Strawberry,
Yeah, I thought of MWL after I wrote that post. My McDougall compliant desserts are not MWL compliant. And I have never been on MWL. But there are plenty of people on here who have, and I'm sure they'll help you.
Your idea of rice with berries sounds good. Also, since you like chips, you might be able to have homemade corn chips. I think some people make them in an air-fryer, but I make them in the microwave. Cut a corn tortilla into sixths, put it on a microwave bacon rack or other dish, and microwave just long enough to get it crisp. The timing is tricky, because it varies with how many tortillas you are cooking at once. If you cook them too long, they can burn and be inedible. The chips are good with beans and chopped greens and tomatoes.
I think you can have tortillas on MWL, but I'm not sure.
As for popcorn, my husband air pops his all the time with no added anything, and he likes it.
I certainly agree with you about dairy. But of course dairy in the form of ice cream doesn't look like dairy to me!
However, I almost never eat ice cream or even get off the diet anymore.
I guess my best experience is that as you eat this way your tastes will change. I went on the elimination diet for a week, and I ate rice mixed with steamed green veggies every day. I got so I hated it. A few months later, I tried that dish again, liked it, and now I eat it multiple times a week, if not every day.