Well, howdy! I wasn’t sure I’d ever get back to blogging here again. I just went through all of the comments that people have left on various posts over the past several years and I apologize to those whose comments I missed. It was lovely to read your thoughts, and it reminded me that we often don’t realize how we may be impacting others. I had a similar thought last fall when a Lifetime menu planning subscriber called me out of the blue just to tell me how my recipes have impacted her over the years, helping her to lose weight and eat healthier.

A brief overview of the past several years…

Life has been interesting to say the least, but I think we can all say that to some degree with Covid interrupting practically everyone’s lives almost four years ago. Even before the Covid era began, I was feeling ready for a change in my career. So, I spent a good part of a few years focusing on bringing to life another business. However, in 2023 it became clear that my well-intentioned experiment was not sustaining me and my family like I needed it to.

Alas, I returned to cooking a couple of years ago because honestly, people continued to contact me to cook for them as a personal chef without me putting an inch of effort into it (all the while I was working long hours on my other business venture). I’m starting to realize that the things that come very naturally to us are the gifts we’ve been given to share with others. The Universe kept telling me to get back to personal cheffing and so I said yes. I don’t cook as much as I used to, but I’ve enjoyed the steady pace of working for families and individuals again here in Baltimore, Maryland as well as the surrounding areas.

How to make pesto for (almost) any diet:

Last year I took some photos of the food I was making for one of my clients, one of them being the Pesto Chicken and Roasted Broccoli you see above. These are two of my favorite recipes (well, minus the chicken because I’ve found that eating vegetarian has helped me with various perimenopausal symptoms). But I LOVE pesto, and I LOVE roasted broccoli!

The fun and tricky thing about making pesto for clients with various dietary needs is it can be quite versatile depending on what you can and can’t eat. I’ve had clients whose diet is nut-free, dairy-free, garlic-free, seed-free, soy-free, etc., and I seem to be able to make some kind of pesto that not only works for their diet but is also delicious.

I’ve made pesto without the cheese, garlic, and nuts and they’ve all turned out well. If all of these ingredients were deleted, it might not be very tasty. But my general rule of thumb is if I’m not using nuts or seeds, I use extra cheese. If I’m not using cheese, I use extra nuts or seeds. As far as the garlic goes, I find basil itself spicy by itself, so I personally don’t think it needs it, unless you really love garlic. Here’s my go-to recipe that I simply adapt as needed:

Pesto Recipe

• 2 cups fresh basil, washed and dried
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, to taste (use less if using more cheese)
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, or dairy-free parmesan, or nutritional yeast
• 1/4- 1/2 cups olive oil, until you reach your desire consistency

Steps:

1. Add basil leaves to food processor and chop. Add garlic, pine nuts or other nut or seed of choice, cheese or nutritional yeast, salt, and lemon juice. Pulse. Add olive oil until you have a nice paste consistency.

2. Add pesto to cooked chicken, steamed or roasted veggies, or rice.

Dairy-free Parmesan Suggestions

As for dairy-free parmesan, I haven’t tried that many but here is a short list of ones I might recommend based on their ingredients:

Violife Shaved Parmesan – This is not fully nut-free as it contains coconut oil. But this may work for you if you can’t have most nuts but you’re okay with coconut oil.

NOOCH IT! Fair Trade Cashew Parmesan – This one is not nut-free but if you’re okay with cashews and hemp seeds, you could give it a try.

Brown Rice Miso – In the book, May all Be Fed, Diet for a New World by John Robbins, he uses brown rice miso in his pesto recipe to replace the cheese, using about 1 Tbsp. per 2.5 cups of basil leaves.

Again, you can just try to delete the cheese component and use extra nuts or seeds. Seeds and nuts are used to make alternative dairy-free cheeses anyway, cashews being one of the main ones.

Other Pesto Recipes:

Here are two other pesto recipes that you can try that are also dairy and nut-free.

Artichoke Pesto – (dairy and nut-free)

Spinach Basil Pesto (nut-free, seed-free, and dairy-free)

Roasted Broccoli Recipe

• 5-6 cups broccoli florets
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste

Steps:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Cut the broccoli into medium florets.  (I like to cut the thick stems in half so they cook more quickly). Place broccoli on a roasting pan and drizzle the olive oil over it.  Using your hands, mix the broccoli so that the olive oil is covering the florets.  Use additional olive oil if needed.

2. Spread the broccoli over the pan, making sure the florets do not overlap.  Use two pans if needed.  Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over the broccoli.  Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through and slightly browned. 

Happy New Year!

I hope to get back to writing more consistently as I have plans for more things I want to share with you. Until then, be well and Happy New Year

The post Pesto (dairy-free, nut-free) and Roasted Broccoli Recipes appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

I never would have imagined that when I began cooking for people at a retreat farm in Pennsylvania 14 years ago that I would end up starting my own personal chef business and cooking for families for the next 13 years. While there have been ups and downs in my business, I’m happy to say it’s been a great run! And I’m still here, cooking for people locally in Baltimore, Owings Mills and as far as Washington DC as a personal chef. Over the years I have made a lot of different kinds of dishes and I’ve learned something new each time I’ve been asked to branch out of my comfort zone. I’m a self-taught chef after all and in my perspective, trying new things always makes life more interesting!

I think it’s true, however, that every chef has a favorite kind of food to make. I get asked this often and sometimes I don’t know what to say; my food preferences have changed dramatically over the years and I also enjoy making a lot different kinds of food. Over the past year though, I’ve begun to realize that my favorite kinds of food to make are vegan plant-based meals. I have always loved making creative vegan dishes out of vegetables and legumes, and dairy alternatives using nuts and seeds. These things usually take more time because there is more chopping and prep involved but I love doing it.

About a year and a half ago I started following the Medical Medium protocol, which is a plant-based healing diet that is mostly vegan. This was a huge change for me after following various meat-based, starch-free vegetable and fruit –free diets over the years in hopes they would help heal my digestive and other physical issues.  I never thought I would be vegan (I honestly didn’t think I would survive without meat protein) however, it was clear to me that something needed to change because I no longer had a real appetite for food.

The Medical Medium protocol is not so strict that you can’t eat meat on occasion, but over the many months of eating mostly fruits and vegetables, I simply have lost my desire to eat it. I am enjoying some fish every now and then so I can’t say I’m a complete vegan (plus I love honey!)  But other than that, I haven’t eaten meat for quite a while.  So while I still prepare meals containing meat for personal chef clients and my son, I have to be honest that I am less thrilled about making it now that I’ve begun a love affair with vegan plant-based and often raw meals.

I once thought that eating too many raw veggies would give me digestive problems and eating too many fruits (or any fruit for that matter) would raise my blood sugar and cause havoc in my body.  But the opposite has proven to be true. My digestion continues to heal and my blood sugar is more stable than it’s been in years.  I still need to eat regularly but I can now go on an errand without feeling like I need to bring something to eat in case I have a blood sugar crash.

My healing has not only occurred on the physical level; I have also found that my anxiety and PTSD issues have also drastically improved as well as my sleep (insomnia has not been my friend for many years). Because of the shifts in my health, I now have a sense of freedom in my life that I simply didn’t feel before, and it’s only getting better!

So while I still prepare meals containing meat for personal chef clients and my son, I have to be honest that I am less thrilled about making it now that I’ve begun a love affair with vegan plant-based and often raw meals. I once thought that eating too many raw veggies would give me digestive problems and eating too many fruits (or any fruit for that matter) would raise my blood sugar and cause havoc in my body.  

But the opposite has proven to be true. My digestion continues to heal and my blood sugar is more stable than it’s been in years.  I still need to eat regularly but I can now go on an errand without feeling like I need to bring something to eat in case I have a blood sugar crash.

My healing has not only occurred on the physical level; I have also found that my anxiety and PTSD issues have also drastically improved as well as my sleep (insomnia has not been my friend for many years). Because of the shifts in my health, I now have a sense of freedom in my life that I simply didn’t feel before, and it’s only getting better!

I know that the kind of diet I follow is not for everyone. And I am leaving out a big part of the diet which includes drinking celery juice every morning and taking specific herbs and supplements to aid the body in healing. Even if it’s not for everyone, I know it has helped and healed countless people. And I also believe that people are missing out on many of the amazing healing qualities of fruit because it has become trendy in the diet world to think that it causes inflammation, blood sugar imbalances and other physical issues.

As a personal chef who loves making vegan food and plant-based meals, I am not necessarily in the position to recommend diets to my clients because I am not a nutritionist. I also want to respect their right to follow the kind of diet that works for them.  At the same time, I want to begin to gear my business towards working with clients who want to eat plant-based and vegan personal chef meals because that is where my heart is right now.

Thirteen years ago I came up with the name “Heart of Cooking” for my business for a reason: I loved cooking and preparing meals for people, and I believed that when I stayed with my intention “to bring joy, creativity and inspiration and love to what I do,” my clients would feel these qualities in the food they enjoy.

I want to continue to carry on this intention by cooking and preparing more meals that make me happy: plant-based, vegetarian or vegan dishes. For, I truly believe that when we are in line with our heart’s truth and desires, our lives can transform in ways we didn’t expect.

Are you thinking about having a personal chef cook for you?
In celebration of my 13th anniversary as a personal chef, I’m offering $25 off your first cook day. Simply mention this blog post when you contact me.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

The post Vegan personal chef meals + Celebrating 13 years in business! appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

Homemade Dairy and Soy-free Cheese

Update March 2018: This post was originally created in 2009. A lot has changed in nine years and there are so many more soy-free products available on the market. So I’m updating the post to include some of the new choices for people who avoid soy products.

Soy is one of the top eight most common food allergens.  Yet, soy products can be found in many foods in restaurants, fast food, manufactured breads, cereals, mayonnaise, salad dressings, in non-dairy milk products and many other foods.

Soy can be hiding in your food under any of the following ingredients:

emusifiers*
soy flour
soy oil
soy sauce
tamari
Bragg’s liquid amino acids
tempeh
vegetable gum*
lecithin*
soy lecithin
soy protein
soy sprouts
tofu
vegetable oil*
vegetable shortening*
textured vegetable protein (TVP)
miso
soy albumin
soy milk
soy protein isolate
soy-based infant formulas
unspecified sprouts*
vegetable paste*
vegetable starch*
hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP)*
shoyu
soy beans
soy nuts
edamame
soya
stabilizers*
vegetable broth*
vegetable protein*
hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP)*
*  These items may or may not contain soy; the source if seldom listed on a food label.
Source:  Vickerstackk-Joneha, J. Managing Food Allergy and Intolerance:  A Practical Guide.  1995

So if you have soy allergies or a soy intolerance, it is imperative that you read labels on foods carefully and ask specifically about the food you are ordering in a restaurant if you’re eating out. For many people, creating all or most of your food at home is the best way to ensure you are avoiding all soy products.

Are Soy Products really the answer for people with milk allergies or lactose intolerance?

If you can’t eat dairy products, it may seem like soy products such as soy milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt, soy ice cream, even “butter” made from soy oil are great alternatives to use. Unfortunately, non-fermented soy foods are not the “health food” they have been advertised to be.  Fermented foods such as tempeh, fermented soy sauce, miso and natto are generally okay to eat in balance if they are organic and if you don’t have a soy allergy or soy intolerance. However, most non-fermented soy products on the market are made from GMO soy and many have added MSG. Read more about why it’s important to avoid soy products.

So what can you eat on a soy-free diet?

When you realize that many of the foods you have been eating are made with soy, it can take some time to figure out exactly what you can eat instead!

Here are some ideas:

Mayonnaise: Almost all mayos are made from soy oil.  You can find soy-free mayo in some grocery stores in the natural foods section and at most health food stores.  However, most are made from canola or safflower oils and unfortunately these oils are also usually genetically modified. 

Update: A lot has changed since I wrote this post and there are now some great mayos made with avocado oil, which is one of the healthier oils to eat:

Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo

Chosen Foods Avocado Oil Mayo

If you’d like to make your own mayo, here is a foolproof one:

Easy and Foolproof Homemade Mayo Recipe

Salad Dressing:

Salad dressing is another food product where soy oil is hanging out on a regular basis. Read lables when buying salad dressing or make your own. Making a simple vinegarette takes me about 5 minutes to make in my nifty salad dressing bottle.

Here is my basic salad dressing recipe:

2 parts olive oil
1 part apple cider vinegar, or balsamic vinegar
1-2 teaspoon dijon mustard
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Optional add-in’s:
garlic powder
dried basil, thyme, oregano, parsley

Here are some new soy-free salad dressings on the market:

Primal Kitchen Salad dressing

More soy-free salad dressings

Soy flour: Soy flour is added to many breads that you buy in the store.  It is also sometimes used in gluten-free baking.  However, I highly recommend using other gluten-free blends for baking and avoiding bread with soy flour in it.  Again, this is for the same reason that people should avoid non-fermented soy products.

“In addition, soy contains a high omega-3 content that quickly goes rancid when the bean is made into flour.  Soy flour has a disagreeable taste that is difficult to mask  – nature’s way of telling us to avoid it.  The phytoestrogens in soy have been promoted as panaceas but they are actually goitrogens that depress thyroid function.”  Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon, page 477.

Soy nuts: Eat any other kind of nuts besides soy nuts if you can tolerate them.  All nuts have enzyme inhibitors in them so it is best to soak raw nuts overnight (add 1 Tbsp salt to water), drain them, then dehydrate them in the oven at 150 degrees for 12-24 hour.

Soy sauce substitute: I originally wrote this post in 2009 when a soy-free soy sauce alternative did not exist on the market. A lot has changed since then and you can now get coconut aminos at most health food stores. They are an awesome replacement for regular soy sauce as long as you are not allergic to coconut.

For a long time I thought that Coconut Secret was the only one on the market. But I recently discovered that there are now several other brands:

Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos (the orginal)

Big Tree Farms Coconut Aminos

Thrive Market Coconut Aminos

Trader Joes’ Coconut Aminos

Soy and coconut-free soy sauce alternative: If you are allergic to coconut, here is a recipe you can try:

Gluten free Soy free Soy sauce substitute
2 cups organic beef broth
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp molasses or maple syrup
1/8 tsp ground ginger
dash of pepper/onion powder/garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

Steps:  Combine all in a saucepan and boil until reduced to 1 cup.

Bouillon cubes: Buy or make your own veggie, chicken, fish, beef or lamb broth.  Bouillon cubes usually contain soy and hydrogenated oils that are harmful to your health.

Luckily most boxed broths are soy-free and you can now find bone broth pretty easily as long as you are willing to pay extra for it. I like Imagine Foods Chicken broth because it is sugar, soy and gluten-free.

More soy-free broth: Here is a great compilation of allergy-free broth and bouillons.

Miso substitute: There are misos that are soy-free and made with chickpeas. You can also use 1/2 – 1 tsp salt to 1 Tbsp miso in recipes calling for miso.  This works for dairy-free cheese recipes.  For recipes calling for miso for a soup base, use organic chicken or beef broth.

Soy and Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil is another name for soy oil. Soy oil is used to fry many foods in fast food restaurants and sometimes in regular restaurants.  It is also in almost all frozen dinners, many breads, cereals, salad dressings, etc.  Although it does not have soy protein in it and therefore may not create an allergic reaction, it is a GMO-laden oil that is very harmful to our health.  Cook your own food at home with extra virgin coconut oil or cold pressed virgin olive oil. Avoid all products with soy or vegetable oil in them if you can. If you are at a restaurant, always ask what kind of oil was used to cook the food even if you may feel like you’re being picky.

Soy-based Baby Formula: Breast milk is best but if you are unable to breastfeed for whatever reason, the best nutritious baby formula I have found is this recipe at Weston A. Price Foundation.

Tofu and TVP: If you’re a vegetarian or can’t eat meat or seafood for what ever reason, eat properly soaked and cooked beans and lentils, nuts and seeds for protein.  Hemp protein powder is a good source of protein.

Soy and Dairy-free Substitutes for Dairy Products:

Butter substitutes: unless you are allergic to dairy or avoiding casein, I recommend eating organic butter from grass-fed cows.  If you can’t eat butter, you can make or buy ghee. Ghee has absolutely no milk protein in it and is suitable for a casein-free diet.  I personally love using extra virgin coconut oil or coconut butter as butter substitutes. They taste great on toast and in cereal.  For cooking and baking, you can use extra virgin coconut oil or cold pressed virgin olive oil.

My friend raves about this soy-free butter:

Miyoko’s European Style Vegan Butter (contains cashews)

And they now have butter flavored coconut oil:

Nutiva Butter Flavored Coconut oil

Here are some recipes for soy-free and dairy-free butter:

Dairy, Palm and Soy-free Butter

Whipped Dairy-free Butter

Milk: Raw milk or raw milk kefir is best unless you can’t drink milk.  Raw goat milk products including goat milk, goat yogurt and goat kefir are easier to digest than cow’s milk products but still contain some casien.

If you can’t eat raw milk or goat’s milk, try making your own almond milk.  Some packaged almond milk still has soy lecithin in it.  You can also make nut milk out of about any kind of nut and it is much healthier for you than buying storebought nut milks.  Hemp milk is also good for you and is high in Omegas.

My favorite dairy-free and soy-free milk is coconut milk.  I not only use it in hot cereal, but in many different types of recipes that call for milk. Find brands that are not sweetened or have added water or thickeners in them.  Also, buy whole, full fat coconut milk and organic if possible.

Yogurt: If you can’t eat regular cow’s or goat’s yogurt or kefir, there are other alternatives to yogurt that are also soy-free.  The best one I would recommend is coconut yogurt. Here is a popular one:

So Delicious Coconut milk Yogurt

Cheese: It’s hard to find a good dairy-free and soy-free cheese on the market that isn’t made of a lot of processed ingredients. Here is one that looks great, as long as you can eat cashews:

Treeline Treenut Cheese

Daiya cheese is a good alternative and is free of all the 8 common allergans, however it is more processed than eating whole foods.

Here is a recipe you can try:

Soy and Dairy-free Cheese Recipe

Ice cream: Here are some delicious frozen desserts that are soy and dairy-free:

So Delicious Dairy-free Ice Cream

Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss ice cream

Did I forget anything? Let me know if you have further suggestions for a soy-free diet!  I’d love to hear from you!

The post What you can eat when you have soy allergies or soy intolerance appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

Something somewhat miraculous has happened in my life. After avoiding almost all fruit for two years and starchy and sweet veggies for over nine years, I am eating them again. My food choices had become increasing grim and unappetizing last year where I found myself eating the same limited foods each week: salmon, chicken, turkey, some beef, non-starchy veggies including spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, etc, some cheese, eggs, coconut, nuts, chia seeds…not sure what else. I basically was bored with food and tired of eating because life in the land of food had become so pathetically unpleasing to the eye as well as the palette.

How I started this journey ten years ago when I embarked upon the GAPS diet and how I ended up where I am today eating a (mostly) plant-based diet is quite a long story and I’m still working on writing about about this journey. So in the meantime, I will share what is nourishing and filling me up these days.

Salads! smoothies! papayas! potatoes! sweet potatoes! plantains! dates! To name just a few foods that have become my favorite things to eat.

If you have been on any kind of healing diet that limits fruit and and starchy veggies and you are rolling your eyes right now, I get it. This was me less that a year ago. I’m not going to explain right now, but I promise I will.

And if you eat all kinds of fruit already and you’re looking for new inspiration, this post is for you, too.

I want to share some beautiful salad combinations I have been chopping up in the kitchen for the past few months and enjoying daily with my go-to Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing. Yum! And even though it’s been winter, I have found myself feeling nourished by the salads when accompanied by warming soups.

One of my favorite salads I am eating right now on a mostly plant-based diet is the one pictured above. It includes the following:

• fresh papaya chunks
• cooked beets
• raspberries
• mixed power greens
• sprouts
• celery
• cucumber
• homemade lemon tahini salad dressing (I’ll give you the recipe for this as the end of the post)

I don’t see avocado in the photo but I usually add a bit in every salad I eat these days.

Above is  simpler version with just papaya, sprouts and spinach along with a yummy side of potatoes and fresh parsley. Currently I am love with combining papayas, avocados, greens and dressing together. It makes me so happy!

Since last fall, papaya has become my most favorite fruit and I didn’t even know I liked it prior to October. I know some people think it tastes or smells weird, but for me I feel as though my body is being fed, healed and enlivened when I eat it. I believe my body craves it because it has some amazing healing properties for the digestive system.  While I will write more about this later, I will add a quote about papayas here from Anthony William in his book Life Changing Foods:

Papaya is the number one fruit for digestibility. Each papaya contains more than 500 undiscovered powerful digestive enzymes that support the panaceas, aid digestion and mend the walls of the intestinal tract, reducing inflammation and preventing scar tissue from forming there.”

Even though I don’t want to say a lot here about improved symptoms, I will say that my digestion has improved dramatically since being on a plant-based diet. And I believe that papaya has been one of the key ingredients that has begun to heal my digestion.

Grapefruit is another wonderful fruit that has become my friend again. Above is a simple salad with:

• Romaine
• Grapefruit
• cucumbers

You could easily add sprouts, avocado, celery, etc.

Above is a similar salad using Cara Cara oranges with avocado and power greens. So delicious!

This salad was a surprise to me but I ended up loving it! I had some leftover fennel and radicchio that went wonderfully with tangerines:

• radicchio
• tangerines
• fennel
• sprouts
• avocado
• mixed power greens

Oh pears, I love you, too! Here is a yummy green salad:

• green pears
• baby kale
• avocado
• cilantro

And last but not least, this beautiful creation made with leftover roasted asparagus:

• fresh or roasted asparagus
• tangerines
• mixed power greens
• sprouts
• avocado
• lemon tahini dressing

I have been making my Lemon Tahini salad dressing for years now and it has become my go-to dressing. It’s relatively simple to make and stays fresh in the fridge for more than a week. I make the salad dressing in a wide mouthed mason jar to make measuring easy. Then I use a blending wand in the mason jar (be careful!) Lately I have been feeling lazy and have been using a whisk and I have found that this also works great.

HOMEMADE GODDESS DRESSING (Lemon-Tahini Dressing)
Prep + Cook = 15 minutes
This dressing is adapted from Johns Tahini Dressing in May All Be Fed by John Robbins.

1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy-free coconut aminos
1/3 cup tahini
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup water

You can add 1 tablespoon honey, or other preferred sweetener but I usually don’t.

Steps:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You can also use a blending wand in a mason jar if you are careful.

Makes about 1.5 cups.

What more can I say? I hope you enjoy these new ideas for salads using the yummy Lemon Tahini Dressing!

The post Plant-based Meals, Fruit and Veggie Salads and Homemade Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

A sign out front of the Common Market in Frederick, MD.

Until you’ve had someone cook for you as a personal chef, it can be hard to imagine just what it’s like and how the process works. When I tell people I am a personal chef in Baltimore, Maryland, they often say, “Oh! I need you to come cook for me!” They aren’t usually serious but who doesn’t want meals made specifically to their tastes? Their next question is usually about how it all works.

It’s really not that complicated, though it can be if someone has a lot of food restrictions. I usually work with people with some kind of allergy or restriction, however I also work with plenty of people who simply want to eat more healthily.

After we’ve conducted the client consultation over the phone where I have asked plenty of questions in order to create a menu based on the client’s likes and dislikes, we schedule a day for me to come to their home a do a “cook day.” You can read more about the specific ins and outs of how my services work on my Personal Chef Services page, but in this post I really wanted to SHOW you what it’s like!

After I drop my son off at school, I will head to a grocery store that is either close to my client’s house or on the way. I shop at four different Whole Foods stores depending on where I am cooking including Mt. Washington, downtown Baltimore, Columbia and Silver Spring. I don’t usually buy everything organic (unless a client specifically asks for this) but I find that the produce at Whole Foods is much better than say, at Giant. I also will shop at MOM’s but only if is en route to one of my clients’ houses. I used to shop at the Common Market in Frederick, MD when I lived there and I sorely miss it!

Outside of the Whole Foods in Columbia, MD during the fall season.

After I have finished the shopping, I drive to my client’s house where I unpack all the food onto their counters. It usually looks something like this:

Beautiful produce

Or this…

more beautiful food

Or, this.

As you can see, I use a lot of fresh veggies!

And then the cooking begins! In order to prepare up to 5 entree and 5 side dishes in one day (each containing 4 servings each), I have become a master of multitasking. Below I have a pot of pasta bubbling and three other dishes started.

The beginnings of White Chicken Chili and Coconut Chicken Curry

Below is an in-process but almost finished view. The basil pesto is blending, the Asian Beef is resting, the White Chicken Chili and Coconut Chicken Curry are finishing cooking and the White Bean Spinach Lasagna is cooling on the toaster oven.

After everything is cooked, I place the food into containers (glass or plastic depending on a clients’ wishes). Below I packaged the meals so that there was one complete meal in one container. For other clients, I may put all four portions into one container or two servings in one container depending on their needs.

Looks like Orange Salmon, Garlicky Green Beans, Roasted Chicken with Apple Onion Gravy, Mashed Rosemary Potatoes and Wild Rice Mushroom Pecan Stuffing. I think there was Pumpkin Pie for dessert that didn’t make it in the photo. This was a Thanksgiving meal cook day.

And then I put everything in the fridge and stock my clients up for the next week or however long it takes them to eat the food. I see clients every week and sometimes every 8 weeks.

As you can see I forgot to take photos of all the dishes in the sink but I’ll let you use your imagination.

This is how it’s done, people! I’ve been cooking for people as a personal chef for over ten years and it just occurred to me that it’d be pretty neat to post pictures about my day. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and if you think you’re interested in me cooking for you, just give me a ring!

The post A photo story of personal chef services in Baltimore, Maryland appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

The other day I was spotted by a cashier at the Mt. Washington Whole Foods in Baltimore, MD. He said, “You’re a personal chef, aren’t you?” I was a little giddy to be singled out because I don’t think this has happened before in the eleven years I’ve been cooking for people. So I said, “Yes, how could you tell?” He then named a few things that made me stand out: I had two separate food orders, I had a detailed printed grocery list, I brought my own shopping bags and I asked to keep the receipt. Why two orders? I almost always buy some food for my family while I’m shopping for clients!

Being a personal chef is a somewhat solitary profession; I create the menus at home, go shopping on my own and then cook by myself in my client’s house. My clients are usually not around because they are working professionals. So it was also a welcome surprise when I had another encounter at the same Whole Foods in Mt. Washington where I met another personal chef. Again, the first one I’ve met in person since I started my business in 2006. It was fun to chat, but as I drove away I reflected on the fact that I spend my work day pretty much by myself.

Honestly, I like this aspect of my work. Being a sensitive person, large groups can overwhelm me and the idea of working in a mall or department store makes me squeamish. I am also an introvert so I am perfectly happy spending the day by myself, musing about my life and food as I cook for clients before picking my son up at school.

Talking to people while I cook is actually a distraction as I can lose my focus and yes, end up making a mistake in cooking. I don’t even talk on the phone while I’m working. Sometimes my clients ask me if I’d like the TV on and I politely decline. This is just me – I enjoy being in the flow of cooking and creating meals for my clients free of as many distractions as possible.

But what is it like for someone to be the beneficiary of my personal chef services?

While I have never had my own personal chef (besides myself!), I have a pretty good idea of what it’s like to have one from having cooked for people in Maryland and Washington DC for eleven years.

First of all, the bulk of my clients who I serve have some kind of food limitation, food allergy or limited diet due to an illness or physical issue. I often cook for people who have long lists of foods they cannot eat and I design menus specifically for their diet. Food allergies, arthritis, Lyme’s disease, diverticulitis, Alports Syndrome, Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, and Crone’s disease are a few of the physical issues that my clients have had. Because of the health issues my clients often have, I offer a range of special diets including an autoimmune protocol, GAPS diet, SCD diet, low-carb, Keto, Paleo, grain and gluten-free and nightshade-free.

Coming home to your dinner already prepared for you is always a wonderful bonus in one’s life. However, if someone has food limitations and they are struggling with finding foods they can eat, my client’s often say that having a personal chef is a life saver. I have often been told this; not only do they really love and enjoy the food, my service helps them solve a big problem in their life.

If you are put on a limited diet by a doctor or nutritionist, it can often feel like the rug is being pulled out underneath you. That is where I come in and look at the foods a client CAN eat and figure out how I can make tasty meals that appeal to their palette. Is it easy? Not always. But I’ve been doing this a long time for people who tell me how grateful they are I came into their lives because I was able to create food they could eat and enjoy.

One story of one of my clients:

I have several clients who appreciate the service I provide for people on limited diets. One of these clients was a young man who has juvenile arthritis and whose mom has Hashimoto’s. Between their complicated diets along with the mom working very long days, they simply didn’t have time to prepare the kinds of meals they needed for their limited diets. I cooked for this family for over a year and a half and it was always a joy to be able to make food they could enjoy on their diet.

The reason I am no longer cooking for them is because the son’s health improved to the point of being able to help cook meals. While I am sure there was a lot that went into his overall healing, he told me that the meals I made free of foods that may cause inflammation was a big part of his recovery. I miss cooking for them but I’m happy that his health has improved to the point of being able to help make meals!

Here are few questions people ask me:

How often do you cook for your clients? I have several different options: Once a week, once every other week, once a month, once every six or eight weeks. Or, as needed!

How long does it take to cook for a client? I am usually in a client’s home between 3.5 and 4.5 hours depending on the size of the meal plan and what I am making.

How long does the food last? Depends on how many people enjoy the food and how often they use it. But if I am cooking for a family of four and they are using the meals for their dinners, I see them once a week. If I am cooking for an individual who only uses the food to supplement, I will see them every 6-8 weeks. Of course, this does mean that much of the food gets frozen in individual containers for when they are ready to enjoy them.

Do you have set menus? No, I create a menu based on people’s “allowed food list” and what they enjoy eating. I have over a thousand personal recipes I can use but I am also always on the look out for new ideas on the internet or in cookbooks.

Do you enjoy your work? Yes! One thing I know about myself is that if I don’t enjoy doing something, I will not stick with it for very long. It’s been twelve years since I started cooking for people…which leads to the next question:

How did you start doing this? It probably all started when I was a kid in the kitchen with my mom. I have always loved to cook and try out new recipes. But I never considered that this could be a career until I started cooking for people at a retreat center in Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania. People from Washington DC would come on retreats and jokingly ask me if I could come and cook for them. At one retreat I met a women who came with some prepared food made by her personal chef. This sparked my interest as I had never heard of a personal chef before. This was the beginning of me researching what it took to become one. I eventually moved forward and completed a training with the APPCA in the Fall of 2006.

Did I go to school to learn to cook? I usually jokingly answer this by saying it is the one thing I didn’t go to school for! So, no, I am a self-taught chef who has learned a tremendous amount simply cooking day in and day out for my family and my clients.

Where do I cook for my clients? Due to a health code regulation, I must either cook in a certified kitchen or the client’s home.

I moved to Baltimore from Frederick, MD about two years ago and primarily see clients in and around the Baltimore area: downtown Baltimore, Rosedale, Pikesville, Sykesville, Ellicott City, as well as Washington DC. Yes, I do travel to see clients, but I try to keep my commute to less than an hour each way.

Do you have questions for me? I’d love to chat if you’d like to learn more about what it’s like to cook for people with limitations and food allergies as a personal chef. You can read more about my personal chef services here.

Thank you for reading and please share with someone you may know who could benefit from having a personal chef in their life!

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The post What is it like to have a personal chef when you have food limitations? appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

The idea to make dried watermelon came to me through a friend. Watermelon isn’t something you normally see in the dried fruit section in stores. But it tastes great dried and is great for traveling. My son loves it!

I would say the downside is that because it is so watery, it does take longer than other fruits to dry. But if you have an excess of watermelon that you don’t know what to do with, this is a great recipe to use. It’s a great way to enjoy watermelon when it is no longer in season in the later months of the year (if it lasts that long!)

Enjoy!

What you will need:

1 watermelon, sliced in 1 inch, rind removed (depending upon the size of the watermelon, you may only need a half of a watermelon)

a food dehydrator

Steps:

This recipe works best using a dehydrator simply because it can take up to 2 days for watermelon to dehydrate.  However, if your oven goes as low as 145 F, you can use the oven.

1.  For the dehydrator.  Place sliced watermelon on the screens of a dehydrator.  Dehydrate the watermelon at 135 F for up to 2 days, or until watermelon is thoroughly dried.  Check watermelon every 6-7 hours and flip over to allow fruit to dry more easily.

2.  For the oven, preheat your oven to 145 F.  Place watermelon on cookie sheets or place cheesecloth on your oven racks, then place the watermelon on top.  Prop the door open a little bit to allow the air to circulate.  Check the fruit often and flip it over if using a cookie sheet.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!

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The post How to make dried watermelon appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

Here was her list of foods that her daughter was told to avoid:

gluten (wheat, barley, oats, spelt, kamut, tricale, and all products containing gluten such as soy sauce, etc)
grain (includes rice, millet, teff, and other gluten-free grains)
dairy
egg
soy
corn
banana
kiwi

This is a similar list to many of the people who come to me.  There are definite variations and more limited diets like those without any meat or fish, legumes, nuts, all fruit, etc.  But I thought I’d start with this diet to give you some ideas on where to start.

So what do you do when you get a list like this?  My hope is that in this post, I can give you my process for starting to come up with some foods and recipes you can eat when you receive a long list of foods you should be avoiding, even temporarily.

1.  Focus on what you can eat, not what you can’t! Make a long list of all the foods available in your grocery store, farmer’s market and local health foods store. Make categories for the main food groups and list all the foods under them that you can find.

Categories would include: meat, seafood, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, glutenous grains, gluten-free grains, grain-free “grains,” condiments, nuts, seeds, legumes, and sweeteners.

If you want a guide for creating a document, you can use or adapt the form I use for keeping track of my clients food allergies and preferences:

Download Food Allergy and Preference Excel Form

2.  Highlight all the foods you can eat on the list, or cross off the ones you can’t eat. Focus on these foods and what you can create from them.  This first step will help you immensely if you can get through it.

The most difficult part of receiving a list such as the one from this woman for her daughter, is that you have to be very creative when it comes to foods that resemble grains, baked goods and pastas.

Here are some grain-free grains, flours and seeds that can be used. Some of these can be used by themselves as a flour in a recipe while others need to combined with other ingredients.

Grain-free “grains,” flours and seeds

coconut flour

pecan meal and other nut meals (made from grinding any nut very finely)

blanched almond flour

sunflower seeds (can be ground)

pumpkin seed flour

chia seeds

flax seed meal

hemp seeds (great as protein powder)

tapioca – this is made from the cassava root

arrowroot

Noodle alternatives:

miracle noodles

zucchini or carrot noodles made with a julienne peeler or spiralizer

baked spaghetti squash

As you can see the grain-free list is pretty long!  I could probably keep going but I’ll stop there.  It’s really just a matter of knowing what to do with these ingredients once you figure out that there is quite a bit of variety out there!

3.   Focus on the allowed foods and get creative with alternatives. Going  back to the example diet that I listed before, here are the things that her daughter can eat based on doing this process.

All meat and seafood – this is a huge plus if you’re in this boat.  The challenge with this is some kids just don’t like meat or won’t eat it.  But if you aren’t a vegetarian but have a limited diet, this helps a lot with meal planning.  Also, you can bread fish and chicken with almond or pecan meal and it makes it more appealing to children.

All veggies and all fruit except for corn, banana and kiwi.  It’s also helpful that her daughter can still eat potato as this is in a lot of foods and can also be used as a starch in baking.  Vegetables and fruits are so versatile – a great opportunity for creativity.

All beans except for soy. Beans are hard to digest in general so this may be something that she would eat every now and then but it also depends on her health issues.  Chickpeas can be ground into a flour as well as others such as fava beans.  I personally don’t like the taste and find them hard to digest as flours but they are an option.

All nuts and seeds. This is extremely helpful that she can still eat nuts and seeds.  Peanut butter isn’t even on her list (though this is a legume).  Nuts can be used as nut butters, flours, nut milk ( which would be a good option for her for a milk alternative since she can’t have soy or rice), cheese (though commercial brands may have casein in them), as breading on chicken or fish, dairy-free cheese sauces (cashews) or just eaten whole as a great snack.  They are most digestible however if they are soaked and then dehydrated.

Most condiments: mustard, ketchup, vinegar, lemons and limes, oils.  For soy-free and egg-free mayo, I recommend Just Mayo. This is available many places including Whole Foods, Vitacost and Amazon.

All herbs, spices, chocolate and carob: You can make a meal with a piece of fish or chicken, some garlic and onions, vegetables and some fresh herbs and spices.  Very simple but very good.  There are infinite ideas and recipes out there in terms of just using meat or fish, vegetables and fresh herbs and spices.

She can also still eat chocolate and carob as long as it’s dairy-free and grain-free.  You could make grain-free chocolate or carob muffins, cookies, cakes, etc (search for grain-free and egg-free dessert recipes).  Even make your own hot chocolate with some cocoa powder, nut milk and a sweetener.

You can also try out my Homemade Chocolate recipe

All sweeteners: also another plus.  Try to stick to raw honey, agave, molasses and real maple syrup.

Some alternatives for what she can’t eat:

Eggs: This can be a tough one if you’re used to baking with eggs or having them for breakfast.  However, there are several egg substitutes you can use when you’re baking. Listing the various ways to replace eggs in baking is beyond the scope of this article. But I will tell you that my favorite egg-replacer for baking is gelatin. Here is my basic recipe:

Gelatin Egg-replacer (replaces two eggs in baked goods such as pizza crust, muffins, cakes and cookies.)

• 1 tablespoon gelatin
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 2-3 tablespoons boiling water

Steps:
In a small bowl, add the gelatin.  Add the cold water and stir until combined.  Add the boiling water and stir until clear.  Add the gelatin mixture to the flour mixture and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Aquafaba:

Another alternative that was recently passed onto me is something called aquafaba. As opposed to gelatin, it is vegan because it is made from chickpeas. I have not personally tried it because I can’t eat chickpeas but it looks promising for those people who cannot eat eggs. You can even make meringue pie with it.

Here are some things you can make with aquafaba

As far as some other breakfast items, this is going to be more challenging without the eggs, grains and dairy-products.  But here are some ideas:

turkey or chicken sausages
turkey bacon
quinoa or buckwheat muffins, made grain-free, egg-free and dairy-free
nut butter on grain-free crackers
fresh fruit – smoothies, fruit salad

I also wrote a blog post about egg-free breakfast ideas.

Dairy-free alternatives: This is really a topic in and of itself, so I won’t go into this completely.  But as I mentioned earlier, her choice milk would be almond or another nut milk or hemp milk.  You can make your own nut milk very easily.  Coconut milk would also be a good option.

Daiya cheese is a great cheese alternative that is also soy-free. My son enjoys it and I also use it in food for my clients who cannot eat dairy.

I also have a couple of recipes for dairy-free cheese you can make:

Dairy-free Cheese recipe #1

Dairy-free Cheese recipe #2

Some people can eat ghee in place of butter, which is clarified butter.  Also, coconut butter is a great alternative to butter.  It is delicious!

She can also eat coconut yogurt and coconut ice cream, great alternatives (and yummy too) since she can’t have dairy, soy or rice.

I have written out many dairy-free options in my e-book, Substitutions for Allergy-free Cooking.

You can receive the section about dairy-free alternatives for free here.

Cornstarch alternative: Arrowroot powder can be used part for part in baking recipes that call for cornstarch.  There is also a corn-free baking powder available for baking.

Soy-free soy sauce: For an alternative to soy sauce, I love Coconut Aminos from Coconut Secret. It has been on the market for a few years now and I am still grateful for its invention as many of my clients cannot eat soy and I can’t either! Simply use it part for part in place of regular soy sauce.

Bananas: Bananas are one of those foods that are used very frequently when it comes to making smoothies. This is a bit of a challenge to find a replacement for bananas that will also make the smoothie creamy like bananas do. I find that the best replacement is peaches or nectarines combined with coconut milk. If you use frozen peaches, it will make it even thicker and creamier.

4.  Start compiling recipes that work for your diet. Pinterest is a great way to save recipes based on the categories you create. You can do searches for recipes that are free of your most prominent allergens such as dairy, grains, and eggs. Search for recipes that have been your favorites but you are now unsure how to make with your new diet. For example, you could search for Grain-free and Egg-free banana Bread.

5. Get organized: Once you have compiled a list of recipes you’d like to try that fit your new diet, the next step is to organize them for them week.  Print them out or make copies from cookbooks.  Then look through the ingredients to see what you need to add to your shopping list for the week.  Then, yes, go shopping, or order unusual ingredients online.

6.  Be brave and take baby steps: Take the last step and be brave to try something new.  It can seem daunting at first to use unusual ingredients you’re not used to using in cooking and baking.  But start with something most familiar to you and go from there.  Take baby steps.  Try one or two new ingredients a week so you don’t get overwhelmed by too many choices.

7.  Don’t get too discouraged: Expect to have some flops.  You’re learning something new and it may take some time to learn some new tricks of the trade.  But be patient and keep trying.  Pretend you’re on an adventure and your next meal is your next mission.  This may sound corny but if you can get excited about creating new and delicious foods, you will most likely have better results.

Need more help? This process is a lot easier when you have a set of recipes and menu planners that already work for your diet. That’s why I created the membership site to make people’s menu planning easier who have limited diets such as an autoimmune protocol, an elimination diet or a diet such as GAPS that is also nut-free.

Good luck!  I’d love to hear from you so leave a comment about your own adventures in allergen-free cooking and baking!

All the best,
Sarah

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The post How to Meal Plan for a very limited Grain-free, Dairy-free, Soy-free and Egg-free diet appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

• Multiple food allergies, celiac disease and many other digestive related illnesses are on the rise in both children and adults today.
• Most prepared foods contain common allergens such as:  wheat, dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, corn, nuts, fish and other common allergens.
• Prepared foods are usually processed and contain chemicals, pesticides and preservatives.

Therefore…

• People on limited diets have a difficult time finding premade food they can enjoy.
• People need to cook most or all of their meals because of their restricted diet.

But…

• People don’t have time to plan a week’s worth of allergen-free meals.
• Many people don’t know where to start with allergen-free cooking.
• It’s easy to get in a cooking rut and get bored with your diet.

and…

• Everybody’s diet is different:  while many people can’t eat gluten, many others have multiple foods restrictions.
• Some people have children who have different food allergies, making it more difficult to plan meals.

A Solution:

• Having an easy and delicious meal plan every week saves people time and money.  The question, “What can I cook?” is put to rest and people have less stress.
• People start to feel healthier and happier when they follow a diet that works for their body.
• Having an organized shopping list saves time and money.  People don’t impulse-buy as much because what they need is on the list.

But who has time to create an allergen-free or limited diet meal plan every week?

We do the work for you! By becoming a Heart of Cooking member:

• You gain access to over 1000 allergen-free recipes for limited diets.
• You gain access to menu planners for many different diets and limitations.
• You receive a new menu planner each week in your inbox.
• You receive an easy to read and organized shopping list for each menu planner.

Get instant access

100% Guarantee! Be satisfied with delicious, healthy, and allergen-free recipes or receive a full refund within the first 30 days!

Try out a menu planner that works for your specific diet:

Get your free menu planner

Ready to eat delicious food?  We put the “yum” back into allergen-free meals!

Still unsure? Find out more about How This Works.

Looking for someone to do all the work? I also offer Personal Chef Services for people with food allergies and food limitations in Baltimore, Maryland and surrounding areas.

Consultations available for people who may have specific questions about different allergen-free diets and help them find recipes they will love.  I offer 20 minutes FREE!

What is the HeART of Cooking?
HeART of Cooking was born out of the desire to serve people by helping them cook healthful and delicious meals that also work for their diet.  I have personally spent the past 12+ years researching, learning about and experimenting with different diets out of my own desire to have a healthy body.  Because of my own food sensitivities, I specialize in cooking for many different diets.  Because I love to cook, preparing a meal is like creating a piece of art that will nourish the body as well as the heart.

If you want to prepare delicious food for your family that is free of common allergens, but don’t have time to plan new meals each week, you’ve come to the right place. Envision yourself coming home to a table spread with food that is delicious as well as catered to your needs.

The post Do you ask yourself – “What can I eat?” too many times a week because you or your family has a unique diet with multiple food allergies? appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.

Being a personal chef who specializes in cooking for people on limited diets, I am always meeting people who follow different kinds of limited diets. I’m different from most personal chefs who have set menu items. Instead, I work with my clients personally on the diet they follow and with their dietary restrictions. Because of this I’m always learning something new. My latest new client has been given a protocol to follow to help heal her Lyme’s disease. And she gave me the book that her doctor recommended, Recipes for Repair by Gail and Laura Piazza. I’ve been trying some of the recipes and they are really delicious.

One of the recipes is an Artichoke Pesto recipe for fish. I have made it couple of times and really enjoy it. It’s very versatile because while you can put it on fish or chicken, you can easily use it as a dip for veggies.

A few notes on substitutions:

The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup mayo instead of olive oil. If this works for your diet you can try this out as well. The original recipe also calls for eight almonds but if you’re nut-free you can use an equivalent amount of pumpkin seeds or about 16-20. I think this recipe would work without the nuts or seeds because it is such a small amount.

I hope you enjoy it!

ARTICHOKE PESTO (Paleo, GAPS, dairy-free, nut-free)
Servings: 4
Prep + Cook = 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
1 shallot, chopped (optional)
1 clove garlic
8-16 pumpkin seeds or almonds
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, or 1 can, drained
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, stems removed
1/4 cup olive oil, or mayo

Steps:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a small frying pan to medium heat and add the shallots. Saute for one minute or until limp. (I have made the pesto without the shallot and it is still yummy.)

2. Place the rest of the ingredients into a food processor along with the sauteed shallots. Cover and process until pesto is smooth. Or, you can pulse it several times and serve slightly chunky if you wish.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 190 Calories; 19g Fat (87.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 257mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 4 Fat.

Looking for more great allergen-free recipes? We are having our Annual Spring Sale this coming weekend! We’ll be offering 1 year memberships for $99 as well as the chance to become a Lifetime Member. More details soon!

The post Artichoke Pesto Recipe (dairy and nut-free) appeared first on Allergy Free Menu Planners.