True confessions: if I could eat any junk food in the world, I would choose Old Dutch Ketchup Chips.
Gosh, even looking at that gives me a craving. I remember when I found out that a) Old Dutch chips were a strictly Western Canada thing, back in the 80s, and b) ketchup chips were a strictly Canadian thing.
Sure, in the early 2000's, Old Dutch started selling its delicious, delicious snack foods in Eastern Canada, and sure, if you look hard enough in certain parts of the U.S., you may be able to find a bag of ketchup chips, but for the most part, this is a regional delight.
If you're a longtime reader of mine, you're probably tilting your head at the computer screen and wondering what just happened. I know, I know. I'm all about green smoothies and kale salads and making pie out of avocado and chocolate mousse out of tofu, but if there was a box of twin-pack ketchup chips in front of me right now, I would eat it until it was gone, and then I would be a bloated, red-lipped mess with crumbs on my shirt and a pounding headache. Then the next day, when I weighed 10 pounds heavier from all the water retention and I still couldn't scrub red dye out from under my nails, I would feel all the regretful feelings.
But here's the thing: I have discovered that I can feed those cravings in a much healthier manner, since I apparently have no moderation at all when it comes to chips and other salty snack food. The answer: popcorn! Yes, this "ketchup chip" popcorn has all the savoury delicious flavour of its namesake, but without the bloating, regret, and guilt. Popcorn is high in fibre, and the coconut oil is a healthy fat, making this a perfect snack!
Ingredients
Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Pop popcorn kernels in an air popper or popcorn maker. Don't even THINK about using microwave popcorn!
Melt coconut oil in the microwave or in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in whisk in ketchup, onion, and garlic until smooth.
Pour over popped popcorn, and stir until coated.
Spread popcorn over prepared baking sheet, and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, until dry.
Eat it all until it's gone. It's okay. Really. I'd do the same.
Want more healthy snack foods? Try my Kale Chips Two Ways or my Dill Pickle Zucchini Chips.
I love Greek food. I love the flavours, I love how Mediterranean food is among the healthiest in the world, and I love how eating it transports me back to 1992, when I was almost seventeen and on a school trip to the Greek islands. I know! How lucky was I?
*kisses for Greek cuisine*
Before we headed out on our trip, the group went to a local Greek restaurant, to have an idea about what to expect from the cuisine. I had never eaten any Greek food before, and I will admit I looked a little side-eyed at the description of tziatiki: yogurt with GARLIC and CUCUMBER? What? To me, back in the early nineties, yogurt was strawberry flavoured and would not be advisable to consume with garlic and cucumber.
Oh, what a provincial girl I was, and oh, what a world opened up to me the moment I tried it. It made me want to dance, or, in the language of the early nineties, it made me want to Vogue.
This dairy-free tziatiki is delicious, and it almost makes me want to strap on those gladiator sandals and candy-cane striped shorts again. Almost. Opa!
Ingredients
Directions
Spread grated cucumber on a kitchen towel or paper towel, and sprinkle with salt. Allow to sit for 30 minutes; wrap in kitchen towel or paper towel and squeeze out excess liquid.
Stir cucumber into the vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, along with the garlic, salt, and lemon.
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.
This tziatiki goes great with my favourite Ode to Joy Greek Salad or with pita and my Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Sometimes I just want to get my freak on; that's when I go for the Freekeh-Greek-eh Salad.
When you were a kid, did you read books set in the turn of the twentieth century, and did you desperately long for the olden days, where THE event of the season was the town's Strawberry Social? I sure did. I didn't know what a Strawberry Social was, exactly, but I knew it involved Sunday dresses and strawberries, and frankly, that was good enough for me.
One of the things about the modern age is that there's a tendency to lose that feeling of community that a Strawberry Social would incur, what with friends and family being scattered across the globe. A Strawberry Social, I imagine, would have been the way to gather the whole town in one place, to celebrate the early-summer harvest of the sweetest of nature's candy - the strawberry.
I wish I could gather all of my friends and family in my backyard for a Strawberry Social, but since many of my dearest friends live thousands of kilometers away, I will have to settle for a virtual one. The next time you enjoy a bowl of delectable crimson strawberries, or maybe this icy and creamy Strawberry Dreamsicle, think of me, tying on my imaginary Sunday-best bonnet and dreaming of days gone by.
Ingredients
Directions
In a high-powered blender, puree all ingredients together until very smooth.
Pour into ice pop moulds. Drop one or two sliced fresh strawberries in each mould, if desired.
Freeze until firm.
Enjoy!
For an extra-special treat, try dipping the frozen Strawberry Dreamsicle in Homemade Magic Shell just prior to eating.
Want more homemade frozen treats? Try my Healthy Homemade Fudgsicles or my Homemade Dole Whip. Can't get enough strawberries? Try my Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Pie!
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