Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery

Mashed Turnips with Bacon & Chives

2013-06-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

Mashed Turnips

Looks like mashed potatoes, doesn't it? We've been following the Paleo diet for a few months now, and are really seeing tremendous improvement in our allergic symptoms. Previously, we had been avoiding a wide range of the foods that our RAST allergy bloodwork indicated were a problem, but we were all still suffering from strange rashes, rosacea, flaky ear canals, sinus congestion and drip, achy muscles, swollen glands, bad breath, acne, depression, and a host of other (less polite) digestive problems.

The Paleo plan, for those of you who are not yet converts, eliminates all grains, dairy, legumes, potatoes, sugar, and processed foods. An additional layer of elimination is available on the Autoimmune Protocol, where nuts, seeds, eggs, nightshade vegetables, and a few other items are also avoided. While it seems strange that these seemingly "healthy" foods could be the culprits behind our unpleasant health problems, the proof is in the dramatic improvement in the way we feel. We're sleeping better, have eliminated chronic headaches and stomachaches, and the females in our group (ok, me) are much less moody. Yes, I admit, I was a real pain sometimes. Every symptom from the first paragraph has resolved, and we're all losing weight as well.

Switching over to the Paleo diet is a difficult transition, especially because so many foods need to be cooked from scratch. Sandwiches are no longer an option for school lunches. You can't pour a quick bowl of cereal and be out the door in the morning. It's a commitment. Luckily, in our case, we were already used to creating alternative versions of popular foods, so we were halfway there.

This is a roundabout way of getting to the point of my post - mashed turnips make a great substitute for mashed potatoes. Our transition is made easier when we can replace favorite foods with Paleo options that look or taste very similar. What is pot roast without mashed potatoes? This version of mashed turnips is the perfect solution. Made with coconut milk, coconut butter, bacon and chives, it combines the texture of a mashed potato with a bold flavor that complements the meat very well. The trickiest part of this recipe is draining the excess liquid before you mash. Even if you aren't avoiding potatoes, try this turnip recipe -- it's really good!

Mashed Turnips with Bacon & Chives

4 -5 large turnips
6 strips bacon (no nitrites)
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbsp coconut butter
3 Tbsp chives, snipped
salt to taste

Peel and cut the turnips into a large dice. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until the turnips are soft. While the turnips are boiling, cook the bacon your favorite way. I like to spread the pieces on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Drain the bacon on paper towels.

Drain the water from the turnips, then return them to the pot over low heat to remove a bit more liquid. Add the coconut milk, coconut butter, and salt, and mash with a potato masher. Stir in the bacon and chives and serve warm.

Shared with Mostly Homemade Monday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Tuesday's Table , Fat Tuesday, and Traditional Tuesday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 6/14/13

2013-06-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #44 ====

Welcome to Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love! This weekly link party is specifically for your dishes that will travel well in a lunchbox, and if they're free of some (or all) of the top eight food allergens, that's even better :) We all need some inspiration when it comes time to fill that lunchbox week after week!

The featured post from last week's party is Carob Brownie Bars from Life Currents. These decadent chocolate treats feature a soft chocolate layer, topped with a sweet coconut layer. Made with coconut flour and honey, the brownies are Paleo and refined-sugar-free. And easy!

Carob Brownie Bars

by Life Currents

I Tried It: Chocolate Coconut Flour Muffins

2013-06-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Coconut Flour Muffins

It is pretty tricky to bake with coconut flour. You need a ton of eggs for each tiny bit of flour, and if you don't measure just right you end up with a thick mess or an uncooked flavor.

I've tried making dozens of muffin recipes with coconut flour, as we try to get used to grain-free living. Most of them were weird... some were awful. However, this week I tried a Chocolate Coconut Flour Muffin recipe from Living Gracefully and it was really delicious! The muffin tasted just like a very moist chocolate cake, without any of the grittiness or pastiness that coconut flour can sometimes have.

The kids loved the recipe so much I made it twice -- once as it was written, and once substituting the maple syrup for another 1/4 cup of applesauce (apple apricot sauce, as it happens). We also added mini chocolate chips on top when the muffins came out of the oven. These melted a little bit and tasted like frosting :)

Hop on over to Living Gracefully to see the full recipe!

Orange Spiced Ham

2013-06-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

Orange Spiced Ham

I love the smell of ham baking in the oven, and this recipe adds the heady scent of oranges and cloves to the house as well. This is another spectacularly easy dish, perfect for those nights when you want to fix something quickly and forget it for half an hour to an hour.

I like to use Niman Ranch uncured ham -- the taste is really complex, and there is no added sugar. These hams only come in small packages though, so for my family of five I cook two and enjoy a few leftover slices the next day.

I had some kumquats hanging around in the fridge, so I added them to this recipe, but you can easily just dice up some fresh oranges or clementines.

Orange Spiced Ham

Two 2-3 lb uncured hams
1 cup orange juice
1 jar orange marmalade (no sugar added)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1 cup kumquats, halved (or oranges, diced)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together marmalade and orange juice (takes about 2 minutes). Mix in nutmeg and cloves, then pour over hams in a roasting pan. Sprinkle kumquats or oranges around the hams. Bake until a meat thermometer reads 150 degrees, about 45 minutes, depending on the size of your hams. Baste once during the cooking time. Slice and serve warm with some of the orange sauce on top.

Shared with Monday Funday, Metamorphosis Monday, Mostly Homemade Monday, the Homestead Barn Hop, Gluten Free Recipe Round Up, Traditional Tuesdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, the Hearth and Soul Hop, Tuesday's Table, Fat Tuesday, Show Me What You Got, Share It, Teach Me Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, the Homemaking LinkUp, Pennywise Platter, Anything Goes, Weekend Bloggy Reading, Whole Food Friday, and Market Yourself Monday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 6/7/13

2013-06-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #43 ====

The featured post from last week's party is Paleo Pineapple Upside Down Cake from Little E's Kitchen. This yummy cake is completely grain-free, made with coconut flour, honey, and your favorite alternative milk. What a great way to enjoy a classic favorite!

Paleo Pineapple Upside Down Cake

by Little E's Kitchen

I Tried It: Grain Free Bread

2013-06-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

Grain-Free Bread from The Saffron Girl

Baking without grains is quite a challenge, and I'm learning a lot by trying out other people's recipes. This almond-flour-based, Grain Free Bread from The Saffron Girl was easy and delicious. The texture is like a quick bread, and the slices toast very well in the oven. I loved the dark crust that this bread makes, too.

I baked this twice, once without changes, and the second time with a bit less baking soda. The first time I felt like I could taste too much baking soda in every bite, and amazingly, even without the extra soda the second time around, the bread still rose nicely. This loaf didn't work for my nut-allergic son, but for those of you who can tolerate almond flour, this is a great recipe to try.

Strawberry Apple Salad

2013-06-03T06:00:00.001-04:00

Strawberry Apple Salad

Fresh berries are so expensive these days, and I hate buying a $5 pint and finding that half the berries are overripe and not likely to last another day. Instead of throwing away these mushy, blemished berries (because my kids won't eat them), I blend them up into a salad dressing instead. The dressing is so sweet with the addition of the berries, and no one will ever know that they weren't perfect! The sweet dressing goes well with other fruits in your salad - I've used apples here. I threw in some pecans for protein, then after I took the photo I also added some salami strips, which were a huge hit. Nice contrast of flavors!

Strawberry Apple Salad

3 cups spring mix lettuce
1 cucumber
3/4 cup green beans, cut in 1" pieces
2 apples, sliced thin, skin on
1 cup mixed strawberries and raspberries
1/4 cup orange juice or mango juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt to taste
1 cup pecans, whole
nitrite-free salami, sliced in strips

For the salad, toss the lettuce, cucumber, green beans and apples. For the dressing, combine the berries, juice, oil, vinegar and salt in a blender and whirl until the berries are pulp. Pour the dressing over the salad, add the pecans and toss, then sprinkle the salami strips on top (they clump together if you try to toss them) (skip for a vegan version).

Shared with Gluten Free Weekly Meal Plan, Strut Your STuff Saturday, Market Yourself Monday, Metamorphosis Monday, Fat Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, the Hearth and Soul Hop, Tuesday's Table, Show Me What You Got, Share It, Teach Me Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, The Homemaking LinkUp, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Wellness Weekend, Gluten Free Friday, Whole Food Friday and Mostly Homemade Monday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 5/31/13

2013-05-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #42 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Soft Ginger Cookies by Live Free Gluten Free. These yummy treats are made with your favorite gluten-free flour blend, with molasses and coconut sugar for sweetening. I think I need some now!

Soft Ginger Cookies

by Live Free Gluten Free

(Check out past Lunchbox Love parties by clicking the "Lunchbox Love" label at the right.)

Also, you can follow our Pinterest Board to see all the past submissions.

Shared with Anything Goes and Happy Hour Friday.

What's For Dinner Tonight?

2013-05-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

On The Menu Tonight

***

Ground Beef & Grilled Onions

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Ham

Mixed Greens with Strawberry Mango Dressing

***

I made one huge batch of caramelized Vidalia onions and split it between the ground beef and the cauliflower soup. The ground beef is hardly a recipe - it's just cooked in a frying pan with some Rib Rub - but the kids love it!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Ham (DF, GF)

2013-05-27T06:01:00.000-04:00

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

I love hiding vegetables in soup! This particular soup is so creamy and decadent, you'd never suspect it's full of healthy vitamins. And there's no dairy in it at all! The creaminess comes from the pureed cauliflower and the coconut milk, but don't worry that this is just a bland pile of cauliflower mush. Flavor busts out all over from the ham, horseradish, caramelized onions and chives. You're going back for seconds on this one!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Ham

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
4 cups chicken broth
1 vidalia onion, sliced thin
olive oil
3 pcs ham (leftover or deli), diced
1/2 cup coconut milk (depends)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup Veganaise horseradish (or your favorite prepared horseradish)
salt/pepper
4 Tbsp chives, snipped small

In a large stockpot, combine the cauliflower and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, or until cauliflower is soft.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, combine onion and olive oil, and cook over medium-low heat until onion is lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.

While you are waiting for these two pots to cook, start a smaller frying pan with the diced ham. Cook on medium and stir often - the ham may stick and burn. Set aside when browned.

Add the cooked onion to the pot of cauliflower, along with the coconut milk (add a little less if your cauliflower is very wet), nutritional yeast, salt & pepper and prepared horseradish. Blend with an immersion blender until no chunks remain.

Garnish with chives and serve warm (serves 4 - 6). Tastes even better on the second day!

Shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Tuesday's Table, Fat Tuesday, Share It, Teach Me Tuesday, Tasty Traditions, Mostly Homemade Monday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, The Mommy Club, The Homemaking Link-Up, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, The Homemaking Party, Create It Thursday, Weekend Bloggy Reading, Allergy Friendly Friday, and Hearth and Soul Hop.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ...5/24/13

2013-05-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #41 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Vegan Chocolate Coconut Ice by Wayfaring Chocolate. This traditional Australian treat is typically made with sweetened condensed milk and egg white, but Hannah has vegan-ized these yummy bites and made them gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free. Can't wait to try one!

Vegan Chocolate Coconut Ice

by Wayfaring Chocolate

(Check out past Lunchbox Love parties by clicking the "Lunchbox Love" label at the right.)

Also, you can follow our Pinterest Board to see all the past submissions.

I Tried It: Coconut Flour Biscuits

2013-05-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Coconut Flour Chive Biscuits

I've been trying all sorts of Paleo, grain-free recipes lately, and I finally hit on one that actually works well. The Urban Poser features a delicious-looking Bacon Chive Biscuit made with coconut flour and mashed pumpkin, and it really tastes delicious.

I left out the bacon in her recipe, because we were already having ham for dinner, and the biscuit tasted just fine. Love the use of pumpkin for moisture, as it allows me to sneak a bit more vegetables into my fussy eight-year-old. The biscuits were nicely moist, without any of that dry coconut flour taste. The chives added a beautiful touch.

These were easy to make and everyone loved them!

Click here to jump to the original recipe at the Urban Poser.

Mini Turkey & Ham Meatloaves

2013-05-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

Mini Meatloaves

"They taste better than they look," declared my husband. I guess I can live with that :) And he's right ... ground turkey can be horribly bland, but the addition of ham, balsamic & dijon to this mixture really gives it a great flavor. I've had some horrible mis-steps with ground turkey that came out tasting like steamed meat, but this isn't one of them.

There's no egg or gluten in these meatloaves, but there are ground chia seeds. These not only give it the texture it would have had with breadcrumbs and egg, but also add additional protein and Omega 3s. Super healthy!

I added yellow squash for color and nutrients, but you could use any leftover veggies you find in the fridge (last time I made this I used asparagus and zucchini). If you chop them small enough, your family may not even realize they are eating vegetables at all! These work well for dinner, lunch, snacks and even breakfast (especially if you're Paleo).

Mini Turkey and Ham Meatloaves

3 lbs ground turkey
1 - 2 cups leftover ham, diced small (or deli ham)
1 yellow squash, diced small
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 cup ground chia seeds
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a very large bowl, combine turkey, ham, squash, onions and chia seeds. Don't worry too much about getting everything perfectly combined - you'll have another chance to mix more later. In a glass measuring cup, whisk together the balsamic, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over the turkey mixture and mix thoroughly (your hands are the best tool for this job). Press into muffin tins. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes. Makes 21 mini meatloaves.

This recipe inspired by Paleo Intensified.

Shared with Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, the Hearth & Soul Hop, Tuesday's Table, Share It, Show Me What You Got, Teach Me Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, The Homemaking Link Up, Whatever You Want Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Fresh Bites Friday, Anything Goes, Weekend Bloggy Reading, and Traditional Tuesday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 5/17/13

2013-05-17T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #40 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Basic Gluten-Free Bread by Sandi's Allergy Free Recipes. Sandi makes her bread without gluten, dairy or refined sugar, and has managed to come up with a light loaf that actually slices for sandwiches! Congratulations - that's not easy :)

Basic Gluten-Free Bread

by Sandi's Allergy Free Recipes

(Check out past Lunchbox Love parties by clicking the "Lunchbox Love" label at the right.)

Also, you can follow our Pinterest Board to see all the past submissions.

Shared with DIY Accomplished, Weekend Wrap Up, Strut Your Stuff, and Shine On Friday.

What's For Dinner Tonight?

2013-05-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

On The Menu Tonight

***

"The Counter's" Burger Salad

with grilled onions and bacon

This super-easy dish is inspired by a burger chain near us called The Counter. Instead of having your burger on a bun, you can have it over mixed greens, with any combination of your favorite toppings. Tonight we're adding grilled onions and bacon, but you might like to add cheese, BBQ sauce, avocado, mango, or anything else you can find in your fridge. The meat juices actually make enough of a "dressing" for me over the salad, but a light additional dressing would work too.

What are you having for dinner tonight?

Middle Eastern Roast Pork with Lemon Asparagus & Kumquats

2013-05-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Moroccan Roast Pork

I found kumquats at the grocery store today and have been trying all day to like them. Boy, are those babies tart! It's like eating an orange peel! But roasting them really turns them to candy, and I loved the zip they brought to my pork dinner tonight.

Roasting pork is super easy, and with a ready-made spice rub, you can't go wrong. I used a popular Middle Eastern spice called Green Za'atar. This mixture is usually made with ground oregano, thyme and marjoram, with some sesame seeds added in whole. I've included a link to the manufacturer of my spice mix below, but if you are feeling adventurous you might like to make your own.

Middle Eastern Roast Pork

2 pork tenderloins (mine combined to make about 2 pounds)
3 Tbsp Green Za'atar spice mix (mine is this kind)
1 onion, quartered and sliced
4 apples, peeled and sliced large
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch asparagus
about 10 kumquats
juice of 1/4 lemon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rub the Za'atar spice mix (an herbal sesame spice popular in the Middle East) all over the pork, and set the tenderloins on a baking sheet. Distribute the apples and onions around the pork, and drizzle them with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Toss a bit to make sure they're covered.

Bake the pork for 10 minutes, then turn the tenderloins over and bake another 15 minutes. While the pork is in the over for its first baking, prepare the asparagus on a second baking sheet. Break off the woody ends, and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Slice the kumquats, remove the seeds, and sprinkle over the asparagus. Toss the whole thing with some salt. After you've turned the pork, put the asparagus in the oven to roast.

Let the pork rest 10 minutes before slicing it. When the asparagus comes out of the oven, squeeze some fresh lemon juice on it. Serve the pork surrounded by the cooked apples, with the asparagus on the side. Serves 4.

Shared with Allergy Friendly Friday, Traditional Tuesday, The Hearth & Soul Hop, Fat Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 5/10/13

2013-05-10T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #39 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Date Sweetened Granola by The Mixing Bowl. This yummy cereal/snack is nut-free (which is unusual for a granola), and utilizes crushed flax crackers for extra nutrition. Great idea!

Date Sweetened Granola

by The Mixing Bowl

Shared with Anything Goes, Strut Your Stuff, Inspire Me Wednesday, Welcome Home Wednesday, Mommy Monday, and Teach Me Tuesday.

(Check out past Lunchbox Love parties by clicking the "Lunchbox Love" label at the right.)

Also, you can follow our Pinterest Board to see all the past submissions.

What's For Dinner Tonight?

2013-05-07T17:40:00.004-04:00

On The Menu Tonight

***

Pineapple Ham

Chive Biscuits

Pumpkin Custard

Green Salad

Notes: Click the links above to access the recipes I used from other blogs. I left out the bacon from the biscuits because we were already having ham, and substituted coconut oil for the bacon fat. I also used half the amount of maple syrup in the custard to make the dish less like a dessert and more like a side dish.

Coconut Cod Curry (DF, GF)

2013-05-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

Coconut Cod Curry

I've been experimenting with different fish preparations, trying to find one that the whole family likes. We have one member who likes oil poached fish, one who prefers fried, and one who would rather not eat fish at all. This dish, a quick weeknight soup, seemed to make everyone happy!

This is a great dinner when you need to throw something on the stove and go do something else. It can sit and simmer for ages without hurting the fish, and it makes the house smell great. The coconut broth tastes a lot like chowder, but it's dairy free and so simple.

Coconut Cod Curry

1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans coconut milk
3 carrots, sliced
2 lbs cod, cut in chunks
3 Tbsp curry powder
salt
1 package frozen peas

Saute the onion and carrots in the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, cod, salt and curry powder and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes, and up to 60 minutes if the heat is very low. 15 minutes before you plan to eat, add the peas. You may need to turn the heat up a bit if the cold peas stop the simmer. Serves 5 - 7.

Shared with Traditional Tuesday and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday and the Hearth and Soul Hop and Fat Tuesday and the Homemaking Linkup and Allergy Free Wednesday and Real Food Wednesday and Gluten Free Wednesday and Healthy 2Day Wednesday and Pennywise Platter and Fresh Bites Friday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 5/3/13

2013-05-03T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #38 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Spiced Banana Bread by Raia's Recipes. This delicious loaf is free of gluten, dairy, eggs and refined sugar. Looks like a wonderful dish for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert!

Spiced Banana Bread

by Raia's Recipes

Now on to this week's party. What did you pack for lunch?

Shared with Whatever You Want Wednesday and The Mommy Club.

Zucchini Pizza Appetizers (GF, DF, grain free, paleo)

2013-04-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

Zucchini Pizza Appetizers

Throwing a party with multiple food allergies is always a challenge. What can you serve that both you and your guests will enjoy? These little "pizzas" are not only gluten-free, they are grain-free as well, and can be dairy free. And they're so easy to make! Just few minutes of slicing and stacking, then into the oven and ten minutes later they're done.

We used a delicious brand of uncured, nitrite free pepperoni (Wellshire Farms) from Whole Foods -- it really makes this dish because of it's strong flavor. My husband, who finally renounced veganism and has gone Paleo, was thrilled. He kept saying "This really tastes like a snack!" The kids loved them too (always a huge plus).

Zucchini Pizza Appetizers

2 medium zucchini
1 cup prepared tomato sauce
uncured pepperoni (about 50)
Daiya shredded mozzarella (dairy free cheese)

Slice the zucchini into 1/4" slices, and lay out on a baking sheet. Spoon about 1/2 tsp of sauce on each one, and top with a pepperoni slice and some shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Allergy Free Wednesday, Allergy Friendly Friday , TGIF Party, Kids in the Kitchen, Gluten Free Friday, and Weekend Wrap Up.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 4/26/13

2013-04-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #37 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Probiotic Gummy Candies by Small Footprint Family. These yummy-looking treats are dairy-free and refined-sugar free, and feature gut-healing probiotics hidden inside. What a fun way to get your daily ration!

Probiotic Gummy Candies

by Small Footprint Family

Now on to this week's party. What did you pack for lunch?

Sweet Potato Soup with Ham and Cider (GF, DF)

2013-04-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Sweet Potato Soup

I just love it when I can make something new and yummy out of the leftovers in my fridge! After a big party, we had a ton of honey-glazed ham with cinnamon apples left over, and cider-glazed sweet potatoes as well. Oh yeah, and half a jug of cider. I was scanning Pinterest to see what I could do with leftover ham, and found someone who had made a ham and sweet potato soup. Score! I made some modifications to the original idea, and here's what I came up with. Adding the cider to the soup base made a huge difference -- the finished product is so sweet!

In case you are interested, I used these recipes for my original honey/apple ham and cider sweet potatoes. Love that Pinterest!

Sweet Potato Soup with Ham and Cider

2 cups leftover sweet potatoes
2 cups leftover ham
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup cider

Run your sweet potatoes and ham through the food processor to mash them to a pulp. Transfer to a large stock pot and add the broth and cider. Heat over medium, stirring well, until the potatoes are no longer a paste and the soup is warm. You can adjust the proportions of this to suit the amount of leftovers you have -- just keep adding liquid to your potato/ham pulp until it's nice and smooth. Enjoy!

Shared with the Hearth and Soul Hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Feature Yourself Friday, Real Food Wednesday, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Share It, Whatever You Want Wednesday, and Inspire Me Tuesday.

Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love ... 4/19/13

2013-04-19T06:00:00.000-04:00

==== LUNCHBOX LOVE #36 ====

The most popular post at last week's party was Sweet Potato Scones by MamaCook.

These yummy-looking scones are egg free and contain no added sugar. What a great use for leftover baked sweet potatoes! And I would love to find one of these in my lunchbox :)

Now on to this week's party. What did you pack for lunch?

Cauliflower Crust Pizza (GF, DF, egg free, vegan)

2013-04-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Well, I've seen these recipes all over the internet for cauliflower pizza crust, and I finally decided to try one. Most of them use eggs, but two of three sons are allergic to eggs, so I tracked down this vegan version and was pretty happy with it. It's not a very sturdy crust, and it was a challenge to get the pizzas off the baking sheet, but the taste was there! The crust tastes "bready" when it's eaten in combination with toppings, but alone it does taste cauliflowery. I didn't mind - it was nice to have that carb-like feeling again! This recipe makes 4 individual 6" pizzas.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

1 head cauliflower
5 Tbsp ground flax seeds
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a glass measuring cup, combine the water and flax seeds and let sit.

Cut the cauliflower into large chunks (the right size to fit into the feed chute of your food processor). Using the grating or shredding blade, feed the cauliflower into the food processor until it is completely "riced." Transfer to a large frying pan and heat the cauliflower over medium for five minutes just to get the moisture out. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flax/water mixture, rice flour, nutritional yeast, and flavorings (you can add any kind of herbs and spices you like, from oregano to Old Bay). Stir in the cauliflower until well combined.

Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the cauliflower mixture into four equal parts and squish with your hands into a semblance of a ball. Transfer each ball to the baking sheet and pat down into a round crust, smoothing the edges.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until browned on the edges and relatively crisp. Remove from oven, add your favorite toppings, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

These crusts are not sturdy enough to transfer to plates with a spatula. Using the parchment paper, slide each pizza onto a plate (slide the paper with the pizza on it right onto a plate, then using the spatula to hold the pizza in place, slide the paper out from under the crust so the pizza remains on the plate). Eat with a fork and knife.

Makes 4 individual pizzas.

Adapted from Positively Vegan.

Shared with Slightly Indulgent Tuesday , Hearth and Soul Hop, Allergy Free Wednesday, Wellness Weekend, Fresh Bites Friday, Gluten Free Weekly, and Healthy 2Day Wednesday.