So, on the rotation diet, one day the only grain Silas can eat is oats. Silas happens to HATE oatmeal and honestly, I am not very creative when it comes to cooking. We have had a very difficult time working around this dreaded day (day two in the rotation, shudder!) I am FORCING myself to learn and forge a path through this undiscovered territory. My mom & I discussed different ways we could make a pancake type bread that could be used as a pancake or in the form of a sandwich. Mom mom created the recipe & I tweaked it & discovered what works & what doesn't work. Now, I wouldn't say this is perfect, but if you want to try it & let me know what you think (and how to possibly improve it), I would be delighted!
I did NOT use egg replacer in this recipe, rather I used banana as the agent which holds the masterpiece together. Feel free to experiment with that. On our oat day (in our 4 day rotation diet), we need to stay away from the ingredients in egg replacer, that is why I opted for the simple ingredients in this recipe. Another thing worth mentioning is that I tried both baking soda and baking powder in different combinations and neither of them works in this recipe. They do make the texture fluffier, but the banana's properties which hold the pancake together seem to become pointless when these ingredients are added. Turning the pancake becomes nearly impossible!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups Oat Flour (I ground up Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats in my blender)
1 banana
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
3/4 cup rice or coconut milk*
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup olive oil
Blend up one banana until it is light & frothy in the blender (or mush it with a fork until it is as mushed as you can get it.) Add all ingredients & stir until well mixed. Heat a pan & make sure to spray it so the pancake won't stick (spray it again when you flip the pancake.) Pour a small scoop (six inches or less when it settles). Spread it out more with a spatula or spoon if it needs to be thinned a bit. Flip & cook the other side, then when both sides are done, enjoy! This is mighty tasty with some earth balance dairy & soy free butter topping it, by itself, with jam, etc. Makes "Oat Day" something for us to look forward to!!!
*If the first pancake seems too thick & has a hard time cooking all the way through, add more milk to the batter for the rest of the batch.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Yummy Valentine's Day Chocolates
For my Valentines this year, I needed to figure out something that I KNEW was safe! I needed to be frugal since the budget was tight, so I just used what I had on hand at home. I decided to make my own chocolates - yummy! Michael came home from work and could not believe I had made these all by myself. He even called me his little Betty Crocker (I am not sure what that meant...either I am a scary cook normally or this was such a brilliant idea it COULDN'T possibly have come from me (ha ha), but I will take it to mean he was just plain impressed!)
I use Guittard chocolate chips (real semisweet chocolate chips) which are made in a peanut and gluten free facility and they contain no milk. The ingredients are semisweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter), soya lecithin and real vanilla. It does have a note that says it is processed on equipment previously used to process milk chocolate, but Silas is ultra sensitive to all dairy and this has not bothered him one bit.
I then proceeded to grab all the gluten, dairy, peanut, almond, egg, and soy free things I could find around the house. Those of you allergic to corn will not be able to have the marshmallows (we used the campfire brand, I think...whichever ones specify gluten free) or the Glutino Gluten Fee Pretzels because both contain corn starch, but for everyone else, those are great options. We used marshmallows, raisins, dried mangos, coconut, walnuts and cashews (which those of you with nut allergies will want to avoid, obviously!)
So, here is an ingredient list:
Guittard chocolate chips (or other dairy free ones of your choice)
Olive Oil (or coconut oil or something to smooth the chocolate)
(Here are some ideas of what to dip into the chocolate)
Marshmallows (Campfire or other gluten free)
Nuts
Coconut
Raisins
Pretzels (Glutino Gluten Fee Pretzels)
Your favorite gluten/dairy/allergy free cereal
Any dried fruit of your choice
Fresh fruit like strawberries or bananas
I poured one 12 oz bag of Guittard chocolate chips into a small pan and I put that inside another pan filled with water. Heat the water slowly (on low) and make sure that none of the water splashes into the pan with chocolate. I poured a couple tablespoons of olive oil into the chocolate to smooth it. Stir constantly once it starts melting. When the chocolate is ready, have your prepared goodies all ready to dip! I just used a few forks & dipped the items in the chocolate, then placed it on a sprayed pan to cool (I sprayed the pan with canola oil so the chocolates wouldn't stick.) With the leftover chocolate, I poured it into about 6 cupcake holes in my cupcake pan with some of the items (I used cashews & coconut which turned out really yummy!)
This was a hit with my whole family! I think we will be making a lot of these in our future! Enjoy, and please share any ideas with me that might make this even more enjoyable! (For those of you who don't have tons of allergies, things like sprinkles might be fun to add to the top!)
I use Guittard chocolate chips (real semisweet chocolate chips) which are made in a peanut and gluten free facility and they contain no milk. The ingredients are semisweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter), soya lecithin and real vanilla. It does have a note that says it is processed on equipment previously used to process milk chocolate, but Silas is ultra sensitive to all dairy and this has not bothered him one bit.
I then proceeded to grab all the gluten, dairy, peanut, almond, egg, and soy free things I could find around the house. Those of you allergic to corn will not be able to have the marshmallows (we used the campfire brand, I think...whichever ones specify gluten free) or the Glutino Gluten Fee Pretzels because both contain corn starch, but for everyone else, those are great options. We used marshmallows, raisins, dried mangos, coconut, walnuts and cashews (which those of you with nut allergies will want to avoid, obviously!)
So, here is an ingredient list:
Guittard chocolate chips (or other dairy free ones of your choice)
Olive Oil (or coconut oil or something to smooth the chocolate)
(Here are some ideas of what to dip into the chocolate)
Marshmallows (Campfire or other gluten free)
Nuts
Coconut
Raisins
Pretzels (Glutino Gluten Fee Pretzels)
Your favorite gluten/dairy/allergy free cereal
Any dried fruit of your choice
Fresh fruit like strawberries or bananas
I poured one 12 oz bag of Guittard chocolate chips into a small pan and I put that inside another pan filled with water. Heat the water slowly (on low) and make sure that none of the water splashes into the pan with chocolate. I poured a couple tablespoons of olive oil into the chocolate to smooth it. Stir constantly once it starts melting. When the chocolate is ready, have your prepared goodies all ready to dip! I just used a few forks & dipped the items in the chocolate, then placed it on a sprayed pan to cool (I sprayed the pan with canola oil so the chocolates wouldn't stick.) With the leftover chocolate, I poured it into about 6 cupcake holes in my cupcake pan with some of the items (I used cashews & coconut which turned out really yummy!)
This was a hit with my whole family! I think we will be making a lot of these in our future! Enjoy, and please share any ideas with me that might make this even more enjoyable! (For those of you who don't have tons of allergies, things like sprinkles might be fun to add to the top!)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Egg Substitutes
Before I forget, I wanted to share what we discovered about eggs/egg replacer! While we were at Whole Foods, a sweet gentleman who works there shared a word with me about egg replacers! He told me that the best thing he has found to work (and that is the healthiest substitute) is simply to puree a banana (until it is all frothy & light)! Just use that in place of an egg! It adds lots of flavor and is packed with vitamins and all the good stuff that the egg replacer stuff just doesn't have and it helps hold things together like an egg does. I have not found it to be an exact replacement, but then again, the egg replacer isn't exact either. When I use it, my baking is very dense. Anyhow, I am trying to perfect things with the banana & hopefully I will be able to share some recipes soon!
Update:
It has been a while since I wrote this. I have found the best egg replacer to be ground flaxseed. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water equals one egg. Add the ground flaxseed with the water, and mix. Let it set for a couple minutes, and then it is ready to use.
This does not work well in some recipes like brownies, meatloaf, quiches, etc. Things like waffles in a waffle machine really don't work well without eggs, at least that has been my experience. Experiment with it and have fun! Good luck!
Update:
It has been a while since I wrote this. I have found the best egg replacer to be ground flaxseed. One tablespoon of ground flaxseed plus three tablespoons of water equals one egg. Add the ground flaxseed with the water, and mix. Let it set for a couple minutes, and then it is ready to use.
This does not work well in some recipes like brownies, meatloaf, quiches, etc. Things like waffles in a waffle machine really don't work well without eggs, at least that has been my experience. Experiment with it and have fun! Good luck!
Monday, February 7, 2011
New Allergies Revealed! Ouch!
Well, just as I think I have things handled, life deals us another huge blow. We had Silas tested for more allergies (through US Bio Tek Laboratories, Inc) right after Thanksgiving, and we got the results back in January. Silas had acted like something was still bothering him, so I figured something would show up. He had all sorts of issues still rearing their ugly heads. The results showed us that apparently, LOTS of things are/were bothering him! We found out he has an immune response (allergy) to peanuts, garlic, eggs, & soy (those were the top ones besides the wheat/gluten & dairy), and also oysters, almonds, amaranth, lettuce, lentils, oranges, and grapefruit! WOW! I think the one I least expected was garlic. How can anyone possibly be allergic to GARLIC, for crying out loud! I use it in everything! THAT must be the precise problem.
The dr has us on a 4-Day Elimination/Rotation Diet. The diet can be found at http://www.usbiotek.com/ if you are interested in finding out details. It really sounds like it might be helpful. For four days, we have a list of foods we can eat. Each day is different and food groups (like chicken & turkey) can't be eaten one day after the next. Related foods need to be separated by a full day so you could eat chicken on Day 1 & turkey on day 3. The tricky thing is finding enough foods a four year old likes to cover 4 separate days & to keep it all different. We try really hard to follow the diet and I am hoping it will get easier as we keep at it. So far, I think we are on the 3rd or 4th week now. It it still very challenging. I can't cook meals with multiple ingredients because most of those ingredients I will need to use on another day in the four day cycle. So, mostly we are sticking to meats, veggies, and fruits.
The goal of the 4 day rotation diet is to reduce repetitive intake of the same foods. This may be an aggravation towards food sensitivities. It is suggested to avoid the "reactive foods" completely for a duration of at least 3 months to a year, or until the symptoms improve, while incorporating a variety of healthy food alternatives.
So, we are sort of on a new journey here. I am still in shock, but I hope to share what we discover and maybe help someone in the process. Already, I have seen Silas' symptoms improve significantly, but I suspect we are still missing some allergens. The test only covered 99 foods and I am wondering about some spices and things like baking powder/soda, cashews, and a big one I wonder about is tapioca. He eats that in a lot of different things like his Daiya cheese and it is a flour I use in a lot of baking. Anyhow, I pray for Silas' healing and we would appreciate your prayers as well. It is very difficult for a four year old (almost 5 now) to not have choices regarding what food he is to eat each meal. The Lord created his precious body, and the Lord knows what the exact issue is (and we seem to be having a difficult time finding out what all the triggers are & if there are other root causes). I know the Lord could choose to just reach out & touch Silas & to heal him instantly, or he can heal him through this journey & through our dr. I do believe he will be healed one way or another (at least to the point where he is not reacting every time he eats a trace amount of an allergen!) We just want Silas to be a happy, healthy child who loves the Lord! Please pray with us for his healing! Thank you!
The dr has us on a 4-Day Elimination/Rotation Diet. The diet can be found at http://www.usbiotek.com/ if you are interested in finding out details. It really sounds like it might be helpful. For four days, we have a list of foods we can eat. Each day is different and food groups (like chicken & turkey) can't be eaten one day after the next. Related foods need to be separated by a full day so you could eat chicken on Day 1 & turkey on day 3. The tricky thing is finding enough foods a four year old likes to cover 4 separate days & to keep it all different. We try really hard to follow the diet and I am hoping it will get easier as we keep at it. So far, I think we are on the 3rd or 4th week now. It it still very challenging. I can't cook meals with multiple ingredients because most of those ingredients I will need to use on another day in the four day cycle. So, mostly we are sticking to meats, veggies, and fruits.
The goal of the 4 day rotation diet is to reduce repetitive intake of the same foods. This may be an aggravation towards food sensitivities. It is suggested to avoid the "reactive foods" completely for a duration of at least 3 months to a year, or until the symptoms improve, while incorporating a variety of healthy food alternatives.
So, we are sort of on a new journey here. I am still in shock, but I hope to share what we discover and maybe help someone in the process. Already, I have seen Silas' symptoms improve significantly, but I suspect we are still missing some allergens. The test only covered 99 foods and I am wondering about some spices and things like baking powder/soda, cashews, and a big one I wonder about is tapioca. He eats that in a lot of different things like his Daiya cheese and it is a flour I use in a lot of baking. Anyhow, I pray for Silas' healing and we would appreciate your prayers as well. It is very difficult for a four year old (almost 5 now) to not have choices regarding what food he is to eat each meal. The Lord created his precious body, and the Lord knows what the exact issue is (and we seem to be having a difficult time finding out what all the triggers are & if there are other root causes). I know the Lord could choose to just reach out & touch Silas & to heal him instantly, or he can heal him through this journey & through our dr. I do believe he will be healed one way or another (at least to the point where he is not reacting every time he eats a trace amount of an allergen!) We just want Silas to be a happy, healthy child who loves the Lord! Please pray with us for his healing! Thank you!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Curry Mustard Chicken
This one gets thumbs up from the entire family! The first time my boys ate it, they yelled enthusiastically, "Can we have this EVERY night?!"
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk, or whatever you prefer
1/2 stick earth balance butter (melted or add it to the pan after the other ingredients are added)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp garlic
salt to taste
Cut up raw chicken and set aside. Heat sauce pan with oil. Mix ingredients together and put in heated sauce pan with chicken. Cook and stir often until chicken is thoroughly cooked. This is perfect paired with rice or quinoa and veggies!
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk, or whatever you prefer
1/2 stick earth balance butter (melted or add it to the pan after the other ingredients are added)
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp garlic
salt to taste
Cut up raw chicken and set aside. Heat sauce pan with oil. Mix ingredients together and put in heated sauce pan with chicken. Cook and stir often until chicken is thoroughly cooked. This is perfect paired with rice or quinoa and veggies!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Creamy Pumpkin Soup (Dairy & Gluten Free)
In Australia, we met a former chef from Greece. I was only 11 years old, but to this day, I remember the delightful Pumpkin Soup he made for us when he invited us over. It became our favorite & we requested it every time we came to visit! I can still remember the cozy feeling I had when I slurped it down and listened to his fascinating accent as entertained us with some tall tales. Before we left Australia, my mom made sure to ask him for the recipe. He laughed & told her how easy it was and that he didn't really follow a recipe! It is hard to believe because it is so good, but it really is easy!
Now, the soup isn't really made from pumpkins...in fact, it is really just squash and potatoes, but I think he called it that because Aussies call squash pumpkins or something like that. I hope I have that right! The name has a certain ring to it, so we just continue to call it that even though it has nothing at all to do with pumpkins (although I have tried it with pumpkins for the squash, and it is lovely too.) Here is my best attempt at describing exactly how I make it.
One squash (1 1/4 lbs or so)
3 - 4 medium potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 1 cup unsweetened milk substitute of your choice (we prefer Rice or Coconut milk)
1 tsp. onion powder (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp. thyme or other herb of choice
salt
pepper
Cook squash and scrape flesh from peel after cooking. You should have around 1 1/2 cups. Peel potatoes then boil in water (put just enough in pan to cover them.) In a blender or food processor, puree potatoes with the water they were boiled in) until smooth. Set aside in a large heavy saucepan. Puree squash with chicken broth until smooth. If more liquid is needed, add water so that the vegetables can puree properly. Pour into saucepan with pureed potatoes. Add milk and spices (I like this soup with LOTS of pepper). Cook on medium and stir until heated all the way through, but DO NOT BOIL.
The soup is fantastic plain, but it is also awesome with meat added. Ham or bacon (precooked) is delicious in it. This recipe makes enough to be the main course for dinner! Pairs perfectly with some rolls or homemade bread (see my delicious bread recipe) toasted & buttered with his Earth Balance butter. Enjoy!!!
Other versions of this soup:
- substitute squash with:
broccoli
cauliflower
- add in while cooking (before blending):
a whole onion
1/4 a cup of celery and leaves
a clove of garlic
a handful of spinach
Now, the soup isn't really made from pumpkins...in fact, it is really just squash and potatoes, but I think he called it that because Aussies call squash pumpkins or something like that. I hope I have that right! The name has a certain ring to it, so we just continue to call it that even though it has nothing at all to do with pumpkins (although I have tried it with pumpkins for the squash, and it is lovely too.) Here is my best attempt at describing exactly how I make it.
One squash (1 1/4 lbs or so)
3 - 4 medium potatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 1 cup unsweetened milk substitute of your choice (we prefer Rice or Coconut milk)
1 tsp. onion powder (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp. thyme or other herb of choice
salt
pepper
Cook squash and scrape flesh from peel after cooking. You should have around 1 1/2 cups. Peel potatoes then boil in water (put just enough in pan to cover them.) In a blender or food processor, puree potatoes with the water they were boiled in) until smooth. Set aside in a large heavy saucepan. Puree squash with chicken broth until smooth. If more liquid is needed, add water so that the vegetables can puree properly. Pour into saucepan with pureed potatoes. Add milk and spices (I like this soup with LOTS of pepper). Cook on medium and stir until heated all the way through, but DO NOT BOIL.
The soup is fantastic plain, but it is also awesome with meat added. Ham or bacon (precooked) is delicious in it. This recipe makes enough to be the main course for dinner! Pairs perfectly with some rolls or homemade bread (see my delicious bread recipe) toasted & buttered with his Earth Balance butter. Enjoy!!!
Other versions of this soup:
- substitute squash with:
broccoli
cauliflower
- add in while cooking (before blending):
a whole onion
1/4 a cup of celery and leaves
a clove of garlic
a handful of spinach
Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup sugar (I use brown sugar or 1/2 c sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar)
1 egg
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
sugar to coat cookies
Mix ingredients. Shape dough into tsp size balls and coat in sugar. Press cookie onto cookie sheet and use a fork or spoon to press it into desirable shape. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
1 cup sugar (I use brown sugar or 1/2 c sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar)
1 egg
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
sugar to coat cookies
Mix ingredients. Shape dough into tsp size balls and coat in sugar. Press cookie onto cookie sheet and use a fork or spoon to press it into desirable shape. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
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