I have had my business up and running for almost one month now. Even though the word isn't getting out quickly, I have taken much joy in helping a few people hopefully find an option for finding soy free bread. I hope that my bread will be solution for many people.:)
Getting the kids ready for school is always a challenge. Trying to make sure each child has just what they need without breaking the bank is really fun! Taylor is going to kindergarten this year, and I am hoping that all goes just as well as preschool did. When I met with the school nurse, she was so wonderful and made me feel like every concern of mine would be met. I never realized how mother's of children with allergies worry so much when their child leaves the safety of their home. I am just glad that his school is practically around the corner.
Summer storms are my absolute favorite. We have been getting a lot of monsoon thunderstorms this past couple weeks. I just love storms that roll in over the mountains, dump a lot of rain, and leave the air beautifully clean.
I am reading "Wish Granted" by the Make a Wish foundation. I am really enjoying reading about how others find joy in making kids happy. I hope some day I can feel that good about my life. I am grateful to so many people who bring joy my way. I am grateful to be a mother of five fantastic kids! They continue to teach me that I know nothing, but I am sure trying my best with the limited knowledge I have of how to be a mom.
Life is good. I am learning a lot about the internet and running a business. I am grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself and learn new things.
I have even been able to begin running again after some physical therapy(due to an injury last summer). I love to run. I am slow, but it is such a great stress relief.
Until Next Time.
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
Our new Soy Free Bread Business
It has been a long nine months trying to get logistics worked out, but we are finally in business! Announcing www.taylorapproved.com ! We, my husband and I, are shipping soy free bread! It is preservative and cholesterol free; dairy, egg, and soy free; has no added oils or sugars. We currently are selling honey whole wheat and country white(with cracked wheat). They are delicious and healthy. So even if you aren't struggling with food allergies in your family, you can feel good about purchasing this bread for your family.
There are also recipes on our website...some are altered from ones posted here, and some are new. I believe that recipes can always be tweaked. I am always trying to improve my recipes to please my family.
I am just so excited! I know the pain of walking grocery isles in tears trying to find something healthy and nutritious to feed a loved one. My hope is to help people like our family to find solutions to their bread needs that are healthy and delicious.
So check out our website!
There are also recipes on our website...some are altered from ones posted here, and some are new. I believe that recipes can always be tweaked. I am always trying to improve my recipes to please my family.
I am just so excited! I know the pain of walking grocery isles in tears trying to find something healthy and nutritious to feed a loved one. My hope is to help people like our family to find solutions to their bread needs that are healthy and delicious.
So check out our website!
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Calzones
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 C warm water
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 -3 C flour, divided
milk to brush on top of calzones (or olive oil if no dairy)
1/2 -1 TBSP pizza sauce(see recipe on this site) for each calazone
pizza toppings you desire for filling
1. In a mixer with a kneading hook, place warm water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Let stand for several minutes.
2. Dump in flour, and mix in. Scrape down sides if necessary. Then turn up the mixer to knead for 4-5 minutes.
3. Take our hook, and let rise for twenty minutes.
4. On a floured surface, take out dough and divide in half. Roll out one half and divide into 4-8 segments with a knife. (you can make these small or large, snack size or dinner size)
5. Put a small amount of pizza sauce in the center. Then add cheese or other ingredients to half of the calzone. Fold over the other half, and pinch edges of calzone using a fork to press down. Then using the fork prick the top several times.
6. Place on greased cookie sheet and baste with a small amount of milk on the top of the calzone.
7. When all are done, place in a preheated oven of 375 Degrees for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of you calzone.
ENJOY!
**I doubled this recipe and made 12 very large calzones. If you want to make smaller ones, they are a perfect replacement for "hot pockets". Just let cool on a cookie cooling rack, then wrap in plastic wrap well, and place in a freezer bag. Pull them out whenever you need a snack.
1 C warm water
1 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 -3 C flour, divided
milk to brush on top of calzones (or olive oil if no dairy)
1/2 -1 TBSP pizza sauce(see recipe on this site) for each calazone
pizza toppings you desire for filling
1. In a mixer with a kneading hook, place warm water, yeast, sugar, and salt. Let stand for several minutes.
2. Dump in flour, and mix in. Scrape down sides if necessary. Then turn up the mixer to knead for 4-5 minutes.
3. Take our hook, and let rise for twenty minutes.
4. On a floured surface, take out dough and divide in half. Roll out one half and divide into 4-8 segments with a knife. (you can make these small or large, snack size or dinner size)
5. Put a small amount of pizza sauce in the center. Then add cheese or other ingredients to half of the calzone. Fold over the other half, and pinch edges of calzone using a fork to press down. Then using the fork prick the top several times.
6. Place on greased cookie sheet and baste with a small amount of milk on the top of the calzone.
7. When all are done, place in a preheated oven of 375 Degrees for 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of you calzone.
ENJOY!
**I doubled this recipe and made 12 very large calzones. If you want to make smaller ones, they are a perfect replacement for "hot pockets". Just let cool on a cookie cooling rack, then wrap in plastic wrap well, and place in a freezer bag. Pull them out whenever you need a snack.
Lemony Broccoli Pasta
12-14 oz of pasta
2 TBSP butter
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
2 TBSP olive oil
lemon pepper seasoning
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can chicken broth
1 C broccoli, cut into pieces
1 tsp salt
1 lemon, zest and juice
grated parmesan cheese
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When it reaches a boil, salt the water(1/2 tsp-1 tsp approx). Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain. Return pasta to pot. Add butter and stir. Set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, cook the chicken with olive oil in a large skillet. Season with lemon pepper seasonings(I use McCormick). When it is done, remove to a plate with a paper towel.
3. Add garlic to pan, and stir for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth, broccoli, and salt. Put a lid on the pan, and steam for 4-5 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
4. Turn off heat, and add the chicken back in. Then add the lemon juice & zest. Stir. Then dump into large pot with pasta. Stir. Let stand several minutes, then stir again. The pasta needs time to soak up most of the liquid. Serve with grated parmesan on top if desired.
2 TBSP butter
1 lb chicken breasts, cut into small chunks
2 TBSP olive oil
lemon pepper seasoning
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 can chicken broth
1 C broccoli, cut into pieces
1 tsp salt
1 lemon, zest and juice
grated parmesan cheese
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When it reaches a boil, salt the water(1/2 tsp-1 tsp approx). Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain. Return pasta to pot. Add butter and stir. Set aside.
2. While pasta is cooking, cook the chicken with olive oil in a large skillet. Season with lemon pepper seasonings(I use McCormick). When it is done, remove to a plate with a paper towel.
3. Add garlic to pan, and stir for 20 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken broth, broccoli, and salt. Put a lid on the pan, and steam for 4-5 minutes or until broccoli is tender.
4. Turn off heat, and add the chicken back in. Then add the lemon juice & zest. Stir. Then dump into large pot with pasta. Stir. Let stand several minutes, then stir again. The pasta needs time to soak up most of the liquid. Serve with grated parmesan on top if desired.
Fudge
1 3/4 C enjoy life chocolate chips
1/4 C butter
1 can sweetened and condensed milk
1. Grease 8x8 glass dish with butter.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until a total of 2 minutes is reached. Stir after each interval. Be careful not to over cook, if it is melted in 1 min and 30 sec, then don't keep microwaving up to 2 minutes.
3. When melted, stir in sweetened and condensed milk. Stir until completely mixed in. Then pour into prepared pan.
4. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours., better if it is 6 hours or overnight.
**This fudge melts in your hands, so enjoy quickly!
1/4 C butter
1 can sweetened and condensed milk
1. Grease 8x8 glass dish with butter.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until a total of 2 minutes is reached. Stir after each interval. Be careful not to over cook, if it is melted in 1 min and 30 sec, then don't keep microwaving up to 2 minutes.
3. When melted, stir in sweetened and condensed milk. Stir until completely mixed in. Then pour into prepared pan.
4. Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours., better if it is 6 hours or overnight.
**This fudge melts in your hands, so enjoy quickly!
Another child with allergies?
Yesterday, Ashlee was finally able to get into a dermatologist. Almost as soon as she saw Ashlee, she said the dreaded words "food allergies", and then continued to list all the foods to avoid until getting into an allergist...egg, soy, dairy, nuts. Oh joy I thought! Now I get to make dinner without dairy too! My life must not be crazy enough, there must be something I need to learn about managing craziness still. I apparently need more craziness to meet that level of coping.:)
All kidding aside, I did freak out a bit, cried a little again on the way to Wal-mart to see what I could do to make lunch time at school easier for my sweet teenager. But I did notice that unlike last time, I wasn't so afraid. I knew that I could solve our eating challenges because I learned that there are SO many options out there. They are available online and in our local stores now. I was able to find a replacement online for peanut butter, and have ordered some soy and dairy free butter. Many of our other grocery items meet her allergy needs. I think the hardest thing is my baking. I LOVE to bake desserts!!!! This is going to be a little trickier because the replacement butter is just a spread and would be terribly expensive to substitute that for cookies, cakes, etc.
Luckily, Ashlee will be allergy tested in three weeks. We can live without all these food items for that long until we know for sure which ones are triggering her severe eczema. This dermatologist also concurred with Taylor's doctor that these allergies will change overtime. What triggers a reaction now, will not necessarily be the same in five years or ten years. Therefore, we need to constantly be monitoring and every few years test again.
I just wanted to express gratitude to all those who have struggled with food allergies, then made products that are delicious replacements! That makes my life so much easier. We are hoping to launch a website in the near future that will sell soy, dairy, egg, nut, and preservative free bread. We are very excited about this and can't wait to share soy free bread with more people.
All kidding aside, I did freak out a bit, cried a little again on the way to Wal-mart to see what I could do to make lunch time at school easier for my sweet teenager. But I did notice that unlike last time, I wasn't so afraid. I knew that I could solve our eating challenges because I learned that there are SO many options out there. They are available online and in our local stores now. I was able to find a replacement online for peanut butter, and have ordered some soy and dairy free butter. Many of our other grocery items meet her allergy needs. I think the hardest thing is my baking. I LOVE to bake desserts!!!! This is going to be a little trickier because the replacement butter is just a spread and would be terribly expensive to substitute that for cookies, cakes, etc.
Luckily, Ashlee will be allergy tested in three weeks. We can live without all these food items for that long until we know for sure which ones are triggering her severe eczema. This dermatologist also concurred with Taylor's doctor that these allergies will change overtime. What triggers a reaction now, will not necessarily be the same in five years or ten years. Therefore, we need to constantly be monitoring and every few years test again.
I just wanted to express gratitude to all those who have struggled with food allergies, then made products that are delicious replacements! That makes my life so much easier. We are hoping to launch a website in the near future that will sell soy, dairy, egg, nut, and preservative free bread. We are very excited about this and can't wait to share soy free bread with more people.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Alfredo Sauce
8 oz light cream cheese, softened
6 TBSP butter
1 1/4 C milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
16 oz pasta
Boil water in a large pot. When it comes to a boil add 1/4 tsp salt and pasta. Stirring occasionally, cook as directed. When pasta is done, return to pan, drizzle with olive oil and stir. Then add 1/2 C parmesan cheese and stir. Then add sauce when it is done.
To make the sauce...
Melt cream cheese and butter in a medium sized pot, stirring with a whisk. When they are melted and combined, slowly whisk in milk. Then add seasonings. Keep stirring until heated through. Pour over pasta and let sit for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to let the pasta absorb the sauce.
If you want to add chicken, I cube one large chicken breast and cook it in a pan with lemon/pepper seasonings and a little olive oil. When it is lightly browned, add 1-2 cloves of garlic and stir until fragrant(5 seconds). Then add the chicken to the sauce before pouring over pasta.
6 TBSP butter
1 1/4 C milk
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
16 oz pasta
Boil water in a large pot. When it comes to a boil add 1/4 tsp salt and pasta. Stirring occasionally, cook as directed. When pasta is done, return to pan, drizzle with olive oil and stir. Then add 1/2 C parmesan cheese and stir. Then add sauce when it is done.
To make the sauce...
Melt cream cheese and butter in a medium sized pot, stirring with a whisk. When they are melted and combined, slowly whisk in milk. Then add seasonings. Keep stirring until heated through. Pour over pasta and let sit for a few minutes, stirring occasionally to let the pasta absorb the sauce.
If you want to add chicken, I cube one large chicken breast and cook it in a pan with lemon/pepper seasonings and a little olive oil. When it is lightly browned, add 1-2 cloves of garlic and stir until fragrant(5 seconds). Then add the chicken to the sauce before pouring over pasta.
November is almost half over!
Time continues to fly. Taylor is doing well in preschool and we have had no issues with him being able to eat his foods safely. I am very grateful for that. I continue to find recipes that work for our food allergies and shelf stable foods that allow Taylor to eat similar foods to other kids. "Back to Nature" has several crackers and cookies that meet all Taylor's requirements. He loves their Crispy Cheddar crackers. Trader Joe's has Golden Rounds Crackers that are soy free. These were a great find by my mother! Trader Joe's doesn't have very many products that are soy free, but there are a few and we have been glad that they opened one here in Salt Lake City.
I hope that some of my recipes will help another Mother who struggles like me to find the right kind of food to feed her family.
This is a link that talks about soy allergies. I found it very helpful.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/soy-allergy/DS00970/DSECTION=symptoms
I hope that some of my recipes will help another Mother who struggles like me to find the right kind of food to feed her family.
This is a link that talks about soy allergies. I found it very helpful.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/soy-allergy/DS00970/DSECTION=symptoms
Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
3/4 lb extra lean ground beef
1/2 C minced onon
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
1/2 C water
2 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black peper
Cook the ground beef with the onions in a large pot. I like to add salt/pepper/onion powder when cooking the meat too. When the meat is almost done and the garlic cloves.
Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and seasonings. Cover and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat and keep a simmer for 30 minutes-1 hour, depending on how much time you have, stirring occasionally. The longer you cook, the thicker it will get.
1/2 C minced onon
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 (8oz) cans tomato sauce
2 (6oz) cans tomato paste
1/2 C water
2 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black peper
Cook the ground beef with the onions in a large pot. I like to add salt/pepper/onion powder when cooking the meat too. When the meat is almost done and the garlic cloves.
Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and seasonings. Cover and bring to a simmer. Turn down heat and keep a simmer for 30 minutes-1 hour, depending on how much time you have, stirring occasionally. The longer you cook, the thicker it will get.
Delicious Soy & Egg Free Chocolate Cake adapted from Hershey's "'perfectly chocolate' chocolate cake"
2 C sugar
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp baking powder(always check to see if it is soy free)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP flaxseed + 4 TBSP water
1 C milk
1/2 C canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C boiling water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan with butter and then flour it. Mix flaxseed and water in a small bowl and allow it to sit for a couple minutes.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add flaxseed/water combination, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Mix with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Then stir in boiling water(batter will be thin).
Pour into 9x13 pan.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool.
Hershey's "'Perfectly Chocolate' chocolate frosting
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
2/3 C Hershey's cocoa
3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt butter, then stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk and beat with a wire whisk. Add vanilla and mix. Spread over cooled cake.
This cake can be made in two 9" round pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, in a bundt cake(make sure you grease it very well with butter then flour) for 50-55 minutes, and cupcakes for 22-25 minutes(make sure to only fill muffin tins 1/2-2/3(no more).
This is my husbands favorite cake.
1 3/4 C all purpose flour
3/4 C Hershey's cocoa
1 tsp baking powder(always check to see if it is soy free)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP flaxseed + 4 TBSP water
1 C milk
1/2 C canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C boiling water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan with butter and then flour it. Mix flaxseed and water in a small bowl and allow it to sit for a couple minutes.
Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
Add flaxseed/water combination, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Mix with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Then stir in boiling water(batter will be thin).
Pour into 9x13 pan.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool.
Hershey's "'Perfectly Chocolate' chocolate frosting
1/2 C. butter (1 stick)
2/3 C Hershey's cocoa
3 C powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt butter, then stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk and beat with a wire whisk. Add vanilla and mix. Spread over cooled cake.
This cake can be made in two 9" round pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, in a bundt cake(make sure you grease it very well with butter then flour) for 50-55 minutes, and cupcakes for 22-25 minutes(make sure to only fill muffin tins 1/2-2/3(no more).
This is my husbands favorite cake.
Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup(replacing the canned stuff)
There are many recipes that call for a can of condensed cream of chicken soup. This works perfectly as a substitute. I double this when I make funeral potato casserole.
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 C Swanson's chicken broth, lower sodium version
2 oz light cream cheese, softened
salt & pepper to taste
Melt the butter, then stir in the flour to make your roux. Then slowly whisk in the broth. When that is warmed through, stir in the cream cheese. Season as desired and let come to a boil for 1-2 minutes to thicken.
**I also add onion powder, or Italian seasonings, etc depending on what dish I am making.
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP flour
1 C Swanson's chicken broth, lower sodium version
2 oz light cream cheese, softened
salt & pepper to taste
Melt the butter, then stir in the flour to make your roux. Then slowly whisk in the broth. When that is warmed through, stir in the cream cheese. Season as desired and let come to a boil for 1-2 minutes to thicken.
**I also add onion powder, or Italian seasonings, etc depending on what dish I am making.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Taylor is now in Preschool
Taylor began his first year of preschool last week and we both survived! He had fun and I learned that he would be safe there and not have an allergic reaction. It has been a little stressful trying to plan and make sure that not only the teacher, but the parents and other children understand that Taylor has to be very careful what he eats and touches. I was so glad for the great support of his teacher and willingness of the other parents to understand. I have been able to convince Taylor that he needs to try a few other types of store bought foods that I can leave a preschool for him to eat at snack time when the snacks for the day aren't something he can eat. He is doing pretty well.
Taylor continues to improve and seems so much healthier as he continues to stay soy free especially. It seems to affect his bowels almost immediately. I am so grateful that we had him tested. It has made his life much happier to not have to struggle with going to the bathroom all the time. I am grateful to have less laundry to do.
Life is good and I am grateful that the first week of preschool went so smoothly. Now that we are back to a "normal" routine, I am finding time to blog again and try more experiments in the kitchen(which I really love to do). And our journey continues.
Taylor continues to improve and seems so much healthier as he continues to stay soy free especially. It seems to affect his bowels almost immediately. I am so grateful that we had him tested. It has made his life much happier to not have to struggle with going to the bathroom all the time. I am grateful to have less laundry to do.
Life is good and I am grateful that the first week of preschool went so smoothly. Now that we are back to a "normal" routine, I am finding time to blog again and try more experiments in the kitchen(which I really love to do). And our journey continues.
Soy and Egg Free Pancakes
1 C flour
1 TBSP sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C milk
2 TBSP canola oil
1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk with a fork the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add milk and oil and mix with a fork or a wire whisk until combined and most lumps are gone.
3. Spoon small amounts of the batter onto a non-stick electric griddle at 350 degrees or in a non-stick pan over medium heat. The pancake is ready to flip when sides are cooked and center has bubbles coming through.
Yield is about 16 small pancakes.
**Taylor loves these. I finally found how to tweak a pancake recipe to his enjoyment.
Soy and Egg Free Molasses Crinkles
13 TBSP Butter, softened
1 C Brown sugar
1 TBSP flaxseed + 2 TBSP water(mix together in separate bowl for a few minutes before adding)
1/4 C molasses(or slightly less)
2 1/2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cloves
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/3 C sugar(or more as needed for rolling dough balls in)
1. In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add flaxseed/water combination and molasses. Mix.
4. Add half of the flour mixture and mix. Then add the rest and mix again.
5. Using a small sized pampered chef scoop, scoop balls of dough and then roll them in your bowl of sugar. 6. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. I always use two cookie sheets at a time and rotate the position of 7. the sheets from the two rack positions(on right above the middle and on right below) half way through.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes (or cook for 5 minutes first then rotate sheets and cook 4 more minutes) Yield is about 52 small cookies.
9. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before removing to a cooling rack.
1 C Brown sugar
1 TBSP flaxseed + 2 TBSP water(mix together in separate bowl for a few minutes before adding)
1/4 C molasses(or slightly less)
2 1/2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cloves
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/3 C sugar(or more as needed for rolling dough balls in)
1. In a separate bowl mix together flour, salt, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add flaxseed/water combination and molasses. Mix.
4. Add half of the flour mixture and mix. Then add the rest and mix again.
5. Using a small sized pampered chef scoop, scoop balls of dough and then roll them in your bowl of sugar. 6. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. I always use two cookie sheets at a time and rotate the position of 7. the sheets from the two rack positions(on right above the middle and on right below) half way through.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes (or cook for 5 minutes first then rotate sheets and cook 4 more minutes) Yield is about 52 small cookies.
9. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute before removing to a cooling rack.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Summer time
So as we have enjoyed summer, I have had a little time to try some more experiments. I really am enjoying this cooking adventure more and more. I have also truly realized that I am bothered by soy and egg. If I eat it now after not having it for several months, my intestines really throw a fit! Now I can understand better how Taylor feels. I am grateful for the access we have to other ingredients so that making this change in how we eat is an easier process than if we would live in other countries.
We took a short stay-cation over in the mountains up Big Cottonwood Canyon at the Brighton Ski Resort. It was a glorious two day vacation that was full of fun, laughter, relaxation, and the beauties of this world. It was very good for my spirit and I felt ready to accomplish the tasks awaiting me back at home. My family means everything to me and I treasure those brief days we had to bond without the worries of chores and places to be.
My hope with this blog is that it helps someone start on their way a bit easier than I felt my journey of cooking for a family with allergies has been. I love to cook and have enjoyed learning new ways to cook delicious food. I love desserts, so this blog might end up being heavy on the desserts, but I hope that I can create a substantial recipe base for all types of food. So, on we go on this great journey to feed ourselves with joy!
We took a short stay-cation over in the mountains up Big Cottonwood Canyon at the Brighton Ski Resort. It was a glorious two day vacation that was full of fun, laughter, relaxation, and the beauties of this world. It was very good for my spirit and I felt ready to accomplish the tasks awaiting me back at home. My family means everything to me and I treasure those brief days we had to bond without the worries of chores and places to be.
My hope with this blog is that it helps someone start on their way a bit easier than I felt my journey of cooking for a family with allergies has been. I love to cook and have enjoyed learning new ways to cook delicious food. I love desserts, so this blog might end up being heavy on the desserts, but I hope that I can create a substantial recipe base for all types of food. So, on we go on this great journey to feed ourselves with joy!
Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
2 C. flour
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 C. milk
2 TBSP ground flaxseed + 4-5 TBSP water
6 TBSP butter, melted
Topping
1/2 C. flour
1/4 C brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP slightly softened butter(microwave 60 seconds on 10% power, flipping half way through is just about right)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients(first 5). Then add milk, flaxseed + water, and melted butter. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Place in muffin wrapers in muffin tins. If you don't have muffin wrappers, then grease the muffin tins first.
Mix topping together by cutting butter into other ingredients, using your hands actually works best. Put about 1 TBSP topping per each muffin.
Makes 12 muffins. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Delicious!
1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 C. milk
2 TBSP ground flaxseed + 4-5 TBSP water
6 TBSP butter, melted
Topping
1/2 C. flour
1/4 C brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
4 TBSP slightly softened butter(microwave 60 seconds on 10% power, flipping half way through is just about right)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients(first 5). Then add milk, flaxseed + water, and melted butter. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Place in muffin wrapers in muffin tins. If you don't have muffin wrappers, then grease the muffin tins first.
Mix topping together by cutting butter into other ingredients, using your hands actually works best. Put about 1 TBSP topping per each muffin.
Makes 12 muffins. Bake for 16-18 minutes. Delicious!
Crockpot Chili
1 1/2 lbs extra lean hamburger, cooked and drained
1/2 lb Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1/2 chopped onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 can diced green chilies
2 cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
26 oz beef stock (OR 20 oz beef broth + 5 oz homemade chicken stock)
4 cans tomato sauce
2 TBSP worchestershire sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP cumin
3-4 dashes cayenne pepper
Brown hamburger, sausage, onion until cooked and onion is tender. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Place in crockpot. Add all other ingredients and stir. Cook on high 1 hour and then low for 6 hours. This recipe has a lot of "sauce" to it. If you want a thicker sauce, then you can reduce the liquid or add some cornstarch mixed with cold water at the end. Serve with chips and cheese or whatever you would like. This recipe is also mild. If you want more spice, more veggies, more meat etc..make it the way you like! This is how my kids like it.:)
1/2 lb Italian sausage, cooked and drained
1/2 chopped onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 can diced green chilies
2 cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
26 oz beef stock (OR 20 oz beef broth + 5 oz homemade chicken stock)
4 cans tomato sauce
2 TBSP worchestershire sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP cumin
3-4 dashes cayenne pepper
Brown hamburger, sausage, onion until cooked and onion is tender. Add minced garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant. Place in crockpot. Add all other ingredients and stir. Cook on high 1 hour and then low for 6 hours. This recipe has a lot of "sauce" to it. If you want a thicker sauce, then you can reduce the liquid or add some cornstarch mixed with cold water at the end. Serve with chips and cheese or whatever you would like. This recipe is also mild. If you want more spice, more veggies, more meat etc..make it the way you like! This is how my kids like it.:)
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Whole Chicken and Chicken Broth in the crockpot
This recipe was a little intimidating to me because I had never before bought a whole chicken and cooked it, let alone make homemade broth. But this was surprisingly easy(crock pot does most of the work) and very delicious!
1 whole chicken(I bought frozen and let thaw in fridge for 2-3 days)
5-6 cups of hot water(mine would only hold 5 cups)
2 stalks of celery, rinsed and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
1/4-1/2 onion, chopped
1 TBSP parsley
1/2 TBSP peppercorns
1 tsp Real Salt
3-4 dashes poultry seasoning
1. Chop all vegetables and place in bottom of crock pot.
2. Sprinkle all seasonings over vegetables.
3. Rinse chicken and place on top of vegetables.
4. Pour hot water into crockpot.
5. Cook on low overnight(about 9-10 hours).
6. In the morning, take out chicken, be careful because it is so tender it falls apart(Use it for soup or any recipe that calls for chicken). Take all the meat off the bones and then put the bones back into the crockpot with the broth.
7. Continue to cook the broth and bones all day about 10-11 hours.
8. Turn crockpot off and ladle broth, veggies and bone into a strainer over a large glass bowl. You want a strainer with very small holes. When broth is all strained into the large bowl. Let cool for 30 minutes covered with a paper towel. Take paper towel off and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge.
9. The next morning the fat will solidify and you can easily scrape it off. Then your broth is ready for you to use in any recipe. It is very delicious!
Note: Some recipes I read said to strain the broth with cheesecloth too. I didn't have any so I didn't use any.:) But if you want all the tiny particles strained then you might want to try it with cheesecloth.
Yield: All the meat from the chicken, plus about 4 1/2 cups of chicken broth. You can use the broth right away, or freeze it for later use.
1 whole chicken(I bought frozen and let thaw in fridge for 2-3 days)
5-6 cups of hot water(mine would only hold 5 cups)
2 stalks of celery, rinsed and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
1/4-1/2 onion, chopped
1 TBSP parsley
1/2 TBSP peppercorns
1 tsp Real Salt
3-4 dashes poultry seasoning
1. Chop all vegetables and place in bottom of crock pot.
2. Sprinkle all seasonings over vegetables.
3. Rinse chicken and place on top of vegetables.
4. Pour hot water into crockpot.
5. Cook on low overnight(about 9-10 hours).
6. In the morning, take out chicken, be careful because it is so tender it falls apart(Use it for soup or any recipe that calls for chicken). Take all the meat off the bones and then put the bones back into the crockpot with the broth.
7. Continue to cook the broth and bones all day about 10-11 hours.
8. Turn crockpot off and ladle broth, veggies and bone into a strainer over a large glass bowl. You want a strainer with very small holes. When broth is all strained into the large bowl. Let cool for 30 minutes covered with a paper towel. Take paper towel off and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge.
9. The next morning the fat will solidify and you can easily scrape it off. Then your broth is ready for you to use in any recipe. It is very delicious!
Note: Some recipes I read said to strain the broth with cheesecloth too. I didn't have any so I didn't use any.:) But if you want all the tiny particles strained then you might want to try it with cheesecloth.
Yield: All the meat from the chicken, plus about 4 1/2 cups of chicken broth. You can use the broth right away, or freeze it for later use.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Taylor's 3 month check-up
This past Monday, Taylor had his check-up with his allergist. I thought that he would test Taylor again, but he wants to wait another year before we test him again. He just asked how he did with egg and soy and whether he had any other allergic reactions during the past three months. He was very impressed with how much better Taylor's eczema on his hands looked. We decided to still stay off egg and soy and rotate months or every couple months on and off to see if he still has any reaction. Then we have another check-up in six months. Taylor was very glad that he didn't have to get poked again. Taylor's doctor also gave us some samples of coconut free shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, soap, and lotion to try. I haven't found a convenient way to purchase shampoo without coconut. He doesn't really use conditioner so I hadn't looked at what's available. The samples are put out by the Mayo Clinic. So, I'm guessing that they are expensive. Maybe every six months I can just get free samples!!:)
Life is good, and Taylor is accepting his lot in life. He does very well and always tells everyone he meets that he has allergies. At first I was kind-of embarrassed by this, but I have realized this is a good thing. The more people around him that know he has allergies, the safer I can keep him. Taylor's doctor also recommended getting a kid friendly allergy bracelet. Walgreens is currently selling them through November 1, 2013. I think that I will go and look at them and see how much they are. For preschool, this might be a good reminder to him and other kids that he has to always ask before he eats something.
So, we journey on... continually trying new recipes and finding more things that Taylor is happy to eat. I also feel like I am feeling so much better since cutting egg out of my diet. I am hopeful that I too can out-grow that allergy if I in fact have one. Taylor and I both love eggs, so it would be good to eat them again.:) But I am quite happy with flaxseed and it seems to work in many recipes.
Until next time...have a wonderful day!!
Life is good, and Taylor is accepting his lot in life. He does very well and always tells everyone he meets that he has allergies. At first I was kind-of embarrassed by this, but I have realized this is a good thing. The more people around him that know he has allergies, the safer I can keep him. Taylor's doctor also recommended getting a kid friendly allergy bracelet. Walgreens is currently selling them through November 1, 2013. I think that I will go and look at them and see how much they are. For preschool, this might be a good reminder to him and other kids that he has to always ask before he eats something.
So, we journey on... continually trying new recipes and finding more things that Taylor is happy to eat. I also feel like I am feeling so much better since cutting egg out of my diet. I am hopeful that I too can out-grow that allergy if I in fact have one. Taylor and I both love eggs, so it would be good to eat them again.:) But I am quite happy with flaxseed and it seems to work in many recipes.
Until next time...have a wonderful day!!
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Re-introducing egg & soy
So it has been a little over two weeks since we were supposed to give Taylor egg and soy again. I have been very hesitant with the egg and soy because I worried about his eczema. He has done really well. I haven't dared give him scrambled eggs yet, but I am going to try this week. Mostly his egg has come from things like Kirkland frozen waffles. I did let him have a tiny bit of Honey Nut Cheerios this morning which have almonds(which he isn't supposed to have). He really wanted to try them again and technically he didn't test positive for almonds, so we gave it a shot. He did experience some reflux today though. I think it could be the cheerios or it could be the ramen noodles I let him eat a tiny bit of last night. The ramen is really bad because it had all his allergies, plus more, that it was processed on the same equipment.
I just can't wait until his next testing, which is on June 3rd. Then it will give us some more clear answers hopefully about what Taylor can and can't eat. It is hard to feed him these foods when I know, or think I know that he is still allergic to them. I can tell that he doesn't function as well the days he eats more soy or egg. I still try to mostly feed him non-allergy food. Just keeping enough soy/egg in his system so that the tests will hopefully be accurate.
Taylor is getting better about knowing what he can eat and when he is hungry it's not such a sad thing that he can't think of what options there are to eat. He is such a good boy and almost always so tender and kind to everyone he sees. For example, at my piano recital(yes I take lessons), he handed out papers he colored to the participants at the recital. He just loves to give and make people feel loved.
I am truly grateful for the food labeling laws that have made my life so much easier. I don't feel so stressed anymore because we have found some favorite things Taylor loves and I know he is happier.
Life is GOOD.:)
I just can't wait until his next testing, which is on June 3rd. Then it will give us some more clear answers hopefully about what Taylor can and can't eat. It is hard to feed him these foods when I know, or think I know that he is still allergic to them. I can tell that he doesn't function as well the days he eats more soy or egg. I still try to mostly feed him non-allergy food. Just keeping enough soy/egg in his system so that the tests will hopefully be accurate.
Taylor is getting better about knowing what he can eat and when he is hungry it's not such a sad thing that he can't think of what options there are to eat. He is such a good boy and almost always so tender and kind to everyone he sees. For example, at my piano recital(yes I take lessons), he handed out papers he colored to the participants at the recital. He just loves to give and make people feel loved.
I am truly grateful for the food labeling laws that have made my life so much easier. I don't feel so stressed anymore because we have found some favorite things Taylor loves and I know he is happier.
Life is GOOD.:)
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