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.
Monday, September 9, 2013
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.
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