Chickpea Crackers
Modified from Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
1/2 c chickpea flour
1/4 t salt
1/2 t paprika or other seasoning of choice (I've also used a mixed, salt-free seasoning, oregano, and turmeric+cumin)
1.5 t olive oil
2-3 T water
Mix dry ingredients together. Add oil and 2 T water. Mix well and try to form a ball from the dough. If it is still quite crumbly, add 1/2 T water at a time and mix until it will clump together. Roll out on floured surface or towel, to 1/8 inch or less, and cut into approximately 1" squares, or use a small cookie cutter. Bake at 350 for about 15-18 minutes, until puffed and lightly browned. They should be crisp after cooling; if not, return to oven for just a few minutes. This makes about 40 1" square crackers.
GF, Vegan Banana Muffins
Modified from sheletthemeatcake.com
3/4 c brown rice flour
1/2 c chickpea flour
1/2 c tapioca flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2.5 T flaxmeal mixed with 3T hot water
2 T melted coconut oil
2 T canola oil
1 t vanilla
6 dates, finely chopped
2 T brown rice syrup (or a few more dates - I've made it both ways)
3 ripe bananas, mashed
Preheat oven to 350 and prepare muffin pan. Mash bananas thoroughly and combine with oils, brown rice syrup, flaxmeal mixture, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients on top of this and when they're all there, gently stir them together before combining with the banana mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Makes 12 regular muffins. These freeze well.
Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Modified from Recipes Reinvented
2 c unsweetened shredded coconut (available in bulk at most health food stores)
1 c coconut or almond milk, unsweetened
1-2 T brown rice syrup or 6 dates, chopped
1 T arrowroot flour
1 t vanilla
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 and prepare baking sheet with oil or parchment. In small pot, whisk together milk, syrup, and salt. If using dates to sweeten, add them now and cook until soft, then puree. Add arrowroot and whisk until lump-free. Continue to heat until the mixture is very thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla and coconut. Drop onto baking sheet - about 2 tsp size cookies will result in 2 dozen. Bake for about 18 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on cookie sheet until firm, and then cool completely on a rack. These store well in the freezer, and thaw in a few minutes.
Almond Shortbread Cookies
2.5 c almond meal (I used Trader Joe's, and whirled it in the food processor to grind it a little finer)
1/2 c arrowroot flour
1 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 c brown rice syrup or about 9-12 dates, pureed
5 T canola oil
1 t cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 and prepare baking sheet with oil or parchment. Combine dry ingredients and then stir in oil, syrup, and vanilla. Drop from a spoon on to baking sheet - about 1T size cookies makes between 24-30 cookies. Flatten cookies lightly with a spoon. Bake about 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. These keep at room temperature for several days and freeze well.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Air quality matters - for more than respiratory conditions
Air Pollution Near Michigan Schools Linked to Poorer Student Health, Academic Performance
"Half of all states, including Michigan, do not require any evaluation of the environmental quality of areas under consideration as sites for new schools, nor do they prohibit building new industrial facilities and highways near existing schools.
Children are known to be more vulnerable than adults to the effects of pollution. Exposure to environmental pollutants during important times of physiological development can lead to long-lasting health problems, dysfunction and disease, the experts said...
Ninety-five percent of the estimated industrial air pollution around schools comes from 12 chemicals: diisocyanates, manganese, sulfuric acid, nickel, chlorine, chromium, trimethylbenzene, hydrochloric acid, molybdenum trioxide, lead, cobalt and glycol ethers...
The 12 chemicals are suspected of producing a wide variety of health effects, including increased risk of respiratory, cardiovascular, developmental and neurological disorders, as well as cancer."
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Slow Cooker Gingered Black-eyed Pea Soup
8 oz black-eyed peas
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 small sweet potato, roasted
Ginger, about 1 cubic inch, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamon
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 c fresh spinach, washed and packed
Add black-eyed peas, pepper, carrot, and ginger to slow cooker. Add water to cover by about 1". Cook on high for 2 hours or until black-eyed peas are beginning to soften. Add sweet potato and spices (not salt) and cook on low until about 2 hours before meal time. Check peas and if they are done, leave on low - otherwise, switch to high. 30 minutes before serving, add spinach and salt. Stir in spinach as it wilts.
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 small sweet potato, roasted
Ginger, about 1 cubic inch, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cardamon
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 c fresh spinach, washed and packed
Add black-eyed peas, pepper, carrot, and ginger to slow cooker. Add water to cover by about 1". Cook on high for 2 hours or until black-eyed peas are beginning to soften. Add sweet potato and spices (not salt) and cook on low until about 2 hours before meal time. Check peas and if they are done, leave on low - otherwise, switch to high. 30 minutes before serving, add spinach and salt. Stir in spinach as it wilts.
Broccoli salad with cashew-sweet potato dressing
Right before dinner, my daughter told me she didn't like broccoli anymore. Then she ate about 2c of this salad and told me it was the best dinner ever.
About 3 c finely chopped broccoli, including tender stems
3 prunes, minced
3 dried apricots, minced (sulfite-free)
1/4 c cashews
1/4 c boiling water
1 T roasted sweet potato
1 T rice vinegar
Soak cashews in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Puree in blender, add sweet potato and vinegar, and blend again. Mix broccoli and dried fruit, add dressing. Better if served after a couple hours of refrigeration to allow the broccoli to marinate a bit.
About 3 c finely chopped broccoli, including tender stems
3 prunes, minced
3 dried apricots, minced (sulfite-free)
1/4 c cashews
1/4 c boiling water
1 T roasted sweet potato
1 T rice vinegar
Soak cashews in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Puree in blender, add sweet potato and vinegar, and blend again. Mix broccoli and dried fruit, add dressing. Better if served after a couple hours of refrigeration to allow the broccoli to marinate a bit.
Vietnamese-style summer rolls with apricot-sesame sauce
Add fresh herbs to the rolls if you have any. We just had what I hope will be our last snow of the year here and fresh herbs are only a fond memory. This sauce is also tasty on steamed vegetables.
Sauce
6 dried apricots, minced
3 prunes, minced
3/4 c boiling water
1 T almond butter
1 t coconut aminos
1 T rice vinegar
1 t toasted sesame oil
Pour boiling water over the dried fruit and allow to soak for about 10 minutes. Pour into the blender and puree. Pour into serving bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using to allow flavors to blend.
Rolls
Rice wrappers, or use Romaine leaves
Chicken if desired - I used poached chicken, then cut it into small pieces and seasoned with coconut aminos
Julienned vegetables as available - I used radish, cucumber, carrot, lettuce, spinach, red bell pepper, and green onion
Bean thread noodles if desired - 1 bunch is enough for about 8 rolls
Pour boiling water over bean thread noodles and allow to soak for about 10 minutes. Soak one rice wrapper for about 10 seconds in hot water, or until pliable and smooth. Smooth out on a place, fill like a burrito, and roll up the sides. Put on serving plate and repeat. Plan for 2 rolls per serving with medium-sized rice wrappers.
If you're not soy-free, you can use tamari instead of coconut aminos, and baked tofu in place of chicken.
Sauce
6 dried apricots, minced
3 prunes, minced
3/4 c boiling water
1 T almond butter
1 t coconut aminos
1 T rice vinegar
1 t toasted sesame oil
Pour boiling water over the dried fruit and allow to soak for about 10 minutes. Pour into the blender and puree. Pour into serving bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using to allow flavors to blend.
Rolls
Rice wrappers, or use Romaine leaves
Chicken if desired - I used poached chicken, then cut it into small pieces and seasoned with coconut aminos
Julienned vegetables as available - I used radish, cucumber, carrot, lettuce, spinach, red bell pepper, and green onion
Bean thread noodles if desired - 1 bunch is enough for about 8 rolls
Pour boiling water over bean thread noodles and allow to soak for about 10 minutes. Soak one rice wrapper for about 10 seconds in hot water, or until pliable and smooth. Smooth out on a place, fill like a burrito, and roll up the sides. Put on serving plate and repeat. Plan for 2 rolls per serving with medium-sized rice wrappers.
If you're not soy-free, you can use tamari instead of coconut aminos, and baked tofu in place of chicken.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Allergy Elimination Week 1
Breakfasts:
Fruit & Nuts
Homemade granola with almond milk (6 c gluten-free oats mixed with about 1c homemade, unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon and baked at 300F until toasted and dried, about an hour. Store in refrigerator.)
Quinoa with olive oil and salt
Turkey-vegetable soup (see below)
Curried rice with green beans (leftovers, see below)
GF oatmeal
Lunches at home:
Dinner leftovers
Salads (mixed greens, chickpeas, various chopped vegetables, nuts/seeds, fruit, vinaigrette)
Packed lunches:
Sliced chicken, steamed waxy potatoes, and sliced raw vegetables
Dinner leftovers, packed in a food jar
Chickpeas and raw vegetables
Salads
Packed snacks:
Fruit and vegetables
Chickpea crackers*
Potato chips (check ingredients)
Allergy-OK banana muffins*
Allergy-OK almond shortbread*
* recipes to follow in next post
Dinners:
Poached chicken, steamed waxy potatoes, and steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
Curried rice with green beans (recipe follows)
Chickpea-vegetable soup
Chicken sausage, rice, and asparagus
Turkey-vegetable soup (recipe follows)
Additional cooking
1 pound chickpeas - used broth and some chickpeas to make a vegetable soup; ate some on salads or as a snack; roasted some for snacks.
Roasted sweet potato slices - not thin, like chips, but about 1/4 inch thick - very tasty addition to salads or for eating as a snack
Curried rice with green beans
modified from Jeanne Lemlin's Quick Vegetarian Pleasures
1/2 cup cashews, toasted
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 t turmeric
1/2 t cardamon
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 t salt
1 cup brown or brown basmati rice
1 lb green beans (I use frozen, whole organic beans for this recipe)
1 carrot, sliced
1/3 cup finely cut prunes (about 6-8 prunes)
2 c boiling water
In a 6-quart pot, saute the onion & ginger in the oil. Mix in spices and toast lightly, then add rice, prunes, and carrot and stir to coat. Pour in the boiling water and cover. Cook over low heat until the rice is nearly done (30-35 minutes). Add frozen green beans to the top of the mixture; they will steam as the rice finishes cooking. When done, add cashews and mix together gently.
Turkey-Vegetable Soup
Most commercial turkey and chicken is injected with a "broth solution;" the ingredients are never labeled on the poultry packaging. We generally buy locally-raised poultry, organic when possible. In addition to the lack of added ingredients (and paying a poultry price-per-pound for what is in essence saltwater, the added broth), we find that the local birds are much leaner and tastier. Our local natural foods store sells turkey pieces, and this week there was a surplus of wings at a good price.
6 turkey wings, organic if possible
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 carrots, finely sliced
1/2 c brown rice
1/2 t salt
2 t dried thyme
1 t dried rosemary
2 t dried parsley
1 lb frozen peas
Add 2 quarts water to a stock pot and poach the chicken wings until completely cooked, then remove. After cooling slightly, remove the meat from the wings and refrigerate. It will likely be in tiny pieces, which is perfect for soup and burritos, which is where it's headed. Add 1T apple cider vinegar to the water in the pot, and return the turkey bones and skin. Simmer gently for two hours, then strain into another pot. Skim the fat from the broth, and use this fat, or part of it as needed, to saute the onions and carrots (and celery if you have some; I didn't), then add this to the broth, along with brown rice and seasonings; cook for about 40 minutes, or until rice is done. Add as much of the turkey as desired, then add the peas. If you are serving immediately, continue to cook until the peas are hot. If saving for another meal, add the frozen peas and allow them to begin chilling the soup, then refrigerate.
Fruit & Nuts
Homemade granola with almond milk (6 c gluten-free oats mixed with about 1c homemade, unsweetened applesauce with cinnamon and baked at 300F until toasted and dried, about an hour. Store in refrigerator.)
Quinoa with olive oil and salt
Turkey-vegetable soup (see below)
Curried rice with green beans (leftovers, see below)
GF oatmeal
Lunches at home:
Dinner leftovers
Salads (mixed greens, chickpeas, various chopped vegetables, nuts/seeds, fruit, vinaigrette)
Packed lunches:
Sliced chicken, steamed waxy potatoes, and sliced raw vegetables
Dinner leftovers, packed in a food jar
Chickpeas and raw vegetables
Salads
Packed snacks:
Fruit and vegetables
Chickpea crackers*
Potato chips (check ingredients)
Allergy-OK banana muffins*
Allergy-OK almond shortbread*
* recipes to follow in next post
Dinners:
Poached chicken, steamed waxy potatoes, and steamed broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots
Curried rice with green beans (recipe follows)
Chickpea-vegetable soup
Chicken sausage, rice, and asparagus
Turkey-vegetable soup (recipe follows)
Additional cooking
1 pound chickpeas - used broth and some chickpeas to make a vegetable soup; ate some on salads or as a snack; roasted some for snacks.
Roasted sweet potato slices - not thin, like chips, but about 1/4 inch thick - very tasty addition to salads or for eating as a snack
Curried rice with green beans
modified from Jeanne Lemlin's Quick Vegetarian Pleasures
1/2 cup cashews, toasted
1 T olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 T minced fresh ginger
1 t turmeric
1/2 t cardamon
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 t salt
1 cup brown or brown basmati rice
1 lb green beans (I use frozen, whole organic beans for this recipe)
1 carrot, sliced
1/3 cup finely cut prunes (about 6-8 prunes)
2 c boiling water
In a 6-quart pot, saute the onion & ginger in the oil. Mix in spices and toast lightly, then add rice, prunes, and carrot and stir to coat. Pour in the boiling water and cover. Cook over low heat until the rice is nearly done (30-35 minutes). Add frozen green beans to the top of the mixture; they will steam as the rice finishes cooking. When done, add cashews and mix together gently.
Turkey-Vegetable Soup
Most commercial turkey and chicken is injected with a "broth solution;" the ingredients are never labeled on the poultry packaging. We generally buy locally-raised poultry, organic when possible. In addition to the lack of added ingredients (and paying a poultry price-per-pound for what is in essence saltwater, the added broth), we find that the local birds are much leaner and tastier. Our local natural foods store sells turkey pieces, and this week there was a surplus of wings at a good price.
6 turkey wings, organic if possible
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 carrots, finely sliced
1/2 c brown rice
1/2 t salt
2 t dried thyme
1 t dried rosemary
2 t dried parsley
1 lb frozen peas
Add 2 quarts water to a stock pot and poach the chicken wings until completely cooked, then remove. After cooling slightly, remove the meat from the wings and refrigerate. It will likely be in tiny pieces, which is perfect for soup and burritos, which is where it's headed. Add 1T apple cider vinegar to the water in the pot, and return the turkey bones and skin. Simmer gently for two hours, then strain into another pot. Skim the fat from the broth, and use this fat, or part of it as needed, to saute the onions and carrots (and celery if you have some; I didn't), then add this to the broth, along with brown rice and seasonings; cook for about 40 minutes, or until rice is done. Add as much of the turkey as desired, then add the peas. If you are serving immediately, continue to cook until the peas are hot. If saving for another meal, add the frozen peas and allow them to begin chilling the soup, then refrigerate.
Friday, April 29, 2011
The Allergy Elimination Diet
Our family has embarked on an allergy elimination diet that will (hopefully? or not?) help pinpoint a cause for some chronic health issues. For 6 weeks, we are eschewing gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, corn, peanuts, citrus, shellfish, beef, pork, sugar, and chocolate. Nearing the end of week 1, I can say that it hasn't been as difficult as I feared. We're eating a record amount of fresh produce and no one has really experienced any cravings for "illegal" foods.
I spent the week after the physician's recommendation preparing, which was the key for success. During that time, we had easy, favorite meals from foods that were perishable and not included in the allowed list, which resulted in a bare refrigerator. I removed other items from the kitchen and stored them in a bin in the basement pantry. I found some remarkable blogs with recipes that were doable or modifiable and created a binder of starting places. I realized that dinner would be the easiest meal, but that breakfast and packed lunches might undergo a substantial facelift. I bought some grocery items I'd never heard of before, such as coconut aminos, a replacement for soy sauce.
I planned meals, as always, and created a "menu" that I posted on the refrigerator for my husband Herb and daughter Lavender to reference when they were hungry, with the warning that all baked items would be highly experimental. I was pleased to turn out some remarkable banana muffins as well as almond-meal based shortbread for occasional snacks, and returned to the chickpea cracker recipe I have made on occasion. However, the abundance of fresh fruit and prepped veggies in the fridge has resulted in those being the easiest food to grab - a good thing all around.
I spent the week after the physician's recommendation preparing, which was the key for success. During that time, we had easy, favorite meals from foods that were perishable and not included in the allowed list, which resulted in a bare refrigerator. I removed other items from the kitchen and stored them in a bin in the basement pantry. I found some remarkable blogs with recipes that were doable or modifiable and created a binder of starting places. I realized that dinner would be the easiest meal, but that breakfast and packed lunches might undergo a substantial facelift. I bought some grocery items I'd never heard of before, such as coconut aminos, a replacement for soy sauce.
I planned meals, as always, and created a "menu" that I posted on the refrigerator for my husband Herb and daughter Lavender to reference when they were hungry, with the warning that all baked items would be highly experimental. I was pleased to turn out some remarkable banana muffins as well as almond-meal based shortbread for occasional snacks, and returned to the chickpea cracker recipe I have made on occasion. However, the abundance of fresh fruit and prepped veggies in the fridge has resulted in those being the easiest food to grab - a good thing all around.
Menu
Breakfast
Fruit and Nuts
Quinoa
Oatmeal
Granola with almond milk
Smoothie
Brown rice porridge with cinnamon
Lunch
Lentil Soup and chickpea crackers
Chicken slices with lettuce wrappers
Beans or chickpeas
Almond butter and jam on gluten-free bread
Salad with beans or nuts
Roasted sweet potato sandwiches with almond butter
Sides and Snacks
Pickles
Carrot sticks
Red bell pepper
Cucumber
Radishes
Peas
Rice cakes
Fruit
Nuts
Sunflower or pumpkin seeds
Chickpea crackers or bread
Hummus or bean spread
Smoothies
Homemade popsicles
Salad
Soup
Desserts
Rice pudding
Fruit-nut-coconut treats
Blueberry tart
Cookies
Baked apples
Fruit crisp
Muffins
Sweet potato pudding
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