A Healing Kitchen

Twice a year, twenty or more people on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet gather for a potluck luncheon in Southern Ontario, Canada, usually in Toronto.

Over time, the roster of homemade food from these occasions has become classic.

We are such a small segment of the world-wide Specific Carbohydrate Diet community, so it is flattering that our recipes rank high in popularity among those recipe sites and cookbooks that abound with the Specific Carbohydrate Diet gluten-free creations.

The recipes are convenient because they mainly call for readily available ingredients. Eggs, honey, nut flour, vanilla, and baking soda are leading staples. We also list recipes without eggs or without dairy.

Last week, I asked subscribers to the two support groups in which I participate, to list their top ten Specific Carbohydrate Diet favorites.

One of my selections, a date cake, was not picked by anyone else and yet everyone who tries it is amazed that it is not just moist and "fudge-like" but it tastes like chocolate cake. Yet, it hasn't a smidgen of cocoa or baking chocolate.

California Medjool dates are the not-so-secret ingredient.

The Bavarian topping contains dairy and is OPTIONAL. This recipe was originated by Sue Krivel and has been widely shared with Sue's consent.

If you want more of our Specific Carbohydrate Diet Canadian kitchen creations just google UCLBS which is the silly nickname we gave our group. It stands for Upper Canada Lower Bowel Society.

Sue's Fourteen Date Cake
This cake is great on its own, or topped with Yogurt Bavarian (recipe below)
14 Medjool dates ( or about 3/4 lb.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water

Pit and chop dates finely. (Place pitted date, skin side up and slice in thin strips. Slice again at 90 degrees.) Scrape the chopped dates up. Place in a small bowl, sprinkle with baking soda and add boiling water. Mix well and stir occasionally while cooling to room temperature. The mixture will become thick and soft.

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3/4 cup honey
4 eggs, separated
1 2/3 cups almond flour (skinlesss, blanched almonds finely ground)
1 teaspoon baking SODA
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
Beat egg whites with lemon juice until stiff. Set aside. (The lemon juice stabilizes the whites.)
Beat butter and honey together.
Add egg yolks and beat well.
Add cooled date mixture.
Mix almond flour, baking soda and salt together and add. Mix well.
Gently fold in the stiff egg whites.
Put mixture into a 9" spring form pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake at 325F for 60 - 70 minutes or until the centre feels just firm to the touch. Cool.

Sue's Yogourt Bavarian
8-10 ounces of pear juice (homemade)
Bring the pear juice to a boil and reduce until 2 Tablespoons remain. Watch carefully as once it is almost reduced the juice can burn easily.
2 Tablespoons (2 envelopes) gelatin
1/2 cup water
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup honey
2 Tablespoons reduced pear juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup yogurt
1 cup creme freche (yogurt made with whipping cream)

Sprinkle the gelatin over the water, let soften and then heat to dissolve. Beat the egg yolks and the honey until thick and light. Add the pear juice (If you are concerned about using raw eggs you may heat the egg mixture using a double boiler). Add the vanilla and yogurt and then stir in the gelatin. Beat the creme freche until it is stiff and fold into the yogurt mixture. Pour mixture on top of the Date Cake. Chill for at least 1 hour.

To serve: decorate the top with fruit and remove the sides of the spring form pan.