Monthly Archives: March 2012

March 29, 2012 · 6:32 pm

Snack Time!

I’ve come across a few blog-worthy snacks lately that I wanted to share.  Not sure if they are new to the market, but they are new to me!  Hope you enjoy.

I do love my coconut yogurt, but it does have a high fat content, so I don’t eat it everyday.  Then I found a lactose free Yoplait yogurt!  And it is 99% fat free.  I really enjoyed this, especially since there was no fruit on the bottom :).  And I didn’t have any reaction to it.  In the shopping cart for next week…

You’d be amazed at how hard it is to find gluten free soup.  I did find this Wolfgang Puck version, and it was really good!  I would definitely buy this again.

I’ve been pumping up my workouts lately, and I hear that coconut water is good for hydration.  However, I really don’t like the taste of coconut water itself.  So I found this Sobe vitamin water that has coconut water in it… there are three different flavors, all equally delicious.

And then I found DARK CHOCOLATE coconut water… and I fell in love.  It tastes like chocolate milk!  And it’s fine print says its dairy free. This will definitely become a workout staple.

Happy Allergy Free Snacking!

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March 27, 2012 · 7:47 pm

Simple Steak Dinner

Having a couple nights this week where I have to be at school, I was looking to make a quick and easy dinner combo.  Steak with peppers and onions is perfect in a pinch, but also great for when the grilling days really get going.  The steak can be marinated overnight or for a few hours, whichever works best for your schedule.

I marinated a flank steak with:

  • one quarter cup red wine
  • one quarter cup worchestire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tbsp. lemon pepper
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt

Using a cast iron pan, I seared the steak on high heat for about 3 minutes each side and then put it in a 400 degree oven for about 12 minutes (cooked for a medium rare taste).

While the steak was cooking, in a large saute pan I combined:

  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 red pepper, sliced lengthwise into strips
  • 1 yellow pepper, sliced lenthwise into strips
  • 1 orange pepper, sliced lengthwise into strips
  • one half of an onion, sliced into strips
  • 3 tbsp. worchestire sauce
  • 1 tbsp. lemon pepper

Saute the peppers and onions by stirring, just until they are tender (8-10 minutes).  Their flavors will mimic the steak.

When done cooking, let the steak rest for about 5 mintues and then slice against the grain.

Serve the steak hot, with the peppers and onions on top!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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March 25, 2012 · 6:25 pm

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

My mom’s poppy seed bread was always a favorite of mine growing up.  Her recipe always made two loaves- one to give away and one to keep.  It is the perfect weekend treat!  This weekend, I took on the challenge of making it gluten and dairy free… and succeeded.  It has great texture as well as taste.  This recipe makes one loaf.

Almond Poppy Seed Bread

Pieces:

  1. one and one quarter cups soy flour
  2. one half tsp. salt
  3. one half tsp. baking powder
  4. 1 cup sugar
  5. 2 tbsp. poppy seeds
  6. 1 egg or substitute
  7. one half cup soy creamer
  8. three quarters cup canola oil
  9. 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  10. 1 tsp. almond extract
  11. one half tsp. xantham gum
  12. 2 tbsp. melted butter

Process:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Mix thoroughly.
  3. Pour into a greased bread pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour, until edges turn brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

 

Happy Allergy Free Baking!

 

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March 22, 2012 · 5:45 pm

Pumped Up Pasta Primavera

With the spring weather coming (or already here?), you can start to see the increase in vibrantly colored vegetables available.  To someone who’s diet is half fruits and vegetables, this excites me!  So this week I made full use of the vegetable section at the grocery store, and made a healthy, vegetarian, and pumped up pasta primavera.

Pumped Up Pasta Primavera

Pieces:

  1. 2 zucchini, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
  2. 2 yellow squash, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
  3. 1 red pepper, washed and chopped into bite size pieces
  4. 2 handfuls green beans, ends cut off and beans cut in half
  5. 1 package chopped mushrooms
  6. 2 handfuls snap peas, ends cut off
  7. 2 sprigs rosemary
  8. 5 large basil leaves
  9. juice of one half of a lemon, plus a little rind
  10. 3 tbsp. olive oil
  11. 1 tsp. sea salt
  12. 1 tbsp. lemon pepper
  13. half package of gluten free pasta
  14. 3 tbsp. vegan butter
  15. 3 tbsp. chopped parsley
  16. 1 tbsp. chopped chives, for garnish
  17. salt and pepper, to taste

Process:

  1. In a large saute pan over medium heat, saute the chopped zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, and green beans with olive oil, sea salt, lemon pepper, and lemon juice.
  2. Saute until barely tender (about 7 minutes), stirring every few minutes.
  3. Add the mushrooms, snap peas, lemon rind, rosemary, and basil.
  4. Saute for another 5 minutes, until vegetables are crisp but tender.  Remove the rosemary and basil when done cooking.
  5. While the vegetables are cooking, cook pasta according to package directions.
  6. When the pasta is done and drained, put it back in the pan with the butter and parsley.  Stir until butter is melted.
  7. Add the vegetables and stir until combined.
  8. Serve hot, with chopped chives and salt and pepper on top.

I love this recipe because there are so many variations and you can really make it your own… choose your favorite vegetables, spices, protein sources.  Hope you enjoy!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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March 20, 2012 · 6:31 pm

Roasted Eggplant Greek Salad

Gearing up for a long full week, my lunches will be big portions of Roasted Eggplant Greek Salad.  I love spending Sundays cooking some basics for the week, namely my lunches.  This week I’m making pumped up Greek Salad with roasted eggplant, chickpeas, and homemade dressing.  Very filling and easy to put together in the morning after a Sunday of brief cooking and chopping!  This recipe will provide salads for the whole week, so adjust accordingly.

Roasted Eggplant Greek Salad

Pieces:

  1. one eggplant, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
  2. one half of a red onion, cut into strips
  3. a few shakes of garlic salt
  4. a few shakes of lemon pepper
  5. 2 cans chick peas, drained
  6. grape tomatoes, cut in half
  7. two cucumbers, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  8. one jar kalamata olives, drained
  9. read leaf lettuce, washed and torn
  10. 3 tbsp. olive oil
  11. 4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
  12. one sprig rosemary
  13. 3 basil leaves
  14. salt and pepper, to taste

Process:

  1. On a cookie sheet, toss the eggplant and red onion pieces and sprinkle with garlic salt and lemon pepper.
  2. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, until tender.
  3. For the dressing, mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, rosemary, basil leaves, and salt and pepper.  Shake well and let sit for a couple hours to let the herbs infuse.
  4. Over a bed of red leaf lettuce, toss grape tomatoes, cucumbers, chick peas, olives, eggplant, and red onion. (If you are a dairy person, you could add feta cheese.)
  5. Dress to your liking and enjoy!
  6. You could also bake some chicken tenders with lemon pepper at 375 degrees, cut into bite sized pieces, and toss with the salad for extra protein.

Happy Allergy Free Lunching!

 

 

 

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March 18, 2012 · 5:54 pm

Spring has sprung… time for pesto!

Happy spring to all those enjoying these wonderfully warm days!  In my mind, winter is officially over… but I will only bring out the flip flops one day at a time until we all really believe it.

In the summertime, I enjoy making pesto with fresh basil.  Basil is available this time of year, but it is not as good as it is in the summer… so I made Spring Pesto.  Spring Pesto uses a basil base, but other in season ingredients to boost its flavor.  It is very rich and easy to make.

Spring Pesto

Pieces:

  1. 1 cup basil leaves
  2. one quarter cup chopped walnuts
  3. one half of an avocado
  4. 1 cup spinach leaves
  5. 3 tbsp. olive oil
  6. one quarter cup non dairy creamer
  7. one half tsp. garlic salt
  8. 1 tsp. lemon pepper

Process:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
  2. Chop on high until well blended.

Normally, pesto is served on pasta.  Instead, I stuffed chicken breasts with red peppers and smothered them with the pesto.  Then I baked them at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes, until done.  Delicious!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

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March 15, 2012 · 7:04 pm

Some local eats

I ate a couple of meals from take out places this week, and needed to share them.  They put two of my forbidden foods back on my gluten free plate.  I had pasta and pizza this week… both gluten free, and both phenomenally delicious.  I was so impressed and had to share.

Earlier this week, I ordered take out dinner from The Chateau in MA.  The Chateau does typical family style Italian.  It also has a great basic gluten free menu that I obviously needed to try!  I ordered gluten free chicken parm with penne.  My chicken parm had no cheese on it per request, but I added some grated rice cheese on top when I got home.  I was so impressed by this meal, that I actually didn’t believe the pasta was gluten free.  I kept waiting to get sick!  Well done, Chateau!

The other gluten free take out I had this week was from Easy Pie in MA.  Easy Pie does sandwiches and pizza.  In honor of a math teacher’s favorite holiday (Pi Day!), my colleagues and I shared some pizza pie.  Mine was gluten and dairy free, and full of filling veggies.  The crust was a perfect pizza crust.  I will definitely be back to Easy Pie!

If you live in MA, you should check out these local eateries!  And keep an eye out for other gluten free menus… they are starting to really stand out.

Happy Allergy Free Eating Out!

 

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March 11, 2012 · 7:08 pm

Sweet Salmon Over Lemon Rice

I don’t usually cook fish because I would personally rather red meat.  But, I had a craving for salmon with a little zing… so I came up with Sweet Salmon over Lemon Rice.  It is sweet, savory, easy, and flavorful.  Enjoy!

Sweet Salmon Over Lemon Rice

Pieces:

  1. 2 salmon filets
  2. juice of one lime
  3. one quarter cup brown sugar
  4. 2 tbsp. freshly ground ginger
  5. 1 tsp. garlic salt
  6. 1 cup jasmine rice, cooked to directions
  7. 2 tbsp. grated lemon rind
  8. salt and pepper to taste

Process:

  1. In a bowl, combine the lime juice, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic salt and stir.
  2. Pour the lime juice mixture over 2 salmon filets (in a bowl) and let sit in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours.
  3. At 400 degrees, cook the marinated salmon on a cookie sheet for 18-20 minutes, until cooked through.
  4. While the salmon is cooking, cook jasmine rice according to directions.
  5. When rice is done cooking, add lemon rind and salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  6. Serve salmon over rice and enjoy!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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March 8, 2012 · 7:36 pm

Sizzzzling

Last week, I made fajitas at home and never had a chance to share them!  I like making fajitas at home because you can add so much variety to them and really personalize your favorite flavors.  I am also finding that ethnic foods fit well with my diet, so fajitas were a great weeknight meal for me.

First I made Smokey Corn and Beans:

Pieces:

  1. one can of drained black beans
  2. one half bag of frozen corn
  3. juice of one half of a lime
  4. 3 tbsp. smoked paprika
  5. a few handfuls of torn parsley

Process:

  1. In a large pan, add the beans, corn, lime juice, and paprika.
  2. Cover and put over medium heat.  Stir every few minutes, until warmed through.
  3. Toss with a few handfuls of torn parsley.
  4. Serve on the side of fajitas, or right in the tortilla!

 

Then I sauteed chicken tenders and sliced green pepper and onions in a large saute pan with some olive oil.  I added about 3 tbsp. lime juice, 2 tbsp. cumin, a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and garlic salt.  Stir and cover for about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and pepper and onions are tender.

To assemble fajitas, I used warm white corn tortillas topped with smokey corn and beans, chicken with peppers and onions, mild salsa, and guacamole.  So tasty, I couldn’t stop at just one!  Ole!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

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March 6, 2012 · 6:35 pm

Nebo

People often ask me what I miss the most about having food allergies, and my response is always “pizza and beer.”  I have found wonderful gluten free beers, so I don’t even know if that is a fair answer anymore.  But, pizza is much harder to find a good substitute for.  Gluten free pizza dough can be very dry, and very hard to find.  So, you can imagine my surprise when I found out that a North End restaurant, Nebo, has an extensive gluten free menu.  Gluten free Italian?  Yes, please!  It is so hard to find!

I went this past Saturday night to Nebo, and was impressed by the ambiance.  Dark lighting, impressive bar, buzzing with people.  I was so excited to ask for my gluten free menu and find that it was a whole 2 pages long!  It had appetizers, entrees, pastas, and pizza.  I was in heaven at actually having a choice!  While trying to mull over my choices, I enjoyed a mango cosmo.  Deeelicious.  What a great flavor idea!

After looking at all my choices, I decided on pizza because I rarely can eat it.  I ordered my favorite combo, sausage and hot peppers.  I also asked for a BARE sprinkle of cheese… but then realized that pizza should be very cheesy or not at all.

But the excitement really stopped there.  The pizza  dough was impressive for gluten free, but the toppings were minimal.  I wanted a loaded pizza with my favorite combination, and it just didn’t live up to my expectation.  There was only about 1-2 sausage and pepper pieces on each pizza slice.

The check was also disappointing… my gluten free pizza was $15 PLUS a $4 surcharge for being gluten free!  But it was on the gluten free menu!  I hate it when restaurants charge extra for gluten free just because they can since I have no choice.  It is the perfect way to bother a customer that could potentially be so excited if you just took good care of their health.

So… although it was an adventure, I don’t think I will be back to Nebo anytime soon.  I just don’t think that my pizza and cosmo should cost $33 before tip.  The food was fine, but it definitely didn’t wow me.  Better luck next time!

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