Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Black Bean Dip Revised

In an attempt to increase our Vitamin A intake, I modified the original recipe just by simply adding a packed 1/2 cup of fresh chopped spinach.  While the texture and taste are slightly different, it is still a winner in our house.




Ingredients:
2 cups cooked, drained black beans
3 tablespoons tomatoes, seeded (remove seeds, pulp) and chopped
1/2 cup spinach, chopped and packed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (to taste)

Directions:
Process all ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth.  (It takes additional time with the spinach as compared to the original recipe.)  Serve or refrigerate.

Nutrition Information:  
1 serving (1/4 cup): 67 calories, 12g carbs, 0g fat, 4g protein, 4g fiber, 6mg iron

Ratings:
5/5 like it

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
If buying beans in bulk, I've found the bagged dry beans to contain information on other foods used at the processing facility. In my experience, the large bins of bulk have not contained this valuable information.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Spinach and Bean Casserole

This recipe caught my eye as I have never cooked with fennel.  Not only was it super fast, but most of us liked it!  Next time, I'll add in mushrooms or another vegetable in addition to the onion.

Since I could not find black eyed peas in the dry goods area, I purchased canned ones.  It was exciting to see BPA free canned goods from Eden.  They are a bit pricey but it is good to know I can get safe canned goods when in a hurry.  (For more on BPA read here.)

This is great as a side dish or main dish served over brown rice.  Makes approximately 6 servings, 1 cup each.  It reheats well.  While the spinach makes it a great dish for those trying to increase their vitamin A, it is also gluten-free.

Ingredients:
2 cans or 3 cups black eyed peas, cooked
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 cups spinach, chopped
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fennel seed, ground

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Sauté onion, spinach, and other chosen vegetables with olive oil for 3-5 minutes in large saucepan.  Add tomatoes, salt, and fennel, stir and heat for 5 minutes.  Combine beans with spinach mixture in a 2 quart casserole dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Nutrition Information:
1 serving (1 cup):  209 calories, 29g carbs, 6g fat, 10g protein, 8g fiber, 14mg iron

Ratings:
3/5 liked it
2/5 tolerated it

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
As mentioned in a previous entry, I don't use the bulk bins at grocery stores.  When items are open it increases the chances of other foods coming into contact with the desired item.


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Outcomes from the First Five Weeks

What an interesting five weeks it has been on a completely vegan diet minus soy and nuts for my 22 month old, Ethan (pictured left). What started out as an experiment has turned out to be a success. Before I share the outcomes, I think it is important to give a background leading up to our plant-based diet trial.

History
When my son was born, we were super healthy eaters. We had researched and tweaked our diet to give us what we needed to increase prevention of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). We meal planned a week at a time to provide a well-balanced diet. Two times a week we had vegetarian dinners, two times a week we had fish (wild caught salmon preferred for Omega-3), no more than one time a week red meat, and skinless chicken breast dishes to complete our 7 day plan. We got produce, meat, vegetables, and eggs as much locally and organically as possible. We were at our healthiest weights as adults. My blood work proved that I was significantly healthier than when I was 25!
In the first 3 months, all seemed well with the exception of reflux. Our concerns were dismissed by our pediatrician as Ethan was gaining weight. Of course he was gaining weight. I was nursing him every 1-2 hours because so little was staying down! Over the course of the next few months, he woke up every hour screaming unless he was in his baby swing (the elevation helped), developed eczema and hyperkeratosis on face, arms and legs, had excessive head sweating, runny nose, and was a very demanding unhappy baby most days with glimpses of sweetness. After he started breaking out into hives, we switched pediatricians, did allergy testing, and started over on introduction of foods. We found out he had a severe intolerance to dairy with milder intolerances to soy, tree nuts, peanuts and egg. Once these items were removed, he became the delightful little boy we thought he was all along. He started sleeping with only 1-2 wake ups at night. And, he looked well for the first time since about 4 months of age. The remaining problematic areas included eczema, hyperkeratosis, and waking up from sleep screaming.
Then, a good friend innocently asked, "How do you know if it is the egg causing the problems or what the chicken ate?". I stood there shocked. With all of the sleep deprivation, food journaling, and doctor appointments, it had never crossed my mind that what the animals where eating could be a problem. So here we are doing a vegan trial to see if it helps our son get even healthier.

Outcomes after 5 weeks
Sleep: Within the first week, Ethan was sleeping through the night with no intervention needed by us. On the occasional night he did have a cry out, he was able to put himself down quickly and easily. He has never been able to do that until now! By week 2, he stopped crying when he woke up. We'd find him playing in his room. Again, that was amazing to see for the first time.
Eczema: By the end of two weeks, the eczema on his arms and legs was completely gone. He still has some flare-ups on his cheeks but that is usually after running around.
Hyperkeratosis: Bummer, this one is still there.
Reduced Stress: Meals were very stressful at our house as they contained items our toddler could not eat. By having everyone eat vegan at lunch, dinner and snack (can't get the older children off cow's milk on their cereal yet) there is no more running across the kitchen to get to the piece of food before the toddler gets to it.

Next Steps
Try to get rid of that nasty hyperkeratosis. There is information on the internet regarding the link between Vitamin A deficiency and hyperkeratosis. I'll focus in on increasing his exposure to foods high in Vitamin A but not exceeding the upper limits for his age.


Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Our New Fast Food


With busy lives, we needed something quick and easy to feed our family for those need to get somewhere moments. The solution so far has been a rice, black beans, and pico de gallo mixture. Our rice maker has been extremely handy and in high use since my son's food issues began. We splurged on a high end rice cooker a few years ago after hearing the praises of the Zojirushi induction heating technology. We love it! It is extremely simple to use and clean plus makes great rice. We make up a batch whenever we get low.

For our fresh pico, we had to stop the oh so convenient purchasing of the fresh pico de gallo from the store. The labeling indicated it was made in a facility using items our son could not tolerate. So, I pulled out a favorite pico recipe I save for summer when our garden tomatoes start producing. I really like this recipe but substitute on-the-vine tomatoes for the romas. Basically, we have all three products in our refrigerator ready for use. I just reheat the beans and rice then mix in the pico de gallo. I add avocado to mine but my 1 year old prefers it with the Black Bean Spread mixed in. Super simple!

Ingredients for Pico de Gallo:
5 on-the-vine tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/2 red onion, minced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 lime, juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pinch ground cumin
1 pinch garlic powder (optional)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Stir everything together. Refrigerate 3 hours before serving.

Rating:
3/5 like it (my 6 and 4 year olds won't try it, however the 4 year old likes the pico with tortilla chips)

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
Relying on someone else to prepare foods increases the chance that the food is contaminated with other food products not listed in the ingredient list. Once again, check labels and ask to make sure store prepared foods are safe.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Simple Spinach Lentil Salad

Never thought of combining spinach and lentils until this recipe. While I liked it, the kids would not try it and my husband said he'd give it half a star. We modified it the following day by replacing the corn and mushrooms with grilled vegetables (onion, red pepper, squash) we had left over. It was excellent! However, the kids still didn't try it.

This amazing tasting spinach came from a local farm we found through the Nebraska Food Cooperative. After ordering our food online, it is delivered to a location fairly close to us. We've been happy consumers for two years. The food is so tasty. Plus, you get to know about the farming practices of individual producers. Local Harvest is a great website to locate farms around the country.

Modified Recipe Ingredients:
2 cups spinach, chopped
1/2 cup vegetables, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup lentils, cooked
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

Directions:
Cook lentils for 20 minutes then rinse with cold water. While lentils cook, saute vegetables or grill them then sit to cool. For vinaigrette, mix olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk together. Combine spinach, lentils, and vegetables. Pour vinaigrette over the salad and toss.

Ratings:
2/5 like it

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
When buying locally, let your farmer know about the allergy or intolerance issues. They can tell you if their products are safe for your situation.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Moroccan Couscous

This yummy recipe has been a favorite of the adults in my house. Guests enjoy it too. Unfortunately, I cannot get the kids to eat it. I've tried blending it to a more kid-friendly texture. That did not work either. Oh well, I still make it since it tastes great. The original recipe, from my sister, included tofu (a soybean product) and toasted almonds.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup whole wheat couscous, uncooked
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (optional)

(Original recipe: add 6 ounces firm tofu cut into 1/2" cubes, 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted)

Directions:
Coat medium saucepan with olive oil, heat on medium-high until hot. Add green onions. Saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth and next 7 ingredients. Bring to boil. Remove from heat. Add couscous (and tofu, if using). Cover and let stand 5 minutes until liquid absorbed. Add parsley (and almonds, if using). Toss to combine.

Rating:
2/5

Nutritional Information (for total recipe, no tofu/almonds): 1048 calories, 22g fat, 31g protein

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
Some raisin producers, including organic ones, use oils, such as sunflower, that may be an issue.


Monday, April 9, 2012

Banana Muffins

My search for a simple dessert-like recipe for my son lead me to banana muffins. Everyone loved the original recipe, which contained a lot of sugar. My reduced sugar version received rave reviews from all three children. The adults prefer the original but are happy with the new version, too.

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup expeller pressed canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2-4 tablespoons Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

(Original recipe: replace 1/4 cup sugar with 1 cup sugar, take away applesauce)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mash bananas, add oil, sugar and applesauce. Cream together. In separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and chocolate. Stir all ingredients together. Line a muffin or mini-muffin pan and fill 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 25 minutes for muffins or 13 minutes for mini-muffins or until toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean.

Rating:
5/5 like it

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
Enjoy Life is the only brand of chocolate chips I have found to be safe for my 1 year old. We use If You Care brand of baking cups since they are chlorine-free, allergen free and environmentally friendly.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Sourdough Pancakes

Baking and cooking without egg has proven a challenge. Some commercially made egg substitutes contain soy or have so many ingredients I'm not sure what I'm feeding my family. Thank goodness for applesauce and bananas! They make great egg substitutes. These pancakes are great with either one. Here is our favorite recipe. We make up a big batch, refrigerate the extras, and use the toaster to reheat.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup rice milk, plain
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons expeller pressed canola oil
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients together. Then, combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth. Add more rice milk until desired consistency. Cook and enjoy!

Ratings:
5/5 love it

Food Allergy/Intolerance Notes:
If purchasing a commercial sour dough starter, be aware of how it is processed. Some are made on machines shared with soy, milk and other foods.