Lentils Two Ways

things can go array in the kitchen, pockets didn't
turn out, so topped with leftover basmati rice in a pinch

It is Sunday morning, 11:00, and my Thermomix is cooking up some simple lentils.  I am hungry for lunch already. Even after a bowl of oatmeal and bacon. Baby Brother is napping after being up a lot last night. Big Brother is out with Papi on his new blue bike with pedals and training wheels. So It's the perfect moment to have some alone time in the kitchen with a mug of rooibos while I prepare two make-ahead lunches: a lemon-basil lentil salad and veggie coconut lentils to top soaked brown rice.  The best part is having extra lentils to freeze for later use.  

This coconut lentil and veggie filling is a Jude Blereau recipe.  I recommend her cookbook for good background reading on wholesome food: Wholesome Food For Children. The recipe includes this lentil filling in spelt pocket pies; however, my first attempt at the pocket pie dough, leaving out the sesame of course, was a total disaster.  It was 1:00, I was starving in that-hungry-breastfeeding-way, and the dough wasn't working out.  So, on top of leftover rice it went and all was fine in the end.  It's much easier on top of leftover rice anyway.  No spelt anymore with Baby's wheat allergy.  I'm bitter about this, as I love baking with spelt flour. I left out the corn and added peas instead.  I have always preferred peas over corn.  I also topped with some cilantro since everything is better with cilantro.   I have begun to triple this recipe, because I like to get an extra meal out of it, and to use up whatever greens are in the fridge.  

Click here for both lentil recipes:

Coconut Lentil and Veggie Pocket Pies
Bragg's Liquid Aminoes are wheat- free and last time a checked, safe from sesame cross-contamination.
There are coconut aminoes if looking for soy-free. Or you can use coconut aminos if there is a soy allergy or sensitivity.

Lentil Salad with Basil and Lemon (here you will find the instructions for making batch of  lentils in your Thermomix)

Click here for more on soaking the brown rice

Happy Birthday Cake

As soon as Big Brother passed the egg challenge-meaning he successfully ate 16 bite-sized pieces of french toast- in our allergist's office-we started picturing cheesecakes, custards and all things eggy as delicious instead of downright scary. At the same time, we started to discuss what kind of cake he wanted for his upcoming Birthday.  Tres Leches had quickly become his favorite so we went to Whole Foods to order a giant one to share with his friends.  He picked out what he wanted on the cake: "Happy Birthday Simon" with train tracks where he could place Thomas and his passenger cars.  

Now, fast-forward a few weeks to dairy allergy diagnoses for Baby Brother.  What to do now?  This lovely Tres Leches seemed too dangerous so a conversation about a different cake was in order.  I couldn't imagine 20 children and their parents covered in three kinds of milk with allergic baby in the mix.  What would you have done?  I spoke with some friends in order to come up with a solution. I then decided to take a Sunday morning trip together to look at vegan options.  Whole Foods carries a vegan chocolate cookie cake (contains wheat!), but Big Brother wanted nothing to do with it at first. I thought that it would be a good idea to take home a piece to see if he liked it.  The planned worked and he was actually excited to have a chocolate cookie cake for his party.  Phew!  

Arroz Con Pollo A La Española

The Thermomix simplifies this classic and always perfect meal: a big pot of Spanish chicken and rice. This, to me, is the perfect weeknight dinner for the whole family. No cheese, gluten, eggs, nuts, seeds....so perfect for all of us.  I usually have a pasture raised chicken cut up in pieces in the freezer along with the bones to make a batch of TM stock prior to using it in rice dishes such as this one; make two things, clean one bowl!  I will post the recipe in English at some point if asked.  Click, here, for the original recipe in Spanish.  I add in some onion and celery for flavor.  Oh, and some chorizo too :)

Ingredientes: 
100gr de aceite de oliva virgen extra
2 dientes de ajo
500gr de pechuga o contramuslos con piel cortados en dados
150gr de pimiento verde cortado
150gr de pimiento rojo cortado
1 zanahoria cortada en daditos o láminas
850gr de caldo de ave o agua
1 pellizco de pimentón dulce
Azafrán al gusto 
Sal/pimienta
350gr de arroz bomba
120gr de guisantes

Preparación:
Pon en el vaso el aceite y los ajos y trocea 5 segundos en velocidad 6. Calienta 3 minutos, Varoma, Velocidad 1.


Añade el pollo en taquitos y rehoga 5 minutos, Varoma, giro a la izquierda y velocidad cuchara.


Agrega los pimientos y si quieres 1 zanahoria picada y cebolla y apio en trocitos pequeños y sigue sofriendo 6 minutos, Varoma, giro a la izquierda y velocidad cuchara.


Vierte dentro del vaso el caldo de ave, el pimentón dulce, el azafrán o curry y la sal y cocina 9 minutos, Varoma, giro a la izquierda en velocidad cuchara.


Echa el arroz y chorizo precocido por último programa 13 minutos, 100º, giro a la izquierda y velocidad 1. Cuando falten 3 minutos para acabar el tiempo,incorpora los guisantes por el bocal. Deja reposar unos minutos y sirve calentito.

A Tasty Pair: Roasted Pears and Turnips

I really enjoy the combination of Pears and Turnips.  Why not roast them together with grated ginger, salt pepper and olive oil. 20 minutes before done, baste with some local raw honey. Simple and Delicious.  Everything fresh and local.  I am anxious on Saturday mornings this time of year to go get a big basket of these pears to use during the weak.  I also like to get lots of sweet potatoes  and then top with garlicky greens; a good way to use those turnip tops! Big Brother gave thumbs up to the roasted pear but declined to try the turnip: "I'm not going to try that". Maybe after the 20th time?  

Some good allergy-friendly sides to serve:  1) these roasted pears and turnips 2) sweet potatoes topped with bacon and garlicky greens 3) blanched and sauteed lemon and garlic green beans.  

Coconut Waffles for Big Brother's 5th Birthday

Big Brother wanted waffles for breakfast to celebrate his 5th Birthday.  We stacked them up festively on a cake stand and put a candle on top.  It was a nice way to start his special day.  Check out the recipe here.  These dairy-free waffles include both wheat and egg.  Big Brother can have all three: dairy, egg and wheat.   At this moment in time, we had just discovered Baby Brother's dairy allergy so the recipes includes wheat.  Just a few days later, we found out about the wheat allergy as well.  For a few weeks, after  passing the egg food challenge in our allergist's office, we had a quality of life improvement with breakfast out in restaurants and french toast at home.  But it is once again tricky again for fear of Baby Brother coming into contact with allergens both outside and inside the home.  How would you handle the situation?  We allow Big Brother to drink cow milk with meals and cheese on his  wheat bread at school.  In order to prevent cross-contamination nightmares, wheat will not be in our home expect for frozen Whole Food's sprouted whole wheat bread for his sandwiches and goat cheese from the farmer's market for spreading.  We will also have cubed cheddar for him so that I don't have to cut it myself and contaminate.  Of course, rules are in place and both serious hand and mouth washing are in place.  But the allergens remain in saliva!  So kisses after milk are prohibited.  Not an easy job as a parent.  What do you think?

Saturdays: Planning Week's Menu Around Local Fruits and Veggies

Working Backwards: beef and veggie stirfry, braised pasture-raised chicken {precut in 8 pieces from Whole Foods-I call that "fast food"} and greens with olives, tomatoes and soaked brown rice, chicken curry with carrots and broccoli, lentils two ways: coconut veggie and lemony basil salad, pear compote for steel cut oats, waffles and pancakes, sweet potato topped with bacon and greens and raisins, sweet potato maple frosting for vegan and gluten-free birthday cake, local grass-fed garlicky skirt steak paired with: sauteed green beans, grilled little green pepper boats stuffed with tomatoes/garlic/olives, and roasted turnips drizzled with local raw honey (from CSA basket). Delicious oranges for wedges and orange/basil dressing for quinoa lunch salads.  Maybe some kale chips with roasted chickpeas for snacking.  

On Saturdays after returning from the market, lunch is whatever was for dinner the night before.  This way, I am freed up to I wash and store veggies so that meals are less of a hassle during the week. Big Brother can play with Dad and Baby Brother, while I can relax in the kitchen and listen to podcasts. Then, this time of year, it's cool enough to enjoy a mid-afternoon neighborhood family walk.  

Orange Curried Pumpkin Soup To Fight the Allergic Blues

picture taken one-handed while
holding Baby 

I spent the morning at Whole Foods with a new set of allergic criteria to keep in mind for meal and baking planning.  Yesterday, we confirmed avocado and wheat allergy for Baby Brother.  Of course, I have been a little wound up.  I find that taking my stress to the kitchen and making a little bit of a mess is how I deal with new allergic findings.  I have already made a batch of quinoa flour and molasses cookies and now I write as allergic Baby Brother naps and my Thermomix cooks up a batch of Curried Pumpkin soup. I love making soups and coconut curries with my CSA veggies and the Saturday morning goodies we regularly get at Urban Harvest.

Today's soup is my typical butternut squash/pumpkin soup, but inspired by the Naturally Nourished Ocotober Newlsetter from Urban Harvest Market.  The author, a local regsitered dietician, describes her curried pumpkin soup as "your food-as-medicine prescription".

Next time, I'll experiment with polenta croutons as a way around the typical sprouted whole wheat ones 've been making until now.  Perhaps with some Thermomix GF Foccacia? That is on my to-do list.  I'm even thinking that some Terra Chips wouldn't be bad on top.  But just not the Mediterranean variety of Terra Chips, they have sesame oil!

A little "ode to my Thermomix": Entire soup prepared start to finish all in my Thermomix bowl!  One bowl to clean, besides the cutting board! And a delicious and nutritious lunch to enjoy before Baby Brother wakes up from nap.  I can always serve in a mug if need be and enjoy while he plays.  

Allergy note:  Baby has his own chopping board, the Epicurean to be exact. I chopped up the butternut squash on his chopping board and the rest of the ingredients on my daily everyday use board.  Baby's board is only used for the foods eaten and tolerated up until now.

What to use and What to do: 

Place small onion and small nub of ginger into TM bowl and chop for 5 second on speed 7

Add tbsp coconut oil with tablespoon curry powder and extra dash of turmeric.
Sauté 3 minutes at 100 on speed 1

Add in 500-600 grams butternut squash, carrot, celery, apple.  Chop 15 seconds speed 7

Add combination, whatever you have on hand really, of 500 grams of TM homemade chicken stock/bone broth and/or canned coconut milk (carton kind has carrageenan and I don't know if I want my family eating that. click on and will direct you to ordering by case on Amazon). You can always make your own coconut milk in your Thermomix. Throw in a bay leaf or two along with some cilantro (could add the cilantro stems with the onion and ginger in first step).  Cook for 20 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1.  

Remove bay leaf, add handful spinach or kale.  You can add a little more coconut milk if desired along with a few tablespoons of raw, unfiltered honey/maple syrup).  

Blend for one minute going from speed 1-9, or until you reach desired consistency. Garnish with some basil, cilantro or chives/scallions.  Great way to use roasted squash or pumpkin seeds.

Saying Goodbye To Dairy

a warm cup with pumpkin pie spice

After reacting to big brother's milky kiss, we have confirmed that Baby is allergic to milk. Despite, immediate and religious hand washing and face washing after eating, big brother managed to pass along milk protein to Baby's skin via a loving kiss.  I know, very sad to have to police affection between brothers.  

I have to admit that I have been dwelling on what we can no longer eat, the daily dangers of milky kisses and touches, and how truly stressful it can be to adapt to the sudden deletion of a favorite food group.  At the same time, I know that I can handle this challenge.  I have done it before and I can do it again.  Thank you, Thermomix, for being there for me during my allergic journey in kitchen!  I am sure that my Thermomix will be an even more essential kitchen companion now with a   dairy allergy to contend with.  Instead of buying coconunt and rice milk, I will be able to make it myself.  Better ingredients and less cost.  Here is my first attempt at homemade rice milk this past weekend.  I do not necessarily mind the sludge leftover with using just the Thermomix straining basket. Maybe I'm just too tired to notice or delighted with the idea of making my own rice milk.  Perhaps I'll give it a go with cheesecloth next time to get a smoother batch. Here is the link to the original recipe: http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com/2009/06/rice-almond-milk.html This is one of my favorite sites for Thermomix recipes and for learning about ingredients.

My version uses sweet brown rice soaked overnight with apple cider vinegar and maple syrup as the sweetener.  I also added in some homemade pumpkin pie spice to celebrate November. 

Another place for instructions and for the good idea of using dates to sweeten: http://tebasileskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/06/brown-rice-milk.html

For an index to many milks:
http://www.superkitchenmachine.com/2011/14176/dairy-free-soy-rice-nut-milk-recipes.html 
For how to strain with cheesecloth:
http://www.kerstenskitchen.com.au/2012/07/making-rice-milk-using-thermomix.html