For a long time I've been eating organically (when possible) and trying to limit processed foods. Ever since I found out there was possibilities of pus and blood to be found in mainstream milk, I was set on a path to really examine what is really in my food and where it comes from. Robyn O'Brien addresses another concern that I had never even thought about as she looks into why certain chronic illnesses wrack Americans at a higher rate than any other nation when we also have access to some of the best healthcare professionals in the world! Since my son and 2 of his cousins have been dealing with food allergies since infancy, none of whom have a family history of food allergies, I was really interested and concerned by her research into the food industries and some very dangerous trends that are affecting our families. Take a couple minutes and check it out! Also, her website is here, and it has a lot of very simple first steps, and takes a very overwhelming and complicated topic and breaks it down to a very managable lifestyle for the average consumer.
Showing posts with label Allergy-Friendly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allergy-Friendly. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Think you are Eating Smart? Maybe Not!
For a long time I've been eating organically (when possible) and trying to limit processed foods. Ever since I found out there was possibilities of pus and blood to be found in mainstream milk, I was set on a path to really examine what is really in my food and where it comes from. Robyn O'Brien addresses another concern that I had never even thought about as she looks into why certain chronic illnesses wrack Americans at a higher rate than any other nation when we also have access to some of the best healthcare professionals in the world! Since my son and 2 of his cousins have been dealing with food allergies since infancy, none of whom have a family history of food allergies, I was really interested and concerned by her research into the food industries and some very dangerous trends that are affecting our families. Take a couple minutes and check it out! Also, her website is here, and it has a lot of very simple first steps, and takes a very overwhelming and complicated topic and breaks it down to a very managable lifestyle for the average consumer.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Raspberry Avocado Truffle Pie
My 5 1/2 year old niece may not have fully appreciated it, but this delicious treat is a delightful way to celebrate the return of spring--or the birth of amazing sister-in-laws! It is super easy to make, only 6 ingredients and its dairy-free and gluten-free! What more could you ask for? I made this for Elise's birthday, because here in Texas we ring in the spring as early as February (lest you think I'm gloating, our spring is also tragically short-lived; last year it shriveled up in the heat by April!).
Enjoy!
-2 large avocados, mashed-3 T orange juice (more or less to taste)
-14 oz baking chocolate or chocolate chips (or Enjoy Life chocolate chips for dairy free!)
-1 T vanilla extract
-1/3 cup rice milk (or regular milk)
-16 oz fresh raspberries
Mix avocados with orange juice. Meanwhile slowly melt chocolate over double boiler and add vanilla extract and milk option. If using bittersweet chocolate, add maple syrup or sugar to lightly sweeten. Once the mixture is smooth and evenly dissolved, remove from heat and combine with avocado mixture. Pour over fresh raspberries and add a final layer of berries on top. Refridgerate until firm, and then enjoy in small, decadent slices!
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| Eva wishes she could have some! |
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Christmas Spirit, Brought to you by the Ultimate Peppermint Ganache Brownies
So, this weekend I finally obtained the Christmas spirit, ushered in by a piney fresh Christmas tree, excessive carols, time to gift-brainstorm, and some of the most delicious brownies I have ever eaten or made! It is only fair that I share the recipe with the world, especially since I managed to make them gluten, dairy, soy, egg, and nut free, as well as low sugar and low fat! Hooray! I'm really getting excited about Christmas this year, thinking about Ezra's first Christmas and how to start making things special for him, even though this year he won't remember anything, or enjoy these delicious brownies. But you will!!
Ultimate Peppermint Gnache Brownies (as adapted from Kiss My Spatula)
Ingredients
* 8 tbsp butter (I use applesauce for a low-fat version)
* 6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into large chunks (I use Theo dark chocolate:
organic, fair trade and does not contain soy or dairy)
* 3 eggs (I find ENER G gluten-free egg replacer to be the best for baking)
* 1 cup sugar (I use maple syrup for a reduced-sugar version)
* 3/4 tbsp vanilla
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup all purpose flour (There are many gluten-free flour mixes there. Any all-purpose mix will
do, or you can make your own. I've done both, currently I'm using Better Batter which has a very
unobtrusive flavor, unlike many gf mixes)
* 1/4 cup cocoa powder
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 40 or more Starlight mints (I have not tried this with candy canes, but I intend to after recently
discovering Tru Sweets candy canes, which are seriously THE BEST candy canes I have ever
tasted. This is saying something, since I consider myself somewhat of a candy cane connoisseur.
Tru Sweets uses all natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or coloring, no corn syrup, is gluten
free and kosher. Happy Hanukkah!)
* 1/3 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped (I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips, free of all 8 major
allergens and still taste good!)
* 3/4 cup whipping cream (Try Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk, classic for a non-dairy version.
Changes the flavor slightly, but not in a bad way, and captures the right consistency in a way
many imitations do not.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a medium saucepan, stir butter and bittersweet
chocolate over very low heat with a heatproof rubber spatula until just melted--do not let simmer or boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Slowly pour chocolate-butter mix into egg mix, whisking constantly. In separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. With a clean rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until brownies are firm, beginning to pull away from sides of pan, and a toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a few crumbs clinging to it. Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Reduce oven temp to 300°. Line a level, rimmed 11 1/2×16 inch baking sheet with parchment. With a pencil, draw a grid of 1 1/2 inch squares on parchment, leaving about a 1 inch border, and turn parchment over. Place a mint in the center of each square. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, or until completely melted into 1 large sheet, but remove before candy begins to turn yellow. Immediately score peppermint squares with a pizza cutter, using pencil lines as your guide. If scored lines don’t hold, rescore quickly. Let candy cool completely. Gently break into squares along score lines. (You may want to make a test batch with 12 mints to see if you need to adjust oven temperature or spacing of candies).
In the top of a double boiler, combine chopped semisweet chocolate and whipping cream. Cook, stirring often, until melted and blended (In the case of coconut milk, allow it to cook on low until slightly thickened). Remove from heat and let ganache cool until just warm. Pour ganache over cooled brownies in pan and allow to set until firm, about 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Place peppermint squares bottom side up on ganache, leaving enough room between squares to cut brownies. Cut brownies into squares along edges of peppermint tops, wiping knife clean between cuts. Remove brownies from pan, eats scraps, and return brownies to pan. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap does not touch peppermint, and refrigerate 3 hours (candy will soften slightly). Share at any holiday gathering--these will go fast!!
Ultimate Peppermint Gnache Brownies (as adapted from Kiss My Spatula)
Ingredients
* 8 tbsp butter (I use applesauce for a low-fat version)
* 6 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate, broken into large chunks (I use Theo dark chocolate:
organic, fair trade and does not contain soy or dairy)
* 3 eggs (I find ENER G gluten-free egg replacer to be the best for baking)
* 1 cup sugar (I use maple syrup for a reduced-sugar version)
* 3/4 tbsp vanilla
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup all purpose flour (There are many gluten-free flour mixes there. Any all-purpose mix will
do, or you can make your own. I've done both, currently I'm using Better Batter which has a very
unobtrusive flavor, unlike many gf mixes)
* 1/4 cup cocoa powder
* 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 40 or more Starlight mints (I have not tried this with candy canes, but I intend to after recently
discovering Tru Sweets candy canes, which are seriously THE BEST candy canes I have ever
tasted. This is saying something, since I consider myself somewhat of a candy cane connoisseur.
Tru Sweets uses all natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or coloring, no corn syrup, is gluten
free and kosher. Happy Hanukkah!)
* 1/3 pound semisweet chocolate, chopped (I use Enjoy Life chocolate chips, free of all 8 major
allergens and still taste good!)
* 3/4 cup whipping cream (Try Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk, classic for a non-dairy version.
Changes the flavor slightly, but not in a bad way, and captures the right consistency in a way
many imitations do not.)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. In a medium saucepan, stir butter and bittersweet
chocolate over very low heat with a heatproof rubber spatula until just melted--do not let simmer or boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Slowly pour chocolate-butter mix into egg mix, whisking constantly. In separate bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. With a clean rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Spread batter evenly in baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until brownies are firm, beginning to pull away from sides of pan, and a toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a few crumbs clinging to it. Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Reduce oven temp to 300°. Line a level, rimmed 11 1/2×16 inch baking sheet with parchment. With a pencil, draw a grid of 1 1/2 inch squares on parchment, leaving about a 1 inch border, and turn parchment over. Place a mint in the center of each square. Bake 15 to 25 minutes, or until completely melted into 1 large sheet, but remove before candy begins to turn yellow. Immediately score peppermint squares with a pizza cutter, using pencil lines as your guide. If scored lines don’t hold, rescore quickly. Let candy cool completely. Gently break into squares along score lines. (You may want to make a test batch with 12 mints to see if you need to adjust oven temperature or spacing of candies).
In the top of a double boiler, combine chopped semisweet chocolate and whipping cream. Cook, stirring often, until melted and blended (In the case of coconut milk, allow it to cook on low until slightly thickened). Remove from heat and let ganache cool until just warm. Pour ganache over cooled brownies in pan and allow to set until firm, about 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Place peppermint squares bottom side up on ganache, leaving enough room between squares to cut brownies. Cut brownies into squares along edges of peppermint tops, wiping knife clean between cuts. Remove brownies from pan, eats scraps, and return brownies to pan. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure wrap does not touch peppermint, and refrigerate 3 hours (candy will soften slightly). Share at any holiday gathering--these will go fast!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Delicious Gluten-Free (Everything-Free) Bread!!
I mentioned in my last post my frustrations with my new allergy-inflicted diet of nothingness. Although I have managed to lose those last 6 stubborn pounds of baby weight plus 7 more, the real challenge has been re-learning how to cook, and finding the time to do it in! But for those of you that know me know that I'm always up for a challenge and this one I've embraced wholeheartedly. Let's be honest, I love to eat, it is a physical, mental, social, and at times even spiritual experience that I'm not going to give up on just because everything that tastes good is off-limits! The holiday season is coming up and it is the food highlight of my year. I'm gonna be busy. Fortunately, God the Creator made us in his own image, so its time to kick those CREATIVE juices in high gear!!
My first step was to read labels. After reading labels I realized in frustration that almost nothing is safe. Even stuff that looks safe has hidden codes like: flavors, emulsifiers, and stabilizers, that automatically put me on the red alert. So I've gone back to the basics and had to break things down by ingredient. Fresh foods are my friends! Grilled chicken, rice, fresh veggies and olive oil were staples for a while. Homemade smoothies, hummus, and organic corn tortilla chips were my best friends. But the same fare day after day gets pretty old. And there's just one thing that was always missing...
Every culture has it. That one food staple that if you took away their entire nutritional pyramid would crumble. Their restaurants would close and ovens go cold. For the Irish its the potato. The Chinese have their rice. Mediterranean cuisine has the pita, and Mexico the tortilla. And we are no different. You already know where I'm going.
Bread.
We find a way to insert our favorite carbohydrate in almost any meal, sometimes in multiple forms. It doesn't feel like a meal without it. I can eat a steak and plate full of vegetables, and still wander around the kitchen looking for something to cram in my mouth because no matter how full I get I just don't feel satisfied. So, on this gluten-free diet I've gone weeks without feeling satisfied. That is until I found this post for delicious gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free bread!
I was skeptical at first. What exactly is in this bread anyway? How can it possibly taste good? But the comments at the bottom of the post shouted their approval. So, it seemed worth a try.
First step, gathering my ingredients. That part was relatively easy. Even my local grocery store has a small specialty section that holds a host of gluten free flours. And the one thing I've found is that in replacing flours in any recipe, you can't just take out wheat and replace it with something else. There is a delicate combination of flours that must be attempted and it is quite a balance! I'm thankful for everyone that has done the legwork for me to find the right combos so that I don't have to do it. I'd have given up long before discovering sorghum flour, that's for sure!!
Shopping bag in hand, I approached my kitchen with trepidation. I had never tried to make homemade bread before. I have had a breadmaker since my wedding 5 years ago, a cherished gift that I have been too intimidated to use. The blog promised it was easy. The directions are for oven-baked bread, not breadmaker. So, conscious that I was entering into some sacred rite of passage, I followed the recipe doing my best and....Ta-da! Bread--actual delicious bread that was good enough to cry over. And I had done it all by myself! With that triumph, I felt empowered to get creative. And the confidence to go after my cravings, the beautiful food that I forced out of my mind for the next 8 months as I continue to nurse my everything-intolerant son.
The recipe that I came up with is inspired by Macaroni Grill's deliciously addicting bread. A couple years ago, when Joel and I were first married our close friend and neighbor worked at the Macaroni Grill. He would come home with fresh loaves of bread, their aroma seeping through their paper bags just begging to be doused in olive oil and eaten that night! It got to the point when, like pavlov's dog we would begin drooling right around closing time. Mmmm.
It's been several years since I've been to a Macaroni Grill, but I found myself craving those flavors again. So, I made myself some bread, and even my gluten-eating husband was in for a happy surprise! I only made one loaf and it did not last the day.
 |
| We tried it warm dipped in olive oil and basalmic vinegar. Mmmm... |
 |
| A sandwich!! How long has it been?? Delicious barbecue chicken with grilled onions, homemade mayonnaise, cucumbers, and lettuce. Yum! |
 |
| like I said, did not last long... |
Here is my recipe, (which as I mentioned is adapted from Sally Parrot's blog):
Yields: 1 loaf of bread
Ingredients:
* 3/4 cup millet flour
* 1/4 cup teff flour
* 1/2 cup sorghum flour
* 1/2 cup cornstarch
* 1 cup potato starch
* 1/2 cup tapioca flour
* 2 tsp xantham gum
* 2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp fennel
* 1 Tbsp rosemary
* 1 Tbsp garlic powder
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 tsp yeast
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp warm (105-110 degree) water
Combine all flours, starches, xantham gum, salt, and spices. (I have a canister of already prepared flour. I took the amounts listed above and multiplied by the greatest common denominator to make a mix that I keep on hand (and have used for other recipes) which makes it even easier to make! All-in-all this bread takes me about 12 minutes to get together and the rest is up to my Breadman Ultimate.) If you don't have a breadmaker, from here on out follow the instructions listed in Sally's blog. If you are using a breadmaker, you are basically there. Pour water and olive oil in bottom of breadmaker. Add the sugar (this recipe is yeast-based so it needs sugar; I'm not sure how substitutes would work), followed by flour mixture. Make a small well at the top and add yeast, making sure it is not touching water. Close breadmaker, set on whole wheat, medium crust, rapid rise, wait 2 hours and voila! Be ready with butter or oil or whatever you want, and make sure you came with an appetite!!
Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!
**Edit: for a golden crispy crust, coat in butter or olive oil and toast for 10 minutes or until crispy**
Giving Up a la Mom
I mentioned several posts ago that my body is a temple. One thing I've discovered since becoming a mom--its certainly not a temple to me!! A lot of things go missing from your temple when you have a child--some things obvious, others not so obvious!
You start losing things with the pea still in the pod: curves in the right places, sleep, bladder stamina, lung space, and comfortable positions to sleep in.
Later, once the baby is out, you find you've lost some more things: sleep entirely, bladder control, personal time, showers, abdominal muscles, and that thick, luscious hair you developed while pregnant.
The one thing I was excited to hang on to was that super-boosted metabolism I developed while cooking the little bun. At least for a few months anyway while breastfeeding. A ravenous appetite and finally no limitations to what I can have! Or so I thought....
Then Ezra decided to develop persistent stomach issues. How did we discover this? The way you discover a lot of problems with babies--poop. I won't go into details on what it has looked like, but basically I have spent the last 3 months with my nose buried in dirty diapers, gooey, smelly, sometimes fizzy diapers. Ugh. If that wasn't enough to kill an appetite, the diagnosis: food allergies. Most likely culprit? Milk proteins. So I had to eliminate dairy from my diet. Along with dairy went its likely partner in crime--soy. Giving up dairy and soy was pretty killer--they are in EVERYTHING. And I LOVE ice cream. And cheese. And chocolate (did you know there is soy in almost all chocolate? I almost wouldn't have survived if not for Seattle-made Theo Chocolate bars, which at $4 a pop are a rare but worth-while treat!)
Unfortunately, dairy and soy were an improvement but not quite enough. So that mean TOTAL ELIMINATION. No, I haven't quit eating entirely. But total elimination means giving up all 8 major food allergens, dairy, soy, wheat/gluten, eggs, peanuts, nuts, fish, shellfish. Once symptoms disappear I can slowly add them back in, one at a time, minor offenders first. So I've done it--for the past 2 months. Yes, this makes me an awesome mom and no, I won't let Ezra forget it. But it is so hard! I am hungry all the time! And I just want some cheese, please. I have no idea what an emulsifier is, all I know is that I can no longer eat it, and it is in a lot of yummy things! And eating out has become such a chore, where I have to talk with managers, scour menus, and even after all that work Ezra often still seems to react to something.. What does that leave me you ask? Rice. And meat. An hours to shop, prepare, and cook from scratch. I'm back in Mauritania and I can't even throw in a Maggi cube for flavor because many spices have soy as a stabilizer!!
I guess this is one way to lose the baby weight.
You start losing things with the pea still in the pod: curves in the right places, sleep, bladder stamina, lung space, and comfortable positions to sleep in.
Later, once the baby is out, you find you've lost some more things: sleep entirely, bladder control, personal time, showers, abdominal muscles, and that thick, luscious hair you developed while pregnant.
The one thing I was excited to hang on to was that super-boosted metabolism I developed while cooking the little bun. At least for a few months anyway while breastfeeding. A ravenous appetite and finally no limitations to what I can have! Or so I thought....
Then Ezra decided to develop persistent stomach issues. How did we discover this? The way you discover a lot of problems with babies--poop. I won't go into details on what it has looked like, but basically I have spent the last 3 months with my nose buried in dirty diapers, gooey, smelly, sometimes fizzy diapers. Ugh. If that wasn't enough to kill an appetite, the diagnosis: food allergies. Most likely culprit? Milk proteins. So I had to eliminate dairy from my diet. Along with dairy went its likely partner in crime--soy. Giving up dairy and soy was pretty killer--they are in EVERYTHING. And I LOVE ice cream. And cheese. And chocolate (did you know there is soy in almost all chocolate? I almost wouldn't have survived if not for Seattle-made Theo Chocolate bars, which at $4 a pop are a rare but worth-while treat!)
Unfortunately, dairy and soy were an improvement but not quite enough. So that mean TOTAL ELIMINATION. No, I haven't quit eating entirely. But total elimination means giving up all 8 major food allergens, dairy, soy, wheat/gluten, eggs, peanuts, nuts, fish, shellfish. Once symptoms disappear I can slowly add them back in, one at a time, minor offenders first. So I've done it--for the past 2 months. Yes, this makes me an awesome mom and no, I won't let Ezra forget it. But it is so hard! I am hungry all the time! And I just want some cheese, please. I have no idea what an emulsifier is, all I know is that I can no longer eat it, and it is in a lot of yummy things! And eating out has become such a chore, where I have to talk with managers, scour menus, and even after all that work Ezra often still seems to react to something.. What does that leave me you ask? Rice. And meat. An hours to shop, prepare, and cook from scratch. I'm back in Mauritania and I can't even throw in a Maggi cube for flavor because many spices have soy as a stabilizer!!
I guess this is one way to lose the baby weight.
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