PhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucketPhotobucket

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Allergy Free Chocolate Cake with Powdered Sugar

I was craving chocolate the other night and wanted a quick recipe for my chocolate fix.  So here's a very simple chocolate cake that was perfect with some powdered sugar on top.  Very simple and fast!


Chocolate Cake
1  3/4 cup flour blend
1/2 teaspoon xanthan
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1  1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 cup cold water

Whisk together dry ingredients in large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.
Pour into greased 9-inch square baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Frost or sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Gluten Free Flour Blend


Here's the simple flour blend that I use.  I make a huge batch and store it in a large container.

4 cups brown rice flour
1  1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
2/3 cups tapioca flour

I hope to play around with some other flour options in my blend, but for now, this mixture works well.

It doesn't have any xanthan added so you will need to make sure you add some in each recipe you use.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Allergy Free Chicken and Rice

This is an easy meal that is made all in one pot for easy clean up.  This is a favorite weeknight dinner of the kids.



Chicken and Rice
olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (or 2) of boneless, skinless chicken tenders
2 cups jasmine rice
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons coconut soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons parsley
salt and pepper

In large saute pan, sauce onion and bell pepper in olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add chicken and minced garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.
Saute until chicken is slightly browned on each side.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
Cover with lid and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is done and liquid is absorbed.



Monday, November 5, 2012

Allergy Free Potato Chowder with Green Chiles

Here's a recipe I used to make long before Bee was born.  I've adapted it so that we can eat it again.  It's one of Prince Charming's favorite soups.  It's a creamy potato soup with a little bit of spice.  The colors make me think of Christmas........



Potato Chowder with Green Chiles
1 red bell pepper
2 poblano peppers
5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
chicken broth
1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/3 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups rice milk

Broil peppers on foil lined baking sheet for 5 minutes per side or until blistered.  Place in ziploc for 10 minutes to loosen skins.  Peel and then chop peppers.  Remove seeds from poblanos for a milder soup.
Boil peppers and next 5 ingredients.  Add enough chicken broth to cover.  Reduce heat and let simmer.
In separate saucepan, melt Earth Balance over medium low heat.  Whisk in flour and next 3 ingredients.  Gradually whisk in milk.  Continue stirring until thickened.  Then add to potato mixture.
Cook over medium heat until potatoes are soft and soup is thickened slightly.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Allergy Free Pumpkin Donut Muffins

These are wonderful autumn muffins with a hint of pumpkin and nutmeg.  My kids loved the cinnamon sugar topping.


Pumpkin Donut Muffins
3 cups flour blend
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup rice milk whisked with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/4 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 plus 1/3 cups Earth Balance
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 4 Tablespoons rice milk

Topping:
melted Earth Balance
cinnamon/sugar mixture

Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl and set aside.
In small bowl, whisk together rice milk mixture with pumpkin puree.
In mixing bowl, cream the Earth Balance and brown sugar.
Add egg replacer mixture and mix well.
Add flour mixture alternately with rice milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Beat well to combine.
Spoon batter into greased muffin tins.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Let muffins cool on wire rack.
Brush tops with melted Earth Balance and then dip into cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Makes 18 muffins.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Allergy Free Chili

All my kids love chili and they request it often.  So here is our version of "chili" although it's so mild it barely deserves to be called chili.  One day I'll add more in the way of spices but for now we keep it mild so they can all enjoy it.  It's a favorite of Ladybug's.


Chili
3 lbs ground bison
1 can pinto beans (or maybe even 2)
4 garlic gloves, minced
1 finely chopped onion
8 oz tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup GF beer (or you could use beef broth)
1/2 cup beef broth
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne red pepper (if my kids would let me I would use a lot more and I would even add a dash of hot sauce)
1 teaspoons cornmeal
1 teaspoon rice flour
1 teaspoon warm water

Brown the meat and drain.
Add the meat back to the pot with the onion and garlic and cook until onion is clear.
Add the tomato sauce through red pepper and simmer for 1-2 hours.
Mix cornmeal, rice flour and warm water and add to chili and cook covered for 20 minutes.
Salt to taste (unless you are going to serve yours with salty chips or crackers).






Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween from the Hive!


It's that time of year again!  That wonderful holiday that revolves around unsafe candy and scary costumes!  How I dread Halloween for a long list of reasons!!!

So, what do you do when you have allergy kiddos and you are faced with another holiday full of food?

Order your own safe candy.
My mom always sends the kids allergy-free treats for Halloween from Navan Foods.  The kids love the suckers!  I also ordered some Surf Sweets gummies and some Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops.




Make your own special treats.
It's a Halloween tradition at our house to make Rice Krispie treats and then frost them with white icing and add some mini chocolate chips.  The original intent was to have treats that looked like ghosts with two black eyes but the kids always go overboard with the chocolate chips.  Who cares?  They taste great!



Make your own food.
We have another Halloween tradition.  Daddy always grills out hamburger patties and makes homemade french fries.  We put ketchup "eyes" on the patties and give them some french fry legs for our own spider food creature.  Then we put some green beans around as the web.  They remember this meal from each year and look forward to it every Halloween.



Start your own traditions or host your own party.
Trick or treating is tricky, to say the least.  There are only a couple of candies that are remotely safe for Bee.  And of course, there's the whole "candy is not good for you" thing, as well as the artificial flavors and dyes.  Yuck!  I want to stay away from that candy.

So, instead of going out from house to house or hitting up Halloween parties full of food and candy, we have our own family party each year.  We have glow in the dark bowling, pin the nose on the pumpkin, a mummy wrap with toilet paper, and crafts.  And of course we have our own fun treats and prizes.  So, instead of feeling sad that we can't attend many of the functions, we just make our own.  The kids start getting excited about our Halloween party when school starts back up in the fall. 




Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Allergy Free Creamy Chicken Pasta

I'm not really sure what to call this recipe.  I was going to try to make Alfredo sauce.  Then I threw in some carrots.  Then hubby grilled chicken to put in with the sauce.  What I ended up with was a creamy pasta sauce that was simple comfort food.  The kids approved!!


Creamy Chicken Pasta

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
5 cloves garlic, diced
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup plus 1 cup chicken broth, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rice milk
2 Tablespoons brown rice flour

Saute onion, thyme, oregano, basil, garlic, and carrots in the olive oil until golden.
Add 3/4 cup chicken broth and simmer until most of the broth evaporates.
Stir in 1 cup chicken broth, rice milk, salt, and pepper and simmer until slightly reduced.  (10 minutes or so)  Make sure to stir often so it doesn't burn.
Whisk in rice flour and let cook until thickened.  Stir often.



Serve over pasta and with grilled chicken breast.


I cooked my pasta noodles and then tossed them with a little bit of Earth Balance, pepper, and salt.  Prince Charming sprinkled salt and pepper on some chicken tenders and grilled them.  Then he diced those.  We poured the sauce over the noodles and then tossed them with the chicken.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Allergy Free Blueberry Brunch Cake

I haven't used my springform pan in well over a year-cheesecake anyone?  I wish!  So here's a recipe to put that pan to good use.  It's a great weekend breakfast.
This cake is best eaten straight out the oven.  Don't save some for the next day or it will get mushy!


Blueberry Brunch Cake
3/4 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons Earth Balance
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 4 Tablespoons rice milk
1 2/3 cups flour blend
1/2 teaspoon xanthan
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rice milk whisked with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups blueberries

Topping
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Spray 9 or 10 inch springform pan well.
Combine sugar and Earth Balance and beat well.
Add egg replacer and mix well.
Combine flour blend, xanthan, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.
Add zest, orange juice, and vanilla to the rice milk/lemon juice mixture.
Alternately add flour mixture and rice milk mixture to mixing bow, beginning and ending with flour.
Mix well.
Fold in blueberries.
Sprinkle with topping.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.



Notes:  I use Wyman's blueberries in my cake.  They are mini wild blueberries that my kids love over the larger, chunkier blueberries.  Their small size also helps keep the cake from getting too heavy.







Friday, October 26, 2012

Allergy Free Orange Bundt Cake

To continue on with my citrus kick, I made an orange bundt cake for breakfast.  The cake is very spongy and I topped mine with an orange syrup to punch up the orange flavor.


Orange Bundt Cake with Orange Syrup
1 cup Earth Balance
2 cups sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 6 Tablespoons rice milk
3 cups flour blend
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup rice milk whisked with 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange zest (or 2-I think mine was closer to 2)
2 Tablespoons orange juice

Cream Earth Balance and sugar.
Add egg replacer mixture.
In separate bowl, combine flour blend, xanthan, baking soda, and salt.
Alternately add the flour mixture and the rice milk mixture to the mixing bowl.  Beat until smooth.
Add orange zest and orange juice.  Mix well.
Pour into greased bundt pan.
Bake at 350 for about an hour.
Cool on wire rack.

While cake is baking, make the orange syrup.


Orange Syrup
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup sugar

Combine in small saucepan and heat on low heat until sugar is completely dissolved.  Drizzle over cake while still warm.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Allergy Free Double Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes

I tried making some chocolate cupcakes and they came out tasting more like chocolate brownies.  So, these are now called chocolate brownie cupcakes around our house.  They are wonderful and chocolatey.  Upon taking them out of the oven, I immediately ate 2.  They are just that good!


Double Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes
1 cup flour blend
1/2 teaspoon xanthan
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Earth Balance
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 4 Tablespoons rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup rice milk whisked with 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chocolate chips
powdered sugar

In bowl, whisk together flour blend, xanthan, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
In mixing bowl, cream sugar and Earth Balance together for 2-3 minutes.
Add egg replacer mixture and vanilla and beat well.
Alternately add flour mixture with rice milk mixture and mix until smooth.
Fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon into greased muffin tin.
Bake at 350 for 18 minutes.
Cool on wire rack.
Dust with powdered sugar when completely cool.

Makes 12 cupcakes.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Allergy Free Orange Cookies

The pregnancy cravings have put me back on a citrus kick so I made some orange cookies.  Prince Charming was not at all excited about the thought of orange cookies.  Then I put one in his mouth.  He has since decided that he loves orange cookies.  The kids do too!



Orange Cookies with Orange Glaze
2/3 cup Spectrum shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 2 Tablespoons rice milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 cups flour blend
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream the shortening with the sugar.
Add egg replacer.
In separate bowl mix flour, xanthan, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in orange zest and orange juice until mixture is crumbly.
Add flour mixture to creamed shortening and mix slowly.
Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll scant Tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheets.
Flatten slightly.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack.


Glaze
powdered sugar
orange juice

Mix the powdered sugar with orange juice until the consistency is just right for drizzling on top of cookies warm cookies.  Top with tiny bits of grated orange zest.

I never measure the ingredients for the glaze, I just pour and stir until it looks just right.  You'll have to experiment.  

You'll notice that if I bake it, Prince Charming will glaze it.  He insists on glazing everything!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Allergy Free Tagliatelle

This is Prince Charming's favorite pasta recipe-he just loves it because it contains bacon.  The kids love it too as long as I call it "chili sauce."  Somehow that convinces them that it's not a regular tomato pasta sauce.  This recipe takes a long time to cook so I usually start the process the day before. 



Tagliatelle
1 lb bacon, diced
4 carrots, peeled and thinly chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly chopped
1 onion, minced 
olive oil
2 lbs ground bison
salt and pepper
1 cup rice milk
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chicken broth
2  15 oz cans diced tomatoes (I puree mine)

Saute bacon, carrots, celery, and onion in small amount of olive oil for several minutes over medium heat.
Add bison and a few shakes of salt and pepper.  Cook until meat is no longer pink.
Drain off excess fat.
Pour in rice milk and add cinnamon and nutmeg.
Simmer on low until milk is evaporated.
Add chicken broth and simmer until most of broth is evaporated.
Add the tomatoes.
Cook on low heat for 3 hours (yes, 3!)
Serve over pasta.

This sauce must cook for the full 3 hours.  I start mine the night before and simmer for a couple hours.  Once it cools, I put it in the fridge over night.  The next day I slowly warm it again and let it simmer for the remaining time.  It will cook down to a thick, chunky sauce. 

You could always use less bacon if you wanted to reduce the fat.  But that's my hubby's favorite part so I could never do that at our house!



Thursday, October 18, 2012

Is Traveling with Food Allergies Worth the Trouble?


We recently took a trip to the beach with all the kids.  We had a great time; it was a great trip overall.  But the planning and packing and cooking and baking and preparing was brutal.  I think Prince Charming would be completely content to never leave our little city.  The thought of the prep work involved in taking even a short trip completely overwhelms him.  I, however, want to do a little bit of traveling.  So, before each trip I have to pitch my idea, convincing him that the trip will be worth it in the end.

Our view of travel has certainly been altered since the diagnosis.  No longer can travel be spontaneous.  Most of the time it's not fun or enjoyable.  It is hard work.  Sure, traveling with children is lots of work, but when you add food allergies on top of everything else, it seems an insurmountable task.  It can be done (and later I'll blog about a few things I've learned), but first we have to determine if a trip is even worth taking.

Have you ever noticed that most trips revolve around food?  I used to plan my trips around where we would eat.  I wanted to experience a broad range of styles and options.  And when you talk about where you're planning to go, anyone who has ever been there gives you their best advice.  How often is it restaurant advice or food related?  Much of the time.

We've realized that so many trips are centered around food or the activities available on a trip revolve around eating.  Vacation packages can be all-inclusive to include food options (of course, none of them would even be remotely safe for us).  The hotel where you're staying offers a breakfast buffet (can't eat that!).  The resort where you're staying has on-site restaurants (do they offer allergy free options?  No!).  

So, is it even worth trying to take a trip with a food allergic child?  Yes, I believe it is.  Even though the task seems daunting it can be done.  But what you have to do is change your view of a vacation before you start planning.  You have to forget about food and force your focus away from eating options.  Instead, you have to focus on finding a vacation spot that offers numerous activities that don't involve food. 

It's all about the planning.  You can have a wonderful vacation when you've done your research.  You want to find a vacation spot filled with activity options that would be safe.  This can mean that some locations are out-some popular vacation spots won't offer enough safe options for you.  Sometimes you might have to be a little creative in deciding on new places to visit and places to stay.

You won't find us traveling the country to stay in quaint bed and breakfasts.  Nope, we don't want your breakfast.  You won't find us traveling to resorts with all-inclusive packages where we would need to eat at the hotel restaurants.  We will bring our own food and stay in a hotel with a kitchenette.

We've traveled to places to enjoy museums, zoos, and outdoor activities.  We've traveled to the beach to enjoy the sand, surf, and sun.  But on each trip, we have our own food and a place to stay that includes a kitchen area.



So, travel can be worth the trouble when you change your view of what a vacation should be.  A vacation is not much of a vacation when you have food allergies.  It requires lots of planning, preparing, and cooking.  It's just a lot of work!  But there are so many places to go and things to see that don't involve food.  Travel is doable and it's been very worth it.  However, I usually need a vacation from our vacation once we return. 


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

{Allergy Free} Brown Sugar Baked Chicken

Here's a very simple chicken recipe with only a few ingredients.  It's a favorite of Ladybug's and is often found in our weeknight dinner rotation.  You can never go wrong with brown sugar!


Brown Sugar Baked Chicken
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 package chicken tenders

Place all ingredients in bag and shake to coat well.
Line baking dish with foil.
Place chicken in dish and bake at 450 for 20 minutes.
Done!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A Short Break

I'm taking a short blogging break today.  I'll be back tomorrow with another recipe.  Instead, today I hope to catch a nap..........this is why I'm so very tired!


And yes, some days I feel like this too. 


Monday, October 15, 2012

Allergy Free Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here's a great recipe for when you need a chocolate fix.  These cookies are slightly crunchy on the edges and chewy in the middle.  They are all chocolate!


Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 T Earth Balance
2/3 cup flour blend
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 4 Tablespoons rice milk
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 oz chocolate chips

Combine chopped chocolate and Earth Balance in microwave safe bowl and heat for 20 second intervals until melted.
In separate bowl, stir together flour, xanthan, baking powder, and salt.
In bowl of mixer combine egg replacer mixture, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add chocolate mixture.
Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Place dough in fridge for 30 minutes.
Place on parchment lined baking sheets by Tablespoons (keep them small and in the ball shape).
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  The cookies will look crackly on top.
Cool on wire rack.

I have to double this recipe to have enough for my crew!  They go fast!



Friday, October 12, 2012

Allergy Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Here's a recipe for fall using apples and cinnamon.  It will make your kitchen smell wonderful and the muffins are very simple.  The kids tried them for breakfast one morning and I didn't have a single muffin left!  


I overfilled my tins and ended up with a giant muffin-top cake that I had to cut apart in the end.  But they were still wonderful!

Apple Cinnamon Muffins
1 apple, peeled and grated
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 container plain coconut yogurt
1/2 cup Earth Balance melted
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 4 Tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour blend
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Toss grated apple with lemon juice and set aside.
Mix coconut yogurt, melted Earth Balance, and sugar until fluffy.
Add egg replacer and vanilla and mix again.
In separate bowl mix together dry ingredients.
Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently just until blended.
Fold in grated apple.
Pour into greased muffin tins.

Cinnamon Topping
1/3 cup sugar
4 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance

Stir together sugar, flour, and cinnamon.
Cut in Earth Balance until mixture resembles course crumbs.
Sprinkle on top of muffins.

Bake muffins at 375 for 15-18 minutes.

Makes 18 muffins. (Don't cram them into 12 like I did!!)

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Apple Cinnamon Rice Chex



Chex has come out with a new Gluten Free product that Bee can have!  Apple Cinnamon Rice Chex!  And she really enjoys them!


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Allergy Free Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Here's a quick and easy weeknight dinner-chicken and a veggie all in one pan.  Super easy and the kids loved it!  Prince Charming was a huge fan!


Maple Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes
2 packages boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used the package of small tenders)
1 yellow onion, cut into small wedges
3 sweet potatoes cut into 1/2 inch-chunks (or smaller)
2 T olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 T maple syrup (the real stuff!)
2-3 teaspoons thyme

Heat oven to 400.
Arrange chicken, onion, and sweet potatoes in 9x13 foil lined baking dish.
Drizzle oil over chicken and vegetables.
Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with thyme.
Roast, stirring once, until chicken is cooked through.  We baked ours for about an hour.

Once ours was done we mashed the sweet potatoes slightly and drizzled a tiny bit of extra maple syrup on top before tossing it one final time.  Then it was ready to serve!  Next time, I'm going to have to double it!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Allergy Free White Bean Chicken Chili

Here's another simple soup for when the weather cools.  I'm still waiting for ours to cool off but I'm starting in on the soups now!  Can you go wrong with a soup served with bacon?  I don't think so!



White Bean Chicken Chili
1 package nitrate free bacon cooked and crumbled (for the topping)
1 large onion, diced
3 teaspoons minced garlic
1 package of chicken breasts cooked and shredded (I threw mine in the crockpot with some water)
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (yummy!!!)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 cups chicken broth
1 can (15 oz) fire roasted tomatoes (I put mine in the blender)
4 cans (14.5 oz) white beans
2 cans (4 oz) diced green chiles 
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil until onion is translucent.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for an hour.
Top with the crumbled bacon.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Allergy Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

The kids have all been sick and one of the only things they will eat is muffins.  So, they've had quite a variety of muffins over the past week and I needed to try something new.  So here are some oatmeal chocolate chip muffins!  They are best served warm and the texture is wonderful!!!



Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
1 1/4 cups quick oats
2/3 cup applesauce
1 cup vanilla hemp milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 2 Tablespoons vanilla hemp milk
1 1/4 cups flour blend
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 and spray muffin tins.

In large bowl combine oats, applesauce, hemp milk, brown sugar, oil, syrup, vanilla, and egg replacer.  Stir well.


In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients.


Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake for 16-18 minutes.  Turn out on wire rack to cool.



Friday, October 5, 2012

Allergy Free Pea Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

We have recently discovered golden pea butter as an alternative to peanut butter.  Since Bee cannot eat peanut butter, almond butter, sun butter, or any other type of nut butter we had despaired of ever eating anything that resembled a peanut butter cookie or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  While pea butter is not the same, (it is much drier and harder to spread) it tastes great in cookies!



Pea Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups pea butter
4 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer mixed with 6 Tablespoons rice milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon xanthan
4 1/2 cups regular oats
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 package Enjoy Life chocolate chunks

Beat butter with olive oil.
Gradually add in sugars.
Add pea butter, egg replacer, and vanilla.  Mix well.
Add oats, xanthan, soda, and salt.  Beat well.
Stir in chocolate chunks.
Drop dough on parchment lined baking sheets using 1/4 cup.  Flatten slightly.
Bake at 350 for 14 minutes.  Cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Allergy Free Taco Soup

I can get Ladybug to eat just about anything as long as it's in a soup.  So, here's another simple soup recipe that can be cooked on the stove or in the crockpot.



Taco Soup
2 pounds ground beef or ground bison (or you could use ground turkey)
1 large onion, diced
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans black beans
1 (15 1/2 oz) can kidney beans (or pinto beans)
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans stewed tomatoes with green chiles
1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (4 1/2 oz) cans diced green chiles
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix  (my recipe is here)
2 Tablespoons ranch dressing mix (my recipe is here)

Brown beef with onions.
Drain any excess fat.
Add beef, onions, and remaining ingredients to a large pot and simmer for 1 hour OR add all ingredients to a crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Sickness and the Allergy Child



I'll admit, when Bee is sick I am way more paranoid than when the other kids are sick.  If she ever has any type of cold or respiratory sickness, I get a little panicky.

Last week she came down with a cold, which progressed into a respiratory infection, which progressed into bronchitis, which started turning into pneumonia.  She ran a low fever for days, coughed without stopping, wheezed, and refused to eat.  She was beyond miserable and I was about to have a heart attack!

We had a visit to an urgent care clinic and after breathing treatments and x-rays, we left with more albuterol for our nebulizer, liquid steroids to keep her airways open, and an antibiotic to fight the infection.

Bee's wheezing was scary and I was constantly worried that her airways were constricting.  There was no better sound than to hear her breathing normally, even if she was still coughing.

Of course Ladybug was sick as well and then Tiger.  After several days of fighting it off, the infection took Curly down.  My week was full of breathing treatments, meds, humidifiers, and Vick's Vapor Rub.



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Allergy Free Spaghetti and Meatballs

My grandmother used to make spaghetti and meatballs for us.  This is her recipe, just adapted to be allergy free.  It is a favorite of Prince Charming's!  The kids only eat the meatballs-no sauce.  They are missing the best part!


Spaghetti and Meatballs

Sauce
1 onion, chopped
olive oil
2 14 oz cans diced or stewed tomatoes
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
1 cup water

Saute onion in small amount of olive oil until tender.
Add remaining ingredients and stir well.
Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour.

Meatballs
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 pound ground beef or ground bison
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 4 Tablespoons rice milk
2 Tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon oregano 
1 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients together well and form into small balls. (If the mixture is not holding well or feels too dry and crumbly, you can add small amounts of rice milk)
Cover bottom of skillet with olive oil and heat on medium.
Brown meatballs in oil until all sounds are browned.
Stir gently into pot of sauce and then serve.




Monday, October 1, 2012

Allergy Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Curly has decided that her favorite cake is bundt cake so we tried out a new bundt cake recipe for fall.  The cake was moist and yummy and the combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger was perfect!



Pumpkin Bundt Cake
1/2 cup Earth Balance
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 can pumpkin puree
4 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 6 Tablespoons rice milk
2 1/2 cups flour blend
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon xanthan
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Spray bundt pan with cooking spray.
Beat butter and sugar on medium speed.
Add pumpkin and egg replacer and mix thoroughly.
In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on medium speed.
Pour into bundt pan.


Streusel Topping
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance, melted

Mix together and sprinkle over cake batter.

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.  Invert onto a plate and let cool.  Then invert again so streusel is on top (to avoid losing it all).

OR, use the streusel as a middle layer to the cake to avoid the crumbly mess.

You can also top with glaze.

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons melted Earth Balance
1 teaspoon vanilla
rice milk

Mix first three ingredients with whisk.  Slowly add rice milk until glaze reaches a pourable consistency.  Then drizzle over cake.
 
Content © Hives in the Kitchen | Design © 2012 Laura Jane
Unauthorized use of this site's design or code is strictly prohibited