Recipe: Coconut-Carrot Soup (Gluten Free & Vegan)

Do you avoid making pureed soups because they're too much work? All that blending only to never be able to get just the right consistency?

You don't have to worry about that with this soup! Start with pureed carrots, and the hard work is already done for you. This soup is ready as soon as it's heated through, making it perfect for those nights you're in a rush or don't feel like cooking.

Organic Works Bakery in London, Ontario

A few weeks ago I received a HUGE box of samples from Organic Works Bakery in London, Ontario. My son gets excited when I receive products for the blog because he thinks everything is for him since it's all gluten free. He was not disappointed with this delivery. The box contained Chocolate Chip Cookies, Double Chocolate Cookies, Ginger Cookies, Lemon Cranberry Cookies, No Nut Peanut Butter Cookies, Zucchini Bread, Banana Bread, Focaccia Bread, Brown Rice Bread, Rye-Style Bread, and more.

September's Cookbook: Naturally Sweet & Gluten Free by Ricki Heller

Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free
Allergy-Friendly Vegan Desserts

Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free will prove that you can have your cake and great health too! The desserts and other baked goods found in this book were inspired by the author’s decision, after decades of baking and indulging in unhealthy sweets, to radically heed her body’s wake-up call and radically alter her diet.
The book features:
- 100 dessert recipes all free of gluten, eggs, and dairy; many are also soy-free (or offer a soy-free option), corn-free (all but one!), and nut-free (or offer a nut-free option)
- Comprehensive introductory matter, including helpful information on: ingredients, tips & techniques, tools & bake ware, and an at-a glance pantry list
- The author’s first book, Sweet Freedom, is listed on Ellen
DeGeneres’s Web site as one of her top vegan cookbook picks

This is the first time I've chosen a dessert book for the cookbook of the month, but this one just looked too good to be true. I make no secret about the fact that this blog exists specifically because my son needs to be gluten free, and that's what I focus on, but he also has issues with dairy. I also know that many people who are gluten free also have other food restrictions to deal with, and this book offers desserts free from gluten, dairy, eggs, or refined sugar, which I think may be of interest to many of you who read the blog.

This book is being released this month, and I'm excited to announce that not only do I have an interview planned with the author, I will also have a physical copy of the book to give away to one of you! If you're interested in hearing Ricki Heller speak, she will be at the Toronto Gluten Free Expo this weekend.  

 

 

Introducing Goat's Cheese to a Dairy Free Child

If you've read my blog in the past, you'll know that my son is both gluten free and dairy free.  What's never been clear is if the dairy intolerance is something entirely separate from the gluten issue, or whether he was having difficulty digesting dairy because of intestinal damage caused by the gluten.  What was clear, however, was that he reacted badly to dairy products.  So on the advice of our doctor, we cut out dairy entirely.

He's been tested for a milk allergy and the test came back negative, but just like any allergy testing, since he was so young (less than 2 years old), the testing is not necessarily accurate.  So, both our family doctor and our gastroenterologist suggested that we should try and introduce dairy products back into his diet, one product at a time, beginning with goat's milk products.  Apparently hard cheeses are easier to digest than soft ones, and goat's milk is easier to digest than cow's milk.  Sometimes those who are lactose intolerant are able to tolerate goat's milk cheeses quite well.  The suggestion was to incorporate a bit of goat's cheese into a recipe, and see what happens.  We are also to get him allergy tested for dairy once a year, unless he ceases to react negatively to dairy products at some point.

So....tonight we gave him a slice of firm mozzarella made from goat' milk.  I had originally put some in Monday night's pasta dish, but but he decided he wasn't in the mood for pasta. 

Go figure. 

Instead, tonight I offered him a small slice of cheese as a snack.  Fingers crossed.

It would be fantastic if he could eat goat's milk products.  We're managing fine without dairy, particularly since there are many dairy substitutes on the market, but it would be nice to have one more option in his diet.  Particularly when eating out. 

But if not, well, then that's OK too.  We'll give it a try in another 6 months.

Cottage Living: What's for breakfast?

Spending time away from the daily grind of up, dressed, fed and out, allows for some extra thought to go into meals that typically have very little thought put into them.  I've been trying to move away from cereal several times a week to more varied options, but some days go better than others. We're vacationing with my sister, my niece, and my parents, but only my son is gluten free.  We came up with some breakfast ideas that are not only delicious, but gluten and dairy free, so that everyone can enjoy breakfast together.

Monday: Bacon & Eggs and a Fruit Salad

Tuesday: Gluten Free Chex Cereal with Blueberries and Rice Milk

Wednesday: Gluten Free Pancakes with real Maple Syrup

Thursday: Fruit Smoothies made with Rice Milk, Banana, Strawberry and Honey

Friday: Omelette using up leftover veggies, with Orange Juice and Sliced Papaya

Gluten, Dairy and Nut Free Gathering

Yesterday a friend of mine came over for lunch with her two kids.  My son is gluten and dairy free, and her daughter is nut free, but it didn't stop us from providing a fantastic meal for everyone. 

My friend brought along:
-lentil chips & hummus
-organic strawberries
-tea

And I provided:
-BBQ chicken
-Greek Salad (the only thing my son couldn't have, but he's not a huge salad fan)
-Vegetable platter
-Nacho chips and salsa
-Veggie Chips

The kids ate everything put in front of them and even shared a bowl of nacho chips:

 

Nothing fancy, nothing fussy, just simple finger foods that we were able to pick up at the grocery store and put out with minimal effort.  The focus wasn't on the food.  It was on catching up with a friend and watching our children try to catch bubbles, invent new ways to go down a slide, and just generally run around until they were exhausted.  That's the way it should be. 

And it was a lot of fun!

Yogurt mishap

So last night I was all smug and excited.  I had been told by various medical professionals that for some people who have celiac or gluten intolerance that the ability to digest dairy products can sometimes return after being on a gluten free diet for long enough to heal their damaged intestines.  A difficulty digesting dairy is very common for those who also can't process gluten, but apparently just a temporary problem for a lucky few. 

I am lactose intolerant, so I know all about the side effects of consuming too many dairy products.  I am able to tolerate some dairy, however, and I was encouraged to be told from the pediatric allergist that we went to see for my son that some dairy products are better tolerated by lactose intolerant people than others, such as yogurt and hard cheeses.  She suggested that since my son has been on a gluten free diet for a few months now that we might be able to introduce some goats' milk or some regular yogurt and see how it goes. 

So I did, two nights ago.  Organic, toddler yogurt, sweetened with fruit juice.  No gluten.  And yesterday, he was fine.  So I gave him another one last night, thinking that perhaps yogurt could be reintroduced into his diet.  Especially since he has recently decided that he no longer likes the soy yogurt I used to buy him.

I was wrong.

This morning was....unpleasant.  Let me just say that his unhappy bowels sent me a message, loud and clear, that yogurt was not going to be tolerated by my little one.  I feel like a horrible mommy, but he didn't seem too concerned except to point and say "That's ewwww".  Eww indeed.

Lesson learned.

Leek and Potato Soup

Last night I felt like eating something warm and soothing, to take the edge off the chilly weather we've been experiencing.  There's nothing like a hearty soup or stew on a cold winter's night to warm the bones.  Here's my version of leek and potato soup that doesn't require any flour or cream for thickening.

Leek and Potato Soup

Soup
2 leeks, cleaned and sliced thinly
2 medium-large potatoes, cubed
**I use white or yellow potatoes with a thin skin so that I don't have to peel them
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth (1 box of broth)
1 tsp. dried, mixed herbs (or 1/2 tsp. rosemary and 1/2 tsp. thyme)
olive oil
salt and pepper

Finishing
6 mushrooms (button or cremini), diced
1/2 zucchini, diced
1/2 orange or red bell pepper, diced
1/2 onion, diced
salt and pepper

Directions
1- In a large pot, pour enough olive oil to lightly coat the bottom.  Over medium heat, sauté the garlic and leeks until soft, approx. 5 minutes.
2- Add cubed potatoes and stir to coat.  Add herbs, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes.
3- Pour in broth, bring to a boil and then lower heat.  Let simmer 15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through and soft.
4- While soup is cooking, pour 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and cook garlic, onion, mushrooms, pepper and zucchini until just cooked through.  Lightly salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.
5- When soup is ready,  blend with an immersion blender or in a blender until desired smoothness is reached.  If soup is too thick, add a little more water or broth.  Ladle into warm bowls and top with some of the sauteed vegetables.  Adjust seasonings and serve.

Chicken Nuggets and Sweet Potato Fries

My son loves all things ketchup, and while I try not to indulge him all the time, sometimes I like to make a meal that's a natural match while still being healthy.  Both the nuggets and the fries are oven baked, and taste delicious.

Chicken Nuggets
We're a family of three, and I find that 2 chicken breasts works well for us.

Ingredients

• 2  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into nuggets or fingers
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free bread crumbs.  I use coarsely ground ones because they have a crunchy consistency but any type would do
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley or basil flakes
• salt and pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. plain mustard

Preheat oven to 350F
Lightly grease a cookie sheet 

1- In a bowl, beat eggs and mustard until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, herbs, salt and pepper.
Lay out an assembly line: raw chicken, egg mixture, bread crumbs, cookie sheet.
2- One piece at a time, place the chicken in the egg mixture, covering completely.
3- Remove from egg and place in breadcrumb mixture.  Coat thoroughly, shake off excess and lay on cookie sheet.  Repeat process until all pieces are coated.
4- Place in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until there is no pink left in centre of nuggets.
5- Remove from oven and serve warm with dipping sauce of choice.

Sweet Potato Fries
1 large sweet potato is enough for us, but two is always a good bet.  I find that not peeling the potato helps it to keep a better shape, but they work well peeled too.

Ingredients

• 1-2 large sweet potatoes, cut into french fry pieces
• salt and pepper
• olive oil to coat

Preheat oven to 425F  
Cover two cookie sheets with aluminum foil and lightly grease


1- Place fries in a bowl or a zip lock bag.  Salt and pepper to taste, and pour in enough olive oil to lightly coat.  Mix well or shake bag.  Fries should not be drowning in oil, or they will go soggy.
2- Arrange on cookie sheets, allowing space in between fries.
3- Bake for ten minutes, turn and bake for another 5-10, depending on desired level of crispness.
4- Allow to cool slightly before serving.
5- Serve with desired dipping sauce.

Sweet potato fries take spice really well, so if you're feeding older children who like spicy food, try adding some cayenne pepper or some coarse cracked black pepper before cooking.

This is a kid friendly meal, that tastes good but is healthy too.   I cook the chicken first, and then just keep it warm or place it back in the warmed oven for a few minutes while the fries are cooling.  A quick meal with simple ingredients and just a few steps.  Enjoy!