Radish and Grapefruit Salad

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“Um, Mum, we are coming with you, aren’t we? Because (and sorry to have to tell you this), we actually have more fans than you do on this blog.” 

In the past, I’ve always thought of radishes as kind of a poor cousin to beets: smaller and more anemic, they obviously missed out on the family jewels.  Without well-heeled connections or an established vocation, they’re much like the street punk with the pugilistic attitude, slamming your jaw with a peppery punch every time you dare take a bite.

And besides, radishes seem to me more or less a one-hit wonder:  like the obnoxious neighbour (you know the guy: loud, grating voice; beer belly) who always gets drunk at the annual Bar B Q and tells the same joke every year, radishes were used for one thing and one thing only: salad.  And they were always raw.  And they were always sliced.  Not horrible, but not exactly inspiring, either.  Sort of like Julia Roberts: no matter what the context, no matter what else surrounds them, no matter what time of year, they’re always pretty much exactly themselves.  Even when carved into one of those fancy garnish “roses”–a radish is a radish is a radish.

Well, last week, I intended to change all that. 

I’ve been hanging on to this recipe, originally from the LCBO’s  Food and Drink Magazine from early 2004 (LCBO is ”Liquor Control Board of Ontario”–that’s right, the government is the sole purveyor of alcohol in our time-warped province), since I first saw it. I’d kept it all this time simply because I loved the photo in the magazine so much (have you ever seen the production values of that mag?  No wonder the Ontario government is short on cash).  Well, I can thank my blogging habit once again for prompting me to finally make the dish and take my own shot of the colorful mix.

It must have been some weird synergy in the not-quite-summer air, but in the interim since I made this salad, I’ve noticed two other bloggers with radish recipes as well: Lisa just whipped up some fabulous looking Potato and Radish Salad, and Karen actually roasted the little roots, something I’ve never thought to do (she swears they’re pretty darned good that way).

This salad was deceptively simple–only seven ingredients–but it was the particular combination that sounded so enticing.  Radishes, sliced paper-thin (unfortunatelly, not in my case–must get that mandoline!), embraced by thick, juicy wedges of grapefruit; with thin rounds of young green onion and glossy olives tinted like black plums scattered throughout. Like a little dinner party with your most eclectic group of friends, all in one place!

It came together in no time at all, and didn’t disappoint.  The result was unusual, yes, but oddly pleasing: tart, salty, peppery, juicy–the perfect side to a light summer dinner of lentil patties (more on those anon).

Based on this salad, I’d say the lowly radish has finally broken free from the previously predictable, nondescript dishes it’s graced in the past.  I actually enjoyed experiencing the radish in a starring role in this dish.

Now, if only I could say the same for Ms. Roberts.

Radish and Grapefruit Salad

from Food and Drink, Spring 2004

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE RECIPE , PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Crisp and light, this will remind you of summer, even though it can be prepared any time of year.  The singular mix of flavors and textures creates a uniquely appealing salad. The original instructions advise: “Do not add the dressing until just before serving or else the salad will give off too much liquid.”

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Pear and Parsnip Soup

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“Um, Mum, we are coming with you, aren’t we? Because (and sorry to have to tell you this), we actually have more fans than you do on this blog.” 

It seems like another lifetime now, but the year after my starter marriage

ended, I lived in a townhouse with my dear friend Gemini I.  Shortly after the furniture was placed and the boxes unpacked, we began to negotiate the rules of housework, grocery shopping, and TV usage when we got to chatting about food.  I remember asking, “Do you like cous cous?” (In those days, I ate it all the time, though it’s pretty much verboten now since I don’t eat wheat).  I was taken aback by her answer, which, at the time, I found a little odd.

“Well, I suppose I do,” she responded.  “There are times when I’ll cook it every day for two weeks, but then I might not touch it or even think of it for 8 or 9 months.”  I couldn’t imagine ignoring a food I actually enjoyed for that long (and chocolate? Well, that one would be calculated in hours–nay, minutes–rather than days or weeks). 

These days, though, I understand exactly what she meant.  When one maintains a food blog, the quest for the novel and atypical dish never ends.  This pursuit sometimes leaves old favorites languishing in the dust–or at the back of the cupboard (or both, in the case of our cupboard).  On the other hand, I might whip up something new from a recipe I found on another blog, and enjoy it so much that the HH and I will feast on said dish several times during the next week.  And the following week.  In fact, we might just consume that comestible every second or third day for two to three weeks (which does provide several useful photo-ops, after all)–and then dump it unceremoniously, just as Chaser dumps her squeaky ball (ad nauseum, I might add) at my feet.  Once I’ve gotten my fill, I move on, seeking the next culinary encounter.

Well, I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that I often find myself with a surplus of overripe pears in the house, as I did a couple of evenings ago. Since the HH refuses to share in the burden of eating fruit (hey!  That could be the title of Michael Pollan’s next tome:  The Burden of Eating Fruit: An Exposition on Overripe Organic Produce), I’m always on the lookout for tasty recipes with pears, before they become too soft and squishy, too oozy, too yellow-flecked-with-brown.  Our freezer is already bursting with chopped, frozen pears, so I needed to cook up these babies–and fast.

It was then I remembered an erstwhile favorite, one that we consumed for a spell and then promptly forgot. It’s from one of my favorite cookbooks, Green by Flip Shelton. From what I understand, Shelton is kind of like an Aussie Rachael Ray, and isn’t taken very seriously as a chef (what’s that bogan doing cooking biscuits on the barbie? What a dag!  Well, she’s still ace to me.  G’day!).  The recipe sounds like an incongruous combination of ingredients (though not as incongruous as radishes, olives and grapefruit), mixing pear and parsnip with sautéed leeks, but the final result is incredibly tasty.  Fragrant, slightly sweet from the pears and slightly peppery from the parsnip, with a velvety smooth, light texture.  Yum-O!

And since this soup features both fruit and, well, soup, I’m submitting it to this months’ No Croutons Required, a monthly event hosted alternately by Holler (this month) and Lisa, which asks us to cook up either a salad or soup with fruit as a main ingredient. 

Oh, and before I sign off, I really must thank all of you for being so understanding and so polite.  I mean, it’s painfully evident that I was a total bust at the ACD this time round (okay, maybe not a TOTAL bust–I did last almost 2 weeks). And yet you’ve all had the diplomacy and tact not to mention it!  For that, I am grateful. 

And while I’ve decided this may not have been the best time to embark on an even more restrictive diet (school starting up, cold weather coming, cookbook calling), I do still try to eat foods that would fit within the parameters of the diet as often as possible, perhaps minus one or two ingredients. Well, turns out this fantastic soup could easily qualify as an anti-candida meal, even without trying (if you’re following the version that permits non-tropical fruits, that is).  It’s also a very simple, very nourishing concoction that offers fabulous fiber from the pears, a hit of extra calcium from the parsnips and a satisfying early autumn tummy-warming. You may even decide to make it again and again–at least, for a couple of weeks or so.   

Pear and Parsnip Soup

from Flip Shelton’s Green

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE RECIPE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

It may not be entirely photogenic, but this easy, quick recipe produces a satisfying soup.  The combination of slightly sweet, slightly peppery, and slightly creamy works beautifully here.

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Gluten-Free Recipe Index

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Appetizers and Dips

 Almond-Veggie Pate

Arame and Edamame Salad

 

Carrot Pate

Celeri Remoulade (use GF mayonnaise)

Eggplant “Caviar”

Herb and “Feta” Polenta Appetizers

Mock Tuna Salad

Muhammara (Pepper-Walnut Dip) (Uses GF bread)

Perfect Guacamole

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bites (use GF bread crumbs)

Raw Imitation Fried “Rice” (use GF soy sauce)

Raw Nori Rolls 

Roasted Garlic and Pumpkinseed Pesto

Sweet Potato “Fries” Three Ways

Swiss “Cheese” 

 

Baked Goods and Sweets 

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Apple-Quinoa Cake 

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Banana Daiquiri Ice Dream

Bean Brownies 

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Cheela (Chickpea Pancakes)

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Fudge Two Ways

Grown-Up Baked Apples with Walnuts and Figs

Mostly Raw Chocolate Truffles

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Popcorn (or Rice Crumbles)

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce (use GF pumpkin bread)

Pumpkinseed Shortbread Buttons

Raw Carob-Cashew Pudding

Raw Fig and Cherry Bars (high calcium)

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Soy-Free Vegan Whipped Cream

Speedy Fruit Sorbet

Spiced Brown Basmati Rice Pudding

Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole

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Ecuadorian Hot Chocolate

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Mystery Smoothie

Sweet Potato Smoothie

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Apple Noodle Pudding (Kugel)

Apple-Quinoa Cake

 

Blended Hot Cereal  

Cheela (Chickpea Pancakes)

Grown-Up Baked Apples with Walnuts and Figs

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

 

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

 

Mint Smoothie

 

Quinoa-Oatmeal Croquettes

Sweet Breakfast Scramble (the biscuits are NOT GF)

Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Swiss “Cheese”

The Best Home Fries Ever

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Tofu Omelet with Sauteed Apples and Sweet Curry Sauce 

 

Condiments, Sauces and Toppings

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Avocado Mayonnaise

Brandied Apricot-Ginger Spread 

Cranberry Preserves 

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Lentil-Tomato Sauce

“My Life in Balance” Buttery Spread (butter substitute)

Pumpkin Butter

Roasted Garlic and Pumpkinseed Pesto

Soy-Free Vegan Whipped Cream

Sundried Tomato Tapenade

Swiss “Cheese”

Sweet Curry Sauce

Tahini-Miso Sauce

Tomato Tracklement

Entrees

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Balti Tofu and Chickpeas in a Thick Creamy Coconut Sauce

Bangkok Noodles with Cashews and Pineapple

 

Chili to Last Through the Winter

 

Date Pasta (use GF pasta)

 

Frugal Frittata

Kale and Potato Lasagna

Kitchari (an Anti-Candida Stew)

Lentil Pistachio Patties

Meatball Stroganoff (use GF meatballs)

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Nutroast Extraordinaire

Portobello “Steaks”

Quick and Easy Tofu Masala

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Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bites (use GF bread crumbs)

Roasted Potatoes with Sweet and Sour Cipollini Onions

Savory Veggies with Coconut and Rice

Sweet Breakfast Scramble (the biscuits are NOT GF)

Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Bread Stew (use GF bread)

Sweet and Spicy Tempeh

Sweet Potato and Kasha Burgers 

Tagine of Quinoa with Chickpeas, Olives and Prunes

Tofu Omelet with Pesto, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Tofu Omelet with Sauteed Apples and Sweet Curry Sauce

Flash in the Pan (quick and easy) 

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Avocado Mayonnaise

 

Blended Hot Cereal

 

Cauliflower, Parsnip and Bean Mash or Dip 

Cranberry Preserves 

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Ginger-Mint Iced Tea

Grown-Up Baked Apples with Walnuts and Figs

Kale and Avocado Salad (Raw)

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

Raw Carob-Cashew Pudding

Sautéed Greens with Onions and Apples

Speedy Fruit Sorbet

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Avocado Mayonnaise

 

Avocado Pesto Salad 

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Cocoa Nibbles (LaRAW Bars)

Cultured Vegetables

Dilly Coleslaw with Raisins and Walnuts

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Mostly Raw Chocolate Truffles

Perfect Guacamole

Raw Carob-Cashew Pudding

Raw Fig and Cherry Bars (high calcium)

Raw Imitation Fried “Rice” (use GF soy sauce)

Raw Milky Way Bars

Raw Nori Rolls

Speedy Fruit Sorbet

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Arame and Edamame Salad

Asian-Inspired Napa Cabbage Salad

 

Avocado Pesto Salad 

Bittersweet Salad with Apples and Dandelion Greens 

Celeri Remoulade

Classic Three Bean Salad 

Cultured Vegetables

Dandelion-Potato Salad

Dilly Coleslaw with Raisins and Walnuts

Greens with Hearts of Palm and Pine Nuts

Kale and Avocado Salad (Raw)

Mango Avocado Salad

Minted Peach and Corn Salad

Mock Green Papaya Salad

Mock Tuna Salad

Quinoa, Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad

Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Cranberries

Radish and Grapefruit Salad

Raw Imitation Fried “Rice” (use GF soy sauce)

Sweet Potato and Ginger Salad

Swiss “Cheese” in a Mosaic Salad

Soups

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Chili to Last Through the Winter

Chilled Avocado Soup

 

Chilled Peach Soup with Cashew Coconut Cream

Curried Root Vegetable Chowder (omit dumplings from original recipe)

 

Moroccan Spiced Tomato Soup

Pear and Parsnip Soup

 

Spiced Cauliflower Soup 

Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Bread Stew (use GF bread)

Turnip and Pear Soup

Tofu and Tempeh 

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Balti Tofu and Chickpeas in a Thick Creamy Coconut Sauce

Chili to Last Through the Winter

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

 

Frugal Frittata

 

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

 

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

My Mother’s Potato Corn Chowder

Quick and Easy Tofu Masala

Sweet and Spicy Tempeh 

Sweet Breakfast Scramble (the biscuits are NOT GF)

Tofu Omelet with Pesto, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Tofu Omelet with Sauteed Apples and Sweet Curry Sauce

Vegetables and Side Dishes (Cooked) 

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Aloo Masala (Potato Curry)

Apple Noodle Pudding (Kugel) (use GF noodles)

Arame and Edamame Salad

Baked Beans Nested on Greens

Balti Tofu and Chickpeas in a Thick Creamy Coconut Sauce

Brussels Sprouts Even My Honey Will Eat

Cabbage T’horin

Caramelized Baby Bok Choy with Cashews and Sesame Seeds

Cauliflower, Parsnip and Bean Mash or Dip

Dandelion-Potato Salad

Easy Millet and Red Pepper Pilaf

Mediterranean Rice Casserole

Peas in a Creamy Curry Sauce

Portobello “Steaks”

Quinoa, Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad

Roasted Potatoes with Sweet and Sour Cipollini Onions

Sautéed Greens with Onions and Apples

Savory Veggies with Coconut and Rice

Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole

Sweet Potato and Ginger Salad

Sweet Potato Cranberry Hash

Sweet Potato “Fries” Three Ways 

Sweet Potato Smoothie

The Best Home Fries Ever

 

 

 

Lucky Comestible II: Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Cranberries

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“Um, Mum, we are coming with you, aren’t we? Because (and sorry to have to tell you this), we actually have more fans than you do on this blog.”]

[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 second entry, I'm focusing on Quinoa. The series is presented on an occasional (and entirely arbitrary) basis, before I move on to the next lucky comestible. ]

 

I remember very clearly the first time I tasted quinoa (pronounced keen-wah):  there was I, barely having reached the other side of twenty, at an English Department party at the University of Windsor.  As a Teaching Assistant studying toward my MA degree, I had leaped at the chance to attend, not only because this was my very first opportunity to enter the Inner Sanctum of the faculty club, but also because I’d been harboring a raging crush on my Modern American Drama professor and I knew he’d be there.

As it turns out, no, my sophomoric infatuation never made it beyond the fantasy stage; luckily for me, as John later became my beloved mentor, who (along with the wife he adored–drat!) welcomed me into his home, and spent countless hours in serious discussion with me at the local university pub, where I’d regularly spill my dreams, aspirations, academic anxieties and beer; and  he’d regularly dispense sage advice, sympathy, pedagogic pointers and beer–for the next two decades or so.

One of the other TAs, a placid, floaty woman (in the way that 1950s housewives on Valium were placid and floaty) brought two dishes to the party buffet table that day: carob brownies (though lacking any gratuitious “hippie” ingredients as you might have found in chocolate brownies of that era, if you get my drift); and a quinoa-veggie salad.  I loved both dishes as soon as I tasted them, and resolved immediately to reproduce both in the shoebox kitchen of my bachelor apartment.

The carob brownies were fairly easy to replicate (even though Ms. Floaty refused to give out the exact recipe); it was the quinoa that turned out to be the greater challenge.  Most of the ingredients were fairly obvious to the naked eye–celery, green onion, cucumber, tomato.  And I could easily approximate a similar oil and vinegar dressing.  But what had me stumped was the grain itself, the star of the salad–the quinoa.

Feeling confident that I could maneuver my way around pretty much any grain, I boiled the little cream-colored beads exactly as I would pasta, in an overabundance of fresh water. I should have known there’d be trouble when I attempted to drain the stuff in a colander, only to discover that half or more of the quinoa pearls had fallen through the holes and down the drain.  Adding insult to incompetence, when I finally scraped together the remaining 2 tablespoons of the mixture and sampled it for doneness, it unveiled a taste so powerfully bitter that I might have been chewing on a peach pit or a grapefruit peel, with a generous sprinkling of paint chip over top.  Not the most auspicious beginning.

From that unpropitious start, however, has developed an ongoing and consistent love of quinoa that persists to this day (much deeper than an undergraduate crush on a literature professor would have been). Quinoa is, by far, my favorite grain, for a plethora of reasons: I love its distinctly mild, slightly nutty flavor; its chewy, almost crunchy texture; its visual impudence–that color-contrasted spiral tail slowly unfurling as the grain cooks, like a loose stitch on your favorite sweater. 

Quinoa, like most complex carbohydrates, is a nutritional powerhouse.  Besides offering the highest protein content of any grain, this gluten-free gem also provides a nearly complete protein, as it is, unlike other grains, high in the amino acid lysine. (One reason why vegetarians are advised to combine grains with legumes, or grains with nuts/seeds, is to achieve a “complete” combination of all nine essential amino acids.)  With lysine in its lineup, quinoa doesn’t require combination with other foods to achieve complete protein status.

 A little higher in calories than other grains, quinoa is worth it.  According to the  World’s Healthiest Foods website (maintained by the venerable George Mateljan Foundation), quinoa also provides important minerals, heart-healthy fiber, and the anti-cancer protection of antioxidants, among other health benefits. It ’s also fairly neutral on the acid-alkaline spectrum, important because most grains lean towards the acidic side, while our blood requires a more alkaline status.  In other words, quinoa won’t mess with your body’s acid-alkaline balance the way some other foods (especially those that are processed or high in sugar) might.

If you’ve never tried this versatile and delicious ingredient, you’re in for a treat.  Quinoa can be used like oats or rice as the basis of a breakfast cereal, or in side dishes like rice or millet.  It can be baked into casseroles, sprinkled into soups, stuffed into peppers or cabbage leaves, or even blended into muffins or breads.  And it’s equally delicious hot or cold.  My HH was skeptical, at first, but he’s since become a fellow fan of this wonderful food.  (“Mum, we’re keen on quinoa, too!  We’ll share in it any time. . . . “)

To prepare quinoa, employ the standard ratio of water to grain that you would for rice: two parts water to one part grain.  Most instructions will warn that the grain’s exterior houses a naturally bitter resin, which needs to be rinsed carefully to remove before cooking (hence my bitter first encounter; I had no idea I was supposed to rinse it first).  However, in today’s marketplace, quinoa is so ubiquitous that manufacturers have begun to pre-rinse it for us.  These days, I almost never pre-rinse my quinoa (more because of laziness or forgetfulness than any determination to buck tradition), and it always turns out fine.  The stuff I buy in the bulk bins is just as reliable this way as the higher-end products, too.

To achieve a fluffy result (with grains that are clearly separated and well-cooked), I’ve found the best way to cook the quinoa is to first bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the grain; then, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes before checking the pot (resist the temptation to uncover the pot or to stir the mixture!).  If you’re new to quinoa, you might want to combine it with something else the first time; a mix of half quinoa and half rice is always a good option.  For a soupier, more porridge-like texture, pour the quinoa directly into the water before you begin to heat it; allow the water to come to the boil with the quinoa already in it, then proceed as above. 

I decided to offer this salad recipe first, as it’s always a huge hit at the cooking classes I teach, even with people who’ve never tasted quinoa before.  I’ve paired it with buckwheat here; the mild mannered quinoa is a perfect partner to the more robust buckwheat. 

Because this recipe contains both cilantro and vegetables, I thought it would be a great submission to Weekend Herb Blogging, the great event created by Kalyn of Kalyn’s Kitchen, this month hosted by Ramona at Houndstooth Gourmet.  

 Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Cranberries

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE RECIPE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

This salad makes a perfect offering to a buffet table, or a nice light supper.  The chewy, solid texture of the grains here works well with the slightly spicy, sweet dressing; the salad’s flavors develop even more and the cranberries plump a little by the second day (if it lasts that long).  When I first created the recipe  I conducted a nutritional analysis and discovered that one serving (about a cup) of this salad offers 12 grams of protein–enough for a substantial main course in anyone’s books.  

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE RECIPE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Recipe Index

[Diet, Dessert and Dogs has moved!  If you're reading this page, you've landed on the old site.  Please visit the new location by clicking here--and don't forget to update your readers and blogrolls!

As always, thanks for reading.  I look forward to seeing you at the shiny new Diet, Dessert and Dogs!

"Um, Mum, we are coming with you, aren't we? Because (and sorry to have to tell you this), we actually have more fans than you do on this blog."]  

 

 

Appetizers and Dips

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Almond-Veggie Pate

Arame and Edamame Salad

Carrot Pate

Cauliflower, Parsnip and Bean Mash or Dip

Celeri Remoulade

Cheela (Chickpea Pancakes)

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Eggplant “Caviar”

Herb and “Feta” Polenta Appetizers

Katie’s Creamy Aspara-Dip

Mock Tuna Salad

Muhammara (Pepper-Walnut Dip)

Perfect Guacamole

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bites

Raw Imitation Fried “Rice”

Raw Nori Rolls

Roasted Garlic and Pumpkinseed Pesto

Swiss “Cheese”

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Baked Goods and Sweets

Apple Noodle Pudding (Kugel)

Almond-Quinoa Muffins

Apple-Quinoa Cake

Anzac Biscuits

Banana Daiquiri Ice Dream

Butter Tarts (Egg and Dairy Free)

Butterscotch Mousse Pie

Carob and Raisin Biscuits

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudgies

Chocolate Macaroons

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Cinnamon-Pecan Coffeecake Cupcakes

Cocoa Nibbles (LaRAW Bars)

Coconut Mini Loaves or Cupcakes

Cosmic Cookies

Decadent Chocolate Pâté

    French Toast Soufflé with Summer Berries

Frosted Banana Oat Bars

Fudge Two Ways 

Gluten Free Bean Brownies

Gluten Free Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookies

Grown-Up Baked Apples with Walnuts and Figs

Hazelnut Mocha Cookies

Holiday Apple Cake

Jam-Filled Turnovers

Last Minute Christmas (Agave) Cookie

Maple Walnut Cookies

Marzipan-Topped Shortbread Cookies

Mini Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mrs. K’s Date Cake

Oat-Nut Pie Crust

Orange-Oatmeal Muffins

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Popcorn (or Rice Crumbles)

Pear and Ginger Mini-Loaves or Muffins

Plum-Topped Cornmeal Cake

Polish Lemon Cake

Potato-Onion Bread

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Warm Caramel Sauce

Pumpkinseed Shortbread Buttons

Raspberry Coconut Coffee Cake

Raw Carob-Cashew Pudding

Raw Fig and Cherry Bars (high calcium)

Raw Milky Way Bars

Soy-Free Vegan Whipped Cream

Speedy Fruit Sorbet

Spiced Brown Basmati Rice Pudding

Spiked Sweet Potato Truffles or Truffle Cups

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Scones

Tropical Lemon Coconut Muffins

Tutti-Fruiti Christmas Cookies

Vanilla Muffins

Vegan Lemon Cheesecake

Vegan Molten Chocolate Cakes

Zucchini and Pineapple Mini-Loaves

Baked Goods–Savory 

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Beer Bread with Olives and Sundried Tomatoes

Cheela (Chickpea Pancakes)

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Potato-Onion Bread

Spelt Pizza with Caramelized Onion, Artichokes and Chard

Beverages

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Ecuadorian Hot Chocolate

Ginger-Mint Iced Tea

Mint Smoothie

Mystery Smoothie

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Breakfast and Brunch

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Almond-Quinoa Muffins

Apple Noodle Pudding (Kugel)

Apple-Quinoa Cake

Baked Oats

Banana-Berry Breakfast Cakes

Beer Bread with Olives and Sundried Tomatoes

Blended Hot Cereal

Carob and Date Pancakes

Carob and Raisin Biscuits

Cheela (Chickpea Pancakes)

Cinnamon-Pecan Coffeecake Cupcakes

Corn Crêpes with Tomato Tracklement

Earth Bowl Breakfast

Fluffy Fruited Pancakes

French Toast Soufflé with Summer Berries

Frugal Frittata

Grown-Up Baked Apples with Walnuts and Figs

Homemade Crunchy Granola

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

Mini Sweet Potato and Chocolate Chip Muffins

Mint Smoothie

Mystery Smoothie 

Orange-Oatmeal Muffins

Peanut Butter Biscuits

Pear and Ginger Mini-Loaves or Muffins

Plum-Topped Cornmeal Cake

Potato-Onion Bread

Quinoa-Oatmeal Croquettes

Raspberry Coconut Coffee Cake

Savory Filled Breakfast Crepes

Sweet Breakfast Scramble

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Scones

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Swiss “Cheese”

The Best Home Fries Ever

Tofu Omelet with Pesto, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Tofu Omelet with Sauteed Apples and Sweet Curry Sauce

Tropical Lemon Coconut Muffins

Two-Toned Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

Vanilla Muffins

Vegan Lemon Cheesecake

Zucchini and Pineapple Mini-Loaves

Condiments, Sauces and Toppings

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Almond Curry Sauce

Avocado Mayonnaise

Brandied Apricot-Ginger Spread

Cashew Coconut Cream

Cranberry Preserves

Creamy, Cheesy Pasta Sauce 

Cultured Vegetables

 Miso Gravy

“My Life in Balance” Buttery Spread (butter substitute)

Pumpkin Butter

Orange Fig Sauce

Quick Tomato Tracklement

Roasted Garlic and Pumpkinseed Pesto

Soy-Free Vegan Whipped Cream

Sundried Tomato Tapenade

Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce

Sweet Curry Sauce

Tahini-Miso Sauce

Entrees

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Balti Tofu and Chickpeas in a Thick Creamy Coconut Sauce

Baked Beans Nested on Greens

Bangkok Noodles with Cashews and Pineapple

Chili to Last Through the Winter

Corn Crêpes with Quick Tomato Tracklement

Date Pasta

Frugal Frittata

Jalapeno Pesto Pizza

Kale and Potato Lasagna

Kitchari (an Anti-Candida Stew)

Lentil Pistachio Patties

Meatball Stroganoff

Mediterranean Rice Casserole

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

Nutroast Extraordinaire

Portobello “Steaks”

Quick and Easy Tofu Masala

Quinoa-Oatmeal Croquettes

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Black Bean Bites

Reubenesque Sandwich

Savory Veggies with Coconut and Rice

Soba Noodles with Ginger, Chard and Walnuts

Spaghetti with Lentil-Tomato Sauce

Spelt Pizza with Caramelized Onion, Artichoke and Chard

Spiced Carrot Gnocchi in a Creamy Sauce

Spicy Red Pepper Pasta

Sweet Breakfast Scramble

Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Bread Stew

Sweet and Spicy Tempeh

Sweet Potato and Kasha Burgers

Tagine of Quinoa with Chickpeas, Olives and Prunes

Tofu Omelet with Pesto, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Tofu Omelet with Sauteed Apples and Sweet Curry Sauce

Two-Toned Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

Flash in the Pan (quick and easy)

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Avocado Mayonnaise

Blended Hot Cereal

Brussels Sprouts Even My Honey Will Eat

Cocoa Nibbles (LaRAW Bars)

Cranberry Preserves

Earth Bowl Breakfast

Ginger-Mint Iced Tea

Grown-Up Baked Apples with Walnuts and Figs

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

Raw Kale and Avocado Salad

Sautéed Greens with Onions and Apples

Speedy Fruit Sorbet

Gluten-Free

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

For GF recipes, see the new Gluten-Free Recipe Index, organized by category!

Raw (Or Mostly Raw) Dishes

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Almond-Veggie Pate

Avocado Mayonnaise

Carob-Cashew Pudding

Chilled Avocado Soup

Chilled Peach Soup with Cashew Coconut Cream

Cocoa Nibbles (LaRAW Bars)

Cultured Vegetables

Dilly Coleslaw with Raisins and Walnuts

Earth Bowl Breakfast

Greens with Hearts of Palm and Pine Nuts

Kale and Avocado Salad

Mango Avocado Salad

Milky Way Bars (Raw) 

Mint Smoothie

Minted Peach and Corn Salad

Mock Green Papaya Salad

Mostly Raw Chocolate Truffles

Mystery Smoothie

Perfect Guacamole

Raw Fig and Cherry Bars (high calcium)

Raw Imitation Fried “Rice”

Raw Nori Rolls

Speedy Fruit Sorbet

Salads

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Arame and Edamame Salad

Asian-Inspired Napa Cabbage Salad

Barley Hazelnut Salad

Bittersweet Salad with Apples and Dandelion Greens

Celeri Remoulade

Classic Three Bean Salad

Cultured Vegetables

Dandelion-Potato Salad

Dilly Coleslaw with Raisins and Walnuts

Greens with Hearts of Palm and Pine Nuts

Kale and Avocado Salad

Mango Avocado Salad

Minted Peach and Corn Salad

Mock Green Papaya Salad

Mock Tuna Salad

Quinoa, Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad

Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Cranberries

Radish and Grapefruit Salad

Raw Imitation Fried “Rice”

Sweet Potato and Ginger Salad

Swiss “Cheese” in a Mosaic Salad

Soups

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Chili to Last Through the Winter

Chilled Avocado Soup

Chilled Peach Soup with Cashew Coconut Cream

Curried Root Vegetable Chowder with Dumplings

Moroccan Spiced Tomato Soup

My Mother’s Potato Corn Chowder

Pear and Parsnip Soup

Spiced Cauliflower Soup

Sweet and Sour Cabbage and Bread Stew

Turnip and Pear Soup

Tofu and Tempeh

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Balti Tofu and Chickpeas in a Thick Creamy Coconut Sauce

Chili to Last Through the Winter

Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Frugal Frittata

Mediterranean Tofu Scramble

Mex-Ital Tofu Scramble

Quick and Easy Tofu Masala

Reubenesque Sandwich

Sweet Breakfast Scramble

Sweet and Spicy Tempeh

Tofu Omelet with Pesto, Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms

Tofu Omelet with Sauteed Apples and Sweet Curry Sauce

Vegetables and Side Dishes (Cooked)

TO VIEW THE RECIPES LISTED HERE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Almond-Veggie Pate

Aloo Masala (Potato Curry)

Apple Noodle Pudding (Kugel)

Arame and Edamame Salad

Baked Beans Nested on Greens

Balti Tofu and Chickpeas in a Thick Creamy Coconut Sauce

Barley Hazelnut Salad

Brussels Sprouts Even My Honey Will Eat

Cabbage T’horin

Caramelized Baby Bok Choy with Cashews and Sesame Seeds

Cauliflower, Parsnip and Bean Mash

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudgies (cookie)

Dandelion-Potato Salad

Easy Millet and Red Pepper Pilaf

Mediterranean Rice Casserole

Peas in a Creamy Curry Sauce

Portobello “Steaks”

Quinoa, Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad

Roasted Potatoes with Sweet and Sour Cipollini Onions

Sautéed Greens with Onions and Apples

Savory Veggies with Coconut and Rice

Spiked Sweet Potato Truffles or Truffle Cups

Sweet Potato and Carrot Casserole

Sweet Potato and Ginger Salad

Sweet Potato-Cranberry Hash

Sweet Potato “Fries” Three Ways

Sweet Potato Smoothie

Tagine of Quinoa with Chickpeas, Olives and Prunes

The Best Home Fries Ever

Two-Toned Potato Pancakes (Latkes)

Vegan Molten Chocolate Cakes

Zucchini and Pineapple Mini-Loaves

Bittersweet Salad with Apples and Dandelion Greens

DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS HAS MOVED!

If you’re reading this page, you’ve landed on the old site.  Please visit the new location by clicking here–and don’t forget to update your readers and blogrolls!

As always, thanks for reading.  I look forward to seeing you at the shiny new Diet, Dessert and Dogs!

“Um, Mum, we are coming with you, aren’t we? Because (and sorry to have to tell you this), we actually have more fans than you do on this blog.”]

 

Why, oh why did I choose Sundays? What was I thinking?  I must have been on a chocolate high at the time and totally out of it.  Otherwise, why on EARTH would any sane person choose Sunday morning to track her weight loss (which, at this point, is actually a misnomer; for, as of this morning, I am now tracking my weight gain.  Oh, woe).  

Well, I suppose I can take some small comfort in the fact that we spent all of last evening at a spectacular birthday bash for my friend Gemini I’s husband. And, given that my mouth was basically open for business between 6:00 PM and midnight last night, I’m assuming some of this is temporary (I’m hoping. . . .).  Enough self-recriminations–must move onward!  And man, that gal sure knows how to throw a party. 

For your entertainment pleasure, I thought I’d try to remember as many as I can of the continual flow of appetizers and h’ors doeuvres that floated by all evening, aloft many a wait-staff’s capable hands. In addition to a huge buffet table heaving with platters of cheese, crackers, olives, breads and spreads and cut fruits, there was also an endless array of hot and cold appetizers, including stuffed button mushrooms, garlic-stuffed olives, one-bite caramelized onion quiches, mini crab cakes with wasabi dollops, bocconcini-stuffed sundried tomatoes, mini shrimp dumplings, mini hamburgers (yes, with mini buns–looked like plastic toys, actually!), mini cold rice paper spring rolls, chicken satay skewers, mini grilled cheese sandwiches, and a probably six or seven other choices I’ve forgotten. 

The dessert trays were deadly, heaped with one-bite brownies in three or four flavors, double-chocolate chip cookies and plain ole vanilla ones, three kinds of biscotti, miniature individualized banana splits served in shot glasses, all topped off by the birthday cake, an enormous rectangle of vanilla sponge decked out with cream and fresh strawberries, all tied up with white chocolate ribbons and bows. 

One side of the room served as a bar station, where servers were generously dispensing custom pomegranate-blueberry martinis (I have no idea what else was in it, but it was delicious) and any type of wine or liquor you choose.  I was thrilled to see my favorite Australian shiraz in the group. . . all I can say is, good thing I wasn’t the designated driver last evening (thanks, HH!).

As it turns out, Gemini II’s daughter is actuallly a vegetarian in a highly carnivorous family, so there were lots of veggie options there–though I’m not sure whether that was actually good for me or not.  I threw WOCA to the winds and ate more than my fair share (and am paying the price for all that wheat I consumed).  

Which leads me to. . . .salad.  After that kind of indulgence, today I’m craving something basic.  A simple, cleansing salad seems in order. 

Now, I must admit that I’ve never really been a salad person.  Is it because I don’t like salads?  No, that wouldn’t be the reason; I thoroughly enjoy my mixed baby greens, for instance, whenever the HH and I have dinner at one of our local haunts.  After reading about the need to properly toss a salad on The Good Eatah’s blog recently, I thought my tossing skills might not be up to snuff.  Or maybe the idea of cold, raw veggies smack dab in the middle of a cold, raw winter is just too painful to bear? But that’s not it, either; I do still enjoy munching on my cold, raw apples and grapefruit.

Part of my aversion to salads may be rooted in the meals of my childhood, when “salad” meant iceberg lettuce, woody tomatoes, and wobbly cucumber slices, unceremoniously slathered with mayonnaise.  Still, I was confident that years of therapy had finally eradicated that association. No, I’ve decided that the reason for my anti-salad stance is actually twofold:  first, being basically lazy, I’ve always found it just so much work to wash, peel, and cut up all the veggies.  And second, my frugal (okay, downright cheap) nature has too often prevented me from taking advantage of time-saving salads-in-a-bag, as I’m unwilling to fork over my hard-earned discretionary spending money on those overinflated prices. You see my dilemma.

Still, once in a while I encounter a salad that does seem worth the extra effort, and today’s recipe came to mind.  Just like a fulfilling relationship, a bowl of delectable salad greens may take some work, but the result is eminently satisfying (hear that, HH?). Such is the case with several of our staple salads here in the DDD household, such as the Asian-Inspired Napa Cabbage Salad, the always-popular “Broccoli Delight” from my friend Caroline’s cookbook, or the super-easy and absolutely irresistible Raw Kale salad (“Ohh, Mum, that kale salad is our favorite!  Pick that one!”).  All these are delicious (and I’ll post recipes in future), but this time, I favored dandelion.

This simple, appealing salad accompanied our highly successful Savory Stuffed Crepes, which the HH and I enjoyed for brunch the other day.  Originally, this recipe called for the duo of pears and dandelion, but once, when I ran out of pears I subbed apples, and have now come to prefer the latter combination. 

I first tasted dandelion greens during my year studying nutrition, but had been daydreaming about them since my early twenties, when I read the novel The Bone People by New Zealand author Keri Hulme. In the book, the protagonist (an eccentric hermit whose lifestyle I sorely envied at the time) produced her own dandelion wine.  Well, if I can’t have the wine, I suppose the leaves will have to do. . . .but I would still love to sample that fermented version one day.

The salad marries a subtle, slightly sweet and creamy dressing with the bitter gusto of the dandelion.  Being high in calcium and other minerals, dandelions are a natural health food.  They’re also a great liver tonic, stimulating that all-important organ to filter the “bad” cholesterol out of the body.  And after all that booze last night. . . .well, come to think of it, I could have used a fresh juice with some dandelion leaves in it, too!

The recipe produces an abundance of fresh dressing that pools gently at the bottom of the bowl, perfect for sopping up with scraps of bread or for treating The Girls to a dressing-topped dinner. (“Um, Mum, did we hear that correctly?”) Overall, the salad is crisp, light, and very refreshing.  (“Didn’t you just say, ‘dinner,’ Mum?”) And it offers a fabulous array of minerals and vitamins. (“We were sure we heard ‘dinner.’ Isn’t that right, Mum?”)  And, as dandelion is both a high-antioxidant food and a leafy green, I’m submitting this recipe as my contribution to Sweetnicks’ weekly ARF/5-A-Day roundup (check it out on Tuesday evenings). It would make the perfect accompaniment to a healthy dinner.  (“Knew it!  Is it time yet?  So, when do we get some?“)

 Bittersweet Salad with Apples and Dandelion Greens

adapted from Enlightened Eating by Caroline Dupont

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE RECIPE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

The recipe was created by the exceedingly talented Jennifer Italiano, owner of Toronto’s first all-raw restaurant and one of my personal favorites, Live Organic Food Bar (they’ve now expanded the menu options to include macrobiotic and some other cooked items). 

TO VIEW THE COMPLETE RECIPE, PLEASE VISIT THIS PAGE ON THE NEW DIET, DESSERT AND DOGS, BY CLICKING HERE.

Rule #1: When and How Much Do I Eat?

Have you ever woken up in the morning, still feeling full from the previous night?  I have to admit it’s happened to me more than I care to remember.  Of course, all that’s over for me now, right?  Hmm.  Not right.

I really thought yesterday was a near-perfect day in terms of meals and portion control.  True, I wasn’t eating a “perfect” selection of foods according to my diet plan, but I did the best I could in terms of a restaurant meal, and my dinner was brilliant (as my friend A would say).  What did I eat, you ask?  I will swallow my pride (along with all those meals) and tell you.

Brunch:  as previously mentioned, a Cora’s skillet.  True, non-organic egg and likely oil in the veggies, but a good choice given the venue.  The only better thing I could have done would be to order the oatmeal and sweeten it with stevia.

Snack: pink grapefruit; water; faux “iced coffee” (my fave:  made with coffee substitute and vanilla rice milk).

Dinner:  raw vegan sushi (made with raw almond pate, nori sheets, cucumber, radish, red pepper, avocado) and a ginger-lemon sweet potato salad (the recipe from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food–which, as it turns out, is a great mag for some interesting vegetarian dishes).  Forgive me the lack of photos, for now; I will post as soon as I can figure out how to do it.

So. . . note that I haven’t mentioned how much of anything I ate.  This is because The Plan allows me to eat as much as I want, until I feel “comfortably full” (I just made up that last part–I assume that’s how much “normal” eaters eat).  And last evening, I did just that–did not overeat, I thought.  Proud of myself for the fabulous minerals in the nori, the protein in the almonds, the many veggies, the beta-carotene, fibre, and low GI in the sweet potatoes.  Not to mention the ginger dressing, a great immune-booster and anti-inflammatory (my eyes said, “thanks”).  And the Girls loved the salad, too (“Yum, Mum, you can make that any time!”).

I want to be able to eat what I want, without worrying too much about how much I’m packing away.  Again, it’s my quest for normalcy:  normal people (ie, those like my honey, without weight issues) eat what they like, when they like, and how much they like.  Unlike me, they don’t overdo it on a regular basis. 

So when I woke up this morning, still feeling a bit bloated from last night’s dinner, I wondered why.  Am I unaccustomed to the additional fiber in those sweet potatoes? Did I actually eat much more than I realized?  Is my digestion so screwed up that I’m unable to process even healthy food effectively? My answer is, “probably a bit of all three.” 

Off to work today, where I’ll consume the remainder of the s.p. salad and perhaps an apple for lunch.  Will see how that leaves me by the afternoon.

For a later post: trying to eat only when I’m really hungry.