Purple pizzaz pudding, ACD-friendly

Does this look precious or what?

My pooches are my own personal therapy dogs. They are like interactive teddy bears. Admittedly, sometimes a little too "interactive." Yes, they've given me black eyes, a fat lip and strained muscles but it was all in good fun! Mostly, they are loving and affectionate. Lately, I have been needing their therapy. I recently found out I am deficient in numerous vitamins but especially Vitamin B and D.

The malabsorption of Vitamin B, but especially B12, is often a part of chronic intestinal disorders. In the winter in northern climates, vitamin D often needs to be supplemented.

Most people with chronic intestinal disorders, like myself, suffer from malabsorption and are malnourished. But yet, little screening is done for vitamin deficiencies. No surprise too, that insurance seldom pays for this screening.

Malabsorption is the inability of the cells of the body to obtain nutrients from the foods eaten. Some disorders associated with malabsorption are chrohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, celiac disease and cystic fibrosis. Individuals who follow a strict vegan or vegetarian diet also may find it challenging to get enough B12 and zinc.

I have getting vitamin injections (B, D, C and Calicium) every two weeks to correct my deficiences (also not covered by insurance). But there is more to the story. My digestive enzymes and stomach acid are zilch. All of this is thanks to years of antibiotics for sinus infections, antacids and gallbladder removal. Where was a good holistic practitioner back when all this happened?

Purple pizzaz pudding

Following a vegan diet is no longer possible for me with all of my vitamin deficiences, especially vitamin B and zinc. But vegan recipes are still a part of my repertoire. Recently, I cooked up Purple Pizzaz Pudding (ACD-Phase 1 and 2). What makes this pudding such a wonderful shade of purple? The purple comes from beets, blueberries and blackberries, all of which contain loads of wonderful vitamins for you.

Beets can be a great aid to digestion. I have been drinking beet juice. One 4-ounce glass promotes regularity and aids digestion. Simply steam beets and save the water. Instant beet juice!

Here's what you need for one generous serving:

1 red  or golden beet, peeled, diced, steamed and cooled
3/4 cup mixed blueberries and blackberries (or choose one if you like)
1 T. coconut butter
Splash of coconut milk

Here's what you do:

Put everything into a magic bullet or food processor and blend. Add coconut milk as needed to get desired thickness. Yes, that's it!

Recipe submitted to: http://dietdessertndogs.com/2013/04/04/wellness-weekend-april-4-8-2013/

 

 

Blueberry-beet ice cream, ACD-Phase 1 and 2

"The humans get to sit on the floor. We've taken over the furniture."

Happy Easter from the contented trio (Misha, Nika and Bailey) and myself! Last week, I was ranting and raving about spring never really arriving. Well, that has definitely changed. It feels like spring now with temps in the 70s. It's time to dig out my shorts and flip flops. Oh, and how about some ice cream, ACD-style?

Blueberry-beet ice cream, ACD-Phase 1 and 2

Even with my current dietary restrictions, I can enjoy a bit of "ice cream" now and then. Blueberry-beet ice cream is super easy to make. It takes only three ingredients (four if you use sweetener). Actually, this ice cream tastes delish without any added sweetener.

Here's what you need for six servings:

1 medium beet, peeled, diced and steamed until tender
1 cup blueberries, microwaved for about 1 1/2 minutes
1 can full-fat coconut milk or homemade coconut milk, chilled
Optional: stevia or other sweetener of  your choice

Here's what you do:

Peel, dice and steam one medium beet until tender. Put one cup frozen blueberries in a microwaveable container. Microwave for about 1-1/2 minutes to release their juices. Cool both beets and blueberries in the fridge.

Add cooled blueberries and beets to a food processor and blend into a puree. Pour in one can, chilled coconut milk. Continue blending. Pour the mixture into your ice cream freezer and follow instructions to make ice cream. Eat immediately and store leftovers in the freezer.

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? Right now, mine is blueberry-beet!

Recipe contributed to: http://dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/28/wellness-weekend-march-28-april-1-2013/

http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/28/wellness-weekend-march-28-april-1-2013

PBJ breakfast flatbread

Can you believe this motley, but loveable, crew?

 

I want to sue Punxsutawney Phil. Where's the early spring he forecasted? I am so sick of cold weather!

I am giving my full support to an Ohio prosecutor who is seeking the death penalty for Phil because of his flawed forecast. Okay, maybe he shouldn't get the death penalty but he should at least have to live on bread and water for a few days. What do you think? Here's the link to the story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/03/21/ohio-prosecutor-seeks-death-penalty-for-punxsutawney-phil-after-bad-forecast/

"PBJ" breakfast flatbread

I needed a quick pick-me-up from the endless winter weather (even though the snow hounds love it). I wanted to reach for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but that wouldn't work on the candida diet. Jelly and peanut butter are both taboo.

No PBJ but still delicious!

Instead, I came up with an ACD-Phase 1 version that works for me.

Here's what you need for one large flatbread:
(Note: You also can make two smaller flatbreads out of this recipe.)

2 T. ground sunflower seeds
1/4 cup spaghetti squash puree
1 T. coconut flour
1 T. unsweetened sunbutter
1 T. ground flax
1 T. chia seed
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Here's what you do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet.

Blend the spaghetti squash, sunbutter and coconut milk in your food processor. Then add the rest of the ingredients and continue blending. The dough will be thick.

Spread the dough with your hands into a large circle on the baking sheet. Pop into your preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes until the flatbread is dry and crispy.

While the flatbread is baking, whip up your toppings.

Here's what you need or improvise if you like:

1/4 cup frozen blackberries, thawed
1/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
1 T. unsweetened sunbutter, thinned with some coconut milk to a frosting-like consistency
1/4 cup pre-baked squash pieces (I used delicata squash)
1 T. Artisana coconut butter for drizzle

To assemble, spread the sunbutter topping on the flatbread. Then, add fruit and squash pieces. Finally, drizzle on the softened coconut butter. Heat slightly in the microwave, if desired.

What do you think about Punxsutawney Phil's bad forecasting?

Recipe contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/21/wellness-weekend-march-21-25-2013/

Shamrock shake pancakes with minty avocado drizzle

"We like St. Patrick's Day too because we're sure Mom will cook up some treats for us."

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I've been dreaming about shamrock shakes ever since March arrived. Then, I saw a vibrant green shake advertised on television. It was kind of a leap and a jump but I ended up making shamrock shake pancakes, ACD-friendly, vegan and without artificial additives and sugar.

Shamrock shake pancakes with minty avocado drizzle

These pancakes are ACD-friendly, vegan and free of artificial additives and sugar. My stomach would never tolerate anything else, thanks to candida and leaky gut syndrome (LGS). (For those of you who are squeamish, skip this part and jump down to the recipe for the shamrock shake pancakes.) LGS is a layman's term for increased intestinal permeability. Chances are, if you have candida, you have it.

LGS can be attributed to years of eating foods that are inflammatory for your body, as well as candida. Your intestines have a mucosal barrier that keeps bacteria, antigens and undigested food from leaking through.

Normally, this barrier is pretty tight but when you are eating reactive foods, ingesting irritating substances or have candida, it can start to loosen its tightness. If this goes unchecked, the permeability increases and microscopic amounts of undigested food can go directly into the bloodstream. Your body now recognizes these foods as invaders and starts to prepare an inflammatory response.

Eventually, even the friendliest foods can trigger gas, bloating and constipation. I can speak from experience on this since my list of friendly foods has dwindled with my latest candida and LGS bout.

L-glutamine can help heal your gut but sometimes, as in my case, you need to bring in something more powerful. I am taking Glutagenics which allows you to take a higher dose of l-glutamine than you can obtain from capsules. After taking it for about 2 1/2 weeks, I am beginning to see some improvement.

Shamrock shake pancakes with added avocado chunks

Okay, enough of the health talk. Let's get down to cooking and eating.

Here's what you need for the pancakes:

2 T. sunflower seeds
1 T. ground flax
1 T. chia seed
2 T. coconut flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
dash of salt
1 medium zucchini, steamed until tender
1/4 avocado
1 T. unsweetened sunbutter
1/4 cup light coconut milk (or other non-dairy beverage)


Here's what you do for the pancakes:

Get your coffee grinder out. Put in the sunflower, chia and flax seeds. Grind these ingredients until they form a flour. In a food processor, puree the steamed zucchini and avocado. Pulse in the sunbutter and coconut milk. Add in the "flour" from your coffee grinder, coconut flour, spices, salt and baking soda. Continue to mix. Your batter will be thick. Resist the temptation to thin it out with more coconut milk.

Heat up your skillet on low medium to medium setting. Spray with pan spray and add a bit of olive oil. Divide the batter into four medium pancakes. Flatten slightly with a spoon or spatula. Cook 5-6 minutes per side. Resist the temptation to flip too soon. Test by lifting each pancake to see if it holds together before turning.

Shamrock shake pancakes with yummy minty topping

Here's what you need for the shamrock shake topping:

1 ripe avocado
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4-1/2 teaspoon mint extract (alcohol free)
Stevia, to taste

Here's what you do:

Pulse everything until smooth and creamy in your food processor. (Note: You will have lots of extra but that's a good thing. Turn the extra into popsicles or ice cream, made in your ice cream-maker.)
Serve the pancakes with the minty shamrock topping and extra avocado chunks, if desired.

"Wow, we love anything that's green and minty!"

Recipe contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/14/wellness-weekend-march-14-18-2013/

Grain-free blueberry cupcakes, ACD-Phase 1

Where's Bailey? Find the cat, obscured by the big dog, in this picture.

In my recent round of candida, I realized I was relying on stevia way too much. It had become my addiction in place of sugar. I was putting it in everything, including my water. I even read that it can impede weight loss.

I decided to try eliminating it for a day, which has grown into three weeks now. Everything tasted rather blah at first. Then, it dawned on me that I hadn't really been tasting my food but rather the stevia. After a few days, I began to appreciate the taste of all my food, including my tea, without stevia.

But I still wanted to enjoy sweet-tasting things. What was there for someone who can't eat but one serving of fruit a day? I felt so sorry for myself until I rediscovered coconut butter. It's so delicious, just the way it is! Mother Nature created this perfect food.

Baked cinnamon-tossed acorn squash, drizzled with coconut butter

I've been using it in many different ways. One of the simplest is drizzling it on baked squash pieces, tossed in cinnamon, shown above. It makes a delicious and wholesome dessert. Note: it's recommended that individuals with candida consume no more than two servings of squash per week.

Grain-free blueberry cupcakes with coconut butter frosting

Now, for the piece de resistance: grain-free blueberry cupcakes, topped with blueberry coconut butter frosting. Note: these would be great for St. Patrick's Day as the coconut flour in them turns greenish when baked.

Grain-free blueberry cupcakes with blueberry coconut butter frosting (sweetener-free)
Makes 6-8
Here's what you need for the sweetener-free cupcakes:

1 T. apple cider vinegar mixed with 2/3 cup dairy-free beverage, such as coconut milk
1/2 cup baked spaghetti squash puree
juice and zest of one lemon
1/2 cup freeze-dried blueberries
2 T. ground flax seeds
2 T. ground chia seeds
3 T. unsweetened sunbutter
2 T. melted coconut oil
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 T. baking soda
dash of sea salt

Here's what you need for the frosting:

1/2 cup blueberries (I used defrosted frozen ones)
1/4 cup unsweetened sunbutter
1 T. melted coconut butter
3 T. softened coconut butter

Sweetener-free cupcakes

 

Here's what you do for the cupcakes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin cups with pan spray. Add all ingredients for the cupcakes, except freeze-dried blueberries, to a food processor and blend. Remove the dough to a bowl and stir in the blueberries. Spoon the dough into muffin pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes until they are well browned. Remove and allow to cool.

Here's what you do for the frosting:

Add all frosting ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Frost the cooled cupcakes. Transfer to the fridge to chill and firm up the frosting.

Blueberry balls with coconut butter

Here's another use for the delicious frosting. Make blueberry balls, drizzed with coconut butter. Yummy! I don't even miss stevia (okay, maybe just a little).

"I get the first blueberry cupcake, Bailey."

Recipes contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/03/07/wellness-weekend-march-7-11-2013/

Snowshoeing food: carrot hemp seed crackers

Snowshoeing with gear for an overnight stay at a yurt

No winter for me is complete without an overnight stay in a yurt. Here we are trekking into a yurt, operated by the Idaho Parks and Recreation Department. Mother Nature provided us with fresh snow that fell the entire way in and continued until daybreak.

Relaxation--Misha-style

Once we reached the yurt, it was time to relax!

Trees flocked with fresh snow

 

In the morning, we were greeted with a picture-perfect mountain scene.

 

 

 

Imagine the happiness of the chocolate lovers in our group when we found this awaiting us at the yurt.

 

 

What was left of the carrot hemp seed crackers after I started munching

Alas, for me, it was carrot hemp seed crackers smeared with sunbutter instead of chocolate. These crackers are ACD-phase 1-friendly while chocolate is not.

 

Here's what you need:

 

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

2 T. ground golden flax mixed with 4 T. water

2 T. unsweetened sunbutter

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, regular or reduced fat

1 cup raw hemp seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

 

 

Here's what you do:

 

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

To a food processor, add the carrots and grate.

Add the flax and sunbutter. Continue mixing.

Then, mix in the coconut, hemp seeds and cinnamon.

Spread the dough on a large baking sheet, sprayed with pan spray.

Score the dough with a knife into cracker rectangles.

Bake the crackers for 60+ minutes or until dry and crispy.

Allow to cool before storing in baggies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Single-serve carrot cake bites

After all that trekking, I was ready for a snack when I got home.

 

Single-serve Carrot Cake Bites (ACD-Phase 1)

 

Here's what you need:

 

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

1 tsp. sunbutter, unsweetened

1 tsp. coconut oil, melted

2 T. + 1 tsp. shredded coconut, reduced flat

1 tsp. cinnamon

dash of nutmeg and/or cloves

Optional: 1 tsp. hemp seed or nuts, if tolerated

Optional: stevia, to taste

 

 

Here's what you do:

To a food processor, add all the ingredients (reserving 1 tsp. of shredded coconut). Pulse until mixed. Shape the dough into three carrot cake bites. Roll the dough balls in the reserved coconut.

 

Recipe contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/02/28/wellness-weekend-february-28-march-4-2013/

 

 





Sunbutter cookies and hemp seed ice cream

Couch potato husky

Misha, my husky, has taken over our couch. He is now our "couch potato husky." I am hoping I won't have to shoo him off the couch because I need a place to recline while I nurse my unhappy tummy.

 

My tummy has been temperamental for years but this recent bout with candida has made nearly everything its enemy. I am doing all I can to keep the tummy demons under control.

 

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that a seemingly harmless ingredient in non-dairy milk could be contributing to my problem. Carrageenan, a food thickener used in dairy alternatives, may be the cause of digestive problems and inflammation in sensitive individuals. How does that make you feel? You switch to non-dairy beverages because of milk intolerance and end up with more of the same digestive woes. In sensitive individuals, carrageenan can produce painful cramps, bloating and diarrhea.

 Carrageenan is made from red seaweed and is used as a thickener/stabilizer/emulsifier. It adds nothing in the form of nutrition to your non-dairy beverages. It's simply there because we don't like our milk to separate.

 

Carrageenan also may be labeled as Irish Moss or Rock Moss as it is made from boiled down Irish Moss or Chondrus Crispus. It can be found in both organic and processed foods including many non-dairy alternatives (almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, hemp milk).

The food additive has been linked to a number of diseases, including gastrointestinal inflammation, colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, lesions and cancer. Dr. Andrew Weil on www.drweil.com lists carrageenan as a food additive to avoid by those with irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal disorders. He also cites a study, done in 2001 on animals, which linked carrageenan to ulcerations and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

 In 1972, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had compiled enough evidence from animal studies to limit the type of carrageenan that could be used in foods. However in 1979, the FDA decided to continue to allow the use of carrageenan and since then, has taken no action on its use in products.

 As with other food sensitivities/allergies, your best control is knowing what goes into the foods you eat. Read labels, keep carrageenan-containing foods out of your shopping cart, do most of your own cooking, and you should be fine. Go to Cornucopia.org for a complete list of products containing carrageenan as well as safe foods.

Check the labels of alternative dairy beverages carefully as they often contain this additive. There are some brands that do not use carrageenan as an emulsifier or thickener. Write food manufacturers to protest the use of this ingredient.

Homemade hemp milk

 

Consider making your own almond, soy or hemp milk to avoid this additive. I started making my own hemp milk about two weeks ago. It isn't as pretty as carrageenan-thickened milk but it's cheaper and easy to make. Here is the recipe I am following for making hemp milk.

 

To make a half gallon of hemp milk, you will need:

One-half cup of shelled, raw hemp seeds
3 cups of cold water
Blender or food processor
Nut bag for straining
Half-gallon glass container


Directions:

Put the hemp seeds and water in your food processor. Blend for 1-2 minutes.
Pour the milk through your nut bag to strain out hemp seeds.
Store the hemp milk in your glass container in the fridge.

 

Homemade hemp seed ice cream

How about making some homemade hemp ice cream with your supply of hemp seeds? Talk about a powerhouse of protein in a bowl. Warning: This has a ton of calories, so eat sparingly. I ate just a smidge smeared on some single-serve sunbutter cookies. (recipe below)

Here's what you need:

1 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup homemade hemp milk
optional: 1 T. vanilla rice protein powder
vanilla stevia drops, to taste

Here's what you do:

In a Magic Bullet or small food processor, blend the hemp seeds and water until thick and creamy. Add homemade hemp milk to thin, if desired. Mix in other ingredients or add-ins such as cacao or carob powder. I went with straight vanilla because of candida. Put the mixture in an ice-cream maker and follow the instructions. Or put in the freezer until firm.

Hemp ice cream in ice-cream freezer

I decided to make some cookies to go with my homemade hemp ice cream.



Single-serve sunbutter cookies

Single-Serve Sunbutter Cookies (makes 3)
Here's what you need:

2 T. sunflower seed flour (make my grinding raw sunflower seeds in a coffee mill)
1.5 T. unsweetened sunbutter
1/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch of salt
vanilla stevia drops, to taste
2 tsp. melted coconut oil
1 flax egg (make by mixing 1 T. flax with 2 T. of homemade hemp milk)

Here's what you do:

Mix everything in a small bowl. Scoop by heaping tablespoons-full onto a sprayed baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees to 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool before transferring to a serving plate.

"Hey, Bailey (the cat). I'll wrestle you for one of those cookies."

Recipes contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/02/21/wellness-weekend-february-21-25/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super seedy sunbutter bars, ACD-Phase 1, grain-free

Happy Valentine's Day, snow-hound style

I've always loved Valentine's Day, at least until this year. Why did I suddenly turn into a Valentine's Day grinch?

I couldn't eat chocolate! I couldn't even eat carob, chocolate's look-a-like. Chocolate is the treat everyone reaches for on Valentine’s Day. More than 36 million heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are sold for Valentine's Day, according to the National Confectioners Association.

But what if you are like me, unlucky enough to be either allergic or sensitive to chocolate or its alternative, carob?  Maybe you just need to tell yourself how "bad" chocolate really is. (Of course, you know I'm kidding. I'd reach for chocolate in a heartbeat).

You probably don’t want to hear this as you are finishing up some tasty Valentine's Day treats but most people who are allergic to chocolate are actually reacting to ground-up cockroach parts that contaminate every batch. The average chocolate bar contains eight insect parts. The Food and Drug Administration allows anything less than 60 insect pieces per 100 grams of chocolate.

As background, most foods contain what are termed “natural contaminants.” Cockroach parts also make their way into many other foods, including peanut butter, macaroni, fruit, cheese, popcorn and wheat.

Super seedy sunbutter bars with a cup of tea

Well, I was bummed out about the whole chocolate thing but I assume my sensitivity will pass when my candida dies away. As for carob, it has always caused me problems because I am sensitive to legumes. Carob is a legume.

 

But a girl has to have a treat on Valentine's Day (especially when my hubby is torturing me by eating chocolate in front of me. Look a cockroach leg is hanging out of his mouth). It was time for some Super Seedy Sunbutter Bars, ACD-Phase 1 and grain-free.

 

Here's what you need:

 

1 T. apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup alternative dairy beverage

1/2 cup pureed baked spaghetti squash (ACD-Phase 1-2) or sub unsweetened applesauce (ACD-Phase 3 or maintenance)

2 T. ground flax

2 T. chia seeds

Vanilla stevia liquid, to taste

Or powdered stevia, to taste

3 T. unsweetened sunbutter

2 T. melted coconut oil

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

3 T. hemp seeds

pinch of sea salt

 

Here's what you do:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 X 8-inch square pan with pan spray. I like keeping things simple so just mix everything (but the seeds) together in your food processor on a dough cycle. Then, add in the seeds and pulse a few more times to mix.

 

Pour the dough into your prepared pan. Pop the pan in the oven and bake about 30-40 minutes until browned and a fork inserted in the middle, comes out clean. Allow to cool. As an option, drizzle on some melted coconut oil and sunbutter for a glaze, as shown in the pictures.

 

Here's what Bailey, the cat, does when not hanging out in the kitchen.

Maybe next Valentine's Day will find me eating chocolate. In the meantime, I'll keep plugging away at defeating candida.

 

Recipe contributed to:

http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/02/14/wellness-weekend-february-14-18-2013/

Grain-free sunbutter cookies, ACD-Phase 1

Grain-free sunbutter cookies

It's almost Valentine's Day, and I still can't eat chocolate or even carob (thanks to candida). I was almost ready to cry until I made some grain-free sunbutter cookies, vegan and suitable for ACD-Phase 1.

Sunbutter ice cream cookie

Turn these babies into an ice cream sandwich, like the one pictured above, and you have a great treat for your Valentine's Day. I mean, you won't even feel sorry for yourself!

Here's what you need for 12 small cookies:

1 cup finely ground sunflower seeds
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened sunbutter
1/4 cup vegetable glycerine (for ACD-Phase 1-3) or agave or coconut nectar for maintenance
Stevia, to taste
Vanilla stevia drops, to taste
2 T. melted coconut oil
2 T. ground flax in 5 T. water

Here's what you do:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray.
• Make it easy. Put everything in your food processor and blend on the dough cycle until well combined.
• Scoop dough one tablespoon at a time onto the baking sheet. Leave 2-3 inches between cookies.
• Flatten cookies slightly with a fork and make a criss-cross pattern.
• Bake for 8-12 minutes until golden around the edges.
• Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.

Note: I used vegetable glycerine in these cookies. As a warning, vegetable glycerine can have a laxative effect if you consume too much. One tablespoon might be okay for some but not others. For me, I probably will be avoiding this ingredient in the future because I am sensitive to it. These cookies should be perfect without it anyway. However, it is low glycemic and can be used by individuals on an anti-candida diet.

Now, what if you want the piece de resistance: the ice cream sandwich? Make a simple sunbutter ice cream and layer it between two cookies. Drizzle with a sauce, made by combining 2 T. sunbutter, 2 T. melted coconut oil and vanilla stevia drops.

Here's what you need for the ice cream:
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup sunbutter
stevia, to taste
Optional: 2 T. vegetable glycerine or other sweetener

Freeze according to instructions for your ice cream maker. That's it! Pretty simple and worth the effort for yourself or your valentine.

 Or try some carob ice cream with your sunbutter cookies.

http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/12/lets-scream-for-acd-phase-1-ice-cream.html

Hey Mom, have you got some cookies for me too?

Get other ACD-friendly dessert recipes here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html
Or checkout other recipes at: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/02/07/wellness-weekend-february-7-11-2013/

 

Coco-spice sauce

Sauted kale and veggies with coco-spice sauce

I just discovered the most delicious sauce. It's so good I think I could eat sawdust if it was covered with coco-spice sauce, suitable for ACD-Phase 1.

My coco-spice sauce was inspired by a recipe in The Plan by Lyn Genet-Recitas. You're going to love this stuff--either my version or her's.

Here's what you need:

1. 1 large red onion, chopped
2. Ground ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, black pepper (all to taste)
3. 1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened and low-fat) Note: Her version uses 1 can of full-fat coconut milk
4. 3-4 T. unsweetened sunbutter
5. Sea salt to taste

Here's what you do:

1. Saute the onion.
2. Transfer the onion to a food processor or Magic Bullet-like device.
3. Add the coconut milk, sunbutter and spices to your liking.
4. Pulse until blended and thick.

Now for the best part: drizzle this sauce on veggies of your choice or blend it into a soup, like Coco-Spice Broccoli Soup, below.

Coco-spice broccoli soup

Here's what you need:

1. 1 crown of fresh broccoli
2. 1 zucchini, sliced
3. 1/2 red onion, chopped
4. 1 batch of coco-spice sauce
5. handful of chopped cilantro
6. Salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do:

1. Steam all the veggies until tender. Allow to cool, unless your food processor can handle hot foods.
2. Add the veggies and other ingredients to your food processor and blend until smooth or slightly chunky if you prefer.
3. Adjust seasonings to your preference.
4. Serve hot with a sprinkle of pumpkin seed and chopped cilantro on top.

Beet flax crackers and spaghetti squash crackers

Don't forget the crackers to go along with your soup or salad.

Here's what you need for Beet Flax Crackers:

1. 1/2 cup whole flax, soaked overnight
2. 1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds
3. 1 small beet, peeled and chopped
4. 1 green onion, chopped
5. 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
6. 1 T. cumin
7. salt and pepper to taste

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with pan spray.
2. Add the veggies to your food processor and pulse to grind.
3. Toss in the other ingredients and pulse to blend.
4. Spread the mixture with your hands on the baking sheet. Make it about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Score the dough with a knife or pizza cutter to make rectangles.
6. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the crackers are crispy.

Get the recipe for the Spaghetti Squash Crackers here:
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/game-day-grain-free-crackers-with.html

"If I win this tug-of-war, can I have some coco-spice broccoli soup? Yummy!"

Game Day grain-free crackers with guacamole topping, ACD-Phase 1 friendly

Football-shaped crackers with guacamole topping, ACD-Phase 1

Can you believe Americans will eat 30 million pounds of snacks on Super Bowl Sunday? Here's what they will be eating:

• 11.2 million pounds of potato chips
• 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips
• 4.3 million pounds of pretzels
• 3.8 million pounds of popcorn
• 2.5 million pounds of nuts

Potato chip consumption alone will add up to 27 million calories and four million pounds of fat (the weight of 13,000 NFL offensive lineman). I'm thinking their waistlines would thank them if they snacked on veggies and fruit instead.

What will you be snacking on Super Bowl Sunday? How about some grain-free, football-shaped crackers with guacamole topping? They are tasty, filling and suitable for ACD-Phase 1. I made them in two different veggie flavors, beet and spaghetti squash. If you want to get fancy, you can use a cookie cutter or pattern to cut them into football shapes. Or just cut them into rectanges or triangles. They'll still be yummy.

Here's what you need for the beet-flavored crackers:

1. 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2. 1/2 cup coconut flour
3. 1/2 cup raw grated beet
4. Optional: 1/2 clove minced garlic
5. 1/2 tsp. dry cilantro
6. 1 T. olive oil
7. Salt to taste

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor until they form a coarse flour. Add the remaining ingredients and process until the mixture forms a sticky ball.
3. Spread the mixture onto a well-greased baking sheet. Use wet hands to spread and flatten the dough. You want it to be 1/4-inch in thickness if possible. Score the dough with a  knife into desired shapes. (Note: for the football shape, you will need to spread the dough first on a piece of wax paper. Then, cut the shapes and transfer to your baking sheet.)
4. Place in the preheated oven and bake 25-30 minutes. Leave the crackers in longer if needed.
5. When the crackers are done, remove from the oven and let cool.

Here's what you need for the spaghetti-squash crackers:

1. 2 T. hemp seeds
2. 1 cup toasted sunflower seeds
3. 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
4. 1 T. chia seed
5. sea salt to taste
6. 1 T. olive oil
7. 1/4 cup water
8. 1 T. coconut flour
9. 1 cup spaghetti squash puree
10. 1 tsp. cumin
11. 1 tsp. dried cilantro

Here's what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a large cookie sheet with pan spray.
3. Grind all the seeds to a coarse grind in a coffee grinder.
4. Puree spaghetti squash in a food processor.
5. Add the ground seeds and other ingredients to the food processor, containing the squash.
6. Pulse to mix to somewhat wet dough.
7. Spread the dough with wet hands to keep dough from sticking on the cookie sheet.
8. The dough should be about 1/4-inch thick and in the shape of a large rectangle about 10 X 15 inches. Score the dough with a knife or pizza cutter to create desired shapes.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. Remove from oven.
11. Spread the crackers and return to oven.
12. Continue baking the crackers until they are hard and crisp. Turn the crackers over and turn the pan from time to time to facilitate crisping.

Broccoli-kale pesto on beet cracker

You can make a simple guacamole for topping or dipping the crackers. Simply mash one avocado with the juice of one lime. Add chopped red onion, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. For a more spreadable topping, blend the guacamole in a Magic Bullet-type device.

Another option would be Broccoli-Kale pesto, pictured above on a flax-beet cracker. Get the recipe for the crackers here:
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/coco-spice-sauce.html

Here's what you need:

1. 1 broccoli crown, separated into florets and steamed until tender and bright green
2. Leaves from two-three stems of kale
3. 1/2 cup ground pumpkin seeds
4. Juice of one lemon
5. 1-2 T. olive oil
6. Water if needed

Here's what you do:

1. Steam the broccoli and allow to cool. Place the cooled broccoli and other ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. Add a dash of water if necessary to reach the desired consistency.

No Super Bowl Party crashing for these guys.

On Super Bowl Sunday, stay healthy and dry, not muddy like my pooch, Misha, and his husky pal, Bailey, and his owner, Michele. Melting snow and warmer temps produced perfect conditions for this pair to become mud-covered huskies. Oh, Michelle got her share of mud too.

Get more anti-candida snacking ideas here: http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/p/anti-candida-acd-snacks.html

 Or get even more recipes at http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2013/01/31/wellness-weekend-january-31-february-4/