November 10, 2011 · 8:20 pm

Potato Potato Beef Stew

Fall is the time to bring out the crock pot!  I love coming home to a meal cooking in the crock pot… the savory smells, the prep work that was already done, and the knowing that a hot meal is only minutes away.  Here is my hearty beef stew that is perfect for a cool fall night…

Potato Potato Beef Stew

Pieces:

  1. 1 lb. small white potatoes, cut into bite size pieces (quartered)
  2. 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
  3. 6 carrots, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
  4. 6 parsnips, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
  5. one half cup chopped onion
  6. 2 cans garlic and onion canned tomatoes, drained
  7. 2 lbs. sirloin meat tips
  8. one half cup red wine
  9. one half cup apple cider
  10. 2 tbsp. chopped rosemary, thyme, parsley
  11. 2 tbsp. cumin
  12. 1 tsp. garlic salt and pepper

Process:

  1. Put all pieces in the crockpot and heat on low for 5-5.5 hours.
  2. Stir occasionally.
  3. Serve hot!

Before…

And after a day of cooking with just a little heat and time…

Ready to eat!

Happy Allergy Free Eating… and stewing!

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November 8, 2011 · 7:07 pm

Food Fotos

My friends and family have done it again…

I happily went over a friend’s house for dinner the other night for some warm company and good food after a tough week.  On the menu was EVERYTHING Lauren friendly.  It was such a nice treat, both the food and the kindness, so I had to share:

There was hummus and rice crackers…

Prosciutto wrapped melon…

Raspberry walnut salad…

Sweet garlic corn on the cob…

Roasted sweet potatoes…

Cauliflower mashed potatoes (like Fake Outs)…

Honey mustard crusted chicken…

Coconut milk chocolate ice cream…

Topped on gluten free brownies!

What a meal, and what a great dose of company.  I cannot thank all of my friends and family enough for the thought and care they put into meals when they know I am coming over…I certainly never feel deprived!  Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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November 6, 2011 · 5:05 pm

Pancakes!

I cherish my weekend mornings… time to sleep in, wake up slowly, enjoy a mug of coffee, and make a big breakfast.  I always try to eat a breakfast that is different from my usual quick smoothie routine, and this weekend, it was chocolate chip pancakes.  Instead of using gluten free flour mixes, I decided to make my own… and they came out delicious!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Pieces:

  1. 1 cup soy flour
  2. one half cup brown sugar
  3. 1 egg (or equivalent)
  4. 1 tbsp. oil
  5. 3 tbsp. agave nectar
  6. one half tsp. salt
  7. one half cup chocolate chips
  8. one half tsp. baking powder
  9. cooking spray
  10. vegan butter, cinnamon, and syrup for topping

Process:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
  2. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, drop large circles of batter and cook on medium heat.
  3. When the pancakes start to bubble, flip each one to cook the other side.
  4. You will know when they are cooked because they won’t be drippy.
  5. Serve hot with some vegan butter, a dusting of cinnamon, and maple syrup!

Happy Allergy Free Eating… and Breakfasting!

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November 3, 2011 · 6:23 pm

Sneaking in some Cinnamon

With the fall season embracing us (against my wishes to live summer all year long), I find myself sneaking in some cinnamon wherever I get the chance.  Not only is it delicious, but it is also an antioxidant!  Lately, I have seen myself reaching for some sort of cinnamon-sugar combination in my morning, afternoon, and evening meals.

Morning

I usually make a protein enriched fruit smoothie, but the cooler weather begs for a hot breakfast.  So, I have been making enriched oatmeal.  Using gluten free oats, I cook according to package directions and then add soy milk, a tablespoon of peanut butter, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Totally delicious and filling!

Afternoon

I really enjoy a good Starbucks latte in the afternoon, but sometimes I make my own to avoid the expense.  Using my Keurig, I make a cup of decaf coffee.  I then add a healthy dose of soy milk and stir with my Aerolatte.  The Aerolatte makes it look like a real Starbucks latte!

Finally, I add about 1 tsp. of chocolate syrup, 1 tsp. of vanilla syrup (both found in my grocery store), and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top.  What a nice afternoon treat!

Evening

Apple Cinnamon Shmash is perfect for this time of year, and of course includes cinnamon.  But after dinner, I tried making an Apple Cinnamon Martini… and really enjoyed the results!  In a martini glass, add one shot of cupcake vodka (seriously, you need to try this), one dash (half shot) of Amaretto liquer, and top off with apple cider.  Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top or around the rim, and enjoy!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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November 1, 2011 · 5:32 pm

Pumpkin Partying

Annually around this crisp fall time of year, children dress up and trick or treat in local neighborhoods.  Well, my friends and I dress up and eat.  And my annual Halloween Party this year was no exception… actually, not only was there lots of food, but much of it was allergy friendly!

My friends brought hummus and veggies, buffalo chicken dip, gluten free tortilla chips and guacamole, chocolate dipped pretzels, chocolate pudding pie, serious chicken wings, sa-weet kielbasa, and I made my Jumbalaya and Colette’s Corn Salad.  Talk about variety and delicious-ness!

I wanted to highlight 3 of these recipes that my friends made “Lauren friendly.”

First, there were chocolate dipped pretzels, and then there were “Lauren chocolate dipped pretzels.”  I loved that a special batch was made just for me, because it meant that I didn’t have to share!  My dessert was made with gluten free pretzels and dairy free chocolate, covered with crushed peanuts and coconut.

(Honestly, I ate my dessert before I could snap a photo, but here are the branded ingredients!)

Then there was Sa-weet Kielbasa made by Jeanine, which is a popular party pleaser among our friends.  The best part is that there honestly isn’t a solid recipe… you take kielbasa and cut it into bite sized rounds.  Place the bites into a large oven safe pan, drizzle generously with honey and sprinkle generously with brown sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees until the sweetness starts to melt and the kielbasa starts to cook.  Serve hot with toothpicks… many toothpicks!

Lastly, Tristyn made her often-requested Serious Chicken Wings.  We always beg Tristyn for the recipe, and she finally gave it up for us!

Serious Chicken Wings (for a large crowd)

Pieces:

  1. 10 pounds of chicken wings
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 2 heaping tbsp. ground ginger
  4. 8 cloves minced garlic
  5. 3 bottles of gluten free soy sauce (12 oz. bottles)
  6. 1 cup sherry

Process:

  1. Combine all ingredients in large pan or plastic bags.  Marinate 24 hours (very important to let all the flavors mingle this long, says Tristyn!)
  2. In a large baking pan, bake the marinated chicken wings meaty side down for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
  3. Flip the wings, and drain all the juices.  This will make the wings crispy as they cook longer.
  4. Continue to bake for another 45-60 minutes, until desired crispiness.
  5. Try to get them out of the oven faster than people start to eat them!

Thank you to all my friends for their recipes, good company, and thoughtfulness in making an allergy friendly party!  Until next year… Happy Allergy Free Eating!

 

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October 27, 2011 · 7:35 pm

A Taste of New Orleans…

Still dreaming about the fresh Cajun meals I enjoyed while in New Orleans this summer, I decided to make my own version of Jumbalaya for some friends I am having over tomorrow night.  It is pretty inexpensive to make, easy to serve a large group of people, and definitely a crowd pleaser.  The best part was that I used a Cajun spice I bought while in New Orleans this summer, appropriately named “Slap Ya Mama” spice mix!  Although a simple blend of chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper… it was delicious… and the name made it even more so!

Jumbalaya for a crowd

Pieces:

  1. 2 pounds chicken tenders
  2. 2 tbsp. olive oil for sauteing
  3. 2 cans chopped tomatoes
  4. 1 package Andouille sausage
  5. 2 cups of rice
  6. 1 package frozen corn and red pepper mix
  7. 2 tbsp. Slap Ya Mama seasoning (or your own spicy mix)
  8. 2 tsp. cumin
  9. 2 tsp. smoked paprika
  10. 1 tsp. parsley

Process:

  1. Chop the chicken tenders into bite sized pieces.
  2. In a shallow saute pan with olive oil, saute the chicken tender pieces until cooked through.  While they are cooking, add 1 tbsp. Slap Ya Mama seasoning, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, and 1 tsp. parsley and stir frequently.
  4. Cook 2 cups rice to package directions.
  5. In a large pan, add the rice, chicken, canned chopped tomatoes, sausage links (cut into bite size pieces), package of corn and pepper mix, 1 tbsp. Slap Ya Mama seasoning, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. smoked paprika.
  6. Stir and heat on low heat until heated through.
  7. Serve hot… preferably with a banjo player!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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October 25, 2011 · 6:57 pm

Honey Sesame Tofu

I ordered some Chinese take out with a friend this weekend, and my indulgence of choice was Honey Sesame Tofu.  I never had it before, and it was pretty good.  I liked the sweet flavor and thick tofu pieces.  Then I started thinking…. wait, I could make this…and make it healthier…

Honey Sesame Tofu

Pieces:

  1. 1 block of firm tofu
  2. 3 tbsp. oil for sauteing
  3. 2 tbsp. gluten free soy sauce
  4. 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  5. 6 tbsp. honey
  6. 2 tbsp. agave nectar
  7. 3 tbsp. plum sauce
  8. 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  9. 1 tsp. chili powder
  10. 1 tbsp. soy flour
  11. sesame seeds for sprinkling

Process:

  1. Make crispy tofu pieces, like I did in Sweet and Salty Stir Fry.  Follow steps 1-6 to dry, slice, and saute the tofu in hot oil in a shallow pan until they start to brown.
  2. While the tofu is cooking, make the honey sauce by combining soy sauce, sesame oil, honey,  agave nectar, plum sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder.
  3. Heat the sauce on low until it starts to bubble, whisking thoroughly.
  4. Then add 1 tbsp. soy flour to thicken, and stir for just another minute.
  5. Pour the sauce over the tofu, sprinkle some sesame seeds, and serve over rice and/or vegetables.

Here is the take out version with rice:

Here is my version with snap peas:

Pretty close… and I am sure my version is healthier!

Happy Allergy Free Eating.

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October 23, 2011 · 7:21 pm

Beer Tastings

One of the things I miss most about being gluten free is enjoying a beer.  For a while, many people told me to try Redbridge, which is gluten free and easy to find.  I did give it a shot, and it was… okay.  Not my favorite beer, but I guess it could work if I was really craving a beer.

But recently I came across 3 new gluten free beers, all so delicious!

The first one is made from rice.  It is light, citrusy, and very thirst quenching.  Similar to a white ale.

The second one is my new favorite.  For someone who was a big Guinness fan, this is an excellent compromise.  It has a genuine taste similar to a porter or a stout… dark and rich.  It is made from millet, buckwheat, and rice.

The third one is raspberry flavored… which I never imagined I would find!  Its base is corn, and it is very similar to a raspberry UFO.  Really delicious!

Although these beers are hard to find in restaurants and bars, it is nice to see them in my fridge as an icy cold option!
Cheers.

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October 20, 2011 · 5:50 pm

What’s in the fridge?

It’s been a busy week, which hasn’t left me much time to plan weekly meals.  So, I turned to my fridge and freezer… crossing my fingers that I could make a few dinners out of some odds and ends.  I found some rice, frozen baby shrimp, corn, snap peas, and soy sauce… and so a stir fry was born.  I usually buy a few extra things at the grocery store each week, “just in case” items or items that are on sale.  This week they came in handy!

While the frozen baby shrimp were defrosting, I made 1 cup of jasmine white rice according to package directions.

I then added the thawed shrimp, about 1.5 cups of frozen corn, and 2 cups of frozen snap peas.  (You could defrost the veggies a bit if you have time)

To get it all mixed together, I added 2 tsp. parsley, 3 tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp. rice vinegar, 1 tbsp. honey, 1 tbsp. garlic chili, and salt and pepper to taste.

I stirred until the veggies and shrimp were cooked and heated through, then served.

With minimal time and effort, I had a satisfying dinner!  Stir Fry to the rescue!  Not only does stir fry take minimal time, but you could vary the flavors, or add different proteins.  The varieties are endless, even though my time wasn’t.

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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October 18, 2011 · 5:35 pm

“Boy That Was Good” Burton’s

With time, this whole eating-out-in-a-restaurant thing is getting better… and it certainly helps when I go to a restaurant that has an entire gluten free menu!

Last night, I went to Burton’s Grill.  Burton’s already gets high marks in food and atmosphere, but they truly stand out because of their separate gluten free menu.  This menu features many of their regular menu items, but with gluten free variations.  I love reading my own menu, knowing that I could get anything on it!

Each menu item that is made in a special gluten free way has turquoise writing and this symbol at the bottom:

After I ordered, as usual, a manager came to talk to me about my allergies.  He reminded me that all gluten free fare come on square plates, so I know which food is meant for me.  He even came back to check on me once my food came out to make sure that everything was to my liking.  What a nice feeling!

So, on the menu last night was a plate of oysters (naturally gluten free!) and their Land and Sea plate.  A filet mignon and grilled shrimp, with my choice of 2 sides (from a list of 5).  I chose a baked potato and cucumber salad.  I was even offered a gluten free roll!  On a square plate, of course.

Another successful dining experience, thanks to the care taken by Burton’s.  I will certainly be back!

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