Spaghetti Carbona- Allergen Free

 This is one of my all-time favorite meals. I always requested it for my birthday dinner growing up. Now that we are on an allergen free diet, I have avoided it.  Not because we can't use gluten free pasta, but I just wasn't sure of using the dairy free cheese.  But I have gotten used to eating it in small amounts.  My mom avoids pretty much all carbs and sugar.  She had tried my favorite recipe using spaghetti squash and she and my dad devoured it.  I HATE squash, meaning even the thought of it gags me! When we were out visiting my parents at Christmas, she had put spaghetti squash in her soup- I tried it.  Not too bad!  I cooked some in with an Asian noodle mix I made the other day- couldn't really tell it was in there.  So we decided to try the ultimate test using the remainder of the squash!  The results were quite surprisingly tasty!  The baby ate 3 heaps.  The oldest ate a good sized toddler serving.  My husband ate it, saying if he hadn't known that it was squash in it, he wouldn't have suspected.  The middle son doesn't count;)  He doesn't eat much for noodles to begin with, and prefers mostly bland food, so not surprisingly he said he didn't like it!  Our whole pot of it was gone by the end of dinner though!  The following is the recipe I used.  The original recipe calls for mushrooms and onions.  I didn't add those because I was trying to get the boys to eat it!

Ingredients:
3/4 of spaghetti squash
1/2 pound bacon
1/2 c. chopped green pepper
1/8 c Earth Balance non-dairy, soy free butter
1/8 c. Chedder Daiya cheese
 3 egg yolks beaten

Step 1. Cook spaghetti squash in microwave by slicing 1 side and placing sliced side down in 1/4 c water and microwave for 7 minutes. While it is cooking, cook bacon so it is crispy. When done, break into small pieces. When squash is done, slice open and remove seeds.  Use a fork to pull out the 'spaghetti.'
Step 2. Saute green pepper (and if you choose to, onions and mushrooms)
Step 3. Place 'spaghetti' in pot and cook until soft and most of the moisture is out.  After cooked, melt butter in pot.
Step 4. Add bacon and peppers and toss well.
Step 5. Add cheese mixing well and allow to melt.
Step 6. Add pepper to taste.
Step 7. Add egg yolks and toss everything together.
Serve and ENJOY!

Allergen Free Ritz-type Cracker

When we switched our diet to allergen free, finding a good tasting cracker was hard.  Most of what we found in the stores either had soy or milk as an ingredient in the crackers, or tasted like cardboard.  Having young kids, crackers have been an easy, quick snack.  My middle really liked the Ritz crackers, so I tried to find a recipe.  There is 1 gluten-free recipe I could find, but dairy was still in the recipe.  The following I adapted from Gluten-Free on a Shoestring to also be dairy/soy free.  I have taken a lot of time to perfect this recipe.  While mine do not seem quite a flakey as the original recipe, this is a go-to snack for our boys, who are quick to choose these over any other cracker choices in our house.  They are often eaten very quickly.

UPDATE:  I tend to make a triple batch so it can last awhile.  The boys like these crackers for snacks.  I recently made my best batch yet, more light and flakey than what I typically get.  The ingredients below reflect what I use for a triple batch.  Made around 200 crackers!

 

Ingredients

 

9 Tbs cold, Earth Balance dairy free, soy free butter

3 Tbs Spectrum shortening

3 c.  Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free baking mix

1 Tbs + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 Tbs + 1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

3 Tbs olive oil

3/4  c. cold water

 

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

Step 2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, paprika, and salt.

 

Step 3. Add butter and shortening.  Mix with pastry cutter until the mixture resembles small pebbles. Add the vegetable oil and use pastry cutter until incorporated.

 

Step 4. Add the water stirring constantly.

 

Step 5. Divide into 4-5 sections and use an entire section before starting on the next.  Roll out on a floured pastry sheet to about 1/8" thickness. Use small cup or cookie cutter to cut into circles.  Use metal spatula to lift crackers off pastry sheet and place on baking sheet.  I don't leave any space between the crackers, as they do not spread.  Use fork to make an X on each cracker in the center.

 

Step 6. Bake 18-20 minutes until starting to brown.  If you can tap with your nail and it gives a little in the center (feels a little soft), bake for a few more minutes. 

 

Step 7. While baking, melt 2-3 Tbs butter in a bowl.  When crackers are done baking, brush with butter and sprinkle with salt.  Allow to cool on towel. ENJOY!!