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!