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Happy Thursday, everyone, and Happy Wellness Weekend! I’m amazed at how the summer is just flying by (especially since here in Toronto, it’s barely begun. . . we’ve had such weird weather so far!). Once again last week you amazed me with all the fabulous recipes. I think summer would be a great time to have a massive pot luck in which we all share these dishes in a huge park somewhere, wouldn’t it? A gal can dream. . . . Continue reading Wellness Weekend. . . 
Though it sometimes seems like I’ve been on the anti-candida diet forever, it wasn’t that long ago that I first made the switch to sugar-free and gluten-free. And then, it wasn’t long before I started whipping up all the treats I could still enjoy, like cookies, brownies, cakes and more, all within the parameters of my new eating plan. But it never occurred to me that, despite my love of creating every kind of healthy dessert recipe imaginable, I’d find myself missing ice cream. Of course, I haven’t had “real” ice cream in years, but for some reason, I keep yearning for those old Dairy Queen Blizzards. In today’s Attune post, I share my updated, healthy dessert version: a “Bluster” made with dairy-free soft serve ice cream and both chocolate crunch and chocolate drizzle mixed throughout.
You won’t be missing a thing, believe me. Hop over to the Attune blog to see the recipe. You’ll be digging your spoon into a delicious ice cream treat within minutes! Note: this recipe is suitable for those on Candida Diet maintenance. If you are at an earlier stage of the diet, see the variation at the bottom of the recipe.
Really, what tells Dad “I love you” more than cooking a special meal just for him? When I was growing up, the only meal we could all count on as a family (since my dad worked crazy-long hours during the week, and we had all scraped the last bits of food off our plates long before he even got home) was Sunday brunch. In those days, it was a heavily meat-laden affair, with eggs over easy, rye toast and the occasional oatmeal porridge. Still, brunch remained the meal we used for family celebrations, such as my mom’s birthday, my parents’ anniversary, or Father’s Day. It wasn’t until I moved to Toronto and discovered “going out to brunch” as an institution that I really began to consume pancakes on a regular basis. In the old days, my friends and I would frequent The Golden Griddle at Eglinton and Roehampton, where you could get a bottomless cup of coffee, stacks of moist, golden buttermilk pancakes for less than $5.00, and ny (then) very-favorite potato puffs (a full plate of which I once left entirely untouched during a 3-hour period between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM while I sobbed into my coffee cup, and my buddy Gemini I consoled me over the dissolution of my marriage). Since then, I’d say my pancake consumption has evolved somewhat. To begin with, they’re all made from scratch these days; and they don’t contain your average pancake ingredients. In fact, I love pancakes any which way: Buckwheat, grain-free, carob-based, high protein, coconut-filled, studded with corn kernels, mixed with fruit. . . you name it. If it’s a pancake, I will most likely be delighted to consume it for brunch.
Today’s recipe came about as the culmination of an email exchange I began several months ago with Francis, one of the owners of the family-run company Yoso. Yoso makes dairy-free yogurt and dairy-free soy-based spreads and dips. At one point, Francis mentioned that he and his brother were about to launch a new coconut-based yogurt in my area, and would I perhaps be interested in trying some out? Of course, I replied with my usual spiel: I can’t eat anything with sugar, I don’t “do” processed ingredients, but maybe if you have an unsweetened version, I’d consider it, blah blah blabeddy-blah-blah. I kind of expected that the spate of tweets would just end right there. . . but no. Francis responded with this list of the ingredients in their unsweetened coconut yogurt: Water, Pure Organic Coconut, Rice Starch, Chicory Inulin, Natural Flavors, Non Dairy Lactic Acid, Tricalcium Phosphate, Carob Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Non Dairy Bacterial Culture (Lactobacillus Acidophilus). Well, hooboy! I can work with that! Pretty impressive, if you ask me. Now, as you all know, I rarely eat processed foods. These days, as I ease back into more “normal” eating from the strict phases of the ACD, I do sometimes allow myself the rare dried fruit (such as goji berries or golden berries), agave, or a prepared food of top-notch quality. And if I am going to eat a packaged yogurt, there’s nothing in this one that would deter me. I emailed back with a hearty “yes, please!”. A few days later, I received a box containing the following:
Needless to say, I immediately opened all three cartons and took a spoonful of each (what? that isn’t what everyone would do?). Now, I’ve tried other nondairy yogurts before, and while they were. . . okay. . . I wasn’t exactly besotted. The first thing I noticed about the Yoso was the texture: luxuriously silky and smooth, thick, creamy, even more rich-tasting than the dairy-based yogurts I remember. And the flavor was divine! I offered a spoonful the chocolate flavor to the HH after dinner and, well, I’ll just say that before I knew it, we were practically on the floor wrestling (no, no, not that way! For the yogurt, people!). Yes, he liked it that much. I loved the vanilla, too, though the sweetness level (with agave) was perhaps just a tad too much for me now that I’m so accustomed to stevia or no sweetener at all in most things. The unsweetened was perfect: smooth and thick, but still with a pleasant, mild flavor even without added sweeteners. I adored it. And while I would have been perfectly happy to consume the entire carton of unsweetened straight up (as we did with the vanilla and chocolate), I decided that I wanted to create something a little special with the yogurt, too. And since Father’s Day is right around the corner, I opted for these pancakes. Made with frozen cherries and oats, they’re hearty, fruity, not-too-sweet and very satisfying. They’ll rise up high and cakelike, with intermittent splashes of juicy crimson in between. A perfect filling brunch dish to lure Dad away from the BBQ on Sunday. GIVEAWAY ALERT! YOSO IS OFFERING A PACK OF THEIR NEW YOGURTS TO A DDD READER! TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY, JUST SKIP ON DOWN BELOW THE RECIPE. Last Year at this Time: Raw Chocolate Fudge-Topped Brownies (gluten free; ACD Stage 3 and beyond) Two Years Ago: Spicy, Salty, Crunchy Nori Snacks (gluten free; ACD All Stages) Three Years Ago: Zucchini Linguine Bolognese with Hemp Parmesan (gluten free; ACD All Stages) Five Years Ago: Three Summer Salads You Can Count On (gluten free; ACD Stage 2 and beyond)
Cherry-Oatmeal Pancakes 1/2 cup (65 g) Ricki’s All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Mix 1/2 cup (55 g) old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick-cook) 2 Tbsp (30 ml) unflavored or vanilla rice-based protein powder (I used Growing Naturals) 1 Tbsp (15 ml) psyllium husks 1 Tbsp (15 ml) finely ground flax seeds 3/4 tsp (3.5 ml) baking powder 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda 1/8 tsp (1 ml) pure stevia powder (I use NuNaturals) pinch fine sea salt 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened Yoso coconut yogurt 1 Tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp (15 ml) sunflower or other light-tasting oil, preferably organic 1/4-1/3 cup (60-80 ml) unsweetened plain or vanilla almond or soy milk, or coconut beverage, as needed [for nut-free, use soy milk] 1/2 cup (120 ml) sliced cherries, fresh or frozen In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, protein powder, psyllium, flax, baking powder, baking soda, stevia and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, vinegar, oil and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and stir just to blend–do not overmix! Gently fold in the cherries. Heat a large nonstick frypan over medium heat. Using a large ice cream scoop or 1/3 cup (80 ml) measuring cup, pour batter onto the pan and spread out with the back of a spoon or a silicone spatula to flatten. Cook 4-5 minutes, until the tops are just dry, then flip and cook another 3-4 minutes, until deep golden. As the batter sits, it may thicken up; add extra milk, about a tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, to retain desired consistency. Makes 8-10 pancakes. May be frozen. Suitable for: ACD Stage 2 and beyond, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, nut free, vegan. AND NOW, FOR THE GIVEAWAY!The fine folks at Yoso have agreed to ship out the same package they sent me (a carton each of the unsweetened, vanilla and chocolate coconut-based yogurts) to a DDD reader within their current territory (Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba). You’ll also receive some amazing recipes using the yogurts! ELIGIBILITY: Only Canadians (yep, for once, the apology goes out to US folks–sorry!) in Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. ENTRIES: Follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter form, below, to enter. Once you check the first box and leave a comment, options for other entries will open up to you. DEADLINE: I’ll choose a winner at random at 11:59 PM on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16th. GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE!! © Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert and Dogs
Happy Thursday, everyone! Hope you are having a great week. Well, it’s about to get better, anyway: time for Wellness Weekend! As always, thank you to all of you for dropping by and sharing your incredible recipes. I love seeing what you cook up each week! Continue reading Wellness Weekend. . .
One of the fundamental principles taught in English 101 is the essay “thesis statement”–that’s your stance on an issue, your argument, your point of view. When I first learned how to craft a thesis, my professor was very clear: never choose a topic related to life-or-death issues, because the goal of the essay is to convince someone of your viewpoint, and it’s virtually impossible to shift someone’s opinion when it comes to topics like capital punishment, abortion, or whether or not God exists. Instead, he advised, choose a subject where people may hold a position but are still open to change, such as whether or not drinking coffee is bad for you, whether dogs are better pets than cats, or whether Julia Roberts is grossly overrated as an actress. (Okay, that last one doesn’t count, since we all know that Julia Roberts is grossly overrated as an actress.).
Hello Everyone! It’s Thursday once again, which means another Wellness Weekend, of course! And can you believe it’s the last WW of May?! How the heck did THAT happen? Well, at least the weather is finally summery here in Toronto. Your amazing recipes from last week really evoked the hazy, lazy days of summer, too. . . everything from picnic-friendy salads to iced coffee to caramel sauce (great on ice cream) and crock pot corn on the cob! Continue reading Wellness Weekend. . . Way back in this post, I asked you all if you’d be interested in tips on speeding up the process of cooking whole foods from scratch. I realized there is so much to say on this topic that I’d need to split it up into two smaller posts. I offered the first four tips last week; today, I’ll present the final four.
[Clockwise from large photo: Collard Wraps with Raw Carrot Pâte; Pesto-Bean Topped Salad; His N Hers Grain-Free, Oil-Free Pizza; Grain-Free, No-Cook Breakfast Porridge; Chickpea Pot Pie; Pasta Arrabiata.] Well, howdy, everyone! I’ve made it back from my 1-1/2 days at the amazing Vida Vegan Con (I swear I spent more time in the air than on the ground!) and can’t wait to share all the happenings next time. For now, let’s just say I’m glad I survived the 10-hour travel times and dreaded flights across the country. Here’s what I looked like prior to takeoff in Toronto:
Hi Everyone! Welcome to this week’s Wellness Weekend. By the time you read this, I will be on my way to this year’s Vida Vegan Con, the premier vegan bloggers’ conference! I’m really excited to meet up with so many vegan bloggers whom I’ve come to know via the internet. And, of course, will report back to you all when I return–with lots of stories and FOOD pics! And speaking of food–well, as usual, you all outdid yourselves last week! Thanks for all the incredible recipes and inspiring ideas. I can’t wait to see what you share this week. Have a great weekend!
Hi Everyone! Welcome to this week’s Wellness Weekend. I’ve been slowly getting back into the swing of things over the past two weeks and glad to be back on track. With summer around the corner, I can’t wait to spend more time outdoors with The Girls! (Oh, yeah, and the HH, too, of course–ha ha!). Your fabulous recipes from last week were geared toward warmer weather, too, with lots of raw dishes in the mix.
Hi Everyone! Hope you’re all having an awesome week and enjoying some down time outside (here in Toronto, it’s been in the high 20s/low 80s and sunny all week! Can’t ask for better than that. I was a bit MIA last week, but did get a chance to check out your delectable entries to Wellness Weekend. From the Frosted Vanilla Cupcakes to the Raw Coconut Fudge to the Mexican Chili Salad Wraps to the Vegan Cheese Biscuits, I loved ‘em all! My “to make” list is just getting longer and longer. . . ! Continue reading Wellness Weekend. . . |
    
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