Variation on Raw-Inspired Date Cookies

So the date cookies didn't last very long and I had to do something else to satisfy my sweet tooth and my need to have at least some solid food.  I was looking around at others blogs (which I do for inspiration, since I'm a relative newcomer to this way of eating - I'm still cheating with forbidden foods on occasion), and I kept reading about the joys of almond flour.  Rather than buying some at the local natural foods store (which takes up lots of my time and money already), I ground up some almonds in my coffee grinder and made a variation on the date cookies.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups fresh ground almond flour
3/4 cup finely chopped dates
1 tbsp flax seeds (optional, but recommended)
1 tbsp hemp seeds (optional, but recommended)
1 tbsp chia seeds (optional, but recommended)
2 tbsp honey
a dash of vanilla extract
a dash of almond extract
1/8 cup melted coconut oil
1 scoop greens powder (optional)
3 tbsp cocoa powder (include if you use the greens powder)

Directions

Combine almond flour, dates, and seeds in a mixing bowl.  Mix.  Pour mixture into a blender/food processor and blend until well blended.  Take mixture out of blender and back into the mixing bowl.  Add honey, coconut oil, vanilla and almond extracts, greens powder and cocoa powder.  Mix mixture until you get a good solid dough.  Scoop out on to wax paper and place in the refrigerator for about an hour, or, if you have a dehydrator, dehydrate to taste.

Raw-Inspired Date Cookies

When Michael (my boyfriend for newcomers) and I went on a nice long hike several days ago, I bought some raw cookie-like energy cubes from the natural food store here that were quite good.  As usual though, it felt like a compromise to buy the things - even from the natural food store - because they had the ubiquitous "natural flavors" on the ingredient's list.  Frankly, "natural flavors" could mean anything: all-natural extracts (which I can have, in moderation) or something I would rather not think about.  Either way, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to try and replicate the cookie-ish energy cubes on my own, so that I wouldn't have to worry about what the heck "natural flavors" means.  This is an approximation of what I came up with:

Ingredients
2-3 big fistfuls of dates, finely chopped
a tablespoon or two almond flour
two to four tablespoons shredded coconut, divided
a teaspoon or two honey
a few drops vanilla extract
1/2 a scoop of my greens powder (optional)
a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder (optional)

Puree dates, almond flour, and 2 tablespoons  of shredded coconut in a food processor.  Remove from food processor and add honey, vanilla extract, greens powder, and cocoa powder.  Mix until you get a sticky dough-like substance.  Divide into bite size balls on parchment paper and flatten into a cookie shape.  Sprinkle the rest of the shredded coconut on top and press the coconut into the cookie.  Chill for an hour. 

I'll be trying other variations, since my searches on several raw and paleo blogs have yielded some inspiration for variations on the no-cook cookie theme.

A brief guide to c-dfsf milks in coffee

As I said in today's review of Turtle Mountain's Coconut Milk Yogurt, I was in a hurry to get to church and I needed breakfast.  I also bought some of their Cultured Coconut Milk to use in my Starbucks coffee, which, in addition to prompting an interesting dialogue with the aspiring-vegan barista on-duty, made me realize that not all non-dairy milks go well with coffee.  While I like Turtle Moutain's Cultured Coconut Milk straight; as my green powder's reconstituting liquid; or in smoothies, this particular products almost-yogurt like consistency did not work with the coffee at all.  When I tried stirring up the coffee and the milk up to get the milk to dissolve, nothing happened.  Not only that, but the cultured coconut milk did nothing to cover up the bitterness of the coffee and added a yogurt-like aftertaste.  I ended up going home, opening a can of lite coconut milk, and pouring some in (along with some honey and vanilla extract) to get it right.  Thankfully, I wasn't late for church - I had plenty of time to warm up, practice the hymns, meet the guest speaker, and improvise variations - but it made me think that others (particularly those who don't live dairy-casein free AND soy-free) would find the variety of commercial dairy-casein-and-soy-free milks overwhelming, especially when doctoring up something as simple (and delicious) as coffee.

Rice Milk: the most common choice among coffee shops looking to accommodate dairy-casein-and-soy-free folk, rice milk isn't bad flavor-wise, but is the most watery of the options available.  Even so, I do not complain much when that's the only c-dfsf milk option available, since it's mostly the local coffee/breakfast places where I am that have started offering c-dfsf milk, and I'm just grateful to be able to say, "Let's grab some coffee at [insert 'me-friendly' restaurant here]".

Almond Milk:  a common alternative to rice milk in our local natural foods grocery and a growing alternative in more mainstream grocery stores, commercial almond milk generally has a pleasant, nutty flavor and does fairly well texture-wise in coffee. 

Hemp Milk:  another alternative to rice milk, though less common in mainstream grocery stores than almond milk.  Of the commercial nut/seed milks I've tried, I like this one the best in coffee because of the unusual, rich, nutty flavor and creamy texture.  

Coconut Milk:  this is my favorite overall for doctoring up coffee because of it's light, sweet flavor and naturally rich, creamy texture.  I also prefer it hands down because regular, untouched coconut milk from a can is rich and creamy without "food" additives like carrageenan.  Commercial almond, hemp, rice milks - as well as preprocessed coconut milk milks - all have similar "food" additives for similar purposes.  When I make nut/seed milks at home (which I do regularly) I put in some coconut milk in the mix because it adds some good, creamy texture.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Review: Turtle Mountain So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt

I was in a hurry this morning to get to church and needed to grab breakfast on the go, so I took the opportunity to try Turtle Mountain's So Delicious Coconut Milk Vanilla Yogurt.  I'll go on record with the shortest review in existence:  yum.  The texture was right; the flavor was great; my only regret is that it's so expensive - $2 + for an 8 oz carton - and that it has carregeenan - a thickener I try to avoid.  Now that I know that it's possible, I'll just have to figure out how to make my own.  In the mean time, yum . . .

Review: Food of Life Millet Bread

I was in the grocery store yesterday and was intrigued by the thought of millet bread.  I like millet, and I've read that adding any pseudo-grain (i.e. amaranth, millet, quinoa) to gluten-free bread helps with texture, flavor, and nutritional punch.  With that in mind, I bought a loaf of Food of Life's Millet Bread and I wasn't impressed.  The flavor wasn't bad (again, I like millet), but the grainy texture wasn't wheat-bread-like at all.  I gave some to my boyfriend (who eats "normally", is a wonderful cook, and is very discerning about food) and he was not impressed either.  While it may be an improvement over gluten-free breads of the past, Food of Life's Millet Bread doesn't hold a candle to my personal "me-friendly" bread favorite from Udi's Gluten-Free Foods.  On the other hand, I do like their brown rice tortillas, which do not fall apart when you try to fold them for burritos and don't taste gluten-free either.

Common Ways of Eating

In spirit of promoting understanding of the ways that different people organize what they eat, I've put together a brief glossary with broad definitions of common ways of eating.  Enjoy!
----------------------
This list is by no means exhaustive, but provides broad definitions of common ways of eating.  If you are someone without dietary restrictions providing food for someone who is and you have doubts about whether or not they will eat a particular dish for any reason, ask. 

Those who avoid meat and/or animal-derived products:

• Vegetarian:  generally speaking, a person who does not eat meat or meat products (i.e. meat-based broth).  There are different sub-groups of vegetarians, however, who may consume dairy (lacto-), eggs (ovo-), fish (pescatarian), or some combination of the three (i.e. lacto-ovo-vegatarian).
• Vegan: a person who does not consume any animal products or products derived from animals (i.e. meat and meat products, dairy, eggs, etc.).

Those with suspected/confirmed food sensitivities/allergies or are following a biomedical intervention protocol for autism:

• GF:  short for "gluten-free", someone who avoids gluten, a protein found in wheat and wheat-related products.
• CF:  short for "casein-free", someone who avoids casein, a milk protein.  
• SF:  short for "soy-free", someone who avoids soy and soy products.
• Top 8:  refers to those foods responsible for most allergic reactions.  These include gluten, dairy, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, fish, and shellfish.

Those on special diets for other concerns:

• Raw Foodist: definitions vary, but generally speaking, a person who eats mostly or only foods that have not been cooked or have been dehydrated at very low temperatures.  Some raw foodists are vegetarians or vegans, some aren't.
• Paleolithic: a person who eats only what was readily available to paleolithic age humans.  Any food that became available only when humans began practicing agriculture is out (i.e. grains, dairy, sugar, etc.), leaving only foods readily available to hunter-gatherers (i.e. meat, berries, mushrooms, etc.).
• Whole Foodist: a person who eats only food prepared from scratch from fresh ingredients. 
• Locavore:  a person who eats mostly or only food produced near where they live.  Definitions vary as to how close the food needs to be sourced to be considered "local".

Those who follow dietary restrictions for religious reasons:

• Note:  Many religious traditions do not lay down dietary restrictions per se (i.e. Christianity, Buddhism), but many practitioners have taken up certain dietary practices based on their interpretations of their religion (i.e. many Buddhists are vegetarians or vegans, some Christians do not eat meat on Fridays, etc.).  Also, not all people who practice a particular religion necessarily follow all dietary restrictions, for various reasons.  If in doubt, ask.
  
• Kosher (Judaism):  dietary restrictions laid out in the Torah.  Rules include prohibitions on kinds of meat (i.e. no pork) and the way the meat is slaughtered and prepared; not mixing meat and dairy in the same meal; and restrictions on mixing utinsels used for meat and dairy.  For more information on basic kosher rules, check out Judaism 101's entry on keeping kosher.
• Halal (Islam): dietary restrictions based on the Koran.  Rules are similar to Kosher rules in that they include prohibitions on kinds of meat (no pork) and the way the meat is slaughtered and prepared.  Other rules include prohibitions on alcohol and certain food additives.
• Hinduism:  many Hindu practitioners avoid meat and meat products to varying extents.
• For more detailed information on different religious traditions' dietary restrictions, check out Faith and Food

A yogurt substitute!

When I was finishing up high school, my breakfast of choice was vanilla yogurt topped with mixed berries and some granola.  These days, I haven't done much with yogurt, since I've not been bothered to try and make the stuff myself.  It's not that I don't like the stuff - it's just that I'm of the mind that I should eat primarily things that are naturally gfc-dfsf, rather than trying to find substitutes for the things I can't have.  While that's all fine and good when I'm eating on my own, when I'm with company, it makes us both uncomfortable if I can't have some equivalent.  That said, Turtle Mountain has added coconut milk-based yogurt to it's line of dairy alternatives.  They've got 9 flavors to choose from, and the reviews look good.  I've not yet tried it myself, but I intend to by the time school starts.  It's not a perfect substitute - it has carregeenan (a food additive I try to avoid) - but since I don't do yogurt (or yogurt substitutes) very much, I can compromise a little in the event I need a "yogurt".

Housewarming Party! More recipes coming soon!

My roommate and I had a house-warming party to celebrate the end of the first stage of moving and to have some fun.  We did it potluck style with everyone bringing finger foods or drinks (we got lots of lemonade and a little wine).  I didn't expect anyone to try to cater to my issues - so I made a gfc-dfsf fruit and veggie platter with three dips - bean dip (a hijacked hummus recipe that I accidentally made very garlic-y - but people liked it still), my chocolate goo, and a vanilla coconut goo.  All of it came off really well - especially the vanilla coconut goo.  Unfortunately, I didn't measure out what I made - I was rushing to finish the dips before people started arriving - so I don't have an exact recipe yet.  I promised someone at church though that I would give her the recipe, so I have plenty of reason to re-create it (that and it's quite yummy).

Why I'm picky about soy

Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D write about the dangers of soy - particularly, un-fermented soy.  In a nut-shell, it used to be that soy was only considered safe for eating if it was fermented (i.e. tamari, miso, natto, tempeh) - and even then - it was a condiment, like ketchup.  Now, for various reasons, soy - fermented and otherwise - gets marketed as a "miracle food", when there are dangers associated with isoflavones.  It's a bit of a long read, but it's worth it.

Dining out? Some helpful hints

In a similar vein to my ranting about the CNN article on miserable dining-out company, I thought I would offer up my strategies for navigating the awkward, "I can't have that" conversation regarding restaurants.  These are only my personal strategies; they are not the only way to go about things; and they may not necessarily work in every situation.

1)  Respect the others' needs/preferences, whatever they may be.  Food isn't just about shoveling calories down your throat - it's a social experience.  "Normal" folks (for a lack of a better term, those who don't have special dietary restrictions) should respect the needs/preferences of the food sensitive/intolerant, the vegetarians, the vegans, the raw food-ists, etc. and vice versa.  Quoth the Rabbi Hillel, "What is hateful to thyself, do not do to another.  That is the whole Law, the rest is commentary."  In the words of Jesus, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

2)  For those with special dietary needs, always have a plan ready.  For example:

• Have a mental (and/or physical) list of "okay" restaurants/dishes ready for those spur-of-the-moment, "Let's grab lunch" conversations.  
• Going to a restaurant with a menu that doesn't readily accommodate your needs?  Call the restaurant ASAP, explain your needs, and, if possible, negotiate a compromise.
• Cannot go to restaurants period?  Offer to cook something you can eat that is agreeable to your company.
• Someone wants to grab a bite and you have your food already?  Offer to meet them in a neutral place (i.e. their desk, their office, a picnic table outside, etc.).     
• Going to a party?  If at all possible, confer with the host/hostess about "okay" options in advance.  Offer to help them plan/prepare the food themselves or to bring an "okay" option to share.  If necessary, have "okay" options ready.  
• Hosting a party?  If possible (and there are situations when this is not possible), bring or cook something that you can't have, but others can.

The bottom line?  Be prepared to be part of the solution.

3)  For those without special dietary needs, be supportive and flexible.  For example:

• Going out?  Let those with special dietary needs lead.
• Cooking for someone with dietary restrictions?  Hosting a party?  Choose recipes that are naturally "okay" when possible.  Some ingredients are more easily substituted than others: i.e. substituting plant-based oils for animal based fats and one sweetener for another are pretty easy; good soy-sauce and cheese substitutes are hard to find, however.

The bottom line?  Don't be afraid to get creative or try something new.

Picky Dinner Pals - by necessity

I've been enjoying CNN's Eatocracy for a while, but I'm a bit perturbed about the comments to an entry about adults who are picky about what they eat when going to restaurants.  Now there are reasons to be perturbed at someone who is just downright rude (I really dislike those too), but in the case of trying to avoid certain foods because of potential food intolerances by asking the waiter to hold the cheese on a burger - it's already trying to be food intolerant (or, in my case, potentially), but folks who don't make an effort to understand or accommodate folks with food intolerances are just as miserable dinner company as picky eaters or rude folks.

Forgive me for ranting, but respecting each others' dietary differences has become a priority for me.  I live with a kosher vegetarian; am happily in a relationship with a guy who loves his meat and cheese; am friends with those who eat versions of the Standard American Diet, as well as vegans, gluten-free, and dairy-free folks, and would never think to impose my dietary restrictions on any of them.  In fact, the struggle is finding places where we can all sit down and break bread so that they can eat freely, and I don't have to compromise (unless I feel like owing a confession).

New Address!

The Acne-Free Foodie has changed its name and moved!  It's now The GFCFSF Acne-Free Foodie, and the new address is http://thegfcfsfacnefreefoodie.blogspot.com.  More updates coming soon!

Happy August! More re-branding thoughts

We're going into the 4th month of The Acne-Free Foodie, and I'm still looking for more ways to make this little neck of the web a bit less academic and a bit more . . . fun? Food and cooking is my anti-work. When I get frustrated with my professors, or my work, or my colleagues, or "the system" (which can and does happen), I go home and cook - even before starting this thing. Cooking is not (and has never been) work and neither should The Acne-Free Foodie be. Pictures and video would help, and I'm working on that, but I'm not much of a picture/video taker - it's not a habit . . . yet.

Furthermore, I wonder if this could be less about sane food advocacy. That's happening a lot on the web and it's important - trust me - but it doesn't help my family or my friends trying to navigate this change with me. I don't know how many times I've had to explain what I can and can't eat; where I can and can't eat; how to adapt recipes so I can eat them; finding good substitutions so I don't stick out like a sore thumb; and how awkward those conversations can be. I wonder if it wouldn't more helpful to help non-gfcfsf, sane-meat-and-poultry-only, no-artificial/processed-sweeteners folk (i.e. most people I know) navigate the gfcfsf, sane-meat-and-poultry-only, no-artificial/processed-sweeteners world from a female 20-something's perspective. It's a little different from the mom's cookbook-with-pictures-of-good-food-and-healthier-kids approach, but I'm an unmarried, 23-year-old grad student with no children. That approach isn't going to work for me.

Any thoughts?