Favorite Chocolate Cake and Frosting - Gluten, Dairy, Grain, Nut and Sugar Free

My poor hubby had a slightly sub par Father's Day yesterday, but he never complained and said it was a fantastic day.  He's the absolute best.  

  

I am recovering from major surgery and am just a little over a week out from it.  So I was able to make him a delicious breakfast, but then I was out for the rest of the day.  He essentially made his own dinner and took care of the kids all day.  Happy Father's Day! 

But I did order my 14 yr old daughter to make this cake for him!  It turned out so yummy.  Like SO YUMMY.  Everyone truly raves and gushes over how good this cake is.  

My daughter looked at my handwritten recipe and said, "Um,  . . . what?" I have the recipe scribbled in chicken scratch on a paper, so I thought it was time to get it down here.  

And by the way, my highly skeptical 19 year old initially rejected this cake (before tasting it).  "What vegetable is in it? What kind of bean?" she queried.  I was aghast.  As though I would put a VEGETABLE or BEAN or SOMETHING WEIRD in chocolate cake!  BWAHAHAHAHAHA!  

I told her it was safe.  She tried it.  She RAVED.  

Our new absolute FAVORITE chocolate cake: 

Favorite Chocolate Cake and Frosting - Gluten, Dairy, Grain, Nut and Sugar Free 

1/4 c. + 1/8  c. of olive oil (light in taste) 

3/4 c. honey 

1/2 c. + 1/8 c. cocoa 

3 eggs 

3/4 c. DF milk (use coconut for grain free, rice if tolerated) 

3/4 c. coconut flour 

3/4 c. arrowroot flour 

1/4 tsp. salt 

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda 

1 1/4. tsp. baking powder 

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until well combined.  Line two 8" or 9" circle pans with parchment paper and grease them.  Bake at 355* for 25 - 35 mins until toothpick comes out clean. 

This also woks great in a 12 X 5" casserole dish.  Bake at 355* for about 40 - 45 mins, until toothpick comes out clean.  

Frosting- Gluten and Dairy Free

2 c. of DF chocolate chips (if you use sugar free chocolate chips,  or carob chips, this will also be sugar free.  You may want to add a little honey in this case.) 

2/3 cup of coconut oil 

2 Tbsp. vanilla 

Melt chocolate chips and oil in small pot until smooth.  Add vanilla.  Put in fridge for 30 mins, or more, until getting solid.  Whip with blender until frosting consistency.  

YUM!!!!

Cake recipe adapted from here.   

Frosting recipe from here.  Elana's Pantry is the best source of recipes. 

So thankful for the recipe blogging world that makes things easier for us!  

"Tuna" (No Tuna) Casserole - Gluten, Dairy, and Fish Free

I usually reserve canned chicken for meals that I am trying to hurry on.  It's a shortcut, used when the circumstances are such that I just need to dump it in and eat.  

But in this recipe, it is imperative! You could use regular chicken, a cooked chicken breast or whatever you have and it will still taste great.  

But there is something about using canned chicken that makes this taste more like tuna casserole.  So, bust out your canned chicken and give this a try.  

Literally ALL my kids shout for joy when I announce I am making "Tuna -NO Tuna- Casserole".  

They absolutely love it (and then they fight over it, scarfing it down like pigs, and we never have leftovers)! 

And if you aren't allergic to fish?  Go ahead and use tuna and enjoy this gluten and dairy free casserole!  

"Tuna" (No Tuna) Casserole - Gluten, Dairy, and Fish Free 

3.5 c. GF noodles (macaroni or penne are good) 

8 Tbsp. olive oil, divided

small chopped onion 

1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. GF Flour 

3 c. broth

1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp. mayonaise 

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1 can of chicken, drained 

3/4 - 1 c. frozen peas

crushed potato chips (Don't skip this! So yummy!)

Cook your GF noodles until done.  Meanwhile, add 4 Tbsp of the olive oil to a skillet and cook the onions until soft.  Make a roux, by adding 4 more Tbsp of oil to the skillet.  Carefully whisk in the flour until it is smooth and a little frothy.  Slowly add the broth and whisk until it thickens into a sauce consistency.  Add the mayo and salt and pepper and stir until smooth.  Add the chicken and peas.  Stir.  

Add the cooked noodles to a 9 X 13 dish.  Pour prepared sauce over the noodles and stir till well combined.  Add a handful or two of crushed potato chips throughout the casserole and stir.  Top the casserole with more crushed potato chips.  

Bake at 350* for 15-20 mins, just to warm it throughout and to brown the chips a tiny bit.  

YUMMY! 

Instant Pot Apple Raisin Cinnamon Rice Porridge - Gluten, Dairy, and Oat Free

 Another attempt in my endless quest to serve a nice warm, nourishing, oat-free breakfast!  

This one is apple raisin cinnamon and it was a big hit.  Easy to make, yummy to eat.  Just what we are looking for! 

Instant Pot Apple Raisin Cinnamon Rice Porridge - Gluten, Dairy, and Oat Free

2 c. of brown rice 

1/4 tsp. salt 

4 c. water 

2 c. rice milk (coconut would work) 

2 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

2 tsp. vanilla 

1 apple, chopped

1/4 c. raisins 

Combine all ingredients in the Instant Pot.  Close lid and seal.  Cook on High Pressure ("manual") for 30 mins.  Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then Quick Release the rest of the pressure.  

Top with more milk, if needed and maple syrup or brown sugar.  

Enjoy!  

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

Baking potatoes in the Instant Pot is simple, faster than the oven (but not a ton) and makes a much better tasting baked potato than the microwave.  But most importantly it frees up your oven.  It makes the potatoes soft and fluffy and delicious.  Try it out!  

Instant Pot Baked Potatoes

1 1/4 c. water

8 (or so - depending on size) potatoes, scrubbed and poked

Place water in the bottom of the Instant Pot.  Put trivet in.  Place potatoes on top of trivet in single layer.  Close lid and seal valve.  Cook on high pressure (manual) for 13- 17 minutes (depending on size of potatoes. 13 = smaller potatoes, 16 or 17 = large potatoes).  Naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.  

Enjoy! 

SCD Instant Pot Coconut Milk Yogurt - Dairy and Sugar Free

 Eating yogurt everyday is a part of my diet and essential for my health.  I can skip a day or two now and then, but generally speaking I need to eat it every single day.  Have you ever bought store bought dairy free yogurt? It is crazy expensive.  And of the 8 people in this house, 6 of us can not have dairy.  

So making my own yogurt definitely became a priority!  It can be very intimidating, but it is much easier than you think! 

And look at the beautiful and delicious yogurt you can have for a fraction of the price! 

SCD Instant Pot Coconut Milk Yogurt - Dairy and Sugar Free

INGREDIENTS: 

3 cartons of Aroy-D Coconut Cream* (see picture below) 

1 1/2 Tbsp. Raw Honey 

3/16 tsp. of GI Pro Health Yogurt Starter* (see picture below)  

DIRECTIONS: 

- Empty the 3 cartons of coconut cream into the instant pot.  Turn on the "sauté" function and boil until the cream reaches 180* F. (You can also use the yogurt function for this step, but I have difficulty reaching 180* with it. The "sauté" function always works.) 

- Once you reach 180* F remove the inner pot and set aside, in order to cool the cream down to 100-115* F.   I usually place it in the fridge, and keep a close eye on the temperature.  

- Once you reach 100-115* place the pot back into the Instant Pot.  Stir in the honey.  

- Remove 1/4 c or so and carefully whisk the starter into it, slowly, to avoid clumps.  Once smooth, gently whisk the removed 1/4 c. into the rest of the coconut cream.  

- Close the lid of the instant pot and close the vent.  Select "Yogt" and allow it to "cook" for 12 hours.  

- Remove from pot and gently stir to combine.  (It will have separated.) Pour into containers and chill.  Serve with honey, fruit, whatever you desire.  

YUM!!

**Notes: 

- You can use any coconut cream you choose, but this is the best, cleanest (no added gums or anything) brand I have found

- There is a TON of variation in all coconut products, and coconut cream/milk is no exception.  Sometimes your yogurt will be incredibly creamy, other times it will be more separated and oily. 

- Boiling to 180* is done to kill any germs or bacteria that may be in the cream.  

- Cooling the cream back down to 100 - 115* is so that the high heat doesn't kill the starter.  

- I fill out a 1/4 tsp. of starter and then carefully divide into 4 -1/16 section with a knife. Carefully scoop out 1/16  of it (back into jar) and use the remaining.

- I divide this into 20 containers (see below) which comes out around $0.70 per yogurt.  An INCREDIBLE steal compared to store prices for dairy free yogurt!! 

I mix my yogurt with bananas and frozen mixed berries (frozen is cheaper than fresh, but fresh is fantastic too!).  I top with honey and it is heaven! 

Instant Pot Yellow Rice and Chicken - Gluten and Dairy Free

One time I made some butternut muffins (similar to the recipe below) but instead of putting cinnamon  in them, I accidentally put TURMERIC.  

Do you know what turmeric tastes like in a muffin!?!?  

It tastes like dirt.  Dirt!  Like . . .actual dirt.  

So . . . I put lots of butter and honey on those muffins and fed them to my kids and they didn't even notice!  In fact, they liked them! 

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!  

Note to self:  Mark the turmeric bottle up so that it doesn't look exactly like cinnamon.

Instant Pot Yellow Rice and Chicken - Gluten and Dairy Free 

1 tsp. oil 

1 small onion, diced 

2 c. brown rice 

2 c. chicken broth 

3 c. frozen mixed veggies 

1 heaping tsp. turmeric 

1 tsp. garlic 

1 tsp. oregano 

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper 

2-3 frozen chicken breasts 

Add oil and onions to Instant Pot.  Turn on "sauté" and cook onions till soft.  Turn off sauté and add the rice, broth, veggies, and spices.  Stir till well mixed.  Add frozen chicken to the top and push down into the rice mixture a little.  

Cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 25 mins.  Allow pressure to come down naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release the remaining pressure.  Remove chicken and shred.  Return chicken to rice and stir to combine.  

Enjoy! 

Instant Pot Spaghetti - Gluten and Dairy Free

Have you been making spaghetti in pots?  Sauce popping all over your kitchen? Multiple pots and pans dirty? 

STOP. 

Making spaghetti in the Instant Pot has been a game changer.  

One pot. No mess. Dump and walk away.  

I will NEVER make it another way again.  

Instant Pot Spaghetti - Gluten and Dairy Free

~1 lb. of ground beef
diced onions
12 oz. GF spaghetti noodles
2 cans of stewed tomatoes ( I chop the tomatoes up a bit while in the can)
2 cans of (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp.  oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. sugar
2 cups of water

In your IP, first add your ground beef and onions.  Cook (or warm if already cooked) your meat, using the "sauté" function. (Turn "sauté" when meat is done.)  Next, and this is SUPER important, you want to break your noodles in half and layer your dry noodles, log cabin style, as many layers as possible. (See picture below.)  This will insure your noodles do not stick together.  Trust me on this.  After many failed attempts to help the noodles not stick . . . this is the only method that works.  And it really works!  Next add your sauce.  Just dump your tomatoes, tomato sauce, spices and sugar right on top of the noodles.  Last, add 2 cups of water. Do NOT stir anything! (You don't want to mess up those noodles!) Just put your lid on and walk away!  It's a dream come true!

Set your IP for 9 minutes on High Pressure (manual), making sure the seal is sealed.  While it is cooking you can make a salad, a veggie, or some breadsticks. When time is up, quick release your pressure.  Now you want to stir your noodles up real good and then you are done!

Enjoy your food and washing ONE pot and not washing your stove top because it is not covered in spaghetti sauce splatters.  Hooray!

Butternut Muffins - Gluten, Grain, Nut, Sugar and Dairy Free

I know that bread is the staff of life but I would argue that that includes muffins because  . . .  because, well, I basically eat muffins every day!  I can't manage bread too easily on my diet, because it is very difficult to make bread in the traditional sense with my restrictions.  But muffins?  

Give me muffins every day.  Even when I couldn't eat eggs I still made muffins constantly.  Love muffins! 

Butternut Muffins - Gluten, Grain, Nut, Sugar and Dairy Free 

1 c. of butternut squash puree (pumpkin works, if tolerated - we can not have pumpkin) 

3/4 c. honey 

8 eggs 

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg  

1/2 tsp. cloves 

1/2 tsp. ginger 

3/4 c. coconut flour 

For the butternut (or pumpkin) puree:  Cut open squash, scoop out seeds and strings, and roast, cut side up in 400* oven, with oil and salt sprinkled on top, for 1 hour.  When cools scoop out the squash, and blend in food processor until smooth and pureed. 

For the muffins:  Combine all ingredients.  Stir till well combined.  Let batter sit while preparing muffin pan, so the  flour can absorb all the liquid. Bake at 350* for 35-40 mins, until slightly browned.  

These freeze well, if you want to make lots and eat as needed.  

Enjoy! 

Recipe adapted from Comfy Belly.  Her recipes save me!!

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa Bowl - Gluten and Dairy Free

Our awesome and generous neighbors invited us over to swim one evening.  It was right during dinner time and I knew that the 8 of us would come home starving.  I quickly threw this in the instant pot before leaving.  We left and swam and had such a great time!  

When we came home we had a fantastic, warm meal waiting for us.  Everyone was definitely starving and so happy to dig in! 

And this, ladies and gentleman, is why the instant pot is the greatest invention of all time.  It prepares a meal while you DO SOMETHING ELSE.  

It's like having an extra cook in the house.  THE BEST! 

Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa Bowl - Gluten and Dairy Free 

1 lb. of ground beef 

1/2 onion, diced 

1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed well 

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 

1 1/2 tsp. salt 

1/2 tsp. pepper 

1 1/2 tsp. cumin 

1 can diced tomatoes 

Chicken broth - enough to make 3 cups when combined with the tomatoes (water also works) 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 

1 can of corn, drained, or 1 c. of frozen 

In the instant pot add the ground beef and onion.  (If uncooked, use the sauté function to cook the meat.)  Rinse the quinoa well, then add.  Add spices.  Empty tomatoes into large glass measuring cup then fill the rest of the way to 3 cups with broth (or water).  Add to instant pot.  Add beans and corn.  Stir.  Close and seal the instant pot. Set to high pressure (manual) for 2 mins.  Let the pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest.  

Top with lettuce, green onions, tomatoes, olives, avocados . . whatever you like!  Eat with corn or tortilla chips.  

YUM! 

Instant Pot Peach Rice Porridge - Gluten, Dairy, and Oat Free

 I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to cook rice for my oat-allergic boy to have for breakfast.  I mean, one can only eat eggs or Chex so many times before going crazy! I basically try to mimic all the ways we cook oats . . .just using rice! 

It is always successful.  In fact, my other kids always want to have what he's having.  That's a good sign!   

 Instant Pot Peach Rice Porridge - Gluten, Dairy, and Oat Free

2 c. of brown rice 

1/4 tsp. salt 

4 c. water 

2 c. rice milk (coconut would work) 

2 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

2 tsp. vanilla 

2 cans of peaches, drained (or fresh peaches, peeled and chopped) 

Combine all ingredients in the Instant Pot.  Close lid and seal.  Cook on High Pressure ("manual") for 30 mins.  Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then Quick Release the rest of the pressure.  

Top with more milk, if needed and maple syrup or brown sugar.  

Enjoy!  

Crispy Pork and Veggies - Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free

I feel like there is a lot of confusion over whether pork is good for you or not.  And I am not here to argue if you think pork is bad and want to stay away from it.  I only know one thing . . . 

It tastes dang good!  Ha!  

Ground pork, pork chops, bacon, ham . . .it's all super yummy, right? 

And if you believe it is bad for you, maybe combining it with all these veggies will make it seem healthier?  Well, worth a try! 

Crispy Pork and Veggies - Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free 

~1 lb. of ground pork 

salt, to taste 

pepper, to taste 

2-3 large carrots, peeled and sliced  

1-2 cups of green beans 

In a large skillet, cook the ground pork, salt and pepper, until it is done.  Remove from pan.  In the same pan add carrots and cook until starting to become soft.  Add ground pork and green beans back to the pan, with the carrots. Cook until veggies are tender and pork is slightly crispy.   

Enjoy! 

SCD/AIP Quick Bread - Gluten, Grain, Nut, Dairy free

 After eating an extremely restricted diet for an incredibly long time there is not a lot of foods that I still crave.  

I don't crave sugar or candy.  I don't crave ice cream any more, even though me and ice cream have a long and happy history, ha!  I don't crave chips or popcorn or other junk food.  

I only crave one thing and I never could have anticipated it.  

Toast.  

I crave toast.  It's so odd. 

So, I've been on a long and dedicated journey of trying to make toast I can tolerate.  The only flour I can tolerate is coconut flour and it is very hard to make coconut flour crunchy . . .like nearly impossible.  

But this is what I have come up with and I am SO HAPPY!  They fill my need for bread and toast.  I make a huge batch and keep them in the freezer at all times.  When I am ready for one I pop it in the toaster, both defrosting it and giving it an extra crunch.  

I enjoy it dipped into my soup or with my homemade SCD/AIP jam.  It is heaven!  I have also made them more round and thick and then sliced in half for a chicken sandwich.  It's crazy how these taste SO GOOD to me.  You can also add a little honey and cinnamon to the batter, then top with berries and coconut cream, for an extra treat.

YUM! 

SCD/AIP Quick Bread - Gluten, Grain, Nut, Dairy Free 

1 cup coconut flour 

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c. olive oil 

8 eggs 

dash of salt 

1 tsp. of honey (only if making for a dessert) 

1/2 tsp. cinnamon (only if making for a dessert) 

With a hand mixer, mix all ingredients until well combined.  Scoop large spoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  With the back of the spoon spread the dough out into "bread" piece shape.  (See pic below.) If you want them thicker and rounder, like a biscuit, skip this step.  Cook at 350* for 20 mins, until slightly golden.  

YUMMY! 

Rice Goulash - Gluten and Dairy Free

 This "recipe" is something my dad used to make.  If I am remembering correctly, he loved rice and this was something that was easy enough even for him to make! He made it pretty often.  

His recipe, which is more of a suggestion than a recipe, included just corn.  But you know me . . . I love ALL the veggies! And since there isn't a real recipe here, you will see my measurements below are more of a suggestion, than anything. This is a wing-it recipe! Do what you like! 

This is a very easy, quick, and simple meal.  My kids, who also super love rice, love this! 

Rice Goulash - Gluten and Dairy Free 

about 1/2 lb of cooked ground beef 

2 c. of dry rice, cooked 

 2 c. of frozen mixed veggies, warmed (we like corn, peas, green beans & carrots) 

salt and pepper, to taste 

a big spoonful of DF butter

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! 

Yum! 

"Pumpkin" Pie Bars - Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free

 You may have heard me say before that we have serious issues with pumpkin in this house.  My boy is anaphylactic to pumpkin, and while I could certainly keep it away from him, I prefer to just keep pumpkin out of the house. Anaphylactic reactions are so scary!  I'm not taking any chances. 

For this reason, all "pumpkin" treats and foods in this house are made with either sweet potatoes or butternut squash.  The difference is completely unnoticeable to us!  

And thank heavens . . . I can't imagine going through life without "pumpkin" foods! 

These bars are practically a health food! No grains, no dairy, no refined sugar, no allergens!  You could should eat these for breakfast and feel no guilt! 

They taste like a piece of pumpkin pie, minus the crust.  YUM!

 

"Pumpkin" Pie Bars - Gluten,  Grain, and Dairy Free 

 3 eggs 

1 1/2 c. butternut squash puree (you could use real pumpkin, if tolerated)

2 tsp. vanilla 

1/3 c. honey 

2 Tbsp. olive oil (light in taste)

1/2 c. coconut flour 

1 Tbsp. cinnamon 

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt 

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. lemon juice 

For the butternut (or pumpkin) puree:  Cut open squash, scoop out seeds and strings, and roast, cut side up in 400* oven, with oil and salt sprinkled on top, for 1 hour.  When cools scoop out the squash, and blend in food processor until smooth and pureed. 

For the "Pumpkin" Pie Bars: Beat eggs with a mixer for 5 minutes, until pale and frothy.  In separate bowl mix all ingredients until well combined.  Fold eggs into squash/flour mixture and gently mix until well combined.  

Spread into parchment lined 9 X 9 pan.  Bake at 350* for 45-55 mins.  Cool completely.  

For a SUPER yummy treat, top these with this fantastic cream! 

Enjoy!  

Super Quick and Easy Enchiladas - Gluten and Dairy Free

I often want to make enchiladas, but I don't want to do a lot of work.  It's the same with lasagna for me.  I want the food without the effort.  

Hmm, am I just lazy?  Busy? Not sure what this says about me (probably lazy, ha!) but it is what it is! 

So I'm constantly looking for recipes that are fast, easy, and delicious.  This is it people.  You'll never go back to any other enchiladas.  These are the only enchiladas you need.  

Quick and Easy Enchiladas - Gluten and Dairy Free

2 1/2 c. broth 

1 tsp. salt 

3/4 tsp. paprika 

3/4 tsp. onion powder 

1 tsp. garlic 

1/2 t. cumin 

pepper, to taste 

1 c. rice milk (or coconut) 

3 Tbsp. cornstarch 

1 can of chicken** 

1 can of diced tomatoes 

1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed 

1 can of corn, drained (or 1 c. of frozen) 

9 GF corn tortillas, cut into about 1" squares 

In a large skillet, add the broth and all the spices.  Cook for a minute or two, brining to low boil.  Whisk the cold rice milk and cornstarch together in bowl, until smooth.  Then add to broth mixture, and boil till thickened.  Lower heat.  Add chicken, tomatoes, beans and corn.  Stir for a minute or two.  Add corn tortillas and stir till well combined.  Pour into 9 X 13 dish.  Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned.  

Top with shredded lettuce, olives, avocados, and green onions.  

**Or 1-2 chicken breasts chopped and cooked. 

Cooked ground beef would also work. 

All the flavors, with half the work! Yay!   

Monster Muffins - Gluten and Dairy Free

 I was cracking up as I was trying to take pictures of these muffins.  I am NOT a food photographer and don't have any plans to become one.  And I for one feel like muffins, oddly enough, are really hard to photograph.  It is just me? And then . . . these muffins are GREEN!  HA! 

You'll just have to take my word for it that these are SUPER delicious, despite the pictures.  

The Hubby could not stop raving over them and then he snuck into the kitchen to eat more and more throughout the day, each time raving about them.  He even proclaimed them "The most delicious muffins you've ever made!" Or maybe it was "My favorite muffins of all you've made!" I can't quite remember.  Let's just say lots of accolades came my direction.  

 Trust the accolades, not the pictures.  

These are fantastic. And healthy.  And my kids think the green is cool.  

Monster Muffins for the win! 

 Monster Muffins - Gluten and Dairy Free 

2 egg 

4 ripe bananas 

1 1/2 c. rice milk 

1/2 c. olive oil 

1 1/2 c. honey 

4 tsp vanilla 

5 plus c. spinach 

*

4 c. GF flour 

4 tsp. baking powder 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1 tsp. salt 

2 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

2 c. blueberries 

Add egg, bananas, milk, oil, honey, and vanilla to blender.  Fill the rest of the blender with spinach to the top.  Blend until well combined. 

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add ingredient from the blender and mix until well combined.  Pour into lined muffin pan. 

Cook at 375* for 20-25 mins.  

YUM! 

 

Instant Pot Hearty Vegetable Stew - Gluten and Dairy Free

 I have trained all my kids to love soup just like I do.  Just the other day one of my sons was begging me to make soup for dinner despite it being a very hot and muggy day.  So proud! 

The Hubby? He enjoys soup, but doesn't have a deep love for it like I do.  But when we do have it he prefers it to be thick and hearty.  He loves this soup!  

It is vegetarian. . . but I don't think anyone even notices, since it is so thick.  Great for a meat free meal packed with veggies! 

Instant Pot Hearty Vegetable Stew - Gluten and Dairy Free 

Diced onion (if desired) 

1 1/2 tsp. garlic 

1 1/2 tsp. salt 

pepper, to taste 

1 tsp. turmeric 

1 tsp. ginger 

1 Tbsp. parsley 

1 Tbsp. basil 

1 tsp. thyme 

3 medium potatoes, chopped 

3 medium carrots, chopped 

3-4 celery sticks, minced 

2 1/2 c. frozen mixed veggies

1 c. dry brown rice 

4 c. broth 

2 c. of water 

Combine all ingredients in instant pot and stir. Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure (manual) for 20 mins.  Allow to naturally release pressure for at least 10 mins, then quick release the rest.  Stir the soup and add more broth or water if you want to thin it out a little. 

Enjoy! 

Macaroons - Gluten, Dairy, Grain and Egg Free

While on this SCD/AIP diet I constantly crave cookies, treats, baked goods. I just love my goodies!

These macaroons are the perfect answer.  They are insanely yummy.  The texture is so good! Easy to make and safe for me too.  It's a SCD/AIP cookie dream come true!

Macaroons - Gluten, Dairy, Grain, and Egg Free 

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

1 Tbsp coconut flour

1/8 tsp salt

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup honey

1 Tbsp vanilla

In a food processor, mix everything until well combined. Scoop batter 1 level tablespoon at a time onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake at 350*F for 7-10 minutes, until slightly golden brown.  Cool for 1 hour.  Store in fridge.

Enjoy!

Recipe from Elana's Pantry.  Her recipes are fantastic and save me all the time! 

Homemade Sausage - Gluten, Dairy, and Yeast Free

You may have noticed some recipes appearing on this blog labeled SCD/AIP.  Those, dear reader, are for me.  Before now all the recipes on this blog have been for the rest of my family.  Because of my issues, I haven't been able to eat any of them.

Every night, I cook dinner for my family and then cook a separate meal for myself.  Alas, I have decided to start including some of my recipes on this blog.

I have Lymphocytic Microscopic Colitis.  Essentially, food hates me, ha.  After being insanely sick for almost two years, despite taking almost every food group out, I finally decided to start the SCD diet.  This diet literally saved my life.  After tweaking it to my needs  - basically eating a combination of SCD and AIP - I have found what works best for me.  I eat a nut free version of SCD, and AIP with eggs successfully reintroduced.  There are plenty of things in both diets that I absolutely can not tolerate (like cruciferous vegetables) but . . .they have given me such an amazing framework for better health.

The list of foods I CAN eat is much shorter than the list of foods I CAN'T eat, but I am eternally grateful for these diets for giving me back life and health.

With that . . . I give you another SCD/AIP recipe! I ate these sausages (with a sliced avocado) for breakfast every single day for literally 1 year straight.  I never got tired of them.  After a year I was able to add eggs successfully back into my diet . . . but I still eat these sausages frequently!  They are SO good! I make a whopping huge amount then I freeze them and reheat as needed.  They work super well this way. 

Homemade Sausage - Gluten, Dairy, and Yeast Free 

9 lbs. ground turkey (ground pork works great as well)
2-3 cups chopped spinach 

3/4 c raw honey

4 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp pepper

2 Tbsp sage

4 1/2 tsp marjoram

Mix everything well (I use my hands). Chill for a few hours or overnight to let flavors meld. Form into patties, place on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Bake at 400* for 20 minutes, flip, then bake for 20 more minutes. 

Yum yum! 

Breakfast Cookies - Gluten and Dairy Free

Really the only kind of cold cereal we buy regularly is plain Cheerios and Corn or Rice Chex.  We get the sugary kinds of those for special occasions. 

So basically . . . making breakfast every day is essentially a full time job.  I'm constantly looking for variations, something to make it interesting or different.  

These breakfast cookies make almost everyone happy . . . everyone except my poor boy that's allergic to oats and peanuts.  On these days I have to make two breakfasts, so that he can have something else to eat.  But sometimes I have to hit the majority of people and do my best. 

So  . . . if you can have oats and some kind of nut butter . . . quick, whip these up! Give yourself a break from your normal cereal!   

 Breakfast Cookies - Gluten and Dairy Free 

2 cups of GF oats 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon 

1 cup of peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter) 

1/4 c. honey 

1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce 

1 ripe banana, mashed 

1/2 c. raisins 

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix with mixer.  Spoon out large balls on cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake at 325* for 16-18 mins.  

YUM!  

Crock Pot Roast - Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free

We have cooked roasts a lot of different ways over the years, but this is the current favorite.  It's super simple, basic and yummy.  Add some potatoes (cooked separately) and a salad on the side if you can tolerate them.  

A wonderful meal with very little effort! 

Crock Pot Roast - Gluten, Grain, and Dairy Free 

4-5 pound chuck roast

salt and pepper, to taste

garlic, to taste

1 tsp. thyme 

Carrots, as many as you can fit under and around the roast

2 cups of broth 

Peel and chop carrots into 2" chunks.  Layer in bottom of crockpot, as many as you can fit and still fit the roast.  Season the roast on both sides and lay across the carrots.  Add more carrots around the edges of the roast. Add broth.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.  

Enjoy! 

(I like to use the leftovers, including the juices as a soup.  All those good meat juices, combined with the broth makes a nice, healthy soup. Hopefully there is some meat and carrots for it too!) 

Berry Baked Rice - Gluten, Dairy, and Oat Free

One of my son's became highly allergic to oats and we eat a LOT of oats in this family.  I wanted to make him something similar to a baked oatmeal, but that wouldn't send him to the hospital, obviously! 

Behold . . . this breakfast Berry Baked Rice.  It turned out better than I could've imagined!  

All my kids love it.  It's easy to throw together.  You could assemble it the night before then just bake in the morning.  It basically is everything I want in a baked oatmeal . . . except the oatmeal! Awesome! 

Berry Baked Rice - Gluten, Dairy and Oat Free 

6 cups of cooked rice 

1/4 c. honey (or maple syrup) 

4 eggs, beaten  

4 c. milk 

2 Tbsp. vanilla

2 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt 

~ 1 c. frozen mixed berries 

Mix all ingredients in a 9 x 13 dish until well combined.  Bake at 375* for 45 mins.  Let sit for about 10 mins to firm up. 

Yum yum! 

Power Balls - Gluten, Dairy, Oat, and Nut Free

No time? Hungry for a simple, delicious snack? Yes, I've been there, done that. Alas, here you go. The delicious, no-hustle, scrumptious snack/dessert we've all been waiting for.   -AA

Power Balls - Gluten, Dairy, Oat, and Nut Free

1 cup buckwheat groats

1/2 cup SunButter (any nut butter will be good, if you tolerate it) 

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup DF mini chocolate chips or raisins 

1 Tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp vanilla 

dash of salt

Mix all ingredients until well combined. Form into balls. Chill for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe from:  Allergy Awesomeness.  She is great! Check out her really helpful recipes!