Pile It On

June 16, 2011 By 2 Comments

When I first went on my food allergy elimination diet I found it very difficult to make recipes because there is always ingredients that I can’t have. As a result we went quite a while with pretty plain meals. We always had grilled or baked steak, pork, chicken or fish with a steamed vegetable. It wasn’t bad but it sure did get a little boring. Jesse told me that he really missed having his food served in a pile, meaning a casserole type dish like lasagna or chicken pot pie. So I worked on making more interesting dinners with more flavors mixed together. I picked out several different leftovers we had in the fridge to make him a pile. When he asked what it was I called it “leftover surprise.” He loved it, so now I make it on purpose even when there isn’t leftovers to use up. The best part is that it never turns out wrong because I just make it up as I go.

I start by sauteing garlic, onion, and carrots until the onions are soft.

Chopped carrots and onions

The one thing the pile always has is tomatoes. Right now I’m using tomatoes that I picked myself and froze, but canned is fine too. Everything turns out better when it cooks in tomato juice.

Tomatoes

You never know exactly what will end up in leftover surprise, thus the name. Often there is chicken or ground beef. Sometimes there is ham. This time I used black beans.

Black beans

Then I like to pick something green to make it more colorful. Peas and green beans work well. This time I used broccoli. I also add lots of spices, sprinkling and tasting until I like it. Then it simmers for a couple minutes so that all the flavors mix together.

Pile mixture

Finally I serve with/over either rice or quinoa.

Finished meal

I love this yummy way to use up leftovers, or as a quick meal when I don’t feel like cooking a whole dinner. It’s kinda like making homemade Chinese takeout. Plus it doesn’t get any cheaper than eating rice and beans every now and then.

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Allergen Alert Dogs

June 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I read a fascinating article in the Tampa Bay Times last week about an allergen alert dog. This kid, Billy, is so allergic to peanuts that breathing even the slightest peanut residue could be fatal in seconds. He used to hardly ever be able to leave the house, but now he feels safe as long as he has his dog with him.

Medical alert dog tagBilly’s parents bought the specially trained dog for $10,000 three years ago. Since then Billy has been able to travel and do all sorts of things they never thought he would be able to do. When Billy arrives everyone must be checked to make sure they haven’t eaten anything with peanuts or have any peanutty snacks with them. Then the dog is sent in to confirm that everyone and everything is clear of any and all peanut residue before Billy follows. The dog can even check Billy’s food without drooling on it or nibbling at it! Dog trainer, Leslie Staven, has trained 15 more working dogs since Billy’s dog. She can train them to find other allergens too.

I am so, SO glad that none of my allergies are this severe. I think it’s amazing that a dog can be trained to be so careful and thorough. I’m also glad that there are people taking the time to find ways to make life easier for people with allergies.

I just had to wonder though… I’m allergic to dogs, is there another animal I could train? Perhaps a bird? Not that I need one, but someone else might. 😉

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Curry Chicken

June 14, 2011 By 4 Comments

Curry chicken is quick to make and very tasty. This has always been one of my favorite recipes and it’s allergy approved with no changes. There aren’t many pre-allergy recipes that I still make now. I made this to bring to our Bible study group last night and everyone liked it. Bonus… there is just enough leftover for us to have for dinner tonight so I don’t have to cook today!

Start by spacing out the chicken thighs in a baking dish. I usually like to use boneless thighs for this recipe when it’s just the two of us because it makes them easier to eat, but the bone-in ones are fine too. I used bone-in thighs last night because they are slightly cheaper and I was cooking for more people.

Chicken thighs

Curry sauce:
(Amount of sauce intended for one package, 6 thighs. I used more butter because I was tripling the recipe.)

1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup mustard
1-2 tbsp. curry powder

Sauce

Heat the butter in the microwave to melt it and then add all the other ingredients. The trick with this sauce is to get just the right smell. I usually make it according to the recipe and then have to add more curry and sometimes more mustard. I heat the sauce in the microwave for 30 seconds then smell, taste, and adjust. Repeat if necessary. It’s hard to explain the perfect smell… it should smell just a little sweet, the vinegar-ness of the mustard should burn your nose just a little, and the curry should be noticeable for sure. Once it smells perfect, I add a tad more curry just for good measure. I learned this ever-so-precise way of cooking from my mother. Many of her recipes require adding enough until it smells yummy. Other people cook this way too, right?

Ready to bake chicken

Then pour the sauce of the chicken pieces, don’t drown them or they wont cook properly. Bake uncovered at 350 for approximately 1 hour. Baste frequently. I recommend serving with rice because the extra sauce is really good drizzled over rice.

Enjoy!

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