Crispy Oatmeal Cookies -- wheat, egg, soy, sugar and dairy free

These are actually Rolled Barley and Flax Crispy Cookies.  They aren't my usual jumbo, chewy cookie.  These are smaller and crispier.  I hope you enjoy them!


Rolled Oats and Flax Crispy Cookies
Makes 24 cookies


Pre-heat the oven to 350F.


In a mixing bowl with an electric cream until light


2/3 cup lard (or other solid fat)


Add and continue beating


2/3 cup Stevia in the Raw measurable
1/3 cup maple sugar (or fructose, honey, etc.)
1/4 cup agave nectar


Add and beat some more


1 tablespoon ground flax seeds + 3 tablespoons water, allowed to rest for a few minutes
2 teaspoons vanilla


Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add all at once


1 cup flour mix (my recipe here)
1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups gluten free oats
1 cup ground flax seeds
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt


Mix the ingredients until they are all combined.


Using a 1/8 cup scoop or measure, scoop the dough out onto parchment lined sheets about 2" apart.  Tap the tops of the dough so that they will flatten during baking.  Bake the cookies for about 14 minutes, or until they are becoming golden and crispy.  Enjoy :)

Whey Chocolate Cookies -- without sugar, wheat, soy, dairy or eggs

These are smaller than my normal cookies, but they are really good.  They taste like a brownie cookie.  They have the health benefits of flax, dark chocolate and whey.  The whey came from my straining my goat milk yogurt to make cheese.


Whey Chocolate Cookies
Makes about 24 cookies


Cream with an electric mixer
1/2 cup lard


Add, continuing to beat
1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw, measurable
1/3 cup fructose


Continuing to beat, add
1 tablespoon ground flax plus 3 tablespoons water, allowed to rest a few minutes
2 squares (ounces) unsweetened chocolate (verify it has no soy in it), cooled


Add on low speed
3/4 cup whey (or sour "milk" may be used -- 1 teaspoon vinegar + 3/4 cup "milk" you can tolerate -- rice or goat, allowed to rest about 10 minutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla


Add to the wet ingredients on medium-low speed
1/2 cup ground flax 
1 1/4 flour mix
1 packet Knox gelatin
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt


Scrape the bowl down then refrigerate the dough for about 1 hour.  Pre-heat the oven to 400F.  Scoop the dough by spoonfuls then roll the dough into balls and drop them into a small dish with a couple of tablespoons of Stevia in the Raw Measurable.   Place the stevia coated dough balls onto parchment lined cookie sheets and bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes. 

Homemade Goat Milk Yogurt turned into Herb Cheese Dip!

I made homemade yogurt, which didn't turn out well.  I started with a half gallon of a bit "over-ripe" goat milk.  I learned from various sources around the net -- primarily www.westonaprice.org -- that raw milk doesn't become putrid like store-bought processed milk does.  It actually starts to become yogurt on its own.  So I decided to help the process a bit.  I used to make yogurt all the time years ago.  I added a full "cup" (container) of the Dannon Greek plain yogurt to my milk.  The first time I processed it in my Salton Yogurt Maker for a full 12 hours as normal.  I ended up with curds and whey.  It had too much cow milk in it for my family to use, so I started over.  I didn't have any yogurt to begin with, though, so I put about 1/4 cup of the whey into my quart of goat milk.  I only processed it about 3 hours, and it was ready.  


This second batch still wasn't the best consistency and was already breaking into curds and whey, so I strained it through a kitchen towel that was not "nappy."  I ended up with about 1/2 cup of yogurt "cream cheese."  It is similar to both chevre and ricotta cheese in taste.


I put the cheese into my mixer and whipped it up, then I seasoned it with 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon dill, 1/2 teaspoon chives and about 1/4 teaspoon Adobo seasoning.  We dipped it with chips.  Oh my yum!! :p

Can you believe it? Non-dairy, egg-free, sugar-free, soy-free, wheat-free CHEESECAKE!!!

Oh yeah!  I did it!


Allergy Friendly Cheesecake


Bring to room temperature the following for the filling


2 - 6 ounce packets of goat cheese (it looks like cream cheese in a tube) 
3 tablespoons ground flax + 1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cups goat milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar + 1 packet Knox gelatin
1/4 cup goat milk


While the above ingredients are coming to room temperature, (about 2 hours), prepare the crust.


In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, or by hand, combine the crust ingredients


3/4 cup flour mix
2 tablespoons fructose
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup lard
1 tablespoon ground flax + 2 tablespoons water allowed to rest for a few minutes to thicken
1/4 teaspoon vanilla


Press the dough into a 10" pie pan.  Bake it in a pre-heated 400F oven for about 6 minutes or until it is just becoming golden.  Allow it to cool while the other ingredients are coming to room temperature.


I cannot stress enough the time to bring the ingredients to room temperature. If this step is rushed, it will produce a cheesecake of poor quality.


Pre-heat the oven to 450F.


In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the above mentioned goat cheese until light.  Add and continue beating


2/3 cup fructose
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon vanilla


Add and continue mixing the ground flax that has been coming to room temperature for the filling


2 tablespoon flour mix
1 tablespoon tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
1/4 teaspoon salt


Carefully add the goat milk/vinegar/Knox and goat milk and mix it on the lowest speed of the mixer.


Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and bake it for 10 minutes at 450F.  Reduce the temperature to 300F and continue to bake the cheesecake for 30 to 40 minutes.  Don't let it become browned.  It will be quite jiggly in the middle still when "finished" baking at this stage.  Open the oven and allow it to cool down for about 20 minutes without disturbing it.  Let it rest on a cake rack or trivet until it is room temperature*, then refrigerate it until it is fully chilled.


*At this point it may be topped with the blueberry topping (below) or not, your choice.  


Serves 8.


Blueberry Topping


2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tapioca flour (or cornstarch)
1/3 cup fructose


Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a full boil.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before spreading on cheesecake*.

My Favorite Stock (Broth) Recipe

I've not been able to find any commercial broth, (stock, base, bouillon), that doesn't have something I'm allergic to in it!  They all either have something that is soy or sugar or yeast it seems.  Here's a simple way to make stock from some leftover bones.  It can then be used for homemade soup, stew or just making cooked veggies more interesting!


Homemade Broth


First, it is necessary to have the bones leftover from a cooked chicken, turkey, salmon, pork or beef.  For best results, do not start with raw bones.  If the bones are raw, like purchased ones from the butcher, it is best to roast them until they are cooked through before making stock.  If raw bones are used, the broth will end up with a raw taste to it.  Also, it is best not to combine the bones unless they are compatible like chicken and turkey.


Put the bones and any cooked skin or cartilage into a large pot.  Cover them with water, (filtered is preferred), and bring the water to a boil.  As it begins to boil, impurities in the form of foam will come to the surface.  Using a spoon, skim off any bits of floating matter.  These are the things that will cause the broth to have a bitter or "off" taste.  Discard the floating material.


Cover the pot and turn the heat down to the point of just simmering.  At this point it can be cooked anywhere from 1 to 12 hours.  The longer the cooking time, the richer the broth, just be careful the pot doesn't boil dry!  A tightly fitting lid is essential for this process.


Once the cooking time is complete, the broth should be a rich golden color -- darker for beef, lighter for fish.  Allow it to cool until it is about room temperature.  At this point, it can be seasoned with salt to taste, if desired.  Set a strainer (colander) atop a large bowl, pitcher or another pot, and carefully pour the broth and bones into it.  The strainer will catch all the bones and other bits, allowing just the broth to collect in the container beneath it.


To store the broth, I find it very convenient to freeze it in ice cube trays and keep it in zip-lock bags in the freezer.  Sometimes, I also freeze broth in quart zip-locks.  I find the frozen cubes of broth much easier to work with, though.

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Enchiladas? You got that right!

Hey and these are great for folks who are allergic to wheat, dairy, eggs, soy and sugar, too!  This is a fun blending of French and Mexican food traditions in a casserole dish.




Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo Enchiladas


Cook one 3 1/2 pound chicken, remove the bones and skin (save them for making broth / stock) and break it into bite-sized pieces OR use about 4 cups pre-cooked chicken


Reserve 4 cups cooking broth and set it aside (or use commercial stock if possible -- I've never found one that doesn't have something I'm allergic to in it!)


In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken with one 16 ounce package broccoli cuts and pieces, set this aside


In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the  the 4 cups of reserved broth to a slow boil.  Meanwhile combine 2 cups goat milk (or unflavored rice milk) with 1/2 cup cornstarch.  Mix it well until it is smooth.  Add it to the bubbling stock in the sauce pan and stir it until it is thickened over medium heat.  Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, stir them well and remove the sauce from the heat.  Stir in 1/3 cup Romano cheese (made from sheep milk -- check the labels!)  


Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon Adobo (lemon) seasoning to the chicken/broccoli mixture.  Stir in approximately 1/2 of the sauce.


In a rectangular baking dish, spread enough of the reserved sauce to just cover the bottom of the pan.


Prep* 14 tortillas.


*To prep the torillas, either fill a pie pan or some other dish with about 1" of broth and allow the tortillas to soak for a couple of minutes, OR fry them for about 20 to 30 seconds in some cooking oil over medium-high heat until they are soft and pliable.


Place the tortillas one at a time on a work surface (I used a dinner plate), and fill them with about 1/2 cup of the broccoli and chicken mixture.  Roll them up and place them seam down into the rectangular baking dish.  Repeat until all are filled.  


I do have an 11"x24"x2" that this would have worked in, but instead I used one 9"x13"x2" and one 9" square baking dishes.  I did this because some of my family can have regular cheese and some can't.


Once all of the enchiladas are filled, spread them with the remaining sauce.  Sprinkle the top with about 1/2 cup Romano (sheep milk) cheese, and bake the casserole for about 25 minutes at 350F.  They are done when the filling is hot and the cheese and sauce are bubbling.




*****

On a personal note, if you've been reading my blog for long, you'll know that I've been off broccoli for about a year now.  This is my first experiment at reintroducing it into my diet.  I don't yet know if this recipe will be successful for me or not.

Some people might think I'm crazy eating things that I "know" I'm allergic to -- however, I'm doing it on the advice of my physician, Dr. Christina Cooke.  She said that as my gut heals, I'll gradually be able to add in most of the foods that are off my list.  My worst allergies, eggs, peanuts, sunflowers and almonds will probably be off my diet for the rest of my life.  However, only time will tell.

Right now we're just experimenting with adding things in.  I'll let you know how it goes!

Blessings,

Sharron

Shake And Bake coating mix recipe -- suitable for folks with allergies

This recipe is pretty straight-forward, and it even has no wheat, eggs, dairy, soy or sugar in it.  This is a modification of a recipe I created about 15 years ago :)

Sharron's Shake And Bake

Grind several corn tortillas in a food processor -- enough to make 2 1/3 cups crumbs.

Add
2/3 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon  garlic powder
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 packets Truvia
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Process until the mixture is uniform in texture.  Store tightly covered.

To Use:

Rinse chops, chicken or fish, and shake off excess water.  Put a few tablespoons of the coating mix into a plastic bag and the meat one piece at a time.  Shake  the meat in the bag until it is coated.  Add more as necessary.  Bake at 400F for about 12 minutes for fish, 25 minutes for chops, 45 minutes for bone-in chicken pieces.  Makes approximately 12 servings.

Yummy and Easy -- Nut butter and honey Crispy Treats!

These are so easy and so good!  I made one batch of peanut butter, honey and rice puffs Crispy Treats, and I made another batch of cashew butter, honey and millet puffs Crispy Treats; all in about 10 minutes!


Nut Butter and Honey Crispy Treats


Measure out 4 cups of puffed cereal (rice, millet, etc.) into a large mixing bowl and set it aside.


In a small saucepan combine


1/2 cup nut butter (cashew, peanut, etc. whatever you tolerate)
1/2 honey or a combination of honey and agave nectar


Heat it until it is well combined,stirring constantly.  The cashew butter version was a bit thick, so I added about 3 tablespoons more honey right at the end.
Pour the sauce over the cereal and mix it well with a wooden spoon.  Pour the mixture into a 8" or 9" square pan, and smooth the top.  Allow it to cool completely before cutting it into bars and serving.  Makes about 9 bars.

Eggless mayonnaise and non-dairy egg free Ranch salad dressing

Ok, these actually work.  I don't know if I'd eat this mayo on a sandwich, but then again, I don't eat sandwiches!  I used the mayo as a component for the ranch dressing.  The Ranch worked very suitably for Chicken Salad Sandwich Pizza Thingies from one of my Extreme Lo-Carb books.  We topped them with pre-shredded Pecorocino Romano.


Eggless (egg free) Mayonnaise


Blend on high speed in a blender container until frothy


4 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup filtered water


Add and continue blending


3 tablespoons lemon juice or apple cider vinegar 
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 pinch of chipotle pepper or cayenne (ground)
1/2 packet Truvia


Add slowly while the blender is running


2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons canola oil


(I originally used all olive oil, but the taste was way too strong!)


Chill and use for mayonnaise.




Non-Dairy, Egg Free, Ranch Salad Dressing


Using a large bowl and a whisk, whisk together


1 cup Eggless (egg free) Mayonnaise (see recipe above)
1/2 cup goat milk (or rice milk) plus 1 teaspoon vinegar, allowed to rest about 5 minutes
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon garlic granules or powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 packet Truvia
1/4 cup goat milk (or rice milk)


Use as for Ranch Dressing or as a dip.  Store covered and refrigerated for about a week.


I hope these help some folks.  Let me know what you think and if you make any changes :)


Blessings,
Sharron

Allergy friendly Fresh Strawberry Cake and Frosting recipe

This is a very yummy cake and frosting combination.  We used lime jello because our friend is allergic to red dye.  


Fresh Strawberry Cake without eggs, dairy, wheat, soy or sugar


Pre-heat the oven to 350F.  Grease a 9"x15"x2" cake pan.  Set it aside.


In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream


1 cup lard
Pinch salt
2/3 cup fructose
1 cup Stevia in the Raw, measurable


Add and continue to beat


1 packet sugar free lemon, lime or strawberry jello


Combine
1/4 cup ground flax plus 3/4 cup warm water


Add it slowly to the fat/sweeteners mixture.  Slowly add


1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup pureed strawberries
1 cup goat milk (or rice milk)


Add and beat only until mixed


2 1/4 cups flour mix
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder


Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake it for about 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted off center comes out clean.


Cool it completely and frost it with






Fresh Strawberry Frosting for folks with allergies


Cream in a large bowl with an electric mixer


1 cup lard
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla


Add


1/2 cup strawberry puree


Little by little add about


2 2/3 cups Ideal Confectionery


Use to frost cooled cake.  Yum!

Breading for meat and veggies -- Fried Okra, Fried Shrimp, Fried Zucchini, etc.

Hey,


We've had company over a couple of times the last week or so, and I ended up doing breaded meat and veggies both times.  The first time, I did breaded, fried okra and breaded, fried zucchini.  I often do breaded, fried mushrooms, but I didn't this time.  Then, we had them over again, and I used the same breading for shrimp.  It works well with chicken tenders, too.  I've done this quite a bit, and I wanted to share the method so that others can make wheat free, non dairy, soy free, egg free breading for meat and vegetables.  Oh, and my non-"off everything" friends rave about this recipe.  There are never any leftovers!


Method for making Allergy-friendly breading for meat and vegetables


First, thaw the meat or veggies if they are frozen.  Rinse them well.  Then, if they need to be sliced, do so.  At this point, put the food into a colander if it isn't already.  Salt the food well, tossing it to coat.  This will draw the excess moisture out and allow the breading to adhere better.  Allow the food to rest and drain -- continue to toss it occasionally -- for 5 to 30 minutes.  At this point, the food may be rinsed or not, depending on how much salt is desired on the food.


Prepare a combination of equal parts of cornstarch and cornmeal for dipping the food in a fairly large bowl.  Set this aside.


Place the food into another bowl, seasoning it as desired.  Old Bay seasoning is really good on shrimp, and Adobo seasoning is good on just about everything.


Combine a mixture of 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds plus 3 to 6 tablespoons of water.  Pour it over the food in the bowl and mix it well.


At this point, pour at least 2 inches of canola oil, (or other liquid oil like corn) into a fairly large pot.  Heat it on medium-high heat until it is hot.  


CAUTION:  Do NOT use drops of water to test for how hot the oil is.  This is an extremely dangerous practice that is recommended by some authors.  The water will vaporize and come shooting out of the pot, potentially causing a very serious injury.  Instead, if a test is desired, put a small piece of tortilla or any other bit of food into the oil to see if it starts sizzling right away.  If it does, then the oil is hot enough.  I simply watch for the wavy "heat lines" to appear in the oil, then I know it is ready. 


While the oil is heating, put the food, bit by bit, into the cornmeal mixture, tossing it to coat evenly.  Once the oil is hot, place the coated food into the oil and allow it to cook until the coating is just becoming golden.  The cornstarch/cornmeal mixture will not brown like flour does.  It does get very crispy, though, so watch for the crispy texture and slight golden coloration to appear.


Use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the food from the hot oil, and place it onto paper towels to drain.  Serve hot.

Granola Bars -- without sugar or wheat

Hi,


I wanted to make a snack for my kids and myself that suited our restrictions and thought of granola bars.  These are wheat (gluten) free, soy free, dairy free, egg free and sugar free, of course :)


Honey Granola Bars


Pre-heat the oven to 350F.


4 cups rolled gluten free oats (or barley if gluten isn't a problem) 

1/2 cup raisins (or other dried fruit)

1/2 cup flax seeds (or coconut, unsweetened)

1 cup nuts (pumpkin seeds, walnuts, cashews, etc.)

*See Note below

1/3 cup fructose
1/2 cup Stevia in the Raw, measurable
1/2 cup honey (or agave nectar)
2 tablespoons sorghum molasses (or honey)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup melted lard (or other solid fat, like coconut oil)
1/4 teaspoon salt
**See Note below


Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.  Line a 15"x10" baking sheet with a rim with parchment paper.  Spread the granola evenly over the baking sheet.  Bake it for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is just becoming golden.  Remove it from the oven and use waxed paper or parchment to press it down firmly into the pan while it is still quite warm.  Once it has cooled down almost to room temperature, cut the granola bars with a sharp knife.  Allow them to continue to cool.  Once they are completely cooled, use a spatula to remove them from the pan.  It may be necessary to cut the bars again with a sharp knife.  Store them covered and place parchment  between layers.  A word to the wise:  Do not use paper towels.  They stick to the bars.  Makes 16.


*Note:  I've discovered I can substitute quite a few things in this combination.   Basically, it needs 4 cups of grain and 2 cups of additional ingredients.  I've used up to 1 cup of puffed rice or puffed millet cereal instead of up to 1 cup of rolled oats and instead of the fruit.  Have fun!


**Note:  Instead of 1/2 cup of Stevia in the Raw, 1/3 cup additional fructose can be substituted.  Also, corn syrup can be substituted for the honey in a pinch.