I am sore in the very best of ways. I spent a good 18 hours this week dancing African dance. What a phenomenal week. Last night, my kiddos, my co-teacher, two drummers, and I had a performance for the school. It was AWESOME – my students did so well and had so much fun in the process. If I could dance everyday…man, that would almost be a replacement for the Vitamin D I’ve been missing here in the North Country.
When I got home from the performance, JO and I had a potluck dinner party. JO made rice from the incomprable Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions. Rice doesn’t sound that fancy, but when it’s cooked with kefir grains and soaked for a full 12 hours, it is quite special. With the fermented mango chutney it was served with, the rice was out-of-this-world. We had Moroccon mini-burgers cooked by our farmer neighbors, and a winter salad made with olives, jicama, garbanzos, and other assorted goodies from our teacher friend.
Rice.
Mango chutney.
Chutney love.
My dark plate. Ignore the bite. I couldn't wait to dig in.
I, of course, was in charge of DESSERT. I had every intention of making a sugar free tofu “chocolate chip cookie dough dip” that I found on Chocolate Covered Katie’s blog. So yesterday, when I came home from my run and had an hour to spare before my dance workshop, I decided to get crafty in the kitchen. However, I am not the goddess of sugar free desserts. I am new to this whole baking without sugar thing. I am not Katie. I completely screwed up the dessert, due to some misjudgment on proportions. I tossed it. (Katie, I’ll have to actually follow your recipe to a T the next time!). Enter the oreo truffle from my favorite blog.
Dirt never looked so good. I'm so happy I can't eat this, or I'd eat the whole thing.
Butter holds those babies together.
These are for melting and dipping those truffles in. Hello, bliss.
I followed Heather’s recipe but dipped the truffles into white chocolate instead. Hmm. This was finger-licking good.
Don't tempt me with my hands-are-too-red-from-all-that-drumming covered with chocolate.
But, since I am not eating gluten (ever) or processed sugar (on a good day), I didn’t do the honors. That’s was wierdo boyfriends are for. Insert: awkward pause. Anyways, the oreo truffles were a smash hit. In fact, their deliciousness and someone’s gluttony overconsumption led to a bit of a domestic dispute. I am not longer allowed to make any desserts with sugar in them because they are a) too good b) too easily over-eaten and c) therefore lead to stomach-aches. Okay then.
For those of us not able to indulge in the truffles, I made a heavenly chocolate mousse from these four ingredients:
- ricotta cheese
- unsweetened cocoa powder
I love the new old-fashioned label.
- stevia
- maple syrup
JO and I leave for Colorado in a few days, and I’ve been on a mission to use up the contents of our fridge. When I saw a near-full container of ricotta, I knew I had to use it in a chocolate mousse. I threw all the ingredients into the food processor for about 2 minutes. Here’s what emerged:
GAH! I forgot to snap a shot. Imagine the most creamy, delectable, rich smooth chocolate mousse you have ever seen. The kind of sinfully chocolate dessert that elicits the Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally food-gasm. OH MY. It was the perfect ending to a delicious meal. Since I don’t have a picture, I guess I’ll just have to make it again soon to show you. Lucky me.
Oh my gosh – HEAB if your favorite blog?!? I am so honored. Thank you so much – biggest smile on my face right now.
That rice sounds amazing. I’ve been trying to remember to soak my grains for 12 to 24 hours lately, but never with kefir grains – good call as I have some somewhere around here. I’ve just been using lemon juice or vinegar.
The potluck dinner sounds amazing – I don’t think I could have resisted taking a bite pre-photo either, and if it makes you feel any better, I’m no longer allowed to make the Oreo Truffles either.
Sad there was no mousse picture – sounded amazing.