Heart of Cooking

Did you you know that it used to be common practice to soak flour in cultured milk, buttermilk or cream to make baked goods such as pancakes, muffins and cakes?  For people who are allergic to dairy products, water with a little lemon juice or vinegar can be used.

Why soak the flour?

As many people know, wheat and other grains are one of the hardest things to digest.  This accounts for many of the sensitivities to wheat and grain products that people have today.  However, if the grains and flours are first soaked for 12-24 hours, this begins the “digestion process” well before it hits your stomach.

“Because they are acidic, buttermilk,cultured milk, yogurt and whey (as well as lemon juice and vinegar) activate the enzyme phytase, which works to break down phytic acid in the bran of grains.  Sour milk products also provide lactic acid and lactobacilli that help break down complex starches, irritating tannins and difficult-to-digest proteins.  Soaking increases vitamin content and makes all the nutrients in grains more available…”  Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, pg. 476.

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Our lovely cherry tomatoes

I have been enjoying the Tuesday Twister blog posts by Wardeh Harmon at Gnowfglins.com for the past few weeks or so ever since I found her website.   These blog posts have been a synopsis of her week in the kitchen and what has been twisting in her cooking.  I love reading them, mostly because she focuses on nourishing, whole foods!

Last week she announced her new Blog Carnival, the Tuesday Twister Carnival and her invitation to participate in the weekly postings.  I started thinking about doing this and then a couple days ago, inspiration struck I finally decided to give it a go.  I can’t promise I’ll do it every week, but we’ll see what happens.

My Meal Un-Plan

I started thinking about my week in the kitchen and what it is normally like during our busy days.  And what stood out to me the most was the fact that I hardly ever meal plan.

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I receive a lot of emails from people who have found my site and are looking for ideas for their very limited diet.  Some of these people are at a complete loss as to what to eat because their diet is so limited.  I received one of these emails from someone last week inquiring about a diet for her daughter.

Here was her list of foods that her daughter was told to avoid:

gluten (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, tricale, and all products containing gluten such as soy sauce, etc)
grain (includes rice, millet, teff, and other gluten-free grains)
dairy
egg
soy
corn
banana
kiwi

This is a similar list to many of the people who come to me.  There are definite variations and more limited diets like those without any meat or fish, legumes, nuts, all fruit, etc.  But I thought I’d start with this diet to give you some ideas on where to start.

So what do you do when you get a list like this?  My hope is that in this post, I can give you my process for starting to come up with some foods and recipes you can eat when you receive a long list of foods you should be avoiding, even temporarily.

I am also working on compiling my recipes into menu plans for different diets such as this one so that people can have a menu planner for their specific limited diet.  I am also going to start writing some blogs about how you can start to do this for yourself!

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Do you miss the breading you used to enjoy on your chicken before you went gluten-free?

Have you been avoiding recipes for gluten-free breaded dishes because you don’t think they will turn out?

I’ve had my shared of flops when trying out breading.  But I have also discovered some things that work great.

And once again, if you don’t try it, how will you ever know?

So if you haven’t yet tried gluten-free breading, or your experiments have been disasters so far, here are some tips.

What to use for the breading:
There are many kinds of gluten-free breading for you to start experimenting with.  Here are a few ideas.

• Brown rice crumbs:  You will be able to find these in your gluten-free section of your grocery or health food store.  Use them in place of wheat bread crumbs.  Add salt, pepper and herbs for extra flavor.
• Almond meal:  Use in place of bread crumbs. I personally love this choice.
• Other ground nuts such as pistachios, cashews, walnuts.  You can choose to grind or chop them coarsely or grind them into a fine meal.
• Cornflakes or gluten-free rice cereals:  grind these up into a fine meal and bread as usual.
• Stale rice bread, cornbread or other gluten-free breads.  You can also toast bread in the oven until it is dried out and golden brown.  Grind to a fine meal in the food processor and use a bread crumbs.
• Dehydrated potato flakes: Make sure to find a natural brand that is free of preservatives (like Barbara’s).
• For Chicken Parmigiana:  mix 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese with 1 cup bread crumbs and add 1 Tbsp fresh chopped herbs and salt to taste.

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Globe artichokes - photo by Sarah

I talked with Diane Eblin today from The Whole Gang.  We had a great little chat and had some laughs about the discoveries we make in the kitchen.  We both agreed it takes a little adventure to delve into cooking some unknown or unusual foods.  But I think we would agree that this is where we have fun and discover new and delicious foods to enjoy.

This week at The Whole Gang for the Friday Foodie Fix, the food is artichokes.  This is giving me a great opportunity to get back into blogging, which if you haven’ noticed, has fallen by the wayside during the past couple of months during our move and transition to Frederick. Thanks Diane for the inspiration!

I will start by saying that artichokes are one of my favorite vegetables for a few reasons.  I love the taste of them, especially the hearts.  I love them on pizza, in salads, in pasta, in dips and other wonderful dishes.

But another reason I enjoy them is they take a long time to savor.  You eat each leaf, one at a time, hopefully with a yummy Hollandaise sauce, or just mayo if you like it.  It isn’t a vegetable you can prepare or even enjoy in a haste.  It almost beckons you to sit down, rest and enjoy each morsel of its tastiness.  I am lucky enough to have memories of enjoying artichokes at home with my family.  Other people I talk to, including Diane, didn’t have the experience as a child of learning how to cook this delicious vegetable or to enjoy one fresh.

But even if you’ve never tried cooking an artichoke, I will tell you right now, it is very easy!!!  Of course there are more complicated ways of cooking them, but if you’ve never done this before, just try steaming them.  Please see the recipe below for more instructions, plus a dairy-free Hollandaise sauce.

And lastly, an artichoke has a HEART and it also has the word ART in it – two of my favorite things!

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But what if it doesn’t turn out?

I am usually a very experimental cook, but I do find myself stalling sometimes; stalling to try something new in cooking or baking.  The reason is simple; it’s entering into the territory of the “unknown” and that little question, hiding in the background, seems to take precedence over my best intentions sometimes.

The little question?  “But what if it doesn’t turn out?”  For some reason this stops me, and many others, from trying something new and dabbling in a little creativity.  Our minds simply don’t want to deal with the risk that something terrible might happen if we actually get up the nerve to try coconut flour or egg-free baking.

And if we really think about it, the worst that can happen is that something doesn’t turn out and we are left with a pile of tasteless crumbs.  Or maybe they are tasty crumbs that need to be eaten with a spoon.  Either way, if we actually face this question straight on, we see that it is just a small part of ourselves that is a little afraid of something new.  And that’s okay, because we all have a comfort zone that is, well, comfortable.

But what happens when life hands us a different set of cards and we find ourselves with less ingredients to work with because of an allergy or condition that limits a food group from our diet?

I have always loved eggs.  They are great protein and fill my tummy up very well if I have them for breakfast.  I even gave egg yolks to my son starting at 6 months old because they “supply cholesterol needed for mental development as well as important sulphur-containing amino acids.”  I used all organic eggs from pasture-raised chickens, which are rich in omega-3 amino acids.  These fatty acids are essential for the development of the brain and are also found in mother’s milk.  I learned this from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (pg.600).  Egg whites however, should be avoided in a baby’s diet until at least one year of age because they can cause an allergic reaction if introduced too early.

However, though not officially tested yet, Elijah breaks out around his mouth now, even after eating just an egg yolk, even worse if he has egg whites.  So, while I have always been hesitant to use egg replacements, simply because I haven’t had a problem with eggs and because it is easier just to throw in an egg, I have started using some of the many concoctions that are great for replacing eggs in my baking.

And the foods I am creating egg-free are still turning out great!  In this week’s menu planner, I included a recipe I adapted from an Arrowhead Mills package of amaranth for Amaranth Date Pecan Bread.  The original recipe had wheat flour and eggs and butter in it (I used butter but you can easily use grapeseed, safflower or coconut oil) and I converted it to be egg, wheat, gluten and grain free.

At this point, it was almost a fun challenge to see if I could make it grain-free and still taste good.  So I made up a quinoa blend with tapioca flour and potato starch.  The result was surprising!  Chewy, a little crunchy, and sweetened with dates and honey, it was a real treat.  It was very yummy and even Elijah agreed.  It ended up being great as a snack, breakfast, or slightly sweet treat.

So next time you notice a part of yourself stalling in someway to try something new in cooking or baking, take a step back and just notice the question or thought that might be getting in the way.  Then tell it to take a break and have some tea and you’ll get back to it when you’re done with your little experiment.  (Or not!)  Even if something does turn out to be a flop, you will always learn something from it.  And the best medicine I’ve found for being disappointed with an experiment?  Laughing!

Amaranth Date Pecan Bread (Grain-free)

Servings:  4

Prep and cook time:  1 hour and 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped dates
½ cup amaranth, whole
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs or egg substitute*
½ cup honey, agave or maple syrup
¼ cup butter or safflower oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups Quinoa blend**
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans

* I used 2 Tbsp flaxmeal in 6 Tbsp boiling water.  Let sit for 10 minutes or until thick
** Grain-free mix – 2 cups quinoa flour2/3 cup potato starch1/3 cup tapioca flour

A reminder about egg replacements:
Use for 1 egg:

• 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce (or another fruit puree) + 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 3 Tbsp hot water.  Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until thick.  Use without straining.
• Egg Replacer, according to directions.

Steps:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Soak dates and amaranth in boiling water for 15 minutes.  Beat eggs (or use substitute), add honey and butter (or oil).  Stir in remaining ingredients, except for the nuts, mixing well.
2.  Pour into oiled loaf pan and spread chopped nuts over top.  Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour, or until tester comes out clean.

Substitutions: Whole amaranth: amaranth, qunioa or millet flour.  Quinoa blend: other GF blend, spelt, barley or wheat flour.  Pecans: leave out if allergic to nuts or use sunflower or sesame seeds.
Recipe inspiration: Adapted from recipe on Arrowhead Mills package of amaranth

Farmer in a buckwheat field

Yes, it’s the middle of winter, so I feel somewhat strange writing about “the bountiful harvest.”   It feels more appropriate to be writing about such things towards the end of summer when there is truly a bountiful harvest of fruits and vegetables.

But maybe that is why I’m writing about it now.  A little reminder of what exists, grows and blooms on this place we call home, the earth.  Even now, the seeds that will soon sprout into plants are simply taking a rest.  We don’t see them so it is easier to forget that they are there.

Then when spring comes, it is always a miracle to watch the earth slowly turn green and the plants start to blossom.  This is of course less noticeable in places that are more temperate, but this process this occurs.

What inspired this little post is my continued work on my cookbook (name still to be determined) where I am writing all about the ways one can substitute while cooking when following a diet limited to any of the following:  wheat, gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, egg, nightshade veggies, grains, corn, meat, seafood, yeast and so on.  I recently wrote about the different ingredients one could use if following a grain-free diet.  If you haven’t heard this term before, it may at first appear very limiting.

It is actually quite opposite.  People on a grain-free diet can still eat a rich diet of carbohydrates found in foods such as quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, tapioca, potato, as well as high-protein flours made from beans and nuts.  Quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat are technically seeds, and therefore can be eaten by a person on a grain-free diet.  These “grains” can be ground into flours, or cooked as is, to create bread and other nutritious dishes.  Almond, coconut and hazelnut flours can also be used to create baked goods that are just as good as those made with wheat.

For anyone on a limited diet, it can at first appear that there is nothing you can eat to replace what you used to eat on a regular basis. But when one is willing to venture into what I’d like to call the “bountiful harvest” of the earth, there are many foods that can be used to substitute and create new and wonderful dishes.

Furthermore, it seems to me that most people stick to just a handful of foods that they eat on a regular basis.  Take one of these out due to food allergies or another condition and a person may become lost as to what to prepare.  I think this is mostly due to the fact that the alternative grains, seeds, fruits and vegetables are not used in most of today’s processed foods.  Unfortunately, wheat, soy, dairy and corn are used almost exclusively over many other alternatives.

But this is where we have to use a bit of our creativity and a little investigation to discover some new foods and ways to create new and delicious dishes.  And you might be surprised, that the more you look, the more you will find!  The following recipe is an excellent example of how one can create a wonderful dish that is free of common allergens.  Enjoy!

Buckwheat or Quinoa Crepes
(Dairy, wheat, gluten, grain, egg, sugar, corn and soy free)

Recipe from www.grainfreeliving.com

Dry ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat or quinoa flour, or combination of the two
1/3 cup pure Potato Starch
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
pinch salt

Wet ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Enough filtered water to make mixture a runny cream consistency. (I used about 1 ½ cups)
1 egg (optional – they taste great without it).

Steps:

1. Combine dry ingredients well.   Add water and mix well.  Add Oil and vinegar last.   Let sit for as long as possible – overnight will produce the best flavor, but it is OK to use right away.
2. Pour into non-stick fry pan as you would a crepe – and cook until brown.  (the second side does not brown in the same way as the first)
3. Fill with avocado and salad with a drizzle of vinaigrette and seasonings of choice.  You can also add some slices of cooked meat or any other filling of choice – really yummy!!!  We love them as just pancakes – add butter, maple syrup, coconut butter, almond butter, jams, etc and enjoy!

Risotto with Artichokes and Leeks

This week’s menu:

• Hearty Fish Chowder and Carrot Raisin Salad
• Seven-Vegetable Pasta with Tarragon Glaze and Chicken and Sweet Pea Soup
• Greek Style Turkey Patties with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Green Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumber
• Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach and Wild Mushroom and Walnut Rice
• Risotto with Artichokes and Leeks with Chicken and Broccoli Cauliflower Bisque

Vegetarian Menu options:

• Hearty Quinoa and Veggie Chowder and Carrot Raisin Salad
• Seven-Vegetable Pasta with Tarragon Glaze and Almonds and Sweet Pea Soup
• Falafel Patties with Lemon Tahini Dressing and Green Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumber
• Lentils with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach and Wild Mushroom and Walnut Rice
• Risotto with Artichokes and Leeks with White Beans and Broccoli Cauliflower Bisque

Seven-Vegetable Pasta with Tarragon Glaze

This week’s menu planner is full of savory and delicious dishes, that are easy to make and should take no more than 30 minutes to prepare.  They are also very versatile – you can add chicken or fish or even beans or lentils to the dishes to fit your needs.

The Hearty Fish Stew is especially delicious – and I gave some to my son as well and he loved it.  The little bit of rice flour and almond milk makes it creamy and the nutmeg adds a savory flavor.  Enjoy!

Hearty Fish Chowder- mama and baby bowls

Hearty Fish Chowder

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons brown rice flour

3 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced potatoes

1/2 cup green peas

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pound salmon fillet

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Steps:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large soup pot to medium-high heat and sauté the onion until it is soft and translucent.  Add the garlic, salt and flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2.  Slowly stir in vegetable or chicken stock, carrots, celery, potato, peas, black pepper and nutmeg and cooked, covered, for 5 minutes.

3.  While the vegetables are cooking, wash the fish and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Add to the vegetable mixture and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the fish is flaky.  Stir in almond milk, balsamic vinegar and parsley.  Heat through and serve.

Vegetarian option: Instead of adding fish, add 1 cup of quinoa to the soup when you add the vegetables.  Bring to a boil, the reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Add the almond milk, vinegar and parsley at the end.

Substitutions: Salmon: mahi mahi, haddock, flounder, swordfish, etc.  Almond milk: GF rice milk, coconut milk or other non-dairy milk.  Vegetables: parsnips, blue potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, etc.

Nutritional info: Per Serving: 342 Calories; 10g Fat (25.1% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 72mg Cholesterol; 1915mg Sodium.

Recipe source or inspiration: Meals that Heal by Lisa Turner

Hearty Fish Stew with Elijah -"I want some!"

In my article, “Making a Beautiful Meal,” I talk about how the different color combinations of foods can greatly enhance and beautify a meal, making it more attractive and appealing. In this HeARTful Idea, I wanted to expand upon this concept to give you more ideas and inspiration while you’re cooking.

But first, a little color lesson. If you have taken any kind of art class, chances are you have seen a color wheel.  It is basically a circle with each color of the rainbow.  However, the colors are placed so that opposite to each color is its complementary color.  Below is a quick drawing of a color wheel I made.

A color wheel can be very helpful when you are first learning how complementary colors work.  As you can see, orange and blue, green and red, and yellow and purple are all directly across from each other. These colors have the most contrast between them, making the colors stand out.  You can use them to create more dramatic presentations in cooking and in art.

Let’s make this more practical and think of some situations where you might see these complementary colors at work within the art of cooking. As you read each example, take a moment to imagine what the colors of the foods would look like together.

Red and Green: I can think of many different circumstances where red and green create beautiful meals.  There are so many because there are so many green as well as red foods.  Here are a few examples I can think of off the top of my head:

• Green salad with tomatoes, radishes, red bell peppers, strawberries, pomegranates
• In the Indian Eggs dish in this week’s menu planner, the red tomatoes and cilantro are another example.
• Red beans or red rice with green vegetables and herbs
• Radicchio and avocado
• Beets and greens

Yellow and Purple: This is a little harder because there aren’t quite as many purple foods but there is still a lot to choose from.

Yellow and purple peppers
Yellow summer squash and purple cabbage
Yellow nasturtiums (edible flowers) and purple greens

Orange and Blue: Again, blue is hard to come by in the food kingdom, but you can also think in terms of black foods, such as black beans and black rice.

• Blueberries or blackberries and oranges in a fruit salad
• Black beans and sweet potatoes
• Blue corn and butternut squash

As you can see, when you combine colors of foods together that are complementary, it creates a meal that is beautiful to look at and appealing to eat. This week, when you are cooking, begin to notice the different colors of foods and how they complement each other.  Notice how a meal can be changed dramatically simply by adding a sprinkling of cilantro or by choosing summer squash over red peppers.

Indian Style Eggs

It’s been quite a while since I last posted a menu planner; the holidays were very busy and my husband and I were both sick twice and our son once.  I also had a few occasions of being “glutened” either because of cross-contamination, not being careful enough in a restaurant or not reading ingredients lists close enough.

I also recently learned that Rice Dream is not gluten-free, something I just assumed.  I wasn’t drinking it very often but after running across a few posts about how it has a “small trace” of barley in it, I realized that it was most likely the culprit in a few unexplained reactions I had last year.

In the background of all of this, Elijah has been teething on his first molers for what seems like months, and so hasn’t been sleeping all that great.  And of course, that means that I don’t sleep well!

So, here I am.  January 20th and “almost” feeling normal again.  With the holidays over and being excruciatingly anal about what goes into my mouth, I again feel like posting this week’s menu planner!  One thing I am very excited about is my new camera.  It takes beautiful pictures and has an amazing battery life.

Without further ado, here is this week’s menu planner.  It will be available as the Free Menu Planner Trial staring on Thursday.

• Cashew Avocado Wraps and Curried Yam Soup
• Simon and Garfunkel Black Bean Soup and Sunny Sprouted Avocado Salad
• Roasted Veggie and Chicken Burritos w/ Green Chili Sauce and Cilantro-Lime Rice
• Indian Style Eggs and Teff Nut Muffins
• Asian Style Stuffed Red Peppers or Zucchinis and Beets and Field Greens with Walnuts

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