Eggplant Fries from Bon Appetit Magazine

Eggplant Fries

These flavorful frites are not only a clever riff on a fried standard, they're also lamb's best friend. The Middle Eastern accents in the za'atar spice blend pair well with the gamey meat and intensify the eggplant's flavor. After many experiments, Terzo Piano chef Meg Colleran Sahs discovered that a rice-flour coating resulted in the highest crunch factor.

6 servings

Recipe by Terzo Piano, Chicago, Illinois

August 2011

Ingredients

Dipping Sauce

• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped kosher pickle or pickle relish
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

Fries

• 1 1-pound eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2 rounds, then into 1/2 -thick strips
• Vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons za'atar
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more for seasoning

• 
  

  Ingredient info

  Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that includes sumac, herbs, and sesame seeds. It's available at specialty foods stores, Middle Eastern markets, and igourmet.com.

Preparation

Dipping Sauce

• Whisk yogurt, chopped pickle, lemon zest, and oregano in a small bowl to blend. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Fries

• Place eggplant in a large bowl. Add 2 cups ice and enough water to cover. Place a plate on top of eggplant to weigh it down. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Pour oil into a large deep pot to a depth of 2". Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the side of pot and heat oil over medium heat to 325°.
• Meanwhile, whisk rice flour, lemon zest, za'atar, garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a medium bowl to blend. Drain eggplain. Working in batches, toss damp eggplant in flour mixture to coat.
• Working in batches, fry eggplant, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 3-4 minutes per batch. (Reheat oil to 325° between batches.) Transfer to paper towels to drain. Season with lemon juice and sea salt. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2011/08/eggplant-fries#ixzz1SgfQ7AMd

Soy Free Tuna

Soy Free Tuna

Tuna is a big deal to me.  I work from home and I tend to work through lunch time until I'm starving.  Then the challenge becomes what to throw together really fast that has reasonable nutritional value.   Unless we have leftovers I have a hard time finding lunch.  StarKist Selects Solid Light Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the only tuna without soy.  Switch to mayo made from Olive Oil as well; regular mayonnaise is made from soybean oil.  I like my tuna sandwiches with a dill slice and some Fritos. That's a working lunch!

Shaking my fist!

I'm going to vent for just a moment.  Grr, I'm frustrated! I had a horrible stomach ache all day yesterday, and I am sure it was from a combination of too much soy and sneaky gluten.  I came to this conclusion because I am aware that I was being careless yesterday. I intentionally skipped over "caramel color" on one label, and rather than spit it out I enjoyed two pieces of Trident Tropical Twist gum with soy lecithin and "natural flavoring." I don't need to go into everything else I ate, just know it wasn't my best lineup.  Today, when I was craving a pizza for lunch I remembered yesterday's stomach ache.  I had some eggs with blueberries and strawberries in cream instead.

I am irritated with the food industry for creating food-like products out of fillers, "flavorings,"and chemicals. Canned tuna packed in water has soy via chicken broth added for flavoring.  Why isn't it just tuna?  Country Crock spread, Pam cooking spray, and mayonnaise are all made from soybean oil.  I'm starting to think soy is in everything prepared or pre-packaged.

Gluten Free Crunchy Snack

Cashew Clusters from Costco

Another great GF find! Kirkland Signature Cashew Clusters is my substitute for Fiddle Faddle and Cracker Jacks.   This crunchy, sweet treat is made of cashews, almonds, cane sugar, pumpkin seed kernels, rice syrup, sea salt and honey.

I am feeling unnecessarily guilty about snacking on these all day.  They taste so good I'm surprised (and thrilled) that they're low-cal.

---

Warning:  This product is packaged in a facility that packages products that contain milk, soy, peanuts and tree nuts.

How to eat to stay healthy.

When you have food allergies, being healthy is less about health and more about not being sick.  So much care is taken to prevent accidental intake, that we focus more on what we can't have than what we can.  Everyone in my household has different dietary needs and we all react badly when we go off course.  I recently brought us back to basics with simple tables of what to eat at each meal.  These tables are posted on the refrigerator to remind us to incorporate all of the food groups in our meal choices.

I don't drink milk.  I just don't like it. The USDA says to have a fluid milk with major meals and if you can you should.  If you're looking for calcium, vitamin D and protein, almond milk is a good alternative for your fluid milk intake. Do a side-by-side comparison of cow milk, almond milk and rice milk the next time you're at the grocery store.  

My husband likes to start his day with a bowl of oatmeal and a V8.  My favorite is breakfast tacos:  two fried eggs to divide among three corn tortillas (heated in a pan), garnish with some homemade salsa and a sprinkling of cheese. During the summer I take advantage of the abundance of fresh fruit, adding a small bowl of yogurt (1/2 cup or less) topped with a handful of fresh blueberries.   If you can't have yogurt, at least have the fruit. Berries are especially good for you.  If we have leftover rice, I simmer some with enough milk (dairy or non-dairy) to cover until heated through and the mixture thickens.  I add a mashed banana, cinnamon, vanilla (use real vanilla) and a bit of sugar.  I like it better than oatmeal.  If you can have gluten, don't feel guilty about just having two pieces of toast with fruit spread and a glass of milk.  Just do your best. 

Snacks are necessary.  We equate snacking with junk-food and weight gain, but when you're on a restricted diet, snacks are vital. If you don't eat between meals, you'll feel like you're starving around mealtime and either make a poor food choice or overeat.  Also, you have to eat a lot of food to get all of your nutrients.  That's just what it takes. You should be eating all day long. You also have to make good choices.  Avoid prepackaged foods, they'll not only frustrate you with their long list of offensive ingredients, but they're overpriced empty calories.  Try an apple with peanut butter, cottage cheese or hummus with veggie sticks, crackers and cheese, a cluster of grapes with a muffin.  When I make my quinoa salad I make a large bowl of it, so that I have plenty available for between meal snacking.  Plan ahead!

Arrange your grocery shopping around the food groups and do some meal planning.  Try making three columns on a page and then listing all of the fruits/vegetables, grains, and meat/meat alternatives that you can eat.  When you shop, choose the food that is closes to its original form, such as steel-cut oats instead of instant oatmeal, apples instead of apple juice, fresh chicken instead of breaded patties.  This is good habit to acquire.  Before you know it, making substitutions will come naturally to you.

If you're unintentionally losing weight because of your limited food choices, if you're tired, lethargic, even depressed, you have to make sure that when you eat, you eat the right foods.  Most people eat based on quantity not quality.  A steak, mashed potatoes and a cob of corn looks like a complete dinner, but it's not even close.  A drive through "meal" is a burger, fries and a drink.  That's nearly 2000 calories and you haven't had a complete meal.  

Health is more than avoiding sickness.  Be truly healthy.  Get creative, everything has a substitution.  Stay basic, avoid prepackaged or flavored foods. Eat more often.  Plan ahead. 

If you need help, visit the Eating Well website for ideas.  Use the 1800 calorie 28 day diet plan as a well-rounded meal and snack example, adapting it to your own caloric needs and dietary restrictions. 

USDA website: Meal Patterns

* I am not a nutritionist, my advice is based on personal research and decisions that fit my needs.  This information is meant to inform, please check with your doctor about your dietary needs and how to meet them.

Green Chile Soup

I picked up some roasted green chiles at the supermarket a while ago without a plan for how to use them.  My mother was German, my father grew up with Italians. I don't know Mexican food.  But, my housekeeper does! When she comes around, Lupe whips up a batch of her magical salsa for us, and a dinner made from whatever she finds when she cleans out the fridge. Yesterday she gave me the choice of a green chile soup or something else that I honestly just didn't understand.  I gave the Spanish 101 answer, "sopa."  I had two bowls of it yesterday and one today because YAY it is soy-free and gluten-free and everything but dairy free.  I'm sure it can be modified though, to be dairy free as well.

I was not allowed to watch her (es secreto) but she combined green chiles, one diced onion, some amount of diced tomato, 1 can of evaporated milk (try a non-dairy milk) and crumbled cheese (cooked chicken breast pieces or ground turkey would work too).  I deduced that she cooked the chiles and the onion together until the onion became tender, and then added the other ingredients.  It was all prepared rather quickly.

All natural allergy-free laundry detergent

I do a lot of laundry.  I have a husband and 4 kids, (17, 14, 12, and 4 years old) and I operate a small in-home daycare with 2 - 6 kids per day.  My washer is going every day.  Luckily the three older kids do their own laundry per their chore chart!

Many years ago I bought brand name laundry detergent.  At some point we realized were spending too much on detergent and buying it too often, so we switched to the enormous container of Kirkland brand liquid detergent.  We were buying those about every two weeks.  Then, when I became an Etsy seller, I made a find that changed the way we do laundry.

I found Chase Street Soap Co. in April 2010.  Since then, I have only bought detergent five times in 15 months, for $10 or $12 per purchase.  Not only have I saved a lot of money, I haven't had to constantly buy laundry soap.

This is 100% natural laundry detergent.  No surprise ingredients, no allergies, no chemical sensitivities to worry about.  This is a must have for the allergic community.

"I grind my own olive oil soap and combine with washing soda (sodium carbonate) which helps remove stains (make-up, blood, grass and sweat) and borax (sodium borate) to remove stains, soften water, deodorize and brighten. Safe, gentle, and environmentally friendly."

It is available unscented if you like, but you can also choose from any scent that she's offering in her line of soaps. Rather than waste the shavings from her scented olive oil soaps, she incorporates them into the laundry detergent for olfactory bliss. I've bought the sample packs and mason jars for friends and family whenever I bought my refills so I've been lucky enough able to sample many of her luscious scents.

Because I have an H.E. washer I literally only use 1/2 TBSP of detergent per load. When I first made the switch, it was hard to believe that was all it took!  Once I got in the habit of using that little, I couldn't see the point of using a giant scoop of store-bought stuff.  I no longer pre-treat and I don't use fabric softener anymore either.  My clothes aren't necessarily "scented" by the time they go through the dryer, but they are very clean and fresh.  This detergent has stood up to potty-training and bloody noses, and it has never faded any of our clothes.  My husband was leery of using it on his work shirts, but after several loads of the rest of the laundry, I had no doubt they'd be fine.  I'm not afraid to spend a lot of money on clothes for us now; I know they will keep looking new as long as we have them and they won't get worn out in the wash either.  If you don't have an H.E. you will be using more and buying more often (assuming you do laundry every day like I do), but it's still much less than store-bought detergent and it's natural.  "Use just 1 tablespoon for 64 small loads or 1/2 tablespoon for 128 loads in a HE or front load washer! Thats .22/.11/.05 per wash!" 

I gave a mason jar of this to my father-in-law recently, and he messaged me later that day to tell me the sangria and the ketchup from our barbecue came out of his white tablecloth without pre-treating.  Another convert! I can't rave enough about this detergent.  It's just silly to buy anything else, especially if you're dealing with allergies.

Beyond the laundry detergent, I can't live without the dog shampoo bars.  I keep giving them away, so I'm not sure how long they really last.  I cut them in half to gift to people I know who have dogs because I think if you have a dog you should be using this.

Olive oil-great for coat and skin conditioning
Lemongrass- repels fleas, ticks and lice
Lavender- anti-bacterial, anti-itch and calming
Rosemary-soothes aches and pains
Eucalyptus- anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and repels fleas
Citronella- repels fleas and biting insects
Peppermint-insect repellant, good for circulation and nausea

My dogs are itchy.  My Labrador sheds more than she should because she has dry skin.  We all  have dry, sensitive skin in Tucson, actually.  Before Filthy Mutt, I used my son's tear-free "gentle" shampoo on the dogs.  I was squirting half the bottle on them, they still smelled like wet dogs when I was done and they were still itchy.  Chase Street Soap Co. has a magical shampoo bar that cleans my dogs like nothing I've tried before; the dogs smell great, they're easier to towel off and they seem to have fewer problems with dry skin.  As a matter of fact, about once a month I see them scratching again so I give them a bath and they're soothed for another month or so.  The dogs also seem to release their loose fur easily in the tub, which I prefer over them dropping it all of the house.

Chase Street Soap Co. has a variety of products.  She'll work up custom orders for you in your choice of scents and sizes.  Get some bars for the dog, the hubby and yourself, and don't forget the laundry detergent!

*Do let her know if you have allergies to be sure your products are protected from cross-contamination.

Bushi Japanese and Asian Restaurant, Tucson

My Celiac test results came back negative, and I want to celebrate.  Another reason to celebrate:  My husband and I had our 9th anniversary yesterday!  But, we postponed our date night because it was also my son's 17th birthday.  We were originally going to go to the theater, but the Saturday shows are sold out.  Plan "B":  Dinner date. 

My allergy status has been reduced from "always avoid" to "eat what you can handle."  If that sounds strange, I'll briefly explain:  If you are not severely allergic and you can manage a reasonable level of ingestion of your food allergens, your doctor might (check first) recommend that you continue to eat these foods to maintain your current tolerance level.  If I completely stop eating peanuts, I may have an anaphylactic reaction the next time I eat them.  For now I snack on peanuts in the shell (shelling them slows me down), and when I feel the first hint of an itch, I stop.  You can build up tolerance with allergy shots, but even better is to maintain your tolerance if you can.  What this means for me is that eating at restaurants is much easier now!

Many locales are having summer specials. "This summer Bushi is featuring two specials: Any roll and a bottle of TyKu Sake for $20.11 and any appetizer, any Teriyaki dish and a bottle of Bokbunjajoo for $20.11."  Bushi was also recently featured on the news.  Advertising works really well on me. We're going to give them a try this weekend.

I know that soy, peanuts and gluten (my top three allergens) are common ingredients in Asian food, so why did I choose a Japanese restaurant out of all of my options in Tucson?  With a forecast over 100° I'm also not in the mood for a heavy meal.  Light, cold food sounds pretty good to me. 

I downloaded the menu (which I always do if I know I'm eating out) and I quickly found some delicious choices.  I doubt they can guarantee anything gluten-free, but the rest of the menu seems to have plenty of options to work around other allergens.  I will try to talk to the staff about their stance on food allergies and report back after the weekend.

My preliminary choices:

Appetizer:
Sashimi Salad
Your Choice of Yellowtail, Tuna or Salmon (8 pc) resting upon bed of Spring Mix Greens

~or~

California Roll
Cucumber, crab, avocado, rice, seaweed


Dinner:
Curry Grilled Shrimp
Grilled Shrimp w/ Red Thai Curry sauce and Cilantro
Served with edamame, miso soup, rice and salad
(I can pass on the edamame and miso)

~with~

Sake Martini
Sake, Vodka, garnished w/ Cucumber and Ginger

Dessert:
Fruit Kurimu
Assorted Fruit w/ Coconut Honey White Chocolate Cream sauce topped w/ Almond Granola
(hold the granola for mine)

Official allergy test results

I finally got my blood test results.  I'm thrilled to say that the Celiac test came back negative, and other results indicate that we're no longer worried about eosinophilic esophagitis.  I will remain gluten-free however, with the controversial diagnosis of gluten sensitive/intolerant.  I am also confirmed now to have an allergy to peanuts, soy, and papaya.  The other fruits are just oral allergies and not something my bloodstream is going address.

I can manage a gluten-free diet, but it would be very difficult to prevent cross-contamination in my house.  I still shouldn't share food, but I'm thrilled that I don't have to worry to the extent of banning Playdoh from the house.  My levels for the peanut allergy are in a range that I don't have to worry when making peanut butter sandwiches for my son, and for both peanuts and soy I don't have to exclude it all, but I should avoid them when I can.  Papaya, by my experience, is not very common ingredient.  I have only come across it in the form of facial peels and digestive enzyme supplements.

Hidden Gluten in Health and Beauty Products

My Facebook feed had a great post from Ryza this morning.  Read the full article from Glutino here:  "Hidden Gluten in Health and Beauty Products."

Visit this site for a list of Gluten-containing ingredients commonly used in body products:

naturallydahling.com

Making Larabars at home or, "The Death of Two Blenders."

Everyone loves Larabars.   They're so "clean" and straightforward, they are good snacks for people with allergies.  There aren't any sneaky ingredients, only 2 - 9 real foods miraculously mashed in to a dense bar. I usually get a box of the bite sized bars - just the right size to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Because I can't have gluten or soy, my treat options are limited and expensive.  I prefer to make my own foods when I can.  I scoured the web (a phrase you'll hear a lot from me) and found an array of recipes for home-made Larabars. I also found that no matter what you do, you can't duplicate whatever it is they do to give them shelf-life without preservatives.  The secret, apparently, is in the packaging and the packaging process.

Now, other blogs and websites give you a list of ingredients and tell you to mix them up.  What most don't tell you:  Dates are really, really sticky and if you don't pay attention to the blending process they will muck up your blade, pull it to a halt, and wreck your machine!  I wrecked two.  I'm not upset, in the end I still learned how to make Larabars at home.  I'm happy to be able to share my lesson and save your machine from the same fate.  Admittedly, my machine choices weren't ideal, but we don't all have top of the line food processors in our kitchens, and I assumed anything with a spinning blade would work.

I first tried the food processor attachment for my KitchenAid submersible blender.  The spinning gear in the lid portion stripped and that was that.  Next, I tossed some dates into my KitchenAid blender.  The rubber feet between the top of the blender (pitcher) and the base were completely obliterated under the strain, and now my blender is useless.  I didn't stop there though!  I had just bought two pounds of dates, which are apparently really hard to find at a Safeway this time of year, and I had one more machine under the cabinet.  I tried an actual food processor.  I have a Black and Decker Mini-Pro Plus from my days of blending baby food for my youngest.  It handled the dates just fine.  By the time I got to this third attempt, I also learned this important tip:  stop the machine before the mass looks like paste.  It's pasty long before it looks like it.  When you're approaching a really sticky consistency, carefully use the pulse button to pulse the dates around so you don't stress the machine.  Be patient, it take a while but it's worth it. You'll get the hang of it soon enough.

The basis for any recipe will be about 10 pitted dates.  I tore my dates into a few pieces after pulling the pit out, the smaller bits being easier on the machine. The process:  Just make your basic date paste in a sturdy food processor as described above, and then stir in or mash in with your hands some fruits or nuts.

For the cashew bar recipe, mix in 1/4 cup or so, as desired, of cashews (hand chopped or put through the food processor).
For the cherry bar, add 1/4 cup dried tart cherries to the dates and process together, or fresh pitted cherries if you prefer.
Try dried tropical fruits, shredded coconut, cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa powder, anything you might try in a dessert cookie.
Some recipes also begin with a paste of a fig and date mixture.  Try what you like best.

Shape the mixture into a bar about 1/2" thick and 1 1/2" wide, and however long that stretches. Then, cut it into pieces roughly 1 1/2".  You will end up with 1 1/2" square bites that are 1/2" thick.  The perfect nibble.  I tapped the sides and ends against the cutting board to square them off.

Store these in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, depending on the mix-ins.  Fresh fruits will not store as long.

Fish Tacos

Food Network:  Fish Tacos - Bobby Flay

I found a great recipe for fish tacos on the Food Network last night.  It's a really easy, healthy dinner that can be adapted to any diet.  The only substitution I had to make was to use corn tortillas instead of flour.  Because I had it on hand, for garnish I used a shredded broccoli, carrots and cabbage mixture available in the bagged salad section at the grocery store.  This was one of the quickest dinners I've made, and I will definitely make it again.

I whipped up the marinade and poured it over fish steaks to marinade for 15 minutes.   At the same time, I started a pot of water (and later added rice to simmer as I finished the tacos).  Out of propane, I turned to the broiler.  I popped the fish in the oven to broil for 10 minutes while I warmed the tortillas in a pan.  Tortillas went from the pan straight to the dinner plates for easy serving.  I smeared a bit of sour cream along the center of each tortilla, topped with a few flaked bits of fish, a handfull of shredded garnish.  Done!  Serve with rice and black beans.