Coconut Oatmeal Layer Cake

Layer 1
2 EnerG eggs with water
3/4 cup shortening (smart balance light)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp molasses

Layer 2
1 3/4 cup coconut
2 EnerG eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Cream sugars and shortening for 1st layer. Add in remaining ingredients and pour into a greased casserole. Cream sugars and shortening for 2nd layer. Add in remaining ingredients and spoon on top of 1st layer.

Glaze
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. coconut extract
3 Tbsp. dairy free milk

Blend together then pour over top of cake.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

I had made these oatmeal brown sugar bars once that were awesome. Rich, moist, amazing. But I wrote the recipe down on a piece of paper, placed it on the desk and it promptly got lost. So I did the best I could to remember the recipe, which was layer 1. It just didn't fill out the pan right though!!! So I decided to make layer 2 to place on top. Neither layer turned out as I actually wanted, but both were good. I think for the original bars I was trying to make, there were 2 cups of brown sugar and more shortening. I'll have to try again for those sometime soon :-)

Potato Salad (Mayonnaise Free)

I haven't had potato salad in 8 1/2 months since I haven't been able to eat eggs! I have always really enjoyed potato salad, especially since I discovered adding carrots for some extra goodness. I stumbled across a recipe online for a dijon mustard based sauce that actually turned out quite well.

3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, cooked in salted water then cubed
3 large stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, ground in food processor
1 cup pickles, ground in food processor
1/2 cup pickle juice
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbps. yellow mustard
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

Combine the last 6 ingredients in the blender and process til creamy and emulsified. Add to the warm potatoes so the vinagrette will soak in. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Adjust seasonings as needed. I've been gobbled this up, it turned out pretty tasty. Not as good as mayonnaise, as I am a MAYO girl! But will work until I can eat eggs again. :-)

Pasta Salad

Another dish I made to bring to my friends house for our get-together. I wanted another protein source, so added a can of chickpeas. You could also add diced chicken or turkey to get the same effect.

1 box geminili pasta or pasta of choice, cooked al dente
1/2 bottle TED safe vinagrette dressing. I used Drew's All Natural Roasted Garlic. Also delicious is Brianna's Rich Santa Fe blend
1 package thawed peas
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
1 can black olives, sliced into rounds
1 can chickpeas
1/2 tbsp. onion powder
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together, preferably adding the sauce when the pasta is still hot so it will absorb. Chill before serving.

Pumpkin Seed Meatballs

Our son was dedicated at church this week, and we had the wonderful experience of going to our good friends home to celebrate afterwards with a fantastic shared lunch. I made these little meat balls that were quite fantastic! I didn't write the recipe down, so the below is a guess! I'll write it down next time I make.

1 1/2 cup of oatmeal, cooked with 2 cups water until thick and sticky.
1 1/2 Tbsp. Maggi's sauce (fermented wheat based sauce, similar to soy sauce)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. salt
1 3/4 cup finely ground pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup finely ground sunflower seed
2 cups quick oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
additional oatmeal or crispy cereal to make a firm textured, sticky ball

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until the texture is similar to a looser type cookie dough. It should be very moist and sticky. Spray hands with cooking spray and roll into walnut sized balls. Fry in oil until crispy on all sides, then bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with a tomato sauce if desired.

These were good plain, smothered with tomato sauce or would be fantastic with spaghetti or on a meatball hoagie sandwich. I think these went over pretty well! I went with about 45 balls, and came home with 5 :-)

Adventures In Coconut Milk

I have been experimenting with coconut milk trying to make some yummy, dairy free desserts. I was buying several different brands of milk, and therefore was getting drastically different results each time. I'm just guessing which "recipe" is for each of the following pictures, but some of the results were good so I figured I would share.

This first turned out like a coconut curd/pudding type mixture. It was really tasty, thick and creamy. I believe it was 1/2 a can of coconut milk with a cup or so of granulated sugar. It just reached this point where it got thick and creamy instead of syrupy.


The next was a coconut caramel that I then beat with an electric mixer and some powdered sugar. This was a full can of coconut milk and several cups of sugar. It turned out sooooo sweet it wasn't very good.



Lastly my husband made me a coconut cake. Just a recipe we found online that we made MSPI/TED safe. I used the coconut curd in the middle and glazed with the caramel sauce. It was good but way too super sweet! It did lead me to make the coconut candy, so it wasn't a complete failure!

Coconut Candy

I went to the MSPI group at MilkWorks Sunday for the 1st time. This is a group of Moms that meet every 2 weeks that are all avoiding milk and soy in order to nurse their protein sensitive babies. Many Moms are also on the Total Elimination Diet (TED) as well. I wanted to take a treat, so decided to make this coconut candy which would hopefully be safe for most Moms. Unfortunately, I forgot it at home in the rush to get out the door! I'll have to bring next time.

1 can of coconut milk (preferably Thai Kitchen, less preservatives)
3 cups granulated sugar.

Combine in a large pan and allow to cook over medium heat until the mixture becomes a dark caramel color. Stir often, especially towards the end as it will burn quickly. Pour onto a sheet pan, allow to cool and then break into pieces.

It reminds me of maple sugar candy, if you have ever had that. Crispy, yet melts in your mouth.

Cheezy Pasta

Well, I'm honestly not really sure what to call this one. Ever since I learned that nutritional yeast has 8 grams of protein for 2 Tbsp, I have been trying to add it in every day. I don't have many good protein sources, so I really need to work at getting adequate amounts in.

1/2 box pasta of choice (about 8 oz.) cooked in salted water
4 Tbsp. smart balance light
5 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt to taste
3 Tbsp. dairy free milk

Combine all together with hot pasta and stir well to combine. Very tasty with a slight "cheesy" taste. My 4 year old loved the 1st time I made but balked the 2nd. Who can keep up with their tastes!

Pesto Pizza

Yummy!!! Hubby made this for lunch on a day that I worked from home. He sat up the meal outside for my 4 year old and I to enjoy lunch. It was fantastic food, company and surroundings! He made the pizza dough from scratch, and then made a pesto out of spinach, pine nuts, olive oil and nutritional yeast. Delicious!

I don't have an actual recipe, so this is a guess. Or follow another pesto recipe.

2 cups fresh spinach
1 garlic clove
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup pine nuts
salt to taste

Combine all in a food processor, adjusting seasonings as needed. Spread on the pizza dough, add toppings and bake until dough is puffed and done.

My hubby topped our pizza with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Delicious!

Strawberry Lemon Kick Cake

Wow! I can't find where my husband stuck this recipe, but I wanted to upload the picture while I was updating my blog. So good! I LOVE strong, tangy lemon flavors. This one was amazing. The lemon bit me back which is just how I love it! A mild lemon flavored cake smothered with tangy lemon curd and topped with fresh strawberries. I'll admit, a dollop of whipped cream would have really hit the spot! Maybe I'll work on a vegan/soy free coconut whipped cream. Surely it's possible! Enjoy the picture until I can find the recipe. Sooooooo yummy.

Vegetarian Fajitas

Hmmmm, this was yummy until the third time I had them and then I was ready for a break! But that first meal of fajitas...WOW! I don't eat meat, and had no soy meat to use as a protein in these. I figured I could slice up some sunshine burgers and fry them in plenty of oil so they wouldn't fall apart. It worked! Plus they got crispy on the outside which was quite yummy.

I fried up some onion slices, zucchini, yellow squash and mushrooms for my fajitas. We found a MSPI/TED safe fajitas mix at Hyvee that worked great. In addition to the fajita mix I also used some maggi's, which is like a wheat based "soy" sauce at the Asian market. My family would have also enjoyed red or green bell peppers but we didn't have any. Then I also had the fried sunshine burger slices, avocado and salsa. Delicious!

Creamy Mushroom Zucchini Manicotti

I so crave lasagna and manicotti on this diet, probably because I have NEVER figured out a way to make it work without dairy and soy! I got a little creative and the results were good, not fantastic, but good. I figured a vegetable stuffed manicotti shell should be quite tasty smothered in a creamy sauce. I made this over a month ago and just haven't gotten around to blogging it yet. So I don't remember my exact measurements! I'll do my best, but If nothing else, hopefully it can give you an idea to try something different.

Filling:
2 lbs of mushrooms, half button and half crimini (baby bella) roughly chopped
1 large zucchini, grated
1 onion, finely chopped or whizzed in the food processor
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Saute onion in olive oil, then add mushrooms and salt to release their water. Add in the zucchini when the mushrooms are cooked about halfway through.

White Sauce:
2 1/4 cups rice milk
2 heaping Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
seasonings (garlic and onion powder, salt)

Add the liquid to the blender and turn on low, add the flour and blend until smooth. Add seasonings then transfer to a pot and wisk over medium heat until thickened.

Stuff the uncooked manicotti shells with the cooled filling and place in an oiled casserole dish with several Tbsp. of sauce on the bottom. Pour remaining sauce over the top and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook until the manicotti can be pierced with a knife. You can sprinkle nutritional yeast on the top towards the end of cooking to serve as the "cheese."

Flax "Eggs"

I was trolling the internet for interesting recipes and came acoss a site specializing in vegan ice cream. Yummy! It's nice to have someone else do the experimenting and just leave me to the eating! It's also great because the majority of the recipes I looked at were dairy and soy free, or could easily be made so. Coconut milk is a great item to cook with, and now So Delicious actually has coconut milk for drinking, cooking, baking, etc. and I hear it tastes fabulous! Ok, so here is the link to the amazing ice cream site:

http://veganicecream.blogspot.com

And here is a link to making flax "eggs" to use in baking. I've tried before to use flax but wasn't doing it like this and never had success. I think this way will work great and look forward to using in my next baking adventure.

Flax "Eggs"

Note: While there are many ways to replace eggs in baking, my favorite method is to make “flax eggs.” I recommend making these in bulk; it’s easier that way. Combine 1/3 cup flax seeds with 2/3 cup hot water in a blender. Let sit for 15 minutes, then blend until the mixture is gelatinous in texture and whole flax seeds are no longer visible. One tablespoon of flax eggs equals one egg. However, if you use this egg replacer and you notice that your batter isn’t quite as liquid-y as it seems it should be, add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, soy milk, or other liquid. (This is why I have soy milk in this recipe.) Whatever flax eggs you don’t use will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge, so you’ll have some on hand for the future. (One tip for using flax eggs is to beat the flax eggs into the oil/liquid before adding dry ingredients, as I have done in this recipe. It helps distribute the magic flax all throughout your batter.)

Chickpea Sandwich Spread (C.L.T.)

Early TED

I call this my C.L.T. Chickpeas, Lettuce & Tomato sandwich spread! I used to make a sandwich spread with tofu back in the day when I could eat tofu that was super fabulous. I could eat sandwiches everyday I love them so much, but on this restrictive diet, I just don’t have enough protein options to eat many sandwiches. So I decided to get creative…. How many of my greatest finds have begun in just such a manner! This spread is fantastic; I am really thrilled with it. Hope you enjoy :-) Someday when it won’t make me sad I’ll post the tofu version as well.

1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 large stalk celery, washed and cut into chunks
1 cup pickles
¼ cup pickle juice or vinegar
2 Tbsp. tahini or sunbutter (If you can have mayonnaise, use 3-4 Tbsp. Instead of the seed butter and olive oil.)
1 Tbsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. Onion powder
1 Tbsp. mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Using a food processor, coarsely chop ½ the can of chickpeas. Transfer to a large bowl. Continue with the carrot, celery and pickle, chopping each individually and then transferring to your bowl. Put the remaining ½ can of chickpeas into the processor, as well as the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy. Add additional pickle juice, seed butter, oil or water (or mayonnaise!) to make a smooth mixture that will adequately coat the other ingredients for a creamy spread. Adjust seasonings as needed.

I enjoy this with toasted bread/buns and plenty of lettuce and tomato and extra mustard. Yummy!!! Packed with protein, tasty and healthy. My kind of sandwich :-)

Thai Coconut Pancakes

I stumbled upon this recipe online today and thought it looked really interesting and yummy. And best of all, it's gluten free! Always a plus to find a fantastic looking recipe that is gluten free and could really satisfy someone's craving on a GF diet. I well remember those FOUR long months I couldn't eat gluten. Jer and I resolved to try and eat less gluten on a daily basis and just aim for a wider variety of flours and grains in our diet. So....we'll be trying these! Also a good way to us up some of my speciality flours left over from the strictly GF days.

http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaidesserts/r/coconutpancakes.htm

These coconut pancakes are like those sold at the night markets in Thailand. They can be served for dessert warm and topped with a few scoops of ice cream, OR they make a great breakfast or brunch dish on the weekends. Colorful and flavored with coconut, these pancakes are actually closer to crepes in thinness, and they're gluten free. Have fun with them and make several different colors (pandan essence provides the bright green color). A great brunch dish to make for Easter, or anytime you're feeling young and happy!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
SERVES 2-4
2 cups good-quality coconut milk
2 eggs (use flax egg replacer from post or EnerG egg replacer)
1+1/2 cups rice flour
3 Tbsp. glutinous rice flour (available at Asian food stores)
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
oil for frying
optional: a few drops of pandan essence (available in tiny bottles at Asian/Chinese stores)
optional: food coloring
optional: 1/4 cup dry shredded (baking type) coconut for garnish
Preparation:
Measure the two flours into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and baking powder, and stir to mix.
In another bowl, combine the eggs with the coconut milk and sugar. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and break up the yolks.
Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter (using a whisk will help get rid of any lumps).
If you'd like different colors of pancakes, divide the batter into a few separate bowls.
Add several drops pandan essence to make one bowl green (or make all of them green!). Make the others with colors of your choice. Leave one bowl plain.
Heat a small frying pan or crepe pan over medium-high heat for at least 1 minute (without oil), or until pan is very hot - this will help to keep the pancakes/crepes from sticking.
Now add a little oil (about 1/2 tsp.) and swirl it around the pan. Use a spatula to ensure the oil covers all surfaces.
Add about 1/4 - 1/3 cup batter (depending on how large or thick you want your pancakes/crepes), tilting the pan this way and that to distribute the batter.
Pancakes/crepes are ready to be flipped when small holes break out over the surface and edges are crisp.
Flip the pancake and cook the other side briefly - 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add a little oil to the pan before making each new pancake.
If desired, sprinkle with toasted shredded coconut. These pancakes are delicious served with maple syrup. ENJOY!

These coconut pancakes are like those sold at the night markets in Thailand. They can be served for dessert warm and topped with a few scoops of ice cream, OR they make a great breakfast or brunch dish on the weekends. Colorful and flavored with coconut, these pancakes are actually closer to crepes in thinness, and they're gluten free. Have fun with them and make several different colors (pandan essence provides the bright green color). A great brunch dish to make for Easter, or anytime you're feeling young and happy!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
SERVES 2-4
2 cups good-quality coconut milk
2 eggs
1+1/2 cups rice flour
3 Tbsp. glutinous rice flour (available at Asian food stores)
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
oil for frying
optional: a few drops of pandan essence (available in tiny bottles at Asian/Chinese stores)
optional: food coloring
optional: 1/4 cup dry shredded (baking type) coconut for garnish
Preparation:
Measure the two flours into a mixing bowl. Add the salt and baking powder, and stir to mix.
In another bowl, combine the eggs with the coconut milk and sugar. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and break up the yolks.
Pour wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter (using a whisk will help get rid of any lumps).
If you'd like different colors of pancakes, divide the batter into a few separate bowls.
Add several drops pandan essence to make one bowl green (or make all of them green!). Make the others with colors of your choice. Leave one bowl plain.
Heat a small frying pan or crepe pan over medium-high heat for at least 1 minute (without oil), or until pan is very hot - this will help to keep the pancakes/crepes from sticking.
Now add a little oil (about 1/2 tsp.) and swirl it around the pan. Use a spatula to ensure the oil covers all surfaces.
Add about 1/4 - 1/3 cup batter (depending on how large or thick you want your pancakes/crepes), tilting the pan this way and that to distribute the batter.
Pancakes/crepes are ready to be flipped when small holes break out over the surface and edges are crisp.
Flip the pancake and cook the other side briefly - 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add a little oil to the pan before making each new pancake.
If desired, sprinkle with toasted shredded coconut. These pancakes are delicious served with maple syrup. ENJOY!

Sunshine Burgers II

I seem to make these differently every time they are made! I just improvise and use what I have. I am bringing them to a friends tonight for supper, so wanted to actually record and accurately measure every ingredient. Here is version #2:

3 cups raw sunflower seeds, ground in food processor
2 cup cooked brown rice, ground in food processor
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups water + 2 cups
2/3 cups whole oats, cooked with 2 cups water
2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal, one free of corn syrup
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp Maggi's sauce (soy-free soy sauce at Asian market) or soy sauce
3 medium carrots, cooked half way and then ground in food processor

Grind to medium consistency in food processor the sunflower seeds. Empty into large bowl. One cup at a time, grind 2 cups of rice in processor. On the second cup, I add all my seasonings and 1/2 a cup or so of water to make sure everything gets evenly mixed in and there are no clumps of garlic or onion powder! Transfer to large bowl. Meanwhile, add oats and 2 cups water to saucepan and cook on medium 5 minutes. Should be thick and very sticky. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl and dive in with your hands to combine. Taste a clump of mixture, or cook a small patty to taste for seasonings.

I form my patties 1/2 an inch thick and about 3-4 inches across. Fry in 1/4 inch of oil in a large hot, non-stick skillet. Cook til dark golden brown on both sides.

Makes 12 large patties and 5 little kid patties (2-3 inches across and a bit flatter.)

Mushroom Stroganoff

I have never in my life opened a bottle of wine, and I honestly I've only tasted a sip once or twice in the past. I'm not a drinker of alcohol, although I did have my experimentation years and tried plenty then! My husband had purchased a cheap corkscrew, so it was quite the adventure getting that bottle opened!

Anyways, I kept running across recipes calling for white wine in the sauce, and figured I would give it a try. I was a bit put off at first as the alcohol smell was just so intense, but it really cooked down to a fantastic sauce with a hint of sweetness and depth. I'll definitely use again!

1 lb pasta of your choice
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms, I used half button, half baby bella (crimini)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Maggis sauce (similar to soy sauce, but uses wheat instead, at Asian market)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy-free worshteshire sauce (I found a Caribbean-ish one with no anchovies or soy sauce at HyVee)
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 tsp. savory (I would have used thyme but had none...)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
4 Tbsp flour
4 cups rice milk
salt and pepper to taste

Chop the onion and garlic and add to a large sauce pan along with the white wine. Cook on low to medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until the liquid is almost gone and the onions and garlic are softened. Meanwhile, clean and chop the mushrooms into large pieces. Add to the softened onions along with 3/4 cup of water. In the blender, combine all the liquid ingredients and start on low. Add the dry ingredients and blend until smooth. Once the mushrooms have begun to soften and release their liquid, add the sauce to the pan. Cook over medium heat until thickened. Adjust the seasonings as desired. Have pasta cooking in salted water during the above process and add to the sauce pan after being drained.

For those in your home that can eat sour cream, add a dollop onto their serving. It was delicious!

The Great Egg Experience

So I hadn't added a new food in for soooooo long and I had the hardest time trying to decide what would be next. Finally I decided that a pure protein source would be best for my body as I had no pure proteins. So eggs it was...and the first 7-8 days went great! I was so excited, being able to eat eggs was amazing; both for my attitude and for my physical health on such a restricted diet.

Something just began to be off with Noah. He wasn't napping as long, became pretty restless at night and just wasn't right. Then around day/night 9-10 he began waking from a deep sleep at night, in our arms, screaming. Just SCREAMING and inconsolible. It was horrible! We literally had to jump out of bed and bounce him to sleep he was so upset. One night my hubby had him out on the couch while I was getting a break in bed, and he pooped in the middle of the night. Very unusual, he barely did that as a newborn. My hubby came in to get a diaper and wipes, and then was back in the bedroom 5 minutes later, flipped the lamp on and was shoving a poopy diaper in my face! It just looked weird, and our hearts sank. I told him to scrape some into a baggie and we'd take it to the doctors in the morning.

Our doctor called the next morning, and sure enough. Blood, full of it. And Noah had begun to spit up reddish brown streaks of mucous in his spit-up that morning. I mentioned that to the doc and she commented that his stomach was probably bleeding as well as his intestines. I felt so sick to my stomach that something I had eaten had done this....and that we had 10+ days of eggs to get out of Noah's system. It was such a discouraging day....I cried off and on the whole day. Its a feeling like none other to be doing all that you possibly can for your baby and be inadvertantly causing them pain and agony. It was so hard emotionally!

I've been off of the egg for 7 days now and Noah seems better. We had begun to try transitioning my hubby back into the bedroom since he's been on the couch for 6 months, but that has been placed on hold. Noah needs to be "normal" first! We also are putting his solids on hold for now until his tummy heals a bit more. I'm hoping by next weekend, the kiddo is so ready for food!!! He watches us with this completly absorbed concentration while we eat; those eyes never leave our food! It's hilarious! What a little trooper I have. I just adore him so much and can't wait for his little body to heal more. I know it has to get better soon! I'm just so relieved I can eat wheat/bread. That has been the biggest blessing ever, I would have ended this diet weeks ago as it's just too hard with all the other foods I am avoiding to also avoid bread. Thank you LORD for allowing the bread. I fevently prayed for bread and my prayers were answered!

Applesauce Spice Cake

Yummy!!! The first dessert I've made TED/MSPI safe that was delicious! I took this to a friends house for lunch and it was very well received. If they hadn't known I was on a restrictive diet, no one ever would have known the cake was missing eggs, milk, etc. Yeah!

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground allspice (I didn't have allspice so used some ginger and nutmeg)
1/2 cup Smart Balance light or other whey free margarine
1/2 cup rice milk + 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar or lemon juice (buttermilk substitute)
1 1/2 cups applesauce
2 EnerG egg substitutes

Frosting
1/4 cup Smart Balance light or other whey free margarine
3 cups confectioners sugar
1-2 Tbsp. rice milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. sugar free caramel flavored syrup

Combine flour, sugar soda, salt, baking powder and spices in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whip up the egg replacer, add to flour mixture. Cream the margarine and "buttermilk" and applesauce, add to flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Whip frosting ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Frost cake when cooled.

Apologies on the bad picture....I started to eat a piece then realized I hadn't yet taken a picture!

Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Primavera

I am always on the search for different pasta sauces. Pasta is probably one of my favorite meals, but I get tired of marinara. This creation was soooooooooo good and my daughter and hubby loved it as well. I made a huge batch which has actually been great as we've eaten it three times now!

I box of farfalle (bowtie) pasta, such as Barilla
1 large red pepper
1/2 package frozen peas
3 large carrots, peeled
2 large cloves of garlic, unpeeled
2 1/2 cups rice milk
4 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. horseradish (optional)
1/2 tsp. dijon mustard (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Core the red pepper and cut into chunks. Lightly grease a baking sheet and add red pepper and garlic cloves. Toss to coat in the olive oil and roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, start pasta boiling in well salted water. Julienne the carrots into large sticks, and cook in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 minutes, or steam on the stove. Reserve the peas for the final 3 minutes of the pasta being done, then add in to the boiling water and pasta to cook.

In a blender combine the remaining ingredients. Remove the red peppers and add to the blender, then peel the garlic and add as well. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer to a large pot and whisk over medium heat until smooth and thickened. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Drain pasta and peas when done, then combine with the sauce.

Note: You can also buy a frozen pea and carrot mix that would work great here. Consider adding in additional vegetables; mushrooms, corn, snow peas, you name it!

I was taking a picture of the food when my daughter wanted me to take one of her as well. She loved this dish!

Tomato Basil Lentil Soup

This is a delicious, filling amazing soup that is full of flavor and great for you too! My daughter and hubby each had a serving, and then I ate the remainder over the next several days. I actually can't wait to make more!

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 c red lentils (if using brown, just cook longer til soft)
2-3 crushed and diced garlic cloves
3 shallots or 1/2 a large onion
1 can tomatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh or 1 1/2 tbs. dried basil
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Saute onion in olive oil over med. heat 5 min., then add in garlic. Cook til onions are softened, then add in remaining ingredients. Cook until lentils are done (20 for red, 35-40 for brown). Transfer to a blender and puree til smooth. Garnish with fresh chiffonade or dried sprinkles of basil and a dallop of cream cheese or sour cream if desired. Serve with toasted garlic bread. SOOOOOOO good! I enjoyed my soup with some olive oil roasted cauliflower and broccoli. The broccoli got a bit too done, but the cauliflower was delicious!

Creamy Asparagus Mushroom Linguine

Early TED

This was a pre-TED/MSPI favorite that I was really craving. It handled the transition to "safe" very well!

1 lb. wheat or rice linguine noodles
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and blanched til al dente
1 package white mushrooms, halved and cut into thirds
1/2 a large onion, finely diced
2 cups rice milk
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Start the pasta cooking in well salted water. In a large skillet, cook the onions in the oil until almost softened. Add in the mushrooms and cook until both are done. Steam the asparagus until crisp tender on the stove or in the microwave. Transfer all to a bowl. Combine the remaining ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Pour into a pot and whisk on medium heat until thickened. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Add the cooked vegetables and pasta to the pan and combine. Yummy!

Lentil Sunflower Seed Burgers

I'm always interested in a new burger recipe. I love a good vegetarian burger! I haven't tried this, but it looks pretty tasty. This is from the Moosewood Cookbook. I borrowed this book from a friend and wanted to post the recipes I was interested in before returning it... It was a good enough book that I should try to find one online for myself!

¾ cup dry lentils
1 ½ cups water
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely minced onion
4 –5 large cloves of garlic, minced
10 large mushrooms, minced
½ cup very finely ground raw sunflower seeds
1 ½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Dry mustard
½ cup roughly ground crisp rice cereal or breadcrumbs

Place lentils and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the liquid is gone. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl, add vinegar and mash well.

Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add onions and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients exempt crisp rice or breadcrumbs, and sauté 5-10 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the sauté and crumb mixture to the lentils and mix well. Chill for 1 hour before forming into patties.

Form 4-inch diameter burgers. Fry in a small amount of oil over medium high heat on both sides until heated through and crispy on the outside. Place in oven heated to 350 degrees for 8 minutes to help set the middle.

Rice or Quinoa Stuffed Squash

This is something my Hubby surprised me with for supper when I was unable to eat rice and so desperately hungry!!! He used quinoa and it turned out delicious. I promptly made it again for myself the next night! Enjoy :-)

2 medium sized winter squash (such as butternut or acorn) halfed and prebaked
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup minced onion
½ lb. Mushrooms, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
½ tsp. Salt + more for inside of squash
½ tsp. Sage
½ tsp. Thyme
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/3 cup coarsely ground raw sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup cooked brown rice or quinoa

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add onion, and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is clear and soft. Add mushrooms, garlic, celery, carrot and seasonings, and sauté about 10 minutes until everything is tender and well mingled.

Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Taste to correct seasonings. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sprinkle the insides of the baked squash with ½ Tbsp. of olive oil and additional salt. Pierce all over with a fork, being careful not to go all the way through so the seasonings can soak into the flesh of the squash. Fill the baked squash and bake, uncovered until heated through, about 20 – 30 minutes.

Zucchini Pancakes

From the Moosewood Cookbook. If these are anything like the sweet potato pancakes....ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so good. I'll try and post a picture and the results on here!

4 EnerG eggs + water, whipped til frothy
4 cups packed grated, unpeeled zucchini (about 4 7-inchers)
½ cup finely minced scallion or onion
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic powder
1/3 cup flour
oil for frying

In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, “eggs”, scallions or onions, seasonings and flour. Mix well.

Heat a little oil in a heavy skillet. When it is very hot, add spoonfuls of batter, and press down to fry well on both sides. Serve immediately while crisp

Stellar Mushroom Sauce

From the Moosewood Cookbook. I love mushrooms and anything, so this sounds awesome!

2 oz. Dried Chinese black mushrooms
OR
¾ lb. Fresh shiitake, oyster and/or chanterelle mushrooms, chopped
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 lb. Domestic white mushrooms, chopped
1 cup minced onion
1 tsp. Salt
6 Tbsp. dry sherry or 3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup rice milk
2 Tbsp. rice milk powder or Dari-Free powder
1 lb. Fettucini or other noodles

If using dried mushrooms: Place the mushrooms in a small bowl. Add 3 cups boiling water, cover with a plate and let stand 30 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, squeezing out and saving all the liquid. Beware of sand and sediment on the bottom of the bowl when using liquid later. Remove and discard the stems, coarsely chop the mushrooms. Measure out 2/3 cup of the liquid for the sauce.

Put pasta water on to boil.

Melt the margarine in a deep skillet. Add all mushrooms, onion and salt. Cook uncovered over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Stir in sherry (or vinegar). Turn heat to low and have a whisk ready. Slowly sprinkle in the flour, whisking steadily. Keep whisking for a minute or two after all the flour is in.
Add garlic and continue to cook and stir over low heat another 5-10 minutes. Dissolve powdered milk into liquid rice milk and add to sauce, mixing well until it is completely incorporated. Add to cooked pasta and serve.

White Bean & Black Olive Soup

Another from the Moosewood Cookbook. It sounds odd...yet delicious! I look forward to trying and will post a picture when I have.

Precook your white beans by cooking 1 cup white beans in plenty of simmering (not rapidly boiling) water until tender, about 1 ¼ hours.

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 heaping cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 ½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Oregano or marjoram
1 ½ tsp. Basil
1 small zucchini, diced
1 small bell pepper, chopped
3 – 4 medium gloves garlic, crushed
4 cups water
3 oz. Tomato paste
¼ dry red wine (optional)
2 cups cooked white beans
1 cup sliced black olives
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion, celery, carrot, salt and herbs. Saute over medium heat 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.

Add zucchini, bell pepper and garlic. Saute 5 minutes more. Combine water and tomato paste. Add to vegetables, along with remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Serve hot, topped with chopped parsley and diced tomato

Cream Of Celery Soup

Another Moosewood cookbook recipe. Soup sounds so good when it's snowy outside!

2 average person’s fist-sized potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chopped celery ( in 1-inch chunks)
1 heaping cup very finely minced celery, taken from the innermost stalks
3 cups water
1 ¼ tsp salt (plus another ½ tsp. later)
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 heaping cup finely minced onion
1 tsp. Celery seed
1 cup rice milk, warmed
white pepper, to taste
4 Tbsp. rice milk powder, or Dari-Free powder
Freshly minced chives and/or parsley for garnish

Place potatoes, 4 cups of celery, water and 1 ¼ tsp. salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, turn the heat way down and simmer, covered for about 15 minutes ~ until everything is soft. Place in blender, along with powdered milk substitute. Puree, and transfer back to saucepan.

Melt margarine in a small skillet. Add finely chopped onion and celery, celery seed, plus ½ tsp. Salt. Saute 8-10 minutes ~until the vegetables are just tender. Add to puree in large saucepan.

Top with optional garnish and serve gently warmed.

Use above method to make cream of mushroom soup. Substitute mushrooms for the celery, and replace celery seed with 2 tsp. garlic powder.

Cream Of Asparagus Soup

From the Moosewood Cookbook

I haven't had a chance to make this one, but it sure sounds delicious! I bought some canned asparagus, which I would NOT, not, not recommend. As opposed to throwing it out, I'm thinking about adding it to some fresh and pureeing it into a soup. I'll give this one a try!

2 lbs. fresh asparagus
1 ½ Tbsp. Margarine
2 cups chopped onioin
1 ½ tsp. Salt
3 Tbsp. Flour
2 cups water
2 cups hot rice milk
2 tsp. Dill
½ tsp. Tarragon
white pepper, to taste

Break off and discard the tough asparagus bottoms. Slice off the tips and set them aside. Chop remaining stalks into 1-inch pieces.

Melt the margarine in a medium sized skillet. Add onion, asparagus talks, and salt. Saute for about 10 minutes over medium heat. When the onions are clear and soft, sprinkle in 2 Tbsp. of flour while constantly stirring. Continue to cook over the lowest possible heat, stirring frequently, another 5-8 minutes.

Add water, stirring constantly. Heat to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. After about 5 minutes, sprinkle in the remaining 1 Tbsp. flour, mixing well. Cook another 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Puree the soup with the milk, bit by bit, in a food processor or blender. Return the puree to a large saucepan, and season with dill, tarragon and white pepper.

Cut the reserved asparagus tips into small pieces, and add to soup. Cook for several more minutes over low heat to gently cook the tips. Serve immediately.

To Eat Bread Or To Avoid...That Is The Question!

It's been awhile since I posted...I need to get back into cooking more meals during the week! I've been eating gluten/bread for the past 3 weeks and it opens up so many more meal possibilities. My goal was to only eat it once a day, as it does make Noah a little uncomfortable. It's amazing, though, how once you add it in, it's hard to remember how to eat without it!

It was a pretty rough week last week. Our 4 1/2 year old got a stomach virus (again!) and didn't feel good. She ran a fever, as did Noah for about 24 hours. We could only assume that Noah felt pretty icky also. He continued to nurse well and seemed to have a good appetite, however was so horribly fussy. HORRIBLY. He wasn't so bad when awake, but when he got tired it was this awful event to get him to sleep. He would scream, and only be soothed by this outrageous bouncing/jumping/jiggling act cuddled in our arms that actually felt like it had his body suspended for a millisecond. Hubby and I both had the thought independently that we were giving him shaken baby syndrome from such hard bouncing. It was THE ONLY thing that would stop his screaming and put him to sleep. We were so uncomfortable with it, that we stopped and let him scream it out in his crib. If we were taking 20 minutes to get him to fall asleep in our arms, walking around, bouncing, etc., screaming the entire time, he might as well just scream in his crib. It worked quite well! If only we had tried sooner. It did take quite a toll on our 4 1/2 year old....she was very bothered by him crying so much. She's a tender soul!

So we really deliberated. Was Noah upset because of the likely tummy issues, or did the gluten finally catch up to him? Or could he normally semi-tolerate gluten, but with the tummy upset it pushed him over the edge? We resorted to formula for the next 18-20 hours while I avoided gluten so my milk could clear out. Interesting factoid...while on formula, he still had some gas. While nursing with me avoiding gluten, he still had some gas. When I eat gluten, he still has some gas. I'm at a total loss! I'd rather eat it and have a bit more sanity on the TED diet if he's still going to be gassy. So it's back to the old guessing game and just not knowing how to proceed! I began eating gluten again yesterday after a 2-3 day break, so we'll see what the future holds! Other than bread, I haven't added in any new foods. Oh, I did have oatmeal Friday and Saturday. I couldn't see any change in his behavior.

This is week 18 on the TED - no meat, soy, dairy, eggs, corn/corn syrup, bread (for 4 months), nuts, chocolate, many fruits and vegetables. I'm not sure how much longer I will last...

Potato & Broccoli "Cheese" Soup

Early TED

I ate SO horribly last week. Abigail had the flu so I exclusively took care of Noah while Hubby took care of her. We were concerned about a 4 month old vomiting and getting as sick as Abbie did. So that was a rough 5 days & nights as I usually split the nights with Hubby since Noah doesn't sleep good. Then on Saturday...Hubby gets sick! So needless to say...not much got done last week, no extra cooking like usual, and I'm still recuperating from the other two folks in my home being sick and hoping I don't get it myself.

Back to the food. I ate really bad last week because it was just a rough week and I had no time to make all my "special" food for me. I've learned that on the TED I need to eat a little bit of all of my foods to feel somewhat healthy. If I start to leave foods out or just eat whatever is easiest, my stamina and clarity of mind just disintegrate. I thought a soup would be a good way to combine a bunch of veggies and kick up my nutrients. This one sure did the trick, and it was delicious and almost "cheesy" to boot! Abigail ate all of hers, with much prompting as she's not a soup person, but she never said she didn't like it! Score one for Mom!

8 small to medium carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds
14 small red potatoes, large dice
1 large onion, chopped
2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 Tbsp. olive oil, + 1 Tbsp. for later
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. Dari-free potato milk
6 cups of water
1 cup rice milk

In a large stockpot, add in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and your onions. Cook over low heat until the onions take on some color. Add in the carrots and then the potatoes. Add in the water and cook until the potatoes and carrots are almost done.

Place 2-3 ladles of veggies in a blender, 2 ladles of cooking liquid, add the rice milk and blend on very low speed. Contents will be VERY hot, so be careful! If putting a lid on your blender, be sure and vent it so steam can escape. Meanwhile, place broccoli in the pot to cook.

Gradually increase speed the speed of the blender until contents are well blended. Add in reserved 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and 2 Tbsp. of milk powder. The Dari-Free thickens the soup and gives it a velvety texture. The carrots turn the puree a pale golden color. Return contents of blender to soup pot, and cook until the broccoli is just done. Turn heat down to medium and stir frequently, as it will stick on the bottom of the pot. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings as needed. The milk powder adds a sweetens that might need to be further counteracted with additional salt and onion/garlic powder. I liked a bit of the sweetness in my soup.

It truly does have a cheesy look to the soup, and if your imagination is broad a creamy cheese taste as well!

Enjoy!
This photo got uploaded on accident...but it's so cute I'll leave it here! The reason I continue with this so very difficult diet...this little guy's happiness! Now if only he was like this all day and all night long....We still have so many very, very rough days.

My Food Journey

Noah's inability to digest through my breastmilk the foods I was eating prompted me to begin a Total Elimination Diet (TED). This was not an easy decision to make, as I knew that once begun it would likely be months and months before I had a normal diet again. But after several days of my poor 4 week old son screaming and passing extremely painful gas, I just didn't know what else to do. So, I began the journey on October 7, 2008.

The TED only allows several foods for the first two weeks to allow your system and your baby's system to clear out. Then you add a new food in ONE at a time and try it for four days. If there is no reaction, the baby has "passed" that food and you can begin a new food trial. These foods can be found at: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041200.asp
Another good site is the Joneja Allergen Scale at:
http://www.allergynutrition.com/resources/FAQ/15/Foods%20Most%20Frequently%20Associated%20with%20Allergy.pdf
This lists the majority of foods from highest to lowest allergen factor.

white or sweet potato
range fed turkey or lamb
cooked yellow or green squash
pear or pear juice
millet
rice
sea salt
olive oil

Well, give a vegetarian the above list and that is pretty scary! I seriously tried several times to eat turkey and just couldn't do it. Being raised vegetarian and thinking of meat as a dead animal is hard to reverse.

So I began the diet but also added in quinoa, a grain that is a complete protein and also the lowest on the allergen scale. I began on a Tuesday, and on Thursday morning I woke up with a red speckled rash all over my face, neck and chest. And I was itchy! I scratched, although I shouldn't have, and soon had raised welts all over my face. Since the quinoa wasn't on the original list, I assumed that must be the culprit. So I stopped eating it. Friday morning I woke up with more of a rash extending to my shoulders, down my back and chest, ears and also hundreds of little white pimples on my jawline, chin, eyelids and around my mouth. It was freaky! So that day I only ate potatoes and pears. That was a hard day, just felt icky and weak.

The next day I added in some zucchini with lunch, and noticed I was itchy again that afternoon. I had zucchini again for lunch the next day, and within an hour I had a rash and was itchy.

So, 6 days on the TED and I couldn't eat the meat, or the zucchini. I was down to potatoes, sweet potato, millet, rice, quinoa and pear. I kept at it until about a week later when Noah was still fussy, gassy and upset. I talked with Dr. Leeper from MilkWorks who advised me that some babies can't handle rice! What?! Don't take away rice! But sure enough, I cut out the rice and Noah immediately improved. In exchange over the next few weeks, I added in baked beans (I know! I couldn't resisit one day as I put them away from Jer and Abbie's meal, and somehow they worked.) lentils, avocados, peaches, and then bananas. Eight - 12 days later I took a leap and added in carrots, onion and celery at the same time. Thank goodness those all passed! Then I could make a "stir-fry" or a potato soup. Then sunbutter, made from sunflower seeds. Again over the next weeks I added in mushrooms, garlic powder and tried different gluten free flours. No flours would work, which was discouraging.

My theory was to look at the scale and assume that I should safely be able to eat everything from the middle down. I tried to never add in more than one food at a time since if Noah did react I wouldn't know what he was reacting to! I also tried to really think about what would affect my quality of eating....what could I actually make SOMEthing out of, like a dish.

By Thanksgiving, I was also eating broccoli and green beans, which Noah then promptly failed. He still hasn't been able to tolerate green beans, but we are good with broccoli. It's been such a hard thing, and I have been sick many, many days because my nutrition was so inadequate. I have discovered that I feel the best when I try to eat a little bit of most of my available foods every day. So, the journey continues. It's hard and I wish I could stop almost every day, but honestly where do you go from here? We've tried several formulas to no avail and what else can I do? Before I successfully added in rice and broccoli I was getting pretty sick. Headaches, nauseated, weak, and probably TMI for most people, but was having 10-12 loose BM's a day. Defnitely not the sign of a healthy body. I had stopped my multi-vitamin because I was afraid he would react to it, and still haven't added it back in. Or calcium! I need to make those a priority........

And it's frustrating beyond belief. Abbie never nursed well and it was painful for 9 months. I had every nursing problem you could imagine with her. So I didn't really enjoy nursing, I just did it because it was best and we couldn't afford the horribly expense dairy/soy free formulas. Noah is an awesome nurser. Fast, efficient, great latch and no pain. However, I don't really get to enjoy this nursing experience either because of this horrible restrictive diet. It's really been hard, to say the least.

Foods Noah has failed:
wheat/gluten
corn
dairy
soy
chocolate
nuts
green beans
coconut
sorghum flour
chickpeas/garbonzo beans
rice burger from Akins
eggs
mayonnaise
rice - but I was able to add it in about 5 weeks ago, after 10 weeks without!

Foods Noah can eat:
white potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, onion, celery, broccoli, avocado, pear, peach, banana, blueberries, ketchup :-), mustard, lettuce, pickles, cucumber, rice, millet, quinoa, sugar (but not too much or he'll get really spitty) brown sugar, honey, sunflower seeds

As I can add in new foods I'll post a new update. I am desperate for a bread. We've made several GF breads and the texture and taste is just so off I don't enjoy them.

I keep praying that God will heal Noah, and enable him to eat more foods (and me too!). I just want my baby boy to be happy all the time, and not have to go through what must be some pretty awful pain. Horribly gas, green, slimy, mucousy, stringy sour smelling poops, will NOT sleep at night unless he is in our arms and often with the pacifier firmly implanted in his mouth. He has NEVER slept all night in his crib, EVER. Which means my hubby and I haven't slept good for 19 weeks either! And for me, I haven't slept good since May of 2008 when I was uncomfortable at night with my pregnancy and frequently got up to use the bathroom. Add this on top of my peripartum cardiomyopathy that I developed at 28 weeks pregnant and my body is exhausted, worn out and nutritionally depleted; still attempting to recover from the pregnancy, c-section and stress that my heart went through.

Noah is such a little trooper though, still smiling and laughing and happy most of the time when my foods aren't bothering him. It's been so hard, but such a blessing to have this child in our lives. I love you little Noah Noah!

Gingersnap Cookies

Early TED

Thanks for this yummy recipe Steph, I can't wait to try them!

3/4 cup Crisco or other MSPI safe margarine
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 egg replacer equivalent
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1 heaping teaspoon ginger

Cream Crisco and sugar, add egg and molasses and beat well. Add dry ingredients. Form into small balls (walnut sized) and roll in white sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 4-12 minutes. Watch closely the first time you bake them, 8 minutes is about average.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen

Potato Vegetable Meat Gratin

Early TED

Thanks for this one Jill!

3 cups rice milk
2 Tbsp. MSPI safe margarine
2 lbs. small red potatoes, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or equivalent pre-minced garlic
2 bay leaves
4 - 6 oz. green beans, or other vegetable of choice, fresh or frozen
2 cooked chicken or turkey breasts, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine milk, potatoes, garlic, and bay leaves in a large saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander over a bowl reserving 1 cup milk mixture. Discard bay leaves. Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Rinse in cold water, drain. Arrange half of potatoes in bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange green beans and chicken/turkey over potatoes. Dot with pieces of margarine, sprinkle with some of the salt and pepper. Top with remaining potatoes. Dot with remaining margarine, salt and pepper. Stir nutmeg into reserved milk mixture; pour over potatoes. Cover with aluminum foil; cut 3, (1") slits in foil. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until top begins to brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Can make vegetarian by using lentils or beans in place of the meat.

Gluten Free and Rice Free Pancakes

Basic TED

Another one from Kim when I wasn't able to eat rice. Thank you!

1 1/2 cups millet flour
1/2 cup potato starch or tapioca starch
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 Tbsp sugar
4 Tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup oil
4 1/2 Tbsp water
4 1/2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup applesauce, OR 1 mashed banana (optional)

Mix together the 4 1/2 tbsp water, 4 1/2 tbsp oil, and 1 tbsp baking powder and set aside - this is the egg replacement.

Mix dry ingredients together. Add wet ingredients including egg replacement.

Pour 1/3 or 1/4 cup portions on a hot pan and cook on both sides.

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie

Broad TED

Thanks for this recipe Kim!

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup dairy-free milk substitute
2 cups (1 can) pumpkin
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
9-inch pre-baked or graham cracker pie crust

Put gelatin and water in a sauce pan over low heat to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients, mix well, and pour into a 9-inch pre-baked or graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate for a few hours before slicing and serving.

GF Onion Rings

Early TED

This was a suggestion of my sister who has been helping me think up new foods to eat while on the total elimination diet. Having variety has helped me make it on this limited diet.

1/4 cup gluten free flours (I used equal parts millet, quinoa, potato and tapioca)
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 - 1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup potato or rice milk (or any milk of your choice)
Enough oil to cover skillet by 1/2 an inch

Slice onion into 1/4 inch rounds, separate into rings and allow to soak briefly in milk. Combine flours, baking powder and salt in another bowl. Dredge onion rings in the flour mixture, and then drop into the hot oil. Allow to fry until golden brown, then drain on paper towels. I even doubled dipped a few towards the end and they were even thicker and puffier. Yum!

My rings turned out beautifully; crispy and nicely coated in the flours. They were delicious! I gobbled up 3/4 of the onion without even thinking twice. Next time I might slow down enough to dip in ketchup :-)

TED Rice Crispies

Basic TED

1 cup sunbutter
1 cup organic cane juice
1 cup rice syrup
pinch of sea salt

Cook together until syrupy and smooth, and pour over 6 cups of crispy brown rice cereal (be sure to get one free of corn syrup). Pack into a pan and cool into the fridge. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Sweet Rice

Basic TED

Cook brown rice and then add in pear juice, brown rice syrup or sugar with a pinch of sea salt.

Can use white rice, but brown rice is ALWAYS nutritionally superior!

Pear Pop

Basic TED

Mix pear juice and sparkling water together for a fizzy pear drink.

Mashed Potato and Turkey Wrap

Basic TED

Wrap 2 Tbsp. of seasoned mashed potatoes in a hormel natural turkey lunch meat slice. Heat and eat!

TED Turkey and Potato Hash

Basic TED

Brown ground turkey and cook hashbrowns in a separate skillet. (Can also use potatoes that have been cooked and cooled, then fried.) Mix together and season with salt and pepper.

TED Turkey & Rice Hash

Basic TED

Brown ground turkey, season with salt and pepper. Cook brown rice, and mix together, adjusting seasonings as desired.

Can use white rice, but brown is ALWAYS superior nutritionally. On the TED, every little bit counts!

Vegetarian option: use lentils or beans instead of the meat.

Baked Squash

Basic TED

Use butternut, acorn, etc. squash. Cut in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until soft. Season as desired with sea salt, olive oil and pepper, or with sugar or brown rice syrup.

Roasted Vegetables

Basic TED

Yum, one of my favorite ways to eat vegetables.

Slice vegetables of your choice into large chunks. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place on an aluminum foil covered pan and roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are caramelized on the edges.

Best roasting vegetables:
potatoes
carrots
parsnips
turnip
sweet potato
squash
broccoli
cauliflower
onions
zucchini & yellow squash

Rice Chex "Puppy Chow" Mix

Early TED

9 cups rice chex mix
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (if very gluten sensitive, use GF variety)
1/2 - 1 cup sunbutter or peanut butter
1/4 cup MSPI safe margarine
1 cup chocolate chips, if desired

Melt the last 3 ingredients in a large microwave safe bowl until smooth. Mix in the 9 cups of rice Chex cereal. Place all into a large bag and add the powdered sugar. Shake and mix until well coated. If desired, spread on wax paper to cool.

For basic TED, leave out the chocolate.

No Bake Cookies

Early TED

3 Tbsp. unsweetened dairy-free cocoa powder
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup rice or almond milk
1/4 - 1/2 cup MSPI safe margarine (Fleishman's unsalted light, Smart Balance light)
3 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter or sunbutter
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients until well mixed and roll into balls. Refrigerate if desired to firm, eat and enjoy!

Lettuce Veggie Wrap

Early TED

Oh how I miss bread; tortilla shells, hamburger buns, toast, sandwiches, biscuits. Have you ever noticed how fragrant the smell of warm or toasted bread is? Wow! My hubby was making lunch for him and our daughter and the tortilla shell warming in the skillet was so aromatic my mouth was watering. As I contemplated what I could possibly make for lunch that would even be just remotely satisfying, I remembered that I had purchased a head of iceburg lettuce to make a wrap style bread free sandwich.

I filled my wrap with a rice carrot sunshine burger that I had in the freezer, avocado, grape tomatoes, cucumber, pickle, mustard, ketchup and some Annie's Green Garlic MSPI safe dressing with some crinkle cut TED safe potato chips on the side. It was surprisingly easy to roll into a manageable wrap and oh so delicious to eat. Crunchy and filling and so flavorful. Feeling satisfied and content after a meal on the TED doesn't always happen, so this was a fully enjoyable eating experience! This is something I look forward to having again and again. For my carnivore friends, this would be awesome with either a ground meat or turkey or chicken slices. It's really that big piece of lettuce that is the star!

Oh a side note, hubby had purchased some Vanilla Rice Dream for me yesterday. I thought a vanilla peach shake sounded good for a sweet ending to my meal. Just for the record, a frozen banana and can of lite peaches with juice makes for a shake that is TEN times better and creamier than the rice dream and peaches! And the frozen banana makes for a thicker shake as well. Not to mention being lower in calories and sugar and much cheaper! I always am glad to find easier, less expensive ways to make my food more enjoyable :-)