Hey, I just discovered a little something that might be of interest to those of you who want a sweetener but can’t eat sugar. My sister is a cancer patient and from her research she’s learned that sugar is one of the worst things for cancer, my IBS riddled nasty bacteria infected stomach (which is currently actually doing very well due to cutting out sugar and other things) can’t have sugar, cavity prone kids have to avoid it and well, let’s face it, sugar is pretty useless except for its fabulous taste and addictive qualities. Xylitol is a sweetener that is found in many fruits and vegetables and is typically made from birch trees. I bought some the other day and it looks like sugar and tastes like sugar (maybe a little sweeter). Continue reading
Category Archives: Recipes
Vegetarian, dairy-free, wheat-free yummy Moroccan Chickpea Lentil Soup
I found this recipe on the Wholefoods web site which has excellent , delicious and searchable recipes by category and a variety of other searchable methods. I’ve made this several times, each time a little differently mainly because I’m not a precision master when it comes to cooking. But I have to say, each time I’ve made this, it’s been delicious.
This soup has saffron, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger and is fabulously fragrant. Add the charmoula and you have a meal made in heaven. This recipe just calls for cilantro but I actually do half parsely/half cilantro and it tastes great. This recipe serves 8 so if you have leftovers just toss it into a tupperware and throw it into the freezer and enjoy it later. Continue reading
My anti-candida no dairy, no wheat, no gluten, no sugar no nothing diet update
Since the end of February this year I have been working with my naturopathic doctor Stephanie Trenciansky to help alleviate my chronic stomach issues. I already was a non-meat eater and a non-gluten eater but there was still something bugging me enough that I had to talk to somebody about it. My doctor had given me dicetel for when my stomach was upset, but she never actually worked with me to get to the bottom of it. So during Christmas when I went a bit wild HELLO WINE,CHEESE, COOKIES and CHOCOLATE, I made my way through my entire prescription of 50 or so dicetel. Continue reading
Filed under Recipes
Hemp hearts – you don’t smoke ’em ya eat them and they’re great.
So Dave came home with something the other day that turned out to be a fantastic discovery. Initially, of course, I was suspicious. Hemp hearts. Ahh huh. They taste good. Right, sure they do. They’re an excellent source of protein. Ya, whatever. Anyways, I overcame my objections in my endless pursuit to find things I can actually eat, only to discover that hemp hearts taste great. They’re nutty tasting, you can put them on cereal, eat them straight up, throw them over salads, bake with them whatever.
I’ve been looking for new protein sources since discovering that perhaps some of my stomach unhappiness might be caused by eating too much soy product. Since I don’t eat meat and unwillingly don’t eat much cheese, I’m dying to find a great source of protein that my stomach likes. And lo and behold, I did. I love this stuff.
One little warning though. Hemp hearts have a rather unique way of pushing everything through your system in a timely manner. It’s quite cleansing.
Filed under Random Musing, Recipes
IBS suffering: Unloving the foods you love that kill you
For most of my life I’ve suffered from stomach problems. Most IBS sufferers will instantly recognize the story. It goes something like this; you eat something and the next minute you’re dying.
Acute pain is the first signal that you need to find a bathroom, a shrub, anything as soon as you possibly can because if you don’t there’s going to be trouble. And not the kind that is easily socially excusable. It’s the kind of trouble that your friends, co-workers and family will remember and recount for the rest of their days. So you sprint to the bathroom and possibly start praying to god whether you believe in god or not, and then you just hope that you make it. Most often you do, sometimes you don’t. Continue reading
Filed under Recipes
Yummy Red Wine Tomato Soup Drizzled with Olive Oil
I recreated this recipe from Vancouver’s Burgoo restaurant. It was fabulous at the restaurant and it was fabulous when I made it!
Here goes:
Saute until translucent three cloves of garlic and two finely diced Spanish onions. Add three cans of San Remo crushed tomatoes. Add one litre or tetra pack of veggie broth. Salt and pepper to taste. Add one or two cups of fine red wine. Probably best to add one, let it cook and taste it for balance. Add one to two heaping tbsp of brown sugar. Again, add the first table spoon, taste it for balance making sure it’s not too sweet. If it needs more, then add the second tbsp.
Simmer for 45 minutes over medium heat. Serve with olive oil drizzled over top and if you’re big on basil add some freshly minced basil. Serve with salad and chunky bread.
The World’s Best Most Dangerous Rum Balls Ever
I don’t want to be too crazy with the superlatives but these really are the best and most dangerous rum balls ever. Why? Because if you double the batch then you use close to 26 ounces of rum for the recipe and that’s just crazy. But they’re worth the expense and the effort. In the old days I used to make people beg and plead for the recipe but the new kinder gentler me is open to sharing. Now is the time to start making these – they get better with age. Keep them in the freezer once you’re done rolling.
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (don’t cheap out on the chocolate. Get the good stuff)
1/2 cup almond paste
1 cup sour cream
A pinch of salt
8 cups (or three boxes) Nilla Crackers or vanilla wafers (finely crushed)
1 1/2 cups melted butter
2/3 cup cocoa (again no cheaping out on this)
1 1/2 cups rum (any old kind but I use amber rum)
2 cups pecans crushed
5 cups REAL CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES NOT THE PLASTIC STUFF Continue reading
Filed under Desserts and Cakes, Recipes
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup from culinate.com
Tessa: I made this the other day and it was fantastic. I substituted veggie broth for the chicken broth but other than that there was no cheating whatsoever. I got this from Culinate.com which is a nice foodie site. Go and check it out. The author Carrie Floyd adapted this recipe from the Silver Palate Cookbook. I think the apples in this recipe really add a nice twist to this soup. Continue reading
French Macaroni Gratin
Tessa: Here comes another recipe we tested. This one is TOO good to be true. It’s simple, easy and super delicious. I found it in Diane Clement’s cookbook Zest for Life. She calls it Vicki’s French Macaroni Gratin. It’s basically penne with loads of goat cheese baked to perfection.
Here goes:
4 cups penne
1/2 cup nicoise or any brine cured imported black olives pitted
5 tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
11/2 cups chevre cheese
1 cup fresh parmesan
I actually cheated and threw in some mozarella because hey, the more cheese the better.
Method:
Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain. Add all remaining ingredients except the Parmesan cheese. Spoon into 13x9x2 inch casserole. Sprinkle parmesan over top and bake at 400Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes.
Filed under Recipes, Salads and Main Courses
Killer Minestrone by Maryana Voldstedt with some innovations by ME.
I’ve been holding out on posting recipes partly due to lack of inspiration and partly due to the fact that corporate job was reducing me to a steady diet of grilled cheese sandwiches. This weekend I had a chance to try a few new things out and they were fantastic so I’m going to share them with you.
I got this from a great book called The Big Books of Soups and Stews by Maryana Vollstedt. There are lots of great recipes in here for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. And there are lots that can be adapted for vegetarians as well. Continue reading
Condofire 