight Watchers Mousse (containing aspartame) in bulk, as I’d often consume an entire batch (supposedly enough for six people) for dinner. When I lived on my own, I stocked Diet Pepsi as if I were hoarding for the next pandemic, and would often imbibe a liter or two of the stuff almost daily.
Needless to say, my sweets addiction got me into some trouble, not once, but twice. About a year ago, I found myself afflicted once again (the previous time had been 10 years prior) with a raging case of systemic candida. The only solution? A strict, relatively restrictive diet and herbal (and, in my case, prescription) anti-fungal medications.
When I was in nutrition school, there was a lot of buzz about a “new” herbal sweetener called stevia. I must admit, I was a bit wary at first (perhaps it was my Pavlovian response to any sweetener that came in little blue packets), but I’ve come to appreciate and even love the mighty sweetleaf. And this time round, it’s certainly allowed me to placate a persistent sweet tooth even while adhering to the diet that will eventually restore my overall health and digestive balance.
What is Stevia?
While the Stevia rebaudiana plant (a leafy shrub) is native to Brazil and Paraguay, it’s actually been grown here in Ontario since 1987, which may explain why Canadians are more familiar with the sweetener than Americans (it’s been designated as GRAS–generally recognized as safe–only since 2008 in the US). Still, stevia is considered an herbal supplement in Canada, so you won’t find it on supermarket shelves next to the Equal; instead, it’s available at health food stores. It’s also the most popular sweetener in Japan, where they’ve been using it to replace artificial sweeteners since 1971.
When the stevia leaves are dried and the liquids extracted, the compounds acquired (called stevioside and rebaudioside) give stevia its sweetness (at about 250-300 times sweeter than sugar). The compounds can be dried into powder or used in liquid form; either way, they are usually augmented with fillers, since the pure extract is so sweet the amounts used would be infinitesmal. Liquids usually have food-grade alcohol (such as they use with vanilla extract) or glycerin (for a non-alcohol version) added. Just a few drops of the liquid offers sweetness equal to 1-2 tsp (5-10 ml) of sugar. (The powder is premixed with dry bulking agents such as cellulose, dextrose, or maltodextrin so that one packet equals about 1 tsp/5 ml of sugar). You can also consume the fresh leaves, which are about 30-45 times sweeter than sugar. [information from here].
Are There Problems Associated with Stevia?
If you’re concerned about possible side effects or health risks, you should know that there have been some studies that indicated genetic mutations in animals who ingested large amounts of the herb. However, these studies haven’t been replicated on humans. Additionally, stevia has been used for hundreds of years in its countries of origin, as well as longterm in Japan (where it’s the number one sweetener, before sugar).
Because it’s derived from a plant and undergoes very little processing, I would much prefer to use stevia than any of the artificial, chemical-based, sweeteners such as Equal or Splenda (and I take issue with those who refer to stevia as “another artificial sweetener”; to my mind, that’s a misnomer). Like saccharin or aspartame, stevia adds zero calories to your food; it tastes very sweet; and it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels.
The difference between stevia and sucralose or sodium cyclamate, however, is that stevia exists as-is in nature, and doesn’t require laboratory procedures to be made sweet. In fact, I’m a little leery of some of the new products like PureVia or Truvia (and please note that I’ve never tried either one of them) that extract only the rebaudioside A only (it’s one of the factors that makes stevia sweet) so they can manufacture sweeteners from it. Why not continue to use the whole plant (you can steep the leaves like tea leaves) or the natural, whole extract from the whole leaves, as people have done for centuries? For my part, I’ll use only products labeled as whole “stevia,” containing that one ingredient only, rather than those with trademarked names that are not “stevia.”
I tend to prefer using stevia in foods that are naturally sweet to begin with or recipes that require very little sugar (1/4 cup or less), as well as recipes in which the texture isn’t changed (much) by the addition of sugar. For instance, my favorite use is in my morning smoothie or bowl of oatmeal. It’s also great as a sweetener in salad dressings, puddings, pancakes and pie fillings, since they don’t rely as much on sugar to produce a particular texture.
The greatest challenge with stevia, I think, is using it in baking, because its intense sweetness (up to 300 times sweeter than sugar) permits only a minute amount to be added to batters or dough. When you substitute 10 drops (or 1/4 teaspoon powder) for 1 cup of sugar, you alter the dry-to-wet ratio in your baked good, as well as the chemical reaction that takes place with baking. As a result, I’ve had to experiment quite a bit with my stevia-sweetened baked goods. Keep that in mind if you try stevia as a sugar replacement. (There are also one-for-one stevia-based sweeteners on the market that allow you to measure one cup of the mixture for one cup of sugar, but these always contain bulking agents. While they produce a good product, my digestive system hasn’t taken kindly to the added ingredients, so I avoid them.).
If you do use stevia in baked goods, remember that you’ll need to compensate for the loss of sugar as a binding agent (due to caramelization when it’s baked). Instead, try using nut or seed butters, or fruit purées in place of some of the sugar, as I do in this recipe. You can find other stevia-based desserts like cookies, puddings and cupcakes with frosting (plus some savory dishes as well) in my ebook, Anti-Candida Feast.
My Favorite Brands of Stevia
Until this year, the only brand of stevia I used was NOW Foods’ brand, as it was the one most readily available here. I prefer the liquid (some people have noted a slight bitterness or aftertaste with the powder; I’ve never found this to be the case with the liquid).
Recently, however, I’ve had the opporunity to try out a few other brands, as well, such as Stevia in the Raw (powder, extract of whole stevia), which I won in a blog giveaway; NuNaturals (vanilla and unflavored liquid) and Stevita chocolate flavor (both of which I received as samples for review on this blog).
Granted, this isn’t a representative sample of all the brands out there, and I’m always scouring the local health food store for other brands. While I loved the NuNaturals and Stevita brands, I did notice that they require a bit more volume than the NOW brand to achieve the same sweetening power (so if I need only 5 drops of NOW stevia to sweeten my bowl of oatmeal, I need up to 10 of the others for the same degree of sweetness). I haven’t detected any bitter aftertaste in any of these brands, though, so perhaps I’m just one of those lucky people with a genetic quirk of the tastebuds that doesn’t register that particular type of bitterness (then again, I also adore brussels sprouts).
Is there anything else you’d like to know about the ACD, my diet, recipes on the blog or any of the ingredients I use? I plan to post more informational blog entries like this one on occasion, in which I answer readers’ questions or address comments related to the diet. So let me know what you’d like me to cover!
“Mum, I know there have been some tests on animals, but dogs can enjoy stevia too, can’t they? Because, you know, we don’t want to give up taste-testing those Carob-Coconut Sweeties you make.”
[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).]
So I seem to be on a bit of a beet kick these days. Which is nice, since so many people tend to knock beets.
Well, whether it’s a kick or a knock, those poor battered beets are getting a raw deal. And I guess I won’t be helping the situation today, as I’ve made a raw beet salad.
With my recent vow to increase raw foods in my diet–and with the new year upon us practically commanding us to “Detox!”–this salad really fit the bill. Besides being incredibly quick and tasty, it’s a natural means to detoxify the blood and tone the liver. It also took barely five minutes to make (and probably less to polish off).
The minimalist dressing is both light and refreshing, containing but lemon juice, olive oil, and ginger–that’s it! It provides a zesty contrast to the crunchy sweetness of the beets. The cucumber serves up a lovely, juicy crunch of its own, while the sunflower seeds offer protein and yet a different type of crunch. (The beets will color everything a vibrant crimson, but no matter; the cucumber and seeds will retain their individuality on the palate).
Next time you want to give beets a big hug, go ahead and make this salad. (And then go wash all those pink stains off your midsection.)
5-10 drops unflavored Stevia liquid (I like NuNaturals) or 1 Tbsp (15 ml) agave nectar or maple syrup, to taste
pinch fine sea salt
Grate the beet on the “medium” blade of your food processor, or using a box grater and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add the cucumber and seeds.
In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, lemon juice, olive oil, Braggs, stevia and sea salt. Pour over beet mixture, toss to coat well, and enjoy. Makes 2 servings. Will keep, tightly covered, for 2 days in the refrigerator.
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 know; who says things like, “It’s the berries” any more?
Okay, well, I admit that I do. I also say “take umbrage” (and said it even before I knew the Harry Potter connection), “just chillaxin’“ and, sometimes, “the cat’s pyjamas” (but only when I feel like teasing The Girls).
But honestly, this recent revision in my diet that now permits the occasional appearance of fruits like raspberries, black berries or blueberries is, indeed–well, the berries.
After my recent success with a stevia-sweetened upside down apple pancake, I decided to go one step further and aim for muffins. Unlike the pancake, these babies are portable as a snack, or even breakfast (not that a holistic nutritionist such as I, who always spends enough time preparing and eating proper meals , ever has to eat on the run–say, in my car, for instance, as I drive to a dentist appointment because I’m so totally overscheduled and behind on work that I was up until 12:47 that very morning marking student assignments and then slept through the alarm and hit “snooze” twice before rushing out of bed and waking the HH while shrieking, “I’m going to be late for the DENTIST!” as I dashed into the shower, dressed at record speed and headed out like Bugs Bunny’s tasmanian devil on the hunt for prey, pausing just long enough at the kitchen counter to grab a muffin–no, no, goodness me, I never have to resort anything like that!).
After I received my healthy baking kit this week, I got to thinking about baking muffins that I’d be allowed to eat. These lemon-blueberry lovelies are light yet dense, providing a moist, airy crumb that’s just right as a backdrop for organic blueberries that have been scattered hither and thither (I also say things like “hither and thither, apparently). I used dried blueberries (sweetened only with apple juice) and so felt they’d be acceptable as a treat on this phase of the ACD. If you prefer, use fresh or frozen berries (but don’t thaw the latter before stirring into the batter).
I may have mentioned before that I regularly bake muffins or quick breads so the HH has something healthy at work alongside his coffee each morning (hmmm. . . . I wonder if the organic, whole foods ingredients in my goodies cancel out the hydrogenated fats and chemicals in the coffee whitener at the office? Naw, didn’t think so). Now, he long ago became accustomed to whole spelt flour and natural sweeteners instead of wheat and sugar, but how would he react to GF flours and stevia? Only one way to find out. I went to work. By the time the HH returned home from his day at the office, the house was infused with the heady aroma of lemon zest.
“HH, honey, how about a taste of a delicious, yummy, moist lemon-blueberry muffin?” I asked innocuously. He stopped to look at me.
“It’s one of those weird candida things, isn’t it?”
[Freeze frame on Ricki's face. The Dilemma: does she lie and only later tell him what's in the muffin, after he eats it? Or does she tell him the truth, and risk his refusal to even try?]
“Candida things aren’t weird,” I said, and left it at that.
“Okay, I’ll take a taste. . . .” I stared intently. He nibbled on the muffin’s domed top. This was followed by another nibble, then a fuIl bite, which was followed by a second, and a third. . . before I knew it, the muffin was gone!
“Hmm. Lemony. And the blueberries taste pretty sweet. ” He began to rummage around for another. Sweet Success!
Even if you haven’t worked with stevia before, I bet you will enjoy these as a light, not-too-sweet breakfast treat or snack. Seriously, they’re far out. A gas. Just swell. And the berries.
And Happy Hannukah (or, if you prefer, Chanukah) to everyone who celebrates!
Blueberry Lemon Muffins
These are a substantial, moist and light muffin for breakfast or snacks. Don’t worry about what seems like a lot of lemon flavor from the extract and zest here; whole grain flours can be overpowering, and you’ll need to compensate with more flavoring if you want to detect lemon in the final product.
1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini (sesame paste), or use cashew butter if you’re not a sesame fan
1/4 cup (60 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened applesauce
2 tsp (10 ml) finely ground chia seeds
1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened soy or almond milk
25-35 drops stevia, to your taste (the muffins will taste a bit less sweet once baked), or 1/4 cup (60 ml) agave nectar*
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) pure lemon extract or 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon flavoring (flavoring is less intense)
finely grated zest of 2 medium or large lemons
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup (120 ml) dried blueberries (or use fresh/frozen, unthawed)
1/2 cup (120 ml) amaranth flour**
1/2 cup (120 ml) brown rice flour
2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) garbanzo-fava flour or chickpea flour
1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners, or grease with coconut oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the tahini and oil until smooth. Add the applesauce and stir well to combine, then whisk in the chia seeds. Add the milk, stevia, vanilla, lemon flavoring, lemon zest and vinegar, and stir until well combined. Gently stir in the blueberries to coat them.
In a medium bowl, sift together the amaranth flour, brown rice flour, coconut flour, garbanzo-fava flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and stir just until combined.
Using a large scoop or a 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, scoop generously and fill muffins tins very full. Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, rotating pan around halfway through, until very well browned on top and a center muffin tests done. Allow to cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely. Makes 12-14 large muffins or 12 large muffins and about 6 minis. May be frozen.
* You can replace the stevia with 1/4-1/3 cup (60-80 ml) agave nectar if you like, but reduce the milk by 2-3 Tbsp (30-45 ml) if you do.
** Amaranth has a distinctive, nutty flavor that some may find too assertive for these muffins. For a milder flavor, substitute millet or more rice flour for the amaranth.
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 final entry on apples.
Even though it’s the US Thanksgiving holiday (Happy Thanksgiving, all!) and I’m Canadian, (we in the Frozen North celebrated last month), I am still feeling incredibly thankful today. There are the obvious, quotidian reasons: my (long-suffering, incredibly tolerant and indulgent-of-my-quirks) HH, The (furry, funny and entirely fetching) Girls, my dear friends and family.
But perhaps less obviously yet just as importantly, I’m thankful for the world of bloggers, my blog buddies (both new and long-standing) and amazing readers and commenters who visit this site. I’m sure you all know that a blog is a lonely, deserted space without the community of readers and commenters, but perhaps we bloggers don’t acknowledge that often enough. So thanks, folks, for sticking around and taking part. I love (lurrrrve) hearing from you!
And–there’s more! Right about now, I’m thankful for my lucky streak these past few days. I’d say I feel like one of the luckiest bloggers in the world. Why?
EXHIBIT “A”: Prize Number One!
I was the delighted recipient of a package that arrived in the mail this week, from the lovely Elizabeth at Don’t White Sugar Coat It. I won Elizabeth’s “Stevia in the Raw” giveaway, and was tickled to open up the box to see this:
I’ve never used powdered stevia before and haven’t encountered this particular brand, either, so I am keen to get started creating recipes! Today’s giant pancake was made with this new ingredient (yum!). Thanks so much, Elizabeth–I can’t wait to see what other ACD-friendly goodies I can whip up with it!
EXHIBIT “B” : Prize Number Two!
But wait, folks, there’s more! Yesterday,I received an email from Ashley over at Eat Me, Delicious , informing me that I was also the winner of her Epicure Selections package! This generous giveaway prize is made up of some awesome baking tools and ingredients (including some mouthwatering Belgian chocolate–mmmm!). Of course I’ll post about the package, with photos, when it arrives; all I can do for now is dream about what I’ll concoct, and drool. How lucky can one gal get? Thank you, Ashley!
EXHIBIT “C”: Prize Number THREE!!!!
I know, it’s totally outrageous that I would win THREE prizes–and, in fact, I didn’t! Instead, I’m giving this prize away to one of you! I’ll be holding my own giveaway next time (be sure to come back and check in)–but for now, perhaps I can entice you with this lovely teaser photo. Can you tell what this prize will be? All I will say is that it’s beautiful, it’s healthy, and I try to consume some every day. . . and it’s not chocolate! For all the details and how to enter, see my next post.
Gee, I could kinda get used to this Thanksgiving thing!
Well, I couldn’t end this Lucky Comestible: Apple series without a dessert (especially since I promised to include one dish for each course of the meal). Now, I know that a pancake is traditionally a breakfast food, but the base was so cakelike that I decided to use it in this post. Besides, if I can eat dessert for breakfast on occasion (okay, too many occasions to mention), well, why not breakfast for dessert?
I’ve been thinking about giant pancakes ever since I read Alisa’s post a while back on her Apple Dutch Baby. This delicacy isn’t quite as puffy or moist as a true Dutch Baby, but it does have an authentic pancake fluffiness. By placing the apples under the batter, you ensure complete cooking (and won’t end up with those underbaked, slightly crunchy slices you get sometimes in muffins or quick breads). Then, when you flip it over, you’ll have a lovely and visually impressive treat to serve your guests, your family–or just yourself.
I made these with almost no added sweetener, as I enjoy the natural sweetness of the apple. For breakfast, I serve my slice with almond butter for a complete meal. To serve the pancake as a conventional dessert, however, I’d add the suggested sweetener to the recipe, and would even top each serving with some maple syrup and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream. A berry coulis would also be superb drizzled over the top of the pancake.
And if a delectable, ACD-friendly pancake for dessert isn’t something to be thankful for, well, I don’t know what is.
“Mum, we’re thankful for your pancakes, too. Especially the leftover ones that you give to us. Oh, and squirrels.”
Giant Baked Upside-Down Apple Pancake
A perfect weekend breakfast or dish for a brunch crowd. Slice and wrap pieces of the pancake, then store in the fridge for breakfast throughout the week.
Apple Botton/Top:
1 large sweet apple (such as Gala or Delicious), peeled, cored and cut in thin slices
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Sucanat (omit for ACD-friendly version)
Pancake Batter:
1/3 cup (80 ml) cashew butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) pure almond extract (optional)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) agave or maple syrup, 15-20 drops stevia liquid, or 2 packets dry stevia (such as the Stevia in the Raw I won!)
3/4 cup (180 ml) plain or vanilla soy, almond or rice milk
1/3 cup (50 g) brown rice flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut flour
1/4 cup (60 ml) oat flour (or grind oats in a coffee grinder to a fine powder)
1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
2-1/2 tsp (12.5 ml) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking soda
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large tart pan, springform pan or pie plate with a circle of parchment paper; then grease both the pan AND the paper (this is necessary to ensure that the fruit bottom unmolds properly; if you don’t intend to flip the pancake over after it’s baked and you just cut slices straight from the pan, you can omit the parchment).
In a small bowl, combine the apple, 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon and Sucanat, if using. Toss with a spoon or your hands until all the slices are coated, taking care to separate any slices that stick together (discard any coating that’s left at the bottom of the bowl). Place the slices in a single layer (or just slightly overlapping) over the bottom of the pan in a decorative arrangement. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cashew butter, applesauce, vanilla, almond extract, agave or stevia and chia until combined. Slowly add the soymilk and whisk until well mixed. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the remaining ingredients. Add the wet mixture and stir until well combined. Carefully drop the batter by spoonfuls evenly over the surface of the apples, then spread gently to cover all the fruit, disturbing the slices as little as possible. Smooth the top (it’s okay if a few bits of apple stick out here or there).
Bake the pancake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until the top is golden, the edges are browned and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, carefully run a knife along the outside edge of the pancake to loosen it. Invert a serving plate over the pan and flip it over (the pancake should fall right out onto the plate). Gently peel off the parchment paper (the apples should be in the same positions as they were when the pancake went into the oven; if they’re not, carefully rearrange them on top of the pancake).
Serve with maple syrup, fruit purée, or ice cream. Makes 6-8 servings. May be frozen.
[With baked beets and avocado over mesclun greens]
For those of you who’ve decided, as I have, to really appreciate the home front this Labor Day weekend (read: can’t afford to go away), hope you’re enjoying some wonderful weather! If you’re in the Toronto area, drop by to see me and say “hi” at Ambrosia Natural Foods, any time between noon and 4:00 PM. I’ll be offering books and samples of baked goods from Sweet Freedom. And don’t forget that you’ve got only two more days to enter the Simply Bar giveaway! Just click here for details.
Speaking of weather, guess what? It’s summer again! Yep, after a sodden, gloomy June, July and August (okay, maybe there was one day of sunshine), this past week has awarded us with brilliantly sapphire skies and lovely, mellow heat–and Mother Nature’s surprise gift is expected to keep on giving through the weekend.
Am I fixated on the weather? Well, I’m Canadian, aren’t I?
Apart from our legendary politeness and steadystream of Canadianexpat comediansnowin the US, Canadians are also known worldwide for their perverse preoccupation with the weather. No matter the season, no matter the temperature, no matter the individuals, talk of the climate seems to infiltrate any and all conversations and contexts. To wit:
Scene One. April. Bob and Doug meet on the street.
Bob: Hey, how about those Blue Jays, eh?
Doug: Blue Jays? Are you kidding? It was coming down cats and dogs last night. The game was rained out. Grrr-crappy weather!
Scene Two. December. Sterlin and Ricki meet on the street.
Sterlin: Hi, Ric! Merry Christmas! Hope you and the HH got some great gifts!
Ricki: Gifts? Ha! As if Santa could make it to our house through all that sleet and snow! Crappy weather. *sigh.*
Scene Three. March. Kate and Alex sit on the couch after a romantic interlude.
Alex: Kate, I love you. You are “the one.” You complete me. Will you marry me?
Kate: Marry? Are you kidding? As if anyone could count on a decent Saturday to hold a wedding in June! Crappy weather.
Scene Four. July. Don and Roger meet on the street after lunch.
Don: How was the planning meeting this morning?
Roger: Er, I don’t really know. I noticed it was sunny outside and hightailed it to the park–I mean, it was sunny outside! Can’t afford to waste a single sunny moment in this town. Crappy weather.
You get the idea. And really, Roger has a point. With the last few days in Toronto being bright and balmy, I’ve been spending as much time as possible outdoors–which means very little cooking going on here at the DDD household. But don’t despair–there are always salads and other raw foods!
This dish is one I first noticed on Michelle’s blog some time ago. I think it perfectly straddles the limbo between summer and fall (sort of like wearing darker tights with those light summer skirts to tide you over until you pull out your winter wardrobe). I love beets and had never eaten raw beet greens, so I couldn’t wait to give this a try.
I haven’t always been a lover of the crimson root, however. And the HH is painfully blunt in his assessment that “beets taste like dirt.”
[With beet greens and raw, grated beets. Does this look like dirt to you?]
You see, my mother–an excellent baker, but only passable cook–would save a jar of beet borscht for those evenings when she arrived home from shopping or mah jong and didn’t have enough time to whip up a proper dinner. On those occasions, she’d pop open the lid of the borscht jar she kept in the fridge, pour the chunky liquid into a bowl and swirl in a generous dollop of sour cream. For my dad, a bowl of cold borscht with a thick slice of pumpernickel bread constituted a perfectly acceptable dinner (he’s from Poland; pink soup with shreds of beet floating in it doesn’t seem weird to him). To me, however, the resulting fuscia broth appeared far too reminiscent of Pepto Bismol. Combined with the sweet-and-sour odor of the stuff, it was enough to clamp my throat and cause my stomach to lurch. No wonder I didn’t eat beets again until my 40s.
Even the HH loved this salad; we ate it three times in as many weeks. When I made it for the fourth time a few days ago, the weather contributed its own influence and I decided to try it without baking the beets first, but simply peeling and grating them raw. The result was equally delicious, with the juicy, sweet crunch of the raw root commingling happily with the crisp greens.
We’ve also had this salad with chunks of avocado tossed in at the last minute simply because it was at its peak of ripeness, adding a smooth, subtle richness that balanced well with the sour note of the citrus dressing. On another occasion, the salad worked well using mesclun greens instead of beet greens when the latter weren’t available.
Serve this as the first course at dinner, or use it as a light supper all on its own–then run out and enjoy the last vestiges of summer before it evaporates once again.
Grrr–crappy weather!
“Mum, that was just a joke about Santa not making it to our house, right? I mean, we’ll still get our usual Christmas treats this year, won’t we?”
The combination of sweet beets and crisp, crunchy greens is a winner in this quick and easy salad. Toss in some toasted walnut halves or sprinkle with hemp seeds for a light summer dinner.
2 pounds (about 1 kg) fresh beets with greens (scrub beets and wash greens; discard thick stems)
1/2 cup (120 ml) unpacked fresh mint leaves, rinsed and chopped
juice of 1 small lemon
juice of 1 lime
1 tsp (5 ml) Sucanat or 5 drops stevia liquid
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1 Tbsp (15ml) hemp seeds, if desired
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a pan with parchment paper. Bake the beets for about one hour, until fork-tender (you can wrap them in aluminum foil for baking if you like, but I don’t bother). Once cool, peel the beets and dice in chunks. Set aside. Alternately, peel the raw beets and grate on the large holes of a box grater; set aside.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the beet greens. Chop into bite-sized pieces.
Place the greens, beets, and mint in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, lime juice, Sucanat, olive oil and hemp seeds, if using. Toss well and season with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings. Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator one day.
[Grain-free biscuits as a base for Nectarine Shortcakes. . . ACD-friendly!]
Today’s post will be a short one*, as I’m still frantically marking essays in preparation for our final exams tomorrow (and then more marking!). But I’ve been wanting to post this for days and have been too busy baking up a storm for yesterday’s Breakfast Televisionappearance. Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes via email, comments, twitter, Facebook, etc. (and thanks again, PR Queen, for your devotion to the cause, waking up at 4:30 to help)–I really appreciated it!
I had a great time and even got to talk about some key ingredients and recipes from Sweet Freedom–so much fun! (well, maybe not having to wake up in the middle of the night–literally–in order to be at the studio by 6:30 AM. But talking about cake and frosting was fun). I’m trying to acquire a copy of the segment so I can post it online–will let you know when I get one!
But you’re not here to chat about TV (well, not exclusively, anyway), are you? And you know that I’m always tickled to chat about baking.
Now that I’ve decided to venture into the realm of baked goods once again, I’ve been playing in the kitchen and seem to have permanent flour dust on my cheeks. After five months with neither flours nor sweeteners (not to mention a host of other ingredients), and even though I’m thrilled with the weight loss, I did sorely miss my muffins, quick breads, bars, cookies, cakes–you get the idea.
Enter grain-free coconut flour, bean flours and buckwheat flour–and a very steep learning curve. And now, make room for biscuits!
My first attempt at grain-free baking, the Grain-Free Lemony Almond Pancakes, were a huge hit, both at home and on this blog. Today’s Coconut Flour Biscuits are my latest effort, and I have to say I’m equally happy with the results (if eating 2 biscuits a day for a week is any indicator of “happy”).
Actually, it’s probably a good thing I’m not yet back to baking my usual treats for now. Clearly, I still have no self control when it comes to baked goods.
[Coconut Flour biscuits without embellishments. . . .]
These scones were the result of my yearningneeddesperation desire to create something that approximated a baked good without actually being a conventional baked good. Rather than use chickpea flour once again (as I did in both of these), I wanted something different to provide a lighter texture and appearance.
Then I remembered my bag of coconut flour in the freezer. I’d purchased it on a previous foray to Whole Foods, where I’d been dazzled by the tempting array of photoshop-perfect produce, local and artisanal crackers and breads, refrigerated glass cases resplendent with Basil-Lime-Chili Tofu (a favorite), spelt berry salads, roasted veggies, veggie patties, tofu “steaks,” even kale and seaweed salad (and all available to sample, just for the asking!).
I spied a bag of coconut flour and, having read a lot about it and its astonishing ability to absorb moisture and contribute additional fiber to dishes (it’s apparently got 61% fiber–the highest of any flour), how could I resist? I figured I’d sprinkle 1/4 cup here, 1/4 cup there to various baked goods. I made something (can’t remember what), then plopped the bag into the freezer for later use, and haven’t touched it since.
[. . . or slathered with almond butter for a delicious breakfast.]
Until now, that is. Well, when I swung open the freezer the other day and noticed the bag sitting there, my spirits lagged as soon as I read the “best before” date. Like a cheerleader on prom night, that flour was about to go bad. I knew I had to save it! I concocted some biscuits and ate two right away. (I wasn’t being a glutton. I was saving that flour from itself, so to speak.)
I’m thrilled this recipe worked out, as I’ve finally got something substantial on which I can slather nut butter for breakfast, and there’s no guilt about diverging from the ACD. They are also the base for that colorful shortcake at the top of the post (variation included below).
These are dense yet tender, without a pronounced coconut flavor. While they’re not a perfect reproduction of conventional biscuits, they were still tasty enough to pass the “HH Test.” In fact, I was forced to bake up a second batch after the HH tried them, because he ate two in a row.
Now that I’ve discovered such a great use for the flour, I should have no problem finishing up that bag. It felt good to be able to use it before it expired. Oh, and to be baking again.
*Well, short for me, anyway, as loquacious as I am. Brings to mind a joke my friend Sterlin and I started in highschool, during the era of four-hour phone marathons: during a particularly busy time one evening, I called Sterline to chat. After the hellos, she warned me: “I really can’t stay on the phone tonight. Half an hour,max.”
Grain Free Coconut Flour Biscuits
Surprisingly light, these biscuits are perfect for breakfast or as an accompaniment to a saucy dish. While they’re not as cakelike as conventional biscuits, they make a great substitute that can satisfy a craving for carbs in a low-carb treat.
1 Tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus enough soy, almond or rice milk to equal 1 cup (240 ml)
1-1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp (45 ml) finely ground flax seeds
1 Tbsp (15 ml) agave nectar, light or dark, or 10 drops stevia
2 Tbsp (30 ml) melted organic coconut oil, plus 1 Tbsp (15 ml) for brushing tops
3/4 tsp (3.5 ml) baking powder
3/4 tsp (3.5 ml) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp (135 ml) coconut flour
3 Tbsp (45 ml) buckwheat flour (or use chickpea or whole bean flour)
Preheat oven to 400F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
Place the 1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice in the bottom of a glass measuring cup, and add milk until the liquid measures 1 cup (240 ml). Add the vanilla, flax and agave or stevia to the cup and stir; whisk in the 2 Tbsp (30 ml) melted coconut oil until evenly combined. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, or at least 2 minutes.
In a medium bowl, sift the coconut flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir quickly just to blend. Do not overmix. The mixture will seem a bit soft initially but will absorb the liquid fairly quickly; this is as it should be. (If using buckwheat flour, you may need to add 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) more milk to attain the desired texture). The mixture should be softer than a regular dough, yet still hold together, almost like a thick cookie dough.
Using a large scoop or 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, scoop the batter and place mounds on the cookie sheet. Flatten each mound slightly with your palm or a silicon spatula.
Bake for 12 minutes in preheated oven. Remove from the oven and brush very gently with the final 1 Tbsp (15 ml) melted coconut oil (the biscuits will be very delicate and can squish easily). Rotate the pan and return to the oven for another 12-15 minutes, until tops are very deep golden brown–do not underbake! Remove from oven and cool on cookie sheet, then carefully remove for storage. Makes 6 biscuits. May be frozen.
NOTE: if you try to eat these while they are still warm, the centers may seem too moist. Once they cool, however, the texture changes.
Nectarine Shortcake Variation:
1 batch biscuits (or you can use your own favorite biscuits for this)
Cut cooled biscuits in half horizontally. Cover the bottom half with some nectarine slices and a dollop of cream. Top with the other half of the biscuit and more cream. Savor. Makes 6 servings.
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[Grain-free biscuits as a base for Nectarine Shortcakes. . . ACD-friendly!]
