You asked for it, you got it! A couple of days ago, I couldn’t decide which recipe to post here on the blog, so I polled readers on my Facebook page, and the votes were about two to one in favor of these savory veggie-lentil loaves! I must admit I was a bit surprised given my own love of sweets. For those new to an anti-candida diet or anyone who follows a dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free diet, this recipe will meet your dietary needs perfectly–and it’s here just under the wire for the holidays! In fact, it may just make an appearance on our own holiday table this year, we enjoyed it so much. And not to worry–the sweet option will show up next time. Thanks to everyone who voted!
As a rule, I must admit I’m not a huge fan of the concept of “mini” (unless you count mini skirts, which I adored in my 20s and 30s and wore fairly frequently). One of my friends in childhood collected those Wade figurines that used to come for free in boxes of Red Rose tea–tiny birds, rabbits, puppies, frogs, even flowers and plants, all painstakingly painted and glazed. They were cute, I supposed, but I would have been worried I’d lose them too easily; and really, I wondered what the heck one would do with them except perhaps count them and then place them back on the shelf (and these days, I’d wonder how the heck one would dust them all). When I was first introduced to a platter of petits fours at a party years ago, my initial impulse was to eat four or five of them to equal the same mass as one “full” piece of cake. (Miniature chocolates never interested me, either–obviously).
The HH does keep telling me that he thinks my car is far too “mini,” but I love it even if there isn’t quite enough room to house both my groceries andThe Girls in the back seat at the same time. (“We love it, too, Mum. And I don’t mind having to drive with my head resting on Elsie’s bum because of how crowded it is. . . it’s worth it if it means we get a drive to the trail!”).
Besides, my little vroom-vroom is a Bugatti Type 41 compared to the car I once rode in on a blind date. My friend Sterlin had fixed me up with her classmate’s brother. Mr. Bro drove up in a red Alfa Romea Spider, shook my hand, then rounded back to his side of the car without so much as a glance in my direction (despite the fact that I was wearing one of those aforementioned mini skirts). Had I not rushed to grab the handle and slide into the tiny seat, I daresay he would likely have driven off without me. We proceeded to have the shortest date on record (less than 45 minutes, including dinner, as I recall), and that was the last I ever heard from him. Despite the enormity of his ego, his car remains the smallest one I’ve ever seen.
But back to the loaves. An exception to my miniature-aversion, they won my heart (and stomach). While I will always adore my full-sizednut roasts, I wanted something a little more elegant for this recipe, something you could feel proud to serve to friends–or at a holiday dinner. They provide a rather impressive presentation with their verdant cloak of rich avocado-tahini sauce, inspired by a sauce made with an avocado-tahini combo in Nava Atlas’s latest cookbook. And since the serving size is already pre-determined, there are no awkward moments after starting to cut slices too thick and ending up with only a few paltry dregs left by the time you get to Aunt Agnes if she’s the last one served.
The loaves themselves are not another attempt at mock-meat, but rather a full-on, veggie-centric offering, moist and colorful with carrot, zucchini and fennel (if you’re not a fennel fan, you can use another veggie such as celery or even broccoli in its place; but do give the fennel a try. 2012 was my Year of Learning to Love Fennel, and I highly recommend it in this dish). The mild flavor of the loaves is perfectly complemented by the creamy, savory sauce.
And it may be a cliché to say, but the loaves are big on flavor despite their diminutive size. And clearly, they won the maximum number of votes among all of you, too.
Individual Veggie-Lentil Loaves with Warm Avocado-Tahini Sauce
Delicious, nourishing and comforting, these mini loaves are chock full of vegetables and high in protein. And they make a lovely presentation if you’re serving to guests at a holiday dinner. For a weeknight meal, you can bake in a regular loaf pan. This recipe can be easily doubled.
For the loaves:
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over to remove any small stones
1-1/2 cups (360 ml) vegetable broth or stock, plus up to 1/2 cup (120 ml) more, if necessary
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1 small or 1/2 large zucchini (4.5 oz or 125 g), coarsely chopped (you can leave the skin on)
1/2 medium fennel bulb, coarsely chopped
1/2 large white onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 large carrot, grated
1/4 cup (60 ml) quinoa flakes
1/3 cup (80 ml) garfava flour (or use chickpea flour)
Prepare the loaves: Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Spray 6 miniature loaf pans with nonstick spray, or grease with coconut oil. Set aside.
Place the lentils and broth in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer; cover the pot and allow the lentils to cook for 25 minutes, checking for doneness after 15 minutes or so. Once the lentils are soft and the liquid has been absorbed, turn off heat (if the liquid is absorbed before the lentils are cooked, add another 1/2 cup/120 ml broth and keep cooking).
In a large nonstick frypan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the zucchini, fennel, onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the carrot and quinoa flakes and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is golden. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Add the lentils to the processor and blend until well mixed but there is still a bit of texture from the vegetables (I made mine almost smooth, but a few flecks of carrot and zucchini were still visible). Transfer to the pans and smooth the tops of each.
Bake the loaves in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, until the tops are well browned. Allow cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto serving plates. Top with a spoonful of Avocado-Tahini Sauce and serve. Makes 5-6 mini loaves.
During the final 15 minutes while the loaves bake, make the Avocado-Tahini Sauce (you can make it before hand, but note that the color will darken as the sauce sits): In a small food processor, blender or Magic Bullet, blend together all ingredients. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until just warmed through. Spoon over lentil loaves and serve. This sauce is also terrific over pasta. Makes about one cup (240 ml).
Thanks to everyone who entered to win my trio of ebooks last week–and congratulations to Constance, who won! Whoo hoo! And don’t forget that the giveaway to win a series of 24 online cooking classes from Heather Nauta continues until tomorrow!
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!”)
[Have you been over to yesterday's post to enter the giveaway yet? Heather is giving away a full series of her online cooking classes--that's 24 classes!! Plus bonus materials galore. Go ahead and enter--but then come back here for this fantastic recipe!]
[These burgers were so good, I actually tried to learn PicMonkey for them! What do y'all think--too basic? Yea or Nay to the superimposed caption?]
Although Toronto is renowned as a multicultural city, one of the few culinary chasms is Mexican food. Oh, sure, there are Mexican restaurants here and there, but they are far outnumbered by Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Malaysian, Thai, Hungarian, Ethiopian, Fusion, and about 47 other cuisines I can’t think of at the moment. Then again, since Toronto is pretty much across the continent (about 3700 kilometers or 2300 miles) from Mexico, the scarcity makes some sense.
When The HH and I were first dating, we seemed to land at one particular Mexican place called Hernando’s Hideaway fairly often. Dim, cavernous, and located below street level, it’s one of those “great place to meet a paramour” dive-cum-bars that’s frequented by univesity students, coworkers on Thursday evening, out-of-towners, and. . . .the HH and me. It was the type of establishment where the quality of the food is often masked by the poor visibility, like a stop sign that suddenly seems to jump out at you if you drive in a snowstorm.
The HH and I, however, loved it there. We’d sit in a just-wiped vinyl booth beside the dark, unreflective walnut paneled walls, gazing at each other with newfound infatuation as we shared fully loaded nachos with guacamole, refried beans smothered in cheese, burritos, carafes of intensely dark red wine (ah! I remember the days of wine. . . ), and whatever else struck our fancy. Despite the dim surroundings (perhaps it was the starry look in our eyes that illuminated the tabletop), we’d savor every mouthful. Of course, none of it was authentic–bordering on fast-food, in fact–and we’d likely turn our noses up at the fare today. But back then, it served to ignite a love of Tex Mex cuisine (and got our own romance moving along in the process).
[My burger, with dijon, sauerkraut, sprouts and sriracha on a gluten-free bun.]
I don’t usually post Mexican dishes precisely because I have so little experience in that area, but these burgers are a bit of a fusion dish that evoked a pleasing taste of the southwest right here in my wintery Toronto kitchen. This is one of three burgers that Heather offers in her cooking classes (a full series of which I am giving away here!). These burgers were incredibly easy and quick to prepare, and I loved that they were baked rather than fried (though Heather does offer instructions for pan-frying, too).
The hardest part was waiting for them to cook, as the aroma of browning onion and chili wafted through the kitchen. Once done, they provided a perfect sandwich filling with a crispy exterior and moist, robust inside. Not overly spicy, they were nonetheless incredibly flavorful. I enjoyed mine in a gluten free bun from Aidan’s; the HH used a wholegrain bun and added a sprinkling of cheese over his sauerkraut and sprouts.
As we munched away happily, the conversation went something like this:
Ricki: How do you like it?
HH: Oh these are pretty good [chew chew]. Actually, these are really tasty [chomp, chomp]. You know, these are delicious! I really like these [masticate, masticate]. You should make these again! [Gets up to serve himself another--bun, cheese, sprouts and all.]
Well, whenever I hear the triumvirate of “good, tasty, delicious” from the otherwise reticent HH, I know I’ve got a winner on my hands!
Whether or not you’ve liked Tex Mex food in the past, I hope you give these burgers a try. They’re a perfect quick dinner that may just ignite a little spark of North American-Mexican fusion love in you, too.
Spicy Black Bean Burgers
reprinted with permission from Healthy Eating Starts Here
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (14 oz can, or 1/2 cup dried beans fully cooked)
1-2 tsp chili powder1/4 tsp sea salt or Herbamere, to taste
The beans must be fully cooked before you begin. Soak them overnight (8 hours) in lots of water, then drain and rinse. Add enough water to cover them by 2 inches, and gently boil them with NO salt. You can add a bit of kombu (seaweed) to the cooking water while they boil for improved digestibility. Black beans will take about 1-2 hours to cook. If you’re using canned beans, just drain and rinse them. If you can find a can that doesn’t use salt, that’s ideal. The burgers will have better texture if you let the beans dry out a bit in a strainer.
You can either pulse the vegetables and parsley in a food processor, then add the beans to lightly pulse, or mash the beans and stir in the grated/chopped veggies if you don’t have a food processor. A blender won’t work because it needs liquid to puree.
Stir in the nut/seed butter and spices (or pulse in the food processor) to combine, then the rolled oats. You may want to add more nut/seed butter for stickiness or rolled oats for texture and dryness. Taste for seasoning, and add salt to bring the flavors together.
Form the mix into burger shapes. Lay them on a baking sheet (ideally lined with parchment paper so they don’t stick), and bake for 30-40 minutes at 300-350 degrees F.
You can also fry the burgers to cook them more quickly. Add a bit of oil to the pan and cook about 10 minutes on the first side. Flip, and cook another 5-7 minutes.
[Note: I am an affiliate for these cooking classes. If you purchase the classes by clicking through a link on this blog, I will receive a small commission, which will go back into maintaining this site.]
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 Thanksgiving to all my American relatives and friends! I know that Thanksgiving is an important day in the US, and I’ve been excitedly reading about all my friends’ preparations and yummy menus (and wish I could join all of you!). Even though we celebrated here in Canada last month, I am reminded today of how grateful I am for all the wonderful friends I’ve met–both in person, and virtually, just because I thought to start a little food blog over four (!) years ago.
Thanks to all of you who have touched my life in such a positive way because of DDD! And thank you for joining up with Wellness Weekend, and for all your continued support (even though I have been scarce on the blog lately!).
Newsy Tidbits
The news list is small this week–looks like the holiday busy-ness has already begun, with so many of us focusing on other things! But here are a few highlights:
My friend Shirley has just launched a new gluten-free website, All Gluten-Free Desserts--all the time! On this new site, you’ll find every kind of gluten-free dessert you can dream up. It’s a one-stop shop for sweet treats of all types, all gluten-free. And many thanks to Shirley for including some of my recipes on her site!
Maggie of She Let Them Eat Cake is giving away TWO boxes of Beanitos chips–vegan and gluten-free, made without corn. For more info or to enter, skip over to Maggie’s blog. Ends November 24th.
Confused about the many alternative sweeteners out there? I weigh in on all the different kinds in my latest Fitalicious post. Would love to know what you think!
Let’s connect on social media! If you like DDD, you can keep up with recipes, health information, news and dog-related tidbits on Pinterest, twitter and Facebook! I’d love to see you there.
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 for links on the theme, “learn something new!”:
Spanish Tortilla from Wing-It Vegan. I love the way River repurposed veggies in this dish! I wasn’t familiar with this recipe, but I sure do love the sound of it. YUM.
How to make the perfect green smoothie from Farmer’s Market Vegan. Sure, I know how to make a green smoothie–but I love these extra tips and tricks that Ali provides!
Raw Soaked Granola from Gluten-Free Cat. Would you believe I’ve never made a raw granola? This one looks like the perfect starter recipe!
And This Week’s Readers’ Choices:
Readers’ Choice, Savory:
Perfect Thanksgiving Stuffing from Tessa the Domestic Diva. True, Thanksgiving has now passed. . . but save this one for Christmas!
Readers’ Choice, Sweet:
Allergy-friendly Pumpkin Pancakes from Allergy-Free Test Kitchen. It’s no secret my favorite meal is breakfast–and I do love me a good pancake! These would make a perfect brunch.
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!”).
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!”).
Welcome back to Wellness Weekend! If you’ve been wondering what that strange, high-pitched, jagged noise has been the past week, it was me, wailing about the cooler weather. Did I really think our glorious summer this year would last forever? (We can all hope for miracles, right?). Still, I do love all the fall produce, and I suppose I must admit that bulky sweaters can be pretty. So onward we go!
There was an amazing lineup of recipes last week, and I can’t wait to share the top picks and faves. But first, news!
Newsy Tidbits
Tonight’s your LAST CHANCE to enter to WIN A YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION to Simply Gluten Free Magazine! This beautifully photographed lifestyle magazine for anyone with food sensitivities, allergies or special diets (and that includes vegan, of course!) will launch in November, just in time for the holidays. Enter to win a free subscription, or buy one for a friend! (And I’ve been LOVING all your comments and suggestions for the magazine!!).
Not one, but two separate giveaways for Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil this week! If you’ve ever tasted this wonderful product, you know it’s the gold standard for coconut oils (you can check out my original review here.). This week, both Sensual Appeal and Anne Marie Cain are giving some away! Click on the links to enter (but quick–one ends Sunday and the other ends Monday!).
Are you on Pinterest? It’s another great way to keep track of recipes you love. Please join me there! I’ve also just created a new board to showcase recipes from my upcoming cookbook–the recipe testers and I will be adding photos on a regular basis.
How do you feel about affiliate links? These are the product links I’ve added toward the bottom of the right sidebar. As with anything I recommend on the blog, these are items that I actually use or have used myself and can wholeheartedly endorse. If you end up purchasing something after clicking on one of the links, you’ll also help support DDD, as I will earn a small commission from the sale. Eventually, I’ll be adding these to a custom “store” page on the blog, where they will join my full list of favorite products. Do you find them useful? Annoying? Are you indifferent? I’d love to hear your feedback.
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 “on the side” (and please feel free to pin any of them directly from these photos–just hover your cursor over the photo, then click on “Pin It”):
Pav Bhaji Sloppy Joes from Vegan Richa feature a veggie base and Indian spices. Delicious!
Readers’ Choice, Sweet:
A healthy twist on Raisin Oatmeal Cookies from Allergy Free Alaska was your top choice this week. And no xanthan or guar gum!
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.” 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!”).
Sometimes, the oddest combinations of ingredients result in some of the most delectable dishes you’ll ever eat. (Please, someone, tell the HH that this principle doesn’t apply equally when rummaging through the closet the morning before laundry day. Brown and green striped shirt combined with navy blue corduroys and black dress shoes does not a brilliant ensemble make.).
Today’s recipe was developed due to the overabundance of produce in my back yard–basil and jalapenos, to be exact. For the first time ever, my basil just refuses to stop growing (it’s sort of like the Jack Nicholson of basil plants). I am not complaining, believe me. I could eat pesto every day for the next three months and be happy.
[Jalapenos 4-ever.]
The jalapeno plant shooting toward the sky like Jack’s beanstalk* was a bit more of a surprise, however. Last year’s plant yielded about a dozen jalapenos all season. This year, I pick a dozen peppers almost daily, and seems the very next time I glance in its direction, the stems have sprouted a dozen more peppers suspended from the branches, swaying like crystal teardrops from a ballroom chandelier.
I love jalapenos (and the über-frugal hausfrau in me loves saving all that money by growing my own even more), but what to do with 24 jalapenos?? (I am going to try these poppers next. The ones I already made, with homemade hemp goat cheese, were so hot I couldn’t feel my lips for an hour after the first bite. Note to self: remove seeds next time).
[Just look at that creamy avocado-basil action!]
I thought about what to cook. I thought about my burgeoning basil and my proliferating peppers. I thought about the remnants of potato, radish and avocado in my fridge drawers**. I thought about the fact that summer–despite my earnest, protracted entreaties to the Weather Gods and my eardrum-shattering wails of despair ricocheting throughout our house this past weekend when the temperature plummeted to 10C/50 F at night (sorry about that, Girls–I know your ears are delicate)–is on its way out. (Why, oh why can’t I live somewhere where there is no winter? Oh. Right. That would mean moving.).
The cooler temperatures may herald the end of BBQ season, but a good, warm potato salad is never out of place. This recipe combines my love of roasted potato (both white and sweet), my surplus of basil and at least a bit of the jalapeno along with a variation on my original avocado pesto dressing, and–optionally–crumbled tempeh bacon. When gently mixed together, the potato chunks are bathed in the smooth, garlicky pesto dressing, the sweet potato offering a perfect counterpoint to the starchy red-skins. The whole thing is punctuated by just the right amount of crunch from the radishes and a residual heat from the jalapeno. And if you love tempeh bacon as I do, the crumbles contribute a smoky accent that harmonizes beautifully with the salad’s more prominent flavors.
[Even on Day Two, still delicious. Here sprinkled with tempeh bacon crumbles.]
I just loved this salad. I’ve eaten it four times in the past week, and each time have welcomed it on my plate with good cheer and a hearty appetite. If you like unusual flavor combinations and are looking for a new twist on classic potato salad, I’d highly recommend you give it a try. If not, just try adding a bit of chocolate and see how it works out.
** Nope, not a typo. If you pop your avocados in the fridge the day before they are perfectly ripe, they will keep for another week in the refrigerator without going bad. Remove from fridge, bring to room temperature, and voilà–perfectly ripe avo.
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1 Tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) dijon mustard
3 drops plain liquid stevia
1 medium just-ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
1/2 small jalapeno pepper, minced
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) water, to your taste
fine sea salt, to taste
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, toss the white potatoes with one Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and sprinkle lightly with fine sea salt. Spread out in a single layer on one of the cookie sheets. Next, toss the sweet potato with the other Tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and sprinkle lightly with fine sea salt; spread in a single layer on the other cookie sheet (you want to keep the two types of potato separate, as they will cook at different rates and will have to be removed from the oven at different times). Bake 20-30 minutes, until the potatoes are just soft and remove from the oven as ready; the sweet potato will likely be cooked first. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, place the radishes and green onions in a large salad bowl and set aside. Once the potatoes are ready, add them to the bowl.
Prepare the dressing: In a mini food processor or Magic Bullet, place the basil and garlic and process until the basil is finely chopped. Add remaining dressing ingredients and continue to process until a thick, creamy texture is achieved (add water until desire thickness is reached; I like it similar to mayonnaise). Add the dressing to the bowl and gently toss to coat the potatoes. If desired, sprinkle with tempeh bacon and toss again. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 4 generous servings. Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
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!”)
It was my first visit to this holistic practitioner, and I knew from the outset it was the place for me. Shutting out the mid-day hubbub of Toronto’s Yonge Street behind me, I swung open the heavy oak door; inside, there was a comfortable hush in the air, like padding through a field of snow. The receptionist smiled and led me to the plush waiting room where I was offered a cup of freshly brewed ginger tea (Why yes, I’d love some, thanks.). With its deep, cushy sofas, fireplace and infusion of natural light, the room felt like the kind in which I’d be comfortable meditating, or napping, or sinking into a juicy novel.
When it was my turn, I followed the assistant upstairs to the examination room, where she offered me a parrafin wax treatment: one at a time, my hands were immersed into a basin of liquid, lavender-scented wax, caressing my fingers in soothing warmth before the assistant blanketed them in thick terrycloth mitts. Throughout the actual appointment, the doctor explained each procedure and the rationale behind it; at each step of the way, she asked if it was all right to proceed (it was). After about an hour in the chair, I was sad to learn I’d miss the usual final step in the procedure–a complimentary reflexology treatment–as the reflexologist was on vacation that week (Darn!Well, next time.).
I left the office feeling relaxed and pampered, yet impressed by the knowledge, compassion and professional care of the staff. You know, it almost makes me want to head back to the dentist again as soon as I—
What?! Did I just say, “THE DENTIST”?
That’s right, folks. That was a dental appointment. Yep, I’m pretty sure I can get behind this whole “holistic dentistry” thing.
After all of your advice, commiseration and feedback during my Ordeal Number One (the Ordeal of the Root Canal) over the past couple of weeks, I decided to pursue the holistic route. For that, I thank you. And thanks, too, for all the links and information you imparted that led me to this new dentist. At this point, since my pain has subsided substantially and the root is apparently still alive, her best advice is to wait and see, and re-visit in a month or so–so that’s what I’m going to do.
I’m sorry to say that our little Chaser did not have an equally positive experience during her recent appointment at the Vee Eee Tee last week (note to non-dog owners: certain words, like W-A-L-K, or T-R-E-A-T, or the aforementioned V-E-T, must always be spelled out to avoid evoking a canine reaction that can instantly escalate from “happy and alert” to “your sofa has just been ripped into forty-seven pieces.”).
Although our Vee Eee Tee is, herself, extremely warm, knowledgeable and accomplished in her field, none of that means anything to our wee one, who has suffered dread fear ever since her first N-A-I-L trim. At her annual appointment last week, I fairly had to drag her into the examining room, after which she cowered under the table until the Vee Eee Tee and her assistant coaxedencouragedbribed hauled her out for her shots. It pained me to cradle Chaser’s little head, pupils large as stormclouds, as the Vee Eee Tee administered the rabies vaccine (at which, ironically, Chaser didn’t even flinch; she didn’t feel a thing).
Oddly enough, as I remarked to the Vee Eee Tee, her office is the only place where our Girls literally swap personalities for a time: Elsie, normally as laid back as a hung over surfer snoozing on the beach, transforms into a prancing, whining, leaping spitfire even as we approach the building; while Chaser, normally the epitome of “In Your Face,” trembles uncontrollably, her ears plastered against her head, tail curled so far under her belly that it almost peeks out from her collar, in an effort to evade the N-A-I-L trimmer.
["Mum, you exaggerate. I wasn't cowering under that examining table. . . I was, er, um. . .trying to hide this geeky pink bandage. Yeah, that's right. . . I mean, you should have known that all the cool kids at the doggie daycare wear yellow, Mum. ]
Once we finally returned home from the ordeal, I found myself craving comfort food (preferably something easy to cook and not too hard on the teeth). For the HH, pizza is the quintessential convenience food; but for me, pizza means a homemade crust that is almost never quick to make. Then I remembered a recipe I’d seen almost a year ago on Oh She Glows, for these Quinoa Pizza Balls (unfortunately, I could no longer find the recipe on Angela’s site). Not only quick and easy, they’re also bite-sized so you don’t have to worry about eating half a pizza at one sitting (totally hypothetical example, you understand).
I was enjoying a plate of pizza balls and salad within about half an hour, and let me tell you, they were good. Crispy exterior with a soft, moist center, and a definite flavor of a traditional Margherita pizza (minus the mozzarella, of course), they were just what I needed that afternoon, as The Girls and I recovered from Ordeal Number Two (the Ordeal of the Vee Eee Tee).
“Mum, the pizza balls were okay and everything, but I think I would have preferred that reflexology treament.”
The simplicity of these balls belies their complex flavors. The pairing of fresh basil and tomato paste here is truly evocative of pizza. These make a great party appetizer or main course alongside a crisp salad.
2/3 cup (160 ml) quinoa, dry
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable broth or stock
2 cups (480 ml–one 19-ounce/400 ml can) cooked white or red kidney beans
10-15 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) dried oregano
1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh parsley, chopped
2/3 cup (160 ml) tomato paste
3-5 drops plain stevia liquid, to your taste
garlic salt, to your taste
If your quinoa is not pre-rinsed, rinse well and drain. Bring the broth to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Add quinoa, lower heat to simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Check the quinoa; if the liquid is not yet absorbed, cover and cook for 5-10 minutes longer, until the liquid is absorbed and quinoa is softened. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mash the beans with a potato masher or large fork until almost smooth (but leave a little texture). Add remaining ingredients, including quinoa, and, with clean hands, knead the “dough” to combine well.
Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, scoop the mixture and roll into balls. Place on cookie sheets and bake in preheated oven 25-35 minutes, rotating the pans about halfway through, until the balls are dry and well browned on the outside. Serve immediately, or store in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Makes about two dozen. May be frozen.
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!”)
[Sometimes, you just want a dish that's quick and easy--no fuss. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so simple to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
[See that mound of bean butter? You can eat it all--no guilt!]
Here’s a sentence you don’t relish hearing too often: “I’m afraid you’re going to need a root canal.”
I know; for most normal, psychologically balanced adults, having a root canal is considered a necessary evil: like having to stop at a highway truckstop to use the bathroom, or hiring the gum-snapping, grammatically incorrect babysitter that the kids adore, or dying your hair over 40–well, you don’t like it, but you can live with it. Case in point: when the HH had to have a root canal a few months back, he took off work early, sat in the dentist’s chair watching Under the Tuscan Sunon the ceiling screen for an hour or so, then came home and chewed a bit gingerly for an evening or two before forgetting about the entire thing. No fuss, no muss.
I, however, had a slightly different reaction to that statement when my dentist tersely informed me he’d have to dig out the still-live root of my tooth (which tunnels down into my jaw bone), pack it with cement and non-elastic latex materials, possibly insert a metal rod for stability, then cover the entire thing with a metal-and-ceramic cap (or “crown”). Yep–just as in pretty much every other realm of our lives, when it comes to our philosophy of dental care, HH and I are total opposites. (Seriously. Oscar and Felix have got nothing on us. Oscar and the Cookie Monster–well, maybe.).
[Beautiful--all on its own.]
You see, the HH is 6’1″ (about 185.5 cm) tall, while I’m a mere 5’4.5″ (almost 164 cm)–though, according to the HH, my voice makes me seem taller. (Go figure.) When we first met, I was a quintessential Type A: über organized, punctual, adhering to a strict daily schedule (set out in 15-minute increments); I’d normally wake at at 5:45 AM, planned what I’d wear the night before (to save time), brown bagged it every day (and filled that bag the night before–to save time), organized my linen closet and alphabetized my spices. (Okay, perhaps those habits were a tad anal, now that I think about it; but when you live alone, these quirks do tend to assert themselves).
On the other hand, if there were such a thing as Type Z, that would be the HH. He would prefer to stay up until 2:00 AM and sleep in until noon; never make plans more than 45 seconds in advance; and eat in restaurants every day (in fact, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, he once lived in an apartment for two years and only once turned on the stove). Of course, he’s responsible when it comes to his job and taking care of The Girls, but otherwise, he just lets the breeze move him in any way he feels like it otherwise. Plans to go shop for a new kitchen set for our dinner party tomorrow? But this symphony on the radio isn’t over for another 107 minutes. Supposed to mow the lawn this weekend? Aw, forgot I needed a haircut and then got lost browsing at the bookstore. That meat cleaver just fell off the table and wedged itself into his big toe? It’ll have to wait. I’m still sipping my latte and reading the New York Times.
Yet somehow, despite our contrary personalities, our union seems to work. Not coincidentally, we’ve had many a spirited discussion in which we disagree about finances, politics, how best to discipline The Girls (“What do you mean, Mum? Aren’t we angels who never need disciplining?“), best vacation spots, whether his plaid shirt really does go with those tan cords–in other words, pretty much everything.
[A perfect Sunday brunch.]
Including, that is, my suggested root canal. A few weeks ago, I began to notice a deep, sometimes excruciating toothache, and extreme sensitivity to very cold foods; of course, I visited my dentist immediately. Now, I’m not one of those patients who’s afraid of needles, or who trembles any time the dentist’s drill approaches my face; but after having read this article only a week or two before on mercola.com, the dentist’s proclamation threw me into a tailspin.
Rather than make a hasty decision, I sought out a second opinion; in other words, I did exactly what the HH didn’t, and uncovered a bitsomea lot a boatload of research; I polled you all on twitter and Facebook; and I set up an appointment with not one, but two holistic dentists so I could weigh my options. (As you might suspect, the HH thinks I’m daft. His response? “Just go get the damn root canal and don’t worry about it.” My response? My immune system is burdened enough with candida and a slew of other chronic conditions, thank you very much; I don’t wish to add anaerobic bacteria to the list. And besides, I’ve already seen Under the Tuscan Sun.). Sometimes, I really do wish I were more like the HH. Sigh.
So, while I continue to chew over the matter (sorry, you knew I couldn’t resist that one, didn’t you?), I’ve been chewing very little else.
Enter this bean butter.
Some of you who’ve followed this blog for a while might remember when my immutable love of chocolate drove me to create this Chocolate Bean Butter, a rich, thick, softer, smoother, more quotidien version of the black bean fudge that made the rounds on Pinterest last week. I also loved the Carrot Cake Bean Butter I created for a guest post on Kelly’s blog. This cinnamon pecan toffee bean butter marries my love of nut butter and beans. And we all know how much I love my nut butters–there are no less than fiveseparateflavorsof thestuff on this blog already–but the calories and fat in nut butter can add up pretty quickly (I’m sort of an expert on that). With bean butter, you cut the fat virtually in half without losing any of the richness or flavor. You also bump up the fiber and protein quotient. It tastes like an indulgent treat, but bean butter triggers no remorse when I smear it thickly on a rice cake, or add a huge dollop to a stack of pancakes. It would also be fantastic as a filling rolled in crepes or used in a pinch as a frosting; just add a little extra milk and whip it up in the food processor to use atop cupcakes or sandwiched between cookies.
I absolutely adore this spread, and have been slathering it on pretty much everything lately; it’s been a lifesaver while I’m nursing my sore teeth. As it turns out, the HH wasn’t as much a fan as I was. Of course, given our natures, that didn’t surprise me in the least.
For all of you (or those with kids) heading back to school, welcome back! (Over here we start the day after Labor Day, which means I’ve got a short break before the next semester. Whoo hoo!).
Cinnamon-Toffee Pecan Bean Butter
This spread brings together some of my favorite flavors that I often use in cookies, blondies and bars. It’s a great topper for pancakes, muffins, or rice cakes, and would be delicious in a school sandwich as well, instead of peanut butter (for entirely nut-free, see recipe).
1 cup (4 oz or 115 g) raw or lightly toasted pecan halves (nut-free: use 3/4 cup/180 ml sunflower, pumpkin or hemp seeds; or 1/2 cup/120 ml smooth natural sunflower seed butter)
2 cups (480 ml) cooked kidney, romano, or white beans; rinsed and well-drained canned is fine, too (I used white kidney beans, navy beans, and Romano on different occasions; I like the romano best)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) cinnamon (or use less if you prefer–I like it cinnamony!)
fine sea salt
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
30-40 drops plain or vanilla stevia liquid, to your taste, or about 1/4 tsp (1 ml) powder
1/3-1/2 cup (80-120 ml) plain or vanilla rice milk, depending how soft you want the bean butter
Whir the pecans in the bowl of your food processor until they are broken down and almost pecan butter. Add remaining ingredients and blend until well combined and silky smooth, up to five minutes, scraping the sides occasionally. Taste and adjust the salt and stevia levels; blend again. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator (it will firm up a bit more when chilled). Will keep up to 5 days.
Suitable for:ACD All Stages and beyond, sugar-free, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, vegan, low glycemic.
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 to this week’s Wellness Weekend! Thanks for joining in and sharing all your healthy, sugar-free and vegan recipes. I love seeing what you whip up each week! And please feel free to share the event on twitter–I’ve shortened the hashtag to #WWknd so you can fit more about the recipe in your tweets!
As usual, there were loads of fabulous dishes linked in last week’s event. I think I need to take a week off so I can try all the things I’d love to make.
And wow–so many Newsy tidbits! I think this is the “Week of the Giveaway’ in blog land. So let’s get right to it, shall we?
Newsy Tidbits:
Simply Gluten-Free Magazine is here! Some of you may have seen my tweets or Facebook posts about this gorgeous new magazine by Carol Kicinski, the voice (and creative power) behind the blog of the same name. This high-quality print (with an online version as well) magazine will feature an abundance of recipes for gluten-free, allergy-friendlydiets plus tips for travel, the home, and more. And for those who are wondering, yes, there will be an entire section devoted to vegan recipes as well--edited byYours Truly!! Read the full press release here and visit the official website here.
The Raw Ice Cream Sundae Challenge continues at Sweetly Raw. Heather is giving away two prize packs for winning entries, too! Check out the current entries and enter your own here. The challenge closes on August 13th, so get those sundaes going!
And here’s a giveaway from Gluten-Free Find for Girlnola granola (yay! finally a granola I can eat!) plus a chance to attend a yoga retreat at the end of the month. Hop over to the site to enter–contest closes August 15th.
Amber at The Tasty Alternative is giving away FOUR bottles of the NuNaturals new flavored stevia!Enter to win the orange and lemon flavored sweeteners. I love stevia, and NuNaturals is my favorite brand–a great giveaway! Ends August 19th.
Raw Foodists Rejoice: over at The Blender Girl, Tess is giving away a 9-tray Excalibur dehydrator! You need to sign up to her newsletter to enter this giveaway (it’s free). Continues until the end of the month.
Finally, The Mega-Ebook Sale Continues–but ONLY UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH! If you haven’t yet taken advantage of the Mega Summer Ebook Sale to purchase any two of my ebooks for just $10.95 (and yes, that includes Sweet Freedom!), you’ve only got till the end of the month! The sale will end on August 31st, 2012. If you’ve ever thought about buying any of these ebooks, now is the time! Hop over to this page to check out the details and place your order.
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.
And now for this week’s picks! Here are some recipes that all feature no added fat or lower fat:
Oil-Free Basil Walnut Pesto from Veggies in My Freezer. Turns out you don’t need to add oil to your pesto at all!
And This Week’s Readers’ Choices:
Readers’ Choice, Savory: Totally Addictive Tali Sauce from Dishes and Dishes. What is tali sauce? I didn’t know, either. But if it’s totally addictive, you need to find out!
Thank youto every one of you who played along by submitting your recipes! I love seeing what you all make each week. I always look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with.
Please join us for Wellness Weekend this week! There are so many options for healthy foods. . . whether or not you’re vegan, remember that many salads, veggie side dishes, pasta dishes, desserts, smoothies, and more are naturally vegan and can all be included.
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 recipe you made (and posted about) that contains health-supporting ingredients (see list below). You may link up older posts from your archives as long as they contain a link to this post. Please do not link more than once to the same page from your blog.
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 more than one recipe, 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.
Please be sure to mention 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!
What your recipe CAN contain:
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! Items like vegan protein powder, grain or bean flours, or coconut milk are fine even though they are technically “processed.”
Natural sweeteners (coconut sugar, agave, brown rice syrup, maple syrup, stevia, Sucanat, rapadura, coconut nectar, yacon syrup, etc.)
Vegan ingredients (even if you’re not vegan, OF COURSE you can still play along! You’ll be surprised at how many foods are naturally vegan; and if not, there are many subs you can use for eggs, milk or butter–include vegan options and we’re good to go!).
Note that this is NOT AN ACD-ONLY EVENT. Any real food ingredients that are sugar-free and vegan are more than welcome–so use that maple syrup, those mushrooms, that nutritional yeast, miso, etc! I’m just looking for healthy, whole foods recipes.
What your recipe cannot contain:
White flour, white sugar, or any highly refined, highly processed ingredients (note that regular brown sugar is actually refined!);
Anything almost entirely artificial (ie, most boxed mixes, fast food, faux “cheese,” faux “meat,” or margarine, unnaturally colored cereals or other foods, etc.);
Animal products (meat, chicken, fish or seafood, or their by-products, gelatin, eggs, dairy, butter or honey).
“Hey! Why was my entry removed?”
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.
The most common reason entries are removed is because they don’t adhere to the guidelines:either they don’t contain a link back to this post, they contain ingredients that aren’t listed here, they link to another blog event, or they contain neither a recipe nor anything directly related to food preparation. If you render a recipe vegan-friendly by adding a vegan option to your ingredients, your post will be good to go! For older posts, you’re welcome to re-post them during the week of the event, or choose a newer recipe.
Another reason posts are removed is because the link leads to an advertisement or a business blog. Please do NOT link up posts that are merely referrals to a different post or the home page for another blog event.
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 treats!”)
