Tuesday "Try"... Gluten/Dairy Free Cornbreads

A few years ago I found (on Google) a really good homemade gluten/dairy free cornbread recipe. It has become a family and friends favorite. I have altered the recipe as I often do to accommodate my families dietary restrictions and/or to make it healthier. I made a big batch to bring to my sisters house for Thanksgiving last year for the many family members that had not tried it yet and "again" - it was a big hit!!! I wasn't able to leave until I handed over the recipe.

One day while at the grocery store, I came across this gluten/dairy free box mix of cornbread and wanted to see how it compared to mine and the kids wanted to give it a try. It was delicious and would probable use it again if I wanted the convenience, but for me personally it still had too much sugar. (The very first ingredient is sugar). But when something is homemade I have control over how much of an ingredient is used or not.

My Homemade Gluten/Dairy Free Cornbread Recipe

1/2 cup (non-GMO- if possible) cornmeal

1/4 cup ( or slightly less) sugar

6 TB rice flour

1 1/2 TB Tapioca flour

1TB cornstarch

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dairy free milk

4 TB Earth Balance - natural buttery spread - softened

1/2 tsp vanilla (generous tsp full)

1 egg ( warmed)

Add dry ingredients ( first 7) in a medium size bowl

Add all wet ingredients ( last 4 ) to dry ingredients

Mix until all combined

Pour in 8x8 pan or make muffins

Bake 350 degrees for about 20 - 30 min.

( time will vary depending on what you cook it in and your oven)

* The recipe is easily doubled and can be frozen.

* I once made corn bread croutons with the leftovers

http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/gluten-free-croutons/

( This recipe used gluten free bread I just substituted corn bread cut in cubes )

ENJOY

You won't be disappointed!!!

Monday Mention ... Egg Substitutes

There are times when I'm low on eggs and want to conserve them so I don't have to go out to the store right then (or the farmers market that is only once a week) or I don't have enough eggs for a recipe, or I just want to experiment with other nutritional ideas that are available. The more you play with ideas the easier it becomes second nature when you want to create something with leftovers or needing to substitute for whatever your making/baking. There are other reasons to not use eggs, like eating vegan, you have a allergy or sensitivity to eggs or you have trouble with soy ( see my post on soyfree eggs http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/09/monday-mention-soy-free-eggs.html )

*Here is a link for eggless recipes - http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-substitutes/

*The original source of the list below - http://www.theholisticingredient.com/blogs/wholesome-living/13568994-easy-egg-substitutions-a-how-to-guide

1 Egg Equals:	Best in:	Notes.
1/2 banana, mashed	Pancakes, cakes, breads	Very ripe bananas will add sweetness
1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup ripe mashed pears	Breads, cakes, brownies	Avoid using more than 1/4 cup total in any recipe
1/4 cup natural or Greek yoghurt	Brownies, smoothies	Can cause final product to be heavier
2.5 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set in fridge for 10 minutes	Granola bars, smoothies	Adds earthy, nutty taste and chewy texture
1 tablespoon coconut oil mixed with 2 teaspoons baking powder & 2 teaspoons water	Gluten free baking	Adds fat to the recipe, can be tricky to work with
1 tablespoon chia seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons water, set in fridge for 10 minutes	Smoothies, baked goods	Binds and thickens
1/4 cup pureed prunes (or any high pectin fruit)	Breads, cakes, brownies	Adds sweetness to recipe
1/4 cup pumpkin, mashed (canned works well, choose BPA free cans)	Breads, brownies	Can be heavy
1/4 cup potato, cooked and mashed (sweet potato might be yum!)	Savoury dishes	Can be heavy
1 tablespoon agar mixed with 1 tablespoon water, whipped and chilled	Gluten free baking	Used to replace egg white only
1 tablespoon gelatin dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water, add 2 tablespoons boiling water, beat vigorously until frothy	Gluten free baking	Binds and thickens

Monday "Mention".. Soy Free Eggs

I have been looking for soy free eggs for awhile and I finally found some at Davidson farmers market http://www.davidsonfarmersmarket.org/ and the farm is also local to where I live ( you can make an appointment to pick up at the farm). Since my daughter was little, she always had trouble with eggs and never wanted me to make them for breakfast if she had to go to school or somewhere because it bothered her stomach. But since eating the soy free eggs she can eat eggs as often as she wants. Most eggs come from places that feed there chickens with soy because it's cheaper. Soy free eggs are a little more expensive 5.00 a dozen instead of 4.00 ( These are fed some non-GMO corn).
So if you are local to Lake Norman, North Carolina and your looking for soy free eggs, here is your source http://eastofedenfarm.cmail2.com/t/ViewEmail/j/DA255D0DEC697570. Check out all the other goodies they offer and visit them on facebook and see the pictures of how the chicken and animals are raised.
Even if you don't need to eat soy free it is nice to pick some up occasionally to cut down on soy in your diet. You could use the soy free eggs for making scrambled eggs etc. and use the regular soy eggs for mixes.

Wednesday "Word"... Alginate

Alginate

(alginic acid, algin, sodium alginate, pacific kelp)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alginic_acid

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/alginate

Bulking agent, emulsifier, fiber, stabilizer, thickener.  Brown seaweed-derived ingredient that can stabilize foam and act as a thickener in products like jellies, salad dressings, beverages, custards, ice cream, soups and cheese. Sodium alginate is the sodium salt form. Theoretically, due to its ability to trap dietary cholesterol in its gel-like structure, it may have cholesterol-lowering effects. Limited studies suggest it may create fullness or satiety, although this concept needs further testing. May cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.

*info from book: An A-Z Guide to Food Additives - Deanna M. Minich, Ph. D.,C.N.

Tuesday "Try"... Goal Planning

I try to home - make as much of my food and some non food items as I can, but with that comes  strategies, such as "goal planning." This past week I had been really really busy for about four days and the list of things I've been wanting to make, had become long. So as not to get overwhelmed I decided to set goals for the days that I had the time to accomplish one or more on the list. Some things on my list that I wanted to make in the coming week(s):

pesto

lara bars

master tonic

tinctures

granola

laundry detergent

planting fall seeds/garlic

chicken broth/chicken noodle soup

give away things already in piles ready to go

One of the things I need is garlic for my pesto and master tonic, so one goal is to purchase enough from the store and then I will be that much further along when I have time to get it done. I bought a few things the other day for granola, tinctures and chicken broth so I am now ready to make those when I have the space in my week. And with each thing made, it will last for weeks or months depending on what it is and that leaves me space, to home - make other things.

Here are the five steps to help you eat and live a healthier life and get done what you want:

1) Make a list of the things you want done in the coming weeks

2) Put them in order of priority.

3) Make another list of what you need to gather/purchase for the items and make a goal when you are able get them.

4) Look on your calendar and pick a day when you can - without being stressed - to accomplish making your item.

5) Repeat - with a new list of items

Monday "Mention"- Flourless...

Baking/Cooking without flour? 

Why you ask? It gives your body a small break from flour of any kind ( http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Your-Body-Can-Do-Without-Grains---Including-Whole-Grains&id=3648259 ). And if you can make/bake, and it tastes good, why not! The internet is full of recipes to try your hand at baking/cooking without the use of flour. Here are five websites to get you started...

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/great-recipes.asp?food=flourless

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/claire-robinson/flourless-peanut-butter-cookies-recipe.html

http://recipeland.com/recipes/list?q=flourless

http://homecookinginmontana.blogspot.com/2011/03/flourless-bread-with-no-sugarmade-with.html

http://www.yummly.com/recipes/flourless-cooking

If you would like help reading labels, shopping and/or making meal planning easy contact me athttp://www.wholefood-living.com/contact.html

Milk Allergy vs Lactose Intolerance...

Milk Allergy is caused by a malfunctioning immune system. The immune system identifies milk proteins as harmful invaders and releases antibodies called immunoglobulin E ( lgE) into your bloodstream. These antibodies then release histamine which cause milk allergy symptoms. It is a true food allergy caused by an allergic reaction.

Lactose Intolerance is caused by your stomach's inability to properly digest lactose, a sugar present in milk. Your small intestine doesn't produce enough of the enzyme lactose.  The enzyme is essential for the digestion of milk and the milk nutrients. Instead of being digested, milk moves into the colon where bacteria ferments it, making fatty acid and gases which cause the unpleasant symptoms.

(Some) Symptoms of a milk allergy - 

skin rashes/irritations

hives

itching/itchy eyes

redness

swelling and tingling around the mouth

vomiting

diarrhea 

stomach ache

runny or stuffy nose

sneezing and coughing/wheezing

(Some) Symptoms of Lactose Intolerance -

gas

bloating

abdominal pain

nausea

diarrhea

If you are lactose intolerant there are over the counter remedies like "lactaid" that provide the lactase enzymes you need. There are dairy products on the market that have added enzymes as well. 

If you have a milk allergy your options are only to not ingest milk and use the non-milk substitutes like, almond, soy, coconut or rice milk and non-dairy cheeses.

Some people can only have an allergy to one milk protein called whey.

Here is a list of other words to look out for, that mean "dairy".  Reading your food labels, you will discover "milk" you didn't even know hiding in the foods you eat.

http://www.godairyfree.org/dairy-free-grocery-shopping-guide/dairy-ingredient-list-2

A few sources of non dairy calcium rich foods -

Almonds

figs

Beans

Carrots

Pecans

Raisins

Brown Rice

Apricots

Garlic

Dates

Spinach

Sesame seeds

Brazil nuts

Cashews

Papaya

Avocados

Celery

*Note - my daughter had a milk allergy when she was a very young infant ( about 1-3 months old) and was only nursing at the time. The milk she was ingesting came from the milk that I was drinking. What you eat/drink does comes through breast milk. So when I stopped drinking milk she felt much better.

If you would like help reading labels, shopping and/or making meal planning easy contact me athttp://www.wholefood-living.com/contact.html