Nothing to Sneeze At: Main Dishes for People with Allergies

There’s a little project I’ve been working on during the past six months with a few good and talented friends. And because many of my blog readers suffer from food allergies–or live with people who suffer from them–I thought I’d share the fruits of our labor: I just published my first cookbook and it’s called Nothing to Sneeze At: Main Dishes for People with Allergies.

In the last several years that I’ve lived with Bill, who is allergic to wheat, cow dairy, and corn, I learned how many unnecessary ingredients are in processed food. I also learned how to make substitutions for the foods he can’t eat: bread, milk, butter, tortillas, most cereals, waffles, cookies, crackers, yoghurt, ice cream, cheeses from cows, breadcrumbs, semolina pasta–and even regular ketchup–just to name a few.

Adapting and creating recipes–many of which are posted on this blog–simply became a fun challenge as I cooked in the kitchen. So I thought: Why not share the recipes with people who suffer from food allergies? Then others can see how easy it is to make delicious meals without sacrificing flavor or nutrition.

If you’re interesting in buying your own copy of Nothing to Sneeze At, please visit Lulu.com. I hope it offers hope and inspiration for those who suffer from allergies at the table!

Wheat-Free, Cow-Dairy-Free Potato and Leek Quiche

I never thought of making quiche for Bill and me because it traditionally contains two ingredients he can’t eat: pie crust and cream. (Since his dairy allergy is toward cow products only, I can get away with using a sheep’s cheese such as Manchego.) But I did a little research and realized you can make quiche without a crust. So my only real dilemma was the cream. After perusing some recipes and putting together my own ideas, here’s what I came up with–and no cream on the ingredient list!

Potato and Leek Quiche

2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ½” cubes (about 2 ½ pounds)
2 cups sliced leeks (pale green and white parts only, about 6 leeks)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried thyme or 1 sprig fresh, finely chopped
6 eggs
½ cup rice milk
2 cups grated Manchego cheese (or other firm cheese from a sheep, goat, or cow)
Salt and white ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil potatoes in a pot of water until just tender (about 10 minutes); drain.

Meanwhile, sauté leeks in one tablespoon of olive oil until just tender (about 6 minutes). Add thyme and stir to blend.

Grease a 6-inch soufflé dish or other deep casserole dish with the remaining olive oil.

Beat eggs well.

Add rice milk, season with salt and pepper, and stir until blended.

When potatoes and leeks are ready, place in soufflé dish. Add one cup of grated cheese and mix with vegetables.

Pour egg mixture over vegetable-cheese mixture. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of quiche.

Bake about 45 minutes, until golden on top and almost set in the center.

Remove from oven and let set about 10 minutes before cutting. Enjoy with a side of mixed greens.

Serves 6 to 8.

The Listening Inn: Back to Nature Plus Happy Food

When Bill and I were planning our trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula earlier this year, one of the lodging choices that appealed to us was The Listening Inn in Crystal Falls, Michigan.

Probably the first thing that caught our attention on the inn’s website was that it “caters to the silent sports.” For introverts and a nature geeks, silent sport activities–such as hiking, cross-country skiing, and canoeing–are a major attraction, especially when the terrain includes over 500 acres of forest and fields full of wildlife and wildflowers.

Buddy, the black lab, even accompanied us on a hike one morning.

The inn also attracted us because of its earth-friendly practices: The Listening Inn is a Green Lodging Michigan Certified Facility, meaning it’s a leader among hospitality establishments in energy conservation, air quality and reduced water consumption and waste.

And, of course the “scrumptious  home-style country breakfasts” sounded like exactly what we would need to start off each day’s adventures. They were delicious.

But what I didn’t realize is how much happy food would make up our breakfast.

For example, proprietors Leslie and Carol Kufahl raise their own cows and chickens on their property so the eggs we had for breakfast the first day came right from the free-range chickens who lay them in a coop on the property.

And, they have a garden, an orchard, and a greenhouse from which they use fresh vegetables and fruits to make a variety of homemade items.

Guests can even buy their homemade maple syrup.

We really enjoyed this all-around package: a beautiful place to stay in serene surroundings with happy food and attentive hosts!

Buying Local Produce in Winter Climates

Today was the last day of the Holland Farmers’ Market. As I loaded up on what I thought were the last local veggies available to me this season, I was thrilled when Cindy Visser of Visser Farms said, “Come visit us during the winter!” It really made my day.

Finding Food Beyond Factory Farms

On The Huffington Post blog this past week, Nicolette Hahn Niman posted an eater’s guide to avoiding factory food. An attorney and livestock rancher, Niman spends much of her time speaking and writing about the problems resulting from industrialized livestock production. She even wrote a book about it called Righteous Porkchop: Finding a Life and Good Food Beyond Factory Farms. Interestingly, she is married to Bill Niman, founder of Niman Ranch, a natural meat company supplied by a network of over 600 traditional farmers and ranchers.

Here’s the first part of her eater’s guide, in a nutshell:

If It’s Wednesday, I’m at the Market

Veggies for sale at the Holland Farmers' Market

I’ve been going to the Holland Farmers’ Market for over 20 years and it’s still one of my favorite activities from May through December. A couple of years ago, the city added a permanent canopy complex along the east end of 8th Street, where the market is set up so now the vendors don’t have to stand in the hot summer sun, or get drenched by rain (unless, of course, it’s coming in sideways from the northwest!).

Holland Farmers' Market on 8th Street with permanent canopies

Since then, and probably due to some successful marketing campaigns, the market seems to have grown exponentially. (I hope it’s because more people are getting the message to buy locally!) Not only are there veggies (such as lacinato kale), fruits (love the raspberries), flowers, jams and syrups, but there’s also popcorn, sweets, metal sculptures, jewelry, birdhouses, and a coffee bar. And, since the recent approval of street performers, we even have live music on Saturdays.

A vendor sells flowers at the Holland Farmers' Market.

Which is why Wednesday is my favorite day to go. Really, that’s my ritual market day because there are generally fewer people especially once the vacationers are back home and the kids are in school. Since the market opens by 8 a.m., I can either stop on my way to work or go at lunchtime, getting a bite to eat at Ray the Tamale King.

Organic produce from Eater's Guild

The market offers both organic and nonorganic produce, as well as cheese and eggs from Grassfields. I suppose I have my favorite vendors depending on the crop, but one thing’s for sure–buying local is the theme. It’s the best way–besides picking right from the garden–to get the freshest produce around and eat what’s in season.

And don’t forget your basket. I’ve had this one for at least five years and I love its durability. It’s made by Reisenthel but I bought it online from Garnet Hill.

Basket by Reisenthel

Happy Chickens Make Happy Eggs

One of my favorite things to have for breakfast is fried eggs, which Bill makes for us about once a week. And nothing’s better than eggs from chickens that range freely on organic grass.

Ever since The Year of Food began, I’ve been on a quest to find the best happy local food. So this summer, Bill and I began buying eggs from Grassfields at the Holland farmer’s market.

A fifth generation, family-owned farm, Grassfields has been in operation since 1882 and certified organic since 2007. In addition to fresh eggs from grazing chickens, they offer organic cheeses and natural meats in their on-farm retail cheese shop.

Run by the Meerman family, Grassfields is located near Coopersville, Michigan–definitely a hike from Holland–which means we won’t be dropping in to pick up eggs on a frequent basis. Luckily, they sell to many stores in Michigan, including Nature’s Market in Holland and Harvest Health in Hudsonville, both places where we frequently shop, so we’ll have options for getting our eggs after the farmers’ market is done for the season.

Nonetheless, we thought it was time for a visit to the farm because it’s so important to see where your food comes from.

The Meermans own 200 acres, where they raise poultry, cows, sheep, and pigs. All the animals have access to certified organic grass. The meat chickens, ducks, and turkeys are raised in movable pens of varying sizes which are moved to new grass about once a week or when otherwise needed. And the laying hens lay their eggs in semi-permanent buildings, but range freely around the buildings. Eggs are hand gathered, hand washed, and hand packed once a day.

Here are some of the happy sites from our visit to Grassfields:

Happy chickens!

Happy pigs!

Happy calves!

Happy cows!

We’re glad to have a local farm that provides such healthy food!

Buying Local in West Michigan

Summertime Market, Douglas, Michigan

It was a beautiful start to Labor Day weekend here in West Michigan so Bill and I took a little roadtrip today. Our friend Waltraud had told us about Summertime Market in Douglas, Michigan, right on Blue Star Highway.

According to an April, 2009 article in The Commercial Record, Summertime Market’s goals are to:

• Provide the community with high-quality, safe and healthy products.
• Create a mutually-beneficial relationship with local farmers and suppliers.
• Have a positive impact on the community and environment.
• Educate the community on the benefits of eating locally.
• Recycle, reuse and reduce waste.

Founder Andrew Milauckas elaborated about the brand: “Our brand concept is to create an environment reminiscent of a 1950’s fruit and vegetable stand … a place that resonates, where the eggs were laid that morning and produce inventory depends on what the farmer harvested the night before.”

This is just the type of place I was looking for to supplement my freezer of grassfed meats or provide an easy one-stop shop for what’s in season. They have several products from the same vendors I use: Hilhof Dairy milk, Grassfields eggs, and Eater’s Guild produce.

Check out the signs that show the distance the food has traveled.

Thanks, Andrew, for providing a place for our community to buy local.

Sunday is Oat Cake Day

Oat cakes with Michigan blueberries, raspberries, white peaches, and grassfed bacon

Sunday is oat cake day! Our oat cakes are wheat-free, dairy-free, and corn-free, so Bill can eat them.

Oat Cake Recipe

A generous 3/4 cup organic oat flour
2 T. organic cane sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup organic rice milk
1/2 cup organic oatmeal
2 organic grassfed eggs
1 T. safflower oil

1. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.
2. Heat rice milk just to boil. Add oatmeal to hot rice milk. Let sit for 5 minutes. Then stir mixture.
3. Meanwhile, beat eggs. Add safflower oil to eggs.
4. Stir oatmeal mixture again; add to dry ingredients until it forms a ball.
5. Fold in egg/oil mixture. Adjust batter consistency by adding more rice milk or more oat flour, if desired.
6. Drop dollops of batter onto hot griddle (medium heat) just as you would make pancakes, waiting for bubbles to appear before flipping.

When blueberries are in season, we add them every chance we get. And when white peaches are in season, we enjoy our oat cakes with Bellinis (Prosecco with white peach puree).

Breakfast Bellini with Michigan raspberries

There is a very small window of time for white peaches in Michigan, and it’s now!

You Can Make a Difference

Both NPR and Time magazine are on board with the grassfed meat message this week.

The Diane Rehm Show on NPR today highlighted the importance of grassfed meat in “Going Green at Home”–small changes you can make to conserve energy and reduce your carbon footprint. Food choices–especially meat consumption–are carbon intensive due to the amount of corn they require and the fossil fuels it takes to raise and transport the animals.

And Time magazine’s article, “Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food,” nicely parallels Micheal Pollan’s message in The Omnivore’s Dilemma.

As Fedele Bauccio, co-founder of a catering company called Bon Appétit, says in Time, ”Ultimately it’s going to be consumer demand that will cause change, not Washington.”

One way to cast your vote to change our country’s food choices is to buy organic at the grocery store. The bar code on the product registers your preference for marketing purposes, and sends a message to the marketeers of the corporations providing food in this country.

And, buying local, in season, and from grassfed meat, dairy, and egg farmers will put your money into those distribution channels instead of big corporate conglomerates. It may seem more expensive when you look at the price tag, but the price doesn’t account for the cost savings to our environment and your health.

It’s time to demand quality food!