Way back in this post, I asked you all if you’d be interested in tips on speeding up the process of cooking whole foods from scratch. Today, I’ll begin to answer that question. I realized there is so much to say on this topic that I’d need to split it up into two smaller posts. So today’s post covers the first four tips; come back next week for the rest of them!
If you cook 98% of your food from scratch as I do, it’s really just a basic survival strategy to find ways to speed up the process and make it easier. Below are some of the things that I’ve found helpful over the years. I’ve come to most of these ideas on my own over time, but have also found some useful information on blogs and sites I’ve read along the way. So thank you to all the lovely bloggers and writers whose words contributed to this post!
Note: A truly “from-scratch” meal would be made entirely on my own, without ANY help from food manufacturers. If most of the ingredients were fresh and/or cooked entirely by me, I consider that from-scratch. If I use a canned or packaged product that is basically a single ingredient and one I could also make at home (most common in this category would be canned diced tomatoes or natural nut butters, for instance, but I also do use packaged alternative milks), then I also consider that “from scratch.” Of course, you have to draw your own line where it feels comfortable to you.
I’ve got a new Facebook page–and I hope you’ll visit me there! I’m perpetually grateful to all of you who’ve “liked” my Diet, Dessert and Dogs page, but it’s time to move on. With a new cookbook on the horizon and lots of other cool sugar-free, anti-candida and allergy-friendly offerings in the works, I wanted a Facebook page that reflected all of that (along with DDD too, of course!). To keep it simple, this one is just called “Ricki Heller,” and I’ll be posting all the same things I now do on the DDD page (which will be shut down on August 31, 2013). So please hop over to the new page and “like” it so you won’t miss out when things switch over this summer!
Hard to believe, but today is the HH‘s and my 16th anniversary! (Wait, how is that possible? I still feel as if I AM sixteen–well, internally, anyway. Externally, it’s more like, “where did those 16 new wrinkles come from?” or “how did I suddenly acquire 16 new aches and pains in my knees?” or “sixteen new gray hairs?! Wahhhh!!!”. Okay, I guess that every kind of “sixteen” tends to creep up on you). Click here to read more about our relationship (and pizza). . .
[Seems to be "dessert week" on DDD! Here's another healthy recipe for you today, the second in a trio of "good for you" desserts that can all be served up to those you love for Valentine's Day: the first was Butterscotch Pudding that can improve heart health; and the final installment is coming up on Thursday with a beautiful, decdadent, traditional V-Day treat revamped to be super-quick and healthier. Be sure to come back and check that one out, too!]
I’ve never really understood the expression, “easy as pie.” In the home of my childhood, it was more like “almost-unheard-of-plus-totally frustrating-and-usually-botched-results” as pie. Although my mom was a superlative baker, the one thing she almost never made (and when she did, it wasn’t very good) was pie. Give her a cookie dough, and she could nail it; a chiffon cake was her speciality; and cheesecake–no problem. But pie crust somehow eluded her.
As a result, neither one of my sisters nor I excel at pie or pie crust. In fact, the only pie my mother ever baked was called “Chocolate Dream Pie,” and as I recall, and it consisted of one ready-made storebought crust filled with chocolate cake batter and baked. In other words, the only pie in her repertoire was actually a cake.
My mom’s sister, Auntie M, on the other hand, a former caterer who excelled in the kitchen well into until her final years-well, she could bake anything.
Like so many pairs of sisters, my mother and aunt were more dissimilar than alike. Mom was softspoken, with a quiet, murmuring voice and (despite her hefty weight) a delicate frame, with tiny ankles and wrists. Her thin, fine hair was the color of wax beans. Auntie M, in contrast, was taller and broad, with sturdy legs thick as telephone poles. Her height was enhanced by the towering beehive of coarse, mahogany hair; her gravelly voice was both commanding and insistent, paired with an easy laugh and an equally easy tendency to criticize. My mother, the younger, was also “the pretty one,” while Auntie M was more what used to be described as a “Handsome” woman (think Mrs. Doubtfire with dark hair). Tough on the outside, she rarely revealed an inner softness, like a cautious turtle peeking out of its shell only when every possible threat is removed.
At once assertive and strong, Auntie M embodied the concept of pure domesticity, yet without even a whiff of the usual sense in which women are considered domestic. She was an archetypal feminist, one who encouraged independence, intelligence, strength and self-sufficiency all within the realm of marriage–and I believed she could accomplish anything. I idolized her, and in many ways wanted to be her (well, minus the shapeless legs).
When I was about 16, I spent a couple of weeks living at my aunt's house after she had broken her arm. While ostensibly there to help her keep up with housework, my role as her personal assistant quickly morphed into culinary protégé as well. It was under her tutelage that I first learned aboutmis en place (though of course she didn't call it that), which I had never encountered before; she also taught me about professional wash-up technique, filling one sink with soapy water, the other with clear and washing the least-dirtied dishes and utensils (such as glasses or cutlery) first, reusing the water for the more grimy pots and pans at the end. I discovered how rotating your baking pans halfway through the cooking time helps to compensate for uneven oven heat, allowing for a smooth, even top to cakes and breads; how sifting flours helps to aerate and separate out impurities like pebbles or bran; and how using an ice cream scoop creates perfectly measured, uniformly sized cookies.
During those two weeks, Auntie M also taught me something I've retained to this day: that there is no age limit on silliness. Along with the baking (and cleaning, and reading, and cleaning, and knitting--and cleaning) I spent many hours beside her in the den, watching Bugs Bunny cartoons. It was a side of her I'd never known existed, and I loved hearing her guttural, spontaneous guffaws as Bugs massaged Elmer Fudd's bald head, directed opera singer Giovanni Jones to sustain his note beyond the bounds of reality, or infuriated Elmer with his trademark quip, "What's Up, Doc?" Even though my role during those two weeks was basically a cross between orderly and scullery maid, that visit remains one of my most cherished memories with my aunt.
The one thing that Auntie M never got round to teaching me, unfortunately, was how to bake a pie (though I have no doubt that, if she had, it would have been stellar). After years of promising myself that I'd tackle the skill on my own, I suddenly switched to gluten-free baking a few years back, which means that most of my crusts are now "pat-in" versus "roll-out." (Though if you're looking for a good rollable GF pie crust, you must try the one I used in this tortière, which I found on Maggie's blog). As a result, I still have a bit of an irrational aversion to making pie crust (though I did manage to create two fabulous crusts for the upcoming cookbook).
So you can see why I was elated to come across this recipe for Granola Topped Blueberry Pie Bars in Hallie's latest cookbook, Super Healthy Cookies: They're just like pie--without the pie! If you haven't checked out the book yet, I'd highly recommend it: with 50 recipes for healthy cookies from fruity to chocolate to bars to special occasion and more, it also provides a great glossary of ingredients, a resource guide, tips and tricks throughout, and a fantastic appendix of all the recipes listed by different diet type (eg, vegan and egg-free, grain-free, nut-free) plus a list according to taste prefernces (eg, sweet and salty, chocolatey, warm and toasty spices, etc.). All in all, it's full of the healthy, delicious recipes and useful information I've come to expect from Hallie's work!
This recipe is actually not even listed in the "vegan" section, but it was a snap to adapt to my ACD diet. I used The Vegg (vegan yolk) instead of the egg yolk listed, and subbed coconut nectar for maple syrup (obviously, you could make the recipe exactly as written if it jibes with your own diet). I also loved the "sweetness scale" next to each recipe (this was a "two spoon" treat, right in the middle of the scale).
These bars came together incredibly easily. In less than 45 minutes, the HH and I had a fruity, crumbly, warm and inviting pie-like dessert. To make the bars a bit more indulgent for the HH (he does love his creamy desserts), I topped his with a dollop of coconut whipped cream. These do, indeed, taste very pie-like and indulgent--and the HH consumed nearly half the pan in only 2 days! You should have no qualms at all serving these bars as Valentine's Day treats; they live up to a special occasion with the bursting-with-berries filling and yet are made with whole, healthy ingredients. They also fall into my very favorite dessert category: those that can be eaten as breakfast!
Despite the ease of preparation, I'd never call them "easy as pie," though. Unless, of course, we're talking about eating them.
Hallie says: "I took one bite of these bars and my taste buds shouted, 'Hello, Blueberry Pie!' The moist crust and crunchy topping of these bars paired with the juicy blueberry filling is just sublime. Don't let the rather long list of ingredients scare you. They're very easy to make." I agree! And equally easy to adapt to my diet. I've included my changes in square brackets, below.
1 large egg yolk [I used The Vegg and it worked perfectly! Highly recommended]
1/2 cup raw pecans or walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins [I used chopped prunes]
For the filling:
1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries [I used frozen]
2 Tbsp honey or Grade B maple syrup [I used coconut nectar]
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp (7 grams) arrowroot starch
Make the crust: Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Grease an 8 x 8 inch (20 cm) baking dish with coconut oil.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, process the oats, brown rice flour, coconut sugar, psyllium husks, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 20 seconds. Add the coconut oil, applesauce, and egg yolk. Process to combine. Using moist hands, pat half of the dough firmly and evenly into the greased baking dish. Crumble the remaining dough into a bowl and mix in the the pecans and raisins. Set aside.
Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together the blueberries, honey, lemon juice, and arrowroot starch. Spoon the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the blueberry layer nd press gently to adhere.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely at room temperture, then refrigerate fro 1-2 hours before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 16 bars.
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And don’t forget about today’s giveaway–see bottom of post for details and to enter!
I wanted to create something really spectacular that would “wow” your guests while still providing healthy, whole-foods ingredients in a gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan (of course) recipe. I’ve always been a fan of tiramisu, but on the anti-candida diet, I can’t have coffee, alcohol or sugar, all of which figure prominently in the classic recipe.
After searching high and low for frozen cherries a few months ago, I went a little wild and bought two 2-kilo (4.4 pound) bags. With lots of leftover cherries screaming out for use, I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate them in this recipe. But how? Then I remembered a frequent interaction I have with the HH. Whenever I offer him a brownie or cookies for dessert, his response is always an indignant, “That’s not a real dessert. A real dessert is light and creamy.”
Bingo!!
Thank you, HH, for hitting on the “light and creamy” motif. To me, a classic light, creamy dessert is tiramisu.
Obviously, this dish isn’t “authentic” in that there is no such thing as fruit flavored tiramisu according to classic pastry chefs. However, just like the traditional dessert, this one features liquid-soaked, golden cake with a layer of rich, silky smooth “mascarpone” between the layers. I’ve also added soft, juicy black cherries as part of the decadence, and pomegranate arils for garnish (I’m on a pomegranate kick lately, obviously, but you can use cranberries, cherries, or more cream–whatever strikes your fancy).
This really does taste over-the-top good, the kind of dessert that anyone, gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free or not–will love. In this case, the HH happily accepted a big slice after dinner the other night. . . and then another. I guess this one passes the “real dessert” test with flying colors!
Dark Cherry Tiramisu
This is a true make-ahead dessert, leaving you lots of time to interact with guests at your party. In fact, this tiramisu must be made no sooner than the morning before you want to serve it (24 hours in advance is ideal). You can then cut it into squares and leave plated in the fridge, ready to pull out at a moment’s notice and serve your guests (or cut just before serving). The mascarpone will soften somewhat at room temperature, though, so serve the tiramisu chilled.
1-3/4 cups (230 g) Ricki’s All Purpose Gluten-Free flour mix (or 1-3/4 cups/420 ml another AP-GF flour; use volume measure, not weight, if using another type of flour)
cherries, cranberries or pomegranate arils for garnish
Make the mascarpone: Chill the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (no cheating on this one!). This will allow the natural “cream” in the milk to rise to the top and solidify at the top of the can, leaving the thin coconut “water” at the bottom.
Flip the can upside down and open it from the bottom using a can opener. Carefully pour the water into a glass measuring cup (you should have about 1/4 cup/60 ml coconut water; if not, add water or milk to make 1/4 cup) and reserve the water for your cake batter! Set aside. Using a spoon or firm spatula, scoop out the solid cream and place in a blender. Add to the blender bowl the cashew butter, lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest and stevia. Blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Sprinkle with the xanthan and blend until combined. Set aside.
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray. Also line an 8- or 9-inch (20.5 cm or 22.5 cm) loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut sugar, orange juice and soy milk and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the flax seeds, reserved coconut water, stevia, oil, vanilla, orange extract and vinegar and stir well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and whisk to combine; do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes, rotating the pan once about halfway through, until the top is deep golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely; to hasten the process, place the slightly warm cake in the refrigerator or freezer. (May be prepared ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, until ready to use. Defrost before using in this recipe.).
Make the Cherry Topping: Place the cherries, juice and sugar in a small, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-low heat until the cherries are all soft and have released their juices, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the cherries and save the liquid (you should have about 1/2 cup or more juice). Allow the cherries to cool before assembling the tiramisu.
Assemble the tiramisu: Turn the cake out onto a large piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper; cut in half lengthwise to make two rectangles (do not cut horizontally as for a layer cake). Place one half in the loaf pan (trim the end if necessary for it to fit). Prick the top all over with a fork to create little holes in the cake.
Measure out 3 Tbsp (45 ml) of the cherry juice and drizzle it over the cake in the pan. Scatter the cherry halves evenly over the top, then spread the mascarpone evenly over the cherries and smooth the top.
Next, keeping the plastic wrap pulled up against the long sides of the second half of the cake (almost like a sling), drizzle the remaining 5 tablespoons of cherry juice over that half, allowing it soak in thoroughly before you try to move the cake. Use the plastic to carry the second half of cake to the loaf pan, then gently flip it over into the loaf pan so that the moistened side is touching the cream (the bottom, dryer side of the cake will now face up in the pan). Cover the cake with more plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 8 hours.
To serve, use a small sieve to dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder. Using the plastic wrap liner in the loaf pan to pull the cake out of the pan, gently lift the tiramisu and set on a cutting board. Carefully cut into squares and place on serving plates. Garnish with cherries, cranberries, pomegranate arils or a combination. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 6-8 servings.
You can win a package of ALL THREE of my ebooks (suitable for low glycemic, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and anti-candida diets) by entering here! For more details about the ebooks (Desserts without Compromise, pictured above, plus two others) see this page.
This contest is open worldwide. There are several ways to enter:
Leave a comment on this post telling me which recipe you’d love to see made over as vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free.
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Okay, so I’ve actually never met a real Tim Tam. In fact I hadn’t ever even heard of these dreamy, ethereal treats until Johanna posted about them on her blog, almost a year ago, now. But just looking at the photos and reading the description of these cookies-in-a-chocolate-cloak made me realize that I would have to create my own, ACD-friendly, version. And fast.
And so I did: I whipped up my own batch the very next day. Even though I loved these confections the second I took a bite (and one bite was about all I got, since the HH devoured the rest of the batch pretty much the second he tasted them), it took a while before I was finally ready to post about them on the blog. By then, it was mid-summer, and I knew they would never survive in the sweltering heat, melting in an oozy puddle like the Wicked Witch of the West. Instead, I decided to save them for you to serve in cooler weather, like. . . now. Turns out I’ve been sitting on this recipe since May 5, 2011 (the date of my first draft of this post)!
I don’t know why, but the word, “Tim Tam” always makes me think of that childhood skipping rope game where you create sentences with words that all start with the same letter. For instance: “I ate a Tim Tam [skip, skip] while in a Wigwam [hop, hop] when I went to Flin Flon [jump, jump].” But that’s just silly, isn’t it?
What’s equally weird is that, as much as I love chocolate chip cookies, macaroons, haystacks–and of course we can’t forget the raw cookie dough in its naked form–I have never been a huge fan of sandwich cookies per se. I don’t know if this preference is connected to my general indifference to sandwiches as a rule (in fact you’d be hard pressed to find many sandwiches on this blog), since I am not really a bread person, either. But you’d think I would be enamored of sandwich cookies in any case simply because, well, they offer double the cookie per cookie.
The only sandwich cookie that figured prominently in our home when I was a child was the Oreo, on those rare occasions when my mom brought a bag into the house (silly her for thinking it would last longer than an hour with my two sisters and me). I’d perform the classic “twist-and-separate” operation to expose the vanilla cream in the middle, then scrape it off with my lower teeth, leaving tracks on the nearly black chocolate biscuits. I’d then simply discard the biscuits if I were not being watched (or else be severely reprimanded if I were being watched). Sometimes, I’d discreetly affix them back together and return them to the bag with the vanilla filling MIA (the CFO, probably four or five at the time, could never figure out why she kept getting defective Oreos).
Clearly, not an auspicious history for making my own sandwich cookies. Nevertheless, when I read Johanna’s description of them, I decided that these particular sandwich cookies sounded so good that I had to make them myself.
I decided to take the most direct route to sandwich nirvana (ie combining other already extant recipes). For the graham crackers, I used Amy’s version as written, except I substituted coconut oil for the butter. I was concerned at first that the quinoa flour would be overpowering in these delicate confections, but they turned out absolutely perfectly.
For the filling, I repurposed my own buttercream frosting, and coated the entire thing in a simple chocolate coating I’ve used before as well.
They may not be authentic, but they certainly are irresistible. Rich, silky filling nestled between two light, crisp and slightly flaky biscuits, all coated in a glossy dark chocolate. If you’ve never met a Tim Tam, either, allow me to introduce you. I mean, what’s not to like?
These are the kind of cookie that can turn a bleak, grey and gloomy winter afternoon into a celebration. Served with a cup of hot chocolate or herbal tea, these Tim Tam knock-offs work beautifully as an afternoon snack or pick-me-up.
one recipe homemade graham crackers of choice (I used this recipe with coconut oil instead of butter)
1 batch dark chocolate coating (you can use this one or this one; you can just melt chocolate chips if you like).
Make the cookies: Prepare the graham crackers according to directions, using coconut oil in place of butter; cut into 30 crackers. Bake according to the recipe and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Once cookies are cool, create sandwich cookies by spreading a thick layer of frosting on the bottom of one cookie, then topping with another cookie (bottom side touching the frosting). Place in the freezer while you prepare the coating.
Prepare the coating and pour into a deep bowl.
Coat the cookies: Dip the bottom of each cookie in the chocolate, then immediately invert onto a plate (chocolate side up) and place in the freezer until the chocolate is solid. One at a time (leave the rest in the freezer), remove the cookies and place chocolate side-down on a fork held over a clean plate. Spoon the chocolate coating over the top of the cookie and allow it to drip down the sides and off the fork onto the plate. Tap the fork on the edge of the plate a few times to allow excess chocolate to run off. Return the cookie to the freezer, with the top upright this time and allow to firm up before storing in the refrigerator. As needed, scrape the excess chocolate coating off the plate and back into the bowl to coat more cookies. Repeat until all cookies are coated.
To create the swirl pattern on the top: Once the chocolate on top is firm, add an additional teaspoon of chocolate on top of each cookie and swirl with the back of a spoon to create a wavy pattern. The chocolate should firm up quickly if it is added atop an already-frozen cookie. Makes 12-15 cookies. May be frozen; defrost, covered, in the refrigerator overnight (but be warned that frozen chocolate may develop a white “bloom” that looks a little unappetizing, even though it’s perfectly fine to eat).
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I was chatting over email with a friend the other day (seems to be the way so many of my chats go nowadays) about how we’re so busy, we sometimes buy stuff–stuff that we really intend to use, stuff that we actually really need–and then, because our schedules are packed tighter than Madison Avenue on a Friday afternoon, we put our purchase down somewhere and then promptly forget about it. If I never cleaned my house (wouldn’t that be a dream come true? Oh, wait a sec, I suppose in that case I am already living the dream!), well, then I could leave all those bags of kitchen utensils, clothing, dog toys, CDs, etc., hanging around and never worry about them.
I’m a bit abashed to even tell you how many blouses, sweaters or pairs of shoes I have in my closet, many still with the tags on them, that I have never worn. In fact, I more or less have forgotten most of them. (This is totally different from that adorable blue wool mini skirt I purchased from the thrift store back in my 20s, barely too small on the day I bought it, but I loved “so much I’ll buy it anyway and save it for when I lose weight.” That sat in my closet, too, but I never forgot about it; I just couldn’t bear to part with it no matter how many times I moved. And–lo and behold–during one of my “slim” periods more than a decade later, I finally fit into the thing, and got a great year’s wear out of it. The next cycle of weight gain, I finally gave it away, though these days I wish I hadn’t. . . I’d still love to wear it if it ever fit me again). Similarly, I have piles of kitchen tools, cute little pans and molds, magazines, even paperbacks (yes, those do still exist among the Kindle-less), that are still patiently waiting for my attention.
Sometimes, recipes fall into this category, too. I mean, here we are all holiday-themed with Diwali just past and US Thanksgiving around the corner, and I completely forgot about this gem of a recipe that I had shared over a year ago on the XgfX blog! Sadly, the blog appears to be out of commission these days, but this recipe should be good forever. I thought I’d bring it over here to share with those of you who may have missed it, or those of you who saw it when first posted and, like me, had it slip from your memory.
The pudding is a creamy, luscious, pillowy base of pumpkin, oats and nuts (or seeds), blended to silky smooth perfection, lightly spiced and dotted with tart cranberries throughout. Straight from the oven, it makes a wonderful warm mousse-like dessert (especially great baked in a soufflé dish and topped with whipped cream); when cold, it thickens and (in my opinion) provides an equally appealing breakfast. And with this combination of ingredients, you won’t have to feel guilty eating it that way, either.
Unlike that blue woolen mini skirt, this one is a keeper. Well, until it’s baked, at least–at which point you no longer want to keep it, just eat it.
1/2 cup (75 g) lightly toasted hazelnuts (filberts), with skin
1/2 cup (75 g) lightly toasted walnut pieces
2/3 cup (100 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cook)
1 cup (240 ml) packed pumpkin purée
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp-1/4 cup (30-60 ml) agave nectar (or if you can have it, maple syrup is lovely), to your taste*
1 Tbsp (15 ml) cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground ginger
1 tsp (5 ml) Chinese 5-Spice powder (or use 1/8 tsp/.5 ml cloves and about 1 tsp more cinnamon, to taste)
1/8 tsp (.5 ml) fine sea salt
1-1/4 cups (300 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla soy, almond, rice or hemp milk
1 cup (240 ml) cranberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw if frozen)
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 4-6 cup (1-1.5 L) casserole dish and set aside.
Place all ingredients except for cranberries in the bowl of a high-speed blender and blend until smooth (you will need to scrape down the sides as you go). If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you can still make the pudding, this way: place nuts, oats, and milk in a blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Add remaining ingredients except for cranberries and blend until smooth (you may have to blend this part in smaller batches).
Pour the mixture into the casserole dish, then gently fold in the cranberries (scatter a few extra berries over the top as garnish if you like, as they won’t sink).
Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, rotating the casserole dish about halfway through, until the edges begin to puff and crack and the top appears dry (it will still seem unbaked in the middle—this is how it should be). Allow to cool about 10 minutes before scooping out and serving; may be served warm, at room temperature, or cold. Top with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Makes 4-6 servings. Store, covered, for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, or freeze.
Suitable for:ACD Stage 3 and beyond (For ACD Stage One, substitute with plain or vanilla flavored liquid stevia,about 1/4 tsp/1.5 ml); sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, vegan.
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It’s Wellness Weekend once again–welcome to another week of sugar-free, whole foods, healthy recipes! As always, last week’s entries were a stellar combination of seasonal, creative, and absolutely mouth-watering recipes (and glad you all enjoyed Elsie and Chaser’s Halloween costumes so much!).
Thanks so much for continuing to link up!
Newsy Tidbits
It’s HERE! I received my copy ofSimply Gluten-Free Magazineand am delighted with how beautiful, informative and jam-packed with recipes it is! And for a little preview, here’s what you’ll find from me in the magazine:
These individual Black Forest Trifles are featured along with a rich, decadent Pumpkin-Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake. All gluten-free, sugar-free, egg-free, and dairy-free, of course! To find out where you can purchase your own copy, or subscribe to the magazine, check the Simply Gluten-Free magazinepage.
My friend Cara is hosting a Clean Eating Cocktail Party throughout November! Every day this month, she’ll post a new recipe from a different blogger, with great ideas for what to serve at your holiday or other parties and get-togethers. Cara kicked off the festivities today with an amazing Rosemary Caramel Almond Popcorn recipe. Be sure to check in throughout the month for more party-worthy recipes!
The Cutco Knife Giveaway at Healthy Life Lessons continues until October 31st! Cutco knives are well known for their long lives and great customer service. I’ve had one for over 10 years and still use it daily. Head over to Erica’s blog to enter! Ends October 31st.
Photo shoots for my cookbook started this week–what fun it was to watch the pro in action! If you’d like to keep up with the tester recipes that have been made so far, check out the cookbook Pinterest Board where testers post their creations daily!
Do you have a blog linky event, giveaway or other event you’d like me to mention? Send me an email with the details and I’ll include a few each week (depending on how many requests I get, I may not be able to include them all).
PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR GIVEAWAYS OR CONTESTS TO THE LINKYS BELOW–THEY ARE FOR RECIPES ONLY. I will list the events under “Newsy Tidbits” for you if you send me an email to dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom.
This Week’s Picks:
Here are this week’s picks based on the theme, “Something fruity!”
Persimmon Blueberry Parfait from Cats in the Kitchen. I just adore persimmon and love this unusual way of using it!
Thanks for joining in and sharing all your healthy, sugar-free and vegan recipes. I love seeing what you whip up each week! And I hope you’ll also share on twitter and Facebook (there’s a new, shorter twitter hashtag, too, so you can write more about the food: #WWknd as well as the original #WellnessWeekend).
Here’s How to Participate:
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until the following Monday at midnight.
Simply link up a vegan recipe you made (and posted about) that contains health-supporting ingredients. This means any good-for-you whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!No-no’s include white flour or sugar, highly processed foods, or animal products. Items like vegan protein powder, grain or bean flours, or coconut milk are fine even though they are technically “processed,” since they either contain a single ingredient, or could technically be made at home. Also, if you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go!
This is a recipe event. Your blog post must contain a recipe.
You may link up older posts from your archives as long as they contain a link to this post. Please do not link up any posts you have previously shared at an earlier Wellness Weekend event.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page or another event page. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit up to three recipes, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL FROM EACH BLOG POST, PLEASE.If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
Pleasemention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
PLEASE NOTE: In order to promote your posts and the event, I like to occasionally tweet, mention on Facebook, or pin your blog post(s). On occasion, I will repost your photos in the following week’s Wellness Weekend as well. If you prefer that I NOT use your photos or links, please let me know in the comments below, or send an email to me at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
I will reluctantly remove any links that don’t comply. I apologize, but I will no longer be able to leave a comment telling you that I’ve removed a non-compliant link. I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES BEFORE POSTING!
And n0w. . . what have you been cooking up lately? Please share!
Never miss a recipe–or a comment from The Girls! Click here to subscribe to Diet, Dessert and Dogs via email. (“We love subscribers, Mum. . . almost as much as we love treats!”).
Welcome back to Wellness Weekend! First, let me say “thank you” to everyone who sent Happy Birthday wishes via twitter and Facebook over the weekend–what a lovely way to make the day even more special! The HH and I celebrated on Sunday (and it was so great to get a break–even if only half a day!). I also got some gorgeous earrings from my honey (one size fits all–thank you, HH).
And now, on to this week’s Pre-Halloween edition of Wellness Weekend! Have you seen as many Halloween-themed foods on blogs as I have this past week? Choosing foods to prepare will be almost as tough as choosing an appropriate costume! (If you read my last blog post, you’ll also know that the HH and I don’t give out Halloween candy any more–and the reason why).
Newsy Tidbits
You’ll find a great roundup of healthy pumpkin recipes here at Whole New Mom. Lots of vegan options, too. Trick or treat!
I’m thrilled to share this preview of the new Simply Gluten-Free magazine, due out November 6th at a Whole Foods or Barnes and Noble near you!! The magazine looks simply beautiful. And check out my two “Stellar Vegan Holiday Desserts” while you’re browsing!
Cutco Knife Giveaway: Healthy Life Lessons is giving away a Cutco Santuko knife to one lucky Canadian! Cutco knives are well known for their long lives and great customer service. I’ve had one for over 10 years and still use it daily. Head over to Erica’s blog to enter! Ends October 31st.
Please join me on Pinterest! It’s another great way to keep track of recipes you love. I’ve also created a new board to showcase recipes from my upcoming cookbook–the recipe testers and I will be adding photos on a regular basis.
Do you have a blog linky event, giveaway or other event you’d like me to mention? Send me an email with the details and I’ll include a few each week (depending on how many requests I get, I may not be able to include them all).
PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR GIVEAWAYS OR CONTESTS TO THE LINKYS BELOW–THEY ARE FOR RECIPES ONLY. I will list the events under “Newsy Tidbits” for you if you send me an email to dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom.
This Week’s Picks:
Here are some favorites on the theme of “Liquid Nourishment”:
Chocolate Almond Milk from Gluten-Free Cat. Heather shows us how to create this rich, creamy treat from scratch!
Thanks for joining in and sharing all your healthy, sugar-free and vegan recipes. I love seeing what you whip up each week! And I hope you’ll also share on twitter and Facebook (there’s a new, shorter twitter hashtag, too, so you can write more about the food: #WWknd as well as the original #WellnessWeekend).
Here’s How to Participate:
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until the following Monday at midnight.
Simply link up a vegan recipe you made (and posted about) that contains health-supporting ingredients. This means any good-for-you whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!No-no’s include white flour or sugar, highly processed foods, or animal products. Items like vegan protein powder, grain or bean flours, or coconut milk are fine even though they are technically “processed,” since they either contain a single ingredient, or could technically be made at home. Also, if you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go!
This is a recipe event. Your blog post must contain a recipe.
You may link up older posts from your archives as long as they contain a link to this post. Please do not link up any posts you have previously shared at an earlier Wellness Weekend event.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page or another event page. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit up to three recipes, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL FROM EACH BLOG POST, PLEASE.If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
Pleasemention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
PLEASE NOTE: In order to promote your posts and the event, I like to occasionally tweet, mention on Facebook, or pin your blog post(s). On occasion, I will repost your photos in the following week’s Wellness Weekend as well. If you prefer that I NOT use your photos or links, please let me know in the comments below, or send an email to me at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
I will reluctantly remove any links that don’t comply. I apologize, but I will no longer be able to leave a comment telling you that I’ve removed a non-compliant link. I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES BEFORE POSTING!
And n0w. . . what have you been cooking up lately? Please share!
Never miss a recipe–or a comment from The Girls! Click here to subscribe to Diet, Dessert and Dogs via email. (“We love subscribers, Mum. . . almost as much as we love treats!”).
Wellness Weekend is here once again! And last week’s event looked sort of like a Squash-a-thon to rival my own recipe creation these days! We sure do love our pumpkins and squashes when autumn hits North America, don’t we? From pumpkin donuts to Snickerdoodles to pancakes to latte creamer, we had it all!
Newsy Tidbits
My friend Andrea Nakayama is offering a new course, EstroZen, designed specifically to restore a woman’s hormonal balance and target resistant issues that affect us during peri-menopause and menopause. You know: that almost-instant weight gain from even looking at certain foods; changes in hair, skin and nails; dips in sex drive; and all the other lovely consequences of being a “woman of a certain age.” Andrea’s three-week detox course will provide protocols, menus, online support through the entire 3 weeks, and more. Click here for more information or to register. [Full disclosure: I am an affiliate for this program. If you join the detox, I will earn a small commission.] As you know, I think Andrea is brilliant and immensely talented at what she does, so I wholeheartedly support her work.
This article over at Sheckys.com features 10 Cancer-Fighting foods, and I couldn’t be happier that my Raw Pink Breakfast Bowl is included! Check out all ten, with recipes, here.
Recipe testing is well underway for my upcoming cookbook and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the response of the testers! Thank you once again to everyone who volunteered–I truly wish I could have asked all of you to particiate. If you’re interested in what kinds of recipes will be in the book (and how well they turn out for regular folks), head over to the cookbook Pinterest page.
Do you have a blog linky event, giveaway or other event you’d like me to mention? Send me an email with the details and I’ll include a few each week (depending on how many requests I get, I may not be able to include them all).
PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR GIVEAWAYS OR CONTESTS TO THE LINKYS BELOW–THEY ARE FOR RECIPES ONLY. I will list the events under “Newsy Tidbits” for you if you send me an email to dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom.
This Week’s Picks:
Here are four favorite links from last week on the theme of “Blended!”. If you like any of them, please feel free to pin them directly from these photos–just hover your cursor over the photo, then click on “Pin It”:
Roasted Eggplant Dip (Babaganoush) from Real Food Eater. A creamy eggplant dip that’s perfect with-well, just about anything. Why haven’t I made this yet?
Roasted Eggplant Dip
Roasted Homemade Peanut Butter from A Life Unprocessed. True, I can’t eat peanut butter on the ACD, but it’s such a beloved spread that I couldn’t deprive all of you!
Cheese Garlic Crackers – Gluten and Dairy Free – from Part-Time Health Nut. Looks like a must-make to me!
Gluten and Dairy Free Cheese Garlic Crackers
Readers’ Choice, Sweet:
Gluten-Free Autumn Amaranth Bars from Bring Joy. Even if you don’t normally like amaranth, Janae promises you’ll like these. (Just be sure to follow directions–or else!).
Amaranth Bars
Thanks for joining in and sharing all your healthy, sugar-free and vegan recipes. I love seeing what you whip up each week! And I hope you’ll also share on twitter and Facebook (there’s a new, shorter twitter hashtag, too, so you can write more about the food: #WWknd as well as the original #WellnessWeekend).
Here’s How to Participate:
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until the following Monday at midnight.
Simply link up a vegan recipe you made (and posted about) that contains health-supporting ingredients. This means any good-for-you whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!No-no’s include white flour or sugar, highly processed foods, or animal products. Items like vegan protein powder, grain or bean flours, or coconut milk are fine even though they are technically “processed,” since they either contain a single ingredient, or could technically be made at home. Also, if you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go!
This is a recipe event. Your blog post must contain a recipe.
You may link up older posts from your archives as long as they contain a link to this post. Please do not link up any posts you have previously shared at an earlier Wellness Weekend event.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page or another event page. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit up to three recipes, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL FROM EACH BLOG POST, PLEASE.If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
Pleasemention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
PLEASE NOTE: In order to promote your posts and the event, I like to occasionally tweet, mention on Facebook, or pin your blog post(s). On occasion, I will repost your photos in the following week’s Wellness Weekend as well. If you prefer that I NOT use your photos or links, please let me know in the comments below, or send an email to me at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
I will reluctantly remove any links that don’t comply. I apologize, but I will no longer be able to leave a comment telling you that I’ve removed a non-compliant link. I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES BEFORE POSTING!
And n0w. . . what have you been cooking up lately? Please share!
Never miss a recipe–or a comment from The Girls! Click here to subscribe to Diet, Dessert and Dogs via email. (“We love subscribers, Mum. . . almost as much as we love treats!”).
Happy Thursday, everyone, and Happy Wellness Weekend! If you’re Canadian, it’s also Happy Thanksgiving! Whoo hoo! (And for all my American friends, hope you’re recovering from that first Presidential debate last night). Wishing all my Canadian readers a wonderful holiday weekend, filled with those who mean the most to you–and, of course, lots of yummy food!
There were lots of Thanksgiving-worthy recipes on last week’s event–so many squash and pumpkin dishes! I’m looking forward to seeing what y’all cook up this week as well, whether or not you’re celebrating this weekend.
Enter for a chance to win 25 products from Pacific Foods over at Spabettie! You’ll also find a wonderful recipe for Pumpkin Whoopie Pies (which I’ve just gotta make gluten free!). Enter here. Until October 17th.
Holistic Nutritionist Marni Wasserman is giving away a full year’s membership to her Fully Nourished Lifestyle program. This includes coaching, cooking classes and more. Click over to Marni’s site to learn the details and enter to win. Until November 5, 2012.
The Blender Girl is at it again! This month she’s giving away a Breville food processor and posting 31 days of vegan, gluten-free recipes. I’m loving all the recipes–and the look of that machine! Check out the event (and enter!) here. Contest is open all month.
Recipe testing is well underway for my upcoming cookbook and I couldn’t be more thrilled with the response of the testers! Thank you once again to everyone who volunteered–I truly wish I could have asked all of you to particiate. If you’re interested in what kinds of recipes will be in the book (and how well they turn out for regular folks), head over to the cookbook Pinterest page.
New! Now it’s even easier to share the news about Wellness Weekend on twitter–just click here. Spread the word about whole-foods, healthy, gluten-free and sugar free recipes!
Do you have a blog linky event, giveaway or other event you’d like me to mention? Send me an email with the details and I’ll include a few each week (depending on how many requests I get, I may not be able to include them all).
PLEASE DO NOT ADD YOUR GIVEAWAYS OR CONTESTS TO THE LINKYS BELOW–THEY ARE FOR RECIPES ONLY. I will list the events under “Newsy Tidbits” for you if you send me an email.
This Week’s Picks:
Here are some of my favorite links from last’s week’s Wellness Weekend on the theme of “Autumn Harvest.” If you like any of them, please feel free to pin them directly from these photos–just hover your cursor over the photo, then click on “Pin It”:
Green Beans and Carrot Subzi from Flip Cookbook. A lovely story and unique spice blend elevates this dish to somethig extraordinary!
And This Week’s Readers’ Choices:
Readers’ Choice, Savory:
Y’all went wild for these Hulk Hogan Veggie Burgers from Healthy Life Lessons. And who doesn’t love a good veggie burger?
Readers’ Choice, Sweet:
Pumpkin-Date Blondies from Gluten-Free Fabulous took the cake last week. With almost 130 clicks, you are all clearly in favor of seasonal pumpkin in this dessert!
Thanks for joining in and sharing all your healthy, sugar-free and vegan recipes. I love seeing what you whip up each week! And I hope you’ll also share on twitter and Facebook (there’s a new, shorter twitter hashtag, too, so you can write more about the food: #WWknd as well as the original #WellnessWeekend).
Here’s How to Participate:
The event occurs once a week, starting Thursdays at 8:00 PM my time and running until the following Monday at midnight.
Simply link up a vegan recipe you made (and posted about) that contains health-supporting ingredients. This means any good-for-you whole foods, especially those with antioxidant properties or “functional foods” (ie, offering naturally medicinal or health-promoting qualities–such as garlic, coconut oil, all vegetables, fruits, herbs, etc.)–but any fresh, real food is welcome!No-no’s include white flour or sugar, highly processed foods, or animal products. Items like vegan protein powder, grain or bean flours, or coconut milk are fine even though they are technically “processed,” since they either contain a single ingredient, or could technically be made at home. Also, if you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go!
This is a recipe event. Your blog post must contain a recipe.
You may link up older posts from your archives as long as they contain a link to this post. Please do not link up any posts you have previously shared at an earlier Wellness Weekend event.
Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page or another event page. The post must contain a recipe.
You may submit up to three recipes, but please follow the guidelines for each one individually. ONLY ONE THUMBNAIL FROM EACH BLOG POST, PLEASE.If your post contains two suitable recipes, link up once and people will still see all your fabulous recipes when they click on the linky.
Pleasemention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
Feel free to use the blog badge, above (or see the left sidebar of this page–if you need the html code, let me know and I’ll send it to you). Many thanks to Adrienne of Whole New Mom for setting up the badge code for me!
PLEASE NOTE: In order to promote your posts and the event, I like to occasionally tweet, mention on Facebook, or pin your blog post(s). On occasion, I will repost your photos in the following week’s Wellness Weekend as well. If you prefer that I NOT use your photos or links, please let me know in the comments below, or send an email to me at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom. Thanks!
I will reluctantly remove any links that don’t comply. I apologize, but I will no longer be able to leave a comment telling you that I’ve removed a non-compliant link. I hate to have to remove links! PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES BEFORE POSTING!
And n0w. . . what have you been cooking up lately? Please share!
Never miss a recipe–or a comment from The Girls! Click here to subscribe to Diet, Dessert and Dogs via email. (“We love subscribers, Mum. . . almost as much as we love treats!”).
To find out where you can purchase your own copy, or subscribe to the magazine, check the 
