To Try: Baked Fried Chicken

{Baked Fried Chicken}

 

I am pretty sure that I have discovered the KFC secret recipe! It is DEAD ON! It is also baked...not fried and there isn't any skin! So you get to enjoy the taste of the seasoning, instead of pulling it off because of the slimy skin!

This is super easy and you are TOTALLY going to love it!

ENJOY!

{Baked Fried Chicken}

Place thawed chicken breast tenderloin strips in a bowl of milk. Let soak for 20-30 min.

Mix in a Gallon Size Ziploc or Large Bowl:

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 T Season All

3/4 tsp Pepper

1 c. Rice Flour

2 tsp. Paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1/2 stick of butter into a few pieces and place in a 9x13 pan. Melt butter in pre-heated oven.

Spread melted butter around the bottom of the pan. Lightly spray the pan, if needed, to make sure that there are no dry spots.

Shake excess milk off of chicken and completely coat each piece with the seasoning mix. You can either shake the chicken in the bag, until coated, or dip each piece in the bowl until coated.

Place each piece of chicken in the pan.

Cook for 20 min. Turn each piece of chicken and continue cooking for 20 more minutes, or until cooked through.

ENJOY!

Crispy French Fries

Hands down, these are the easiest, most delicious fries ever!


Because of how starch interacts with the frying oil, this method
will only work well with a less starchy potato, like the Yukon Gold. 
(Red potatoes worked well.)



Super Simple French Fries
2 1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes (about 4-5 large potatoes)
6 cups coconut oil (I used less)
Sea salt

Line a sheet pan or large plate with a few layers of paper towels.
Set it aside.


Cut the long sides in three or four sticks.

Then cut the potato into fries.



You want them to be about a quarter-inch thick, which looks
about like this (balanced on a 10-inch butcher’s knife).



Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove. Pour in the oil.

Put the cut potatoes into the cold oil. Don’t turn the heat on yet.

When all the potatoes are in the oil, wiggle them around so that
they’re all submerged.

Now turn the heat on high.  After about 5 minutes or so,
the oil should come to a rolling boil.

Fry the potatoes like this for 15 minutes, untouched.
Don’t stir them at all. Just keep an eye on the pot.

After about 15 minutes, give the fries a gentle stir to loosen them up.
If any are stuck to the bottom, give them a nudge to unwedge them.

Fry like this, stirring occasionally, for another 5-10 minutes,
until crisp, golden, and done to your liking.


Fish them out of the oil with a spider or large slotted spoon. Let
them drip for a sec over the pot to lose any excess oil.

Transfer to your paper-towel lined pan.

Sprinkle with sea salt when they’re hot out of the oil.


Serve and enjoy (and gobble and inhale)!



*****

 

Adapted from The Hungry Mouse

Honey-Sweetened Hot Chocolate

 

3 cups coconut milk

3 Tbsp raw cacao powder

2 Tbsp local raw honey 

2 tsp gluten-free organic vanilla extract

 

Add coconut milk to a medium-size saucepan and heat over low heat for about 7 minutes or until desired temperature.

In a small bowl, combine cacao powder, honey and vanilla. Stir until it makes a paste.

Add cacao mixture to the warm milk, stir until cacao mixture has completely dissolved.

 

Serve immediately.

 

Yield: Makes about 3 servings

Note: Recipe can easily be doubled.

From Recipes to Nourish

 

Pancake Syrup

3 cups brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp coconut oil

Pinch sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Natural maple extract, opt.

 

Mix brown sugar, water, butter, and salt in saucepan. Over medium heat, heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.

Refrigerate any leftover syrup; heat before using. 

GFCF Pumpkin Mini-Muffins

1 29-oz can pumpkin puree
3 cups coconut sap sugar or natural sugar
2 carrots, pulverized in hand chopper (about 1 cup)
1 cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup raisins, soaked and drained
2/3 cup water
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 tsp cloves
Opt:
3 Tbsp flaked coconut
1 c raisins, soaked & drained



Preheat oven to 350 °F.  Grease muffin tins or line with silicone liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, coconut sap sugar, carrots, coconut oil, raisins, water, and vanilla extract; mix well.  Stir in optional coconut and raisins, if desired.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, ginger, nutmeg, xanthan gum, and cloves.  Add to wet ingredients, stirring until well incorporated.

Fill prepared muffin tins with batter.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Barbecue Sauce

1 bottle Nature’s Promise catsup

¼ cup expeller-pressed coconut oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

¼ cup raw honey

1-2 Tbsp water

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp xanthan gum

 

Mix all ingredients together well.  Refrigerate to meld flavors.

Baked Oven Fries

3 8-oz russet potatoes, peeled, cut lengthwise into even-sized wedges

5 Tbsp expeller-pressed coconut oil, divided

3/4 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 475˚ F.

 

Place potato wedges in a large mixing bowl. Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes.

 

Put 4 Tbsp of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet. Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this). Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper. Set aside.

 

Drain the potatoes. Spread the wedges out on clean kitchen towels. Pat dry with additional towels.

 

Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry. Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil.

 

Arrange potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes.

 

Remove foil and continue baking until bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.

 

Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer. Continue baking until fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes. Rotate pan as needed to ensure even browning.

 

When fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain some of the grease. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

 

From Annie's Eats

 

Roasted Potato Stacks

 

3-4 regular-sized potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced with mandoline

1/3 c. organic extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp dried parlsey

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a muffin tin lightly with olive oil.

 

In a small bowl, mix olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, sea salt, and black pepper.

Stack 4-5 potato slices in a muffin tin, and then pour a little olive oil mixture over the stack. Top with 4-5 more slices and a little more oil.
Repeat in the remaining muffin tins.

 

Bake 20-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy on the edges.

Top with fresh parsley.

 

 

Adapted from Little Mommy, Big Appetite

Granola for the Whole Family

I make up this recipe and then bake about 4 cups, divided between 2 stoneware jelly roll pans, at a time.  That way, I can add whatever extras, such as coconut, seeds, and dried fruit, that different people like, and of course leave a plain batch for the picky kids!

12 cups GF rolled oats  
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon  
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups local raw honey 
1 cup coconut oil, melted 
2 Tbsp vanilla extract  

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together rolled oats, cinnamon, and ginger.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.

Mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients, mixing well.

Add any optional extras:

GF oat bran
Unsweetened flaked coconut
Sunflower, pumpkin, chia, hemp, or flax seeds

Divide about 4 cups of granola between two stoneware jelly roll pans.

Bake for 10 minutes.  Stir.  Bake for 10 more minutes.

Remove from oven.  Stir in any optional dried fruit:

Organic raisins
Dried apples, bananas, berries, dates, mango, pineapple, cranberries

Continue cooking a total of about 4 cups at a time, divided between the two stoneware pans, adding any optional ingredients that you'd like.

Granola will crisp up as it cools.  Store an airtight container.

Crash Hot Potatoes

 

• 12 whole New Potatoes (or Other Small Round Potatoes)
• 3 Tablespoons Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste
• Rosemary (or Other Herbs Of Choice) To Taste

 

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.

On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of room between each potato.

With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.

Sprinkle potatoes with kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh chopped rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available.).

Bake in a 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.


From Pioneer Woman Cooks

Kari’s GFCF Bread Machine Recipe

1¼ c coconut milk or other milk alternative, at room temp

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 eggs, at room temp

¼ c coconut oil

¼ c raw honey

1 Tbsp yeast

3 1/3 c Silvana’s GF Flour Blend*

2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp sea salt

 

Add liquid ingredients to bread machine.  Then add dry ingredients. 

Bake in a regular bread machine (you don't need the fancy one with a GF bread cycle) and about 3 hours later you have a delicious loaf of gluten / casein free bread!

Note: Always scrape the sides of the bread machine pan with a spatula a few minutes after starting the mix cycle. Gluten free bread doesn't pull itself together in a ball like regular bread dough so some of it tends to stick to the sides and it needs a little help to mix in.

*Silvana's GF Flour Blend  

6 cups white rice flour
3 cups tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups potato starch
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons xanthan gum

In a large bowl, mix together and store in airtight container.

Lindsay’s GFCF Bread

1 Tbsp ground flax seeds

3 Tbsp warm water

1 1/2 c tapioca starch

1 c sorghum flour
1/2 c potato starch
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp creme of tartar

3 Tbsp sucanat

2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/3 c warm water

3 Tbsp expeller-pressed coconut oil

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Mix the ground flax with warm water. Beat with a fork. Let sit for at least 5 minutes until it thickens.

Mix all other dry ingredients, including yeast, in mixer bowl.

Pour 1 1/3 cups warm water into a 2-cup glass measuring cup.  Stir in the coconut oil, stirring until it melts.  Add the eggs and the flax mixture; mix well.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix in mixer until blended. Scrape sides to get it all mixed in.

Grease a bread loaf pan with Spectrum organic shortening. Pour dough in; cover with plastic wrap and let sit until it doubles in size -- about 40-50 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 55-60 mins until toothpick comes out clean. Let it sit 5 mins. Then place onto wire rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing.

Crockpot Stew

3 med onions, peeled & quartered

4 lge carrots, peeled, cut into 1” thick slices

2 potatoes, peeled, cut into 1” cubes

32 oz GF vegetable broth

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp sea salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 c frozen corn

1 c frozen peas

GF Flour

Combine onions, carrots, potatoes, and broth in crockpot.  Add celery seed, thyme, salt, pepper, and corn.

Cook on low for 4-6 hrs.  Stir in peas and cook 15-30 minutes more.

Thicken gravy with flour and serve over mashed potatoes.

Serves 8

Dealing with Eczema

I wrote this on our Truly Pure & Natural blog, but wanted to share it here, too.  It seems like there are so many people suffering with eczema, and I wanted to share a few things that have worked for us over the years.


We've received many questions about eczema recently. I sure don't have all the answers, in spite of having suffered with eczema myself, and having three kids who have had it.

What I do know about eczema is that it's complex and there doesn't seem to be any simple answer. I've tried different diets, changing their environment, homeopathy, herbal remedies, and prescription meds when there didn't seem to be any other choices. Some things worked beautifully...for awhile. My son was off of all carbs and was taking different herbal supplements and his skin cleared up, only to break out again when the season changed.

Some kids do better in cooler weather; others improve in hot weather. Some kids are helped by swimming in pools or the ocean; other kids' skin is aggravated by chlorine and/or salt.

Elimination diets can be very helpful. Some of the common allergens that may contribute to eczema flares are:

wheat and gluten

dairy

soy

eggs

shellfish

citrus

chocolate

corn

peanuts and other legumes

artificial colors

artificial flavors

artificial sweeteners

preservatives

and more!

It's helpful to find out if the child has environmental allergies. One of our sons is extremely allergic to dust mites. Once we removed the carpeting from his bedroom, covered the mattresses and pillows, took down the blinds, and removed all stuffed animals and books, his skin improved. We sanitize his bedding in the washer and dryer, and we dust and damp mop frequently. There's also an air purifier going in his room at all times.

We avoid personal care and cleaning products that have artificial dyes, preservatives, and fragrances in them. The children wear cotton clothes and avoid polyester as much as possible. When we do laundry, we use a natural, fragrance-free detergent, and we always do a double rinse when we wash their clothes, bedding, and towels. We turn their clothes inside-out when we wash them so that the clothing that touches their skin gets extra clean.

As far as TPN's products go, we use different products, depending on the severity of the eczema.

One thing that we like to use is plain coconut oil. Coconut oil has healing properties, absorbs quickly into the skin, and is very beneficial for eczema. We offer two types: Raw Organic Cold Pressed Extra Virgin, which has a coconut smell, and Organic Expeller Pressed, which is slightly more processed but still good for the skin, and does not have a coconut smell. In warm weather, we keep the coconut oil in the fridge where it solidifies and is easier to apply than when in the liquid form.

We also use Oria's O'shay Nature's Butter. It's very healing and soothing, and feels so good on very dry skin with eczema.

For mild eczema with dry skin, we use Tate's Conditioner. It's marketed primarily as a hair conditioner, but it's also used as a skin conditioner. (Click here for a huge list of different uses for the conditioner.) It works well for dry, irritated skin, providing light moisturizing.

Other things we do are to bathe infrequently with very mild soaps. We offer Coconut Milk Bar Soap, and the Lavender in particular often helps eczema.

One thing that helped a lot when my one son's eczema was severe was wet wraps. He didn't like them at all (he also has sensory issues, but I don't think that they would be particularly comfortable for anyone!), so we had to get creative and use a little motivation (okay, bribery!) to get him to follow through.

I first heard about this being done at National Jewish, and we then did it under the guidance of our physicians at our local children's hospital. It should always be done under a doctor's supervision because, if the eczema is open, the treatment could lead to infection.

The child soaks in the tub, filled with warm water, for 15 or 20 minutes, and then is quickly patted (never rubbed) dry with a towel (leaving the skin slightly damp), and a moisturizer is applied immediately. A physician may recommend a steroid or other prescription cream; we had good results just using a thick moisturizer or salve. Next, wet cloths or wet clothing are put on the child. We wet long underwear with warm water, wrung them out well, and then put them on. Over the wet layer, goes a dry layer. We used oversized sweat pants and sweat shirts or cotton pajamas.

The child can then lie in bed, under a warm blanket and watch a movie or do something to keep him or her occupied for the next two hours. Check periodically to make sure that the clothes next to the child's body are still damp. If not, spray them with warm water from a clean spray bottle.

After a minimum of two hours, remove the wet clothing, apply an additional layer of moisturizer to the child, and dress as usual.

In cases of severe eczema, I've heard it recommended to do this several times a day and then once before bedtime, when the child will then sleep in the wet wraps.

That never happened here, but we still saw results when we did it during the day.

For less severe eczema, another option is to simply bathe daily as described above, towel off as above, and slather the child well with a salve or moisturizer immediately, within three minutes of getting out of the tub. This process helps to seal in the moisture from the bath. With this, I've always used my salve or a homemade body butter because my son said that every single cream that the dermatologist suggested either burned his skin or made it itch even worse.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Allergies and More Allergies!

It's common for E to frantically run to me, crying about his eyes or ears itching. He gets so worked up that it's often difficult to tell if it's real or imagined.

I get a cold compress for his eyes, rub his ears for him, and try to calm him down. I also give B-dryl if I think he needs it.

Last week, when he ran in, I did all of those things, and he eventually calmed down, only to return a couple of minutes later. This is what he looked like when he returned:

Nick took this a couple of hours after the initial reaction.

E had calmed down a lot, but the side of his face had not.

I still don't know what he ate or touched. He'd had a bite of GracieGirl's GF pizza, that he was really nervous about eating. He asked three times if it was okay. It was a leftover slice from a frozen pizza that Nick had bought, so I hadn't actually seen the ingredients. Nick's really good about checking, but it was just strange that E was so worried about it. He didn't want any more after the first bite.

He also touched a latex balloon. He's been around balloons before, so I don't think that he's allergic to latex, but he'd had a really severe asthma attack after playing with these particular balloons, so I'd put them away, just to be safe. One of the kids found them and got them out, and E touched one.

I didn't know it, but I found out that he'd gone downstairs and pet one of the cats. He goes down there occasionally, but I always make him wash up thoroughly afterwards. Since I didn't know that he'd gone down there, I hadn't made him wash his hands.

So, I don't know what it was, but his meds didn't touch it. His eye stayed swollen for the next 24 or so hours, and then graduated to looking like this:

The swelling is finally gone now, but he has a nice scar under his eye.

The next day, GracieGirl had a reaction to something, and itched from head to toe. A bath usually helps, but not this time. She just got more upset and wanted to get out. B-dryl didn't seem to do much, so I just smoothed the body butter I make all over her, and tried to calm her down.

Jay was next. He gets this strange, painful rash that only happens when we travel, usually to the beach. His dermatologist thought it might be an allergy to the sun, but he's not sure. This time, he got it while we were at the Chesapeake. It was unbearably hot for a couple of days, and he was outside a lot (in his long-sleeved shirts and jeans, of course). He went right from the Chesapeake to the beach, and now his entire face, except for his eyelids, is covered, as is most of the rest of his body. I haven't found anything that helps, and his dermatologist doesn't seem to be able to help him.

I dream of a life without any allergies!

*******************

Homemade Hardening Chocolate Sauce for Ice Cream

This was quick, easy, and delicious.  Doesn't get better than that!

Hardening Chocolate Sauce

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (we used Enjoy Life)
2 Tbsp organic expeller-pressed coconut oil

Heat chocolate chips and coconut oil in the top of a double boiler over medium heat, stirring until completely melted and smooth.  Remove from heat and let stand for five minutes.

Spoon or drizzle over your favorite nondairy (we love Coconut Bliss and So Delicious) or dairy ice cream and wait for a couple of minutes until it hardens. 

If you have any leftovers, keep in the fridge and then gently reheat before using.  There were no leftovers in this house, so I will probably double the recipe next time!

The Soft Pretzel

Last year, we had all sorts of problems with the YMCA camp, mostly to do with E's allergies. They left his EpiPen at the pool, a mile away. They didn't take it with him when they walked to the park. One time, they forced him to eat a snack, saying that he was being disrespectful to the camp counselor by telling her that he was allergic and couldn't eat their snacks.

This year, he's back at the Y, but at a different location. The staff is well aware of who we are, and their EpiPen and allergy policy has been completely revamped.

E had a great week at camp, but today he came running up to me when he got home today, saying, "Mommy! They forced me to eat a soft pretzel at camp!"

My jaw dropped, and I became irate as he told me how they forced him to eat it, even when he stomped his foot and said that he was allergic. He was very animated as he relayed how he told them that he couldn't eat their snacks, but they just told him to "chew, chew, chew!"

I asked him what Daddy said, and Jay told me that he pulled over and stopped the van because he was so mad.

E's PCA was with him today, but E told me that he hadn't seen what happened. I told E that he has to tell his PCA immediately when something like that happens. Nick walked in at that point, and I started going off about how they forced E to eat the pretzel, telling him to just chew it up.

Nick said that E hadn't told him that.

E then admitted that they hadn't actually put it in his mouth or told him to chew it up. I asked him why he'd told me that, and he said that he didn't know.

Meanwhile, Nick was on the phone with the camp director. I could hear him calmly and firmly telling her about the dangers of cross-contamination, especially with E being so allergic to sesame seeds, and about really having no clue what's in the pretzels, and how they can't just assume that they're flour, yeast, and salt.

When he got off the phone, he told me that E did eat a soft pretzel...but only after he asked for it! He asked, they figured that it was okay because it didn't have nuts in it, and they gave it to him!

Granted, they shouldn't have given it to him, and his PCA should have seen it and stopped it, but I cannot believe that he totally made the whole thing up about them forcing him to eat it, based on something that he remembered from a year ago!

That child never ceases to amaze me. I'm amazed by his memory, by his ceaseless ability to create drama, and by the fact that I can never, ever let my guard down with him or believe anything he says! As crazy as he makes me, I am really, really impressed with his memory. :)

 

*****************

Food Allergy Awareness Week

Look at the cute little guy on this flier

for Food Allergy Awareness Week

from Kids With Food Allergies!

This year, they're giving away

prizes, and our picture won a

classroom pack of

Surf Sweets Organic Gummy Candy!

We'd never had them before, but the kids

love them.  Best of all, they're safe for them!

So appreciative of all that Kids With Food Allergies

does for our kids...

*******************

Sucks to Be You

From Food Allergy Fun


*********************

Banana Bread Oatmeal

1 c coconut milk
1/2 c mashed very ripe banana
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 c GF rolled oats

Garnish:
Banana slices
1/2 tsp coconut sap sugar
1/8 tsp cinnamon

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together coconut milk, mashed banana, 1 tsp cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. When the mixture comes to a boil, stir in rolled oats.

Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-6 minutes until moisture is absorbed and oats are tender.

Mix together coconut sap sugar and cinnamon.

Serve oatmeal garnished with banana slices and coconut sap sugar/cinnamon mixture.



Adapted from Grubography

Allergy Season!

It's allergy season. Jay gets two allergy injections every week, and he's had some bad reactions, so he's taking additional meds prior to the shots. The shots aren't helping with his symptoms yet, and he, along with E, got hit a few weeks ago. As of this past weekend, Nate and GracieGirl are ready to rip their eyes out, too. I didn't even think about it, but E's PCA was here today, and she said that the trampoline is covered with pollen. What a way to kick it up, by jumping on it! No wonder the kids started hurting yesterday!

E just screams because his eyes are so swollen and itchy. He rubbed them so hard that he actually broke the skin and has scabs under his eye. He's had a number of asthma flares, and he also broke out in an itchy rash on his wrists. He wakes up crying and screaming during the night, and I know he's exhausted.

Spring was always my favorite season, but it's hard to enjoy it when I have to watch all four of my kiddos suffer. I'd love to open the windows, but that's out of the question. So, we have the a/c running in April. Even so, Jay just took five ice packs up to bed because he's so hot. Of course, he won't change out of his ever-present long sleeves and jeans. There's no point in arguing with him, so I just hope that he falls asleep soon!

Gluten-Free, Fish-Free Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp wheat-free tamari
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp molasses
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp black pepper

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Mix well.

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute.

Cool; pour into bottle and store in refrigerator.

Shake well before using.

Taco Seasoning Mix

I usually use tablespoons for this recipe and sometimes double or triple it, if I have enough of the different spices on hand. I just store it in a small mason jar and use 2 tablespoons per pound of ground beef or turkey, or for recipes calling for a packet of taco seasoning.


4 parts chili powder (1/4 c)
2½ parts cumin (2 1/2 Tbsp)
2 parts garlic powder (2 Tbsp)
2 parts onion powder (2 Tbsp)
1 part paprika (1 Tbsp)
1 part oregano (1 Tbsp)
1 part sea salt (1 Tbsp)
½ part red pepper flakes (1/2 Tbsp)
Black pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Individual Baked Oatmeal (Muffins)

I got this amazing recipe from Sugar-Free Mom. I made a few small changes, and it was a hit with everyone. These are a cross between baked oatmeal (without the texture that some people don't like) and very moist, delicious muffins. I love that I could add different fruits or toppings to different muffins, so I didn't have to listen to complaints from the kids who can't stand raisins or don't like coconut! Everyone got what they liked!

I made some plain, and some with frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries, raisins, chocolate chips, and coconut/chocolate chips. I just placed the toppings on top of the batter before the muffins went in the oven, or, in the case of the frozen blueberries, I pushed a few down into the batter and then placed several on top.

I read that some people had problems with these sticking, so I did a few different things. I melted a little bit of coconut oil, and, using a pastry brush, lightly coated the insides of our silicone muffin liners. In another pan, I brushed the muffin tins with coconut oil, and didn't use any liners. There was a little bit of leftover batter, so I took a mini-muffin tin and coated a few of them with organic shortening.

The result was that the oatmeal slid effortlessly out of the silicone liners. With the other two pans, the muffins stuck while they were still warm. So, I cooled them almost completely, gently ran a knife around the edges of each muffin, and then they came right out.

I made 24 regular-sized muffins, and six mini-muffins. The regular muffins baked for 30 minutes, and the mini-muffins for about 15 minutes. I will freeze some of these on a baking sheet and then pop them into zip-lock bags once they're frozen. Sugar-Free Mom suggests taking them out the night before so that they'll be thawed by breakfast time.

This recipe is definitely a keeper!


2 cups unsweetened applesauce
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup raw honey
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp stevia powder
5 cups GF rolled oats
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 Tbsp GF baking powder
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sea salt
2 3/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
Toppings: raisins, chopped apples, blueberries, shredded coconut, chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, whisk together applesauce, banana, raw honey, eggs, vanilla, and stevia.

In a larger bowl, mix rolled oats, flaxseed meal, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir well.

Add coconut milk, stirring until mixed evenly. Batter will be runny.

Prepare muffin pans. (See above.)

Add ¼ cup batter to each tin.

Sprinkle muffins with desired toppings: shredded coconut, chocolate chips, blueberries, apples, raisins, or other frozen fruit.

Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Allergy Shots and Springtime

Jay got his first allergy shots on Tuesday. He got shots for dogs and cats on his right arm, and trees and dust mites on his left. His right arm is fine; his left arm is not. It's actually so swollen, hot, and itchy that it kept him awake until 3:00 this morning. Two days after receiving the shot, the swelling has not gone down at all.

I called the allergist today, and the nurse recommended tying an ice-filled bag around his arm, giving him B-dryl (which we've been doing), using hydrocortisone cream, and giving ibuprofen. She was going to ask the doctor about possibly increasing his dose of regular allergy meds, and also about taking something on the day he receives his weekly shots. She didn't get back to me.

Needless to say, Jay is not thrilled to get another shot next Tuesday. I just hope the swelling goes down before then.

Meanwhile, spring is here and it's warmer than usual. For the most part, we're keeping the windows closed because tree pollen is very high and grasses have started, too. All four kids are responding with sneezing, itchy, watery eyes, and runny noses.

Let the fun begin!

GF or GFCF Spaghetti Pie

All four kids loved this!

1 lb. Gluten-Free spaghetti

1/2 cup milk or milk substitute
2 eggs
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
2 cups grated mild cheddar cheese, divided (or Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds)
1 26-oz jar GFCF pasta sauce




 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.

When spaghetti is done, drain well, rinse, and return to pan. Add milk, stirring to combine.

In a medium-sized bowl, crack 2 eggs, and add sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.

In a 13x9" baking pan, place half of the cooked spaghetti. Pour half of the egg/cheese mixture over the eggs.

Pour half of the jar of pasta sauce over top.

Repeat the layers.

Top with remaining half-cup of cheese.

Adapted from Kait's recipe.

Liebster Award

From Life in Joyful Chaos:

I was very surprised and very happy to receive
the Liebster Award from Anu at
Allergy Foodie -
thrive with the top 8 food allergies!

Honestly, on the day she told me, I'd been kind of down, overwhelmed, and toying with the idea of not blogging anymore, thinking that I could focus on other things if I wasn't blogging. Well, I can't even say how this award brightened my day! It just changed my whole outlook on everything! Thank you so much, Anu! :)

I love Anu's blog because she is so upbeat! Her son has sooooo many more allergies than my kiddos do, and still, her recipes look delicious, many full of the wonderful aromatic spices that I love. She explains ingredients that may be new to people who are just starting out on the allergy adventure, and she does great product reviews. She makes food fun for her son, and for anyone else who tries her recipes. Check out her blog; you won't be disappointed!

Oh, and if you want to find some other great allergy blogs,
be sure to check out Anu's other recipients of the award!

There are rules to receiving and accepting this award.

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and Paste the Award to your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the word and love to other bloggers.

5. Have fun.

I like #5 the best, since I don't do well with rules!
As a matter of fact, I don't normally
follow the rules at all,
but I'm going to make an exception this time. :)

So, here are my picks.
They aren't specifically allergy blogs,
but they are all blogs by women whose
familes deal with allergies and food restrictions:

1. Andy, Kiara & Family: Kiara's son, Keandre not only deals with many food allergies, he also has Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease. Kiara writes about Keandre's struggles with that disease, and life as a busy mom to her four beautiful children!

2. My 4 Sweetums: Dawn has a child with a very restricted diet and writes about homeschooling and parenting children with special needs. Dawn is a wealth of information when it comes to homeschooling ideas; she's the homeschool mom I would love to be!

3. The Chaos and the Clutter: Sharla has a large family, including a child with allergies, and she writes about homeschooling, special needs parenting, and, of course, chaos and clutter! She also has a great site called Adoption Magazine, where she and guest bloggers share all aspects of adoption. Sharla just published her first book, That These Two Will Live, which I will be reading very soon! It's the story of their fight to bring two of her children home from Ethiopia under very trying circumstances.

4. GFCF Allows Coffee: Kari feeds her children a gluten-free, casein-free diet to help alleviate some of the symptoms of FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder). Kari has a great sense of humor and some great recipes! That's a great combination, in my opinion!

5. Life With Food Allergies - I only started reading this blog fairly recently but it's by a mom who has children with life-threatening food allergies, asthma, eczema, environmental allergies, and more. She has some delicious-sounding recipes and lots of great information on food allergies.

Living with allergies and food restrictions
is sometimes daunting,
but I can't even imagine doing it without these ladies.
Even if they don't blog specifically about food,
I know that they understand, and that, when frustrated,
I can always shoot them an email
saying:

"I just want to be able to go to a drive-through
instead of always having to
plan every last detail of our food!"

That way, I've gotten it off my chest,
I feel better, and I can go about my day again!

So, a big thank you to all of you!

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Another (Gluten-Free) Birthday Party!

Yesterday, in the final day of celebration
for GracieGirl's birthday,
we had a family party at our house.

GracieGirl loved this dress from her aunt,
especially because it came with a
matching dress for her baby doll.



GracieGirl was actually tired of cupcakes
after having them several times this week,
so we opted for gluten-free brownies.
We cheated and used Betty Crocker Gluten-Free
Brownie Mix. Everyone thought that they were
really good and couldn't tell that they were gluten-free.





I don't have a picture, but we also had
Food by George's Brownies, which are a
longstanding favorite. They're premade,
so we try to keep them in the freezer
for emergencies. They are also soy and
corn-free, unlike the Betty Crocker's.
They are, however, processed with products
containing tree nuts, so they're not safe for E.

We tried Let's Do Gluten-Free
Ice Cream Cones for the first time,
and even the picky eaters ate them!
They are also soy-free.



One of GracieGirl's newest loves
is Lego Friends. She got several
sets for her birthday, and I was amazed
at how she built every one without
any help at all. This was the largest set,
almost 200 tiny pieces. She was very
proud of her accomplishment!



She loved her new dress so much that she
wore it to church today with a sweater.

As crazy as it's been with all of the celebrations, it was so worth it because GracieGirl is so sweet and appreciative. Every little thing made her happy, and I loved seeing her face light up at each show of attention. Birthdays haven't always been easy in our house, so we didn't take any of this for granted!

Now I'm ready for a quiet week...except that tomorrow is the 100th Day of School party, and Tuesday is the Valentine's Party and GracieGirl's Gotcha Day!

I should know better than to expect a quiet week! :)

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Candies and Parties and Fears

I've lost count of the number of emails that have gone back and forth between E's and GracieGirl's teachers and myself this past week.

Why?

In our case, it's complicated by the fact that both children are in multiple classrooms, so there are several Valentine's Day parties and lots of teachers involved.

Once again, I'm wishing I could be one of those moms who just send their kids off to school without a second thought about parties and Valentine's candy. On that note, I read a really good article today:

10 Things to Know about Food Allergies in the Classroom
by Gina Clowes of Allergy Moms

One of the things that really resounded with me was the Balancing Act, where she talks about how we, as parents, have to do everything we can to keep our children safe, while also letting them have as much of a normal childhood as possible, adding that, with kids with severe allergies, there are no do-overs.

With GracieGirl, if she eats wheat, she'll be itchy and uncomfortable and may have a stomach ache. With E, if he eats tree nuts or peanuts, he can die. So yes, I am a pain in the butt when it comes to checking and rechecking what he eats at school. It may look different for you and your child, if your child has mild allergies, but it's a whole different ballgame with a kiddo with life-threatening allergies.

The article also talks about people feeling that we're overly anxious when we won't let our kids eat baked goods. I remember, shortly after E was diagnosed, being at a party and someone offering him a rice crispy treat. I said that I didn't know what was in it and that he was allergic to nuts. She gave me a "you are being way too over-protective" look, saying that no one ever puts nuts in rice crispy treats. I felt bad because, like I said, E had just been diagnosed and this was all new to me. Now I don't bat an eye if someone makes a comment like that. He doesn't eat baked goods; end of story. Oh, and people certainly do put peanut butter in rice crispy treats! ;)

I just stopped to reply to another email from a teacher about Valentine's candy. I love that my kids' teachers go the extra mile, but that doesn't mean that my kids are safe. I'd mentioned the story of the boy who survived an allergic reaction to peanut butter at school by being put on a heart-lung bypass machine; here is another story with more details, including how he came to eat the peanut butter. In both his case, and in the tragic case of the little girl who died in Virginia, the foods were brought in by another student.

On Valentine's Day, I have to worry about the candy that E's classmates may give him. His school is peanut-free, but tree nuts are allowed. I don't even want him touching anything that has tree nuts in it. In addition, we also have to take away most, if not all, of the candy that his classmates give him, which leaves us with one sad little boy.

The article ends by saying, "If you are one of those parents who goes the extra mile to bring the “safe” brand of chips or chocolate, or who tapes trinkets to your child’s Valentine cards instead of candy, then you are my hero too."

I couldn't agree more!

*************************

Strawberry Applesauce Muffins

1 c GF Rice Flour Blend
¾ c sorghum flour
¾ tsp xanthan gum
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp sea salt
½ c sucanat
1 ½ tsp Darifree powder
1/2c warm water
1/3 c expeller-pressed coconut oil
½ c strawberry applesauce
2 Tbsp warm water
1 Tbsp expeller-pressed coconut oil
1 tsp baking soda
Powdered sugar, opt.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp warm water, and 1 Tbsp coconut oil. Stir until coconut oil melts, then stir in baking soda. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour blend, sorghum flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, and sucanat together.

Mix Darifree powder with warm water. Set aside.

Gently melt coconut oil over low heat. Remove from head and add mixed Darifree, applesauce, and baking soda mixture. Mix well.

Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients.

Using a cookie scoop, fill mini-muffin cups. Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, until done. Roll in powdered sugar, if desired, for a taste similar to donut holes.

Bribery Week

We've learned that the key to successful parenting is bribery.

Some people may judge, but for us, it's all about survival. :)

Monday was the allergist for Jay and GracieGirl. Jay's dust mite allergy is off the charts. I haven't found a free housekeeper yet and allergy meds aren't cutting it, so the good doctor (he's one of the few that I actually like, even if we don't always agree) once again suggested allergy shots. I'd told him before that we will never again attempt anything involving a needle unless general anesthesia is involved. However, with the use of bribery, Jay actually had a "test run" shot in the office, and agreed to weekly allergy shots. Unbelievable.

Next was GracieGirl. The doctor is now thinking wheat allergy rather than celiac disease. He ordered another blood test, and then wants to do skin tests again. Bribery will be involved because GracieGirl has had both tests before and knows what she's in for!

E didn't have an appointment but he went along for the ride, and the allergist was very happy that he was in such good shape, just a week after being so sick.

Tuesday morning was E's fasting blood draw morning. He remembered the lab and wanted no part of it. There were tears but no screaming, so it could have (and has been) worse. Thank you, bribery.

Tuesday afternoon was Jay's appointment with his autism doctor. There have been many issues recently, but the doctor didn't get to witness any of them. Why? Because Jay knew that, after this appointment, he was getting his reward for surviving the allergy shot the day before!

One of the behavior therapists is here every Tuesday evening for Jay and E, and last week, she pushed Jay a little bit too hard for his liking. So he was not at all cooperative with her this week (understatement). She appreciates bribery and my guess is that she'll need to start using it again with him!

Wednesday was reading support and then the chiropractor for Jay, but he actually tolerates those two, so it was all good. He also had reading support on Monday and again yesterday. He's doing amazingly well, and even though he doesn't love going there (his teacher stopped giving him chocolate after each lesson!), I know that he's proud of his accomplishments.

Right now, Nate and Jay are seeing the orthodontist. Nate's appointment won't be fun, but this will be a particularly tough appointment for Jay. I had to figure out that fine line between telling him enough so that he's prepared without telling him so much that he's riddled with anxiety. He took two doses of a sedative prior to the appointment, so I'm just praying that it works.

Nick gets Father of the Year Award for taking the kids to every single one of these appointments (I was conference called in for a few of them), in addition to social skills classes, a school board meeting, two homeschool classes, youth groups, kids' groups, and soccer!

Finally, I have the quote of the week. I'm going to keep it anonymous, although most people who know my kids could easily guess who said it. It was said at an appointment to one of the doctors who loves to inquire about bowel issues. Every single time, the response has been that there are no problems. This response: "Well, yesterday I had a poop that was the size of a wedding cake!"

All I can say is that if we ever lose our sense of humor, we're in trouble!

*********************************

Vanilla!

I love using vanilla beans and am always on the lookout for recipes with vanilla that suit our allergies.

I got this one for vanilla pudding from Kari's blog, and adapted it.


GFCF Vanilla Pudding

2 2/3 cups coconut milk, divided
1/2 cup vanilla sugar*
1/4 cup organic cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 vanilla beans, seeds removed
1 large organic free-range egg

Slice down the sides of the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds. Save the beans.

Combine vanilla sugar, cornstarch, sea salt, and vanilla seeds in the bottom of a medium-sized, heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in 2/3 cup of the coconut milk, a little at a time; then whisk in the egg. Set aside.

Bring the remaining 2 cups coconut milk and the vanilla beans to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once it is boiling, remove vanilla pods, and very gradually add the coconut milk to the mixture in the bowl, whisking constantly.

Return the mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Once it comes to a simmer, cook one minute longer.

Pour into a bowl. Place a piece of waxed paper on top of pudding to prevent a film from forming. Cover and chill in refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.

**************************

Another vanilla treat we had recently is Hot Vanilla. So good on a cold day...

GFCF Hot Vanilla

1 c coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla sugar*
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix vanilla sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan.
Add vanilla extract, stirring until dissolved.
Add coconut milk; stir. Heat gently until warm, stirring occasionally.
Pour into a large mug and enjoy!

**************************

*Vanilla Sugar

2 vanilla beans
2 cups organic sugar

Place sugar in a large mason jar.

Slice down the sides of the vanilla beans and scrape out the seeds. Add to the sugar. Add the beans to the sugar. Cover the jar and shake well. Let sit for a couple of weeks, shaking the jar occasionally to mix.

If you don't want to wait for weeks, Kari also shared in this post how to make instant vanilla sugar. I made it and it's wonderful, but I didn't use it in the pudding because I already had vanilla sugar made up. I don't see why it wouldn't work in the pudding recipe, though.

**************************

Food Allergies and School

I read this story today about a seven-year-old boy who was allergic to peanuts and nearly died after eating them at school.

I know I talk about food allergies a lot but I didn't fully understand the seriousness of them until we started living with them, and I want to help others understand, too. Even if you don't have a child with allergies, you could be instrumental in helping an allergic child, which could save his or her life.

This boy's mom did everything right. She sent her child to a peanut-free classroom. She went in and approved the snacks that were safe for him. Still, while eating a snack and watching a movie in his classroom, he ate peanuts. Another child had a peanut butter granola bar and it somehow ended up on this boy's plate. In the dark, he reached for it and took a small bite.

He was fortunate because he initially reacted with only an itchy tongue and a stomach ache, and then had a delayed reaction, which is extremely rare. Usually, reactions occur almost immediately. Only after arriving at the hospital did this particular boy break out in hives, his throat tightened, and his lungs started shutting down. He was put on life support, a heart-lung bypass machine, and he survived.

Tragically, a little girl, also seven years old, didn't survive when she ate peanuts given to her at school by a classmate, just a couple of weeks ago. Again, her mother did the right things. She had an allergy action plan at school for her daughter.

I'm thankful that the people at E's school understand the severity of his allergies and take them seriously. His school is peanut-free, he takes his own food and has a supply of snacks at school. The school contacts us regularly to check on ingredients for projects or special occasions.

Still, I worry. His school is peanut-free, but he's just as allergic to cashews and other tree nuts as he is to peanuts. And, all it takes is a classmate to give him a bite of something. It's a fear that every parent of an extremely allergic child lives with.

What strikes me in the case of the two children I mentioned is that an EpiPen and Benadryl weren't administered. In the case of the little boy, 911 wasn't called and he went to the hospital with his mother, rather than in an ambulance.

It seems to me that, with more and more children having life-threatening allergies, there should be consistent allergy plans in all schools. They're trying to pass a bill in Virginia that would put EpiPens in all schools. Why aren't all states doing this? EpiPens can mean the difference between life and death. The EpiPens and Benadryl need to be easily and quickly accessible, and all school personnel, including substitute teachers, should have a clear understanding of which children are allergic, and how and when to administer the necessary meds, and to call 911 first and the parents second.

When E first reacted, I instinctively gave Benadryl and called his pediatrician, who told me to take him to the hospital. If, God forbid, he ever has another reaction, I will give the Benadryl and EpiPen and then call an ambulance, rather than taking him to the hospital myself. Even though I was very familiar with food allergies, I had no clue about how serious they could be. Now I know. Educating more people about them can mean fewer little lives lost to them.

*********************************

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup

3/4 cup dried Great Northern beans
3 cups water
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup tomato puree
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced
1 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled & cubed
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, broken into small pieces
1/2 cup gluten-free spaghetti
1 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced and quartered
1 leek, white part only, cleaned & sliced
1 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried parsley
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
10 oz frozen peas
1/2 cup mushrooms, ground (opt)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
3 qts GF vegetable stock



Soak beans overnight; drain. Cook in 3 cups of water for one hour;
reserve cooking water.

Sauté onion, garlic, and leek in 1/2 cup water.
Add crushed tomatoes and pureed tomatoes; cook for 3 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, carrots, potatoes, celery, basil and parsley;
cook for 15 minutes.
Add zucchini, green beans, Great Northern beans and cooking water.

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer approx. 30 minutes.

Break spaghetti into pieces and add, along with spinach and peas.

Simmer until vegetables are tender; add sea salt and pepper to taste.