Dairy Free and Gluten Free Asparagus and Ham Quiche

Eggs... oh how we have missed eggs.  We have added eggs back into our diet on a sporadic basis.  Our middle son's belly didn't seem to take to eating them with breakfast on a daily basis.  But, my husband and I will enjoy them on occasion!  We used to like making a ham and asparagus quiche.  It was a yummy breakfast, and the leftovers were actually pretty tasty- and I don't particularly like leftovers.  But now that we have diet changes, I had to find a way to modify my original recipe.  The result was pretty tasty, and pretty close to the original, dairy and wheat version!

Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus
3/4 pound cooked ham
1/2 c green onion
swiss slices Daiya cheese
6 eggs
2 c rice milk
1 1/2 c Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbs Parsley flakes
1/2 tsp pepper

Step 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease 2, 9 in. pie plates.
Step 2. Chop asparagus, ham, and onion into small pieces (I use a food chopper).  Layer them into the bottom of each pie plate.  Crumble cheese slices on top.
Step 3. In bowl, beat eggs.  Add milk, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, oil, parsley, and pepper and mix well.  Pour over layered ingredients in pie plates. 
Step 4. Bake 45 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly then cut into slices. 
Step 5. Serve and ENJOY!  We like to add a little salsa on top!  Enjoy as leftover, as well!

Allergen Free Pretzel Bites

I am always trying to find yummy snacks that the boys will eat, that also fit into our allergen free lifestyle.  They are always wanting things they can't have, so I wanted to find something different that would pique their interest.  One of our favorite treats at when we go to the mall is soft pretzels.  But that is not an option right now.  So I thought I would try to find a recipe for soft pretzels so we could try it, incase I really needed it for future! I found a pretty tasty recipe, that I tweaked for our needs.

Ingredients
1 c warm water
1 Tbs quick acting yeast
1 Tbs honey
3 1/2 c Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
1/4 c oil
1/3 c warm water

    For Later...
10 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons baking soda
Sea salt for sprinkling on top

Step 1. In a small bowl, add the 1 c of water, honey, and yeast.  Let sit for five minutes until it starts to bubble.

Step 2. Add flour, salt, and baking powder and whisk until blended.  And oil and yeast mixture. Mix until ball of dough forms.  Add 1/3 c water, then mix for 1 more minute to knead the dough.

Step 3.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1 hour.

Step 4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 5. Bring 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in large pot.

Step 6. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a thick rope. Slice each rope into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Step 7. Drop pretzel pieces into the boiling water and boil them for 30 seconds until they start to float.. Remove the pretzel pieces from the water using a slotted spoon, allow to drain, and place them on the baking sheets.

Step 8. Spray with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Step 9. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 15-20 minutes.

Step 10. Serve and ENJOY- with dairy free nacho cheese!!

Strawberry Cheesecake (Non Dairy, Gluten Free)

Today was my birthday! I ALWAYS have cheesecake for my birthday- it's my favorite!  But since we are on an allergen free diet, that kinda eliminates the option for cheesecake.  So I set out to make one that was non dairy and gluten free.  I make my own graham crackers, so the crust would be easy enough to replicate, but I didn't have any made- ARGGHHH!  So I had to come up with a better plan.  The result was pretty tasty!

Ingredients

Cheesecake
2 c cashews
1/2 c lemon juice
1/2 c honey
1/3 c coconut oil melted

Crust
2 1/2 c gluten free chocolate chex cereal
3 Tbs non-dairy butter, melted

Topping
2 C thawed strawberries
2 Tbs sugar

Step 1. Boil cashews in 5 c. water for 1 hour. In the meantime...
Step 2. Crush cereal.  Mix in melted butter and coat well.
Step 3. Spread into bottom of pie pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
Step 4. When cashews are done, rinse and place cashews in blender.  Add lemon juice, honey, and coconut oil to blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy.
Step 5. Pour over crust.  Place in fridge to allow to cool and set-up overnight. 
Step 6. Mash thawed strawberries and mix with sugar.  Spread over cheesecake.
Step 7. Serve and ENJOY!

Bell Pepper Nachos (Dairy Free)

I am constantly trying to come up with ways to add more veggies into our diet- like many families, I'm sure!  Even if we do have good ways to do it, we are not very good about planning ahead to get them cooked.  When I was searching for recipes for nacho cheese, I skipped over a site that had bell pepper nachos.  Their recipe used regular cheese, so I didn't think much about it after that.  Then it dawned on me that I could make it my own way.  I never paid much attention to what was in it after seeing the cheese, but remember they looked a lot like traditional nachos, subbing the bell pepper for the chips. So here is my, rather tasty, bell pepper nachos!

Ingredients
mini bell peppers (enough to fill a baking sheet or whatever size baking pan will feed you/your family)
1 can traditional refried beans
chopped chicken
Dairy free nacho cheese
1 avocado

Step 1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Cut heads off mini bell peppers, remove seeds, and cut in half length-wise.  Place on baking sheet.

Step 2. Using a butter knife, spread a thin layer of refried beans inside bell peppers.  Sprinkle chopped chicken on top of refried beans.

Step 3. Prepare Dairy free nacho cheese as directed.  Drizzle over 'nachos.'
Step 4. Place in over on bottom rack, and bake 7-8 minutes until bell peppers are hot, but still crunchy.
Step 5. Remove from oven and place on plate.  Cut small pieces of avocado and distribute over 'nachos.'

Step 6. ENJOY!!

Dairy Free Nacho Cheese

Fall.  It is one of my favorite  times of year.  The leaves changing color, the air becoming cooler, and football!  With football comes finger foods, and the best finger food is nachos!  Nachos has been one of our Sunday football lunches for as long as I can remember.  My dad and I would make our nachos and sit together watching whatever game was on. 

Since we are currently on an allergy free diet, traditional nachos is not something I am able to enjoy.  So I went on a mission to find a dairy free alternative.  I searched all sorts of sites, and even took to Pinterest- which is not something I do often!  I tried a couple recipes, one from cashews, but it just didn't quite satisfy my nacho cheese craving.  So I developed my own concoction.  The problem is that it has to be fast to make, because with 3 kids, I don't always have time sit and make a nacho cheese that takes an hour to make.  It also has to be something that my 9 month old, 2.5 year old, and 4 year old can all enjoy, along with a husband who is not fully compliant with our allergy free diet.  I hope you can enjoy this cheese as much as we do!

Servings:
This was enough to make 2 adult plates of nachos, 2 toddler plates, and a small amount to mix with chicken for the baby's lunch.

Ingredients

3 Daiya chedder slices
1/4 Daiya jack style block
3 rounded Tbs nutritional yeast
2 rounded Tbs mild salsa
splash of rice milk

Step 1. Place all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl.
Step 2. Microwave on high for 45 seconds.  Stir.
Step 3. Microwave another 30 seconds or until melted and all ingredients are combined.

Step 4. ENJOY!  Drizzle over chips, use for dipping, add chili for chili cheese, etc

Gluten Free, Allergen Free Oreo Cookies

My 4 year old (can't believe he is that old now) is always asking to buy the Oreo-type cookies when we go looking for snacks that he can have.  Since he is currently on an allergen free diet, even the gluten free versions are not an option for him.  It is so hard to have to tell your child, yet again, that he cannot have another something sitting on the store shelves.  I have a great recipe for fig bars, one I am working on for Ritz-type crackers, and have now got a yummy recipe for Oreo cookies that are free of ingredients my son is not supposed to have! I can't lie- I wasn't able to finish making them before sneaking a cookie, or 2!!  I actually prefer these to any store-bought brand, which I find tastes like sweetened cardboard.

Dry Ingredients
1 1/4 cups GF flour blend- I like Bob's Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour
1/2 cup Raw cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, room temperature- I used Earth Balance Soy free
3/4 c Organic Cane Sugar
1 Tbs Ground chia mixed with 3 Tbs warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Filling
2 Tbs butter, room temperature
6 Tbs Spectrum brand shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. In the bowl blend butter and sugar. Add in Chia/water and vanilla and blend.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.

4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and blend until fully combined.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll rounded teaspoons of batter into balls with hands, and place onto parchment paper. Use the bottom of a glass/cup to flatten the dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. (I used my kids' plastic cup that had a slight edge on the bottom of the cup that made nice, contained circles, and also kept the thickness of each cookie about the same.

6. Bake 12 minutes.  Cool slightly, then remove from baking sheet and allow to completely cool.

7. Beat together butter, shortening, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed.

8. Spread thick layer of filling onto 1 cookie. Place another cookie on top of the cream. Press lightly. Continue until all the cookies have been used.  (The great thing about making your own, is you can use as much, or as little filling as you like to make your cookies, make them different colors, or add different flavors)

9. ENJOY!!!

Gluten free fig bars

My oldest son loves fig bars.  He would eat them a couple times a day- well more often if I would let him!  He was quite distraught when I told him we had to get rid of all the food that hurt his belly and his skin, and that he couldn't have his fig bars anymore.  We are on an allergen free diet, that makes finding snacks the boys like and will eat quite challenging.  So I searched for a fig bar recipe!  I of course lost the site I found the recipe on, so thank goodness I wrote the recipe down.  I altered the recipe to correspond to our current allergen free situation.  While they are not quite the same as the ones he loved, they taste really good and are a great snack.  I also found that these are a great simple snack for my 7 month old to practice with finger food and chewing.  It crumbles enough when given in small pieces so I don't have to worry about him choking, but allows him to practice chewing- which he loves to do! Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

Ingredients

Fig filling
9 calimyrna figs
16 mission figs
1/2 c. Pomegranate juice
1/4 c.  Cranberry juice
1/4 c. Lemon juice

Soak figs in juices overnight.  After soaking, place in food processor and blend into a thick paste.

Dough ingredients
Wet
1/2 c. dairy free butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. organic cane sugar
1 Tbs Chia in 3 Tbs warm water
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs molasses
up to 1/4 c. water

Dry
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. white rice flour
1/2 c. tapioca starch
1/4 c. teff flour
1/4 c. millet flour
1/2 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Mix all dry ingredients together. 
2. Melt butter.  Add sugars, and mix.  Add chia mixture, vanilla, and molasses and mix.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until blended.  Add up to 1/4 c. water.  Add small amounts of water at a time until you are able to squeeze the dough into balls.
4. Chill dough for 1 hour.
5. After chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
6. Divide dough into thirds.  Roll 1 section to 1/2" thickness on parchment paper on 1 end of the parchment paper.
7. Spoon fig paste onto half of the rolled out dough.  Fold the other half over top of the fig using the parchment paper to help fold it over and avoid breaking. 
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 placing the next section of dough in the middle of the parchment paper and the third section on the other end.
9. Pull parchment paper onto a baking sheet and bake approximately 20 minutes until firm and lightly browned.
10. Allow to cool slightly, then cut into sections.  A pizza cutter works well for this!
11. ENJOY while they are warm or store in an airtight container.  I've noticed they will get a little hard after the initial cooling.  Keep in the airtight container overnight and they will have softened nicely!

Gluten Free Bread

With our change to an allergen free diet, finding a good bread replacement was a priority for me.  The boys liked to have toast for a bedtime snack.  All of the gluten free breads in the store tend to have eggs, and are very dense.  It feels so heavy in my belly, is dry, and a little on the hard side.  I also wanted a bread that could be made in the bread machine since I have no time to be sitting in the kitchen cooking for any length of time. 

Here is the best bread recipe that you would never know is gluten free if I hadn't told you!

Ingredients

DRY
3/4 c. potato starch
3/4 c. brown rice flour
1 c + 2 Tbs tapioca starch
2 tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt

WET
1 Tbs honey
2 Tbs chia seed soaked in 6 Tbs warm water
1 1/2 tsp olive oil
3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/3 c warm rice milk

Step 1. Combine chia seed and water in a cup and allow to sit for 5 minutes
Step 2. Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl.  Whisk together.
Step 3. Warm milk in a bowl.  Add remaining wet ingredients in with the milk and stir.
Step 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry.  Stir until combined.
Step 5. Pour mixture into bread machine.  Set on Gluten Free, Dark setting. 

Step 6. When bread is done, remove from pan and allow to cool completely on side. Do not cut prior to cooling, as it will be too gooey!

* I love this bread toasted.  My husband likes to eat it warmed with Daiya cheese melted on it.  We have also grilled it to eat with dinner and my husband used that with his burger.  We have made grilled cheese sandwiches with it using Daiya cheese, and those were pretty yummy!  We have not tried it with regular sandwiches!

Allergen Free Family

It's hard to believe it has been over a year since I have posted anything on here!  Our lives have changed so much in that time.  We have since added a third, beautiful baby boy to our brood.  I thank God all the time that he is mellow and sleeps, because I don't know how we would have been able to handle another challenging baby!

Now that he is here and the other two are older, it seems we have even less time to get things done.  Between working full time and these busy boys, meal planning has become essential, although we still aren't very good at planning ahead.  I have also been trying to get us back on track with eating healthier foods.  We had resorted to quick meals that weren't as healthy as we would like. We have also discovered some, scratch that, MANY dietary issues with the 2 older boys, which has made eating a very challenging task in our home.  I have always had concerns about my oldest and his skin issues and the middle and his belly issues- hard belly, STINKY gas, and sporadic, raunchy poops.  After having some labwork done, it was discovered that both of them were having issues with dairy, wheat and gluten, eggs, coconut, soy, peanuts, and almonds.  That means no ice cream, yogurt, all of their snacks, peanut butter, eggs at breakfast, and our almond milk.  All of the things they love.

We also have a now 7 month old son.  He has been such a mellow baby from day 1.  Woke 1-2 times a night right from the get-go, pretty easy going, pretty easy to settle.  He began taking longer and longer to settle, and then went from waking once per night, to 3 or more times per night, and was very difficult to settle. He was becoming more and more gassy and seemed very uncomfortable.  After changing my diet, the baby settled... sporadic gassiness, settles better overall, but especially only wakes once per night and is back in his bed in 15 minutes!  I never really thought changing my diet like that would have such an effect on my milk.  He only has fruits, veggies, and rice, and "meltable" gluten free snacks to practice chewing!  From my experiences with the older boys, I will definitely be delaying introduction of gluten and dairy products until he is 2 and hopefully avoid some of the issues we've had with the older boys!

We have spent the last 5 weeks finding alternatives, but mostly telling them "I'm sorry, we can't eat that!"  That is the hardest part of this whole change, telling them they can't eat the foods they like, and getting them to understand that.  For the most part they have been very good about not having melt downs over it, but finding alternatives they like has proved quite challenging.  I find recipes, and while I usually enjoy them, the boys are not quite as flexible!

I plan to slowly share some of the allergen free  foods with you that meet the taste standards of our family.  I have allowed small sneaks of things with coconut since their reaction to that food was high, but I think the other foods they reacted to were more of the culprit.