food allergies – Safe Eats

Vegan Blueberry Scones (Gluten-free, Egg-free, and Dairy-free)

By Nancy Haggerty

I used to think that scones were these fancy treats one would only eat at elegant tea parties. Come to find out they are basically sweet biscuits with some kind of fruit mixed in! And they really are quite easy to make. I also discovered that you don’t need to chill the vegetable shortening like you would with butter so it’s one less step than traditional scone making. No electric mixer is needed either. It’s just good old fashioned baking by hand.

Blueberry Scones:

1/3 cup (62g) vegetable shortening, room temp. (I use Spectrum brand palm shortening)

½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest

½ cup (80g) white rice flour

½ cup (60g) tapioca flour

2 Tablespoons (24g) potato starch (you can also use an alternative flour like quinoa)

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/3 cup (65g) cane sugar (use organic for vegan)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 cup (110g) fresh blueberries

1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon (100g) coconut milk (I use Native Forest brand)

1/8 cup turbinado sugar for topping (use organic for vegan)

1/8 cup white rice flour for handling dough and dusting

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line one standard size cookie sheet with parchment paper and dust lightly with a small amount of the 1/8 cup white rice flour.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the lemon zest, white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, baking powder, cane sugar, salt and xanthan gum.

Using a fork or knife “cut” the shortening into the flour mix to create a crumb mixture. If using a fork and your shortening is soft, hold the fork sideways and cut through the mix like a knife as opposed to mashing. Gently mix in the blueberries, then add the coconut milk and mix together until you have thick lumpy dough. There should be just enough moisture so the dough sticks together but not too much moisture, otherwise your scones will turn into muffin tops!

Lightly coat hands with white rice flour and divide dough into 8 parts. I do this by measuring the entire amount of dough on a scale and then divide by 8. Then use the scale to measure out each one and gently shape into small balls. You could also form the dough into a round disk and cut into 8 wedges, but I’ve found when doing this the dough gets too compact and results in dense scones. Or you can always eyeball it too.

Pour turbinado sugar on a small plate. Push the tops of each scone into the sugar then place onto the cookie sheet, sugar side up.

Bake in the oven on the middle rack for 15-17 minutes, until bottoms are slightly brown.

Remove from oven and place onto a cooling rack. Let cool for about 20-30 minutes.

A word on substitutions: Many gluten free flours can be substituted for others, such as quinoa, sorghum and millet. However, each flour has its own weight, texture, and viscosity. Therefore, it may alter the end result. Always use a combination of flours for best results. If substituting coconut milk with another dairy alternative start with half the recommended amount, as other dairy alternatives are thinner than coconut milk.

Nancy Haggerty is a food blogger at www.aglutenfreedairyfreelife.com and has been perfecting the art of gluten and dairy free since 2007. She lives in Westchester, NY with her son, Kenyon and husband, Ben.

Honey Graham Crackers (Free of Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, Nuts, Soy, and Rice)

Crunchy, tasty, and perfect for dunking into your favorite beverage.

Honey Graham Crackers

2 cups sorghum flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup, non-hydrogenated palm shortening such as Spectrum brand

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix dry ingredients together. With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the shortening in until it resembles sand. Add the honey. Then add water a little bit a time until the mixture just sticks together and doesn’t fall apart. If still falling apart, add another Tablespoon or so of water.

Tear out a piece of parchment paper that will fit on your cookie sheet, and then put the parchment paper on a table or counter. Take half of the dough and press it onto the parchment paper to form a rectangle of dough in the middle of it. Top with a sheet of wax paper and roll the dough until it is about 1/8 inch thick.

Remove the wax paper and transfer the parchment paper with the rolled dough to the cookie sheet. Using a knife or bread dough scraper, cut where you want the graham crackers to break. Using a fork, poke three sets of holes for each cracker.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until graham crackers are lightly browned around the edges.

Remove and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Using a very flat sharp cookie spatula or knife, re-cut into the cracker separations and gently lift them from the parchment.

Repeat with remaining dough.

These will store for 1-2 weeks in an airtight container.

5 Reasons Why People With Discerning Diets Shop at ALDI

It’s no doubt disheartening, sometimes, for people who have specific dietary needs, that it is usually the cheapest foods that are the least healthy or contain food allergens. This is a by-product of our Industrial Age; food has been designed to be cheaper, not better. In recent times, western civilization has been transforming away from using our food merely to keep us alive, or to sate over-indulged taste buds, to something that can actually keep us healthy. For those who suffer from allergies or gastric disorders, this is a necessity. Fortunately for us, there is hope in several places. One place we’ve found that can help both the palate and the wallet is the global food store chain Aldi.

1. Two Brothers and A Cigarette Dispute

Founded originally in 1913 in Essen¹, Germany, Aldi became a “chain” when the owner’s two sons took over the food store in 1946 and began opening stores of their own. In 1960, the two owned three hundred stores around Germany, and then split them over a dispute whether to sell cigarettes. They soon thereafter named the company “Aldi” (from Albrecht, their last name, and “Diskont,” the German word for “discount”). The divisions became Aldi Nord (north) and Aldi Süd (south), and became financially separate operating divisions, except for special regional relationships and volume buying. At first, the stores were ridiculed as the place that people went who couldn’t afford to go elsewhere. This has changed dramatically, as now over 80% of Germans shop at Aldi regularly.

2. ALDI Runs Trader Joe’s (sort of)

In the United States, the two divisions of Aldi are still separate: Aldi Süd runs the stores we all know as Aldi. Aldi Nord runs the stores we all know as “Trader Joe’s.” Aldi as a branded entity still strives to be a low-cost leader, and maintains expense control through well-known measures as charging for bags, only accepting cash and debit cards (true credit cards charge the store a surcharge), and the infamous “coin carts” – the coin used to release the cart from the corral at the entrance to the store is an incentive to return the cart and get the coin back. Even if someone decides that the trip back to the door is just too far, someone else can still get the quarter for returning the cart. All these tactics help keep operating costs low, so they can pass along savings to the customer, who will be hopefully loyal.

3. ALDI Meets The Challenge of Economy and Quality

As far as their offerings are concerned, Aldi has been steadily increasing their healthier fare for some time. This author has been enjoying their “Fit & Active” brand since around 2007 – their turkey franks are tasty, healthy, and very South Beach Diet-friendly (phase one, if you’re wondering). They have also added lines called “Specially Selected” and “Simply Nature” that tend toward more basic ingredients. On my last trip there, I was able to find uncured bacon, preservative-free lunch meat, organic fresh apples, organic frozen blueberries, wild-caught cod, both almond and soy milk, gluten-free pasta, soy-free organic marinara sauce, and the list goes on.

4. ALDI Improves Itself and Pays Employees Well

To be fully open about it, Aldi has had its share of missteps over its 38 year history, including firing an HIV-positive worker, having questionable labor practices over management staff, and an incident of horse meat contamination in a beef product (which the product manufacturer has corrected). While certain actions are always inexcusable, Aldi seems to have genuinely attempted to correct these mistakes, which is what we can hope from any company.

When it comes to staff pay, new hires start with a wage that is “significantly higher than minimum wage.” Store managers seem to be provided with fair management wages upon promotion. As with any store, product line, or food item, always perform due diligence and examine the ingredient list on the products closely, and pay attention to the reputation of the store for ethical behavior. Ultimately, Aldi makes our list of grocers as a place that meets fair practices, offers choices that are healthier in general, including options for those with special dietary needs, all while managing to keep prices down.

5. Room to Grow

Over time, ALDI keeps adding more products that are healthier for many families. Keep in mind that some products are seasonal and not always on the shelves. But when we compare Aldi’s offerings today to ten years ago, the selection has improved remarkably. We do still have a bit of a wish list for Aldi. Those with soy and corn allergies will no doubt run into the same frustration as they do at any food store because these ingredients are so prolific. We hope that one day, they’ll offer packages of tuna without soybean oil. That said, we can still come home with the bulk of our groceries and our wallets still happy.

Notes:

1. This is only a note because the German word essen translates as “food” or “to eat”

Dreamy Allergen-Free Double Chocolate Cookies

With a thin sugar-crisped exterior, a moist interior, and deep milk-chocolate flavor, these cookies are a food allergic’s dream come true.

The story of this cookie: I needed to make a really good double chocolate cookie (I realize that “need” is a strong word, but hey a chocolate cookie craving is a need, am I right?). I was a bit disappointed in the gluten-free double chocolate cookie I had been making. It kinda satisfied the chocolate craving but the taste was still too dark and had a bitter tone. Also, as with most disappointing gluten-free treats, the texture was pretty grainy and dried out within a day. I needed a moist cookie that had a silkier texture, a more milk chocolate flavor, and with a good texture that would last for more than 15 minutes.

After much research and experimentation, I finally hit a winner. The secret to better texture and moisture retention is in a higher ratio of starch than is normally called for in gluten-free baking. A 50% flour and 50% starch mix. Yes! Good results!

I shared some finished cookies with family and friends and took some to networking events. I got a lot of rave reviews on this cookie. Due to such great response, I was tempted to keep this recipe a secret. I’ve been told that I shouldn’t publish this and that it should be the beginning of fantastic cookie sales, and a way to fame and fortune – perhaps a new line of dream cookies for all those who can’t wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, oats, peanuts, treenuts, or rice! (It’s very hard to find gluten-free treats without rice!) I’ve made these with both brown rice flour and sorghum flour, the results were good for both.

I don’t want to have you thinking these are some sort of extremely magical cookie, though. What gets us excited, however, is that this is like having a cookie made from wheat. They’re simply good. For those of us who haven’t had good cookies like that in a long while, it’s pretty magical.

What’s even better – these are pretty economical. Other than the palm oil shortening, the rest of the ingredients are sold for prices that won’t leave you breaking your wallet at $70 in the 7-items or less checkout line.

So, I suppose I could have kept this recipe to myself, but what of all those commercial kitchen start-up costs that I don’t have? And what of all the needs of the dedicated bakers all over the world that need to start their gluten-free baking with a really good cookie?

I’d rather inspire all of you to make these and share them with your friends and family. I’d like to see if your foodie friends who can eat anything even notice that these aren’t anything but fantastic. I’d like to see you delight your co-workers or family members or friends who are usually left out of the food part of celebrations and watch them smile and praise you for your thoughtfulness! It would be great to see these offered in your bake sales, your community events, school functions and fundraisers! The food allergy community will profusely thank you for thinking of them and for making their cookie dreams come true!

Without further adieu:

Dreamy Allergen-Free Double Chocolate Cookies

Set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or 175 degrees Celsius.

In a separate bowl, add these dry ingredients together and mix until thoroughly combined:

1 cup (152 grams) of either brown rice flour or sorghum flour (use sorghum for those that cannot tolerate rice)

1/2 cup (56 grams) cocoa powder

1 cup (152 grams) of cornstarch or arrowroot starch (If allergic to corn, use arrowroot starch. I have tried both. The cornstarch results in a slightly silkier texture on the inside of the cookie, but the arrowroot starch is still very nice).

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar

3/4 teaspoon of xanthan or guar gum

Set aside the bowl of dry ingredients.

In your stand mixer, or with hand-held mixer, cream together only these ingredients:

1 cup (180 grams) non-hydrogenated palm oil shortening (Note: do not use butter or coconut oil or any other shortening if making this for general public or school functions. Butter is dairy allergy trigger and coconut oil can trigger treenut allergic reactions, other shortening may contain soybean oil.) Spectrum organic palm-oil shortening can be found here: http://www.spectrumorganics.com/spectrum-naturals/organic-shortening/

1.5 cup (300 grams) light brown sugar (sticky sugar)

4 oz. (105 grams) applesauce (conveniently, this is the equivalent of a snack-sized cup that you can purchase and put in kids’ lunches)

Then add:

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Once the shortening, sugar, applesauce, and vanilla extract ingredients are combined, gradually mix in the dry ingredients. The mixture will get very thick. You want this to resemble cookie dough. If appears too dry, add about 1-2 Tablespoons of water.

Once your cookie dough is made, using a large metal spoon, fold in:

1/2 cup (90 grams) Enjoy Life Allergen-Free mini chocolate chips and

1/2 cup (90 grams) Enjoy Life Allergen-Free chocolate chunks. More information on Enjoy Life products can be found here: http://enjoylifefoods.com/

Scoop dough onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or lightly coated with the palm oil shortening), and flatten to 1 inch disks.

Bake for 7-10 minutes or until cookies look puffy and cracked a little.

Remove cooks from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking pan before transferring to a plate or wire rack to cool completely. If you try to transfer them too soon, they will fall apart. Alternatively, you can pull the entire parchment sheet of cookies off of the pan and onto the counter to cool so you can quickly reuse the pan. Cookies will rest down and look more cracked as they cool.

Repeat the baking process for remaining dough.

Makes approximately 18-20 cookies.

Enjoy!

Fennel & Apple Salad with Crushed Berry Vinaigrette

Fennel is available autumn through spring and provides so much nutrition and anti-oxidant qualities that we recommend you give this interesting and unique root veggie a try! It has a bright anise flavor that pairs well with sweet fruits and makes for a perfect winter salad. This is hearty on its own but feel free to serve with roasted chicken or a sweet sausage such as Jones’ All Natural Maple Sausage (product information can be found here: http://www.jonesdairyfarm.com/products/sausage/all-natural-golden-brown-maple-pork-sausage-patties-7-oz).

This meal is Paleo, GAPS, and SCD diet friendly.

Fennel & Apple Salad with Crushed Berry Vinaigrette

1 cup of berries (combination of frozen or fresh berries of choice), crushed with fork

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar such as Bragg’s brand for probiotic benefits (regular apple cider will do)

1/4 cup light flavored oil such as canola, safflower, or grapeseed oil.

fresh cracked sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Whisk together and compose salad of the following:

Spinach

Apples, cut into bite-size pieces

Oranges, cut into bite-size pieces

Fennel (all parts of fennel, including stalks can be eaten) – recommended to cut very thin as it is a strong flavor.

Raisins or Dried Cranberries

Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds

Toss the salad with the dressing and serve immediately.

Can also serve with slices of roasted acorn squash, baked sweet potato, quiche, roasted chicken, Lemon infused roasted fish with a Pinot Grigio.

A Don Pablo’s Restaurant Treats a Boy That is Allergic to Most Mexican-Food Ingredients Like a Star Guest!

What would someone say to you if you went to Don Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant with a bean, rice, wheat, dairy, and soy digestive allergy? They would say, “Why would go there? There isn’t anything on the menu that you can eat! You’re crazy!”

Well, I would be if we had airborne reactions to those foods. But we don’t. We are also okay if other foods are being prepared in the same kitchen. (Disclaimer: Do not go out to eat at restaurants where airborne or cross-contamination could risk a life-threatening food reaction). Also, most restaurants have meat and veggies and spices, and I like to put one up to the challenge to see if it’s a place we don’t have to put on our mental “nope list” when we are traveling, hungry, and needing sustenance. If we’re lucky, accommodations will be made with a good attitude. If we are extra lucky, we’ll run into a place that has a Restaurant Manager or a Kitchen Manager that understands the seriousness of our son’s condition and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure he feels included and part of the experience. This is exactly what happened at our recent visit to Don Pablo’s.

You see, it isn’t always about merely consuming a safe food, it’s about being able to sit down in a Tex-Mex or Mexican restaurant and smell the aroma of cumin, listening to a bit of Mariachi music, seeing the colors, decor, and change of scenery, and feeling the vibe of a vibrant and bustling Mexican restaurant. Going out to eat is more than just a meal, it’s a time to bond and relax and experience a meal together.

In our case of going to Don Pablo’s, the Manager pleasantly surprised us with excellent service. Not only did he have the appropriate attitude toward our special order, he made us feel like we were like any other restaurant guest. In fact, probably more like VIPs. He expressed a genuine concern and interest in helping us have a good experience. I explained how it must look for us to bring our son with a dairy, wheat, rice, soy, and bean allergy to a Mexican restaurant. He did admit that he wondered and we both laughed, but then I went on to explain that we know what my son can have and that he loves a good plate of cumin-spiced chicken fajitas and the ambiance of Don Pablo’s. I told him that we usually don’t get to go out to eat because of his allergies, particularly a Mexican restaurant. The Manager really listened to my story, talked with us and developed a relationship with us. He gave our son a high five and also made him feel like a part of the conversation.

To add an even higher level of service, he said he would personally prepare our son’s meal of chicken fajitas to make sure it was safe and that it was tasty. After he headed to the kitchen, I was so happy that I was near (or at) happy-tears. It’s so rare to be a multiple-food-allergy family and be treated this well.

This Manager was careful to cook our son’s fajitas only in animal fat (since one of the hardest things for us to avoid is soy-based cooking oil) and he added spice for flavor and beautiful pan roasted veggies. For a side dish: a fresh cut fruit salad. He even came back and asked if certain fruits were okay. When our entrees were finished, he and the server brought all of the entrees to us at the same time. This particular detail meant a lot. At most other places, they tend to bring out out the regular entrees first while my hungry child waits another 10-15 minutes for his special meal to be prepared, furthering his feeling of exclusion that much more.

Our meal was excellent, but more importantly, my son’s fajitas tasted just like they are supposed to! As we finished up, paid our ticket and headed out, he gave us his business card and told us we could always call and ask any questions or for any help with future meals. We were truly Wow’ed by his service and grateful to walk out happy rather than frustrated. If our experience at that particular Don Pablo’s is a testament to their customer service philosophy at all of their chain restaurants, then I can do nothing but promote them. That kind of customer service philosophy and attitude really makes a difference in people’s lives.

When it seems like years and years since we were able to just order off the menu and get great service, we really appreciated having an experience like that. For a brief moment in our food-allergic lives, we felt like we were in the same category as all of the normal restaurant patrons who can order anything off of the menu. And while we’ll always have to do a special order anytime we decide to go out to eat, we know where we can get a great safe meal and be treated like we are just as important as every other guest.

My recommendation to other food-allergic families is is to stay positive and develop relationships with your local Restaurant Owners, Managers, and Kitchen Managers. Obviously, avoid going out to eat if there is potential for a life-threatening to highly sensitive exposures. Otherwise, bring a list (or have cards printed) with what the allergens are and another list of things that are safe to eat. Then, provide brief instruction on how to cook those foods safely such as “please use clean skillet, do not grill.” The information is positive and provides a solution for both you and the Restaurant or Kitchen Manager. Additionally, you can also go in and talk to a Manager (or call) when they are not in the middle of a lunch or dinner rush and ask him/her if they can help you have a safe eating experience for future meals.

So, you see, it is possible to get out and be welcomed, treated well, and be included in the overall conversation of what it means to go out to eat and enjoy a meal together. We are lucky and grateful for the Don Pablo’s Manager, and others like him, as our life experience has been made all the better because he chose to listen and make a little boy’s dining out experience an excellent one!

Sincere thanks to the Manager and to John Scharpf for allowing me to publish our experience at our local Don Pablo’s as an example of excellent service to the needs of our community.

Author’s First Book For Kids About Food Allergies – In Her Own Words

Ever since I discovered that my son was having food reactions to food and medicines as a toddler, I was determined to learn all that I could about food allergies so that I could help him feel better and help other families who are trying to help their children feel better, too.

There have been so many challenges that we’ve had to overcome, and many that we continue to work through. Diagnosis has taken several years. Eventually, our doctor told us that our son very likely has FPIES (Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome), a very rare form of food allergy where the digestive system reacts, and for which no test is available to detect it before reaction occurs. He reacts to wheat, diary, rice, oats, beans, peanuts, and soy. Eventually, you learn be strong, survive, and then thrive in spite of it. And that’s the key word: thrive.

For the past few years, my goal has been to help children with food allergies participate and be included in all the events and moments of life that make up the memory and experiences of what it is to be human: to have a meal together.

We all have memories of something special that a caregiver made for us, we remember having cake and ice cream with our friends at birthday parties, having pizza after a baseball game, and then those lovely dates with some sort of interesting delicious dinner and a movie. As our kids grow taller, stronger, smarter, and of course, grow up faster than we’d like, they’ll want to keep participating in all the food events of life.

While we wait and pray for a cure for food allergies, we’ll cure exclusion by making what we can have even better, and by achieving public compassion and peer support that will last a lifetime. With this book, peer support is the goal. Fellow classmates are often the best support system a kid can have. This book encourages the development of that support system by teaching kids how to help and understand their classmates who have food allergies. Kids with allergies can share this book with friends and caregivers. It is even a great reference to have on hand in every kitchen!

I am deeply grateful to Bruce Larkin with Wilbooks for believing in this mission and for providing the first opportunity to do more than I could do by myself. I am so appreciative of Angie Scherffel for her constant friendship and dedication – who has been integral to making this happen and for which I am proud to call VP, Board of Directors as we move toward establishing Safe Eats as a nonprofit. I’m ever grateful to friends and family who are constantly encouraging me to write and who are always helping us during our toughest moments. Mama A and Papa, my Aunts, Uncles, and Grandmas, Danny’s Family, and my Mom and Dad – they perhaps taught me the meaning of home meals and memories more than anyone else. Kathy and Kristy – two beloved souls that deserve nothing less than a lifetime of our thanks and payback. And, of course, the two loves of my life: my fiance’, Dan Sanders, who has stepped up to the role of being the love of my life and possibly the most loving, generous, and involved father a little boy could ever hope for.

And my son, who I would never have imagined could turn my life so completely sideways in the most crazy and good way imaginable, inspiring everything I’m doing, who tells me nearly every day “I love you so much that there is no number in the universe that could say how much I love you.” I am so very proud of him. He has been so strong through all of the symptoms and trials. He makes us stronger. He is somehow able to forget all he’s been through with a big happy grin on his face that makes the hearts of tough men melt. ❤

Loving support of book orders will be personally signed by the author and proceeds will go toward education and helping other families with food allergies THRIVE. 🙂

The book can be ordered at http://www.safeeats.org.

For large orders and excellent ideas for reading activities for kids, please visit http://www.wilbooks.com.

Dude, These Grits are Jalapeno Poppers!

Smoky, savory, “cheesy” grits are indeed quite a delicious filling to go with your jalapeno poppers and appease your Tex-Mex food craving. Excellent served for any kind of gathering, both casual and formal. For the vegan option, omit the bacon and wrap with a sliced leek or scallion. People who don’t have to worry about avoiding dairy said “Wow! These are tasty!” And if anyone has to avoid dairy or flour… well, now they are included in the fun!

Jalapeno Poppers with “Cheesy” Grits

2 cups grits, prepared, with the following stirred in at the end of cooking:

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard

smoked salt and/or 1 Tablepoon bacon fat (optional, use 1 Tbsp canola oil as substitute)

Dash ground chipotle (optional as this adds heat)

15-20 jalapenos, cut into little boats with seeds and membranes removed (PLEASE USE GLOVES)

1 package of bacon, cut in half down the middle (use one 1/2 slice for each jalapeno)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a pastry bag or spoon, fill the jalapenos with the grits, leaving a little room for expansion. Dust with paprika for nice color. Wrap each jalapeno with bacon. Insert a toothpick to hold the bacon in place while cooking.

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until bacon is cooked and jalapenos are tender.

Remove toothpicks, arrange on a platter, and serve.

Tip: Prepare these the day before so that you are not spending a lot of time doing prep work on the day that you are entertaining.

Easy Breakfast Hash

Prep the ingredients the night before and you can have this breakfast ready quickly for any morning where you’d like to break the routine a little bit. A very yummy change of pace and proof positive that today is a new day!

Easy Breakfast Hash

1 frozen safe sausage patty per person, about 1/4 cup of sausage. (We like Jones All Natural to avoid gluten, dairy, soy, and other fillers. Jimmy Dean Natural and Wegman’s Natural have been digested well, too)

1 cup diced potatoes, diced small (do the night before and cover with water in refrigerator to keep from browning)

1/4 cup each of diced bell peppers and onions (chop in advance to save time)

1 egg per person, whisked (optional – omit if egg allergy and add some mushrooms or zucchini)

1 sun-dried tomato, diced

a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

pickled jalapenos (optional)

1/4 cup canola-based Mayo (such as Hellman’s Canola Mayo) mixed with 1 Tablespoon taco sauce and a dash or two of ground chipotle.

Directions

Heat about 3 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add potatoes.

In another, smaller skillet or pot, add the frozen sausage with water and cook until finished. If the sausage is already cooked, such as the Jones brand, this won’t take very long. If you are cooking raw sausage, begin cooking it about 5 minutes before starting the potatoes.

Back to the large skillet, cook the potatoes for only a minute or two (longer if you cut them into larger pieces). Add the peppers and onions and cook until onions are beginning to turn translucent and potatoes are turning golden brown. Add the sausage.

Scramble the eggs in the pan that had the sausage. When finished, add the scrambled eggs to the hash.

Serve on plates and top with sun-dried tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and taco mayo sauce. Of course, the kids like it with ketchup. 🙂

I-Can’t-Believe-There’s-No-Butter Chicken Piccata

Lemon-buttery Chicken Piccata is a popular Italian dish that is often breaded, dipped in a milky egg wash, fried in a vegetable soy oil blend, and prepared with a lemon garlic butter sauce. It used to be one of our favorite entrees. Now, the recipe is adjusted and Chicken Piccata is back on the menu! With no breading, milk, or egg, you can bring a smile to a neighbor, friend, or someone special. Our child even loved this and asked for more. It is a beautiful bright dish with the perfect balance of flavors – and includes everyone! Enjoy!

I-Can’t-Believe-There’s-No-Butter Chicken Piccata

1 16 oz. package of chicken parts (feel free to make chicken cutlets by CLICKING HERE for the gluten-free fried chicken recipe)

2 cups of your favorite safe poultry broth

1/2 large onion, medium diced

1 lemon, halved and then sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon bacon butter*

1 oz. capers

In a deep skillet or shallow stock pot, warm about 1/4 cup canola oil over medium high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Lower heat if needed to make sure the oil doesn’t reach burn point. Add the chicken parts and cook on all sides until the skin is deep golden brown.

Add the broth, onion, salt, and pepper and cook until the broth is condensed to about 2 inches at the bottom of the pan (about 30 minutes), turning chicken periodically to make sure it is cooked through. Add the lemon, and cook another 10 minutes or until thermometer inserted into the chicken registers 165 degrees F.

Then add minced garlic and capers. Cook for one more minute and turn off heat.

Melt in the 1 teaspoon of bacon “butter” (*essentially, 1 teaspoon of bacon fat – we get what we need directly from the freezer where we have saved bacon fat from frying bacon on occasion).

If needed, add salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Serve this wonderful chicken over gluten-free pasta, rice, or quinoa – spooning some extra buttery sauce on each dish.

Roasted Ratatouille

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In an 8 inch by 8 inch square baking dish add:

1 large eggplant, diced large

1/2 red onion, diced small

5 cloves garlic, sliced

2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped with seeds and juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Roast in the oven, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, (check on it about halfway through baking to make sure there is sufficient liquid at the bottom – it should not be dry and stick to pan. If so, add 1/4 cup water). Roast until eggplant is fork tender and onions are translucent. Then add:

1/4 cup minced dried tomato

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

(If you don’t have fresh tomatoes or basil available, you could add a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes with basil. It is just as delicious).

fresh cracked pepper to taste

taste and adjust salt if needed

Serve warm as a side dish to your favorite baked fish or baked chicken, as a topping for a baked potato, as a stuffing for grilled zucchini. Delicious served with fried eggs for breakfast. This would also go very well cold as an item on an antipasti tray with olives, partially-steamed cold broccoli, proscuitto or beef-wrapped asparagus, green beans, fresh mozzarella (if dairy is safe for you) and/or grilled zucchini.

Scotch Eggs with Bacon Dip – No One Notices They are Gluten-Free ;-)

These appetizers are a true pleasure to serve and eat! Scotch Eggs are currently a more well-known treat in the U.K. but are beginning to gain popularity in the U.S.,particularly in Irish Pubs. This version is made gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free – but no one cares because they are so good! (A goal we always strive for). The dipping sauce is optional. Most people do a mustard dip, but you might also enjoy the Bacon Dip (see recipe at bottom) that we happened to like with these.

Tip: Don’t salt the outer crust. Let the flavor of the sausage be the life of the party!

Gluten-Free Scotch Eggs

(double, triple, or quadruple the recipe for parties)

1 16-oz package of ingredient-safe uncased sausage* (either breakfast sage or italian flavor)

4 large eggs

1 egg, whisked with 1/2 cup water

1/2 cup quinoa, sorghum, or rice flour mixed with 1/2 cup cornstarch or tapioca starch

3/4 cup cornmeal or quinoa flakes

*Note: Check the ingredients on the sausage you purchase. Most have wheat, soy, and/or diary fillers. Be particularly careful of purchasing sausage from an independent sausage maker. Get to know them and find out what ingredients they use and how they manage cross-contamination.

Step 1:

Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with water, add 1 tsp baking soda (helps with peeling later), and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and then remove from heat. Let the eggs stand for 15 minutes to soft cook.

Step 2:

Prepare an assembling station. A bowl for the sausage, a plate to press the sausage, a bowl for the flour, a bowl for the egg wash, a bowl for the cornmeal or quinoa flakes. A pan or plate to hold the sausage prepared eggs.

Step 3:

Peel eggs and rinse if needed. Divide sausage into quarters. With the first quarter, press onto a plate into a large disk about 1/2 inch thick. Set an egg in the middle of the sausage disk and gently wrap the sausage around the whole egg, being careful not to break the egg. Repeat for the remaining eggs.

Take each sausage-wrapped egg and dip into egg wash, then roll in flour, then egg again, then roll in cornmeal or quinoa flakes. (Traditionally, this is done with regular flour and breadcrumbs.)

Repeat for each egg.

Step 4:

In a deep skillet over medium-high heat, bring the oil to 350 degrees F. Add the eggs and cook for about 2-3 minutes, then turn over and cook the other side so that the eggs start cooking evenly all around. Cook for about another 12-18 minutes, turning occasionally to make sure all sides are thoroughly cooked.

Check temp of the oil and make sure it remains hot (be careful it doesn’t get too hot or you’ll burn the coating).

When the eggs are dark golden browned, they are likely done.

Cut in half to expose the egg and serve warm. Many people also enjoy these cold.

You could serve these with a warm dijon mustard or try:

Bacon Dip

3/4 cup canola-based mayo (to avoid the soy oil)

1 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon mustard

1 slice of cooked bacon, crumbled fine

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Mix all together, top with fresh parsley (optional), and enjoy!!!

The Smoky Little Secret Behind Every Great Chili

Secret number one: when we food allergy types cook, we don’t want our non-food-allergy friends and family to even notice we’ve omitted our allergens. And believe it or not, we want to forget about our food allergies for a little while, too.

Secret number two: we really want to knock your socks off!

That’s right. Want chili so good that it might help you forget who won the Super Bowl? (Perhaps it depends on the outcome?) But, we do, too! So, how about some %$@! good chili?!

Oh! And the smoky little secret that it takes to make that happen? Well… you have to read down to find out. 😉

%$@! Good Chili

2 lbs. ground beef, preferably grass-fed if you can get it

1/2 large onion (or 1 whole small) diced

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (just plain, no basil or any other flavors)

2 Tablespoons ground cumin

1 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 jalepeno, seeded and diced fine (this won’t make it spicy… the heat is in the seeds)

1 tsp each of onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika

2 Tablespoons smoky bacon fat* (<—- there it is!)

salt and fresh-cracked pepper to taste

For moderate heat chili: add another 1 Tbsp of chili powder

For intense heat: create moderate heat chili and add the whole jalepeno, seeds and all, chopped fine

If you like beans in your chili, add a 16 oz can of dark or light red kidney beans (or both!) – delish!

Directions:

In large deep skillet or stock pot, brown ground beef until half-cooked through. Add onions and continue cooking until beef is cooked through and onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients and add 2 cups water. Simmer until seasoning is well-blended.

Oh… and next time you pick up a package of some yummy applewood-smoked bacon (nitrate-free if you can) and you fry it up for breakfast, do what your grandma did and save the grease! We put ours in the refrigerator until it hardens and then portion out small pieces of it in the freezer like this… you know, for things like !@% good chili! 😉

It’s not pretty… but the result is delicious. This stuff melts in the chili like butter. And if you can’t have diary butter, have bacon “butter”! Yummm!

Don’t forget the tortilla chips!

Classic Fried Chicken, Gluten-Free, Easy

Take heart, dear Southern friends, you are not alone in your memories of picnics and dinners with family. Whether it was take-out from your favorite place, or something only your grandma seemed to know how to make, we have finally found a way for you to relive those memories and enjoy this classic food fare again.

Classic Fried Chicken, Gluten-Free, Easy

8-12 chicken legs (and/or other parts)

1 cup of either basic gluten-free flour mix or rice-free gluten-free flour mix (see home page for these mixes)

1 cup of cornstarch

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1.5 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

3 eggs mixed with 1/2 cup water

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and seasonings.

I a medium bowl, combine the eggs and water.

In a heavy-bottom deep skillet, over medium heat, slowly bring about 2 cups (halfway up the sides of skillet) of canola oil or other similar oil that can get up to 350 degrees. Use a thermometer and carefully watch the temperature of your oil throughout the cooking process.

Do not use peanut oil or a vegetable oil that has soy oil in it if you are making this for the allergy crowd. Don’t use corn oil if you have guests with corn allergies. Canola oil seems to be safe for many, but always check.

Wear an apron to protect your clothes.

Do not get distracted with other things, a few minutes of cooking without monitoring can lead to burnt chicken really quickly.

Dredge chicken in egg wash and then in flour and drop into oil.

Cook chicken for 13-15 minutes or until thermometer inserted into cooked chicken registers 180 degrees.

Enjoy!

The Hearty Fish Chowder You’ve Been Craving…

This one is especially for those of you who have longingly recalled the days of enjoying a piping hot bowl of cheesy,soothing fish chowder during a harsh cold winter day. Now -without the worry of dairy or flour.

For whatever ingredient has betrayed your system, if you can still have fish, you can now enjoy this again. While there is no perfect substitute for butter and cheese, this version is so tasty that you’ll be going back for seconds (and so will everyone else in the house).

This is free of wheat, dairy, soy, treenuts, eggs, shellfish, and peanuts.

Hearty Fish Chowder, Dairy Free and Gluten Free

4 cups (34 oz) homemade fish stock*

4 medium fish filets such as haddock or cod

5 medium potatoes, small cubed (3 cups or )

2 stalks celery (1 cup), minced

1/2 large or 1 small white onion (1/2 cup), minced

1 large mushrooms (1/2 cup), minced

3-4 med garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

3/4 teaspoon salt

Add at the end:

3/4 cup (6.25 oz) nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard

Directions:

In a large saucepot, add all of the ingredients except the nutritional yeast and mustard.

Bring to boil and then simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.

Add the nutritional yeast and mustard and stir until yeast has melted into the soup.

Add fresh cracked pepper, and/or fresh thyme (optional) to taste.

For an an even creamier taste/texture, add 1/4 – 1/2 cup of your favorite milk creamer substitute. Just make sure it is safe for you and all those you are serving by double checking ingredients and asking about their list of allergies.

*See notes below about fish stock.

* Only use store-bought fish stock if you are absolutely sure of its purity. Allergic reactions to shellfish can be quite severe. When you make homemade fish stock, you can ensure that no shellfish, soy oil, or additives end up in it.

Fish stock is so easy to make by baking whole fish (eating the most of the fish for lunch or dinner), and boiling the leftover skin and bones, etc. with onions, herbs, salt, and pepper. You can get the plastic containers that are sold in the canning isle and freeze any broth or stock you make from a leftover dinner (always leave head room for expansion). When you’re ready, just run the container under warm water (leaving the lid on). When you can feel the block of broth slide inside of the container, take the lid off and dump into a pot. Set the pot over medium-low heat and watch the broth or stock melt down in minutes, ready for ingredients for your stew or soup.

Apples with Ginger-Cilantro Pesto, Dried Cranberries, and Sea Salt

This pesto is a bright and sweet one! With the use of sunflower seeds and a light oil such as canola or grape seed oil, the ginger can really shine. This also makes an interesting dip for crudites.

**In order to ensure that this appetizer is safe for everyone, do not use treenuts, peanuts, or soy, or any of the oils from treenuts, peanuts, or soy. Be extra sure that the oil that you use is ONLY canola oil and not a blend.

Apples with Ginger-Cilantro Pesto, Dried Cranberries, and Sea Salt

4-6 green apples, sliced and cut into squares and triangles

1 packed cup of cilantro

1 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled

1/2 cup canola or grape-seed oil

1 lemon

1 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit (make sure there are no additives such as soy, wheat, diary, or nuts).

Directions:

In a food processor or blender, puree the sunflower seeds, oil, cilantro, and ginger.

Cut apples and toss in the juice from 1 lemon to prevent browning.

Arrange slices on a try and top with ginger pesto and a cranberry.

Sprinkle fresh cracked sea salt over all of the apple slices and serve.

Easy: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Red Onions

An elegant side dish that goes well with your holiday meals and happens to be free of common food allergens. If you would like to add a little more to this dish, add fresh thyme, honey, and/or cinnamon.

*Always double check ingredients to make sure they are safe for you and your guests.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Red Onions

6-8 small yams, cut into large cubes

3 red onions, large cubed

1/4 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large glass baking dish, toss all of the ingredients together.

Roast for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm.

A Gingerbread House for Everyone! Free of Multiple Allergens and Fun for Every Child!

Bake up gingerbread pieces and construct some fun for all of the kids with this gingerbread house recipe that is free of these allergens: wheat, dairy, soy, eggs*, peanuts, and treenuts. The gingerbread house dough is also free or rice, oats, and corn.

*Disclaimer: The Peeps shown in the picture are not recommended for class projects as they have egg whites. If you are doing this at home, as we did, and you know it is safe for your child, then use candy your child can have and enjoy. Always double check ingredients to be sure they are safe.

We recommend doing this project over the course of two days, baking the house parts the day or evening before so that they are fully cooled and ready for a morning or afternoon of fun decorating! (Note for success: make your icing and test putting some small baked cookies from leftover dough together to make sure your mixture dries well.)

This recipe is enough to bake two houses using the standard Wilton gingerbread cutters that are currently sold in craft stores in the cake decorating section (as shown below). Don’t limit yourself if you see gingerbread patterns you’d like to follow, instead.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE RECIPE

4 cups (500 grams) sorghum flour (plus 1/2 cup to be used with rolling)

1 cup (125 grams) potato starch (NOT potato flour)

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda (also called sodium bicarbonate)

1/2 cup (62 grams) granulated sugar (coarse white sugar used for tea)

1 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and ground cloves

1/2 cup (62 grams) non-hydrogenated palm oil shortening or pure lard without soy or other additives

1 cup (125 grams) molasses

4 Tablespoons water or milk substitute

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit / 194 degrees Celsius

Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

Using the whisk attachment of your stand mixer (or pastry cutter if mixing by hand), mix together the shortening and 1/2 of the dry mixture until it resembles coarse crumbles or sand.

Change the attachment to the paddle on your stand mixer (or switch to wooden spoon if mixing by hand).

Add the molasses and remaining flour, mix well.

Add the water or milk and mix until you have a firm dough that holds together well. Add more liquid, 1 Tbsp at a time, if needed to reach the right consistency.

ROLLING & BAKING STEPS

Put 1/2 cup of sorghum flour on a paper plate and set aside for dusting the rolling pin and dough.

Set a piece of parchment paper on the table or counter that will fit onto your cookie sheet.

Roll the dough directly on the parchment paper, pulling up the scraps and putting them back in the bowl.

Transfer the parchment paper with cut pieces directly to your cookie sheet. Poke a few holes with a fork (in places where you’ll be piping windows and doors) so that your baked pieces do not have too many bubbles. Bake the pieces for 7-10 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges. DO NOT PULL OFF OF PARCHMENT UNTIL COOL.

Transfer the parchment with baked pieces to counter or cooling rack to fully cool. Let cool at least 15 minutes before removing pieces from parchment. (Pieces will harden as they cool).

Meanwhile, as your house pieces cool, prepare a white decorator icing using confectioner’s sugar and water (this will be both your glue and your decorative icing).

ICING RECIPE

4 cups (2 lbs.) confectioner’s sugar (also called icing sugar)

*Note* If corn allergy, use the confectioner’s sugar that has tapioca starch instead of cornstarch

2 Tablespoons of honey or light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

4-6 Tablespoons water (VERY CAREFULLY ADDED)

Add all of the ingredients, except the water, to a mixing bowl for stand mixer or for handheld mixer.

Mix on lowest speed until sugar starts to get moist and clump together. It will be very hard to mix at this stage.

CAREFULLY add water, a Tablespoon at a time, until you get a very thick and firm frosting mixture. It should look silky but peak and hold on the mixing paddle when it is lifted out of the bowl.

If the mixture is too thin, it will take too long to dry and/or not hold your house pieces together.

When finished mixing, put all of the icing in a container and top with a wet paper towel and airtight lid. If you do not, the icing will dry and you will not be able to work with it.

ASSEMBLING & DECORATING

When you are ready to decorate, spoon half of the icing into a cake decorating piping bag with a standard round tip (if you have it). Unfortunately, we forgot to pick up these items and instead used a gallon plastic storage bag and cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag. It won’t be as pretty when piping, but as you can see, gets the job done.

Begin assembling your pieces on large round cake boards or use cardboard wrapped in foil or use cookie sheets. Utilize cans from your pantry to hold things in place while waiting for walls to dry. Once walls are dry, secure roof (using cans, etc. to hold in place as best you can).

While waiting to dry, get your candy ready for decorating by putting into little small bowls. Children will be anxious at this point to get started.

Some candies that are generally free of top-8 food allergens (but do tend to include corn, so be careful if you have a corn allergy) are Brach’s Spice Drops, Brach’s Cinnamon Candies, Brach’s Crushed Peppermints, Skittles, Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, Smarties, Dum-Dums, Necco Wafers, and Old-Fashioned Teaberry Gum (usually found at Cracker Barrel stores). CVS also has a lot of candy options for those who must avoid wheat but are okay with corn.

Cottage Pie Topped with Fresh Herbs

It’s cold outside! Warm up with this comforting classic made safer with just starch (either tapioca or corn starch) and water to thicken the gravy.

Recipe:
3-4 cups (22 oz), leftover or fresh-made dairy-free garlic mashed potatoes. (Cook potatoes and garlic cloves until soft. Drain only half of the cooking water. Mash, adding salt amd garlic powder to taste.)
1/4 cup (2 oz) chopped fresh thyme and parsley or cilantro (set aside).
1 pound (8 oz.) ground beef
1 med onion, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups (16 oz) baby carrots
1 Tablespoon of corn or tapioca starch mixed with 1 cup of water.
1 teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder, and italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon of steak sauce (most steak sauces are safe but check ingredients to be sure they are safe for you, if not, replace with either 1 Tbsp of Worcestershire sauce or 1 Tbsp of tomato paste with a dash of cider vinegar)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over med-high heat, brown ground beef and onions together.
When beef is browned, add garlic and carrots and sauté for 1 minute. (Carrots will mostly cook in oven).
Add seasonings and the starch mixed with water. If too thick, add more water, 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency.
Add steak sauce, stir, and pour mixture into an 8×8 baking dish.
Taste to make sure you seasoned it to your liking.
Top with mashed potatoes.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Take out of the oven and sprinkle fresh herbs and fresh cracked pepper on top.

Recipe can be doubled for more than 3-4 people.

Green Apple Tacos with Cinnamon-Sugar

We often walk by Annie’s Pretzels and we miss those delightful cinnamon-sugary bites. This works well to fix that craving.

Recipe:

Cut up some green apples, set aside.

Warm corn tortillas (or gluten-free tortillas) in a skillet with coconut oil or canola oil.

Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and sugar and stuff with the apples.

Eat! 🙂

We loved these. My son especially loved these as he prefers crispy fresh apples. If you want to get creative, you could cook your apples down, or add pecans, shredded coconut, dates, rum-soaked raisins, shredded carrots, maple breakfast sausage – or whatever you think would be good!

Have fun!

Pan-Roasted Curry Honey Carrots

A simple side dish to go with your autumn-inspired main dishes.

Curry Honey Carrots

Put about 2 cups of baby carrots in a skillet set to medium high.

Add a little coconut or other high-temp oil to keep carrots from sticking to the pan.

Dust with a little salt and curry powder.

Toss carrots around in the hot pan until they are partially cooked and roasted looking.

Add about 1/4 cup water, and 2 teaspoons of honey (or sugar).

Simmer for about 5-10 minutes longer depending on how soft or firm you like your carrots. (Test with a fork)

Enjoy!

It’s Veggettied Zucchini!

We succumbed to the lure of the As-Seen-on-TV Veggetti. Having worn out corn pasta’s welcome in our house of food allergies, this was a refreshing change of pace.

Don’t cook the zucchini. Spiral it on your plate and let the warm sauce soften it a little. Pretty cool.

Taste was great. Texture was BETTER than the standard gluten-free stuff. And we suffered no starch coma after we ate it.

Here are more pics for reference:

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cinnamon Masa Waffles

If you are looking for a unique breakfast to serve those with a host of food allergies, find out if corn is okay, and whip up these easy chocolate cinnamon masa waffles. We loved them. These were developed for a certain little boy who has developed new allergies to rice, soy, and legumes. If you’re in the same boat, consider purchasing an inexpensive bag of Masa. Masa is corn flour that is much finer than cornmeal. It is sometimes called Maize, that is usually sold in the ethnic food isles. Make sure it says gluten-free on the bag. Otherwise, you cannot be guaranteed that the food manufacturer didn’t grind the corn in the same equipment as wheat flour.

A few things to note about masa is that is is very tender and does not need the addition of starches like potato starch or tapioca flour. We found out the hard way that treating masa like rice flour by adding the starches (usually required for rice flour mixes) resulted in a very gummy end-result. Also, masa absorbs twice the amount of liquid as other flour mixes. Therefore, you will need to double your liquid when working with masa as a baking flour replacement. Remember that masa is intended for making tamales and soft tortillas.

Also note that your masa mixture will be kind of thick as a baking replacement. But don’t worry, you want that. Since eggs are eliminated, you want this mixture to be very thick and this stuff tends to hold very well together without the eggs.

Lastly, there is a distinctive corn flavor with masa but it pairs very well strong spices and flavors such as vanilla, caramel, cinnamon or chocolate. Up the ante on the spice, and also on the sugar a little, too. But not too much sugar. With masa, it’s a very fine line between not-sweet-enough and way-too-sweet. It takes some experimenting, but it won’t be long before you’re working with masa like an old pro. Bonuses: It’s inexpensive compared to rice flour, you get a lot more for your money, and you don’t need to add other flours to it.

Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cinnamon Masa Waffles

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine:

1.5 cups (12 oz or 150 grams) Masa

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

4 Tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

4 teaspoons light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Then add:

3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

2 cups (16 oz.) water or your favorite non-dairy liquid such as coconut-almond milk

Following the instructions of your waffle iron manual, heat and prep the surface of your waffle iron. TO AVOID SOY, do not use a spray cooking oil. Instead, use a brush to apply a light coating of vegetable oil to the iron.

Mix together the ingredients above with a fork until ingredients are well-combined and lumps are removed. You will notice that the mixture will be very thick, almost like you’re going to make brownies. This is good and exactly what you want.

Using a 1/3 measuring cup, ladle waffle mixture onto each waffle section of the iron. You do not have to fill every square entirely or else the mixture will spread and overflow during the baking time.

When your waffle iron light indicates that the cycle of baking is complete, lift the lid and use a fork/tongs to pull up a corner. The waffles might need a little coaxing out of the iron. Cook a little longer if you’re having a hard time getting them out of there.

Top with bananas or strawberries and an extra dusting of cinnamon.

These are also great without the cocoa powder.

Roasted Potatoes with Red Onions and Rosemary

These were a tremendous hit at a family gathering. Best thing is that they are free of the top 8 food allergens! The secret ingredient for these is a tiny bit of mustard. Any food that is a somewhat neutral flavor such as potatoes, eggs, squash and other similar neutral flavored foods do really well a bit of something acidic to brighten it up and bring out the flavor. This is a perfect accompaniment for any dish in any season. This went particular well with an Easter Ham and Deviled Eggs. Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes with Red Onions and Rosemary

parchment paper*

5 lb bag of red potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 large red onions, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tsp salt

2 tsp cracked pepper

2 tsp Italian seasoning

2 Tbsp dried rosemary (can use fresh if you like, but use half as much and chop it finely)

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

Directions:

After you peel, rinse, and cut the potatoes, bring the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and set the rack to the middle position. Line a deep large casserole dish with parchment paper (*note: this helps keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan).

Put the potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, and rosemary into the dish and coat with oil. Toss the potatoes in the seasoning and oil until well coated. Bake for 45 minutes.

Stir the potatoes, being careful not to push the parchment paper off of the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for another 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and some of the edges are a nice crisp golden brown color.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving bowl and stir in the Italian seasoning and mustard and more salt to taste.

Lemon Pound Cake

This is a treat that many with food allergies don’t get to enjoy very often. It is commonly offered in American coffee shops and bakeries; and often appears in the office break room after a kind soul has generously brought some in to share. What’s not to love about slice of a filling but tender lemon cake? It’s so wonderful with tea or coffee.

Pound cake is the name of the original recipe (said to have originated in Northern Europe in the early 1700s) that calls for a pound each of flour, eggs, butter and sugar. As with any traditional recipe, variations have been made over time and the word “pound” in the name has come to more aptly define the expected taste and texture of the cake more so than the use of ingredients.

This recipe utilizes mayonnaise to replace the fats from dairy sources such as butter, cream cheese and sour cream, which are often called for in pound cake recipes. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, peanut-free and tree-nut free. It does have eggs. If you replace the eggs, add an additional measure of baking powder and a slight increase in mayonnaise to support the structure and rise of the cake (measurements given below).

Note: We make general recommendations for avoiding the top 8 food allergens, however, please be careful to check the ingredients lists of all products you are using to ensure you are avoiding your allergens. Note that the mayonnaise or Vegenaise has not been evaluated by Safe Eats to be corn-free or free of pea-protein (pea and legume protein is a known cross reactive allergen to those who suffer from peanut allergies). So, please double-check.

In the meantime, enjoy this gorgeous lemon cake as you celebrate the arrival of Spring!

Lemon Pound Cake

1 and 1/3 cup (7 oz. or 198 grams) Basic Gluten-free Flour Mix

1 teaspoon of baking powder (add another teaspoon of baking powder if omitting eggs)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum

1 and 1/3 cup (7 oz. or 198 grams) of granulated sugar

The zest of two lemons (approximately 1.5 Tablespoons)

The juice of one lemon for the batter (approximately 3 Tablespoons)

Set aside the juice of the second lemon for the glaze (approximately 3 Tablespoons)

4 large eggs (omit if egg allergies)

1/2 cup (4 oz. or 118 ml) mayonnaise (if omitting eggs, use 3/4 cup [or 6oz or 177 ml] of mayonnaise substitute such as soy-free Vegenaise)

1.5 teaspoons of vanilla extract

1/2 cup (4 oz. or 110 grams) of non-hydrogenated palm oil shortening such as Spectrum

For the Glaze:

The juice of one lemon

1 cup (8 oz. or 22 grams) of fresh confectioner’s sugar (look for one made with tapioca starch if you have a corn allergy)

*Note that confectioner’s sugar, particularly if it is made with cornstarch will go stale very quickly after it is opened. I recommend that you taste the sugar before using it or pick up a fresh small pkg of it and store the remaining in the freezer and use within two weeks.

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (162 degrees Celsius).

In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

Using a handheld electric mixer or electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the shortening, eggs (if using), and mayonnaise. Add the lemon zest, the juice of one lemon, and the vanilla extract. Once blended, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes.

Let the mixture rest in the bowl for another 5-10 minutes. While the batter is resting (rice flours need extra time to absorb moisture than wheat flour requires), coat the inside of a loaf or cake pan with a little bit of palm oil shortening and dust with a little bit of gluten-free flour.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Turn cake onto wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the glaze by pouring the lemon juice into a bowl and slowly adding the confectioner’s sugar to get a very thick consistency. Slowly pour 1/2 of the glaze onto the cake. Let drip and wait approximately 2-3 minutes to set. Slowly pour remaining glaze onto cake.

After serving, store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Bring leftover cake to room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before serving, or warm in the oven at 200 degrees F (93 degrees C) for 7-10 minutes just before serving.

Cake is best eaten within 3-5 days of baking.

Tender and Delicious Waffles (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and Bean/Soy-free)

Homemade waffles, with a delicate texture and enticing aroma and flavor, make such a beautiful weekend breakfast. And these waffles contain very few additives that can detract from the flavor and texture. Most store bought gluten-free frozen waffles, especially, tend to contain soy lecithin and a legume-based flour. For those who suffer from soy, peanut or legume allergies, the store-bought gluten-free waffles are not an option.

Homemade waffles are surprisingly easy and budget-friendly. With a $10 dollar Rival waffle iron, we used a standard gluten-free flour mix and adapted a classic wheat recipe to omit several food allergens while retaining all the texture and flavor of a waffle that we agreed is superior to the frozen waffles. This recipe is gluten-free, soy-free, peanut-free, treenut-free and dairy-free.

An egg-free version is still in testing. We attempted to make an egg-free version using applesauce as a replacement but applesauce is not recommended as causes the outer layer to caramelize and stick to the waffle iron (even with extra oiling). This article will be updated when a successful egg-free version is achieved.

These waffles are slightly sweet and perfect with our favorite Log Cabin All Natural syrup – made without caramel color or high fructose corn syrup. If you plan on adding a lot of sweet toppings, omit the sugar in this waffle recipe.

Note: Please be sure to double-check all of your ingredients to ensure you avoid your particular food allergens.

Tender Waffles (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and Bean/Soy-free)

Makes approximately 8-10 waffles

In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine:

1.5 cups (12 oz or 150 grams) Basic Gluten-free Flour Mix

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons sugar (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Then add:

3 Tablespoons of canola or grapeseed oil

2 eggs

1 cup (8 oz.) water

Mix together the ingredients above with a fork until ingredients are well-combined and lumps are removed. You will notice that the mixture will bubble a little and take on a frothy texture. This is good and exactly what you want to make a tender light waffle.

When your waffle iron light indicates that the cycle of baking is complete, lift the lid and use a fork to pull up a corner. The waffle should then come up very easily.

And just one more picture to show the tender deliciousness. Enjoy!

Sanity Saver Series: “Potato Night” (Plus Ideas for Meals)

When you are diagnosed with a food related condition your life changes and you are faced with a lot more cooking than you have ever done before. No longer can you have pizza or stir fry delivered to your door. No longer can you swing through your favorite fast food place on the way home. No longer can you just buy the frozen potato products in the freezer section because of all of the added ingredients, or even frozen dinners for that matter. No longer can you just go out to eat. It’s a bummer but…

You have to have a good attitude about this or you will go nuts.

Think of yourself as a chef and your kitchen as the world’s best restaurant.

Before long, the things you make at home will be far tastier and better than what you can get out to eat.

I know that cooking from scratch all the time really seems overwhelming, but I promise that it gets to be like old hat after a while. This is what chefs have to do to prepare for a busy night of serving clientele, so it’s not a new trick. You’ll get to a point where this becomes standard routine.

This is where a little prep can save your sanity and thus I begin an article series called “Sanity Savers.”

First, I’ll start with potatoes. These are NOT a quick weeknight sort of ingredient. Potatoes are one of the most time-consuming, prep-intensive ingredients ever. But they are one of the most delicious, satisfying and tolerable foods. French fries and mashed potatoes are wildly popular for a reason.

So, here’s the strategy. Pick one night to do your potato prep work. It is what I like to call:

“Potato Night”

When you do your grocery shopping, buy one, two or three 10-lb. bags of potatoes. Russet, baking, red… whatever kind of potatoes are your favorite.

Have gluten-free sandwiches or scrambled eggs for dinner on this prep night to reduce your stress.

Or, do this prep work in the middle of cooking dinner, or after cooking dinner, or just before…however you can fit in this prep work.

Then, cut up a whole bunch of potatoes, any size you want:

Cut some in french fry shape, dice some really small for hash, slice some for scalloped potatoes or casseroles. You can even grate some by hand or in a food processor to be used for hash browns or potato latkes or potato pancakes. However you want to do it and however you think you’ll like cooking the potatoes. Just remember that the smaller the size you cut them, the faster they will cook.

Put them in freezer bags and freeze.

That’s it.

Now you’re ready for having potatoes on your regular weeknight cooking.

Ideas for Meals using Prepped Potatoes

Crock Pot Roast or Stew: Add meat, potatoes, 1 diced onion and baby carrots to your crock pot. Fill with water to almost the top of ingredients. Add salt, pepper and a generous amount of garlic powder and onion powder (about 2 tablespoons each). Cook on low all day.

Casserole: Add potatoes to a casserole dish with beans or chicken, veggies, spices, and a little water. Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees F for an hour.

Roasted Potatoes: While you’re grilling or sauteing your protein, roast the potatoes in the oven: toss 1-2 bags of frozen potatoes with olive oil, rosemary, sea salt and pepper (and/or add a little dijon mustard) and roast at 475 degrees F for 15 minutes, stir, 15 minutes more. (make sure you have enough oil or they will stick to the pan)

Mashed Potatoes. Boil water, add frozen potatoes and cook until fork tender. Drain most of the water. Mash with a little of the potato water and add salt and onion powder. For a cheesier flavor, add nutritional yeast flakes and a little olive oil or nondairy milk. Perfect topping for a quick shepherd’s pie, too.

French Fries: Add oil to skillet, bring to medium high heat. Add a bag of fry-cut potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and add salt and pepper.

German Potato Salad: Boil water, add 2 bags frozen potatoes and cook until *just* fork tender. Drain and set aside. In a separate skillet, cook 1 diced onion until tender, set aside. Cook 6 slices of bacon. Set aside. In a bowl, mix together 1 cup vegetable or olive oil with 1/4 cup dijon mustard and 1/4 cup of vinegar (you can use cider vinegar, red wine vinegar or white vinegar but DO NOT USE MALT VINEGAR because malt contains gluten). Mix all ingredients together and serve with sandwiches or scrambled eggs or as a side dish to your meal.

Soups: This is probably the easiest way to use these potatoes. Add to your pot of lentils or chicken broth. Or add the potatoes to water with the addition of non-dairy milk, leeks, salt, pepper, onions and garlic for a delicious and simple potato leek soup. Or use mushrooms instead of leeks. Or, if you have neither on hand, just have plain potato soup. Sometimes the most simple dishes are the best dishes.

If you have any more ideas for how to use these prepped potatoes, feel free to add them to the comments. I really hope this time-saver tip works for you!

Vegan Gluten-Free Grapefruit Bars

The small addition of honey in this recipe softens the tones of raw grapefruit while leaving its extra-bright and unique flavor to shine. If you cannot tolerate honey, simply omit it and add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar or light syrup of your choosing. In this version of the classic citrus bar cookie, we have omitted eggs, gluten, dairy, and soy. We made an egg version, too, but found that this recipe turned out better. You can also try this in tangerine, lemon or lime.

For the Crust

1/2 c. non-hydrogenated shortening or non-dairy margarine

4 oz. applesauce (I used one of those single serve snack cups. I like to keep them on hand for my child and to have fresh applesauce on hand for vegan baking)

2 cups gluten free flour mix

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

For the Filling

2.5 Tablespoons EnerG egg replacer mixed with 1/2 cup water

Zest of two grapefruits (about 2-3 Tablespoons)

Juice of two grapefruits (about 1 to 1 1/4 cup liquid) – juice into a separate liquid measure cup, not the bowl

1/4 c. honey

2/3 cup tapioca starch

pinch salt

1 tiny drop of allergen-free red liquid food coloring (optional)

Directions – CRUST

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Coat a 9X9 inch baking dish with a little bit of the shortening or with cooking spray.

In a large bowl using a beater or in a stand mixer, beat the shortening and sugar together until well-combined. Add the remaining ingredients and beat for another minute or two until the mixture begins sticking together. If it is too crumbly, add a bit of liquid.

Press the mixture into the dish and bake for 15 minutes. Bring it out of the oven and let cool for a bit while you finish the filling.

Directions – FILLING

Stir together your egg replacer and set aside. (Note: if you do not have egg replacer and you are not allergic to eggs, use 4 eggs for this recipe. Alternatively, you can try flax or chia seed gel. If you do, let me know how it turns out as I have not tried a seed gel for this recipe yet.)

In a large bowl, add the tapioca starch and slowly whisk in the grapefruit juice until the starch is well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together until well combined. Pour the mixture gently on top of the cookie crust and return the pan to the oven.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes.* The edges will look set but the center will still be quite liquid. That is okay. Tapioca-based desserts tend not to be fully set until cooled completely.

*If using eggs in this recipe, bake about 30-35 minutes and make sure that the center is set before taking it out of the oven.

Let cool at room temperature for 15 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator to further cool and set. It should be ready to cut and serve in about 2-3 hours.

Quick BBQ-Style Beans

Beans support red blood cell function, support skin cell production, and support nerve function. Beans also contribute to preventing symptoms of osteoporosis, dementia, mental fogginess, irritability, depression and anemia. How do beans do this? With their awesomely high content of folate, containing around 180 micrograms of folate per serving. So, don’t knock beans. They are extremely good for you! They also happen to be very economical, while being an excellent allergen-friendly food (see peanut allergy comments below*).

(*Please keep in mind, however, that some with peanut allergies may react to beans. If you suffer from peanut allergies, speak with your doctor about whether or not you will react to other legumes. If you are cooking for someone with a peanut allergy, consider another dish and forgo making beans.)

That said, beans are pretty easy to work with. And though many are concerned about gas issues, work with dried beans as there seems to be less of an issue with dried beans vs. store bought canned beans. Every now and then, I make a large batch of pinto beans from scratch. I store them and use them over the next few meals with various seasoning combinations. Dinners vary from chili beans for tacos, italian pasta fagioli soup, three bean salad or a quick version of the traditional baked beans.

The secret to success for delicious BBQ-style beans is the sweet onion flavor. If you are out of onions, substitute with a generous amount of onion powder to taste. (I do this often if I’m feeling a bit lazy).

Ingredients

2-3 slices of turkey bacon from humanely raised source (omit if vegan or vegetarian)

1 yellow onion, diced

3-4 cups cooked pinto beans (or 3-4 14oz cans, drained and rinsed)

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed

2 Tablespoons molasses

1 Tablespoon yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Directions

In a large non-stick skillet, fry the bacon and transfer the bacon to paper-towel lined plate. Pour excess grease/oil into a bowl to discard in the trash later.

With some of the flavored oil remaining, saute’ onion until tender.

Add the remaining ingredients and, if using, crumble the bacon into the bean as well.

Simmer on medium-low heat until the liquid has thickened.

Serve warm.

Green Chili Hushpuppies

I was in the mood for baked beans and needed something quick to go with them. I generally make some cornbread, but that takes at least an hour of prep and baking. I had already started the beans and we wanted to eat soon. These hushpuppies were the perfect accompaniment for the beans. This is super fast, easy, and free of gluten, dairy, fish, nuts, peanuts and shellfish. If you have an egg allergy, the egg can easily be replaced with Ener-G egg replacer. I may try experiment without the egg altogether as the mixture holds together well.

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free flour mix

1/2 cup corn meal

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

1 egg (or use Ener-G egg replacer equivalent to 1 egg)

1 6-8oz can diced green chilis

1/2 cup water

Directions

Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl and stir until well combined.

Heat 1 inch of canola oil in medium skillet to med-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in the oil, you are ready to cook.

Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil and cook approximately 2-3 minutes on each side, or until dark golden brown.

Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and dust with a little more salt and pepper.

Serve hot.

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this:

Sharing is caring:

Like this: