Heart of Cooking

Since I’ve been on GAPS, it seems as though shopping has become similar and easier. Even when I am at the health food store, there are so many aisles of foods that we can’t eat.  So I end up zooming past them to get to the things we need from the fresh and bulk sections.

Because we buy the same things every week, I have a master shopping list that I use to make sure I buy what we need.  You can do this for any diet you’re on to make things easier when you shop.  I thought I would share my list with you today, so if you don’t already have a master list for a GAPS, SCD or Paleo diet, you are more than welcome to use mine and then adjust it to your own needs.

The nice thing about having a master shopping list like this is you tend not to forget to buy things you need as much. And every week, you can just print off a new one and cross off the things you already have or don’t want for the week.

GAPS, Paleo, SCD diet Shopping List

Read the rest of this entry »

I recently received an email from someone asking me if it was possible to cook all of the items on my free sample menu planner in one day.  This is basically what I do when I cook for a client as a personal chef – so yes, it is possible to cook up to 5 meals in one day and then refrigerate or freeze them for later.  I gave her some tips but I thought that this is something that a lot of people wonder about but don’t know how to implement.

If you are very busy during the week but have time over the weekend or another day during the week to cook several meals, this may be something that will help you eat healthy throughout the week without a lot of cooking during the work week.

I’ve been a personal chef in the Washington D.C. and Frederick, MD area for over three years so all of these tips are based on experience.  Let me know if you have other ideas – I’d love to hear from you.

Plan ahead:

This is imperative.  You need a plan of action in order to accomplish the amount of cooking that is needed to create 5 entrees and 5 side dishes in one day.  This is the main reason I make my menu planners – so that you don’t have to do the planning!

You can see the different kinds of menu planners I offer for different diets here.

Find the recipes and print: If you want to do your own planning, you’ll want to find about 4 or 5 recipes for main dishes that your family will enjoy.  Some entrees may have a built in side dish – like casseroles or one pot meals.  But if you want additional side dishes, find recipes for these as well and pair them with your entrees for the week.

If you can, print or photocopy the recipes.  If you have sheet protectors, you can use these to protect the recipes.  If you don’t want to photocopy, just place a bookmark in your cookbook.

When looking for recipes, try to find entrees that can be made in 30 minutes or less and side dishes that can be made in 20 minutes or less.  In other words, don’t pick a casserole dish with five different steps for one of your dishes on a cook day.

Read the rest of this entry »

I believe that almost anything is possible with a few ingredients:

• creativity and looking outside the box
• a few helpful kitchen tools
• amazing abundance of foods that the earth has given us

With these few ingredients, you can really come up with anything no matter how limited your diet is.  I really believe this.  Maybe it’s because the more limited my diet has become, the more I have discovered just how many ways there are to make pancakes, tortillas, noodles and other common food items.

Yes, I know, they are not the “same.”  But I tend to believe that different is good, no matter how crazy it sounds to make tortillas out of just eggs or noodles out of cabbage.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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!

Read the rest of this entry »

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.

Read the rest of this entry »

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!

Read the rest of this entry »

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!