Food For Thought - 7 Foods So Unsafe Farmers Won't Eat Them

Here is some food for thought. I read an article a few days ago and thought about posting it here. I didn't at first because it's not a recipe - which, so far, all of my posts have been. But I have found myself thinking about it a lot since so I have decided to start a new section of my blog for information that I think could be helpful for others.

This article is titled "7 Foods So Unsafe Farmers Won't Eat Them". And although it is more than a year old, I believe the information is still pertinent. The foods it lists are:

1. Canned Tomatoes
2. Corn-Fed Beef
3. Microwave Popcorn
4. Conventionally Grown (Not Organic) Potatoes
5. Farmed Salmon
6. Milk Produced With Artificial Hormones
7. Conventional Apples

I already can't eat the majority of foods listed here, but this article has still made me think about my food. Please click on the link above to read the full article. I hope you find it helpful and incorporate some of the suggestions into your diet.


-Sheena

Flatbread with Roasted Squash, Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger

This is a recipe I hope will be helpful for my readers from the US who are celebrating Thanksgiving. I missed posting something special for Canadian Thanksgiving, so hopefully this makes up for that :) My husband and I just came up with this recipe last night - I realize it's a little late, so I apologize for not being able to post sooner. This recipe is so quick and simple to make, and I'm sure you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand. This is also a great recipe to serve the day after your big Thanksgiving feast because you can use up any leftover squash.

Now, from my photos this recipe does not look glamorous. I could have made it look a bit better but I was in a benadryl fog, so this was the result. Do not be fooled by the different steps I have outlined below, this bread is so simple to make (and it is so, SO delicious). We ate this last night with a simple vegetarian curried soup and it was a perfect meal. This bread would be great as an appetizer, an entree (like pizza) served with a nice salad on the side, or an accompaniment to any soup. Try it with my Onion Soup or Golden Hubbard Squash Soup.

This recipe is a variation of my Rosemary Flatbread with Caramelized Onions.

 Flatbread with Roasted Squash, Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger

Please note - I would prepare the steps of this recipe in the order listed, so that you save a  bit of time.

Roasted Squash:

Use leftover squash, (you only need about one cup) or follow these directions for roasted squash

One small squash - I used butternut because that is what I had on hand, but feel free to use whatever is available.
3-4 tbsps olive oil, or oil of your choice
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to  400˚F/204˚C. Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds (save for roasting - they are delicious!). Massage some oil, salt, and pepper into the flesh of the squash and place cut-side down on a baking sheet covered in parchment. Place on the bottom rack of your oven and roast until tender. It will take approximately 20-45 minutes, depending on the type and size of your squash. Serve on flatbread.

- This method will give you some nice caramelization on the squash. If you do not want this, add a bit of water to your baking sheet so that the squash steams instead.

If you want a fancier-looking flatbread:

Preheat oven to  400˚F/204˚C. Cut your squash into smallish cubes. Toss with oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper. Roast on the bottom rack for about 20-30 minutes, turning frequently to brown as many sides as possible. Serve on flatbread.

Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger:

4-5 medium-sized onions
4-5 cloves of garlic
About 2 thumbs (works out to about 3-4 tbsps) of fresh ginger root
About 4 tbsps of olive oil, or oil of your choice

Try to slice onions no more than 5mm/0.19in thick - the thinner they are sliced, the quicker they caramelize. Place onions and oil in wide-bottomed pot or pan. On medium heat, bring your onions to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the onions cook and begin to brown you will have to stir them more often so make sure to keep an eye on them. If you notice them starting to burn then turn down your heat. De-glaze your pan every once-in-a-while with some water, making sure to scrape off the caramelization from the bottom of your pan. To tell when your onions are done, look for a deep caramel colour, like the photo above.

Mince garlic and ginger and add to caramelized onions. Cook on medium-low heat until the garlic and ginger are tender (about 5-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and serve on the flatbread.  

Note: If you happen to be making my Onion Soup, reserve about 1/3 cup of your caramelized onions for the flatbread.

Flatbread:

2 cups/500 mls brown rice flour
1 tsp salt
Pinch of ground pepper
1 cup/250 mls water
1/4 cup/60 mls olive oil or oil of your choice

Preheat oven to 400˚F/204˚C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with a generous amount of oil. In a medium-sized bowl mix brown rice flour, salt, and pepper. Mix oil and water in a small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, stir until combined. The mixture will be like a wet dough or very thick batter. Using your hands or a spoon, drop the dough onto the baking sheet. With oiled fingers pat dough to about 1 cm/0.39 inches thick. Bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 15-20 mins, or until the bottom is golden brown and bread is firm to the touch. Top with Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish or appetizer. If you are serving this as an entree you may want to double the recipe.

Notes:

- If you find your bread needs a little longer to cook, make sure to watch it carefully because it will burn very quickly.

Alterations:

- If you are grain-free but can eat legumes: I have made this bread with chickpea flour with decent success but the bread turns out a bit more dry. You may have to adjust the amount of liquid or oil to ensure your bread is moist enough. I have recently become allergic to chickpeas, or else I would figure out the measurements for you!

- If you are allergic to onion, garlic, or ginger simply omit them, or create your own spice blend.

- If you are allergic to squash you may want to use sweet potato. It will give you different results but I'm sure it will be equally as delicious.

- You can use this bread for a pizza crust but I suggest that you pre-bake the crust almost until cooked. If not, you may end up with a soggy crust.

I linked this post to Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Health 2 Day Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Friday, Freaky Friday, Living Well Blog Hop. Check out the other great recipes linked there!

*Please Note* These recipes are part of my personal allergy diet. Please remember that everyone's allergies are different.  If you are unsure about any ingredients listed in these recipes please check with your doctor before introducing.

Rosemary Flatbread with Caramelized Onions

Rosemary Flatbread with Caramelized Onions

It was about a year and a half ago when I first went gluten and wheat free. It was part of a Brown Rice Cleanse, a kind of elimination diet. The original plan was for me to cleanse for two or three weeks, and then begin to re-introduce foods. The hope was to find out what had caused my chronic migraines. To date, I have successfully re-introduced just a handful of items, and found many along the way that I am allergic to, a lot of which cause anaphylaxis.

Surprisingly, one thing that I didn't miss at the beginning of my elimination diet was bread. Now this has changed, let me tell you. I catch myself daydreaming about crusty baguettes or toast with butter and jam.

Mmm...

Because of my elimination diet, I'm also not eating yeast or eggs, so this makes baking very difficult. I still can't make a successful loaf of bread, but I have created a delicious flat-bread that can be topped, or dipped, any number of ways.  I suggest topping it with caramelized onions or serve it with my Baked Artichoke Dip or Roasted Zucchini and Garlic Dip.

Rosemary Flatbread

2 cups/500 mls brown rice flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsps dried rosemary leaves
Pinch of ground pepper
1 cup/250 mls water
1/4 cup/60 mls olive oil or oil of your choice

Preheat oven to 400˚F/204˚C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with a generous amount of oil. In a medium-sized bowl mix brown rice flour, rosemary, salt and pepper. Mix oil and water in a small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, stir until combined. The mixture will be like a wet dough or very thick batter. Using your hands or a spoon, drop the dough onto the baking sheet. With oiled fingers pat dough about 1 cm/0.39 inches thick. Bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 15-20 mins, or until the bottom is golden brown and bread is firm to the touch. Serve topped with caramelized onions (recipe below), your choice of toppings, or try it with my Baked Artichoke Dip or Roasted Zucchini and Garlic Dip.

Note: If you happen to be making my Onion Soup, reserve about 1/3 cup of your caramelized onions for the flatbread. Or use the recipe below:

Caramelized Onions

Caramelized Onions

4-5 medium onions
3-4 tbsps of olive oil, or oil of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste

Try to slice onions no more than 5mm/0.19in thick - the thinner they are sliced, the quicker they caramelize. Place onions and oil in a large, wide-bottomed pot. On medium heat, bring your onions to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the onions cook and begin to brown you will have to stir them more often so make sure to keep an eye on them. If you notice them starting to burn then turn down your heat. De-glaze your pan every once-in-a-while with some water, making sure to scrape off the caramelization from the bottom of your pan. To tell when your onions are done, look for a deep caramel colour, like the photo above. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the flatbread.

Notes:

- If you find your bread needs a little longer to cook, make sure to watch it carefully because it will burn very quickly.

Alterations:

- If you are grain-free but can eat legumes: I have made this bread with chickpea flour with decent success but the bread turns out a bit more dry. You may have to adjust the amount of liquid or oil to ensure your bread is moist enough. I have recently become allergic to chickpeas, or else I would figure out the measurements for you!

- You can use this bread for a pizza crust but I suggest that you pre-bake the crust almost until cooked. If not, you may end up with a soggy crust.

*Please Note* These recipes are part of my personal allergy diet. Please remember that everyone's allergies are different.  If you are unsure about any ingredients listed in these recipes please check with your doctor before introducing.

Baked Artichoke Dip

Baked Artichoke Dip with Rosemary Flatbread

I'm back from reaction-migraine land. I think... 

I've had a few surprise reactions lately and now have to add more foods to my list of danger foods - cauliflower and kale. I'm sad to see these foods go, but (fingers crossed) it is possible that I may be able to eat them again if all goes well with my BIE allergy treatment. I eat cauliflower and kale ALL the time - I suppose this could be one of the reasons that I developed allergies to them. I sometimes forget about eating a food in moderation because my diet often seems so limited, so I take what I can get. Losing these foods has made things a bit more difficult. I find that sometimes I finally learn how to cope with this allergy and then something like this turns my world upside down again. I'm getting better at bouncing back though - I'm learning about my own resilience. It's strange how food has such a hold on us, and even stranger how emotional it all can be. My plan now is to write down my list of safe foods and I hope that when I see that list I will feel a bit better about my food options. 

On a brighter note, this past weekend was a party for my nephew's second birthday. My sister asked me to make my Baked Artichoke Dip, because it's one of his favourites. I didn't get a photo this weekend, but the one below of the two of us is from the summer...you get the idea!

My nephew enjoying Baked Artichoke Dip and Roasted Zucchini and Garlic Dip

This dip is so quick and simple to prepare. It takes only a minute to throw together and then a little while to cook in the oven. Compared to conventional artichoke dip this dip has no dairy or eggs, but it is still full of flavour. I promise your guests will not even miss the dairy or eggs.


Baked Artichoke Dip

1 can of artichoke hearts or 4-5 artichoke hearts
1-2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup/62.5 mls olive oil or oil of your choice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400˚F/204˚C. In a food processor or blender place artichoke hearts, garlic and olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding more oil if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in an oven-safe bowl and bake for 15-20 minutes or until edges start to bubble and brown slightly.

Serve hot, cold, or room temperature. This dip pairs perfectly with my Rosemary Flatbread, which cooks in about the same amount of time, at the same temperature. You could also serve it with crackers or veggies. This dip will keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for about a week.

 Notes:

-You can easily double this recipe but you may need to bake it for a few additional minutes. 

- If you are allergic to artichokes but can tolerate zucchini, try my Roasted Zucchini and Garlic Dip.

I linked this post to Cybele Pascal's Allergy Friendly Friday here and Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery's Lunchbox Love here. Check out the other great recipes!

*Please Note* These recipes are part of my personal allergy diet. Please remember that everyone's allergies are different.  If you are unsure about any ingredients listed in these recipes please check with your doctor before introducing.

Onion Soup

This post comes to you from the land of migraine fog. Sorry in advance if there are any sections that make absolutely no sense what-so-ever. I have a migraine because about 48 hours ago I tried a buttercup squash for the first time and ended up having an allergic reaction. I thought this strange since I have regularly been eating Golden Hubbard, Butternut and Pumpkin. My generally unpredictable health has a new sliver of predictability. If I have an allergic reaction, I have a migraine 48 hours later. If it was a bad reaction, I will also have a migraine 72 hours later. If I can find one little piece of this allergy puzzle to appreciate it is that my migraines are like clockwork. I suppose that's helpful in a sense, but excuse me if I don't jump for joy!

You may ask "why are you posting when you have a migraine?". Because I'm stubborn and sick of my health dictating things. Not this time, migraine. This time I win.  

Migraine, make way for my Onion Soup! 

I try to make my meals as affordable as I can, especially because many allergy-friendly foods are quite expensive (like specialty flours and pastas). Because of this I am trying to save where I can and one of my idea is to have at least one soup night a week. We have declared onions a food-group in our house. We cook with them every day. I suppose that's an uplifting part of my allergies - I can still eat onions! Let's hope that doesn't change! The caramelization of onions for this soup is a bit time consuming but I promise you, it is well worth it. While cooking, the onions will scent your house like you have never imagined. It will make your stomach growl with hunger.

Onion Soup

 
Serve this soup as a starter, or as a main meal with flat bread, crackers or try my Sweet Potato Fritters.

5-6lbs / 2.3-2.7kgs of onions
4 tbsps olive oil
6-8 cups / 1500-2000 mls of stock (chicken, beef or veggie)
Salt and pepper to taste

Try to slice onions no more than 5mm/0.19in thick - the thinner they are sliced, the quicker they caramelize. Place onions and oil in a large, wide-bottomed pot. On medium heat, bring your onions to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the onions cook and begin to brown you will have to stir them more often so make sure to keep an eye on them. If you notice them starting to burn then turn down your heat. De-glaze your pan every once-in-a-while and make sure to scrape off the caramelization from the bottom of your pan. It will take about an hour to an hour and twenty minutes for your onions to caramelize. You want to look for a deep caramel colour. Once caramelized add your stock, salt, and pepper. Heat and serve!


I added this post to Cybele Pascal's Allergy-Friendly Friday here. Check out the other amazing recipes!

Notes:

- If you are in a hurry but still want onion soup then try separating your onions amongst multiple pots/pans. They will cook faster this way. - I often sneak a few spoonfuls of caramelized onions to put on my husband's sandwiches. They are also delicious on a burger!

- You can always caramelize the onions in advance and store them in the fridge to use later. Or make a double-batch so that you have extra for a rainy day. I'm going to try canning some so that I will have them on hand.

Additions:

- If you have bread that you can eat, toast some and add it to the top of your soup.

- If you can have cheese (dairy or non-dairy) add this too!