Spinach Risotto

It's been a few days since I've written on here because I've been busy enjoying life. :-) Going out to restaurants, hiking, holding a casting session the works. Now it's time to play, catch-up on these recipes and share some pics with you.

I ended up making this delicious allergy free Spinach Risotto (using frozen spinach, fresh is even better).

Ingredients
3 cups of  "Imagine Organic-No Chicken Broth"

1 Cup of Water
1 Cup of finely chopped white onion
2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
1 Cup of Arborio Rice
1/3 Cup of dry white wine
1/2 Cup of Vegan Parmesan Cheese (Here is the recipe):

Vegan “Parmesan” Cheese Substitute

3/4 c. blanched almonds
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/3 c. nutritional yeast
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. garlic powder

Blend all ingredients in a blender until there are no more noticeable nut pieces.

Or Daiya Mozarella Cheese (You can find this at WholeFoods or VeganStore.com

Preparation:
In a saucepan bring broth and water to a simmer and keep at a simmer through preparation and cooking.
- In a larger saucepan cook onion in oil over low heat, stirring until softened.
-Stir in rice, stirring until it's all coated with oil
-Add a 3/4 cup of simmering broth and the dry white wine and cook on high heat consistently stirring until all broth is absorbed then keep adding the broth 3/4 cup at a time, following the above instructions. Do this for about 18 minutes or so until rice is tender and creamy looking but still Al dente (no one likes mushy risotto anyhow). Stir in Spinach and vegan parmesan cheese (if you can deal with nuts) or the Daiya Mozarella.
Add freshly grounded salt and pepper to taste.

Adam's Risotto meal with Beans and cherry tomato tops.

My Risotto meal with a side of beans, quorn chik'n strips and cherry tomato bottoms.

The difference between Gluten Intolerance and Wheat Intolerance

Hi all,

I just need to clear this up once and for all. The staggering difference between having a Gluten allergy/intolerance or having a Wheat allergy/intolerance. Rest assured that they are NOT the same thing!
I for one have a Wheat intolerance but my friends, family and colleagues ALWAYS mistake this with having a Gluten intolerance or allergy.

Let me give you the run down on the differences:
While wheat is a grain, gluten is the sticky protein that binds the dough. Gluten is found in wheat and other grains such as barley, rye, malt, and oats. In breads and baked goods, they come together as a package. This being the case, it is possible to have an allergy or intolerance to one and not the other.


If you are allergic to gluten, then you will need to stay away from wheat products since they contain gluten. However, if you are allergic only to wheat, you can still enjoy other grains that have gluten in them.


Wheat intolerance: 
Wheat Intolerance is when you have difficulty digesting wheat. With this being said you are still able to enjoy foods that have gluten in them (ie: spelt bread, kamut bread). You'll have symptoms such as bloating, diarrhoea and other fun things.


Gluten intolerance:
This means that you are sensitive to the gluten, a protein found commonly in wheat, barley, rye and oats. A person with gluten intolerance could develop a inflammatory condition called Celiac disease.

What the heck is Gluten?
Gluten is composed of the proteins glutenin and gliadin. They exist in the grass-like grains wheat, barley, rye and spelt.

Signs that you may have an intolerance or allergy to wheat or gluten respectively:
Signs of an intolerance include digestive disturbances such as vomiting, diarrhea, gas, constipation and bloating.  More severe will be allergic reactions such as eczema, headaches, fatigue, chest pains or anaphylaxis. Allergy symptoms will usually come on very quickly after ingestion of even a small amount of wheat or gluten. The symptoms of intolerance may not show up at all, or be delayed(like my intolerance's).
Some people with intolerance's can have small amounts of wheat or gluten with no problem, only having issues when they eat large amounts of the aforementioned ingredients. Gluten intolerance or allergy has also been tied to autism and other behavioral disorders.

With this all being said I hope you all now know the differences. Also allergies/intolerance's can happen at any age, whether you were free of allergies in the past doesn't mean you cannot have these issues in the future. I use to have mild eczema growing up, it would be worse for me in the summer months but now that I have cut out the wheat, the symptoms no longer exist. :-)

Ahhhhhh FREEDOM!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Csi9PEncI

Oh and one last note:
Wheat is listed in the top 8 food allergens along with peanuts, tree nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, eggs and soy.

The lovely uses of "Spelt"

OK, so I didn't make my risotto or rice last night instead we opted for leftover's.
However yesterday I had a special delivery from my favorite bakery in Ohio. Berlin Natural Bakery.
http://www.berlinnaturalbakery.com/
They make all my yummy Spelt products since I can no longer eat traditional wheat, spelt is a superior alternative. I mean it tastes way better than the processed stuff and is easy on my digestive system (ie: NO BLOATING!).
I decided to experiment with a lot of baking this year so I purchased a 5lb bag of white spelt.
Ta Da!

Now I can make my own spelt tortillas, cakes, cookies, bread...you name it. It has a smaller gluten content then traditional over processed wheat. (Remember I'm not Gluten intolerant, just Wheat Intolerant). I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is celiac. Spelt is a cousin of wheat.
This excerpt is straight from the Berlin Bakery website:

	info@berlinnaturalbakery.com • Berlin, Ohio • 330-893-2734 | Copyright © 2007 Berlin Natural Bakery. All rights reserved. Here's to YOU SPELT! You beautiful grain. Now I can have all the Bahama rice veggie burger's on spelt buns that I want at a barbecue thanks to you. Oh yeah and pizza, the food of the gods. :-) This morning I had scrambled eggs with green tomatoes and white onion. I sprinkled some doctor cow cashew cheese on top and have two pieces of sourdough spelt bread with earth balance and raspberry jam.  Now it's time to exercise!

Today spelt is recognized throughout the United States as an alternative grain. One that is far superior nutritionally to other common wheat(s). It is no longer sought after only by those with wheat sensitivities.

We call spelt the feel good grain. We hear those words time and time again from our customers. We just plain feel good when we eat your products. More then likely that's due to the fact that we don't use ingredients that are altered by anything other then Mother Nature itself. Our products are all natural with no additives or preservatives. The delicate temperament of this ancient grain requires highly skilled bakers to produce a quality loaf of bread. We bake only small batch breads (100 loaves per batch). Small batch baking yields the highest quality and consistency and if it's great taste you are after, you'll find abundance in every bite.

• Approximately 30% higher in Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
• Approximately 25% higher in B6
• Approximately 45% higher in Vitamin E
• Higher in unsaturated fatty acids (mainly Linol acid and Linoleen acid) which are important for regeneration of nerve cells.
• It is warming and supports good blood circulation
• It is higher in water solubility, making it easier to digest and aiding in the nutrients being more easily absorbed by the body.
• Approximately 10-25% higher in protein, promoting fitness strength, muscle expansion and endurance. Many endurance athletes find spelt to be invaluable during training.
• It has a higher percentage of Amino Acids
• It has a higher level of L-Tryptophan which in turn promotes and aids in the production of serotonin.

Father's Curried Potatoes and Peas

This recipe is a childhood favorite, my Dad makes with half and half, which of course is unwise for me to cook with nowadays unless I want that sexy Buddha belly. :-)

Here is a Vegetarian/Vegan/Allergy Free (granted that you are not allergic to cashews) version of my Dad's classic dish.

Ingredients:
4-5 medium sized potatoes (I have an intolerance for white potatoes so use Purple, Sweet or Red potatoes). Cut potatoes into 4-6 pieces each.
1 package of frozen or fresh peas
1-2 tablespoons of curry power ( I like using more like 3 tablespoons )
2 tablespoons of butter (I use Earth Balance Soy Free natural buttery spread)

1/4 cup of half and half (I use Mimic Creme)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:
Boil the potatoes and peas in separate pots until done (I steamed my peas and cooked the potatoes for 25 minutes)
In frying pan or wok, heat butter(earth balance) until it starts to bubble.
Add curry powder and saute' for about a minute. (maybe add a bit of chili powder for an extra kick)
add half and half (mimic creme-unsweetened) and stir to combine
Add potatoes and cook until sauce is hot and starts to thicken slightly. Be sure to coat the top of the potatoes with the sauce.
Add peas and cook until everything is heated.
Add salt and pepper and serve.

I made this last night and it was a hit with Adam. I didn't add the chili powder this time, but will for the next time. Tonight I may make Baked Spinach and Asparagus Risotto with a sprinkle of Dr. Cow Cheese, or I'll make something similar with Jasmine rice. I haven't decided yet.
Here are some photos of our meal: I also sauteed some Quorn Chik'n with herbs (garlic power, basil, rosemary, thyme).

Erewhon Brown Rice Cream

Just finished having breakfast. Who knew being allergic/intolerant to so many foods would be so delicious?
I had Erewhon's Brown Rice Cream which brings me back to my childhood when my mom use to make me farina with two cinnamon sticks.

I ran out of cinnamon sticks so I added cinnamon powder, almond milk, water, raw sugar and frozen raspberries. Mmmmmm Mmmmm Good, move over campbell's soup!

Erewhon also makes a Rice Crispies type of cereal, gluten free and wheat free.
http://www.erewhoncereal.com/usmills/search.php?brand=1

Delicious Allergy Free Meat Alternatives

Being a Vegetarian for me was a snap. I never really liked meat ever since I was a child so the switch was effortless.
My dad introduced me to the world of Soy. Soy milk, Soy hot dogs, Tofu, Soy Veggie Burger's. This miracle bean called "Soy" was every vegetarian's dream. I gobbled up everything soy, from the items I mentioned and let's add in edamame for good measure.
When I looked at the allergy list from my Doctor and one of the allergy foods was soy, needless to say I was devastated.
What the heck was I going to do with all those Morning Star Farms, Yves and Tofutti Products I had packed away in my freezer as if there was a nuclear war abound?
The lovely and talented Allergy free Adam was able to eat up all of my soy products since I preferred to live without the "bloatiness"(Not a real word I know, but I like to use it in this case for emphasis).
Venturing out into my now soy-free world, Adam and I decided to go to the supermarket to find alternatives and what we found were dismal at best.
Everything and I mean EVERYTHING vegetarian had SOY in it and if it didn't, it at least contained one of the other 13 allergies/intolerance's.
Oy Vey........
In my many supermarket/health food store adventures I came across two brands that have meatless alternatives I can imbibe on.
1- Quorn Chik'n Tenders and Quorn Beef Style Grounds.
These lovely products are made out of Mycoprotein instead of Soy. Mycoprotein is derived from mushrooms.
http://www.quorn.us/products/Chik%27n_Tenders.aspx
http://www.quorn.us/products/Beef-Style_Grounds.aspx

2- Bahama Burgers, Rice Meatballs and Rice Sausage
The first Rice based Meat Alternative.
http://www.bahamariceburger.com/

The song "I'm in heaven" or whatever it's called keeps dancing around in my head! Mouth salivating.......Mmmmmmm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYHZh-xnqhE
Ahhhh sing it Fred!

10 Minute Allergy Free Lunch

After watching countless cooking shows, I came across Anthony Bourdain's show "No Reservations" a few weeks ago. In this particular episode he went to the iconic city of Rome. There he had a pasta dish made with butter (yum), lemon (double yum) and Parmesan (this goes way over the yummy scale). So basically he had a meal of everything I cannot eat (save the lemon).
I thought to myself (as I often do), how can I make this dish Canella friendly? Well I did. For my allergic colleagues out there here is the recipe. You can make it in about 10 to 15 minutes.

Allergy Free- Lemon & Chives Butter Pasta
Ingredients:
Quarter packet of Trader Joe's Rice Sticks (Thai Style Flat Noodles)
1/2 Lemon
a dash of dried (or fresh) chives
2 tbsp of Earth Balance Soy Free butter substitute
Fresh ground pepper to taste

1- Boil the rice pasta for 10 minutes (like it says on the packet)
When the pasta is about 2 minutes away from being done, heat on low a small skillet with 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance Soy Free butter substitute. Drain the pasta and scare it in cold water, drop the pasta in the skillet and squeeze 1/2 a lemon over it, lightly tossing the pasta to get all the fake buttery goodness and real lemony goodness all around. Sprinkle a dash or two of dried or fresh chives on top and toss it again and add a bit of freshly ground pepper.

Presto! You have a Italian inspired lunch, with a little bit of flare thrown in. Now if you want to keep it strictly Italian then throw in fresh basil instead of chives and sprinkle on Daiya Cheese (fake)Mozzarella style shreds and let it melt on top in the skillet on a low flame.

Mangia!

Serving Size: 2