Holistic Nutrition Bytes--San Francisco Nutrition Consultation » dairy free

Twists on Traditional Thanksgiving, Part I

admin — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:30:19 +0000

While you’re planning your thanksgiving menu this year, give these recipes a whirl. I’ve served them for holiday meals in the past, and they always impress. Typical Thanksgiving recipes are gluten and/or dairy-heavy, and those are the two foods that cause the post-meal crash snooze fest, not the turkey!

If you’re a sucker for stuffing, I’ve got you covered. Below is a paleo recipe from my colleague Diane over at Balanced Bites. Also, click here to try my alterna-mash that’s made with mineral rich root veggies over those terrible Idaho potatoes that cause major blood sugar spikes (sure to cause a crash later). Finally, this kale-bacon-brussels mash will convert the harshest kale critic. Infuse a little green into your Thanksgiving dinner!

Stay tuned for better desserts & pumpkin pies next week.

Grain-Free Sausage & Apple Stuffing / Dressing
(this really is all okay to make by-taste, all measurements here are approximate)
Ingredients
1 lb ground sausage meat
1 Tbsp butter or bacon fat or coconut oil
1 onion, chopped into 1/2″ pieces (medium-large)
3 stalks of celery, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
2 green apples, chopped into 1/2″ pieces
4-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped
Sea salt & pepper to taste
1c chestnuts, roughly chopped (buy them pre-cooked or roast and shell them first)
1/4c dried cranberries (or fresh if you like ‘em tart- I used fresh)
1/4 c homemade chicken or turkey stock
Preparation
Brown the sausage then remove from the pan and set aside.
Sautée the onion, celery, apples and seasoning in either the remaining sausage fat or add some to the pan. Add the chestnuts (already roasted or bought pre-roasted from TJs), cranberries and stock and simmer together until well heated and the cranberries either hydrate a bit (if dried) or cook down and pop (if fresh). Add the sausage back in to combine all of the ingredients.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:00:48 +0000

Gluten & dairy & egg free, though if I wasn’t sensitive to eggs, I would recommend using them. 101 Cookbooks has a good recipe.
Crust:
2½ cups walnuts
1½ cups dates
Remove pits from dates and chop. Combine walnuts and dates in food processor. Process until well mixed and ground, but not smooth, about 40 seconds. It should be a coarse texture when done. Press evenly into a 9” tart pan. Set in refrigerator while making the filling. This is a good all purpose gluten free crust I use for any pie or tart.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree. You can make it yourself by baking a pumpkin (sugar pies are the best; don’t use the skin) and then pureeing it, or use canned organic pumpkin.
2/3 cup xylitol, or a little less depending upon how sweet you like (find at natural food stores. It’s amazing! Swap it out 1:1 for sugar in recipes–it doesn’t feed intestinal yeast, doesn’t spike blood sugar, so it’s safe for diabetics, AND it’s good for your teeth & gums.)
3 Tablespoons molasses
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 teaspoons arrowroot or kudzu root
1/2 cup coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor or blender, combine the pumpkin puree, xylitol, molasses, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, arrowroot, and coconut milk, in batches if necessary. Process until the mixture is well combined and smooth. Pour into the piecrust and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling has firmed up. Sometimes you will see the filling start to form cracks in it, which tells you it is getting firmer. Let cool. Serve with raw cashew cream!

Cashew Cream:
Soak 2 cups RAW cashews in a bowl overnight, ideally. Otherwise, about 5 hours does the trick. Use just enough filtered water to cover them. The next day, drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough filtered cold water to cover them. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth. Strain if needed. YUM.

Vegan Pumpkin Pudding

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 05:17:38 +0000

Before you go, “gross,” here me out on this. Oh my goodness, it is so good. So delicious. I think it’s the creamy texture that gets me, like ice cream without being frozen. This recipe uses pumpkin (canned, or make your own by roasting a sugar pie pumpkin and pureeing the guts), coconut milk, and kudzu (or kuzu) root to thicken it. Kudzu is an interesting starch: in the South, where I’m from, the plant grows rampant as an invasive species that quickly takes over areas and displaces other vegetation. When eaten, kudzu root is a rich source of isoflavones, has cholesterol lowering properties, and is used to help alcoholics quell binge drinking by reducing cravings.

It can be used as a thickener, like cornstarch or arrowroot, and is widely used in macrobiotic cooking. It’s high in minerals and in addition to the benefits mentioned above, it is said to have some general medicinal properties.

My business partner Karen (www.benourishedsf.info) is also a chef and developed this recipe. I was skeptical, but once I tried it, I was in heaven. It’s delicious and fast and easy. Find kudzu root in bulk bins at your natural foods store or at the Whole Foods in the aisle with the packages seaweeds. It comes in solid form clumped together like rocks, and before you use it, add a little water and whisk to make a slurry.

2 cups pumpkin (canned or roasted + pureed sugar pie)
1 cup coconut milk
7 tbsp kudzu root
1 tsp vanilla
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger to taste
couple pinches of stevia OR 2-3 tblsp raw honey

Whisk pumpkin and coconut milk together on low heat in large saucepan. In a separate small bowl, add kudzu root and enough water (about 1/8 – 1/4 cup) to make a thick slurry when whisked together. Add approx 7 tblsp of the kudzu to the pumpkin mixture and whisk thoroughly. Mixture will begin to thicken. Add vanilla and spices to taste and whisk until pretty thick. Divide among ramekins, cover, and refrigerate until set. Serve topped with candied ginger or a little coconut milk, or enjoy plain. Would also be great with freshly whipped cream.

NOTE: as I am partaking currently in The Great Sugar Detox currently, I made this tonight unsweetened. It’s still delicious, and the spices help to flavor it, but I definitely prefer it with honey. I’m actually looking forward to eating it for breakfast. Pumpkin is a great source of fiber and vitamins (esp vita A), coconut milk is an immune-boosting fat, and cinnamon is a blood sugar balancing spice! Why not?

Vegan Healthy Nog! (Dairy, Egg, Soy, Sugar Free)

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:20:50 +0000

I love LOVE egg nog. But after a food allergy test a couple years back revealed that I am allergic to both eggs AND dairy (a travesty, really), I avoid both. This makes both baking and brunch very difficult, so that’s why I am always coming up with vegan options for certain foods, even though I’m not vegan. I also recommend avoiding processed soy, so those soy milk egg nog options are not great either.

Here is a recipe I got from nutritionist Rose Cole, from her new sugar free cookbook. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!

Chilled Holiday Nog (Raw, Vegan)
Ingredients
• 2 cups Almond Cream, unsweetened (see this post for how to make what she calls almond cream and I call almond milk)
• ½ cup date paste (dates blended with a little water)
• 2 Tbsp grade B maple syrup
• 2 frozen bananas
• 2 tsp flax seed oil (*optional)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp nutmeg plus additional for sprinkling
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
Directions
Blend all ingredients except bananas. Add bananas and blend. Serve immediately, sprinkled with additional sprinkle of nutmeg. Enjoy!

Here is Your Thanksgiving Dessert

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:26:04 +0000

It’s vegan, but don’t let that scare you away. Gluten free, dairy free, egg free, no added sugar. Still delicious and seasonal. Loved by all. Give it a whirl.

Healthy Apple Tart

Ingredients:
2½ cups walnuts
1½ cups dates
3 green apples, such as Granny Smith
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground clove
2 TBS raw honey
½ cup organic apple juice, no sugar added
¼ cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
________________________________________________________________________
Remove pits from dates and chop. Combine walnuts and dates in food processor. Process until well mixed and ground, but not smooth, about 40 seconds. It should be a coarse texture when done. Press evenly into a 9” tart pan. Set in refrigerator while making the filling. Slice apples by cutting into quarters. Cut out core and slice crosswise in ¼ inch thick slices. Place apples in a large skillet with rest of the ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently on medium heat. Remove apples with a slotted spoon from hot pan to a bowl and cool completely. Reduce liquid to about half the volume and cool separately. Spread apples evenly over crust. Brush syrup over apples. Can be served right away or will keep in refrigerator until needed. Keep tart covered in refrigerator. Top with a little yogurt or freshly whipped cream if desired.
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Nutritional Benefits
Dates are high in dietary fiber and contain more potassium than bananas. Dates also provide Vitamins A, C and B-Complex, and are rich in magnesium and iron. Naturally alkaline, they can soothe ulcers and sensitive stomachs. Good for anemia, constipation and fatigue.

An Apple a day really does keep the doctor away! A wonderfully beneficial Fall fruit; so many varieties from which to choose. Apples are high in fiber and provide numerous disease-fighting anti-oxidants and phytochemicals such as quercetin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and is great for fighting allergies.

Walnuts are a brain food (just look at their shape!). High in omega-3 essential fatty acid, research claims that walnuts have many potential health benefits ranging from cardiovascular protection to the promotion of better cognitive function to anti-inflammatory benefits helpful in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. In addition, walnuts contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties.
And finally, did you know that cinnamon helps balance blood sugar and lowers cholesterol?

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins/Bread

admin — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 22:33:06 +0000

I heart all things pumpkin: pumpkin curry, smoothies, breads, muffins, cookies, ice cream, pie, beer. Whoops on those last few, but I do enjoy some sweets from time to time. Moderation. Pumpkin is high in fiber, antioxidants, and the carotenoids that give it the orange color.

All of the above, save for the beer, I’ve managed to alter to meet my gluten free/dairy free needs. It takes many tries in the kitchen to get it right, but it’s enjoyable and tasty time well spent.

I am also allergic to eggs, so lately I’ve been experimenting with egg substitutions in baking that aren’t those EnerG egg replacers: ground flaxseeds mixed with water or applesauce. The ground flax seems to yield a result closer to actual eggs but works best with something that has a nutty flavor for the flax to complement, like breads or muffins. Applesauce makes the baked good super moist, so it works best with cakes or brownies and occasionally breads.

Here is a recipe that I have finally successfully adapted, with the help of a friend who is an excellent baker, to meet what I was striving for: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, sugar free. Don’t turn your nose up. It’s good, and just in time for Halloween pumpkin time. Makes an excellent breakfast smeared with nut butter, coconut butter, or real butter. I have made with both pumpkin or yams that I steamed and then pureed. Enjoy.

Vegan Pumpkin Bread
1 1/2 cups Gluten Free flour (I use Pamela’s, but I believe it has traces of dairy in it)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
dash cloves
1 1/2 cups cooked & pureed pumpkin or cooked sweet potato (roughly 2 small, diced, peeled, and packed into the measuring cup)
1/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil
3 TBSP flaxseed meal mixed with enough hot water to make 1/2 cup
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup maple syrup, honey, or agave, or any combo thereof
2 tbsp applesauce
more honey or agave nectar to taste, if needed (I like less sweet)
optional: 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease muffin pan or loaf pan if making bread. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. Set aside. Puree pumpkin or sweet potato, flaxseed meal mixture, coconut oil, water, honey/agave nectar, and applesauce in blender until smooth. Mix flour mixture with puree until just combined and spoon evenly into muffin pan cavities.

For the topping if making muffins (NOTE: I haven’t tried it yet, but my cake decorating baker friend developed it, so I am positive it would make a delicious addition)

1/2 cup chopped pecans
almond flour (sorry, didn’t really measure)
coconut oil (didn’t measure this either)
pinch salt
cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
honey/agave nectar/maple syrup to taste

Mix together and distribute evenly over tops of muffins, pressing into the batter slightly to keep topping from falling off. Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into muffins comes out clean. Makes 24 mini-muffins/12 standard muffins. Bake closer to an hour for loaf.

Calories (without topping) ~145

Sunday Recipe

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 02:50:53 +0000

I love Martha Stewart. But most of the time, we don’t have time to cook like Martha Stewart. For me, Sundays are usually reserved for planning for the week’s recipes and doing some cooking prep, making a big pot of something that can be adapted for leftovers all week. I’ll often roast a chicken, make a slow cooked pot roast, or make a pot of kale and white beans.

But I ran across this recipe tonight and decided to make it. It’s quick and easy and healthy. I adapted it from a Martha Stewart recipe, and it is delicious and can be doubled or halved.

Brown Rice Bowl

1 cup brown rice
2 cups broth or water
¼ c tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tblsp rice vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar (opt)
1 tblsp olive oil
1-2 tsp sesame oil
1 lb shrimp
½ lb snow peas
1 piece ginger, grated
1 avocado

Cook rice in broth or water. Stir lemon juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce together and set aside. While rice is cooking, stir-fry peas in olive oil, and add shrimp and ginger, cooking until shrimp are pink. When rice is finished, toss everything together and serve with sliced avocado on top or for garnish. Yum.