February Menu

By meal planning a few months at a time I can make purchases on meat and other items that are costly but can be frozen for later use. It also helps me utilize all leftovers. For instance, I purchase whole chickens (the healthy ones with room to roam and adequate time to grow with out hormones and antibiotic use) and cook them in the crock pot. Then I make broth by adding water, spices and herbs to the pot with the bones, skin and other bits of leftovers from the chicken once it has been cleaned of meat. It usually sits on my counter for two days on low. Then I use the broth to make a soup, lentils, gravies and so on. Left over chicken means fried rice or another dish that calls for cooked chicken. Meal planning also cuts down on trips to the grocery store. I go each Friday to get fresh fish and keep a little list of other items I'll need like fruit or veggies. This is a very quick trip to the store and usually not very expensive. I do a really big shopping every month but I'm working to make it every 6-8 weeks (I think I was successful in January) that blows the bulk of our grocery budget minus dairy which we purchase from Gramen Farms.

Fast Food Night: Bison Burgers & Sweet Tater Fries

So we miss fast food. We don't miss the gross after eating it feeling but I really miss a huge burger and fries. When Hubs was diagnosed, we got really good at making burgers at home. A friend introduced us to home made sweet potato fries and it was a perfect addition to burger night. Now with no gluten it's impossible to find a good burger bun and I'm still trying recipes. Mostly the best thing to do is make a top 1/2 and bottom 1/2 of a bun rather than try and bake something to be cut in half. Since I'm allergic to beef we use bison.

First I chopped up several raw sweet potatoes. I like the skin on so I don't peel them, I just wash them off and chop them. The sit and dry while the oil heats (they are also good in the oven, baked rather than fried but for fast food night frying is a must).

While the oil gets hot I mix buns. I used a grain free recipe this time that was butter, almond flour, an egg and a little salt. They mix up quickly and go into the oven right before I put in the first batch of sweet taters, and mix the bison. I use 2 pounds because when you're going to make burgers you may as well have leftovers. They freeze well if they make it that long.

Hubs came in and dug out some bacon and beans too. In the bison I mix finely chopped onion, garlic powder and home made chili powder mix. Also an egg to help it stay together. I mix it all well and make four large burgers and two smaller ones - sometimes David will eat two burgers but even he can't do a pound of meat in addition to sides...

The first batch of fries is done before everything else and usually gets eaten before the rest of the food is done. Kind of like an appetizer. Just as we are done with the rest of the food and load up our plates the second batch of fries is complete. The third batch cooks as we eat.... and usually we eat some off the pan like dessert.... They reheat well in the toaster oven so we try not to eat them all.

Hubs made navy beans with a little of this and that. He's getting more creative in the kitchen and likes to throw everything in. It's usually how I cook, but for him it's very new - he's a recipe guy. The beans had kick which he likes.

Oh and don't forget some delicious cheese.... a chunk of grilled onion, some tomato, lettuce and some homemade BBQ sauce for the top....

We didn't get any plated pictures because we ate so fast. And it was amazing. I love good food. I should be a huge person but thankfully I'm not (thank you 24 hour fitness).


Home Made BBQ Sauce
1 cup tomato sauce (I use an organic olive oil, basil & garlic)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup + 2TBSP vinegar (I use Bragg's Apple Cider)
3/4 cup brown sugar (I use an organic brown sugar)
3 TBSP olive oil (I use about 1.5 TBSP b/c my sauce I use has olive oil in it)
2 TBSP Paprika
1 TBSP Home made Chili powder
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp cayenne

So the original directions say to heat the oil and saute the garlic first then add everything and simmer 15 mins but I just dump all of the above into a sauce pan and simmer it, stirring occasionally until it thickens. Which is usually more like an hour of simmering but only because I like a thicker sauce. The apple cider vinegar is a natural preservative so it keeps in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge for a month or more. Usually we eat it in less than 6 weeks so I'm not sure how long it'd actually last.

Ethiopian Food

We love food from all over the world. Prior to discovery of all our allergies we would go out for Indian food, Ethiopian food, French food and more. With our myriad of allergies we are very limited in our dining out. At home we primarily eat organic foods, so even if we can find a restaurant we can both eat in, the food is sometimes difficult to digest when it's conventional.

I meal plan a few months in advance and do one big monthly grocery shopping trip then pick up fresh fish, fruits and veggies as needed on Fridays. This helps us stay within our food budget and keeps me from getting bored with cooking. I incorporated several labor intensive dishes for weekends when I have more time to cook.

One night last weekend was Ethiopian night. I started the Injera a few days early so it would have time to sour. The link is to the recipe I'm going to use next time. The recipe I used last weekend didn't have me feed it and then keep some for later like a sour dough bread. It was more like using just a starter - which made for a very flavorful bread.

I also mixed Berbere, their traditional spice mix. I omitted the spices we are unable to use (ginger for instance) and I made my own Chili Powder for adding to some of the dishes while cooking. (Chili powder is a mix of spices/herbs that nearly always has an additive to prevent clumping or caking. It's usually corn based.)

The morning of our Ethiopian dinner I made Niter Kebbeh (scroll down about 1/2 way), the traditional Ethiopian butter. It's clarified and flavored with herbs and spices.

A few of the steps in this T'ibs recipe is making a mock Niter Kebbeh of sorts. Rather than follow that portion I used a Tablespoon of the Niter Kebbeh I'd made that morning.

The afternoon before I cooked, I set the lamb for T'ibs (lamb stew) to marinate and I chopped all the vegetables I would need for all of my recipes.

I organized the recipes by the length of time it would take them to cook. I made Yemiser W'et (spicy lentil stew) which required lentils to be cooked prior to seasoning. I put a pot of lentils on to boil while I had Hubs sear the lamb.

I also made Yetakelt W'et (spicy mixed vegetable stew). But since all the veggies were chopped this took minimal work.

Once everything was to the simmering for flavor point I got out my huge pan and started cooking Injera. I made about 6 pieces. We didn't have a platter large enough to serve it traditionally with one communal plate so I served it on two plates. Basically when everything is cooked you put down Injera then servings of each dish on top. It's served with extra Injera and everything is eaten with one hand scooping up servings in pieces of Injera torn into chunks. I made three dishes because traditionally there would be a selection of dishes. Injera doesn't store well. It requires that one eats it at the meal for which it is cooked. For the left overs I made a large pot of rice and we ate the dishes with rice in lieu of Injera.

The dishes were delicious. The Injera will be better when I make it over the course of a few days and use it as intended, like a starter. Also I was completely grossed out because there was a bit of mold on it one day. Upon research, I discovered this is (mostly) normal and the mold should be scooped out of the starter and the starter should be fed and stirred well. I scooped it out but since I wasn't doing the starter method it wasn't fed and what not. This effected my enjoyment of the Injera though and next time I'll keep a closer eye on it and do the starter method.

The recipes were very easy to modify for our allergies. Teff flour is naturally gluten free and I simply omitted the spices we were allergic to and made our own mixes. Next month I'm doing Ethi night again but I'm going to try Doro Wat (Ethiopian chicken stewed in red pepper paste) rather than the lamb. The lamb was delicious but I can't see making two meat based dishes for two people.

Banana Bread (beef, corn, gluten, peanut & soy free)

After attempting a yeast bread and being so disappointed in the result (much more like a quick bread) I decided to bake a quick bread this weekend. I went for banana because I had two bananas that were just over-ripe waiting to be consumed. Almond flour is extremely expensive so I've been purchasing whole almonds by the pound and grinding them myself in my magic bullet knock off. I didn't have walnuts, my preference in banana bread, but I did have an abundance of the almonds.

Ingredients
1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup potato starch
1/4 cup ground flax seeds (you can purchase flax meal but the seeds are cheaper per pound)
1/3 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder (Hains)
1 teaspoon guar gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (extra full - not a full teaspoon, maybe closer to 3/4 teaspoon)
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 medium ripe bananas
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

Method
My butter was cold from the fridge so I cut it into chunks and threw it in my stand mixer with the paddle attachment and the sugar. I whipped it for a few minutes until the butter was well incorporated with the sugar. Then I added the egg, mixed well. Add the bananas (I just broke off chunks and dropped it in while the paddle was turning). Put the baking powder, guar gum
and baking soda in and mix well. Then I dumped the first two flours in. Mixed well. Put about a third of the sour cream in and mixed well. Then the potato starch and flax seeds, mixing well. Another third of the sour cream. Mix. Then the almond flour and remaining sour cream. I mixed it for just a moment the dropped in the nuts.

I buttered a loaf pan and dusted some of the almond flour on the bottom and a little up the sides of the pan.

350 degrees. 45-50 mins until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it sit in the pan about an hour if you can wait. It should turn right out of the pan.


Serve
We like butter

We couldn't tell that this was made with alternative flours. YEA! =)


*Sorry for the blurry pics, I was too busy eating to re-take!

Breakfast Food (beef, corn, gluten, peanut & soy free)

Something David and I have enjoyed from the beginning of our marriage (6 years ago!) is having leisurely breakfasts together on the weekends. I would usually cook something and he'd make coffee or help with prep work and we'd linger over a great meal. When David was diagnosed with his allergies we had a hiccup in that routine but nothing major as it's easy to purchase corn free flours, if one is willing to pay the price. It's been almost 2 months since my diagnoses of a wheat and beef allergy and I have to say I've been tired of bacon and eggs for a while now...

At some point I made Walrus Bread from the back of a Bob's Red Mill garbanzo bean flour. I followed the recipe exactly with 3 substitutions. I used GUAR GUM rather than Xanthan Gum which can be (and usually is) derived from corn. For the Vinegar I used RICE VINEGAR and for the vegetable oil I used Canola. I wanted this to be alllll of our allergens free. I made the recipe to get a better feel for the flours. Unfortunately this bread is very much like a quick bread. Kind of crumbly and moist. It was okay. The Garbanzo Bean Flour made the bread taste "beany". It wasn't strong but it was NOT wheat bread. Also it didn't rise much as the flours are so different and (obviously) don't contain gluten. Since the bread wasn't flexible enough to make a traditional french toast I did it in the oven. I even threw the crumbs and bits in because they "bake" together.


Here are some recipes I've done in the last few weeks to break the monotony *and fat* of bacon & eggs.


BAKED FRENCH TOAST for 2
Ingredients
6 slices of Walrus Bread
2 TBSP butter, melted
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1-4 TBSP brown sugar (this bread is NOT sweet by itself)
1 tsp vanilla
1-3 tsp cinnamon

Method
-Preheat oven to 350
-Grease 9*11 pan well
-Mix all ingredients well (except for the bread)
-Pour a few TBSP of the mixture on the bottom of the pan, enough to cover the bottom with a little extra
-Place the bread into the pan on the liquid
-Pour the rest of the liquid mix over the bread, slowly so it's absorbed
-Bake about 40 to 50 minutes or until a little brown and "dry" to the touch

To Serve
Cut into squares and place on plate. Top with powdered sugar and maple syrup. Yummy.





PANCAKES for 2
Ingredients
(dry)
1/4 cup gluten free oats, ground fine
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour
2 TBSP flax seeds, ground fine
1 TBSP white sugar
3 tsp baking powder (Hain is GF & corn free)
1/4 tsp sea salt ground fine
(wet)
1 egg
1.25 cups milk (reserve .25 cup)
3 TBSP canola oil

Method
-Mix dry ingredients well
-In a separate container mix wet ingredients well, using just 1 cup of the milk reserving a .25 cup of the milk
-Combine the wet and dry ingredients
-This pancake mix will be thicker than one made with wheat flour but if it's too thick to pour slowly add the .25 cup of reserved milk until the batter is "pourable"
-Heat a skillet or griddle on medium heat until very warm, water should sizzle on it
-Pour the batter onto the dry pan
-NOTE: Extra oil or butter should NOT be needed and the pancakes won't cook as well if one uses butter in the skillet (I use all stainless steel traditional pans that do NOT have non-stick surfaces and my pancakes browned more evenly and looked/textured more like wheat when I used a dry skillet)

Serve
Serve pancakes with whatever you like! These pancakes are a little less sweet than traditional as buck wheat is slightly bitter.





WAFFLES for 2
Ingredients
(dry)
1/4 cup gluten free oats, ground fine
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1/4 cup sweet sorghum flour
2 TBSP flax seeds, ground fine
2 tsp baking powder (Hain is GF & corn free)
1/8 tsp sea salt ground fine
(wet)
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup canola oil, plus extra for the waffle iron

Method
-Mix dry ingredients well
-In a separate container mix wet ingredients well, using just 1 cup of the milk reserving a .25 cup of the milk
-Combine the wet and dry ingredients
-Heat the waffle iron until it's very warm
-"Paint" the extra oil onto the waffle iron with a basting brush or spray non sick spray on the iron (if you can find a GF, corn free one)
-Pour the batter onto the hot, greased iron and spread it out a little with a spoon
-NOTE: This batter won't "spread" out onto the iron like traditional gluten waffles. Also for some reason they love to cling to the iron. I found that oiling the iron and then letting the waffles cook until crispy brown makes them easier to remove.


Happy eating!

What we miss...

I think that prior to the discovery of my own food allergies it was easy for me to tell someone not to worry about making something special for Hubs, he didn't need it.... And this is still true, for both of us now. However, there are things we miss -

Sunday
Going to church, the routine of Sunday: getting up having breakfast attending church with our friends and being in a class. We have chosen to attend on Saturday nights because here in the South, ladies and gentleman put on their Sunday best prior to arriving at church. This includes loads of perfumes, colognes, body powders, body sprays, deodorants, hair sprays, hair gels, nail polish and so on...... all of which contain corn. And sitting in, even our larger auditorium, amongst all that corn makes my husband sick. Enough to effect his ability to participate in worship and reap knowledge from the sermon.
Communion, while we can still participate in the Spiritual aspect of remembrance and self examination we are unable to partake of the elements. I've yet to see corn free, gluten free, soy free communion elements and probably won't in this life time.

Monday - Friday
Fast Food, while we have never been a family that lives on fast food it is nice to have that option! Mondays always seem busiest and it would be nice to simply pick something up on the way home.

Saturday
MOVIES in the theater at night! As a couple we have never gone much (David used to see one every weekend or so before we were married) but it was fun to do dinner and a movie from time to time. Now we have to sneak in at an early showing and avoid the popcorn maker. In the evenings there's too much popcorn floating around and wiped on handles and such.

Life in General
Quick Grocery Shopping Trips, I used to be able to shop for a week in less than 30 mins. Now it's an hour minimum if I should up super early and only scan my regular items labels. Buying something new adds at least 5 minutes - there's no spur of the moment let's try this for this family!
Eating meals at friends homes without crazy advance planning and worrying, we entertain more in our home to avoid accidental contamination. We have wonder friends and family that work hard to accommodate us but it's hard to host us.
Whole What Flour, I'm not going to lie. I feel better for avoiding whole wheat (gluten really I'm not eating gluten because every thing I have tried that was supposed to be wheat free has made me feel sick) but I miss knowing how to bake with out corn while still having wheat. I'm getting there. I've done gluten free, corn free pancakes with success. And brownies.



So while we do work to keep a good attitude and not worry or complain, there are things we miss. They aren't huge but come up from time to time. Over all we are both healthier and happier for living with out and so we smile and say "no thanks" to the free breakfasts or lunches at work and agree with our coworkers that we eat super healthy. Some people will never understand that food allergies are medical conditions and if one continues to eat the foods that make them ill the worse their medical issues will be.

PS - there are more but this is an insight to those that might not have considered the things that we avoid or do with out as a result of our allergies.

BEEEEEEEF

Learning about beef by products. Wow, it's quite prevalent in everyday foods. It can be found in many every day items such as:

sausage
marshmallows
candies
mayonnaise
chewing gum
oleo
shortening
pate
clarification agents for juice, wine and beer
sausage casings
yogurt
cookies
gelatin in salads/desserts
head cheese
ice cream

YIKES! It's pretty easy to eat gluten free but it's been challenging to do gluten and beef free. Example. Yogurt. I eat some nearly every day and had researched to make sure that one was gluten free. It was. But it had gelatin. Which was from beef. I usually feel pretty horrible for two days when I get contaminated by beef. It's not fun. And it's stinky. It oozes out of my pores gives me rotten egg gas and S.TA.N.K.Y. bm's. Yup. And those are just the things that you would notice. The pain and discomfort is what really bothers me. So now I'm constantly checking for gluten free first then doubling back to make sure it's also beef free. And thankfully I've found a yogurt that's both. Stonyfield plain organic. It would be Stonyfield, it's the most expensive in our market. =) Thankfully it's also very tasty and has simple ingredients, no additives or other misc. things.


PICTURE FROM: http://www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2009/04/23/fullsize/cow_b.jpg