Lentil Soup

I made up this lentil soup, while it is not vegetarian (could be if you used soy sausage), it is tomato-free - and it's hard to find soups without tomatoes!

2 t. oil
2 leeks (trimmed & washed, sliced thinly)
1 pound Italian pork sausage (or you could use chicken/soy - yes, pork is terrible for you but it is actually one of the few meats my husband is not sensitive to)
3-4 carrots, peeled & sliced
2-3 potatoes diced in about 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 cups brown lentils, rinsed
2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth
water

Fry the leeks in the oil in a large stockpot, then remove the casings from the pork sausage and crumble into the pot.  Fry until no longer pink, then add the carrots & potatoes.  Fry about 1-2 more minutes, then add the lentils, broth and enough water so that everything is covered.  Simmer about 1 hour.

Genotype Gatherer Cookies

I think I'm a "Gatherer" - Blood Type O+. Here's a cookie recipe that contains most of the "super-foods" on the Genotype Diet Gatherer List:

1/2 c. vegetable (palm oil) shortening (it's avoid - but I don't know what other "shortening" to use!)
1/4 c. molasses (Superfood)
1/4 c. maple syrup or agave syrup (maple is a "black dot")
1 t. vanilla
1 c. amaranth flour (Superfood - diamond)
1 c. millet flour (Superfood - diamond)
1/2 t. cinnamon (Superfood - diamond)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder

Cream the first 4 ingredients with an electric mixer. Stir in the four. For shaped cookies, roll out the dough in small portions on a cutting board, using lots of amaranth flour. Roll thick, about 1/2" thick. Bake at 350 for about 8-10 minutes.

Gluten-free/Vegan Cake Brownies

These "cake" brownies turned out very nice...one of the yummiest "healthy" snacks I've had in a long time!

1/2 c. maple syrup
1/2 c. brown rice syrup
1/2 c. safflower oil
1/2 c. carob powder
3 t. Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/4 c. rice milk
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. rice milk
1 c. buckwheat flour
1/2 c. brown rice flour
1/2 T. Vegan Rice Protein Powder
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. kosher salt
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional) or vegan chocolate/carob chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 15X10X1-inch baking pan (I used a 9X9X1-inch pan for a thicker "brownie"). I use all-palm oil vegetable shortening from Spectrum or 365 (Whole Foods' brand).

In a glass bowl, using a wire whisk, combine the syrups, oil, and carob powder. Mix the egg replace with the rice milk in a separate cup and combine with the syrup. Whisk in the vanilla and rice milk until smooth.

Add the flour, protein powder (optional, but I have found this adds a little protein to gluten-free flours so the bake goods aren't as crumbly) baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well with the whisk, stir in the nuts if desired (or coconut/chocolate or carob chips). Pour into the baking dish.

Bake approximately 40 minutes for the 9X9X1 - inch or until a toothpick comes out clean, bake about 20-30 minutes for the 15X10X1 inch pan.

New Apple Pie Crust Recipe

I'm working on making a better apple pie crust dough, and in general, gluten-free baked goods that don't fall apart so easily. I know Xanthan Gum is supposed to provide some structure, however, I have had some great results with this Rice Protein Powder lately.

New Pie Crust Idea:

1 c. finely milled buckwheat flour (like Hodgson Mills)
1 c. brown rice flour
(you can use some millet flour if you like, or try any other flours)
about 1/2 T. Rice Protein Powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. vegetable shortening or coconut oil (I use Spectrum)
8 T. cold Rice Milk

Mix the flours and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut in the vegetable shortening. With a fork, add the cold Rice Milk, 2 T. at a time. Stop adding Rice Milk when your dough is starting to hold together well (or add more if it's a dry day!)

Make a ball with the dough and cut it in half. The secret is to roll the dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Take one half, roll it out between the two pieces of plastic wrap, carefully remove the top layer and flip the crust in the pie dish. If it is falling apart, just pick up the dough and carefully work in a little more rice milk.

Poke a couple fork holes in the bottom layer, add the filling, the top, and poke a couple more holes or cut slits. Bake at about 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Caramely Popcorn

This is kind of like caramel corn, except it's faster - there's no baking involved. I used Indian ingredients.

I didn't measure anything for my first try, but here's what I did - have fun experimenting!

Popped Popcorn (I usually pop mine in a little safflower oil) Spread the popcorn on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper
about 1 T. Ghee (clarified butter, it is only the fat so it is sometimes ok for people allergic to dairy)
about 1/2 c. Brown Rice Syrup
about 1/2 square of Jaggerty (raw sugar, available at Indian stores)

Cook the ghee, brown rice syrup, and jaggerty in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil then simmer until about 230 degrees on a candy thermometer. Mine got up to 250 and was a little too crunchy.

Quickly drizzle the candy over the popcorn and salt the popcorn. Let cool before eating.

Minimally Processed Snacks - NO Crackers!

Who can make it through the day without snacks? Kids definitely can't, and I've gotten used to having a snack with them. A couple of snacks a day can be healthy, but forget all the pre-packaged over-processed commercial snacks. Here's a list of 25 (what I consider to be minimally processed) snacks that are delicious and easy. Not all "low fat, low calorie" snacks, but are nutritious and natural.

1. Grapefruit/Avocado Salad - cut out the sections of a grapefruit & mix with cut-up avocado
2. Popcorn - heat a little olive or safflower oil in a pan, add plain popcorn kernels & pop
3. Yogurt with blueberries, raspberries & honey (I use frozen berries if I don't have fresh)
4. Tortillas - with fruit only jam or nut/seed butters
5. Hard boiled eggs
6. Applesauce (plain, fruit-only or homemade) - can add honey & cinnamon
7. Fruit Salad - when you have a crowd, everyone can bring one piece of fruit & add to the salad
8. Grapes & Cheese
9. Apples with a nut/seed butter
10. Hummus (ground chickpeas - make your own or buy it) and carrots
11. Some sort of bean spread & vegetables
12. Homemade Salsa & corn tortillas
13. Roasted Chickpeas
14. Smoothies (homemade)
15. Smoothie Pops (homemade)

Gluten Free Crepes (still contain eggs & dairy)

I think you can take away the dairy & wheat from Crepes and still come up with something decent...but it seems best if you don't omit the eggs. If you have an egg sensitivity, you might still be able to have yolks, try it without the whites and let me know!

1 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. buckwheat flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. xanthan gum (holds the crepe together since it's gluten free)
2 c. milk (or rice/almond/soy milk)
1 T. honey
2 T. melted butter (or ghee where the proteins are removed, or olive oil)
1/2 t. vanilla
2 large eggs

Mix the flours, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, honey, melted butter, vanilla and eggs together separately, then whisk them into the dry ingredients. You really should use a well-seasoned crepe pan. Heat the pan on medium-high and melt a little butter in it. When the butter has foamed (but before it burns), add about 1/4-1/3 c. batter, and swirl it around in the pan. When the crepe starts looking "dry" on top, but still a little wet, flip it with a large half-moon shaped spatula. Cook the other side about 30 seconds - 1 minute, then place on a plate, fill with strawberries & bananas, or jam or anything you like.

You can freeze these between wax paper too.