August 23, 2011 · 5:15 pm

Let your fruits and veggies mingle!

Seriously, the fresh fruit this time of year is unbelievable.  For someone who eats fruits and veggies with every meal, the different varieties available now are bliss.  In fact, I have gotten so excited about fresh fruit and veggies, that I have been letting them mingle together in salads.  Here are my top three summer fruity salads:

Number Three: Nectarine, Cranberry, Pine Nut Salad

Over salad lettuce, I tossed some craisins (although, if I had more time, I would have used fresh cranberries), sliced nectarines, and pine nuts.  For a more savory salad, use arugula instead of salad lettuce.

Number Two: Pear and Walnut Salad

Over salad lettuce, I sprinkled sliced pear and chopped walnuts.  A great crunch combination.

Number One: Tomato, Basil, Watermelon Salad

My personal favorite.  I chopped very ripe yellow tomatoes, freshly cut watermelon, and fresh basil and layered the ingredients.  No lettuce needed.  An unexpectedly delicious combination!

All salads were topped with just simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but you could certainly get more creative with the dressing.  That is what’s great about salads… you can’t really mess them up.  Just find your favorite combination!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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August 21, 2011 · 6:32 pm

Restaurant Dining… to fear or not to fear?

Eating out in restaurants can be a challenge… a big one.  I know that I have to tell the waiter that I have food allergies, but am often embarrassed or just tired of saying it.  At first, it was really hard to realize that I have to look at a menu for what I CAN eat instead of what I WANT to eat.  But, as with anything else, it has gotten easier with time and experience… and a little patience.  I now know what to look for on a menu and what substitutions to ask for.  I really do feel like I can still enjoy restaurant dining.  Recently, I have been on vacation which brings the easy thrill of eating out… so I wanted to share with you what great wheat and dairy free meals I have found on menus!

Burger Sushi!  At Cowfish Burger Bar, they actually put burger meat right into the sushi.  Genius and delicious.  And of course gluten free soy sauce on the side.

Chicken Curry at a local Indian restaurant, Blue Taj.

Tofu Scramble at Flying Biscuit Cafe.  Seriously, you have no idea it isn’t scrambled eggs.

Grilled romaine salad with cherry tomatoes, red onions, and walnuts.  The lettuce was actually charred!

Steak dinner at Port Land Grille.  Two veggie sides instead of mashed potatoes… I did miss the mashed, but the steak made up for it!

Chicken Tacos with rice and beans at Cantina 1511… a mexican restaurant with it’s very own gluten free menu!

Restaurant dining can be fun and delicious.  There are more options than you think.  Actually, ethnic restaurants have the most options… which says a lot about our own American dining.  Happy Allergy Free Eating Out!

 

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August 16, 2011 · 5:30 pm

Boyfriend Chicken

When I was in high school, my mom knew how important it was to impress my then current boyfriend when he came over.  She also knew the easiest way to impress was with a homecooked meal.  (Without saying it, she showed me that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!)  So, she made this simple-yet-delicious chicken recipe that became fondly known in my house as “Boyfriend Chicken.”  Well, now she makes it gluten free!

Boyfriend Chicken

Marinate 4 chicken breasts in dijon mustard and white wine.  There are no measurements for this, just use enough to cover the chicken breasts.  Let them sit for at least an hour, long enough for the chicken to get tipsy. 🙂

Cover each marinated chicken breast in corn flake crumbs, so each has a substantial coating on it.

In a skillet, pour enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

Heat the oil for a few minutes to get it hot.

Carefully place each coated chicken breast in the hot, oiled pan.

Cover and let simmer for about 10-12 minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with a shake of your favorite herbs on top (oregano, parsley, or dill) and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Happy Allergy Free Eating, boys!

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August 14, 2011 · 7:12 pm

Summer Salsa Talk

When I visit my parents, my mom goes on a culinary binge creating gluten and dairy free meals.  She is always on the lookout, and I often go home with numerous copies of recipes… and a full stomach.

This week, my mom made salmon with summer salsa on top, with roasted green beans and quinoa on the side.  We went to the local farmer’s market to get fresh fruits and veggies for the salsa…always the best way to get fresh and less expensive produce.  The salsa included chopped mango, red pepper, tomato, jalapenos, shallots, a tablespoon of apricot jam, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lime juice.  A perfect summer topping.

After dinner, my mom and I were talking about how homemade salsa can take on so many different varieties.  Here is how the conversation went:

“This was so delicious.  You could also add red onion for a kick.”

“Oooo, or how about capers and olives?”

“Or you could make a citrus salsa by adding orange slices.”

“Or grapefruit!”

“What about some crunch… like nuts… pine nuts would be good.”

“And celery.”

“Waldorf salsa… celery, grapes, and walnuts.”

“Or BLT salsa… with arugula and chopped bacon.”

“And you could put this over chicken, or in a salad, or even over sausage in the morning.”

“You know, we really should write all this down…”

And so it goes.  My mom and I really love talking about food and how different flavors come together.  We often look at recipes and then discuss how we could change them with different flavors for different seasons, meals, or tastes.  To me, this is what makes cooking such a fun challenge. 🙂

Happy Allergy Free Eating, and talking… go make some salsa!

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August 12, 2011 · 11:11 am

Filling up on Flavor

Always on the hunt for new recipes, my mom found this fabulous cooking magazine called “Cooks Illustrated.”  She picked it up at a local grocery store a couple years ago and has continually renewed her membership.  There are few ads in it, just pure cooking talk.  Recipes, ideas, tips, and of course illustrations… and all so simple yet so profound.

The most recent issue had a two page spread on how to add flavor to your meals.  I never really thought about such details, but this article really opened my eyes to how flavor is enhanced during the cooking process.

My favorite tips included:

1.  Scoring meat before you marinate it.  Makes perfect sense… poke small holes in the meat so the marinade can actually get inside and add flavor.

2.  Add hearty herbs at the beginning of the cooking process and fine herbs at the end.  That way, the hearty herbs can last and the fine herbs won’t lose their flavor.

3. If you want intense pepper flavor, add pepper at the end of the cooking process.  Otherwise, the pepper will lose flavor over time.

4. Toast your nuts.  To intensify the flavor of nuts, toast them in the oven on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan over low heat on the stove for a few minutes.  I have done this, and it really does work!

5.  To kick up commercially bought spices, saute them in a little butter or oil over the stove.  This will bring out their flavor so they seem fresh.

6.  Ever added just a bit too much flavor?  If food is too salty, add an acid or sweetener.  If food is too sweet, add an acid or seasoning.  If food is too spicy, add a fat or sweetener.  All about balance!

Happy Allergy Free Cooking!

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August 9, 2011 · 10:27 am

Colette’s Corn Salad

This past weekend, I was able to catch up with a few of my cousins and share a home cooked meal.  My cousin, Colette, lovingly made an entirely “Lauren friendly” meal.  It always touches me when friends and family tell me about gluten and dairy free products, articles, and restaurants they find… but my cousins went above and beyond.  They covered every angle of my restrictive diet without even blinking an eye, with the attitude of “it’s an adventure, and we are going to do it with you!”  That’s love.

There was perfectly cooked steak (thanks, Jim!), oven roasted potatoes, corn salad, tomato and avocado salad, and fruit sorbet with a gluten and dairy free treat for dessert (thanks, Diana!).  And they even got soy milk for my coffee the next morning, with my favorite Van’s waffles and turkey sausage!

The most interesting part of the meal was the corn salad… now known as “Colette’s Corn Salad.”  Colette had tried it in a restaurant and recreated the recipe from her own tastebuds.  So I, of course, had to have the recipe and recreate it!

Colette’s Corn Salad

In a large pan, saute chopped onion (I actually used a shallot that was on hand) and chopped bacon.  (I took about 5 bacon strips and cut them into small pieces.)  Add a little bit of olive oil, and stir frequently.

When the bacon is just about done cooking, add corn.  (Colette used sweet corn right off the cob, I used a bag of frozen that was on hand… the fresh was so much sweeter!)

Also add a few tablespoons of chopped rosemary (this is the secret, must have ingredient).  Stir in another tablespoon of olive oil and a few shakes of sea salt.

Stir and cover until cooked and heated through.

My new favorite side dish… seriously delicious!  Happy Allergy Free Eating.

 

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August 8, 2011 · 4:39 pm

Kitchen Sink Pesto

A little of this, a little of that… one last bite of this, one last bite of that… that is what my fridge looked like by the end of the week.  I had some herbs that needed to be used, so I made Kitchen Sink Pesto.

Pesto can be made with any combination of herbs and nuts.  Usually, it is made with basil and pine nuts.  I looked in the fridge and found basil, cilantro, mint, walnuts, and almonds.  So why not make pesto and use them all?

In my mini cuisinart, I put the leftovers… a few large bunches of basil, a few tablespoons of cilantro, a couple tablespoons of mint, about a half cup of walnuts, a half cup of almonds, and even a half of an avocado (definitely added to the creaminess!).

 

I then added a couple tablespoons of olive oil as well as some chicken broth (so it wasn’t so oily and unhealthy).  Add some lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chop on high until smooth.  At the very end, I added a few tablespoons of pasta water to thicken it.  Ta da!  Perfect Kitchen Sink Pesto!

Love that Cuisinart.

Yum!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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August 5, 2011 · 5:38 pm

Cookout… no I mean, CookIN

The summer is primetime for grilling… except that I don’t have a grill.  Doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy cookout food!  This week, I made three different types of burgers and pasta salad… for my own little cookIN.

Using 90% lean meat, I made:

Sun dried tomato basil burgers (using finely chopped sundried tomatoes and freshly chopped basil)

Cilantro chili lime burgers (using finely chopped cilantro, lime zest, and chili powder)

Barbeque bacon onion burgers (using cooked turkey bacon cut into very small slices and chopped onion).

Talk about taste explosions!  I love my red meat, and if I can’t have cheese on my burger (or a bun for that matter!), I am going to turn up the burger flavor.

To make each burger, I put each set of chopped ingredients in bowls and mixed in the meat with the flavor combinations using my hands, until well incorporated.  Then form into patties.  Instead of a grill, I simmered the burgers in my Giada pan with a dash of olive oil, covered, for just a few minutes on medium heat.

For a side, I made corny confetti pasta salad.  I cooked gluten free pasta al dente and let it cool for a few hours.  I then added frozen corn kernels, chopped cherry tomatoes, and red, yellow, and orange pepper slices.  Toss with basil seasoning, olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, a dash of sugar, salt, and pepper.  Let the flavors combine in a bowl for a few hours in the fridge and then enjoy!

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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August 3, 2011 · 6:15 pm

Movie Snacks

Tonight, I went over a friend’s house for a good ol’ girls movie night in.  Of course, we needed snacks!

I have never been a big fan of popcorn (I know, I am so un-American!), so I made a couple of alternatives…homemade potato chips and fried green beans.  The perfect combination of crunch to munch on in between giggles.

For the homemade potato chips, I washed a few small to mid sized potatoes, both white and red potatoes.  Keep the skin on!  Using a mandolin, I thinly sliced the potatoes several times for (what seemed like) a million slices.  I then spread them out on a cookie sheet so that none of them were touching (very important), sprayed them lightly using olive oil in a mister, and sprinkled sea salt.  Bake at 375 for about 10-15 minutes or until they get crispy.  They start to get crispy when they marbleize brown and white.  You can also add a variety of spices to top these off, including chili powder, paprika, or cumin.  You may have to play with the timing, temperature, and thinness of slices to get your favorite crisp.

 

My mandolin… for perfect potato slices.

Potatoes before crisping in the oven…

Potatoes after crisping in the oven.   Marbleized!

For the fried green beans, I referenced a recipe I found on Twitter from the Gluten Free Goddess.  She used zucchini, but I adapted green beans.  Once washed and trimmed, I dipped the green beans in an “egg” mixture (I used EnerG Egg Replacer and water… it was like the perfect food glue!) and then a mixture of rice flour and ground walnuts (about three quarters of a cup of each).  In an inch of hot oil over the stove, I placed the coated green beans in the oil until they crisped.  Careful, hot oil sizzles!  I then let them cool on paper towels.  To dip these fried veggies, I made Cool as a Cucumber Sauce.  Crispy, fresh, and delicious!

The green beans all dipped and ready to sizzle!

Action shot of green beans a’frying!

Fried Green Beans

Happy Allergy Free Eating!

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July 31, 2011 · 4:26 pm

False and Fair Food Labels

I once read a very scary article on chicken.  I don’t want to remember the details, but it was enough to get me to buy organic meat from then on.  And I still do.  I am a big believer that what you put into your body has a direct effect on how your body performs (hello, allergies) and only try to eat what is truly good for me.  So, I read labels and want to share with you what you are reading when you pick up a food label.

Whole Foods has great explanations about their meat labels, right at the meat counter.

False Labels

The words cruelty free, cage free, environmentally friendly, nature’s friend, no chemicals, and vegetarian fed have no standards with the USDA.

That means that food manufacturers can slap these labels on any food they wish, but they don’t really mean anything.  It’s a pure marketing scheme to make you feel good about what you are buying.

Iffy Labels

The words natural, no antibiotics, free range, and grass fed only have some regulations with the USDA.

A HUGE percentage of food products are labeled “natural” and usually for no reason.  I never trust a label that has the word “natural” on it, especially when it is on sugary cereals!  The USDA has only approved the word for use with fresh meat.

“No antibiotics” is difficult for the USDA to control because it is hard to keep tabs on the beginning to end of a food product’s production (in some cases, the life of an animal which could span several years).

“Free Range” means that the animals have some sort of access to the outdoors, but this could mean only for a short amount of time or in very tight spaces.  And there are no other regulations on how the animals are raised, such as what they are fed.

“Grass Fed” can only be trusted when it says “100% Grass Fed.”  That means that the animal was grass fed its whole life, instead of just in their infancy.

Solid Labels

USDA Organic, Certified Humane Raised and Handled, and Fair Trade are phrases that are strictly regulated with the USDA.  Organic products are stamped with a specific seal and must be produced without pesticides, fertilizers, or other chemicals.  If a product is 100 to 95% organic, it gets the seal.  If it is at least 70% organic, it has the label “made with organic.”

Certified Human and Raised focuses on how the animal was raised, from birth to death.  They can move around freely and behave how they naturally would.

Fair Trade refers to the farmers and food raisers to get fair wages and working conditions.  So, it is good for the food producers, but has nothing to do with the food itself.

I hope that these words help you read labels critically and think twice about what you are putting into your body.  Happy Allergy Free Eating!

(I got all of my information from the March/April edition of Audubon Magazine.)

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