Allergen-Free Recipe - Sugar-Free Sunflower Seed Butter

Toasted sunflower seeds are one of the brilliant additions to peanut and tree nuts free diet  Likewise, sunflower seed butter is a great substitution for peanut butter or almond butter.  I like to make my own to control the ingredients.  This sugar-free version is perfect for anyone wanting to try the Grain Brain Diet who also has an aversion to nuts.
  

3 C. Sunflower Seeds (or roasted sunflower seeds)
1/4 c. Avocado Oil (or other neutral-tasting oil)
Salt


(1) If using raw sunflower seeds, dry toast sunflower seeds in a pan over low heat.  Make sure you continue to stir the sunflower seeds during toasting so that they do not burn.

(2) Place all ingredients in a high power blender (salted to taste) and blend while tamping for 1 minute (or follow your blender's instructions).

Allergen-Free Recipe - Yam Candy

I cannot recall where I first ran across a version of this recipe for roasted yams - but I do know that it made a huge impression on my taste buds.  Simple ingredients, huge flavor.  You won't be able to stop eating them.


2 Yams
1/4 c. Olive Oil
Salt






(1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

(2) Peel yams and cube into 1/2" cubes.

(3) Mix yam cubes with olive oil and salt in a bowl.  Lay out on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until the yams have one side that is caramelized. 

Allergen-Free Recipe - Lime and Persimmon Smoothie

Just before Adelaide turned 2, we flew to Denver for a mini vacation with a good friend, Brent.  The entire trip, I craved green smoothie but had a tough time finding a juice or smoothie bar.  Finally, while cruising around Boulder one day, Ingrid and Brent were looking for a snack and found a little shop (I think it was a yogurt shop) that also sold smoothies.  They got me one - a green-focused smoothie featuring lime, spinach, granny smith apple, and avocado.  Since then, I've been working on a recipe to recreate that smoothie and finally found the right blend of ingredients.

1 Lime
1 Persimmon
2 Dates, pitted
2 c. Coconut Water (or more for desired consistency)
1/2 c. Ice
1 c. Spinach
1/2 Granny Smith Apple, stem and seeds removed
1 Avocado, seed and skin removed





(1) Cut lime in half.  Add 1/2 lime, including the rind, to the blender.  Add the juice of the remaining lime half and the remaining ingredients.  Blend in high power blender until thoroughly incorporated.

Note that this smoothie has some bitter notes from the lime rind.  If think the bitter notes add some character to the smoothie, but if you prefer no bitterness, try using the zest and juice of the lime.  Also, a banana will work in lieu of the persimmon (we get persimmons as part of our CSA and use them frequently in place of bananas).

The Original Lime Smoothie in Boulder, CO

Allergen-Free Recipe - Strawberry Apricot Smoothie

A completely original and very tasty smoothie...

1 Banana

½. C. frozen strawberries

2 c. water (or coconut water)

2 c. kale (or spinach)

2 tbls. Flax seed

6 dried apricots

3 dried plums (or dates)


(1) Combine all ingredients in a high-power blender.  Blend until incorporated and smooth.

In Real Time - Modified Grain Brain Diet

This is me.  Not the best photo, but the best of the most recent photos of myself - taken by my daughter, Adelaide, during her first experience with my iphone camera (she is three and wanted to snap a picture of me next to some rocks in our neighborhood). 

I am 6'-3", 212 lbs.  This puts my body mass index (BMI) at 26.5, which is considered overweight.  I've never been one to take much stock in a BMI as I am fairly dense, meaning I have above average muscle mass - largely due to years of hiking, biking, rock climbing, and other miscellaneous activities.  However, a few years ago my doctor told me that the statistics didn't care if a high BMI was due to above average muscle mass or higher body fat - a high BMI correlated with a shorter lifespan and reduced quality of life.

After pondering that for a little while, I decided that it made sense.  More body mass, whether from fat or muscle, at a minimum required the heart to work harder, to pump blood to more tissues.  When an organ works harder than it otherwise needs to, it tends to wear out more quickly.  Just like when the liver of someone who consumes a lot of alcohol wears out more quickly than the liver of someone with low alcohol intake.  A second obvious ramification of more weight is mechanical - meaning more force is being applied to joints (knee joints, hip joints, etc.) during movement as simple as walking.  More force on each joint will wear out the joint faster than than if less force were applied, leading to bad knees, ankles, and hips. Without expounding further, the bottom line is that reducing body mass has several advantages.  

Within the past year I've lost close to twenty pounds, primarily through diet (as at the time I was too nauseated to exercise).  I started out experimenting with the Grain Brain diet, the one advocated by Dr. Perlmutter, attempting to get rid of my debilitating nausea.  The nausea stayed (I later figured out that the nausea was caused by medication, Cyclobenzaprine - aka Flexeril - which my doctor recommended as a Western approach to my chronic health issues; I'll post more on that later).  However, on the Grain Brain diet, which I modified heavily due to my nut, egg, and dairy limitations, I consistently lost weight.  And it stayed off.  My goal is to lose the remaining fat, maybe another ten or twenty pounds.  

Today is day four of my diet - a grain-free, allergen-free (see the elimination diet post to see what I consider allergenic), refined carbohydrate-free diet.  All recipes currently on my blog are on the diet.  The good news is that I can eat as much as I want and exercise need not exceed walking (though the longer the better).  To date, I've lost three pounds - hardly worth writing home about - but a good beginning.   

Allergen-Free Recipe - Candied Pumpkin Seed, Pear, & Spinach Salad

Get ready for a sweet and salty salad that is designed to offset a savory meal.  If  its too sweet for your tastes, add more spinach or some goat cheese (if you can eat goat cheese).

4 c. Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Pear (Red, D'Anjou, or your favorite)
1/4 c. Dried Cherries (Optional)
1/2 c. Candied Pumpkin Seeds (click here for the recipe)
6 tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbls. Balsamic Vinegar

(1) Add all ingredients to a salad bowl.  Mix and serve.

Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu.  

Allergen-Free Recipe - Candied Pumpkin Seeds

I love candied nuts during the holidays.  This recipe provides a good substitute that can be used in a variety of dishes or enjoyed as is.  

1 tbls. Coconut Oil
1/2 c. Pumpkin Seeds
2 tbls. Light Brown Sugar
Salt





(1) Heat coconut oil over medium heat.  Add pumpkin seeds and toast for approx. 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until light brown.

(2) Add the light brown sugar and cook for another minute, until the sugar is dissolved.  Take off heat immediately and spread on a sheet of wax paper to cool.

Note:  Watch this dish carefully, as it is very easy to burn both the pumpkin seeds and sugar.  Stirring will help immensely.

Allergen-Free Recipe - Roasted Brussels Sprouts

I was a late comer to Brussels sprouts but now pile them on the plate when available.  Roasting provides an extra dimension to the sprout that will keep you coming back to this recipe during sprout season.

1 lb. Brussels Sprouts
1/2 Red Onion, Diced
1/4 c. Olive Oil, Extra Virgin
Lemon Juice
Salt
Pepper

(1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

(2) Clean and trim Brussels sprouts.  Cut in half or in quarters so that each piece is approximately the same size.  Par boil Brussels sprouts for approximately 5 minutes.  Remove from water and set in a strainer or colander to allow to cool.

(3) Once cool, mix Brussels sprouts with diced onion, olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on a single row on a baking sheet.  Place in oven and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the sprout is golden brown on one side.

(4) After removing from the oven, squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon over the sprouts and toss.


  Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu. 

Allergen-Free Recipe - Butternut Squash with Pumpkin Seeds

Butternut squash is one of those vegetables that I wished I like more.  And this recipe, adapted from Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi, does the trick.  Butternut squash mixed with pumpkin seeds, spices and a little bit of sweetness makes for an amazing combination.  And a substantial one.  The first night we had this dish, it served as the main dish - no meat needed.
 

1 1/2 tbls. butter substitute (my favorite is Earth Balance, soy free)
1 tbls. Olive Oil
1 Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
5 Small Butternut Squashes (or 1 Large)
4 tbls. Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp. Ground Coriander
1/4 tsp. Ground Turmeric
1/4 tsp. Ground Cardamom
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tbls. Coconut Palm Sugar (or regular sugar)
1 c. Chicken Stock (or other stock)

(1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

(2) Slice onion and fry in a large saute pan with the olive oil and butter substitute over medium heat until translucent and soft. 

(3) Peel and remove the seeds from the butternut squash.  Cut into 1/2" Chunks.  Add to the saute pan, increase the heat to medium high, and cook, stirring frequently, until the squash  shows signs of caramelization.  Add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan and immediately remove from the heat.

(4) Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir to thoroughly incorporate.  Pour onto a baking sheet and spread the squash into a single layer.  Bake in the oven for 15 - 30 minutes (depending on the ultimate size of the butternut squash) until the squash is tender.  Remove from the oven, allow to cool, and enjoy.

Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu. 

Allergen-Free Recipe - Basic Roasted Turkey w/ Giblet Gravy

Going allergen-free often means going back to basics, but it doesn't mean going without flavor.  This roasted turkey recipe is simple but incredibly flavorful and eliminates all of the major allergens associated with roasted turkey and gravy.  The allergen-free thickener that I prefer in the gravy is arrowroot starch.  Perfect texture, no taste.  If you're in a pinch, though corn starch will also do. 

1 Turkey w/ Giblets
6 Small Carrots
1 Stalk Celery, Trimmings Only
2 Large Onions
8 c. Water
4 tbls. Arrowroot Starch (or Corn Starch)
Salt
Pepper

(1) Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

(2) Unwrap Turkey.  Remove giblets and neck and place in a large sauce pan or stock pot and set aside.  Do not include the liver in the sauce pan.  Rinse turkey under cold water, pat dry, and then place in a large roasting pan.  I support my roasting rack on top of tin foil so that the skin on the bottom of the turkey can crisp.  Season the turkey with salt and pepper inside the cavity and on the outside skin.

(3) Place turkey in oven and cook until the thigh reaches a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F.  The time this will take will depend largely on the size of your turkey.  If the turkey skin is starting to brown too much, add a foil tent over the turkey. 

(4) In the meantime, remove skin from the onions, wash the carrots and celery, and cut into large chunks.  Add these to the sauce pan or stock pot with the turkey giblets.  Add the water and bring up to a boil over high heat.  Once the stock has reached a boil reduce the heat and allow to simmer until the liquid reduces by approximately half.  This almost always takes 1 hr 45 min. for me.  Once reduced, turn off the heat, strain out the vegetables and giblets, pour the stock back in the sauce pan or stock pot and set aside to cool.  Once cool tot he touch pick the meat from the turkey neck and cut up the giblets and add back to the stock.

(5) Once the turkey has reached 165 degrees F, remove from oven.  Set turkey on a carving rack and allow to cool.  Pour the fat and juices from the bottom of the roasting pan into the sauce pan or stock pot, place over high heat, and bring to a boil.

(6) Thicken the gravy using 1 tbls. Arrowroot Starch per cup of liquid remaining (so if you followed the recipe to this point it will be about 4 tbls.). To thicken, put approx. 1/2 c. stock into a bowl, add the arrowroot starch and mix until all arrowroot starch is incorporated (no lumps).  If you do manage to get lumps, use an immersion blender, put in a blender, or run through a strainer to eliminate any lumps.  Pour the mixture back into the boiling stock while whisking.  Bring the gravy back to a boil, adjust the seasoning, and turn off the heat.

Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu.

If you can't find arrowroot starch in your local store, try amazon...

Allergen-Free Recipe - Cranberry Sauce w/ Apricots and Strawberries

This recipe puts my smoothie experience to good alternate use.  If you're looking for a sugar-free, flavorful, and well-balanced cranberry sauce, try this one.


1 c. Frozen Strawberries
1 Orange
6 Dried Apricots
1 Apple
3 Large Dates
8 oz. (1/2 lb.) Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1 Cinnamon Stick

(1) Microwave strawberries until soft.  Add strawberries, orange, apricots, apple, and dates to a blender and blend until smooth.

(2) Put strawberry mixture, cranberries, and cinnamon stick into a sauce pan and turn heat on to low.  Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 - 30 minutes or until the cranberries are soft.

Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu.

Allergen-Free Recipe - Faux Mashed Potatoes (Sweet Potato and Cauliflower)

Mashed potatoes were one of my favorite holiday dishes growing up.  Needless to say, the day that I put nightshades (i.e. potatoes) and dairy on my do not eat list was a sad day.  Ingrid and I experimented with replacements for a long time.  We started with cauliflower mash - the then healthy substitute for mashed potatoes - but found the result too watery and ultimately unsatisfying.  We then tried sweet potato and yam mashes, which had the right consistency but were too sweet.  Ultimately we combined cauliflower and sweet potato into a amazingly satisfying dish that I prefer to mashed potatoes (a close second is Jerusalem artichoke mash, but Jerusalem artichokes are a tad expensive). 

Faux Mashed Potatoes w/ Chive Garnish

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 Head Cauliflower
3 tbls. Butter Substitute
6 tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2/3 c. Chicken Stock
Salt
Pepper
Chives (Optional)

(1) Cook sweet potato in boiling water until soft.  Steam cauliflower until soft.  I do this at the same time in a large sauce pan fitted with a strainer.  Once both are soft, put into a strainer and allow to cool until they stop steaming (this is important to allow the veg to lose more moisture).

(2) Once the sweet potato and cauliflower have stopped steaming, put them back into the sauce pan and add the butter substitute, olive oil, and chicken stock.  Hand mash (either with a special masher or a fork), put in a blender to mix, or use an immersion blender to mash to desired consistency.

(3) Season with salt and pepper, mix to incorporate, garnish with chives if desired, and enjoy.

Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu.

Allergen-Free Recipe - Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic

I used this recipe with almost any kind of fresh bean or pea.  Once you learn how to get the garlic to the perfect doneness, you'll be hooked.

2 c. Green Beans, Trimmed
2 tbls. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbls. Butter Substitute
6 cloves Garlic
Salt






(1) Heat olive in a large pan on medium heat.  Trim green beans and cut into 2" lengths.  Slice garlic cloves.

(2) When oil is to temp, add green beans and stir frequently until the exterior is slightly browned.  Add the garlic and toss.  The key to this recipe to to cook the garlic just long enough so that it is lightly browned but not burnt (burnt garlic is bitter).

(3)  Just before turning off the heat, add the butter substitute and salt. 

Click here to see the entire 2014 Allergen-Free Thanksgiving Menu. 

Allergen-Free Recipe - Slow Roasted Cauliflower

Instead of avoiding vegetables that don't suit my tastes, I've decided to challenge my investigative and culinary skills to finding and creating dishes that not only change that perception but become everyday favorites.  Cauliflower is one such vegetable.  On the way home from work one day, I heard Yotam Ottolenghi (author of Plenty More) describing his myriad of uses for Cauliflower.  One suggestion he mentioned on the radio was slow roasted cauliflower.  I bought Plenty More hoping to experiment with some of his cauliflower dishes but was disappointed to find there were none.  So I got into the kitchen and started experimenting.  Below are the results - a basic but incredibly flavorful slow roasted cauliflower that brings out the inherent sweetness of the vegetable. 

1 Head Cauliflower
1/4 c. Olive Oil
Salt
Lemon Juice (Optional)





(1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

(2) Slice Cauliflower into 3/4" slices.  Lay on a baking sheet in one layer and slather with olive oil on each side.  Season with salt and bake for 1.5 - 2 hours.

(3) Remove from oven and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired (I would recommend).

The Goods (Recipe) - Basic Panelle (Chickpea Polenta) w/ Chimichurri Sauce

Basic Panelle with Chimichurri Sauce

Yotam Ottolenghi's new book, Plenty More, features unique vegetable focused dishes (though not usually allergen-free).  While flipping through the book this weekend, I noticed a few interesting dishes that featured polenta - a cornmeal based dish (i.e. not on my diet).  After a quick internet search I found a traditionally Sicilian dish called Panelle, which made in the exact same fashion as polenta but with chickpea flour.  After some experimentation, I am quite the fan.  The Panelle itself is relatively neutral in taste, but the crispy exterior and creamy interior combined with a sauce of your choice makes this dish an absolute star.

 2 c. Chickpea Flour
4 c. Chicken Stock (or water)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Chimichurri Sauce (optional)

(1) Combine stock, salt, and extra virgin olive oil in a sauce pan.  Whisk to combine.

(2) Place sauce pan over medium to medium low heat.  Gradually whisk in chickpea flour.  Continually whisk until mixture thickens to the point where it just about comes away from the side of the pan, 20 - 30 minutes.  Note: if you don't cook (and continually stir) for this long, the finished product will be much more difficult to fry.

Cooled Panelle

(3)  Turn off heat.  Pour thickened mixture into an oiled 9" x 13" pan and allow to cool for anywhere between 1 hour and 3 days in the refrigerator.

 (4) Once cooled heat some more olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  slice the Panelle into squares and fry on both sides until golden brown.

The Goods (Recipe) - Savory Strawberry & Apricot Salad with Chicken

When strawberries are at their peak of perfection in the summer (or longer here in California), this salad is one of my go-to lunches.  The sweetness of the strawberries and apricots works in beautiful harmony with the salty acidity of the dressing.

4 Dried Apricots, Diced
1/2 Large Cucumber, Diced (and peeled and/or de-seeded)
1 c. Chopped Spring Mix (or Lettuce)
1/2 c. Chicken, Diced (from a roasted chicken)
1 Carrot, Sliced
3 Tbls. Roasted Sunflower Seeds
1/2 c. Diced Strawberries
1/2 Medium Avocado, Diced

3 Tbls. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sprinkle of Salt

(1) Clean and cut all ingredients  If using raw sunflower seeds, dry toast them in a pan the same as when making sunflower seed butter (click here for that recipe).  Add to a bowl.  Mix and enjoy!

The Goods (Recipe) - Sweet Potato Hash

I have dabbled with sweet potato hash in the past but couldn't quite get the right crisp without burning the sweet potatoes.  With my new found knowledge on the amazing properties of garbanzo bean flour, this hash is crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, just like a good hash is supposed to be.   

1 Small Sweet Potato
 1/3 c. Diced Onion
1/8 c. Garbanzo Bean Flour
1/2 c. Diced chicken (or Turkey or leave it out for a vegan dish)
6 Tbls. Bacon Fat (or Olive Oil or leave it out for a vegan dish)
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Roasted Garlic Spread (Optional)

(1) Grate sweet potato on a coarse grate setting.  Dice onion.  Add all ingredients (thyme, salt, and pepper to taste) to a bowl and mix thoroughly.

(2) Heat a non-stick pan with bacon fat on medium heat (if using a small pan, make two batches each with half the bacon fat).  Once to temp, add the has mixture and press down into the fat.  Cook on each side for approx. 2 - 3 minutes or until the potatoes have reached a dark brown (but not burnt) look.

(3) Spread optional roasted garlic spread if desired and enjoy.

The Goods (Recipe) - Low Amine Chili

I was looking around the internet for a good ground beef recipe the other week and ran across a low-amine blog with a night-shade free chili (an oxymoron, I know).  I have dabbled with a nightshade-free Cincinnati chili recipe (not quite ready for posting) and was very interested to try someone else's recipe to get more ideas on how to mimic the chili flavor without using any chilies or chili powder.  I am not quite caught up on the amine allergy/intolerance but this recipe is allergen-free and worth the time to make (though next time I would make it without the beans).  You can find the recipe at this Low Amine Blog.

The Goods (Recipe) - Cucumber Dill Salad

We get a lot of cucumbers and dill in our weekly produce box.  This is one of our go to recipes for these ingredients.

2 Cucumbers
1/8 c. Chopped Dill
3 Tbls. Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbls. Honey
Salt

(1) Peel cucumbers.  Slice in half and scoop out the seeds.  Discard seeds.

(2) Chop Dill.

(3) Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to incorporate.

The Goods (Recipe) - Roasted Broccoli

Roasted broccoli is by far the best version of broccoli that I have ever eaten.  The key is proper roasting - resulting in one side of the broccoli being delectably crispy.  This recipe should be in every home cook's roasted vegetables 101 file, but I first began experimenting with this method of roasting after watching the Barefoot Contessa on the Food Network.  Of course, the Food Nework recipe had cheese and way too little olive oil.  My version is just as tasty and without the allergens.  Enjoy!


 2 Heads Broccoli
1/2 c. Olive Oil
Salt
1 Head of Garlic (Optional) 





(1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

(2)  Wash broccoli.  Dry thoroughly.  Cut broccoli florets from head.  Slice in half (this is particularly important, as the key to this recipe is to maximize the area of broccoli in contact with the baking sheet).  Slice broccoli stem into 1/4" thick slices.

(3)  Mix broccoli florets and slices with olive oil and peeled garlic cloves.  Spread out on baking sheet, putting flat sides of broccoli florets down on the baking sheet.

(4)  Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 - 25 minutes.