The Girls having a little wrestle-fest in the back yard.
For someone who’s been without her mother for quite a long time (my mum died in 1991), I tend to think about her rather a lot.
Maybe it’s the little photo of her perched on my bedside table that I see every morning and evening. Maybe it’s the increasing resemblance to her face I spy in the mirror every day. Maybe it’s the way I still automatically scream out, “Maaa!!” whenever a stray bee or spider surprises me with its presence. Whatever the reason, nary a day goes by when I don’t think about my mom.
As I’ve observed my friends-who-are-mothers raising their children, I’ve come to appreciate more and more what my mother offered in the time we were together.
For the first few years after she died, I refused to acknowledge Mother’s Day. I’d deliberately make other plans that would divert my attention, such as going to a movie, attending a workout class (ah, the days of attending workout classes. . . !), or cleaning out the kitchen cupboards (ah, the days of cleaning out. . . anything).
More recently, though, I’ve learned to embrace the day wholeheartedly. After all, I’ve realized, anyone can celebrate mothers today, whether it be their own biological moms or moms of the heart.
I may not have children, but I have certainly felt the yanking of the maternal heartstrings any time one of my beloved Girls has been sick or injured. I’ve lived through vicarious motherhood, experiencing the traumas and frustrations of raising toddlers to youngsters to teens to young adults alongside my best friends who have children. And I’ve felt something akin to the love of a daughter, directed at dear relatives and friends who’ve shown me the affection and care much like that my own mom did way back when.
“Mum, sorry about that yanking of the heartstrings stuff. I hope it didn’t hurt.”
And so, for any of you who are mothers today, who have or had mothers, or who are close to a mother–here’s wishing you a very happy, loving, and joyful day. And don’t forget to let that mom know just how much she means to you, while she’s still around to hear it.
“Mum, you know how much YOU mean to us, right? I mean, who else can I poke with my wet nose every morning? And who would throw the Frisbee for me? And who would give me endless handfuls of treats if you weren’t here. . . . GULP! Mum, you’re not planning on going anywhere any time soon, are you? ARE YOU?”
[This post is part of an ongoing series of interviews with cookbook authors, bloggers, women entrepreneurs and home chefs whose work I enjoy and admire. If you've got someone in mind you'd like me to approach for an interview, please shoot me an email at dietdessertdogsATgmailDOTcom, or leave a comment here and let me know! And now, enjoy today's installment!]
Today I’m thrilled to share with you an interview with vegan cookbook author Nava Atlas, who runs the site VegKitchen.com, where you’ll find “Easy Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes, Tips, and Products for a Healthy, Plant-Based Lifestyle.” The popular site is a fantastic resource for all things vegan and vegetarian, from recipes to nutrition to raising veg kids and more.
Here’s your chance to learn a little more about Nava, as I had the opportunity to chat via email with her and ask a few questions about her new book and career recently. And be sure to enter the giveaway to win a copy!
What was the inspiration for Wild About Greens? How did the book come about?
The inspiration was my own hubby, who grew enough chard during the summer of 2010 to feed a small nation. Every time he came in with another big bunch, I freaked out. What to do with so much chard? I started searching for some ideas, and discovered that there hadn’t been a comprehensive book on greens since 1996. Added to my own culinary dilemma, I was aware of the growing craze for kale, and the idea for a book was born. Of course, now there are several books on kale alone.
Researching the book to make it comprehensive was a bit daunting, but testing the recipes was fun, and helped me to get to know several types of greens that I hadn’t had much experience with, including mustard greens and escarole. The variety of greens I grew to like more than I expected was collard greens; but I couldn’t warm up to dandelion greens at all. Greens are the best of addictions; I still use one or another or even several, pretty much every day.
You’re well known in the vegan community as a talented and prolific cookbook author. But many of your fans also know about your other talents as visual artist and writer. How would you say that these other interests have an impact on your work as a recipe creator or cookbook author?
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.
I’m also a completely bookish person and literature geek. Hence my book, The Literary Ladies’ Guide to the Writing Life. No real crossover there; it’s an area of interest (reading and writing) that’s fairly discrete. If your readers are interested in my creative pursuits outside the kitchen, my art site is here and Literary Ladiesis here .
[Collard-Wrapped Yellow Rice & Black Bean Enchiladas from Wild About Greens. Recipe coming up tomorrow!]
Which three recipes from the book would you recommend for people just getting started with dark leafy greens?
At the demos I’ve done to promote Wild About Greens, people just go crazy over the raw massaged kale salads. A couple of really simple ones are Kale Salad with Dried Fruits and Nuts and Kale Salad with Asian Flavors. Stir-Fried Collard Greens are a revelation, especially after the longstanding myth that they need to be boiled to death in order to be eaten. And like kale salad, they can be varied in any number of ways. I like to stir-fry them with napa cabbage or romaine lettuce for a great side dish.
For anyone just starting with greens, it’s always a good idea to start with the familiar; baby spinach is so widely available, versatile, and easy to use, raw or very lightly cooked. One simple recipe I like is Polenta or Grits with Spinach and Caramelized Onions.
What’s your most recent new food discovery?
It’s not exactly new, but within the last year or so, hemp seeds have become a staple in my kitchen. They’re a great source of omegas, good-quality protein, etc. and you can use them in or on pretty much anything.
What’s your next culinary project?
Harper One in San Francisco approached me with an idea for which they thought I’d be the right author: It’s titled Plant Power: How to Practically and Joyfully Transform Your Kitchen, Plate, and Life. It will be both a guidebook and a cookbook for people who want to adopt a plant-based lifestyle, starting with their own kitchen. The recipes will be vegan, of course, but we’re aiming for those who want to rethink their eating habits in a more plant-strong direction, even if they don’t go fully vegan. There will be a lot of tips and ideas for menu planning, shopping, kitchen organization, etc., in addition to the recipes. And it will be very visual and colorful, with photos by Hannah Kaminisky. This combination how-to guide and cookbook is due out mid-2014.
Thanks so much, Nava! It sounds like you’ve got more exciting projects on the way. I have no doubt that Plant Power will be another incredible book–one that I look forward to reading.
Stay tuned for a great recipe for Collard-Wrapped Yellow Rice and Black Bean Enchiladass (pictured above) from Wild About Greens on the blogtomorrow. I’ll also be giving away a copy, so be sure to COME BACK AND ENTER THE GIVEAWAY to win it!
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!”)
When you think of Valentine’s Day, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it:
A) Flowers? Or perhaps
B) Chocolate? No? Then maybe
C) A sugar-free recipe? Or how about
D) A healthy dessert recipe? If not, is it
E) A cookie dough recipe?
Well, if you guessed “All of the above,” you’d be correct about these Black Forest Cookie Dough Truffles I’m sharing with you all today over at Attune foods (except for the “flowers” part, that is). And, true to form, they’re refined sugar-free and have a lower glycemic index than “regular” desserts, too.
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, I’m a chocolate gal, all the way. And if you serve up chocolate in the form of raw cookie dough—ideally, dipped in even more chocolate—well, then I’m truly in heaven.
To share in the chocolate love, just head over to the Attune Foods blog to see today’s recipe. Happy Valentine’s Day!
As we prepare to bid adieu to 2012, I can only marvel at how quickly the year has passed. . . and am ever so grateful for all of the wonderful things that have come my way this past year. And as always, all of you are right near the top of the list.
Wishing every one of you a glorious transition to the new year and a 2013 filled with health (including lots of healthy food!), loving family and friends, and meaningful work that makes you smile every day.
I’m looking forward to what the new year will bring–and looking forward to sharing more of it with all of you!
“We’re looking forward to the new year, too, Mum. . . more of the blog means more camera time for us! We’re ready for our close-ups. . . “
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Merry Christmas to all of you who are celebrating today! I hope that Santa brought you something magical.
And to all DDD readers, I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for being such an integral part of Diet, Dessert and Dogs. Your wonderful comments and emails, your suggestions, opinions, questions–and, of course, your continued support of this blog–are why I keep coming back to this space with enthusiasm and curiosity. I can’t wait to see what this next year brings.
I wish you all a healthy, happy, love-filled holiday season spent with the people (and animals) who mean the most to you. In our house, that means these two get to chillax by the fireplace today and be spoiled by Mum and Dad.
“Mum, the chillaxing part sounds good, but having this blanket over our heads isn’t exactly relaxing. . .delicate dog ears, and all that. . . . though we do appreciate the fireplace.”
“Ah, yes, much better, Mum. This will allow us to focus more on the ‘be spoiled by Mum and Dad’ part. So where are our treats presents?”
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!”)
And don’t forget about today’s giveaway–see bottom of post for details and to enter!
I wanted to create something really spectacular that would “wow” your guests while still providing healthy, whole-foods ingredients in a gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan (of course) recipe. I’ve always been a fan of tiramisu, but on the anti-candida diet, I can’t have coffee, alcohol or sugar, all of which figure prominently in the classic recipe.
After searching high and low for frozen cherries a few months ago, I went a little wild and bought two 2-kilo (4.4 pound) bags. With lots of leftover cherries screaming out for use, I knew I wanted to somehow incorporate them in this recipe. But how? Then I remembered a frequent interaction I have with the HH. Whenever I offer him a brownie or cookies for dessert, his response is always an indignant, “That’s not a real dessert. A real dessert is light and creamy.”
Bingo!!
Thank you, HH, for hitting on the “light and creamy” motif. To me, a classic light, creamy dessert is tiramisu.
Obviously, this dish isn’t “authentic” in that there is no such thing as fruit flavored tiramisu according to classic pastry chefs. However, just like the traditional dessert, this one features liquid-soaked, golden cake with a layer of rich, silky smooth “mascarpone” between the layers. I’ve also added soft, juicy black cherries as part of the decadence, and pomegranate arils for garnish (I’m on a pomegranate kick lately, obviously, but you can use cranberries, cherries, or more cream–whatever strikes your fancy).
This really does taste over-the-top good, the kind of dessert that anyone, gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free or not–will love. In this case, the HH happily accepted a big slice after dinner the other night. . . and then another. I guess this one passes the “real dessert” test with flying colors!
Dark Cherry Tiramisu
This is a true make-ahead dessert, leaving you lots of time to interact with guests at your party. In fact, this tiramisu must be made no sooner than the morning before you want to serve it (24 hours in advance is ideal). You can then cut it into squares and leave plated in the fridge, ready to pull out at a moment’s notice and serve your guests (or cut just before serving). The mascarpone will soften somewhat at room temperature, though, so serve the tiramisu chilled.
1-3/4 cups (230 g) Ricki’s All Purpose Gluten-Free flour mix (or 1-3/4 cups/420 ml another AP-GF flour; use volume measure, not weight, if using another type of flour)
cherries, cranberries or pomegranate arils for garnish
Make the mascarpone: Chill the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours (no cheating on this one!). This will allow the natural “cream” in the milk to rise to the top and solidify at the top of the can, leaving the thin coconut “water” at the bottom.
Flip the can upside down and open it from the bottom using a can opener. Carefully pour the water into a glass measuring cup (you should have about 1/4 cup/60 ml coconut water; if not, add water or milk to make 1/4 cup) and reserve the water for your cake batter! Set aside. Using a spoon or firm spatula, scoop out the solid cream and place in a blender. Add to the blender bowl the cashew butter, lemon juice, vanilla, lemon zest and stevia. Blend until perfectly smooth and creamy. Sprinkle with the xanthan and blend until combined. Set aside.
Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square pan with parchment, or spray with nonstick spray. Also line an 8- or 9-inch (20.5 cm or 22.5 cm) loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut sugar, orange juice and soy milk and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the flax seeds, reserved coconut water, stevia, oil, vanilla, orange extract and vinegar and stir well. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and whisk to combine; do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake in preheated oven for 22-27 minutes, rotating the pan once about halfway through, until the top is deep golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely; to hasten the process, place the slightly warm cake in the refrigerator or freezer. (May be prepared ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, until ready to use. Defrost before using in this recipe.).
Make the Cherry Topping: Place the cherries, juice and sugar in a small, heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-low heat until the cherries are all soft and have released their juices, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the cherries and save the liquid (you should have about 1/2 cup or more juice). Allow the cherries to cool before assembling the tiramisu.
Assemble the tiramisu: Turn the cake out onto a large piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper; cut in half lengthwise to make two rectangles (do not cut horizontally as for a layer cake). Place one half in the loaf pan (trim the end if necessary for it to fit). Prick the top all over with a fork to create little holes in the cake.
Measure out 3 Tbsp (45 ml) of the cherry juice and drizzle it over the cake in the pan. Scatter the cherry halves evenly over the top, then spread the mascarpone evenly over the cherries and smooth the top.
Next, keeping the plastic wrap pulled up against the long sides of the second half of the cake (almost like a sling), drizzle the remaining 5 tablespoons of cherry juice over that half, allowing it soak in thoroughly before you try to move the cake. Use the plastic to carry the second half of cake to the loaf pan, then gently flip it over into the loaf pan so that the moistened side is touching the cream (the bottom, dryer side of the cake will now face up in the pan). Cover the cake with more plastic wrap and allow to chill in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 8 hours.
To serve, use a small sieve to dust the top of the tiramisu with cocoa powder. Using the plastic wrap liner in the loaf pan to pull the cake out of the pan, gently lift the tiramisu and set on a cutting board. Carefully cut into squares and place on serving plates. Garnish with cherries, cranberries, pomegranate arils or a combination. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 6-8 servings.
You can win a package of ALL THREE of my ebooks (suitable for low glycemic, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, egg-free, and anti-candida diets) by entering here! For more details about the ebooks (Desserts without Compromise, pictured above, plus two others) see this page.
This contest is open worldwide. There are several ways to enter:
Leave a comment on this post telling me which recipe you’d love to see made over as vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free.
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It’s almost the holidays!! Are you as excited (and as yet unprepared) as I am?
This year, Hallie of Daily Bites had a great idea: host a progressive dinner party to provide you with some fabulous recipe ideas for your own holiday tables, making everyone’s life easier! Starting Monday, December 10th, a different blogger will offer up a fantastic recipe each day, moving from course to course one at a time. And you’re all invited!
Even better, each day the hosting blog will offer a cookbook to give away. Each day will feature a different book, so check them all out and be sure to enter to win!
Here’s the lineup (and can you guess which course I’m creating?):
Friday, December 14: Dessert from–moi, of course! (what else would I be making?).
I hope you’ll join us as we hop from “home” to home to partake of different delectable dishes, all gluten free! (Note: not every blog listed is entirely vegan, but most will offer lots of vegan options).
And to pique your interest, here’s a peek at what I’ll be serving up on December 14th (yes, Ricki actually got a blog post done in advance–don’t faint!):
“Mum, we love dinner parties–guests always drop food on the floor! And I bet we can even eat this dessert, too–no chocolate!”
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Okay, so I’ve actually never met a real Tim Tam. In fact I hadn’t ever even heard of these dreamy, ethereal treats until Johanna posted about them on her blog, almost a year ago, now. But just looking at the photos and reading the description of these cookies-in-a-chocolate-cloak made me realize that I would have to create my own, ACD-friendly, version. And fast.
And so I did: I whipped up my own batch the very next day. Even though I loved these confections the second I took a bite (and one bite was about all I got, since the HH devoured the rest of the batch pretty much the second he tasted them), it took a while before I was finally ready to post about them on the blog. By then, it was mid-summer, and I knew they would never survive in the sweltering heat, melting in an oozy puddle like the Wicked Witch of the West. Instead, I decided to save them for you to serve in cooler weather, like. . . now. Turns out I’ve been sitting on this recipe since May 5, 2011 (the date of my first draft of this post)!
I don’t know why, but the word, “Tim Tam” always makes me think of that childhood skipping rope game where you create sentences with words that all start with the same letter. For instance: “I ate a Tim Tam [skip, skip] while in a Wigwam [hop, hop] when I went to Flin Flon [jump, jump].” But that’s just silly, isn’t it?
What’s equally weird is that, as much as I love chocolate chip cookies, macaroons, haystacks–and of course we can’t forget the raw cookie dough in its naked form–I have never been a huge fan of sandwich cookies per se. I don’t know if this preference is connected to my general indifference to sandwiches as a rule (in fact you’d be hard pressed to find many sandwiches on this blog), since I am not really a bread person, either. But you’d think I would be enamored of sandwich cookies in any case simply because, well, they offer double the cookie per cookie.
The only sandwich cookie that figured prominently in our home when I was a child was the Oreo, on those rare occasions when my mom brought a bag into the house (silly her for thinking it would last longer than an hour with my two sisters and me). I’d perform the classic “twist-and-separate” operation to expose the vanilla cream in the middle, then scrape it off with my lower teeth, leaving tracks on the nearly black chocolate biscuits. I’d then simply discard the biscuits if I were not being watched (or else be severely reprimanded if I were being watched). Sometimes, I’d discreetly affix them back together and return them to the bag with the vanilla filling MIA (the CFO, probably four or five at the time, could never figure out why she kept getting defective Oreos).
Clearly, not an auspicious history for making my own sandwich cookies. Nevertheless, when I read Johanna’s description of them, I decided that these particular sandwich cookies sounded so good that I had to make them myself.
I decided to take the most direct route to sandwich nirvana (ie combining other already extant recipes). For the graham crackers, I used Amy’s version as written, except I substituted coconut oil for the butter. I was concerned at first that the quinoa flour would be overpowering in these delicate confections, but they turned out absolutely perfectly.
For the filling, I repurposed my own buttercream frosting, and coated the entire thing in a simple chocolate coating I’ve used before as well.
They may not be authentic, but they certainly are irresistible. Rich, silky filling nestled between two light, crisp and slightly flaky biscuits, all coated in a glossy dark chocolate. If you’ve never met a Tim Tam, either, allow me to introduce you. I mean, what’s not to like?
These are the kind of cookie that can turn a bleak, grey and gloomy winter afternoon into a celebration. Served with a cup of hot chocolate or herbal tea, these Tim Tam knock-offs work beautifully as an afternoon snack or pick-me-up.
one recipe homemade graham crackers of choice (I used this recipe with coconut oil instead of butter)
1 batch dark chocolate coating (you can use this one or this one; you can just melt chocolate chips if you like).
Make the cookies: Prepare the graham crackers according to directions, using coconut oil in place of butter; cut into 30 crackers. Bake according to the recipe and allow to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Once cookies are cool, create sandwich cookies by spreading a thick layer of frosting on the bottom of one cookie, then topping with another cookie (bottom side touching the frosting). Place in the freezer while you prepare the coating.
Prepare the coating and pour into a deep bowl.
Coat the cookies: Dip the bottom of each cookie in the chocolate, then immediately invert onto a plate (chocolate side up) and place in the freezer until the chocolate is solid. One at a time (leave the rest in the freezer), remove the cookies and place chocolate side-down on a fork held over a clean plate. Spoon the chocolate coating over the top of the cookie and allow it to drip down the sides and off the fork onto the plate. Tap the fork on the edge of the plate a few times to allow excess chocolate to run off. Return the cookie to the freezer, with the top upright this time and allow to firm up before storing in the refrigerator. As needed, scrape the excess chocolate coating off the plate and back into the bowl to coat more cookies. Repeat until all cookies are coated.
To create the swirl pattern on the top: Once the chocolate on top is firm, add an additional teaspoon of chocolate on top of each cookie and swirl with the back of a spoon to create a wavy pattern. The chocolate should firm up quickly if it is added atop an already-frozen cookie. Makes 12-15 cookies. May be frozen; defrost, covered, in the refrigerator overnight (but be warned that frozen chocolate may develop a white “bloom” that looks a little unappetizing, even though it’s perfectly fine to eat).
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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.
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