[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).]
Have you noticed that there are more Flash in the Pan (ie, quick or simple-to-make), recipes on the blog lately? Aside from the fact that many of you have requested faster and easier fare, I must admit that lately I turn to whatever thing it is I can conjure up in the kitchen with either (a) 30 minutes or less total time from prep to table; or (b) almost-instant prep time with a more protracted cooking time that allows me to go off and to my own thing for, oh, a few hours (finally, I get why so many of you love your slow cookers). These divine onion crisps fall into the latter category.
The other night, I was frying up some onions as the first step to some other recipe (which now eludes me). It was close to dinnertime, and The HH happened to walk through the door from work just as the onions reached their peak of bronzed, pliable, caramelized glory.
“Oh, wow, those smell good,” he remarked as The Girls stampeded toward the door to greet him. “There’s nothing quite like fried onions, is there.” It was more a statement than a question, to be sure. And I couldn’t agree more. When I catch a whiff of onions being sautéed up for a stir-fry, or a pilaf, or the beginnings of a soup, I often want to stop right there and just pile a bunch of the tangled golden mess on top of a cracker and enjoy.
Well, I decided to follow that urge with these crisps. I’ve feasted on kale chips and zucchini chips, and I’m always trying to find other kind of veg chips I can bake up at home. They’re a great way to consume more veggies without too much starch, fat or salt, but it’s the prep that always stops me, since I don’t own a mandoline and cutting slice after slice of zucchini or sweet potato or parsnip or whatever feels like too onerous a task.
Enter. . . onions! Onions come ready made with their own, built-in, slices! Just cut into quarters and peel apart. It’s almost instant! I took an onion, peeled it and tossed with olive oil, and popped it in the oven on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes.
[Raw onions on their way into the oven.]
. . . . And burned most of it. (It was at that moment I wished I hadn’t sold my dehydrator four years ago). Regular heat was just too intense for the delicate edges of the onion layers.
But I was not deterred! I knew that onions offered a good amount of flavonoids (a kind of antioxidant), especially quercetin, useful to reduce allergies–exactly what I need during the winter months (though it can’t actually get rid of my “allergy” to winter itself, sadly.). Onions are also rich in sulfur compounds that can help prevent cardiovascular disease; they can improve the quality of bone and connective tissue (as someone with osteopenia, I love that one); they are anti-inflammatory; and they help prevent cancer. And, of course, there’s the heavenly flavor of a well-caramelized onion. For 46 calories in an entire medium bulb, you really can’t go wrong.
In the end, I found a way to make these so that they are evenly browned and perfectly light and crisp. If you like onion rings or caramelized onion, you will love these crisps. I also realized that a dehydrator might not work quite as well, since the onions won’t actually brown if the temperature is too low. But if you’re okay with that, go for it.
So go ahead and try these out. They practically make themselves while you head out to focus on the rest of your life.
Like a feather-light crispy onion chip, these crisps make it very easy to eat an entire onion in one sitting (but no onion breath). I suspect they’d be great made with a touch of hot sauce or curry added to the oil as well, or from large, sweet Vidalia onions; feel free to experiment. Be sure to make this snack on a day you plan to be at home most of the day, though–you will need 5 hours.
2 large yellow onions
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
sprinkling of fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 200F ( 95C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Cut off the root end and top end of each onion. Stand each onion up on one of the cut ends, and slice vertically from top to root end to create four quarters. Each quarter should naturally be divided into layers that can be peeled apart from the outside. Separate all the layers and place them in a bowl; drizzle with the olive oil and salt. Toss with clean hands until the slices all seem well coated with oil.
Place the onion slices in a single layer on the cookie sheets. If an of pieces is really curved, fold it lengthwise until it cracks (see photo of raw onions, above), to help it lie a little more flatly on the sheet.
Bake the onions for 2 hours (you can check at the 1-hour mark to see if they are getting too brown on the edges, but this is not likely). Go away and do your own thing. After two hours, remove the cookie sheets and flip over each slice of onion one at a time. Return to the oven for another 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 hours, until the crisps are very deeply browned and crisp. When they begin to brown but aren’t ready yet, they’ll appear golden but will still be pliable; you want to bake longer if this is the case. When you think they’re ready, turn off the oven and leave the crisps inside to cool to room temperture. Remove the trays and store the crisps in an airtight container.
“Mum, I’m sorry to say that those crisps don’t look at all appealing to me. . . I guess because they’re onion, which you know is poison for dogs. But then again, poo looks appetizing to me and Chaser, so what do we know?”
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).]
By most people’s standards, I was a tomboynerdgoody two shoes pretty good kid growning up. (Well, there was that one time my college room mate and I put laundry soap in the school fountain. . . but we were unduly influenced by every coming-of-age movie from the previous four decades, so it wasn’t really our fault). Still, despite the fact that my sisters and I never did drugs, drove responsibly, and never acquired a criminal record, my dad was fond of ranting and railing about how tough it was to live with four women, being the only male in the household (technically, our dog was male, but after the vet had a go at him, he no longer really counted).
The one thing that set my dad off more than anything else was his idea of wastefulness. Why did we require seventeen tissues to remove our makeup, invariably clogging the toilet? Why couldn’t we use one, like he did? Why couldn’t we manage with just two pairs of shoes (as he did), instead of dozens, most of which we never wore? (Really, Dad, c’mon. Duh.). Why did we leave every light on the main floor blaring like a New York office tower at midnight, even though we’d left the rooms? (Frequently, I’d find myself already curled on the couch downstairs, ensconced in the green-and-rust hand-crocheted quilt my mom had made, all ready to watch my favorite show–and would cringe at the sound of my dad’s muffled cursing as he stomped overhead, striding from room to room flicking off the lights).
Given my background, it seems I’ve acquired my parsimoniousfrugalthrifty economical nature quite honestly. If I can make it myself, do it myself, refurbish it myself, grow it myself or in some other way re-create it myself, I will. In my 30s, I sewed all my own clothes; even before the ACD, I cooked just about everything from scratch; when we first got The Girls, I made all their food and treats myself (a pox on my lack of time these days!), and the HH and I spent two entire weekends in our previous house painting all the walls, then adding texture with sponges, feathers, newspapers and crinkled garbage bags because I thought it was cheaper more fun than wallpaper. Basically, I stopped just short of cutting open the toothpaste tube and scraping out the dregs of toothpaste, as I’d read about in the original Tightwad Gazette (though I’m still kind of intrigued by the idea).
So when I bought my first sugar pumpkin (ever!) last week, then roasted it and cut it open to scoop out the softened flesh, my first thought was, “how can I waste these perfectly good seeds?” What I decided instead was to wash them, pick off the stringy bits (or most of them, anyway), toss them in a mixture of mild curry powder, cinnamon and stevia and roast them for a sweet take on the usual roasted pumpkin seeds. With a classic sweet-and-salty flavor profile and the added dimension of warming spices, the seeds were more reminiscent of salted caramel than spicy curry. I literally couldn’t stop eating them.
As it turns out, roasting the seeds after they’d already been baked inside the squash resulted in lighter, crispier kernels, too. (In her post yesterday, Angela suggested boiling the raw seeds before roasting them to achieve the same crispy result. To my mind, baking them in the moist cavity of the pumpkin itself accomplishes the same effect–either way, the perfect roasted seed!).
Another bonus from pumpkin seeds is their super-powered nutritional profile. Apart from delivering a great dose of zinc, good for anyone’s immunity (and particularly healthful for the male prostate gland), pumpkin seeds offer healthy oils, fiber, and anti-parasitic properties (key benefits for those of us on the anti-candida warpath).
My thrifty side loved using up all the consumable parts of the pumpkin. My healthy side loved having a snack that’s free from all the unsavory ingredients you get with most pre-packaged roasted seeds. And my gourmand side just loved eating them.
You could actually use seeds from just about any winter squash for this recipe, though pumpkinseeds tend to have just the right size and texture for roasting and snacking. I’ve also enjoyed roasted seeds from butternut and acorn squashes, though they’re a bit smaller.
Seeds from one baked sugar pumpkin, washed well, fibers removed and drained (see instructions below)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) your favorite nut oil (I used macadamia; almond or walnut would be divine, too)
1 tsp (5 ml) mild curry powder
1 tsp (5 ml) cinnamon
1/8-1/2 tsp (..5-2.5 ml) fine sea salt, to your taste
1/16-1/8 tsp (.25-.5 ml) pure stevia powder, to your taste
Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a large cookie sheet or pan (large enough to hold the pumpkin) with parchment.
Bake the pumpkin, whole and untouched, in the preheated oven until it is very soft when tested with a knife, 40-60 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting in half and scooping out the seeds (save the flesh for other uses).
Lower the oven to 325F (170C). Place a new piece of parchment on the cookie sheet, or spray with nonstick spray.
To clean the seeds, first allow the pumpkin to cool somewhat; next, scoop the moist seeds (along with the inner strings and goo) into a fine sieve. Place under running water, then swish around with your hand until the strings and goo are dislodged and flushed through the sieve. I find that the seeds clean up fairly easily this way; I don’t worry if a tiny thread or two still clings to one or two seeds as you’ll notice in the close-up photo, above).
Place the clean seeds in a deep medium-sized bowl. Drizzle with oil, then sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Stir vigorously with a tablespoon until all the seeds are well coated with the oil-spice-stevia mixture.
Spread the seeds out on the cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the seeds are dry and just beginning to brown lightly. Remove from oven and cool completely before eating (consume with the skins on for full flavor and health benefits). Makes 2-4 servings. Will keep, covered at room temperature, for up to a week (though mine have never lasted that long).
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!”)
If you are (or were) an English major in university–or even if you know someone who studied English–you are probably familiar with one of the most common themes in literature, ”appearance versus reality.” You know the one: it’s the notion that things are not always what they seem to be on the surface, and the way we appear is not always the reality. To wit:
Macbeth.Appearance: Nobleman kills King at wife’s behest, then usurps power and lives a life of riley with wife. Reality: Wife goes slowly crazy with guilt about said murder. And all the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten her little hand.
The Matrix. Appearance: Cool dude in shades is tracked relentlessly by deadly, humorless government agents, ostensibly in possession of superpowers. Reality: Unlike the other zillions of human USB ports linked up to a giant computer, this dude is The One.
Charlie Sheen. Appearance: Narcissistic star of mediocre comedy show garners too much success and implodes in waves of cocaine, prostitutes, goddesses, Tiger Blood and zingy retro one-liners. Reality: Very astute marketing ploy.
You see what I mean.
In my case, when it comes to meeting people for the first time, appearances may belie the reality. My outward demeanor may be someone who is comfortable–nay, aloof, even–in social situations, when the reality is that I’m stammering and sweating and feeling entirely “highschool reject” inside. As a result, it can take me a very long time to forge real friendships with people since, as a rule, I say very little for the first oh, five years or so. (Real life example: I worked as a volunteer for my friend Eternal Optimist for five years before I called it quits. If she hadn’t invited me to join her book club, which led to socializing together, which led to a real friendship, we would likely never have spoken again).
Sure, I have made friends with people in a more spontaneous way. When I first encountered my friend Sterlin, for example, it was as if we’d known each other for years. We just had so much in common: both bookworms, both nerds, both yearning for a boyfriend and both in the possession of a wacky sense of humor. It was soul sisters from the first crazy conversation. More often, though, it takes me weeks, months, or years before I establsh true friendships.
And this is why I love blogging so much: you are in regular contact with a core group of people, many with whom you exchange daily or near-daily emails, comments, tweets, Facebook messages, etc. And since I’ve always been more comfortable with the written versus the spoken word, this situation suits me just fine.
Yes, Kim is a force to be reckoned with! Her bubbly optimism and consistent good nature come across in every blog post. And the first time we spoke on the phone, I felt as if I were talking to a dear friend, or my old roomie from college, or my younger cousin. We chatted easily for almost an hour, sharing information, ideas, food stories, health tips, anecdotes, our blog vision, and more. When we began to plan the SOS Challenge as a joint venture, I knew we were on the same wavelength and didn’t hesitate to jump right in.
Given our similar diets and our affinity for many of the same foods, it made perfect sense that Kim and I would come up with matching recipes as our “savory” installments this month–without having discussed it first! Kim recently posted her adzuki dip and today I’m adding this adzuki sandwich spread to the list. Yes, the recipes are a little different from each other (mine is a bit thicker, and Kim’s adds a bit more spice), but otherwise they appear to be two sides of the same bean.
Just remember, though, that’s only the appearance of things. The reality is that each recipe offers a protein-packed, nutrient-dense and delectable spread for appetizers, sandwiches or wraps. In other words, you should try them both out!
And also. . . .
New Recipe on the DDD Facebook Page!
As I’ve mentioned before, I will occasionally post recipes (as “Notes”) on the Diet, Dessert and Dogs Facebook page. These are often really quick recipes that would otherwise be lost if I waited to write up an entire blog post about them–so I just add a brief note to the fan page and you can access them there. A few days ago, I added this quick and easy soup for a fast and delicious weeknight dinner. The HH and I both loved this Squash and Pecan Soup.
Place all ingredients except for green onions in the bowl of a food processor and mix until smooth. Add the green onion and pulse just until combined. Store, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. Makes about 1-1/4 cups (300 ml).
First, thanks to everyone who entered the Simply Bar giveaway and helped me contribute to Second Harvest! The giveaway received 87 entries, so I am going to upgrade the donation to $1 per entry and give $87 to the organization. I know they can use it and will happily put it toward food for the hungry!
I’m also just coming up for air after spending most of the past week marking student assignments in preparation for our exam (which has been deferred because of a fire on campus–yikes!). Speaking of deferrals, I am also going to defer my originally-scheduled giveaway for today. Instead, I’m going to share something that I think is imporant–my (current) philosophy of eating. I’ll explain why when I come back later on!
[Totally unrelated note: ever wonder how people find your blog? Well, ever since I wrote my post about our holiday in Florida, the number one search term that leads people to my blog is. . . "Alligators." Yes, indeedy: folks looking for reptilian, steel trap-jawed people-eaters are sent to. . . my blog. In droves. Well, hi there, Everglade adventurers! Howdy, outback croc-hunters! Welcome, designer shoe and handbag aficionados!]
By now, it’s probably evident that I’m a fan of spinach. Certainly, devoting an entire SOS Kitchen Challenge to the popular leafy green is one indication (and if you hurry, you can still participate: the deadline is May 20th!).
It was through my friend Sterlin that I first learned to love spinach. Even before I moved to Toronto myself, I was a frequent visitor to Sterlin’s place (her parents had pulled up stakes and made the trek from Montreal to Toronto long before I did). I loved visiting this “exotic” metropolis, where, with Sterlin as both tour guide and chauffeur, we’d scour the city for interesting restaurants, university-based events, or dance clubs (in those days, single undergraduates in search of a boyfriend, we still frequented dance clubs).
After a long evening of inane chatter, bopping in our blister-inducing heels and drinking too many beer (I never did acquire a taste for the brew), we’d drive back to Sterlin’s parents’ house, and, with the intense precision and focus of a neurosurgeon, unlock the door without making a sound, the way only truly inebriated twenty-somethings can. Once inside, we removed our shoes and tiptoed into the kitchen to raid the fridge, where, inevitably, we found. . . nothing. (Okay, not literally “nothing.” There was a half-eaten carton of cottage cheese and a few cans of Diet Coke). At this point, Sterlin would move to the freezer, where she’d withdraw one of 5 or 6 boxes of frozen spinach (the only item in there).
“Want a snack?” she’d whisper, brandishing the box in the air. “Mmm! Let’s have some spinach!”
“Spinach?” I’d counter, equally susurrating, ” As a snack??” I was accustomed to the cornucopia of home-baked chocolate chip cookies, chips, licorice, and other assorted junk foods in my own parents’ kitchen.
But snack on spinach we did. Sterlin loved the stuff so much that is was contagious, and I learned to love it, too. I can’t say I ever think of frozen spinach as a snack these days, but I wouldn’t turn it down if someone offered it. (Beer, on the other hand, still doesn’t tempt me).
The second spinach epiphany I experienced courtesy of Sterlin was the classic 1980′s spinach salad. You know the one: baby spinach leaves coated in creamy, nondescript dressing, topped with a generous toss of chopped hardcooked eggs and a sprinkling of crispy bacon bits. Back then, one of Toronto’s destination restaurants was a brand-new, ultra hip joint called Mr. Greenjeans (a current relative of the original place still exists, in a new location and without the flair or cachet of the original).
Their specialty was–get this–salad (rather ahead of their time, don’t you think?). And what made Mr. Greenjeans’ salads worth driving all the way downtown for? Why, their presentation: each portion of fresh greens was packed into a huge mason jar, perched atop a white plate the size of an hors d’oeuvre tray at a wedding. Once served, you had the choice of picking at the salad right from the jar (the cool way) or emptying it onto the plate (the loser way).
Like an early iteration of Sassafras (where the gliterati hang out during the Toronto Film Festival), Mr. Greenjeans attracted diners not really because of the food, but more because of the reputation for cool. After waiting in line for a table, we’d hope for a window seat, where we could see and be seen, scanning the sidewalk outside for celebrity sightings or people we might know. In those days, everyone who was anyone hung out at Mr. Greenjeans.
No wonder, then, that I thought of spinach as the first vegetable to include in a muffin when I first opened my organic bakery back in 2003. In my zeal to include healthy veggies–especially leafy greens–in my recipes (and to provide an incentive to kids to eat their veggies), I created the Sweet Harvest Muffin, boasting not one, not two, but three different vegetables, including spinach. Providing one full serving of vegetables in each muffin, the Sweet Harvest quickly became my best-selling product, and it was the first recipe I knew I’d include in Sweet Freedom.
With this month’s SOS Challenge devoted to spinach, I decided to create an ACD-friendly variation of that best-selling muffin as my “sweet” entry to the challenge. Based on the Green Monster smoothies that are ubiquitous on the internet, these contain both spinach and apple combined with carob and cinnamon, ingredients I often include in my own morning beverage.
While these Green Monsters aren’t quite as sweet as the original muffins (which contain both raisins and chocolate chips), they do still make a tasty breakfast on the go; in fact, they tasted good enough that the HH noted he’d be happy to take one along to the office for his morning coffee.
With the sepia carob masking its green, the spinach remains hidden in this muffin. You may not be getting quite the same quantity of spinach as you’d consume in an entire box of the frozen stuff, but you can feel good eating one of these babies for breakfast, knowing it provides a good sized hit toward your daily five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables.
And speaking of breakfast baking. . . I’ll be talking about breakfast (and other) baked goods from Sweet Freedom this Thursday morning on the Canadian version of Good Morning America, Canada AM! I am incredibly excited to share information about healthy eating with hosts Bev Thomson and Seamus O’Regan. So set your PVRs, video recorders, etc for Thursday, May 20, between 8:00 and 9:00 AM!
Green Monster Muffins (ACD Phase II and beyond)
These muffins are a great way to start the day with both some fruit and some vegetables. They’re sweet, but not overly so; and you won’t taste the spinach at all. (Promise).
2 small apples, about 6-6 1/2 ounces (170-185 g) each, washed and cored (I used Granny Smith)
3 ounces (85 g) fresh or frozen spinach (include the stems)
1/4 cup (60 ml) natural smooth almond butter
2 Tbsp (30 ml) sunflower or other light tasting oil, preferably organic
2 tsp (10 ml) chia seeds, finely ground after measuring
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 ml) pure almond extract
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) apple cider vinegar
1-1/3 cups (320 ml) unsweetened soy or almond milk, plus up to 2 Tbsp (30 ml) more, if necessary
1/2 cup (60 g) carob powder*
1/2 cup (75 g) brown rice flour
1/2 cup (60 g) millet flour
1/4 cup (30 g) arrowroot powder
2 tsp (10 ml) cinnamon
1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) xanthan gum, optional (muffins will be slightly crumbly without it)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners, or spray with nonstick spray.
Coarsely chop one of the apples and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Dice the other apple into very small pieces (about the size of blueberries) and place in a small bowl; set the second apple aside until later.
Add the spinach to the food processor, and process the mixture until almost smooth. Add the almond butter, oil, chia, vanilla, almond extract, vinegar and milk and process again until well blended. Add the reserved diced apple to the processor and mix it in by hand until all the pieces are coated, but don’t process again. Set aside while you measure the dry ingredients, or at least 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, sift together the carob powder, brown rice flour, millet flour, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, xanthan gum and salt. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir until just blended.
Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, scoop the batter into the muffin cups and bake in preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, rotating the pan about halfway through, until a tester inserted into a center muffin comes out clean. Cool five minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling rack. Cool completely before sampling; the spinach will be discernible in the warm muffins, but the taste disappears once they’re cool. Store, wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator up to 4 days. May be frozen.
* you may use cocoa instead of carob, but cut back the quantity a bit (perhaps 2 Tbsp/30 ml) and add a bit more sweetener.
[Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
[Ooohh-wee! Just look at those little cacao nibs peeking out!]
First: thanks, everyone for the great anniversary wishes on my last post! (The HH thanks you, too, in his inimitable fashion). Because we won’t actually celebrate until this Saturday evening, I’ll be posting photos of our meal in the subsequent blog post after that. Stay tuned!
In the past week or so, I’ve received a few emails asking how my ACD is going, and I realized it’s been a while since I posted an update. So, here goes:
For the most part, everything is pretty much status quo (with the ACD, that is. But The EL-LENd Me a Hand campaign continues to grow–join the wave and possibly win a free cookbook!). Basically, I’m now following Phase II of the Whole Approach diet, which now adds the occasional fruit (apples and berries, primarily) and some gluten free flour products. These new additions have opened up the world of baking possibilities once again, which makes me happy (I take it where I can get it). I’ve now lost 46 pounds and holding , which also makes me happy, though I wish it were a bit more. I’m feeling about 95% better, with lots of energy and clear headedness–which makes me very happy. And I still cannot eat peanuts, pistachios, fungi, yeast, alcohol, or any sweeteners except yacon and stevia. Which decidely does not make me happy.
Not happy, especially, since one of my very favorite foods in life has always been peanut butter. I’ve been eating it since the early days of my childhood when The CFO and I would sneak downstairs at 6:30 AM on a Saturday morning to watch Bugs Bunny with a side of soda crackers (loaded with PB) to my days as an undergrad in my first apartment when almost every breakfast consisted of a bran muffin slathered with PB, to the halcyon days of my relationship with the HH when we’d regularly slurp up Moroccan Spiced Tomato Soup or munch on my all-time favorite Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies or Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudgies with abandon (not to mention a few other things we used to do with abandon–no, no, you debauched minds, you! I meant drink wine with dinner).
Not so any more.
Luckily, the ACD permits other nuts like almonds, walnuts and brazil nuts, so I often substitute almond butter for the PB in recipes, with little if no loss of appeal. But there’s one place where almonds can’t easily stand in for peanuts in an ACD-friendly format: flavored peanut butters.
Ever since I first caught a whiff of peanut-butter laced names like ”Dark Chocolate Duo” or “White Chocolate Wonderful” or “Mighty Maple,” I’ve been dying to try them but could never find them here in Toronto. And then, I started the ACD, which meant no PB at all.
[Bounty courtesy of Hannah--and yes, that's her homemade vegan white chocolate on the end! Whoo hoo!]
And even when the amazing Hannah of Bittersweet sent me a faint-inducing care package with all manner of treats, including those aforementioned PBs (bet you thought I forgot, eh, Hannah?), I couldn’t even try them out! (Don’t worry, I’ve set them aside until the very last day on the “Best Before” stamp, hoping I’ll have a chance to dig in by then; and the white chocolate is waiting patiently in the freezer). Thanks again for the delectable chocolate and nut butter bounty, Hannah!
Well, that got me thinking. (What? Again??). I’ve been making my own nut butter for years; if you’ve never tried it, you will be amazed at how easy it is. Homemade nut butter is so much healthier than store bought–even the all-natural kind– because you control exactly how long the nuts are roasted, and there’s no need for additional oils (which are often added to store-bought brands). In addition, homemade tends to be fresher than pre-jarred types. Heck, I realized, I could make my own, ACD-friendly version!
And then it hit me: instead of attempting to create a poor imitation of peanut butter using almonds, why not concoct something completely different, unique unto itself? I decided to create a flavored spread with walnuts. Why walnuts? Well, I love the flavor of these little cerebrum-shaped nuts when they’re just lightly toasted; they’re wonderfully nutritious, with about 95% of your recommended daily intake of Omega 3 fatty acids in a 1/4 cup (60 ml) serving and a bevy of other amazing nutrients, fiber and protein. And since their fat content is slightly higher than that of almonds, walnut butter is easier to blend in a food processor and results in a richer flavor. Perfect!
[In lieu of syrup over pancakes--heavenly!]
I opted to mix my walnut butter with cacao nibs for a chocolate intensity, and sweeten with just a bit of stevia. The result was a textured spread, a bit thinner than regular almond butter, but so much more luscious. I absolutely adored it, and could barely contain myself from licking it off the spoon. The cacao conferred a hint of chocolate throughout, which was, surprisingly, not the least bit bitter even though the nut butter isn’t extremely sweet.
Because of its light texture, this is a perfect topping for breakfast breads and quickbreads like scones, biscuits or pancakes–but that won’t diminish its charm if spread on an otherwise unadorned rice cake. You’ll never crave peanut butter again!
Since this is a kind of “healthy makeover” recipe, I thought it would be great for Amy’s Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Head on over and check the roundup!
Walnut Cacao Butter (ACD Phase II and beyond–with ACD Phase I variations)
Spoon up some of this amazing spread when you want to feel special. I made a small batch because otherwise risked eating it all–but the recipe will double nicely. The variations are almost endless.
10-15 drops plain or vanilla flavored stevia, to your taste (I like NuNaturals Vanilla)
In the bowl of your food processor (or in a coffee grinder if your processor blades aren’t too sharp), process the cacao nibs briefly to break up into crumbs. Don’t overprocess, or you’ll have cacao flour; you want a bit of texture. Remove the nibs to a bowl.
In the same processor bowl, whir the walnuts and sea salt until the mixture becomes almost perfectly smooth (this should occur fairly quickly).** Stop the processor, add the stevia, and pulse a couple of times to blend. Add the cacao nibs back in and stir to combine, but don’t process again.
Turn the mixture into a clean jar. Makes about 1 cup (240 ml). Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week (well, I’m actually guessing on that one, since it didn’t last that long in our house).
** If you use other nuts, you may need to process longer. Walnuts and pecans smooth out fairly quickly; almonds take a bit longer (since they have a lower natural fat content). Cashews, in my experience, take longest (up to 10 minutes, scraping down sides of processor occasionally); you might need to add 1-2 tsp coconut oil to help them along.
Carob Variation: (ACD Phase I and beyond): Instead of cacao nibs, use 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) carob powder, added with the walnuts. This will make the spread slightly thicker, but no less delectable.
Coconut Variation (ACD Phase I and beyond): Add 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) coconut oil or coconut butter (a la HEAB) along with the walnuts (will also firm it up a bit). Add 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) coconut flavoring with the stevia, if desired; stir in 1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) unsweetened shredded coconut once the butter is completed. This will result in a very firm spread once refrigerated.
[Millet-quinoa bread topped with a smear of Caesar dressing (Clean Food recipe), faux egg salad, a few baby spinach leaves and sliced tomato. Now, that's a sandwich!]
So, if you read my recent post on Cheese-Filled Olive and Onion Bread, you’ll know that I was quite insistent about the lack of bread in my life: never liked the white stuff, my mom made awful sandwiches, bread was like styrofoam, yadda yadda yadda.
But that was all before I happened upon a blog post on Raw Eggless Salad that triggered something deep within my bread-hating brain. And before I knew it, I had pulled out the food processor to mix it up, right then and there.
Could this spread have sparked the end of the sandwich snub here at DDD? The demise of the Dagwood drought? A halt to the Hoagie hostility? A farewell to Fluffernutter disfavor?
Why, yes! Yes indeedy. And so it may come as a bit of a shock, dear readers, to learn that the other day, I broke my own vow and spoke the name of Moses used this raw eggless salad in a sandwich! It was great on its own, but somehow I felt compelled to slather it on a slice of bread, then gobble it down in a matter of minutes, before compulsively sniffing around the kitchen for a second serving, like Monk following a hot lead.
I came across this recipe on Shannon’s blog, Tri 2 Cook (cutest blog name, or what?), and was so intrigued I made my first batch without the dill, a key ingredient, as we had none in the house. Still mouth-wateringly good! Shannon got the recipe from a guest post on Gena’s blog, written by Melody (and if you managed to follow all that, I think you deserve a big Eggless Salad sandwich of your own).
While not truly akin to egg salad, something about the finely ground cauliflower and sunflower seed medley does approximate the feeling of that old-time sandwich filling fairly well; it’s a slightly creamy, slightly spicy, comforting spread that works beautifully with the crispness of lettuce and the dense moistness of a hearty slice of bread.
Despite the long list of ingredients, this is really a snap to prepare, especially in a food processor. Because I prefer a slightly more homogenous filling, I processed a bit longer than advised in the original recipe (I leave the graininess of the texture up to you). I also adapted the ingredients to be ACD (Phase II) friendly, since that’s where I’m at at the moment, but please do go check out the original version if you’re okay with nutritional yeast–I bet it adds a real boost of eggy, cheesy flavor.
Who knows? Maybe I’ll be a sandwich gal from now on. Because if eating my words means I get to relish sandwiches like this one, I’m happy to be proven wrong.
“Mum, if eating egg salad sandwiches means being wrong, we don’t want to be right, either. So feel free to share.”
Totally unrelated note: I’ve received a few emails asking about the “Last Yeat at This Time” links at the bottom of my blog entries (and have noticed that lots of bloggers have begun to include similar links at the ends of their own posts), so I thought I’d address the point here. To answer your questions, yes, I create these links manually, by going through the archives and finding the posts that correspond to each date. I wish I could take credit for the idea, but Smitten Kitchen has been doing this for years (three years, actually!).
To those who celebrate, hope you have a very happy Easter holiday, and a great long weekend to all! (And please note, no eggs were harmed in the making of this sandwich filling!)
And finally: I’ll be doing a book demo at Qi Natural Foods in Toronto this Saturday between 11:30 and 2:30. If you’re in the GTA, please drop by to sample some goodies from Sweet Freedom, take a look at the book, and say “hi”! I’d love to see you there.
Despite the long list of ingredients, this is fairly quick to throw together because of the food processor. You can eat this right away, but the flavors and textures seem to mature and improve after a day in the fridge.
1/2 cup (120 ml) nutritional yeast*
1 tsp (5 ml) dried sage
1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried dill, or 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh
1 Tbsp (15 ml) dried parsley, or 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh
1/2 tsp (2. 5 ml) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (1 ml) turmeric
1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
1/4 cup (60 ml) yellow mustard*
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Dijon mustard*
2 medium naturally fermented dill pickles (most kosher dills–the type that has to be refrigerated–are fine), minced
1/2 cup (70 g) raw sunflower seeds, soaked in room temperature water for 4-6 hours (if you soak them longer, leave them in the refrigerator until needed)
3 cups (720 ml) cauliflower florets (cleaned and trimmed)–about one large cauliflower
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 carrots, peeled and grated (use 3 if you like more carrot)
3 green onions (white and light green parts), chopped
fine sea salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
About four hours before preparation (or the night before), soak the sunflower seeds, and drain them.
In the bottom of a large bowl, make the dressing by whisking together the nutritional yeast, sage, dill, parsley, garlic powder, turmeric, tahini, both mustards, pickles, chia seeds and water. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, process the sunflower seeds and cauliflower to create a fine meal-like texture (it should look sort of like small grains of rice). Turn the mixture into the bowl with the dressing. Add the celery, carrot and green onions and stir well to combine everything. Season to taste with salt and pepper. May be used immediately, but is best after being chilled. Makes 4-6 servings. Store, covered in the refrigerator, up to 3 days.
* ACD-friendly version: omit the nutritional yeast and use 1 Tbsp (15 ml) miso or 2 Tbsp (30 ml) Bragg’s liquid aminos instead. For later phases of the diet, you are allowed the occasional use of mustard; if you’re not sure you should have it, omit it and use about 2 tsp (10 ml) dried mustard instead, along with about 1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice.
[Sometimes, you just want to eat something now. I've decided to offer a mini-post every once in a while, for a dish that comes together incredibly quickly or else is so easy to make that no recipe is required. Here's today's "Flash in the Pan." (For other FitP recipes, see "Categories" at right).]
the pan
Thanks, everyone, for your sympathetic comments regarding my short career as an enemy of the state in my last post. In retrospect, it was a truly hilarious experience (though not at the moment, unfortunately)!
Today, though, I’ve decided to pre-empt my second “How I Spent My Florida Vacation” post (that will be tomorrow, hopefully), for this quick-as-a-flash recipe that was so delicious, the HH and I fought over who got to eat the last few.
After prepping a butternut squash for the oven yesterday, I decided that for once, I wouldn’t throw away the seeds (they actually contain some amazing nutrition of their own, with nutrients not available in the plant’s flesh: protein, an array of minerals, heart-healthy Omega 3s and Omega 6s–and some impressive fiber). I had tried Eden Organics’ spicy roasted pumpkin seeds while on holiday, so I threw together my own reproduction.
These were easy, quick, and totally addictive. The only drawback is that the yield is a mere 1/3-1/2 cup (80-120 ml) of seeds from a single squash. You may want to start cooking your squash in bulk after trying these!
Oh, and for those of you in the GTA, I’ll be doing a talk and handing out samples of baked goods from Sweet Freedomthis Sunday, at Covernotes bookstore in Newmarket. Hope to see you there at 3:00 PM!
Easy Spicy Roasted Squash (or Pumpkin, of course) Seeds
suitable for ACD Phase I and beyond
These light, crunchy, salty, spicy seeds make the perfect snack-on-the-go, for after school, or for bidding adieu to the Olympics on TV.
Seeds from pretty much any winter squash, scooped out of the shell, rinsed, cleaned and with squash fibers picked out
2 Tbsp (30 ml) Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, tamari, or soy sauce (use Bragg’s for ACD Phase I)
1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil, preferably organic
1/4 tsp (1 ml) garlic salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne (or less, to taste)
additional fine sea salt, if desired (I didn’t use it–the garlic salt was enough for my taste)
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Spray a small ovenproof casserole dish or loaf pan with nonstick spray or grease lightly with olive oil (a cookie sheet won’t do for this, as the liquid will spread too much). Add the Bragg’s, oil, garlic salt and cayenne and whisk briefly to combine. Add the seeds to the pan and toss them to coat as much as possible (there will still be excess liquid pooling in the bottom of the pan; this is as it should be).
Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, then remove and check the seeds. There should still be some liquid left in the pan. Toss the mixture to stir up the seeds and re-coat them in the (now slightly thickened) liquid. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
Repeat the steps of baking, removing the pan, tossing and re-coating the seeds once or twice more, until the liquid is absorbed and the seeds are dry and browned. Toward the end, you may want to check the seeds every 5 minutes or so to avoid scorching. (I baked mine for a total of 35-40 minutes).
Allow to cool, then dig in and enjoy–no need to shell these before eating, as the shells become thin and crunchy! Makes about 1/2 cup (120 ml). Store in a covered container at room temperature.
[Before I delve into today's snack post, I want to send out a heartfelt "thank you" to each and every one of you who responded to my last post. I was bowled over by the outpouring of kindness and support that you folks displayed. And thanks to all of you who shared your own story or struggles with food issues, whether dietary restrictions or your own food addictions. I've said this many times before on the blog, but really, I can't say it enough: you people are remarkable! Thank you, all, for visiting, for reading, for commenting, and for your thoughtful responses and ideas, which all add their own kind of sweetness to my life. Without you all, this would be a very lonely (not to mention unrewarding) endeavor, indeed!]
And now, on to the food! A while back, I promised a post on anti-candida snack foods along with the breakfasts and desserts. (And even though I’m assuming the anti-candida diet will be temporary for me, as it is for almost everyone, it’s amazing how my blog has suddenly morphed into a “candida” blog. Most of the searches that lead people here involve the words, “anti-candida” or “candida diet.” Except, of course, for those that involve the words, “dogs girls sexy” or “dogs girls dessert.” Don’t worry, though–I don’t let the realGirls see any of these–it would be too traumatic for them.).
Over the past few months, I realized that most of my snacks don’t actually require a recipe: baby carrots (in moderation–they are pretty high in natural sugars, after all); grape tomatoes; celery sticks; hummus and any of the previous veggies; roasted chick peas; cucumber rounds; kale chips (and have you seen this recent iteration? They sound great!); or, most recently, fresh berries (yay! fruit–though limited to berries and a few others–has made its triumphant return to my diet!). Although I was never a “potato chips” kind of gal (I think you can be one or the other: salty-snack person or sweet-snack person. I always leaned toward the chocolate bars, cookies, cupcakes, etc. rather than the salty snacks), I have been craving something snacky recently. Something crunchy. Something salty. Something portable that isn’t nuts or seeds.
And so, on a whim a couple of weeks ago, I visited our local health food store in search of snacks. My encounter with the cashier went something like this:
Scene: small, family-owned health food store tucked in a local plaza not far from where Ricki lives. Reminiscent of old-time general stores that you see on reruns like The Andy Griffith Show* or Green Acres.
Ricki [browsing around. She approaches the affable, somewhat retro-looking cashier.] “Say, do you have any snack foods for someone who can’t eat gluten, sweeteners, refined anything, eggs, or dairy?”
(Actually, I never begin sentences with the word, “Say,” but it does make the dialogue sound much more as if I really live in a small, close-knit neighborhood like Mayberry, doesn’t it?).
Young Cashier: “Why, yes, Ma’am, yes, indeed, we do.” (Okay, she didn’t really start with, “Why, yes,” either, and didn’t say “indeed.” Another attempt at 1950s-era verisimilitude. She did, however, actually call me “Ma’am,” which made me feel very authentically 1950s).
Young Cashier: [Leading Ricki to a shelf containing Mary's products.] These are all gluten-free and sugar free, made with whole foods ingredients. You might like to try some of these. The Curry flavor is my favorite.
Ricki: [Speechless. Her mind is reeling]: Wow! You mean there are actually snacks I can eat on this &*%$#! regimen that I don’t have to make myself??Okay! I’ll take ten bags!
(All right. I admit that I didn’t really say THAT, either. But I wanted to. Perhaps realistic dramatic representation is not my forte.)
Well, if you live in California–or anywhere in the US, really–and are either (a) on a gluten-free diet; (b) into healthy foods; (c) the owner of a health food store; or (d) named Mary, you have most likely already heard of or tasted the Mary’s Gone Crackers product called “Sticks and Twigs.” On the other hand, if you live in the Distant Far Northern Canadian Outpost that is Toronto–as I do–the discovery was a revelation. (Do you think perhaps I should stop making tongue-in-cheek comments about how far north, how cold, and how polite it is here in Canada? After all, there are some people out there who might actually think I’m being serious!). These snacks resemble pretzels but are crunchier. They’re a whole foods, no-added-fat snack with little pellets of baked amaranth and quinoa scattered throughout. They come in flavorful choices such as Curry or Chipotle Tomato.
And they are mighty addictive.
Only one problem: at $5.99 per 8-ounce (about 250 g) bag, they really did leave me speechless.
In recent months, I’ve noticed a few bloggers playing a game that involves listing the ingredients in a processed “food” and having readers guess what it is (such as this one on Meghan’s blog). For instance, did you know that “Wheat Flour, Sugar, Dextrose, Vegetable Oil, Glucose Syrup, Milk Whey Powder, Invert Sugar Syrup, Fat Reduced Cocoa Powder, Wheat Starch, Salt, Raising Agent (Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, Diphosphates), Dried Egg White, Beef Gelatin, Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum), Vanilla Extract, Modified Wheat Starch, Colour (Caramel E150d, Titanium Oxide) and Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin)” is actually a Pop Tart? (Yep. Titanium Oxide–often used in paint, or as a sunscreen--is a bonus ingredient in your breakfast “pastry.” Eat up, everyone!).
Well, I decided to turn that game on its head. I took a food I like, namely the Sticks and Twigs, studied the ingredients, and then attempted to reproduce it at home. The result was better than I could have expected. I daresay, I like my version better than the original!
Mine are surprisingly like Mary’s, but a bit thicker, and–most important–at a fraction of the cost. They are, however, still exceedingly crunchy, so if you’re in need of some elective dental work, don’t eat these until after the filling has been replaced. (Just kidding. But they really do snap, crackle and pop in your mouth).
And, if it turns out they’re not to your taste after all, they make excellent dog biscuits.
With all the healthy whole-grain ingredients in these, I thought they’d make a perfect contribution to Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays, showcasing real food. Take a peek, or submit your own healthy recipe!
["Mmmm, nice and crunchy, Mum, just like real sticks and twigs. But what was that you mentioned before about not letting us see something--? You're not hiding other snacks from us, are you?"]
*For those of you young enough that you can’t remember a time before computers: yep, “Ronny Howard”–ie, Opie–is the same person as director Ron Howard. Wasn’t he a cutie when he still had hair?
Crunchy Stalks and Branches Snacks
A perfect take-along snack that’s crunchy and filled with real nutrient value: with amaranth, millet, quinoa and rice, these savory treats contain a fair portion of vitamins, minerals, and protein in each serving.
3 Tbsp (45 ml) amaranth, dry
1/4 cup (60 ml) quinoa, dry
1/4 cup (60 ml) millet, dry
2 cups (480 ml) cooked brown rice (I used brown basmati)
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp (30 ml) finely ground chia seeds
2 tsp (10 ml) mild curry powder
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) fine sea salt, or more, to taste
2 Tbsp (30 ml) sesame seeds
1/2-1 cup (120-240 ml) water, as needed
In a small bowl, soak the amaranth, quinoa and millet for about 2 hours (up to 6 hours). Drain in a very fine sieve. Remove about 3 Tbsp (45 ml) of the mixture and set aside.
Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray.
Place the remaining amaranth, quinoa and millet mixture into the bowl of a strong blender along with the rice, flax, chia, curry powder and salt. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) water and blend to a paste; stir in the sesame seeds. If the mixture is too thick, add a little more water until you have a mixture the consistency of a soft cookie dough. It should be soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold its shape if you scoop some out and place it on the cookie sheet.
Scrape the mixture into a bowl and then stir in the 3 Tbsp (45 ml) whole seeds that have been set aside. Using an icing gun or cookie press, press out the mixture in long, thin logs across the cookie sheet (or make into any shapes you like). I used my icing gun without a tip to create logs for this, but you could use any shape you like. If you have neither an icing gun nor cookie press, you can shape the “dough” into disks or logs by hand, or simply spread the mixture into a large rectangle and then bake as crackers.
Bake the snacks in preheated oven for about 30 minutes before checking. Turn them over and continue to bake, another 30-45 minutes, until they are very browned, dry and crisp. (If baking as crackers, remove from oven after 30 minutes and cut into desired cracker shapes; then turn each cracker over individually and continue to bake as above).
Allow to cool before storing. Makes 4-8 snack-size servings, depending on how hungry you are. If sufficiently baked, these will keep for at least 2 weeks at room temperature in a covered container (ours only lasted a few days, but they were clearly sturdy enough for the long term).
[I thought it would be fun to run a little series over here at DDD: I'll profile one one of my favorite foods, or a food that I've recently discovered and enjoyed, over several days. For this fifth edition, I'm focusing on cilantro. The series is presented on an occasional (and entirely arbitrary) basis, before I move on to the next lucky comestible. This is the fourth entry on cilantro.]
My mom was many things: a sweet person, a sentimental person, a docile person, a loyal person; but one thing she most definitely was not, was a morning person. Because of my dad’s unique hours (he didn’t drive a car for the first 38 years of his life, so he would take the bus to his butcher shop** each day, a ride of about an hour–necessitating a 5:30 AM wakeup six days a week), this meant my Mom, too, was required to arise at the same ungodly hour each day. Her responsibility was to grill Dad’s breakfast toast, pour his tea, and pack his lunch.
The second he was out the door, my mother would retreat to the bedroom and fall back on the bed, unconscious within seconds, only to emerge about three hours later looking–well, as if she needed some sleep. My sisters and I learned at a tender age that we were on our own when it came to breakfast.
Like most of my friends at the time, I fancied cold cereal and milk above all else in the morning. Cap’n Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, _______ [insert your own sugar-filled, wheat-based choice here], but on Saturdays, the CFO and I allowed ourselves a supreme treat: saltine crackers slathered with peanut butter, and a tall glass of chocolate milk, which we made ourselves while my mother slept. We’d tiptoe down to the basement (where my parents had installed a second TV) and sit on the olive green vinyl hide-a-bed watching Saturday morning cartoons for hours (well, about three hours, that is, until Mom woke up) while we munched happily, leaving a trail of crumbs in our wake like the famous Grimm siblings.
When I got older and eventually had my own kitchen to run, I lost interest in saltines, and any other crackers. Crackers were one of those foods I never really thought about in the “SAD [ie, Standard American Diet] old days,” when I still consumed wheat, meat, sugar and aspartame. I can recall serving appetizers of smoked oysters, cream cheese and a wedge of lemon on Triscuits when I threw dinner parties in my 20s, or setting out a tray of Ritz, Stoned Wheat Thins and Water Crackers next to a hunk of cheese. But otherwise, crackers were off my radar. I mean, why would you choose dry, flavorless crackers when you could be scarfing muffins, scones or biscuits? You see my point.
So I surprised even myself by how much I enjoyed these thin, crispy wafers. Perhaps it’s the fact that I haven’t had a “true” baked good (ie, something made with flour, sweetener and, ideally, some form of chocolate) in 5 months, since I started the ACD. Or maybe my tastes are just evolving.
Naw.
In any case, these were even a hit with the HH , who pronounced them “really tasty” (not a man of many words, that HH). The texture, while crispy and slightly crumbly, is nevertheless rich, like a butter cracker or shortbread; yet they stand up well to toppings and spreads.
I enjoyed them with a slather of raw almond-veggie pâté, but because the cilantro isn’t very pronounced (great for you cilantro-phobes out there), they’d even work with nut butter for breakfast. You could easily eat some while watching cartoons–but I wouldn’t recommend pairing them with chocolate milk.
** Yes, the irony is palpable. I talk about his occupation vis-à-vis my dietary choices here.
[For those of you who prefer sweets to crackers, here's the latest review of Sweet Freedom--check out the "Muffin Wars" between SF and JOVB versions!]
Grain Free Hazelnut-Cilantro* Crackers
These work equally well for appetizers or as a snack on their own. You can use any herb you like if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
3/4 cup (115 g) hazelnuts (filberts)
1/4 cup (30 g) finely ground flax seeds
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup (40 g) whole bean or chickpea flour
1/4 tsp (1 ml) fine sea salt
1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking soda
1/2-2/3 cup (120-160 ml) fresh cilantro, parsley or basil leaves, or a combination
2 Tbsp (30 ml) organic coconut oil, melted, or extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp (45 ml) water
Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (this recipe requires the parchment; greasing won’t do). Lightly flour the parchment with more bean flour.
In the bowl of a food processor, process the nuts and flax seeds to a fine meal; it should have the appearance of coarse cornmeal, with no visible pieces of nuts. Add the flour, salt and soda and process again until mixture is combined.
Add the cilantro, oil, and water to the processor and blend until the cilantro is well chopped and the mixture comes together in a moist dough.
Place the dough directly on the parchment, and roll it out to a rectangle about 7 x 10 inches (17.5 x 25 cm) big . You can make it smaller or slightly larger, depending on how thick you want your crackers. (I rolled mine out to a thickness of about 1/8″ or 2 mm).
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cut the large rectangle into smaller crackers (I cut about 25 crackers). Turn each cracker over by hand (be careful–these are hot!). Return the crackers to the oven and bake another 10-15 minutes, until they are golden brown throughout. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Makes about 25 crackers. These will keep, covered at room temperature, for up to a week.
the pan
In retrospect, it was a truly hilarious experience (though not at the moment, unfortunately)!
