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 - 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 Thanksgiving

Since I began experimenting with dietary sources of inflammation, my mother and mother-in-law tried incredibly hard to provide allergen-free alternatives for me during the holidays.  But with my changing list of excluded foods, it was impossible for them to keep up.  I either didn't eat the items they specifically made for me (and appeared ungracious) or I indulged and felt ill - not an easy choice.  To help anyone in the same circumstance and in honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I have decided to devote a number of upcoming blogs to allergen-free recipes using classic Thanksgiving ingredients.  Each recipe is entirely free the seven common food allergens and food allergens suspected by the alternative medical community.  Below is the preliminary allergen-free Thanksgiving menu.  If I can get to more dishes in the coming weeks, I'll update this post as the menu expands.  Happy cooking!

 

ALLERGEN-FREE THANKSGIVING MENU - 2014

MAIN

Roasted Turkey w/ Giblet Gravy

 

 

 

SIDES

Cranberry Sauce w/ Apricots and Strawberries






Faux Mashed Potatoes (Cauliflower and Sweet Potato)









Butternut Squash w/ Pumpkin Seeds








Sauteed Green Beans w/ Garlic

 

 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

 

 

 

 

SALAD

Candied Pumpkin Seed, Pear, and Spinach Salad

 

 

 

DESSERT

Apple Crumble

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.