If you’re looking for healthy, sugar-free and gluten free dessert recipes and a delicious allergen-friendly Holiday Menu Planner this season, you won’t want to miss the 20% OFF pre-order offer that will be expiring tonight at midnight PST.

All of the recipes on both the Just Desserts for the Limited Diet recipe e-book and the Holiday Menu Planner are free of the following ingredients:

no gluten

no wheat

no grains

no starches or nightshade veggies

no refined sugar – only honey is used

no dairy – butter is used but coconut oil can be substituted

no soy

no corn

no peanuts

egg-free options and dessert recipes are on both the menu planner and dessert e-book

Some of the recipes that you won’t want to miss out on include:

Dairy-free Egg Nog

Egg-free Egg Nog

Gingered Cranberry Raspberry Relish

Dairy and Gluten-free Coconut Cream Pie

Gluten free Pecan Pie

Gluten free Pumpkin Pie

Gluten free Cookie Cutter Cookies

Gluten free Cookie Press Cookies

Spice Cake with “Butter” Cream Frosting

Walnut Torte with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Almond Brittle

Almond Rocha

and many more!

Also, the desserts e-book and the holiday menu planner make great gifts for the holidays for someone who is limited in their diet.

To read more about the allergen-friendly Holiday Menu Planner and the Just Desserts for Limited Diets recipe e-book and to pre-order, click here.

I hope you’re having a relaxed and blessed holiday season!

First of all, the brain isn’t separate from the rest of our bodies.  Of course this is obvious when we look at the human body.  But somehow, we have been led to believe in our culture that our stomachs and the food we eat don’t really affect our brains and how we think.

In Five Element Acupuncture, the body is viewed as an intricate whole.  There are separate systems but each one of these systems or elements affects and relies on one another.  It is also said that the Earth element, which is connected to the stomach and the spleen, is the most important element, or the Mother of all elements.  If out of balance, this can lead to many other imbalances within the body, mind and spirit of a person.

To understand this, you only have to imagine the Earth.  When the Earth is diseased – unhealthy plants, too many toxins, pesticides, etc. – this has a detrimental affect on the living organisms on the planet.  We have seen the result of pollution on the Earth over the past several years and can attest that an unhealthy planet leads to diseases in plant, animal and human life.

Another example:  Imagine a bicycle wheel and the spokes that come out from the center.  The stability of the center is vital for the bicycle wheel to function properly.  Now imagine a broken center, where the spokes don’t connect properly or there isn’t any real substance of the center to hold the spokes.  So what happens?  The wheel falls apart.

Now return to the human being.  The stomach or Earth element is our center.  It is the place where the nourishment and food we eat becomes digested and transformed into energy in order for our bodies to be healthy and happy (hopefully!).  It feeds every cell in our bodies, especially our brains.  So in essence, the food we eat fuels the way we think, how we feel, and how well we are able to accomplish a task at hand.

We don’t usually think about food in this way.  But when you take into consideration that alcohol can affect speech, actions and thoughts, it is easy to understand that the food we eat also affects our minds, either positively or negatively.

Now imagine the Earth element or digestive system that is imbalanced or unhealthy in a person.  The result is that the food doesn’t become digested properly.  Toxins, yeasts, and unfriendly bacteria build up simply because there is a shortage of the good bacteria or normal gut flora to keep these toxins in check.

The Earth element is very unhappy in a person like this.  And what’s more, the gut lining of this person becomes damaged.  This is what is termed “leaky gut syndrome,” where undigested food and toxins leak through the gut and into the rest of the body.

Where do these toxins go?  They can go all over the body, unfortunately, and wreak havoc on any other body part.  Skin rashes, eczema and psoriasis can begin this way, from an unhealthy, leaky gut.

Where else do you suppose these toxins swim to in our blood stream?  Unfortunately, these toxins reach the brain and cause all sorts of malfunctions.

What are some of these problems? To name a few; depression, autism, ADHD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, learning disabilities, schizophrenia, anxiety, nightwakings, behavioral problems, hyperactivity, bipolar disorder and others.

Is this for real?  Yes, and a lot of people, including some doctors, still don’t believe that a poor digestion has anything to do with the way one acts, thinks or feels.  But fortunately there are doctors, parents and other people who can vouch that this is indeed true.

One of these pioneers is Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride who wrote Gut and Psychology Syndrome.  She is a doctor of Neurology and Human Nutrition and she herself has a child who was diagnosed with learning disabilities.  But through a specific diet, she was able to heal her child who now lives a normal and healthy life.

Reading this book has been like finding the missing piece I’ve been looking for over the years.  Everything she writes makes perfect sense, even if sometimes I have to read it 2-3 times because it is a little technical.  I haven’t even finished reading it yet, and when I do, I’m going to start over at the beginning.

In my recent posts, I have written about how my diet is going the grain-free direction.  Actually, it’s already there, I think for at least a couple weeks now.  I have decided to do the GAPS diet, which is a grain-free, sugar-free, starch-free diet.  (I am waiting to do the Intro. diet until my son is no longer nursing.)

This diet is based on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet with a few modifications.  From the GAPS guide book:
“GAPS relieves symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Celiac Disease, depression, colitis, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, learning disabilities, diverticulitis, Cystic Fibrosis, chronic diarrhea, schizophrenia, Attention Deficit (Hyperactive) Disorder, anxiety, Crohn’s, rheumatoid arthritis, nightwakings, eczema, non-anaphylactic allergies, asthma, behavioral problems, gas, bloating, constipation, feeing difficulties, coilc, reflux, food intolerances, vomiting, heartburn, psoriasis, dyspraxia, hyperactivity, urinary and fecal incontinence, malnutrition, tummy pains, stool abnormalities and more.”

Why have I decided to do this diet?  If I stay away from certain foods, such as most dairy, gluten, soy, beans and most sugars, then I can keep my food allergies and symptoms in check.  However, I don’t feel that eating a limited diet like this is ultimately going to heal me from my food allergies.

What I have been learning  is that through a specific protocol of avoiding all grains, starches and sugars (honey and fruit is okay), while giving the body probiotics and nutrient packed foods that are easily digestible, the gut lining can begin to heal.  After about two years on this specific diet, people’s guts have normal gut flora, their linings are healed and they will no longer have the symptoms they once had from eating certain foods.

This means that for many people, they are able to eat dairy products again, maybe after years of avoiding them.  People become “un-allergic” to other foods too, such as eggs and nuts.  It is also said that after the gut lining heals, you can deviate from you diet and eat some grains (even glutenous ones) here and there and you won’t have the symptoms you used to have from eating these foods.

Now, would I rather continue eating a gluten-free diet for the rest of my life?  Or will I be able to stay grain-free for two years in order for my body and gut lining (the source of the problem) to heal so that I can live a healthier and happier life?

Although this diet is not easy, I am choosing the latter.  For many people with children with autism or other mental and digestive problems, this diet is their last straw and hope.  Although this diet is not a “quick fix,” there are many families, individuals and families who have done the diet with success and have had some amazing results.  Click here for testimonials.

I think I’d better stop here.  I am very passionate about this subject, this diet and what it can do for millions of adults and children who are suffering right now.  Please help me spread the word, check out the diet or tell someone you love about it today!

Raw Zucchini Chocolate Cake

For whatever reason, many of the recipes I worked on this week ended up being raw or mostly raw.  In part, I was continuing my quest for some travel-friendly treats for my son and decided to try some raw fruit and nut balls, similar to Larabars.

I was also testing recipes for my menu planners for limited diets free of gluten, grains, dairy, eggs sugar and other common allergens.  Many raw recipes work great for people with a lot of food limitations.  The only drawback I find is that they use nuts extensively, which is a common allergen.  I find though, that seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds can be used in place of nuts in some of these recipes.

As far as eating raw nuts goes, it is really best to soak them for a varied amount of time, depending upon the nut or seed.  This process is what releases their enzyme inhibitors and unlocks their full nutritional value.  In terms of soaking, you can either soak just long enough to germinate, or longer to sprout (however it’s difficult to sprout some nuts).

I have to admit that I didn’t soak the nuts and seeds in the recipes I tested this week.  This was partly due to the recipes not asking me to do this and in part laziness and impatience on my part.  However, if I were to do them again, I would soak the nuts and seeds in these recipes.

Here is a list of some new and yummy things I made this week:

Cashew Apricot Bliss Balls and Cherry-Walnut Bites

Cashew Apricot Bliss Balls (raw).  These turned out pretty good but if I made them again, I would use a different kind of dried apricot.  The ones I used were from Trader Joe’s.  They are unsulfured but I had forgotten how tart they are.  I also used lemon zest instead of orange zest, simply because I didn’t have an orange.  But they would be a lot better with the orange zest.  I also would up the cardamom and ginger powder as they were not that noticeable.  Also, like I said above, I would soak the cashews for 2-2 1/2 hours.

Cherry Walnut Bites (almost raw;  can be made raw with raw chocolate or leaving out the chocolate).  These are delicious.  If I made them again, I’d use raw chocolate or raw cacao powder.  Again, I would soak the walnuts – they require 4 hours germination time.

Seed Cheese from Rawvolution (raw).  This cheese if made from sunflower seeds so it is great for dairy-free and nut-free diets.  The original recipe for this raw and dairy-free cheese calls for a raw soy sauce called, Nama Shoyu.  But since many people I cook and plan for can’t eat soy, I left this ingredient out.  I balanced out the recipe by adding a little salt and water.  I also used only about 3 cloves of garlic, verses the 5-6 called for.  It was plenty garlicky for me and my husband really liked it.  We’ve been enjoying it on pasta and toast.  When I make this again, I plan on soaking the sunflower seeds – they require 2 hours germination time.

Curried Kuri Squash Soup

Curried Kuri Squash Soup (from the Kuri Squashes from our garden – not raw).  I didn’t write down this recipe as I made it this time.  But I normally cream this soup with ground up cashews and season it with curry, ginger, and salt.  I think I also added a bit of honey to sweeten a bit this time.

Raw Zucchini Chocolate Cake

No-Bake Zucchini Cake (almost raw; can be made raw with raw cacao).   This is a quick and easy, yummy dessert.  It may seem strange not to bake the zucchini but you really don’t need to!  It is rich, moist and dense.  But also so healthy, you could have it for breakfast.  When I make this again, I’m going to soak the nuts for 6 hours.

Raspberry Cream (raw) This is my new favorite smoothie or dessert.  Don’t let the avocado in it fool you – it is simply delicious and you wouldn’t even know the avocado is in there!  I made it as the recipe called for and also with dates instead of banana.  Both were yummy.  Sorry, no picture.  Both times I made it, it disappeared too fast!

Balsamic and Basil Salmon: cooked in a cast iron skillet, this was Monday’s dinner. Fast and easy, I simply cooked the salmon with a bit of lemon juice and olive oil.  Seasoned with salt and dried parsley.  When it was done, I drizzled a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top and garnished with freshly chopped basil from the garden.  Very fast and very good!

Raspberry Cream Recipe – adpated from www.WildHealthFoods.com

• ½ cup frozen or fresh raspberries
• 1 large ripe banana or about 4-5 soft dates
• 1ripe Avocado
• Pinch salt
• about 1/2 cup or so homemade almond milk

1) Blend all ingredients until smooth.

2)  If you want to make your own almond milk, soak 1 cup almonds overnight, drain the water, then blend with 5 cups filtered water and a bit of raw honey.  Strain through a mesh strainer or “nut bag.”  Yum!

And once again, I am writing this post as part of the Tuesday Twister Carnival at GNOWFGLINS.com. Make sure to check out the other wonderful and nourishing foods the other participants cooked up this week!

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.

Okay, so I menu plan for my clients and I create different menu planners for different diets.  But I have to be honest with you.  Rarely do I plan my whole week in advance before I go to the store each week…which usually turns into 3 x a week visiting the store.

What usually happens is I look around in my refrigerator, freezer and pantry, think about what I’d like to make, then see what I can make with what I have.

Sometimes while I’m shopping I will get ingredients for something I have been wanting to make (like my tomatillo salsa) but oftentimes, dinner is a creative process of coming up with something new, yummy and healthy for the family.

Curried Chicken Salad with Coconut Milk

So this week’s menu which is gluten-free, dairy-free, legume free and I think soy-free…

Of course, the menu was created after the fact…

Tuesday: Garam Masala Lamb burgers and Sauteed Zucchini

Wednesday: Chicken Legs with Caramelized Onions, Basmati Rice and the Tomatillo Salsa I had made on monday.  My mom was having dinner with us and she loved it.

Thursday: We went to the Farmer’s Market and bought fresh produce.  But I didn’t much feel like cooking so I took some frozen dairy-free and gluten-free pizza out of the freezer that I had made.  We enjoyed it with fresh corn on the cob and watermelon.

Friday: I was craving Tortilla Lasagna, even though I knew the oven would heat up the house.  Made a special trip to the store for the ingredients, and made it with ground turkey, spinach, olives and tomato sauce.

Saturday: Made my first batch of Pot Pie muffins for Elijah.  We took them to Surreybrook Farms for an incredible outing.

For dinner:  Made Chicken Curried Salad and Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes.  I usually would add celery to this salad, as well as green onions, maybe even cherry tomatoes.  But I had none of these so I steamed some green beans, and cut them into 1-inch lengths and put them in the salad.  It was tasty.

Sunday: Made my second batch of Pot Pie Muffins.  I liked these much better.

Made the Chicken Salad again because my husband loved it so much and his parents came to visit.  Also finished off the last of the Tomatillo Salsa.

Monday: My husband made Wild Salmon and Sauteed Zucchini with Marjoram ( nice not to cook every now and then!)

Our first garden harvest (well besides the sugar snap peas):

Sunday was also a day of harvesting our first crop of potatoes.  My husband planted blue, yukon gold, and fingerling and he harvested some of the yukon and fingerling.

Yukon and Fingerling Potatoes from our garden

This week, our beautiful and big Kuri Squash plants became infected with a white mold.  We treated them with a garlic spray and some baking soda.  However, we don’t think they liked the baking soda because they started to wilt shortly after.  But at least we have received two beautiful Kuri Squash from the plants.  Here’s one with some wilty leaves:

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One of the two Kuri Squash

We ended up harvesting the squash on monday and getting rid of the dying plants.  We also discovered that our yellow (not red like we expected) cherry tomatoes were actually ripe and we enjoyed some of the first ones.  There was a few left for a picture with the squash.  (The zucchini is from my in-law’s garden.)

Kuri Squash with Yellow Tomatoes and Zucchini

I think that’s all I have to report for the week.  I’d love to hear about other people’s week in the kitchen!  And please do check out the Tuesday Twister Carnival.

I recently checked out the book, The Kid-Friendly ADHD and Autism Cookbook at my library to see what new recipes I might find for the GF and CF diet.  I haven’t completely finished perusing the book but for the most part I would highly recommend it.  One great thing about it is that it has many soy, nut, egg and corn-free recipes as well.

One recipe that caught my eye was the “Sensory Sensible Pot Pie Muffins.” This recipe is a muffin for kids who can’t eat gluten and dairy and who may not like to eat regular chicken or vegetables.   To solve this problem, they put the pureed chicken and veggies right into the muffin.

This, I gotta try, I said.  My son used to eat literally anything I put in front of him.  But with the toddler stage, he has become a bit more picky.  He still loves cooked veggies, especially green beans but isn’t too fond of chicken these days.

Also, since we’re on the go a lot, I was looking for a snack that was travel-friendly, healthy, gluten and dairy-free and high in protein.  These muffins seemed like the answer!

Pot Pie Muffins made with Namaste muffin mix

I really tried to follow the recipe for the first attempt.  But I have to say that although it looked easy, it turned out to be confusing.

Here’s the recipe:

• 1 box (14.8 oz) store-bought GFCF muffin or quick bread mix

• 1 cup pureed vegetables (one or more of the following:  carrots, squash, peas or green beans)

• 1/2 cup applesauce

• 1/2 cup pureed chicken*

Steps:

1. In a large bowl, prepare cake mix batter according to package directions.  Add pureed vegetables, applesauce and chicken and mix to combine.
2. Lightly grease muffin tin or line with paper liners.  Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about 2/3rds full.  Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.*To puree chicken, combine cooked, chopped chicken with a bit of water or stock in a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached.

Easy right?

Okay, so first of all I have to tell you that it’s a production to make these muffins.  If you want to make them, make the chicken the night before and make extra veggies when you make dinner for the muffins.  That way you are already half way done.

The other thing that was a bit of a challenge was finding a muffin mix free of sugar.  I personally don’t like using cane sugar in baking and every mix I picked up had this in it.  Also, I couldn’t find one that was exactly 14.8 oz and I didn’t have time to figure out mathematical calculations in my head with my toddler yelling at me, “down, down!”

So, I ended up grabbing the Namaste mix because I wanted to make it simple and follow the recipe as best I could.  It is also made of brown rice verses white rice flour and is free of most allergens.

When it came to baking, I measured out just under 2 cups which is about 14.8 oz.  So I have a bit of mix left because it was a full pound.

So when I went to prepare the muffin mix, I felt I should modify the muffin mix directions because 1) I wasn’t using the whole bag and 2)  I felt like these muffins were going to be way to wet when I added the chicken, veggies and applesauce.  So I decided to use one less egg than was called for in the mix (called for 2).

They seemed like a good consistency so I went ahead and baked them.  They were actually good, but still a bit wet.  They taste more like heavy cake than a muffin.  They also deflated a bit due to the heaviness.  I personally like my muffins a bit more muffiny than these turned out to me.  It may have been that the extra egg would have helped, I am not sure.

No matter what I think of the muffins, Elijah loved them.  So there you go!

I decided to take a new approach and sack the prepared mixes.  I started again with one of Elana’s recipes with coconut flour because I was interested in making them grain-free as well.  They already called for carrots since they were her carrot muffins so this was a good start.

Pot Pie Muffins adapted from Elana's Carrot Muffin Recipe

Here is her recipe and what I did to change the recipe is next to her’s:

Gluten Free Carrot Mini Muffins
¼ cup coconut flour (I used 1/2 cup)
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt (I used 1/2 tsp)
¼ teaspoon baking soda (I used 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground (I used 1.5 tsp)
3 eggs (I used 5 eggs)
¼ grapeseed oil (I used 1/2 cup)
¼ yacon syrup (I used 1/3 cup agave nectar)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract (to tell you the truth I forgot to add this, but would do 1.5 Tbsp)
1 cup carrots, grated (I used just over a cup and I grated them instead of cooking and blending)
¼ cup currants (I used 1/3 cup)
I added:
1/2 cup chicken puree
1/2 cup applesauce

1. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon
2. In a large bowl, blend together eggs, oil, sweetener, (applesauce, chicken) and vanilla
3. Blend dry ingredients into wet, then fold in carrots and currants
4. Grease a mini muffin tin with grapeseed oil and then dust with coconut flour
5. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of batter into each greased mini muffin cup (I used regular sized muffins and it made about 15 and took 25 minutes in the oven)
6. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes
7. Cool and serve

I had a good feeling about these muffins as I was mixing them and as they were baking.  They smelled yummy with the added cinnamon and I felt like they were going to be better than my first attempt.

Besides them sticking to the pans a bit, they were much better than the first recipe – much more springy and muffin-texture-like than the first batch.

The only thing that my be a problem for people is they definately need eggs – I used 5.  With this amount of eggs in them, it would be hard to convert this particular recipe to be egg-free.  They also have coconut flour in them but if one is allergic to coconut, you could use a GF baking blend with rice, tapioca and arrowroot.

As far as making these little babies last, I wrapped each one in plastic wrap and then put them all (except a few to munch on) into a freezer bag and froze them.  That way I can just take out one or two when we need them and they will last a lot longer.

And what did Elijah think of the second batch?  He gobbled them up too!

Anyone else have some great travel-free healthy snacks for kids?  I’d love to hear about them!  Thanks so much!

One of my favorite homemade sauces is tomatillo salsa.  The green salsas you buy in the grocery store simply don’t compare with the fresh home made version!  The only tomatillo salsa in a jar that I like is the Trader Joe’s brand. There are however some great salsa verdes available at some Mexican and Spanish restaurants.  However, if you don’t eat pork, you’ll have to ask if they added pork to their recipe.

For me, I not only love eating this wonderful fresh salsa with chips, I love using it to make chicken casseroles or just smothering fish or chicken in it.  You can make it ahead of time and then add it to many dishes!  If you don’t eat meat, you can use it in vegetarian tacos or burritos or vegetarian Mexican casseroles.

The other day I was inspired to make this salsa and it turned out hotter than I really like, so I sauteed a whole onion until it was very sweet and browned, and then blended it into the salsa.  It toned it down and made it a bit sweeter.  Very nice!

So if you’re looking for a great Tomatillo Salsa recipe, here it is!:

8-9  small-medium tomatillos, husks removed, washed and quartered

2 cloves of garlic

1/2-1 jalepeno, seeded (depends on how spicy you’d like it and how large the pepper is – I wish I had used half!)

2 large handfuls of cilantro leaves and tender stems

1 small handful or parsley (optional)

3 green onions, sliced (also optional, I forgot this and it was still great)

1 lime juiced

salt to taste, about 1/2 tsp

1 Tbsp of olive oil

Steps:

1.  Peel and wash the tomatillos.  Cut into quarters, put into a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes or until soft and darker green.  Drain and set aside to cool.
3.  In a blender, combine the rest of the ingredients and the tomatillos.  Sauce should be slightly spicy, tangy, garlicky and fresh tasting.

Allergen-friendly chocolate cupcakes

Do you ever feel like you have to forgo almost everything that looks delicious because of your very limited diet?  If you’re like me, you may look longingly at a thick piece of chocolate cake at the grocery store and wish you could eat it.

Well, now you can.  Thanks to my friend Penelope at Two Frogs Healing Center who introduced me to this recipe, I feel like I have finally found that moist, chocolaty goodness.   And the great thing is, if you are on a very limited diet and are gluten-free, wheat-free, soy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, or corn-free, you can still eat these delicious babes. They are even potato-free which is a problem for many people.  You can even make them with carob and make them chocolate-free!

And the best part is they are extremely easy.  With only a handful of ingredients and only one flour (I used rice flour), they are quick and very easy to make.

The original recipe comes from the Ecological Kitchen Cookbook but my friend adapted it to be gluten and wheat free.  The original recipe is for carob cake, so if you’re allergic to chocolate, you can use carob and it is just as good! Stay tuned, I’m going to try these with quinoa or blanched almond flour and see if they work just as well.  That would make them grain-free as well!

Close-up of these delicious cupcakes

Click below to get the recipe:

Devil’s Food Chocolate Cupcakes

Dry:

1 2/3 cup white rice flour (I think brown rice would work fine too!)

1/2 cup cocoa or carob powder, sifted

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp baking powder, gluten-free and corn-free

1 tsp xanthan gum

Wet:

2/3 cup honey, agave or maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted butter or grapeseed oil

1 cup almond, rice or hemp milk

2 tsp vanilla

Frosting:

1 cup cashew butter, creamy (I didn’t have cashew butter so I used almond butter – still was great)

6 Tbsp cocoa or carob powder

6 Tbsp honey, agave or maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla

6-8 Tbsp non-dairy milk

Steps:

1.  Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients together in another bowl.  Mix the dry into the wet and mix until it is thick cake batter consistency.  Add a little flour if too runny or add a little milk if too thick.

2.  Original recipe is for a 9″ round baking pan.  I decided to make cupcakes and it made 11 of the heart shaped size.  Either way, oil the pan and pour the batter in.  Bake at 350.  30-40 minutes for the cake and about 10-15 minutes for the muffins, depending upon the size.  Mine baked for 12 minutes.

3.  Mix all the frosting ingredients together.  You can simply mix in a bowl with a spoon or in a blender.  No need to cook the frosting – Spread over cooled cake or cupcakes and enjoy!!!

Let me know if you make these.  Would love to know what you think.  And if you’re feeling bold, go ahead and try making them with quinoa flour if you are grain-free.  Good luck and here’s to a bountiful life even when you have a limited diet!

Here is a list of ingredients I use on a regular basis in cooking to make food more delicious. I also use many of these in combination with each other.  This creates a whole new taste and you might be surprised how different combinations can make or break a meal.  The best thing is to experiment with different quantities and combinations of some of these ingredients.

There will most likely be something that doesn’t agree with you on the list.  Focus instead on using the other ingredients and see what you can come up with to add some spice to your food.  I am sure there are other ingredients one can use in allergy-free cooking.

• Salt and pepper:  sea salt is best
• Fresh and dried herbs and spices: The list is too long to print here.  Browse your bulk herb or bottled herb section at your grocery store to see if you can find something new and interesting that may add some new life to your food!
• Curry paste: comes in yellow and red, possibly others
• Fresh ginger root: fresh is best or if buying a jar of grated ginger, check the ingredients for high fructose corn syrup or other ingredients you may be sensitive to
• Onions and garlic: can be raw, sautéed, steamed, caramelized, roasted, minced, diced, sliced, etc.
• Diced celery and celery seed: cooked or raw
• Lemons, limes and oranges: also the zest of one or more of these adds great flavor
• Coconut milk: buy whole, unsweetened and organic if possible
• Tamari and Miso: if you can eat soy, these add great flavor.  Tamari is wheat-free soy sauce.
• Honey, agave, maple syrup
• Vinegars: apple cider vinegar is the best.  Some vinegar has sugar added to them; use with care.
• Mustards and ketchups: most ketchup has sugar added to it but it is possible to find it without or make your own
• Nuts and seeds: whole, ground, chopped or as butters
• Olive oil, butter, coconut oil
• Chili peppers and green chilies
• Seaweeds: adds flavor and nutrients to food; great substitute for salt
• Nutritional yeast: full of B vitamins, this adds a cheesy flavor to foods
• Sesame oil: can be regular, toasted or some have added spices
• Tomato sauce: great for pizzas, spaghetti but also great for other dishes with a tomato base.  I try to find brands that are sugar-free.

Do you have more ideas on how you spice up your allergen-free food?  I would love to hear your ideas!  Please post a comment!

Hearty Chowder

Is your next meal going to make you sick or are you just plain sick of you allergen-free food?

I find that people with food allergies or sensitivities fall into two categories – do you see yourself in one of these situations?

You know you’re allergic or sensitive to certain foods but for whatever reason, you end up eating something that you’re sensitive to during the week.

This may be because you find it too difficult to plan meals for the week that work for your diet.  When you go out during the day or want to have lunch with a friend, a little voice says, “There’s nothing you can eat on this menu except lettuce leaves.  Skip your diet today and get back to it tomorrow.”

Or maybe you have a laundry list of foods that you’re allergic to and you simply can’t find foods that work for your diet.  You have to eat so you end up eating something that makes you feel sick.

You go through the cycle again.  You get sick. You have a brain fog.  You can’t think and you feel awful.  You gain weight.  You feel depressed.  Or you break out in hives.  Whatever it is, it isn’t fun, is it?

If you’re lucky, you’re in category two and you’ve managed to stay on your diet. But because you’re limited, it’s easy to get in a rut with your meal planning.  And often times when people are prone to food allergies, eating too much of one food (like rice, corn or soy) can lead to additional food allergies.

Whether you are searching for a menu plan that can finally help you stay on your diet or one that will give you new and creative ideas for your allergy-free living, you’ve come to the right place!

The Nourishing Foods Menu Planner is unique in that it offers individual menus for specific diets:

Meat and Seafood Diets:

• Wheat and Gluten-free – One Month of Spring/Summer Menus Available Now!
• Wheat/Gluten and Dairy Free – One Month of Spring/Summer Menus Available Now!
• Dairy Free – One Month of Spring/Summer Menus Available Now!

Coming very soon:

• Wheat-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Soy-free
• Egg-free, Dairy-free and Gluten-Free
• Nightshade-free, Wheat/Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Soy-free
• Nut-free, Legume-free, Wheat/Gluten-free and Dairy-free
• Kid-Friendly Wheat/Gluten-free and Dairy-free menus
• Extremely Limited Diet:  Gluten-free, Wheat-free, Grain-free, Corn-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free, Shellfish-free, Fruit-free, Peanut-free, Egg-free, Refined sugar-free, Yeast-free, Preservative-free, MSG-free and artificial flavoring-free (also very limited in legumes and nuts)

Seafood/Vegetarian Diets

• Wheat-free and Gluten-free
• Dairy-Free
• Wheat/Gluten-free and Dairy-free
• Wheat/Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Soy-free
• Nightshade-free, Wheat/Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Soy-free

Don’t have food allergies but just want to eat healthy food?
Many of our customers find our menu planner who don’t have food allergies but are looking for a healthy menu with recipes that use fresh, whole and seasonal ingredients.

While the gluten and wheat free diet is for people with celiac disease, food allergies or sensitivities, it can also be used as a detox diet.

Wheat and gluten can bog the body down if eaten in excess.  By giving the body a break from foods made from wheat and gluten, people report feeling lighter, healthier and many end up losing weight.

Each week of menus offers you the following:

• A menu for five delicious and creative dinners plus five complementary side dishes each week
• One dessert recipe a week to compliment your meals
• Easy to follow recipes for each dish
• Quick to prepare – 30-35 minute prep and cook time total for each meal (entrée and side dish together).
• An organized shopping list for the entire week, which is coded to each meal so you don’t have to cook every dish
• Kid-friendly ideas for each recipe
• Ideas for substituting main ingredients for each recipe
• Nutritional information is included in all recipes.
• Recipes focus on using fresh, seasonal produce and whole foods as much as possible.
• Family-friendly recipes!
• Plus articles about health, allergies, and other food issues.

Ready to eat delicious food?  We put the “yum” back into allergen-free meals!
Buy one of our specialized menu planners:

1)  Gluten-free and Wheat-Free Menu Planner (Meat and Seafood menu)

Only $12.95 for one month, emailed weekly:

2)  Dairy-free, Gluten-free and Wheat-free Menu Planner (Meat and Seafood menu)

Only $12.95 for one month, emailed weekly:

3)  Dairy-free Menu Planner (Meat and Seafood menu)

Only $12.95 for one month, emailed weekly:

More menu planners coming soon!

When you buy any menu planner, you get the FREE bonus:

A Whole Foods Grocery Guide: A Complementary Handbook to the Nourishing Foods Menu Planner or for any type of Whole Foods and Allergy-free Cooking
by Sarah Schatz ( $14.95 value)

100% Guarantee! Be satisfied with delicious, healthy, and allergen-free recipes or receive a full refund within the first 30 days!

When you click “Buy Now,” you will be directed to Paypal where you can pay securely for the menu planner.

If you don’t have a Paypal account and don’t want to create one, you can pay by credit card by clicking on the link inside Paypal that says, “Don’t have a Paypal account?  Pay by credit card.”

If you want to pay by check, please contact me for my mailing address.

When you subscribe to the menu planner, you will receive your first one immediately in your email after you verify your email address. If you do not receive it right away, please send me an email and I will send you a link to the menu planner.

After receiving your first menu planner, you will receive a menu planner every week on the same day of the week that you signed up. Example:  if you signed up on Tuesday, this is the day you can expect to receive your menu planner for each month of menus.

Click here to read what one of our customers has to say about the menu planner.
By purchasing a Nourishing Foods Menu Planner, you will:

• Save time – no more searching for new and interesting recipes to feed you family
• Save money – no more impulse buying because you have a shopping list for the whole week
• Eat delicious food - no more “getting by” with frozen GF breads or tasteless frozen meals
• Eat healthier – by eating homemade foods made from whole ingredients
• Spend more quality time with you family - no more waiting for your dinner table at a restaurant
• Eat a variety of foods - no more eating the same meals every week
• Have less stress in your life - no more trying to figure out what to cook at the last minute
• Have less shopping trips - no more running to the store for forgotten ingredients
• Eat foods that work for your body - no more cheating on your diet because you want to eat something yummy or can’t find something to eat.
• Feel Happy and Healthy! When people follow a diet that works for their body, they often feel better than they ever thought possible!

Please note: This is no longer a subscription service.  I am presently making monthly menu planners for specific diets and am selling them per month and emailing them weekly.  I will be adding months to certain diets and it will soon be possible to buy 2-3 months of menus at a time.  Please be patient with me – I’m a work at home mom!

Still not sure if this is for you?  Click here to find out.
Or, try the menu planner out for FREE for one week:  Click here.

Maple Roasted Carnival Squash Slices (Recipe below)

I have been recovering from sleep deprivation from last week so this week I have been trying to catch up on everything.  But today I finally have time to post this week’s menu along with some photos and recipes.

This week’s menu planner:
1.    Sweet potato Black Bean Tacos and Cilantro Basmati Rice
2.    Chipotle-dusted Steak and Autumn greens
3.    Chicken with Parsnips and Leeks and New Potatoes Mashed w/ Garlic & Rosemary
4.    Chicken Curry and Maple-Roasted Squash Slices
5.    Tilapia with Creamy-Herb Sauce and Simple Sautéed Asparagus

Vegetarian/Seafood menu options:
1.    Sweet potato Black Bean Tacos and Cilantro Basmati Rice
2.    Chipotle-dusted Tuna Steaks and Autumn greens
3.    Bay Scallops with Parsnips and Leeks and New Potatoes Mashed w/ Garlic & Rosemary
4.    Mahi Mahi Curry and Maple-Roasted Squash Slices
5.    Tilapia with Creamy-Herb Sauce and Simple Sautéed Asparagus

Plus, for dessert, I have another upside-down cake.  This week I used a recipe from my sister that I remember was very delicious – a Pear Upside-Down Cake.  Of course it was not gluten, dairy or sugar free so it took some tweaking, but it turned out not only delicious but also very beautiful!  In fact, it didn’t last 24 hours between enjoying it ourselves and giving some away to friends and family!  And my little boy loved the pears I took off the top for him.

Pear Upside-down Cake - Gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free!

Gluten-free Pear Upside-Down Cake

Wet Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. butter (or organic palm shortening)

2 Tbsp maple syrup for glaze + 2/3 cup maple syrup for cake

1 egg

1 cup almond milk or another non-dairy milk

4 ripe pears, cored and sliced, peeled if you wish

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup Bette Hagman’s GF Featherlight mix

1/2 cup almond meal

1/2 cup teff flour

1 tsp. xanthan gum

2 tsp. Egg Replacer

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamon

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Grease a 8 x 8 cake pan with butter or oil.  Melt 2 Tbsp butter over low heat.  Mix the 2 Tbsp maple syrup into the butter and pour into the cake pan.  (I used a spring form pan but the glaze leaked out).
2. Arrange the pear slices over the glaze.  I made mine in a circular pattern.
3. With an electric mixer, cream the remaining 2 Tbsp butter, 2/3 cup maple syrup and vanilla in a large bowl until blended.  Add the egg and beat again until creamy.
4. Mix the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
5. Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture and beat until well blended.
6. Pour batter over the pears and spread evenly.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen around the edges by inserting a knife all around.  Lay a platter over the cake and invert.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Maple-Roasted Squash Slices
Servings:  4
Prep and cook time: 30 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 (1 1/2 – to 1 3/4-lb) carnival squash or acorn, butternut, kombucha, kuri, or another winter squash.
1/2 teaspoon
black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Half squash lengthwise, then cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds and cut squash lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide wedges.
2. Toss squash with black pepper, salt, olive oil and maple syrup in a bowl.  Then arrange, cut sides down, in 2 large shallow baking pans.
3. Roast squash, until squash is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

I hope you enjoy these recipes!  If you try them out, let me know what you think.