dairy-free sugar-free easter cranberry rice pudding

This post (and the kitchen-dabbling that brought it forth) is a welcome relief from planning, packing, and organizing (yet another) international move. This time we're bound for Kanazawa, Japan, on the Japan Sea western side of the country. (Hello, friendly North Korea!)

I loosely based the pud on this recipe from Whole Foods. Feel free to make it your own as well!

(By the way, happy Jesus-Resurrection Sunday!)

You'll need:

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 3 cups unsweetened almond milk 
• pinch of sea salt
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• a few shakes of nutmeg
• 7 drops stevia
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries 
• a few dabs of Bonne Maman four fruits preserves, or jam of choice

Do this:

Over medium-high heat, stir the rice, milk, salt, and cinnamon sticks till bubbling. Turn down to simmer (my rice took about 13 minutes), and halfway through the cooking time, add the nutmeg, stevia, vanilla, and cranberries.

When it's nice and softened and the milk has cooked down quite a bit, take it off the heat, serve in your favorite Denby teacups, and top with some jam.

Enjoy with your favorite peeps, and be prepared for those peeps to ask for several more helpings.

paleo salmon cakes

I've been riffing on salmon cakes for yonks and I've finally hit upon a version that's Paleo, gluten free, and dairy free. And boy, it's yum. All four of us had happy mouths and tummies.

You'll need:

• 2 16-ounce cans wildcaught salmon (I mash it up with my fingers and crush the bones - great calcium!)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1/4 red pepper, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 eggs, beaten
• enough sifted coconut flour for binding, about 1/4 to 1/2 cup
• Chinese mustard powder, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 T. mayo (suggested on can of salmon)
• 4 t. lemon juice (suggested on can of salmon)
• plenty of coconut oil

Do this:

Saute your onion, celery, and red pepper in coconut oil till almost tender, then add garlic and finish browning. Watch that the garlic doesn't burn.

In a big honking bowl, combine the salmon, eggs, sauteed veggies, coconut flour, Chinese mustard powder, salt, pepper, mayo, and lemon juice. Form into patties and brown on each side in coconut oil. Drain on paper towels and serve with your favorite homemade coleslaw.

Devour. I know you won't be shy.

And I'm not even fishing for compliments.