No-egg cauliflower breadsticks

Kona keeping her feet mud free with her new Christmas booties.



First attempt cauliflower breadsticks with no egg.



This past year has brought me several health victories. I have candida and sinus issues under control, not that it's not an on-going battle to maintain the delicate equilibrium of good and bad bacteria. I know I still am susceptible. One of the most telltale signs is my winter problem with athlete's foot. I have to disinfect my yoga mat frequently, keep my shower clean as a whistle and put baby powder in my shocks daily to keep my tootsies free of this problem.

Even as New Year's approaches, I'm not planning to go whole hog and abandon my low-carb, low-glycemic diet. I guess it's something I will have to do for my lifetime. One health issue that I continue to tackle is chronic muscle pain that hasn't disappeared with the candida diet. My pain is somewhat arthritic-like but confined to only muscles, not joints.

I recently did some research on nightshade allergy/intolerance to help a friend who potentially has rheumatoid arthritis. As I read the symptoms, I began to see myself and decided to eliminate my lovely peppers and tomatoes from my diet. Nightshade vegetables can cause or contribute to arthritis symptoms in sensitive individuals. I have already eliminated potatoes and eggplants, also nightshade, so I thought what the heck. It's worth a try. In some studies, 70-80 percent of participants found relief from their pain by strictly eliminating nightshade foods. I've gone three days so far; too soon to tell.

New Year's Eve has me planning what to cook. But Kona, my 12-year-old pup, has been out frolicking in her new booties she got for Christmas. We decided to purchase some for her because she looks forlorn every time we have to leave her in the garage to let her muddy feet dry out before coming indoors. The booties solve the problem. She's so docile she doesn't care a bit when I put them on her or when she's running around in them.

I decided to try out some appetizer recipes for New Year's. The cauliflower breadsticks came out of seeing a post numerous places for cauliflower pizza. Unfortunately, the recipe uses egg and cheese. I am allergic to eggs and cheese is off limits for candida. My first attempt yielded tasty but somewhat flimsy breadsticks. That egg would be a great addition so if it's not a problem go for it.

Cauliflower Breadsticks
Ingredients:
1 cup riced cauliflower
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil
herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
Optional: one egg

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray and lightly oil a baking sheet.

To rice cauliflower, steam 1/2 head of cauliflower cut into florettes just until fork tender. Drain the cauliflower and place in your food processor. Pulse until the cauliflower becomes pearl-sized.

Mix 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour with 3/4-1 cup water. Stir to blend. Let set until it thickens. It should be the thickness of thin pudding. Add olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper, and cauliflower. Stir to blend.

Preheat the baking sheet slightly in the oven to distribute the oil evenly on the pan. Spoon and spread the batter on the pan. The batter should  be thick enough to shape into a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick.

Bake for 12 minutes or longer until batter is cooked and set. Remove the pan from the oven. Allow the cooked batter to cool slightly. Then, cut into breadsticks with a pizza cutter.

Turn the oven up to broil. Place the breadsticks back in the oven until they are crispy but watch them carefully to prevent burning.

Allow the breadsticks to cool slightly again. They will be somewhat fragile until fairly cool.

I thought they were pretty tasty but next time I will add more herbs and try adding some chia slurry or flax slurry to get them to bind together better. If anyone has success with this, let me know.

Anti-Candida Christmas dessert recipe

What's Christmas dinner without dessert, even for us candida folks? My dessert uses some of the trail mix I talked about in my first post about by Christmas dinner menu at http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/12/anti-candida-christmas-dinner.html. It also makes use of my favorite vanilla tea smoothie recipe at http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/09/sleepytime-vanilla-tea-smoothie-acd.html.

I simply whipped up some of this smoothie in the morning and poured it into a freezer-safe container. I stored it in the freezer all day and took it out in the evening. After thawing it out slightly, I spooned it into my food processor and blended it on high into an soft-serve ice cream consistency. It really does resemble soft-serve ice cream.

Spoon this frozen dessert into a ice-cream dish and top off with a tablespoon of trail mix and voila: dessert for anti-candida me!

Merry Christmas everyone! 

Anti-candida Christmas dinner continued

The mock mashed potatoes came out oh so yummy. I'd say better than real mashed potatoes. The combination of rutabagas and cauliflower had a almost sweet taste which made the lack of butter unnoticeable.

I will serve this side dish as part of my candida Christmas dinner. Get the full menu in my previous post at
http://catsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2010/12/anti-candida-christmas-dinner.html.


Here's the recipe I created for Mock Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
• 1 head of cauliflower, washed, trimmed and chopped into pieces.

• 3-4 medium rutabagas, washed, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces.

• Chicken broth

• Hemp milk or other alternative dairy beverage

• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Bring water to a boil in two large saucepans. You will need to cook the two veggies separately since the rutabagas will take longer to cook.

• Add a sprinkle of salt to each pot.

• Put the rutabagas in one pot and the cauliflower in the other.

• Cook until each is fork tender.

• Drain both cauliflower and rutabagas.

• Combine the two veggies in a large pot.

• Add a bit of chicken broth, milk of your choice, salt and pepper.

• Start the mashing process with a potato masher.

• Add more liquids if needed.

• Finish whipping with a hand mixer.

• Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

There's one more recipe to practice: the mock vanilla ice cream topped with trail mix. That will be tomorrow.

Anti-candida Christmas dinner

The anti-candida diet has become so much a part of me that it seldom bothers me to sit across from someone eating desserts or bread or other carb-loaded foods. That is until the holidays roll around. Then, it starts to bother me again. All the traditional Christmas foods are paraded in front of me via advertising, parties, etc.

It's hard to not feel a bit resentful but this year, I've planned a counterattack because I want to stay as mellow as my cat, Pumpkin, sleeping under the Christmas tree in the photo above. I've carefully planned and even tried the recipes for my anti-candida Christmas dinner. Here's what I have planned for dinner:

1. Appetizer: cucumber slices, red pepper triangles and other raw veggies with chickpea dip.
2. Salad: mixed greens or spinach with dried cranberries and avocado.
3. Entree: roasted free-range turkey. 
4. Sides: mashed rutabaga/cauliflower blend; roasted brussel sprouts; green beans.
5. Dessert: ACD-safe vanilla frozen dessert topped with trail mix (cacao bits, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dried cranberries).

I started my counterattack several days ago by making the dried cranberries. The ones you buy in the store are soaked in sugar which will not work for low-glycemic folks. I'm planning to use the dried cranberries in the salad and as an ingredient in the trail mix.

If you like cranberries a lot, it's a good idea right now to grab a few extra packages while they are cheaper and available, and stow them in the freezer. Here's the procedure/recipe I followed for drying cranberries.

Drying cranberries

1. Place one bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a pot with water. Bring the cranberries and water to boil.
2. Allow the cranberries to sit in the water long enough to burst. Drain the water from the cranberries. Add stevia (either liquid or powder) and toss to coat the cranberries.
3. Spread the cranberries on a baking sheet. Place in the freezer for at least two hours. The instructions I followed indicated that cranberries dehydrate faster when frozen first. It still took a long, long, long time.
4. Place the cranberries onto a sheet in a food dehydrator. Allow to dehyrate for 12+ hours. Begin checking after 10 hours to remove the ones that are dry. Note: You could dry the cranberries in your oven as well at 250 degrees.
5. Store the dried cranberries in a container in the freezer until ready to use.

Well, that completes round one. Next up, making the trail mix which I will use as a topping for the vanilla frozen dessert.

This is super easy. Just toast some pumpkin and sunflower seeds either in a heavy skillet on the stovetop, or in the oven on a baking sheet at 325 degrees. I prefer the stovetop because I can monitor them more carefully. I start by spraying the pan with pan spray and dumping in one cup of each type of seeds. Spread the seeds around; spray with additional pan spray to coat; and salt to taste. Toast the seeds on medium heat until they begin to pop.

Allow the seeds to cool before mixing with 2 T. dried cranberries and 2 T. cacao bits. Store in the freezer to keep yourself from nibbling.

The mashed cauliflower/rutabaga mixture is my project for tonight. Post, directions and picture coming.

Low-carb cranberry salsa



I finally got a photo of my cat pal, Pumpkin, napping with his face down on his paw. It just makes me want to go love him to pieces but he'd never go for that. After all, he is a cat.

I've been trying to expand my fruit repertoire on my low-glycemic, ACD diet. I looked up the nutrition facts for cranberries and discovered if eaten without sugar, they are pretty low carb (6g of carbs with 2g of sugars and 2g of fiber in a 1/2 cup serving). Of course, cranberries without some sort of sweetener are pretty hard to swallow. But they taste delicious when added to a salsa blend or sweetened with stevia. Here's my recipe for Cranberry Salsa. It's tasty on grilled chicken or fish or as a topping on salad. It stores well in the fridge for several days.

Ingredients:

1. 1 package fresh cranberries
2. 1 pasilla pepper seeded and chopped roughly
3. 1 green bell pepper seeded and chopped roughly
4. 1 cup chopped cilantro
5. salt and pepper to taste
6. Optional: onion, hotter peppers

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped.

Low-carb turkey with vegetable soup

I love soup all year round but especially during the colder months. The problem is I can never find any at a restaurant or at the market that is suitable for someone, like myself, who needs to follow a low-carb diet and has multiple food allergies (dairy, gluten, corn, eggs).

That's where the old soup pot comes in handy. I can cook up my own "safe-for-me" soup and enjoy it to my heart's content. Recently, I made use of the leftover turkey carcass from Thanksgiving to make a low-carb turkey-vegetable soup. I confess I had never used the carcass before but decided to give it a go after one of my Thanksgiving dinner guests suggested it. There is a considerable amount of time involved with this recipe if you use a turkey carcass but it also can be made with leftover chicken and purchased chicken broth.

Low-Carb Turkey with Vegetable Soup

Step 1: Make the broth

1. Put the leftover bones and skin from either a turkey or chicken into a large stock pot. Cover with cold water by an inch. Add a quartered onion, chopped celery and tops, chopped carrot, parsley, thyme, a bay leaf and a few peppercorns.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to bring the stock to a simmer. Add salt and pepper.
3. Cook for about four hours, uncovered so the stock reduces. Remove the bones and skin. Strain the broth if desired.

Step 2: Make the soup

1. Add chopped veggies of your choice. I added the sturdier veggies (celery, onions, rutabagas and carrots) first. Skip adding grains or noodles if you want this to be low carb.
2. Cook and simmer until the veggies are tender (approximately 30-45 minutes).
3. In the final 10-15 minutes of cooking, add green beans. I also could have added greens, such as spinach, chard or kale, at this time.
4. Serve with a salad.

Sunbutter dressing

Snow has wrapped my world in a beautiful white blanket. It's amazing how fluffy snow can transform an ordinary landscape and make it something extraordinary.

Sunbutter has a similar power when it comes to food. It can change a recipe into something delicious. One of my favorite uses for sunbutter is in my Sunbutter dressing. I eat a lot of salads and the dressing makes them most enjoyable.

Sunbutter dressing

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup unsweetened, natural sunbutter
2. 1/4 cup lime juice
3. 1/8-1/4 cup water
4. salt and pepper to taste
5. 1-2 drops of liquid stevia
6. 1/8 cup flaxseed oil
7. 1 tsp. each chili powder and cumin
8. 2 cloves garlic
9. 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Reserve 1/8 cup of water to add if the mixture is too thick.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional water if you want it thinner.
3. Serve over salads, slaws, etc.
4. Dressing keeps well in refrigerator for a week.

Sesame chicken tenders

My husband has been "forcing" himself to eat pie leftovers since Thanksgiving. I made pumpkin pie and company brought apple pie. What torture for my spouse to eat all that pie since I cannot eat any of it. I think he will soon go through pie withdrawal after the supply ends.

Most traditional Thanksgiving foods are not candida-diet friendly for those of us eating low-glycemic diets. I love turkey but what happens when the supply dwindles. I turn to low-carb sesame chicken tenders. We gobbled them up greedily. Fortunately, I snatched a couple aside to snap a photo.

Low-Carb Sesame Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
2. 4 T. sesame seeds
3. 1 -2 tsp. Chinese Five-Spice
4. 1 T. olive oil
5. Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray and oil baking sheet or pan and preheat in oven to distribute the oil.
2. In a shallow bowl or dish, combine sesame seeds and five spice.
3. Rinse chicken tenders in water.
4. Roll chicken tenders in seed/spice blend to coat.
5. Make additional seed/spice coating if needed.
6. Place coated tenders in preheated, oiled cooking pan.
7. Bake in oven for approximately 15 minutes. Then turn tenders and bake another 15 minutes until crispy.

Serve with a hot, spicy dipping sauce. Saute 2 T. chopped onion in 1 tsp. oil in a small skillet. Add can of tomato sauce (purchase the kind with no additives); 1 tsp. each Bragg's Amino Acids and hot sauce of your choice. Continue cooking until heated through.

Spaghetti squash stew

I keep looking for ways to use up my store of spaghetti squash from last summer's garden. Spaghetti squash chicken stew tops my list as my favorite spaghetti squash recipe. My son, who is not a squash lover, even enjoys it.

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Stew
(serves 6)

Ingredients:

1. 1 T. grapeseed oil or other oil of your choice
2. 6 boned, skinless chicken thighs
3. 1 medium onion, chopped
4. 1 red pepper, cut into one-inch pieces
5. 2 garlic cloves, minced
6. 8 ounces chicken broth, gluten-free, sugar-free
7. 6 chopped roma tomatoes or 14 1/2-ounce can of diced tomatoes
8. 1 T. paprika
9. 1/2 tsp. sea salt
10. 1 baked spaghetti squash
11. 8-12 ounces of frozen or fresh green beans
12. 1/4 cup unsweetened sunbutter

Directions:

1. Bake the spaghetti squash until fork tender; allow to cool and scoop out the squash and cut into bite-sized pieces; set aside
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until browned; remove to a plate.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, onions, pepper and saute until softened.
4. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, paprika and salt. Bring to a boil and add the chicken and green beans. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the chicken and veggies are tender.
5. Add the sunbutter and stir until well-blended.
6. Add the squash and cook until mixture is hot and thickened.
7. Serve in bowls or as an option, ladle over additional spaghetti squash as pictured above.
   

Cocoa Spice Tea

I've been enjoying looking out my window from my kitchen because I have a view of this precious baby llama and her mama. These two reside in my neighbors' pasture, and I've been able to watch the twosome since the baby was born in September.

It's cheap entertainment watching the two from my window and enjoying a cup of cocoa spice tea. One of my favorite teas has always been Yogi Cocoa Spice but I go through it so fast I decided to try to duplicate the tea with my own recipe.

Sheree's Cocoa Spice Tea Recipe
(makes three big cups)


Ingredients:

1. 6 cups of water
2. 3 bags Yogi Chai Rooibos tea or red tea
3. 3 cinnamon sticks
4. 6 whole cloves
5. 6 whole cardamon seeds
6. 1 T. cocoa powder
7. liquid stevia

Directions:

1. Place the water and spices in a large saucepan.
2. Once the water boils, add the tea bags and cocoa powder.
3. Turn off, cover the pan and allow to set on the burner for five minutes or longer.
4. Serve with Tempt hemp milk or other alternative beverages. Add stevia to taste.
5. For a real chocolate spice treat, add unsweetened chocolate almond milk.
   

Low-carb chocolate pudding

Fall hasn't really been fall where I live until the last few days. Snuggling under a blanket is what my pal, Pumpkin, (pictured above) likes to do on a cold, rainy day, like we're having today. His idea could be catching but then I wouldn't get anything done.

Instead, how about mixing up a batch of low-carb chocolate or carob pudding? It's unbelievably simple and quick, and gives you a dessert fix with minimal carbs and calories (less than 60 depending on what you add).

Low-Carb Chocolate (Carob) Pudding (1 serving)

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 cup chocolate, unsweetened almond milk
2. 1 T. cocoa or carob powder
3. 1/2 tsp. guar gum
4. Alcohol-free stevia for sweetener
5. Optional: 1 tsp. espresso powder

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until thickened.
2. Note: the mixture will continue to thicken if allowed to set for a few minutes.

Sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds

It's difficult to enjoy Halloween with traditional treats when you have candida issues. I try to find low-carb, healthy alternatives to snack on like these sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds. They are toasted and sprinkled with salt, pumpkin pie spice and stevia powder. I also like to mix half pumpkin seeds with half sunflower seeds as shown in the illustration.

Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients:

1. 2 cups pumpkins seeds or half and half
2. sea salt to taste
3. pumpkin pie spice
4. pan spray
5. SweetLeaf Clear liquid or powder

Directions:

1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a heated skilled sprayed with pan spray. Alternative method: spread the seeds on a baking sheet sprayed with pan spray and toast for 5 minutes at 350 degrees. I prefer the skillet method because I always over toast the seeds in the oven.
2. When lightly toasted, spray and toss the seeds with additional pan spray. Then sprinkle on salt, pumpkin pie spice and stevia. Toss to coat and continue to toast being sure to monitor to avoid over cooking.

Spaghetti squash "pumpkin" shake

Well, I've finally given up trying to beat this neck, trapezius injury thing on my own. I'm seeing the physical therapist tomorrow. I'm dying to get back to writing children's books which I do for enjoyment.



I did publish my first book today on Amazon about my pet friends who I write about on this site. "Best Friends" features my dog Kona (AKA Sandy in the book), Shadow (a feral cat from awhile back), Pumpkin and Oreo. If you have a Kindle, take a look at http://www.amazon.com/Best-Friends-Sandy-her-ebook/dp/B0048ELBSO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1287938114&sr=1-1
I'm continuing my love affair with spaghetti squash. I thought why not turn spaghetti squash into a pumpkin shake, smoothie. It actually tasted just like a pumpkin smoothie.

Spaghetti squash "pumpkin" shake

Ingredients:

1. One 1/2 small spaghetti squash, baked until tender and chilled.
2. 1/2 cup liquid, either Sleepytime Vanilla tea (strong brewed) or alternative milk beverage such as Tempt hemp milk (unsweetened) or a combo of both.
3. Liquid stevia to taste (use the alcohol-free kind). I use SweetLeaf Clear.
4. Pumpkin pie spice
5. 1 tsp. guar -gum for thickening
6. 2 cups crushed ice

Directions:

1. Scoop out spaghetti squash.
2. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
3. Blend at high speed until smooth and thick.
4. Add a bit more liquid if needed. Consider adding some Tempt milk or other milk for added creaminess.
5. Serve sprinkled with more pumpkin pie spice and a bit of SweetLeaf Stevia powder.

Spaghetti squash with fresh marinara

Here I am sitting at the computer again trying to stretch out my stiff neck muscles. I can't believe how long it takes to recover from a neck injury. But it is getting better but with teeny tiny baby steps.

I am continuing to look for ways to enjoy my crop of spaghetti squash, basil, stevia, tomatoes and bell peppers from my garden. We are still experiencing an extended growing season, thanks to warmer than normal October weather.

I made fresh marinara sauce with my garden veggies. This sauce is so good it can be eaten raw, if desired. I have eaten it both ways. I serve it over spaghetti squash scooped out and fluffed up like noodles. It also can be ladled over zucchini ribbons which offers another chance to use up big zucchinis. You use a sharp vegetable peeler, pare the squash on all sides, to create thin ribbons that similate noodles. I will try this version next.

Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Marinara

Ingredients:

1. 2 pounds roma tomatoes or other type, washed and halved or quartered, depending on size
2. 1 cup fresh basil leaves
3. 1/2 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, softed in warm water
4. 1/2 cup olive oil
5. Handful of fresh stevia leaves or 1 tsp. of liquid stevia
6. sea salt
7. black pepper
8. 2 bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
9. Optional: 1-2 cans of tomato sauce

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles a fine salsa.
2. Serve as is or place in a pan with tomato sauce to warm.
3. Scoop out spaghetti squash from baked squash. Season with salt and pepper and ladle sauce on top.

Spaghetti squash with sofrito

Sorry for the absence of new posts on my blog in awhile. I have a neck and shoulder injury. Until the past few days, time on the computer was a painful experience and had to be limited to 10 minutes or less.

My injury has kept me from experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen but I did try sofrito, a blend of tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and garlic. It is similar to salsa but less heavy on tomatoes. It's considered a staple of Latin Caribbean food. Sofrito uses up a lot of garden produce and makes a tasty topping for meats and veggies. I used it to top off a spaghetti squash, picked from my garden. Yum!

Sofrito

(Makes one quart)

Ingredients:

1. 2 medium green peppers, seeds removed



2. 1 red sweet pepper, seeds removed



3. 2 large tomatoes



4. 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped



5. 1 head of garlic, peeled



6. 1 bunch of cilantro



7. 1/2 bunch of parsley

Directions:

Put everything in your food processor and blend until it reaches a puree consistency. Stores well in the fridge for at least a week.

Sofrito on Spaghetti Squash

Bake spaghetti squash in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Slice the squash in half lengthwise, seed, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a baking pan with 1/2 inch of water. Remove from the oven when fork tender.

Spread a layer of sofrito on top of the squash and enjoy!

Sleepytime vanilla tea smoothie (ACD friendly)

Staying with a low-carb, low-glycemic diet for life is an ongong battle I face as someone who is extremely sensitive to carbohydrates and prone to candida reoccurrence. I'm constantly monitoring how many carbs I eat and what kind of carbs. There's a fine line for me between too much and too little. Too many carbs and my symptoms return; too little carbs and my brain and body don't function properly.

I also long for an occasional treat. My newest reward is Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Vanilla Tea. It's a new offering in the tea aisle. I love this herbal tea hot, iced and made into a tea-protein smoothie.

I like to combine a Sleepytime Vanilla Tea smoothie with my breakfast which is the most important meal of the day for me. I need to replenish my glycogen. If I skimp on breakfast, I won't have the energy I need for the day so I add a bowl of hot quinoa to my morning meal.

I take 2/3 cup cooked, whole-grain quinoa and mix it with 1/2 cup unsweetened hemp milk, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon and some stevia for sweetener. I microwave this mixture for about 1 1/2 minutes. I top my cereal off with 1 T. of toasted pumpkin seeds. Pairing this cereal with a tea smoothie is the perfect mixture of carbs, protein and deliciousness.

Sleepytime Vanilla Tea Smoothie

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup extra-strength, brewed Sleepytime Vanilla Tea
2. 1-2 scoops vanilla rice protein
3. 1 tsp. guar gum powder
4. alcohol-free stevia to taste
5. 1 T. alcohol-free vanilla extract optional
6. 2 cups crushed ice
7. smidge of hemp milk for additional creaminess (optional)

Directions:

1. Brew Sleepytime Vanilla Tea. Use 2-3 bags per one cup of hot water.
2. Chill the tea in the fridge.
3. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high until the mixture reaches a soft-serve ice cream-like texture.

Note: Makes a generous amount. You can store extra in the freezer for a treat later but it will need to be thawed out slightly before eating.

Zucchini hashbrowns

One of my favorite side dishes, pre-candida days, was hashbrowns. Until recently, I just had to salivate watching other people eat hashbrowns.

But now, I can make ACD-friendly hashbrowns out of zucchinis, which I happen to have an enormous supply of in my garden. It was by accident that I discovered that zucchinis make a good substitute for potatoes in hashbrowns.

I was drying some shredded zucchini in the oven as an ingredient for a veggie pizza crust. I looked at those shredded zucchinis crisping in the oven and suddenly, they looked like hashbrowns.

These days, whenever I pick a good-sized zucchini from the garden, I shred it up in the food processor and make it into Zucchini Hashbrowns.

Ingredients (for 1 serving):

1. Shredded zucchini from 2 medium-sized (or larger) unpeeled zucchinis
2. 1/2 cup chopped onion, red and green peppers
3. salt and pepper to taste
4. Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
5. olive oil pan spray

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread the shredded zucchini on a large baking sheet, sprayed with pan spray
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
4. Spray the zucchini with olive oil. Use an olive oil mister or purchased pan spray.
5. Bake the zucchini until browned and crispy.
6. In the meantime, saute the onion and pepper in a skillet.
7. Add the crisp zucchini shreds to the skillet and mix.
8. Garnish with fresh herbs for serving.

Black bean fudge

Black beans are loaded with antioxidants, protein, and fiber which allows the carbohydrates to be absorbed more slowly. What could be better than turning this wonder food into a ACD-friendly treat?

Carob or Chocolate Black Bean Fudge
Ingredients:

1. 1 can black beans with no added sugar
2. 1/4 cup carob or cocoa powder
3. 1 T. no-alcohol vanilla
4. 1/8 cup sunbutter and 1/8 cup coconut oil (or 1/4 cup coconut oil)
5. 10 or more drops of alcohol-free stevia

Directions:

1. Drain and rinse the black beans
2. Put beans plus all other ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth (add more sunbutter or coconout oil if needed)
3. Spread mixture in an 8-by-8-inch square pan, lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap.
4. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into 24 pieces.
5. Optional: Melt 1 T. each additional sunbutter and coconut oil and mix. Spread on top of the firm black bean fudge as a topping.
6. Other options: Add seeds, nuts or peppermint extract to the mixture.
7. Note: I chose a blend of sunbutter and coconut butter for the fudge because it had less saturated fat. Too much saturated fat causes me difficulty because my gallbladder was removed. The fudge will not stay as firm as when you use only coconut oil. I just keep it frozen to deal with that problem.

Black beans can be added to many treats that contain chocolate and carob, and no one will be the wiser. I recently made black bean, chocolate brownies for my husband, and he had no clue until I told him what the secret ingredient was. The addition of the black beans turned the brownies into a much healthier treat.

Cauliflower rice and nori rolls

Thanks to Brandon who left a comment recently, I decided to make cauliflower rice and use it in truly low-carb/vegan nori rolls. They were delicious with this addition.

Cauliflower rice is super easy to make. All you need is a head of cauliflower, a food processor, microwave and microwave-safe bowl. Wash, trim and cut the cauliflower into pieces. Toss the pieces of cauliflower into a food processor. Process until the cauliflower is turned into rice-sized pieces.

Place the cauliflower rice into a microwave-safe dish with a cover and microwave for a few minutes. Do not add water to your cauliflower as it already has enough moisture of its own.

To make nori rolls, spread sunflower seed pate as the base layer on a nori sheet. Add cauliflower rice and matchstick-sized pieces of cucumber or other veggies on top. Roll up tightly. Cut into threes and serve. Or wrap and store for later.

Sunflower Seed Pate

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked for 6-8 hours (can be sprouted if desired)
2. 1/2 cup chopped celery
3. 1/2 cup shredded zucchini
4. 1/4 cup diced red onion
5. 2-4 cloves garlic
6. 1/4 cup tahini or sunbutter
7. 2 T. Bragg's amino acids
8. 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
9. 2-3 T. lemon juice
10. 1 tsp. cumin
11. dash of cayenne
12. 1 tsp. sea salt

Place all the pate ingredients in your food processor. Process until desired consistency is reached. Note: you can be creative with this recipe. Each time I make it, I vary it slightly. Add other veggies if desired. It stores well in fridge.

Avocado Carobsicles

I just made my first frozen treats with my new popsicle molds. They're not beautiful but they are tasty and full of nutrition. The ingredients include avocado, which is low glycemic and loaded with antioxidants, and silken tofu, a good protein source.

I omitted the sweeteners I saw in similar recipes and replaced them with stevia. They still taste good to me but if you are not used to eating a no-sugar diet you could try some agave nectar. I used carob powder but cacao or cocoa powder could be used instead.

Avocado "Carobsicles"

1 pkg. silken tofu, drained
1 medium avocado, pitted
1/2 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1 tsp. guar gum
6 T. raw carob powder
1 T. alcohol-free vanilla
liquid stevia to taste
pinch sea salt

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional hemp milk if needed.

Pour mixture into individual popsicle molds. This can be tricky especially if your mixture is too thick. Freeze the "carobsicles" until solid, about 4-6 hours, depending on your freezer. Run under hot water to release your popsicle.

Gluten-free energy bars

Finding an ACD-friendly energy bar is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Of course, the packaged ones are loaded with sugar and carbs. What would you expect? That's the stuff that provides energy when you exercise.

I do a lot of cycling, including some long-distance rides but those pre-packaged energy bars won't work for me because of my candida issues. It took some searching on the internet and experimenting but I finally came up with my own ACD-friendly energy bar. It's got lots of good stuff in it and gives me some "go power." I tweaked a recipe from Thrive Fitness.

Carob Strawberry Chia Energy Bars

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup carob powder
2. 1/4 cup vanilla rice protein powder
3. 1/4 cup white chia seeds
4. 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
5. 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
6. 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
7. 1 tsp. lemon juice
8. Sea salt to taste
9. 1/2 cup sprouted quinoa
10. Liquid or powdered stevia to taste

Directions:

1. One day ahead of time, prepare the quinoa seeds. Soak in water for six hours. Drain and place in a seed sprouter. Once the seeds have formed tails from sprouting, place them in a food dehydrator and dry to the touch.
2. Mix all the ingredients in a food processor.
3. Spread the mixture (1/4 inch thick) on a sheet in your dehydrator. Dry for about one hour. Then flip and continue drying. Total drying time: about two hours.
4. Cut into pieces of desired size. Freeze until ready to use.

Minty avocado shake

I started the ACD diet planning to one day be able to return to eating what most people think of as normal which would be a healthy balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats. That was before I discovered that my previous antibiotic overuse and heredity made me extremely sensitive to carbohydrates. What this means is I will be a prime candidate for reoccurring candida, if I don't follow a low-glycemic diet for the rest of my life.

I have people tell me all the time, "Well, you can't eat any of the 'good' stuff." Oh well, I guess I'm "sentenced" to a life of healthy eating.

Mint, avocado and spinach combined into a shake may sound like punishment to some but I definitely found it very easy to polish off most of an "minty avocado shake" before I realized I should take a picture. After snapping a picture of the now "mini" shake pictured above, I finished off the rest.

Minty Avocado Shake
(serves 1-2)

1. 1/2 small avocado
2. 1 cup packed spinach
3. 1 cup unsweetened hemp milk
4. 2 T. vegan rice protein
5. 1/2 tsp. guar gum powder
6. 2 T. fresh mint leaves
7. 1 1/2 cups crushed ice
8. 1/2-3/4 tsp. peppermint extract (Use an alcohol-free variety.)
9. 20 or more drops of alcohol-free stevia (Use agave nectar if not on ACD.)

Blend all the ingredients until smooth in a blender or food processor. Adding the guar gum gives the shake a creamier texture. Enjoy with a sprig of mint on top.

Kona and Pumpkin sack out on a hot summer afternoon.

Nori rolls with sunflower seed spread

I've never eaten Nori rolls until recently. I didn't realize I was missing a great low-carb option as long as I omitted the sushi rice. I was amazed to discover the nutritional powerhouse that a simple Nori rolls is. Nori rolls are a source of Vitamins A, B and C, as well as iodine, protein, carotene and dietary fiber.

I still need a lot of practice filling and rolling a Nori roll but it might help if I invested in a sushi mat. Even though they don't look perfect, they still are quite tasty. Use your imagination for fillings. Here's the one I tried.

Veggie Nori Rolls with Sunflower Seed Spread

Ingredients for Spread:

1. 1 cup sunflower seeds (You also can sprout them ahead of time but I skipped this.)
2. 1/4 cup lemon juice
3. 2 cloves of garlic
4. 2 T. tahini
5. 1 T. Bragg's Amino Acids
6. 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
7. 1/8 chopped red onion
8. 1 small piece of ginger
9. 1 tsp. flax oil
10. 1/2 tsp. cumin
11. dash of Chipotle powder

In a food processor or blender, combine all the ingredients. Blend to a fairly smooth, paste-like consistency.

Directions for Veggie Nori Rolls

1. Lightly toast a Nori sheet in a large skillet.
2. Lay one toasted Nori sheet on a flat surface or bamboo sushi mat, shiny side down.
3. Cover with a thin layer of sunflower seed spread.
4. On top of sunflower seed spread, lay out thinly sliced veggies, such as red pepper, Napa cabbage, red cabbage, avocado, daikon radish and sprouts.
5. Roll up the rolls and cut each into two or three sections.

Carob energy shake

I have been an avid cyclist for years but I've never been able to find a "safe" recovery drink for replenishing muscles after hard exercise. I need something low glycemic, high in protein, and allergen-free for me. Okay, I guess the words low glycemic and recovery drink are an oxymoron. That's probably why I never been able to find a pre-made, post-exercise beverage.

I decided to create my own post-workout beverage. It tasted more like a dessert to me but it met all my requirements: high protein, low to moderate carbs and tasty. I drank it so fast I didn't have time to snap a photo the first time but I got one the second time around.

Carob Energy Shake

Ingredients

1. 1 cup alternative dairy beverage (I like unsweetened Tempt hemp milk.)


2. 1 tsp. raw carob powder


3. 1-2 T. vegan rice protein powder


4. 1/2 tsp. guar gum


5. 1/4 package Silken tofu


6. 1 tsp. unsweetened sunbutter


7. 1 cup crushed ice


8. 10 drops liquid stevia (alcohol-free)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a blender or food processor.


2. Pour in a glass and get refreshed and replenished!

Rhubarb-strawberry smoothie

My sprouter is my newest kitchen gardening gadget. It came with some sprouting seeds I've never tried. The ones in the middle tray are garbanzo bean and pea seeds. The bottom tray has lentil seeds sprouting. All of them turned out to be delicious but I pecially enjoyed the garbanzo bean sprouts. I've been tossing the sprouts on salads but am looking for other ways to enjoy them now that I have a fresh and bountiful supply.

Rhubarb is something else I am continuing to enjoy. I can't believe I went so many years without realizing how versatile and delicious it is. Now, I can't enjoy a smoothie with strawberries without blending in an equal amount of rhubarb. Here's my recipe for a Rhubarb-Strawberry Smoothie.

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup unsweetened hemp milk
2. 1/2 cup chia seed-hemp milk slurry (Mix chia seed in 1/2 cup hemp milk the day before and allow chia seed to expand and absorb the milk. Store in the fridge.)
3. 1/2 cup slightly thawed frozen strawberries
4. 1/2 cup cooked rhubard chilled (Steam two or three chopped stalks of rhubarb until tender in 3/4 cup water + 6 drops liquid stevia.)
5. 2 T. rice protein powder
6. 1/2 tsp. guar gum powder
7. 1 tsp. flax oil (optional)
8. 1 cup crushed ice
9. Liquid stevia to taste

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.

Strawberry-rhubarb sorbet

My orange kitchen pal, Pumpkin, has can-opener radar. Apparently, this heightened sense of hearing is common to all felines when it comes to tuna cans being opened.

Here he is demanding his share of the tuna in the can I've just opened. What you can't see in this picture is his partner in crime, my golden retriever, Kona. She's on the floor waiting for her share of the bounty. Kona gets the tuna-flavored water from the can, and Pumpkin licks the flakes of tuna left in the can. Open a can of anything and they both appear like clockwork waiting for what they hope is tuna. In this case, their vigilence paid off.



My vigilence in trying to find the cause of my recurring candida infections may be paying off too. Chronic candida infections are linked to low stomach acid which I have had for years. Put that together with multiple rounds of antibiotics given to me over the course of years and no wonder I have stomach problems.

My low stomach acid is probably the result of taking tons of antacids and other over-the-counter stomach remedies back when I didn't know what was wrong with my stomach. I got little help from doctors who also gave me acid inhibitors. This is quite common as the symptoms of low stomach acid are pretty much the same as those of too much stomach acid.

An estimated 80 percent of individuals with food allergies/sensitivities probably have low stomach acid. Low stomach acid becomes more prevalent as we age. The probability of having this digestive issue is 40 percent by age 40 and 50 percent by age 60. Individuals with low stomach acid are the target for many health problems because they are not absorbing the necessary vitamins and minerals.

I'm hoping I'm on the right track for curing my candida problems now that I've added HCL-pepsin supplements as well as the L-glutamine for repairing my digestive tract. Maybe some day I'll actually be able to eat a real dessert. Did somebody say dessert?

Strawberry-rhubarb sorbet is my latest effort to appease my sweet tooth. It was so good I decided to add a rhubarb plant to my garden. You also can make this sorbet with straight rhubard for a lower carb version and it still takes good!

Strawberry-rhubarb sorbet

Ingredients:
Makes 4 servings

1. 5 stalks of rhubarb diced and steamed until tender
2. 1 cup of frozen unsweetened strawberries
3. 1/4 cup lemon juice
4. liquid stevia to taste

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Place in the freezer until somewhat firm.
3. Note: Omit the strawberries for a lower carb version.

Best "safe" chocolate pudding

Battling a recurrence of candida has more than tested my mettle. I long for an explanation of why I got so well only to come crashing back almost to where I started.

My health-care provider suggested that my parents and ancestors may be partially to blame. I am one-eighth native American which means I may have inherited a tendency towards diabetes and sensitivity to carbohydrates. Another factor could be that my father was a recovering alcoholic which again means inheriting a tendency towards carbohydrate issues.

All of this family-tree stuff suggests I will most likely be restricting carbs the rest of my life.
I keep telling myself that one day I will be able to eat my favorite delicious, but yet low-carb, chocolate pudding. It's the best chocolate pudding I've ever stirred up that is free of dairy, sugar, eggs, gluten and soy.

Best "safe chocolate pudding
Ingredients:

1. 2 cups unsweetened hemp milk
2. 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
3. 1/4 cup Sweetleaf stevia powder
4. 2 T. alcohol-free vanilla extract
5. 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Heat hemp milk, arrowroot powder, stevia and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan.
2. Whisk constantly as the mixture thickens.
3. When thickened, remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract.
4. Cool in the refrigerator or make "ice cream" with the pudding by placing the mixture in your ice cream freezer.
5. Enjoy topped with cacao bits.

Quinoa pudding

I'm still on the strict candida diet for another nine days. Most of my symptoms have diminished. That includes the sinusitis and disagreeable stomach.

In the meantime, I'm dreaming of eating some quinoa pudding again. It's easy to make and is scrumptious as a breakfast or for dessert.

Quinoa Pudding (serves 4)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
2. 2 2/3 cups unsweetened hemp milk (or other dairy beverage)
3. 2 T. powdered stevia
4. Egg replacer or flax equivalent to 2 eggs
5. 1/4 tsp. ground cardamon
6. 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit chopped (Berries would be best choice because they are low glycemic compared to other fruits.)

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, bring quinoa and 1 2/3 cups hemp milk to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 15 minutes or more.
2. Prepare the egg replacer or flax and whisk together with stevia, cardamon and remaining 1 cup of hemp milk.
3. Reduce heat to medium low and slowly stir in egg replacer or flax mixture. Stir constantly.
4. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 20-30 minutes. Stir in fruit if desired.
5. Place the quinoa pudding in a storage container and place in the refrigerator for at least two hours or up to two days.
6. Serve garnished with berries or other fruit.

Rutabaga fries

It's day 13 revisited on the virtually carb-less candida diet. I can't believe I've been through this all before but apparently there is a 50 percent recurrence rate for candida. I guess that means I need to dig in my heels and be more aggressive this time. To be honest, how long one stays after it depends on how long it's been a problem. I visited with someone recently who still is vigilent after two years but she had the problem for decades. That would be me.

I confess until I went on this candida diet I had never eaten a rutabaga before. I should have tried one sooner because they are surprisingly good and the best part, low in carbs compared to other root vegetables and potatoes. One cup raw sliced rutabaga has about 7 grams of carbohydrates which is about 1/3 of what a potato has. Rutabagas also have 3.5 grams of fiber, 50 calories, and more vitamins and minerals than potatoes.

They make great oven fries but require some special preparation. You will need to peel, cut them into rounds or strips, and steam them until tender before making them into oven fries. I skipped the steaming step and discovered they can be pretty tough to eat.

Ingredients:

1. Rutabagas
2. Olive oil
3. Salt, garlic cloves minced, herbs de provence

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400-425 degrees. Peel rutabagas and slice into rounds or strips. Steam until tender.
2. Drain and cool slightly.
3. Toss with olive oil, minced garlic and desired seasoning. I used herbs de provence. Other ideas: salt, garlic powder, paprika; garam masala and garlic; 5-spice powder and minced ginger. Note: These should be sprinkled on immediately after the fries are done.
4. Place the rutabaga on a sprayed baking sheet.
5. Bake about 25 minutes, turning once half way. Check the rutabagas often as the speed at which they are done may vary depending on your oven and the size you sliced them. Remove them when they are golden brown.

Candida recurrence

Candida has gotten the best of me again. It's been one year since my first all-out assault on candida. Here I am doing the same protocol as before: taking the anti-fungals, experiencing the die-off, existing on lean protein and vegetables.

Where did I go wrong? Was it the foot infection that lead to having to take antibiotics and a weakened immune system? Was it my trip to Hawaii where I decided papayas were my food of choice? Did I fail to reduce candida to normal levels the first time?

There is so much discrepancy in the diet advice out there for treating candida. It's easy to stray
and add things that exacerbate the problem. For instance, one diet says brown rice and berries are okay in small quantities during the initial phase. Another says no way. Stick with protein and veggies. Some say tofu and miso are okay. Other's say no because they are fermented foods.

More than likely I have leaky gut syndrome which is common among those who have had candida for lengthy periods of time. My practitioner and I never addressed this problem as part of my previous treatment.

Candida cause leaky gut or intestinal permeability by attaching to the walls of small intestine where they bore holes in the intestinal wall. This means that the damage to the walls is allowing candida, bacteria, food, pollen, environmental pollutants, and other material to enter the bloodstream. Once the candida have an open door to the rest of your body, they can wreck havoc. L-glutamine is supposed to assist in healing the "leaky" intestinal lining.

One thing I can say about the second time around is I'm not really craving carbs. That could possibly be because I don't really have much appetite but I do enjoy Chili Chicken.


Chili Chicken ( serves 4)

Ingredients:

1. 2 chicken breasts, rinsed and cut into bite-size pieces.
2. 1/4 tsp. sea salt
3. 1 T. sesame oil
4. Optional items if not on strict candida diet: 1 T. arrowroot powder + 1/2 cup water, Bragg's amino acids
5. 2 T. canola oil
6. 1/4-1 tsp. crushed red pepper (adjust to your taste)
7. 1 T. gingerroot, minced
8. 2 cloves garlic, minced
9. Chopped veggies: 4 medium zucchini in half moons, 1/2 head Napa cabbage, 2 red bell peppers (optional: 1/4 cup onion)

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized bowl, season chicken with salt, sesame oil and optional arrowroot.
2. In a large skillet on high heat, heat canola oil.
3. Add the crushed red pepper and heat for a minute.
4. Add the garlic, ginger and optional onion, and saute until translucent.
5. Toss in the chicken and cook until golden brown.
6. Add the water and Bragg's amino acids at this point if you are following the option for those not on a strict candida diet.
7. Place the chicken in a bowl and aside.
8. Heat some additional oil in the skillet and stir-fry your veggies.
9. Plate this up with veggies on the bottom and chili chicken on top. Or do your own thing and mix them both together before serving.

Kale chips

Eat more kale is what I've been telling myself lately. It's a food that rarely makes most people's top-10 list but on my own list, it's a superstar. Kale is one of those foods that's high in all the right things. It's high in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, folic acid, calcium and iron.

Kale is a member of the "cruciferous" vegetable family. Other veggies in this family include broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, watercress and chard. No doubt, some of the others are more popular than kale.

Part of the problem is people don't know what to do with kale. One of the easiest and tastiest ways to use it is as kale chips. It's also great sauteed with olive oil or added to soups or stews.

Lately, I've become addicted to kale chips which helps you use up and consume a lot of kale. Kale chips are quite tasty and help satisfy one's cravings for crispy snacks.

There are several ways to prepare kale chips. One takes about 15 minutes and uses the oven. The other requires a food dehydrator and requires about 1-2 hours for one bunch of kale. Larger quantities take much longer.

My favorite Kale Chip recipes:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wash, trim and chop 1 bunch of kale into pieces. I usually make my pieces about 2-3 inches long. Trim off most of the stems and use the leafy portions.

Toss the kale pieces with 2 T. olive oil and 2 T. lemon juice. Or make up a mixture of 2 T. tahini and 1 T. Bragg's amino acids. Use the same procedure. Place the kale in a bowl and drizzle some of tahini mixture on top and mix in.

Spread on large sprayed baking sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes or until crispy.

Trust me it's really delicious even if it looks a little toasty.

Flax flatbread

I've been eating gluten-free for about six years now. Trust me, it's very easy to gain weight when you go gluten-free. Many of the alternative flours and thickeners are simple carbs that are high in calories and lacking in fiber and protein. I probably put on five pounds in next to no time when I first went gluten-free. In my mind, I thought these foods were healthy for me since they were safe. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

After I was diagnosed with candida, I became more aware of what I was eating. Even if you don't need to follow a low-glycemic diet, you should be careful when purchasing gluten-free products. I know here we go again just when you thought you didn't need to read labels anymore.

Here some ingredients you should look for and avoid as much as possible:

• Tapioca starch has no nutritional value whatsoever and is high in carbs. For some individuals, it is difficult to digest.
• Potato starch is used as a thickener but again has no nutritional value.
• White rice flour is high in calories, carbs and devoid of nutrition.

Look for these better choices:

• Quinoa
• Brown rice
• Garbanzo bean flour
• Buckwheat
• Coconut flour
• Amaranth
• Oat flour made from gluten-free oats

Even better choices are:

• Veggies
• Fruit
• Meat or soy
• Dairy or alternative dairy beverages

Here's a recipe for a low-carb bread you might want to try. It's high in fiber and protein. But remember it still has calories. Cut it into small squares to limit your potion size.

Flax Flatbread

Ingredients:

• 1 cup golden flax meal
• 3/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• egg replacer for five eggs (Technically, this is a unhealthy ingredient as it contains potato starch. If you can eat eggs, that would be a better choice.)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup olive oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the flax meal, flours, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.
2. In a smaller bowl, mix together the eggs or egg replacer, water and olive oil.
3. Stir wet ingredients into dry, mixing well. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes to thicken the batter.
4. Pour the batter into a 11-by-7-inch glass pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and cool.
7. After cooled, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.
8. If desired, sprinkle squares with sea salt, olive oil and herbs de provence. Toast squares on a baking sheet.
9. Serve

Spiced quinoa seed clusters

I love spiced quinoa seed clusters but I'm not sure I should eat them very often. They are the "perfect" sweet, salty, crunchy, high fiber snack for someone who can't eat nuts or sugar. I could eat them endlessly but then I'd get a wake-up call from my stomach, saying "What were you thinking eating all that hard to digest stuff?" But if you don't have a problem with the fiber, they would be great to snack on.

Allergy season has been awful for me this year. When my body is being overwhelmed with environmental allergens, I really need to watch what I eat as I found out when I over did it on strawberries. I lay awake all night writhing in pain with nausea, bloating, the usual stuff I get when I'm having a reaction to a particular food. Then, the three days of additional misery ensued. Now, I am avoiding strawberries for a good period of time before I try eating them in small doses to see what effects they produce. It's painful not being able to eat strawberries when they are in season and so delicious.

I keep reminding myself of that horrible experience every time I am tempted to reach for something that might pose a problem. That's why I am passing on the recipe for Spiced Quinoa Seed Clusters to those of you who have bodies that can handle it.

Mix 3 cups seeds of your choice (I used half pumpkin seeds and half sunflower seeds) with 1/4 cup each ground flaxseed and raw quinoa seed. In a separate bowl, prepare egg replacer for two eggs. Mix the egg replacer with hemp milk or other alternative dairy beverage. Add in 1 T. SweetLeaf Stevia powder, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. each cayenne, cumin and cinnamon. Toss with the seed mixture.

Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees until dry, stirring occasionally, about 20-30 minutes. Cool and break into pieces for snacking. Makes about 16 servings.

Tofu bruschetta

My pals, Kona and Pumpkin, are really good at giving me kudos for getting out and riding my bike. Actually, I think they were scheming to get me to feed them.

Tofu bruschetta is a nutritious snack to feed yourself after exercising or just as a snack to hold you until dinner. I love tofu but because of my thyroid issues only eat it a few times each week. This is worth waiting a day or three for.

Tofu Bruschetta

(makes 5 servings)

Ingredients:

1 package extra firm tofu

1 package grape tomatoes

3 zucchinis

Optional: 2 yellow squash and/or Japanese eggplant

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 red onion cut into half slices

2 T. ground turmeric

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 T. + 1 tsp. canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the tofu as if you were slicing bread. Drizzle with 1 tsp. of canola oil and rub with turmeric. Lay the slices on a pan-sprayed baking sheet. Bake until crispy for about 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, halve the grape tomatoes, dice the squash, slice the onion into moons, slice the red pepper into strips. Spread veggies on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with canola oil or spray with pan spray.

Grill or broil veggies until softened and lightly browned on both sides. Let cool.

Toss the veggies with the remaining turmeric, cumin, canola oil and salt/pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Serve on top of baked tofu slices.

Quinoa paella

A friend of mine is a real food lover but his food repertoire runs the gamut from Burger King to fast-food burritoes. He caught me a little off guard the other day when he excitedly told me that he had discovered a delicious and versatile food---quinoa. I guess it didn't expect someone without food allergies to declare quinoa one of their favorite foods. But I whole heartedly agree with him.

Quinoa, pronounced "Keen-wa," is not only delicious but also a nutritional powerhouse. It contains more protein than any other grain (although technically it's not a grain) with an average 16.2 percent. It rivals the protein content of meat and is a complete protein with essential amino acids. What's not to like about quinoa?

I recently found a recipe for orzo "paella" and decided to doctor it up and use quinoa instead. No surprise, it was perfect!

Quinoa Paella

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3/4 pound large frozen shrimp, cleaned, shelled and thawed, tails on
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 T. plus 1 tsp. olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 small onion, chopped
Optional: 2-4 boneless cooked chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1/4 cup roasted red pepper strips
Optional: 1/4 cup chopped parsley

Directions:

Place first four ingredients in a ziploc bag with 1 T. olive oil. Set aside.

Add quinoa to pot with veggie broth, water and turmeric. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 15 minutes.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes, turning them halfway through. Add chicken thigh chunks if using. Add quinoa to pan. Add peas and heat mixture. Lay red pepper strips on top and sprinkle on parsley.

Garbanzo bean brownies (dairy and egg free)

Here's my little pal, Pumpkin, asking for his dinner. He raises his paw for food! I'd raise my hand too but it would have to be for chocolate, my weakness.

As you can tell, I'm always trying a chocolate recipe. The trick is making it free of dairy, flour, egg and sugar. And if I can make it low-fat, that's good too.

I've always wondered if I could make brownies with whole garbanzo beans that filled all my requirements so I decided to give it a try. They were tasty but kind of flat compared to regular brownies. I call them my flat, not fat, brownies.

Garbanzo bean brownies

Ingredients:

2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

Egg replacer for 4 eggs (follow directions on box but mix with hemp milk instead of water)

1/4 cup dark baking cocoa powder

3 T. olive oil or canola oil

1/8 cup powdered stevia

10 drops vanilla-flavored liquid stevia

3/4 tsp. baking powder (gluten-free)

Optional: 2 T. cacao nibs for sprinkling on top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients (except for cacao nibs) in a food processor and blend to a dough-like consistency. Add additional hemp milk if needed. Pour batter into a 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle with cacao nibs. Place in oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes. Check frequently for doneness. Makes eight servings.