Diet, Dessert and Dogs

When I was an undergrad, I submitted a short story to the university literary journal, which was edited by my beloved mentor, John Ditsky (I guess on some level, since we’d already become friends by then and he’d always encouraged my writing, I kind of “knew” he’d publish the story). It was a tale about a 20-something university student who arrives home for the holidays, only to find that her parents don’t recognize her. She meanders through the house, frantically seeking signs that she’d once lived there, only to find none. No matter which childhood stories she relates, or which personal items she describes, her parents don’t seem to recognize her. Eventually, confused and hysterical, she crumples to the ground, pounding her fist on the floor like Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes, wailing, “But I’m your daughter! It’s ME, your daughter!! I’m your daughter. . . you know me. . . Oh, my God. . . ” and runs from the house, clearly having lost her sanity. In the last scene of the story, the mother turns to the father and asks, “Who was that young woman?” To which the father intones, “I have no idea.”

Continue reading Rutabaga Hash Browns. . .

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). . .

What was the inspiration for Wild About Greens? How did the book come about?

For a long time I kept the two paths pretty separate, but I find that my skills as a food writer, designer, and visual artist are merging, and they intersect in a number of ways. I used my experience in writing recipes to create Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife , a faux-1950s cookbook in which the “recipes” and altered ads comment on contemporary relationships and issues still faced by women. I’ve also started a series of artworks under the umbrella title of “Meat Science,” all of which comment on the ethical dilemmas and environmental disasters caused by animal agriculture — which ties in neatly with my vegan ethics. In my artwork, I like to use humor and irony to explore difficult subject matter.

[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).]

Some people love surprises. Me, I’m not a big fan of the unexpected. Well, let me rephrase that: I’m not a big fan of the unexpected when I’m the one being surprised.  If someone else, on the other hand, is treated to an unforeseen birthday party, or engagement ring, or earwig, well, then, I just lurve surprises!

Case in point: some of you will recall my snowbound trail-walk with the Girls a couple of weeks ago, which I reported on Facebook.  It was the afternoon following (yet another) snowstorm**, and I’d spent the requisite 27 minutes bundling myself in layers as protection from the cold: two pairs of socks; long underwear topped with thick corduroy pants; cotton undershirt under cotton turtleneck, under fleece-lined sweater.  On top of that, I added a pair of thick rubber galoshes, a padded ski jacket, a pair of thin gloves underneath a pair of thick gloves, a fleece hat topped with earmuffs for good measure, and my hood.  Oh, and let’s not forget my sunglasses, huge contraptions that I wear over my regular glasses (really).

Looking like some bizarre Alaskan zombie, I somehow managed to ease myself out of the car and waddle my way along the trail, which was still blanketed in pristine snow that had clearly not been trod by anyone else that day.

The Girls always love these walks, so I’m happy to provide them.  Besides, it’s kind of fun to watch Chaser scampering and leaping, bunny-like, through the snow whenever she’s off-leash. On that day, however, she was doing something different: not just leaping and prancing, but diving face-first into the snow, burying her entire head in it, over and over, at 2-foot (3/4-meter) intervals. Then she’d surface, nose covered in powder, sniffing the air as if a steak were sizzling nearby. What was up with that?  I couldn’t help but laugh as I recalled a documentary the HH had been watching a few nights earlier about foxes, who thrust their snouts into the snow in order to seize their prey.  How funny, I thought. Tee hee hee. . .

And then, it happened.  Chaser dove head-first into the snow and came up with. . . a mouse! A LIVE MOUSE.

IN. HER. MOUTH!!

What followed could have come straight out of a National Lampoon vacation movie. I started shrieking like a banshee: “Drop it! Drop it! DROP ITTTTTT!!!!” as I sprinted (well, more like shuffled, zombie-like) through the snow toward her, arms flailing like a flag in a hurricane.  And, to her credit, she did drop it.

The mouse stumbled across the path (by this time a bit wobbly), aiming to scoot back into its burrow.  By now Elsie had figured out something was afoot, and came charging; she too, grabbed the tiny rodent in her muzzle and held it aloft for me to admire, the mouse’s feet and tail flapping uncontrollably. And again, my horrified shrieking, “DROP IT!!!” as I leapt to grab The Girls’ collars and prevent any further nose-poking of the mouse across the snow. By now my voice was pretty hoarse and my face was pretty darned red.

But as I threw myself forward, I lost my footing and crashed down–thwack!–rather ungracefully onto the snow (luckily, the depth of the snow, combined with my natural padding “back there,” saved me from injury). Before I could regain my composure, the mouse went berserk, zig-zagging across my legs. All I can say is that I’m glad there was no one else around to see what ensued as I struggled to get up, legs jerking like loose wires in an electrical storm, still shrieking (shrieking even more!), still clinging for dear life to the Girls’ collars so they couldn’t dive in for Round Two.

Finally, with all three of us panting and our hearts racing, I steadied myself, once again upright and watched as the mouse ambled back to safety under the blanket of snow.  Frankly, I am still not sure which one of us was more traumatized by the experience.

So as you can see, I don’t react too well to unexpected, er, “visitors.” Needless to say, we won’t be back to that particular trail as long as the snow remains on the ground.

Now, when I receive an unexpected surprise from food, well, that’s a whole ‘nother story. This spread (or dip) came about, for instance, as a serendiptious discovery because we had run out of fresh produce. What with all the book edits, I’ve had not time for grocery shopping. (I know, boo hoo for me. Okay, cue violins). The only green ingredients left in the fridge were a few limp stems of fresh cilantro, half a cucumber from our CSA, half a lime and that neglected chunk of the HH’s brie cheese, cowering way at the back. I decided I’d create something based on all the nonperishable ingredients in the cupboard that I’ve been hoarding saving for a day just such as that one. I rooted around to find a can of black beans and some almond butter. I could work with that!

A quick whir in the food processor and my slightly unconventional black bean dip was made. We ate it with leftover corn chips from our previous nacho night along with the remnants of the cucumber. The following day (after a trip to the grocery store), I smeared it on a raw collard leaf, added grated carrot and sprouts, and had a fabulous raw collard wrap.  If you’re looking for a high-protein snack or light meal, this is a great recipe.

And–don’t let it surprise you–you may just discover that you love it.

** I’ve officially dubbed this  season “The Winter that Refused To Leave.” I mean, really, Mother Nature? This isn’t funny any more.

I’m linking this recipe to Megan’s Whole Food Fridays.

DDD READERS: It May Be Time To Update Your Subscription!

I know that many of you, like me, read your favorite blogs via Google Reader. Well, if that’s how you keep up with DDD, be warned that Reader is closing down as of July 1, 2013! (I know–boo hoo).

I am always so grateful for your visits and your comments on the blog and I don’t want you to lose touch! To ensure that you continue to receive notices whenever I add a new blog post–or to get updates on the new cookbook or other happenings here at DDD–you can easily subscribe via email.  That way, you won’t miss a thing!  Just click here to receive every new DDD post right in your Inbox.

Thanks so much for reading. (And if any of you know of other good readers to use instead, please share in the comments!).

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!”)

Last Year at this Time:  (gluten free; ACD  All Stages Stage 2 3 and beyond Maintenance)

Two Years Ago: Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies (gluten free; ACD Stage 3 and beyond)

Three Years Ago: Ten Things That Make Me Happy

Four Years Ago: Marvelous Maple-Flax cookies (gluten free; ACD  Maintenance)

Five Years Ago: Katie’s Creamy Aspara-Dip (gluten free; ACD  Stage 3 and beyond)

© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs

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 and The 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-sized nut 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.

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!”)

Last Year at this Time:  Mexican Spiced Black Bean Carob-Cranberry Cookies (gluten free; ACD  All Stages)

Two Years Ago: Last Minute Recipe Suggestions (gluten free; ACD All Stages)

Three Years Ago: Warm Butternut Salad with Chickpes and Tahini Dressing (gluten free; ACD All Stages)

Four Years Ago: Chocolate Macaroons in a Flash (not gluten free; ACD  Maintenance)

Five Years Ago: Cranberry Holiday Chippers Cookie (not gluten free; ACD  Maintenance)

© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs

[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.

[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!”)

Last Year at this Time: Mexican Spiced Black Bean Carob-Cranberry Cookies (gluten free; ACD  All Stages)

Two Years Ago: Last Minute Recipe Suggestions (gluten free; ACD All Stages )

Three Years Ago: Warm Butternut Salad with Chickpeas and Tahini Dressing (gluten free; ACD  All Stages)

Four Years Ago: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Butter (gluten free; ACD  Stage 3 and)

Five Years Ago: Quick and Easy Tofu Masala (gluten free; ACD  All Stages )

© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs

* AKA Cranberry, Pomegranate and Kale Detox Juice (but don’t tell anyone about the detox part)

[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).]

I know–right now, everyone else in the world is baking cookies, Pinning cookies, tweeting about cookies, posting cookies on Facebook, sharing cookie roundups or making cookies as gifts. . . and here I am offering you a JUICE.  Not only that, it’s actually a detox juice, which means it’s uber-healthy, too, what with all the antioxidants and chlorophyll it contains.

Man, that Ricki is a downer. (Yeah, and have you heard how she goes on and on about how much she hates winter, too? Whine, whine, whinge, whinge, ‘I can’t stand ice and snow, I loathe the cold, I hate the boots and mitts, blah blah blabbedy blah’? Seriously annoying.)

But wait!! Before you flit off to the next mega cookie blog, consider how great you’ll feel sipping on this lovely, fruity, naturally sweet concoction as you debate whether to bake up the Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies or the Chocolate Macaroons. Your desire to consume massive amounts of cookie dough will magically dissipate (well, maybe a wee bit) and you’ll be helping your body cleanse and prepare for the onslaught of heavy meals in the next few weeks–all at the same time.

When I whipped up this libation the other morning, it suddenly occurred to me that I have never posted a juice on this blog. How is that possible?? I drink freshly squeezed juice every week, sometimes several times. My usual veg/fruit beverage of choice contains kale, cucumber, carrot, beet, ginger, apple and lemon, with a garlic clove thrown in for antibacterial good measure (you don’t taste it in the final product) and a bit of whatever herb I’ve got in the house, usually cilantro or parsley. Over the years, I’ve ventured more into the “green” aspect of green juices and smoothies, so whereas I started with the ratio of fruits to vegetables weighing heavily toward fruit, these days I am happy with more alkalizing greens and the juice still tastes great to me.

The HH, unfortunately, won’t partake of my creations. He takes one look at the mucky green elixir, sniffs it tentatively, then declares, “It smells like grass. It reeks of cholorophyll! Ptewy!”.  (Silly guy doesn’t know what he’s missing).

With this juice, though, I endeavored to create something the HH would actually like, too, with a flavor profile that highlights the fruity components.  It still boasts some great detoxifying properties via the kale (which encourages the liver to excrete toxins and also provides minerals, vitamins and fiber); and the fruits add their own beneifts, with heart-healthy antioxidants called punicalagins via the pomegranate and proanthocyanidins from the fresh cranberries. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and cancer prevention, and the pear, apart from offering fiber and more antioxidants, is just plain yummy.

I adored this juice, which felt very seasonal and festive to me, and provided a great break from the massive quantities of baking I’ve been doing lately.  It’s naturally sweet, but if you prefer a sweeter drink, add the optional stevia.

Given the ingredients, you may be wondering, did the HH imbibe?  Well, yes, he did give it a taste, and even tentatively approved it.  “It’s good,” he said, but then stopped to lick his lips and reconsider.  “But it would be even better without the cholorophyll.” Next thing I knew, he was reaching for a cookie.

Bah. Humbug!

[And don't forget that the Progressive Dinner Party starts today--with a new course and recipe each day all week! The dinner begins with a recipe for an edible gift from our hostess, Hallie, over at Daily Bites. Head over to check out what's on offer today!]

“Mum, we really don’t get why you hate winter so much.  I mean, it feels perfectly balmy when you’ve got a permanent fur coat on. Play Time!”

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!”)

Last Year at this Time: Dog Day: The Results Are In 

Two Years Ago: Grain-Free Double Ginger Quinoa Scones (gluten free; ACD All Stages)

Three Years Ago: Stevia-Sweetened, Gluten-Free Blueberry Lemon Muffins (gluten free; ACD  3 and beyond)

Four Years Ago:  Dog Day: I’m FReE [Elsie finally gets the cone off after her surgery]

Five Years Ago: Mostly Raw Chocolate Truffles (gluten free; ACD  Maintenance)

© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs

It’s holiday season–and what works better at the holidays than a holiday PARTY?  My friend Cara is hosting a full month of festivities in the form of a Clean Eating Cocktail Party on her blog, with a new recipe for party food (you know–appetizers, finger foods, snacky stuff and yummy sweet treats) every day this month!

Well, today is my day to contribute to the buffet table! I decided to make something I’ve been dreaming up for a long while–these Coconut-Crusted Tofu Bites with Creamy Green Curry Dipping Sauce. I was served little appetizers on Chinese spoons a couple of years ago at a wedding, and I just couldn’t forget them. I combined my idea for this bite-sized fusion dish of crispy cubes of tofu and a creamy hot dipping sauce with the one-bite-per-spoon presentation and came up with one of my favorite appetizers of all time.

Please hop over to Cara’s blog for the recipe–and join the party!

 Other fun appetizers on the blog:

• Carrot Pâté
• Fava Bean Balls with Cranberry-Tomato Chutney
• Herb and “Feta” Polenta Appetizers
• Potato Bruschetta
• Quinoa Pizza Balls

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!”)

© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs

Every year, I spend pretty much the entire fall and winter whining, grumbling and griping about the weather (Oh, how I hate the cold! How I wish this season would just whiz by with no snow! How come we can’t have summer all year–boo hoo? And how are you supposed to wear those hats with the ear flaps, anyway??–etc., etc.).  Well, seems that so far this year, I’m getting my wish. It’s incredible how quickly the time is zipping by–winter will be over before you know it. Seems it was just Labor Day; then, all of the sudden, Canadian Thanksgiving; and now it’s almost American Thanksgiving. Before we know it, it will be Christmas–and my goodness, where have all the days gone??

Well, I suppose I have a valid excuse for that fleeting feeling this year.  What with a full course load at the college (we’re in the throes of final-stretch of the semester, with piles of essays and assignments to mark), a cookbook manuscript due in, oh, just a few weeks (gulp!!), cooking up new and tasty anti-candida fare every day, plus all the usual demands at home (“Now that you mention it, Mum, we have been feeling rather neglected these days. . . though taste-testing all your baked goods hasn’t been too bad“)–well, no wonder I feel as if I’ve been living in a time warp. Sort of like Young Joe gazing across the table at Old Joe and wondering how the heck he got there. (Okay, so that’s an obscure allusion.  But you should go see it–it really was a good movie. And I have such an old-lady crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt.).

Well, this faux tuna is pretty good exemplar of the types of foods I’ve been eating lately: quick and easy to prepare, even quicker and easier to eat (and it can be made portable, too–bonus points!).

As I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, I consider my mother to be a latent vegetarian. She didn’t eat meat, and she refused to touch the whole fish my dad sometimes brought home, that he’d been given as gifts from customers.

A major exception, however, was canned tuna. My mother would purchase only the “solid white” kind, mix it with an inordinate amount of mayonnaise for a mushy, white, gluey spread that she slathered on sandwiches or plopped over salads.  According to my mom, the white kind was the only kind that was edible, with its firm flesh and mild taste. At the time, I couldn’t understand why she’d eat it at all, since to me it was reminiscent of shredded cardboard–not that I had any true experience consuming shredded cardboard, of course. (“Mum, take it from us–and we do have experience eating shredded cardboard–there’s just no comparison with canned tuna.“). In retrospect, I imagine the reason she preferred that type was precisely because it didn’t taste anything like fish.

As for me, I prefer my tuna faux, in any case. I’ve already served up some yummy chickpea-based spread on this blog before, but this new recipe offered a terrific alternative that was both light and filling at the same time.  Unlike the more common versions, this recipe from the book Main Street Vegan by author Victoria Moran contains no legumes, but is nut-based instead.  I received a copy of the book last summer from the publisher, and have been meaning to write about it since (see what I mean about time zipping by?).

While the book does contain recipes, it is not a cookbook per se; instead, Main Street Vegan provides a reference source and guidebook for anyone who may be curious about, or interested in, adopting a vegan lifestyle, but is not sure where or how to begin. The book offers a balanced, non-preachy, informative and even keeled approach without proselytizing. As her publisher tells, us some of the topics covered in the book include:

• Figuring out what works for you as an individual, even if that means taking baby steps
• Saving money; being plant-based doesn’t have to mean spending your whole paycheck on Tofutti or Tofurkey
• Leaving diets behind and making peace with your body for keeps
• Making this work in real life: dating, raising kids, traveling, eating out, and getting along with people who just wish you’d eat some meat
• How a vegan diet changes the world for animals, and for people

Plus much more!  Each chapter ends with a recipe. This Faux Tuna made an appearance after the chapter, “Let Fish Off the Hook.”

This spread really does look a lot like “the real thing,” except this one is full of flavor and plant-based nutritional goodness as well–nothing at all fishy about that.

This recipe is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

“Mum, it may not be from a can, but this Faux Tuna still looks great to us–we’d love to taste-test some of this! I think you’d better let us deal with the leftovers. . . .I mean, you don’t want us to keep feeling neglected, now, do you?”  

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!”)

Last Year at this Time: Plumberry Sauce or Jam (gluten free; ACD Stage 2 and beyond)

Two Years Ago: Sweet Freedom’s Coconut Macaroons (gluten free; ACD maintenance)

Three Years Ago: Classic Waldorf Salad (gluten free; ACD Stage 2 and beyond)

Four Years Ago:  Chocolate Pecan Pie (not gluten free; ACD maintenance)

Five Years Ago: Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole (gluten free; ACD stage 2 and beyond)

© Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs

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 of Simply Gluten-Free Magazine and 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 magazine page.

• 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!

Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Cider from Practical Stewardship. Is there anything a slow cooker can’t do?

Rippled Raspberry Smoothie from Green Thickies. Such a lovely color, and look at that pretty swirl!

Shaved Carrot and Cranberry Salad from Gluten Free A-Z Blog. A great way to use the cranberries that are so abundant this time of year.

And This Week’s Readers’ Choices:

Readers’ Choice, Savory:

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower from Voodies. Love this creamy, low-carb potato sub.

Readers’ Choice, Sweet:

Maple, Almond Butter, Banana Cookies from Infectiously Optimistic. A great way to enjoy your cookies–sans grains!

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.

1. 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!
2. This is a recipe event. Your blog post must contain a recipe.
3. 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.
4. Please link the post with your recipe, NOT your blog’s home page or another event page. The post must contain a recipe.
5. 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.
6. Please mention this event and include a link back to this post so that others can find all the recipes posted!
7. 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!

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