Thursday, June 25, 2009
Finally - Pictures!
So, our desktop is up and running again and I finally have access to my photos - mere days before we leave for a month long vacation! Oh well, something is better than nothing. The photos are not that fabulous (because I'm no artist), but they give you an idea of what a dish looks like before you try it yourself!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
GFCF Nut Butter Cupcakes
Today I was surprised by one of those "my daughter's birthday is tomorrow and I wanted to celebrate with cupcakes, but your girls have food allergies!" moments after I dropped the girls off at VBS. I could see the trepidation in the poor woman's eyes until I said "don't worry about it, I'll bring cupcakes that my girls can have", and instant relief spread across her face. I do what I can, you know?
I've been half-mad this week preparing for our month-long vacation that begins on Sunday. We are taking a three day car trip, which means packing all our food for three days (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) because it is impossible for us to stop for food along the way. So I've been shopping and packing and planning and I don't have a lot of time to spare before we leave. But what are a couple of dozen cupcakes? These are easy to whip up, and the nut butter flavor is sublte and pleasing. They are good frosted with plain "buttercream" frosting, but chocolate "buttercream" frosting would be good too. Once again, an allergy-mom saves the day! (Wow, I just realized I wear a lot of hats.)
2 cups GF All Purpose Flour Blend
1 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free margarine
1/2 cup nut butter (almond, cashew or sunflower)
2 eggs
1 cup rice milk or other dairy-free milk alternative
Preheat oven to 375. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with baking cups, set aside.
Sift together the flour through the salt, set aside.
Beat margarine and nut butter together until well-blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the rice milk and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down sides, then beat on medium speed one minute or until smooth.
Spoon batter into muffin cups (you will probably only get 18 cupcakes out of this recipe...fill the leftover muffin wells with a half inch of water so the pan does not warp in the oven). Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack completely before frosting as desired.
I've been half-mad this week preparing for our month-long vacation that begins on Sunday. We are taking a three day car trip, which means packing all our food for three days (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) because it is impossible for us to stop for food along the way. So I've been shopping and packing and planning and I don't have a lot of time to spare before we leave. But what are a couple of dozen cupcakes? These are easy to whip up, and the nut butter flavor is sublte and pleasing. They are good frosted with plain "buttercream" frosting, but chocolate "buttercream" frosting would be good too. Once again, an allergy-mom saves the day! (Wow, I just realized I wear a lot of hats.)
2 cups GF All Purpose Flour Blend
1 tsp. xanthan gum
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free margarine
1/2 cup nut butter (almond, cashew or sunflower)
2 eggs
1 cup rice milk or other dairy-free milk alternative
Preheat oven to 375. Line two 12 cup muffin tins with baking cups, set aside.
Sift together the flour through the salt, set aside.
Beat margarine and nut butter together until well-blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the rice milk and beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down sides, then beat on medium speed one minute or until smooth.
Spoon batter into muffin cups (you will probably only get 18 cupcakes out of this recipe...fill the leftover muffin wells with a half inch of water so the pan does not warp in the oven). Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and cool on a wire rack completely before frosting as desired.
Monday, June 22, 2009
My Favorite Chocolate Dessert (with Raspberry Sauce)
This is my personal favorite chocolate oblivion type of dessert. It's simple, easy to make, velvety and smooth. I prefer fruit-based desserts almost all of the time, but this dessert is a good change of pace. The raspberry sauce helps, of course. And it easily kills any hint of chocolate craving in just a few bites...a little goes a long way!
16 one oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate
2/3 cup dairy free, soy free margarine (such as Earth Balance)*
5 eggs
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. GF All Purpose Flour Blend
two half-pint containers fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. tapioca starch
2 tbsp. water
fresh raspberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and margarine over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs 2 minutes. Slowly add chocolate mixture to eggs, beating constantly - continue beating for several minutes. Add sugar and flour and beat until just mixed. Pour into the prepared springform pan. Bake 15 minutes - cake will not be set in the center. Remove from oven and cool, then chill in the refrigerator. Before slicing, run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen and remove the side from the pan. Cut into 12 or 16 wedges (be mindful of the parchment paper on the bottom).
Make the sauce: Combine raspberries, 1 1/2 cups water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered about15 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pushing as much raspberry pulp through the sieve as possible and discard the seeds. Return to the saucepan. Combine tapioca starch and 2 tbsp. water, stir until smooth. Add tapioca mixture to the raspberry mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat and cool.
To serve, spoon about 2 tbsp. sauce onto each dessert plate. Place a thin wedge of chocolate dessert on the sauce. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a bit of powdered sugar, if desired. Serves 12 - 16.
*Coconut oil would also be nice in place of the margarine.
16 one oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate
2/3 cup dairy free, soy free margarine (such as Earth Balance)*
5 eggs
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. GF All Purpose Flour Blend
two half-pint containers fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. tapioca starch
2 tbsp. water
fresh raspberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper, set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt chocolate and margarine over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs 2 minutes. Slowly add chocolate mixture to eggs, beating constantly - continue beating for several minutes. Add sugar and flour and beat until just mixed. Pour into the prepared springform pan. Bake 15 minutes - cake will not be set in the center. Remove from oven and cool, then chill in the refrigerator. Before slicing, run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen and remove the side from the pan. Cut into 12 or 16 wedges (be mindful of the parchment paper on the bottom).
Make the sauce: Combine raspberries, 1 1/2 cups water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered about15 minutes. Strain through a sieve, pushing as much raspberry pulp through the sieve as possible and discard the seeds. Return to the saucepan. Combine tapioca starch and 2 tbsp. water, stir until smooth. Add tapioca mixture to the raspberry mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat and cool.
To serve, spoon about 2 tbsp. sauce onto each dessert plate. Place a thin wedge of chocolate dessert on the sauce. Garnish with fresh raspberries and a bit of powdered sugar, if desired. Serves 12 - 16.
*Coconut oil would also be nice in place of the margarine.
Friday, June 19, 2009
GFCF Blueberry Crisp
2 pints blueberries, rinsed and dried (about 5 cups)
1 tsp. grated lemon peel plus 1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. tapioca starch
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or mace
1/3 cup All Purpose GF flour blend
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or mace
1/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (or gluten-free oats or even uncooked buckwheat hot cereal)
1/2 cup walnut meal
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease one 8 inch square baking pan, set aside.
Combine the blueberries, lemon peel and lemon juice in a large bowl, toss to coat. Stir together the sugar, tapioca starch and nutmeg or mace and add to the blueberries, tossing well. Pour blueberry mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Combine the flour, brown sugar and nutmeg or mace. Cut in the margarine with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Stir in the quinoa flakes and walnut meal and pour over the blueberries, spreading evenly. Bake 35 minutes or until the topping is lightly brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.
1 tsp. grated lemon peel plus 1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp. tapioca starch
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or mace
1/3 cup All Purpose GF flour blend
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg or mace
1/4 cup dairy-free, soy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance
1/2 cup quinoa flakes (or gluten-free oats or even uncooked buckwheat hot cereal)
1/2 cup walnut meal
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease one 8 inch square baking pan, set aside.
Combine the blueberries, lemon peel and lemon juice in a large bowl, toss to coat. Stir together the sugar, tapioca starch and nutmeg or mace and add to the blueberries, tossing well. Pour blueberry mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Combine the flour, brown sugar and nutmeg or mace. Cut in the margarine with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Stir in the quinoa flakes and walnut meal and pour over the blueberries, spreading evenly. Bake 35 minutes or until the topping is lightly brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Savory Wild Rice Pancakes
These pancakes make a good light dinner accompanied by a salad. We like them topped with just a bit of Earth Balance soy-free margarine.
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large stalk celery, diced
3 green onions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp. vegetable broth
1/2 cup GF flour blend
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Scrape the celery into a medium mixing bowl, return the pan to the heat and add the remaining oil to the pan.
To the celery in the bowl add the scallions, rice, egg and vegetable broth, mix well. Add the flour, baking powder, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper, mix well.
Drop batter by large tablespoonfuls onto the hot skillet. Cook until little bubbles form on top of the pancakes and bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. Remove to a plate and keep warm until ready to serve. Makes about 6 pancakes.
2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large stalk celery, diced
3 green onions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
1 cup cooked wild rice
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp. vegetable broth
1/2 cup GF flour blend
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Scrape the celery into a medium mixing bowl, return the pan to the heat and add the remaining oil to the pan.
To the celery in the bowl add the scallions, rice, egg and vegetable broth, mix well. Add the flour, baking powder, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper, mix well.
Drop batter by large tablespoonfuls onto the hot skillet. Cook until little bubbles form on top of the pancakes and bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook until the other side is golden brown. Remove to a plate and keep warm until ready to serve. Makes about 6 pancakes.
Footnote to "Untitled" - Revised
So the other day I mentioned how far Anna has come, and how I feel good about where we are on our journey. And then yesterday I wrote about a difficult interaction I had with Anna and how I had handled it (not very well). And then today I was feeling so bad about it that I decided to erase my post and write this instead. I just feel really dumb. I don't know why I keep mucking things up. It feels like Anna and I are on two different planes of existence. She's my daughter and I love her to pieces, but she confounds me and I just don't know what to do about that. Really, it feels like we live on different planets. But I'm so invested in helping her and so emotionally involved that in a difficult moment it's so hard to step outside of myself and remind myself of all the things I know - she experiences the world differently than I do. She processes information differently. Different things are important to her. We may never see eye-to-eye, but I want her to know how fabulous she is and how valuable she is to our family and to society. I will get in anybody's face who will not accept these things as truth, but then I, her own mother, am guilty of forgetting these truths and letting my frustration get the best of me. I feel really crappy right now. I of all people know the difficulties Anna faces. And yet it does not stop me from feeling so frustrated sometimes. Anna deserves better, and yet I'm what she's got. It's hard not to feel like a failure as a mother at times. I'm sure lots of mothers feel this way, so I'm not going to wallow in it. I just hope what Anna takes away from her childhood are strong feelings of love, support and acceptance. My worst fear is that she'll grow up and hate me and tell me everything I tried to do for her was wrong. I have to keep reminding myself that I want her to feel loved above all else even when I'm in the midst of migraine-inducing frustration. Wish me luck. Raising Anna will likely be the hardest thing I will ever do in my life.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Crock Pot Turkey Breast with Gravy
Like chicken, turkey is very easy to make in the crock pot. I used this recipe here as my guide. I like the onion in the recipe - it flavors the turkey broth in the pot, which makes a good soup base or gravy. So inspired, I splurged on making gravy to accompany dinner. Instead of using cornstarch to thicken the gravy I used tapioca starch - it takes a lot less tapioca starch than cornstarch to thicken gravy!
1 5 - 6 pound turkey breast
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
olive oil
liberal seasoning of your choice (salt and pepper, garlic and herbs...I used Penzey's Turkish Seasoning)
Smear the crock pot with olive oil. Place onion slices on the bottom of the crock pot to create a barrier between the turkey and the bottom of the crock pot. Pour the chicken broth over the onions. Rinse the turkey and pat dry. Place the turkey breast side up in the crock pot and smear with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings. Cook on high for 1 hour, then turn to low and cook about another 5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Remove the turkey from the crock pot and let sit 10 minutes before slicing. Strain the turkey juices in the pot and discard the solids. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of broth for the gravy, saving any remaining broth for a future use (such as Leftover Turkey and Gravy Soup).
For the Gravy: In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. tapioca starch until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the turkey broth. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir and cook 1 minute more. Add additional turkey broth if needed to thin the gravy as desired. Season with salt and pepper.
1 5 - 6 pound turkey breast
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
olive oil
liberal seasoning of your choice (salt and pepper, garlic and herbs...I used Penzey's Turkish Seasoning)
Smear the crock pot with olive oil. Place onion slices on the bottom of the crock pot to create a barrier between the turkey and the bottom of the crock pot. Pour the chicken broth over the onions. Rinse the turkey and pat dry. Place the turkey breast side up in the crock pot and smear with olive oil. Sprinkle with seasonings. Cook on high for 1 hour, then turn to low and cook about another 5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Remove the turkey from the crock pot and let sit 10 minutes before slicing. Strain the turkey juices in the pot and discard the solids. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of broth for the gravy, saving any remaining broth for a future use (such as Leftover Turkey and Gravy Soup).
For the Gravy: In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. tapioca starch until smooth. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the turkey broth. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir and cook 1 minute more. Add additional turkey broth if needed to thin the gravy as desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Untitled, in Two Parts
I am currently reading through a book that explores several non-traditional approaches for treating autism. I respect the traditional medicine approaches - they have brought Anna great benefit. The only non-traditional approach we've taken so far is dietary intervention, which Anna's doctors regard with some skepticism. Yet in addition to traditional therapies, the GFCF diet has taken us farther than I ever dreamed. Now I'm wondering what other non-traditional approaches might be helpful and how much more traditional medicine can do for us. I am thankful for how far we've come with traditional medicine, but I feel that it may have taken us as far as it is able (or willing?). I'm ready to start looking for help elsewhere.
Part One
The girls' Pediatric Gastroenterologist called this morning. She had run stool tests to determine of the girls had any parasites or other nasties that would be making them feel bad. Megan's samples showed nothing amiss, while all Anna's showed were elevated white blood cell counts. So no parasites (hooray!), but the doc said the white blood cell counts are a sign of possible inflammation. She had given me an antibiotic to give to Anna, which I have not done - when she asked me about it I told her that instead I doubled up on the girls' probiotics. She was okay with this and said it might take another two weeks to have any effect, and if there is no effect then to give Anna the antibiotics to deal with the inflammation. However, I hesitate to do that. I think antibiotics got us into this current mess - how are they supposed to get us out of it? Talking to the good doc, I felt like we had just slipped through the cracks of traditional medicine. At our visit the doc said she thinks something links the girls together (and me too, incidentally) and that she wants to find it (via scope). But I think I already know what it is - sensitive immune systems dealing with flora thrown off balance by antibiotics and possibly dealing with yeast overgrowth - and I don't think that anyone will want to hear it.
So we are slowly making our way through the tall grass and weeds out of traditional medicine and into biomedical treatment, because I feel like that is the option that will give us solutions. I didn't consider a diet change to be biomedical so much, but now that I'm understanding how the immune system is involved and is compromised in my girls, I think that diet may not be enough. I'm resigning to the fact that traditional medicine may not (or will not?) be able to further help us. It's a weird transitional space to be in - I've tried so hard for so long to deal with this under the guidance and advice of our traditional doctors because I believe they care and are knowledgeable and really want to help. But I think our rope has just run out and frayed. I'm going to have to chase down healing via alternative avenues.
Part Two
Many people in the autism community talk about recovery. It is a subject that gets its own chapter in the book I'm reading. I don't like to think that way often. In my mind's eye, that word conjures up an image - "RECOVERY" spelled in white against a black background, which is a little stark and stressful. Instead I like to see our journey as a path leading out of darkness and going into the light. I can look back and see how far we've come. How at age 2 1/2, Anna displayed 11 of 14 signs of autism. How all she did for 3 weeks after Megan was born was screech at the top of her lungs and run pell-mell through the house non-stop. How she could not sit still for a meal - DH and I joked that she needed to run a steeple chase between bites. How she would look at us with her bright blue eyes that were slightly glazed over and not be completely present with us. How she would push away or run and hide from physical affection as simple as a hug. How she had language but could not functionally communicate her needs - she ended up screaming instead. How she didn't even have enough skills for pretend play, let alone the skills for joint play with peers. How she could not dress herself or take care of herself in the bathroom properly. How she'd throw herself onto floors and against walls in search of sensory stimulation. How she'd leave marks biting herself in frustration over not understanding or being understood.
And now? After speech therapy, occupational therapy, social skills therapy and diet intervention? We still have tantrums and behavioral issues and sometimes the odd disconnect. We still need speech and OT and social skills and diet and the special attention and understanding her school provides. Life is good. But can I call her recovered? Do I want to? I'll say we are continuing on our way to a better place, not only Anna but also Megan (whose health issues have the same origin as Anna's but they manifest as physical sickness instead of autism). We will continue therapy and diet intervention, and once we get a firmer grip on the immune system and gut issues that plague both girls, I think we'll get there. All of us. The diet and other interventions will cease being interventions and simply be long-term health management.
Looking down our path, I can see bright sunlight. We move into it little by little, but we are getting there. I'm finding lately that I will try to be doing something and become annoyed by an interruption - "Mommy! Look at me! Watch this!". For a moment in that annoyance I am a typical parent, until I look up and see Anna - bright eyed and looking at me with a smile of anticipation. My smile and attention are her reward. She grins and plunges underwater to show me how brave she is for holding her breath under water and for getting her face wet. I see the shadow of a younger Anna, fearful and frustrated - and I am again an autism parent. It's not a bad place to be...we've come a long way. We still have a long row to hoe, but I have a lot to be thankful for.
Part One
The girls' Pediatric Gastroenterologist called this morning. She had run stool tests to determine of the girls had any parasites or other nasties that would be making them feel bad. Megan's samples showed nothing amiss, while all Anna's showed were elevated white blood cell counts. So no parasites (hooray!), but the doc said the white blood cell counts are a sign of possible inflammation. She had given me an antibiotic to give to Anna, which I have not done - when she asked me about it I told her that instead I doubled up on the girls' probiotics. She was okay with this and said it might take another two weeks to have any effect, and if there is no effect then to give Anna the antibiotics to deal with the inflammation. However, I hesitate to do that. I think antibiotics got us into this current mess - how are they supposed to get us out of it? Talking to the good doc, I felt like we had just slipped through the cracks of traditional medicine. At our visit the doc said she thinks something links the girls together (and me too, incidentally) and that she wants to find it (via scope). But I think I already know what it is - sensitive immune systems dealing with flora thrown off balance by antibiotics and possibly dealing with yeast overgrowth - and I don't think that anyone will want to hear it.
So we are slowly making our way through the tall grass and weeds out of traditional medicine and into biomedical treatment, because I feel like that is the option that will give us solutions. I didn't consider a diet change to be biomedical so much, but now that I'm understanding how the immune system is involved and is compromised in my girls, I think that diet may not be enough. I'm resigning to the fact that traditional medicine may not (or will not?) be able to further help us. It's a weird transitional space to be in - I've tried so hard for so long to deal with this under the guidance and advice of our traditional doctors because I believe they care and are knowledgeable and really want to help. But I think our rope has just run out and frayed. I'm going to have to chase down healing via alternative avenues.
Part Two
Many people in the autism community talk about recovery. It is a subject that gets its own chapter in the book I'm reading. I don't like to think that way often. In my mind's eye, that word conjures up an image - "RECOVERY" spelled in white against a black background, which is a little stark and stressful. Instead I like to see our journey as a path leading out of darkness and going into the light. I can look back and see how far we've come. How at age 2 1/2, Anna displayed 11 of 14 signs of autism. How all she did for 3 weeks after Megan was born was screech at the top of her lungs and run pell-mell through the house non-stop. How she could not sit still for a meal - DH and I joked that she needed to run a steeple chase between bites. How she would look at us with her bright blue eyes that were slightly glazed over and not be completely present with us. How she would push away or run and hide from physical affection as simple as a hug. How she had language but could not functionally communicate her needs - she ended up screaming instead. How she didn't even have enough skills for pretend play, let alone the skills for joint play with peers. How she could not dress herself or take care of herself in the bathroom properly. How she'd throw herself onto floors and against walls in search of sensory stimulation. How she'd leave marks biting herself in frustration over not understanding or being understood.
And now? After speech therapy, occupational therapy, social skills therapy and diet intervention? We still have tantrums and behavioral issues and sometimes the odd disconnect. We still need speech and OT and social skills and diet and the special attention and understanding her school provides. Life is good. But can I call her recovered? Do I want to? I'll say we are continuing on our way to a better place, not only Anna but also Megan (whose health issues have the same origin as Anna's but they manifest as physical sickness instead of autism). We will continue therapy and diet intervention, and once we get a firmer grip on the immune system and gut issues that plague both girls, I think we'll get there. All of us. The diet and other interventions will cease being interventions and simply be long-term health management.
Looking down our path, I can see bright sunlight. We move into it little by little, but we are getting there. I'm finding lately that I will try to be doing something and become annoyed by an interruption - "Mommy! Look at me! Watch this!". For a moment in that annoyance I am a typical parent, until I look up and see Anna - bright eyed and looking at me with a smile of anticipation. My smile and attention are her reward. She grins and plunges underwater to show me how brave she is for holding her breath under water and for getting her face wet. I see the shadow of a younger Anna, fearful and frustrated - and I am again an autism parent. It's not a bad place to be...we've come a long way. We still have a long row to hoe, but I have a lot to be thankful for.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Emily's Chocolate Oblivion
This recipe is originally called Chocolate Suicide, by Rick Mayer. I dislike the word suicide so I renamed it Chocolate Oblivion. The recipe comes by way of a friend's mom who wanted to know if I could make it gluten and casein free. Here it is, Emily - I hope you like it! I'm sorry there are no pictures...well there are, but they are still in the camera. I'll post them when the desktop is up and running again.
Chocolate Oblivion
Start this cake several hours before you serve it. The original recipe called for making the cake with a box of devil's food cake mix, 1 1/3 cups water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 3 large eggs. I was not about to spend $6 on a gluten free cake mix, so I made my own cake and proceeded with the recipe as directed. The original recipe also called for adding 4 tbsp. butter to the ganache which I simply omitted, and placing 10 chocolate-dipped strawberries on top of the cake. I placed three chocolate-dipped strawberries in the middle of the cake (because the girls had gotten to the strawberries first) and it looked just as pretty.
For the cake:
1 GFCF Best-Loved Chocolate Cake, baked and cooled
Set aside two 8 inch cake layers for the Chocolate Oblivion. Wrap the third layer and freeze it for later (this is great for surprise guests - thaw the cake and sprinkle the top with fresh raspberries and powdered sugar and ta-da! - you have a reasonably spiffy dessert).
For the ganache:
10 ounces casein-free chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life
1/2 cup full-fat coconut milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just starting to simmer. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate chips. Let stand 30 seconds to soften, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the vanilla extract and set aside to cool to room temperature.
For the garnish:
strawberries (10 or 3 or however many seems good to you), rinsed, dried and unhulled
Make the Oblivion:
Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with a circle of wax paper, set aside.
Into the bowl of a large standing mixer, break the two cake layers into 1 inch chunks. Pour 1 1/3 cups of the ganache over the cake. Mix on medium speed about 1 minute or until the mixture becomes the consistency of fudge - not too stiff and not soupy (add a little more ganache or ccoconut milk if the mixture seems too stiff). Scrape the mixture into the prepared springform pan and smooth out the top - this should not be too difficult but it will take a minute of work to get the top smoothed just right. Cover the surface of the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate about an hour or until firm and easy to unmold.
Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Pull back the plastic wrap and run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it. Replace the plastic wrap. Remove the side of the springform pan. Place a plate on top of the cake and invert the cake. Remove the bottom of the springform pan and reinvert the cake onto a serving plate. Discard the plastic wrap.
Surround the cake with strips of plastic wrap to keep the serving plate clean while you frost the cake. Reserve 1/4 cup of ganache for dipping strawberries. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache once. Let the ganache set(this won't take long as the cake will be cold), then frost the cake with a second layer of ganache, making the ganache look as smooth and silky as possible. Remove and discard the plastic wrap around the edge. Let the ganache set again.
Dip the strawberries into the 1/4 cup of reserved ganache so they are half covered in chocolate. Place the strawberries on top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake until 1 hour before ready to serve.
Monday, June 8, 2009
GFCF Best-Loved Chocolate Cake
This is a Better Homes and Gardens recipe, modified to be gluten, casein and soy free, of course! Sorry there is no picture...our computer is still dead and our camera won't work with the laptop we have on loan. But rest assured, this cake is good. The girls prefer it with frosting, but I like it with ganache!
3/4 cup palm shortening
3 eggs
2 cups All-Purpose GF flour blend
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dairy free milk alternative, such as rice milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8 inch cake pans. Line the bottoms of the cake pans with with parchment paper or waxed paper, set aside.
Sift together the flour through the salt, set aside.
Beat shortening on high speed for 30 seconds. With the mixer running, add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well combined (about 3 minutes). Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and the rice milk alternately to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat well after each addition.
Divide batter evenly among the pans and spread to smooth. Bake about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and peel off parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Frost as desired.
3/4 cup palm shortening
3 eggs
2 cups All-Purpose GF flour blend
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups dairy free milk alternative, such as rice milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8 inch cake pans. Line the bottoms of the cake pans with with parchment paper or waxed paper, set aside.
Sift together the flour through the salt, set aside.
Beat shortening on high speed for 30 seconds. With the mixer running, add the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, beating until well combined (about 3 minutes). Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and the rice milk alternately to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat well after each addition.
Divide batter evenly among the pans and spread to smooth. Bake about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and peel off parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks. Frost as desired.
What the Gut?!
It is slowly dawning on me that we have gut issues. You know, the kind you read about in autism books, on ASD forums, on other people's blogs. The kind that makes my hair stand up on end to think about, because I don't know much about it and I don't know how to deal with it. And I'm not the sort of person who says "gut" flippantly. I wish there was another word that sounded a little nicer, but there's not.
Choosing to go gluten/casein/soy/peanut free was relatively easy after getting confirmation of allergies and sensitivities via a blood test. Tearing through the kitchen to replace food goods wasn't so bad either. Converting my kitchen was challenging and fun. I can cook and bake my way around a lot of things and make them tasty and accessible. That's all good. And for a long time after removing those offending foods from our diet, we felt great! We saw lots of improvements in many areas! Life was good!
Now a year later, we are dealing with gut issues...see-sawing IBS episodes after rounds of antibiotics. This never used to be a problem - we could take antibiotics blithely and never have a problem. Why is it a problem now after being GFCF for a year? Can someone please tell me what is going on? It doesn't make sense to me that the body would freak out like this after removing the allergens from the diet. Wouldn't the immune system get healthier? Instead it's rolling over and playing dead!
Tackling this is not going to be as easy. I'm stuck in the Twilight Zone again, realizing that just as ASD is a long-haul situation, so is gut health. This is not a "get better quickly" sort of issue, just like ASD is not a matter of "catching up to normal" sort of issue. As caretaker and health guru for my children and family, I am feeling overwhelmed again. We have some probiotics in the kitchen but I have a growing feeling that that is not the end of the road. I'm going to have to gear up for another marathon. And I'm already tired. And broke!
Choosing to go gluten/casein/soy/peanut free was relatively easy after getting confirmation of allergies and sensitivities via a blood test. Tearing through the kitchen to replace food goods wasn't so bad either. Converting my kitchen was challenging and fun. I can cook and bake my way around a lot of things and make them tasty and accessible. That's all good. And for a long time after removing those offending foods from our diet, we felt great! We saw lots of improvements in many areas! Life was good!
Now a year later, we are dealing with gut issues...see-sawing IBS episodes after rounds of antibiotics. This never used to be a problem - we could take antibiotics blithely and never have a problem. Why is it a problem now after being GFCF for a year? Can someone please tell me what is going on? It doesn't make sense to me that the body would freak out like this after removing the allergens from the diet. Wouldn't the immune system get healthier? Instead it's rolling over and playing dead!
Tackling this is not going to be as easy. I'm stuck in the Twilight Zone again, realizing that just as ASD is a long-haul situation, so is gut health. This is not a "get better quickly" sort of issue, just like ASD is not a matter of "catching up to normal" sort of issue. As caretaker and health guru for my children and family, I am feeling overwhelmed again. We have some probiotics in the kitchen but I have a growing feeling that that is not the end of the road. I'm going to have to gear up for another marathon. And I'm already tired. And broke!
Bowing Out
Or chickening out?
I wrote the other night about Megan's scheduled scope, trying to purge my feelings and find the kernel of intuition underneath the layers of emotions. I slept on it, thinking that would bring clarity to the situation, but upon wakening the next day, the vague feeling of dread had not abated. I read the comments left on the post - a million thank you's to all who commented, you have helped me sift my feelings.
So what I'm feeling is this - I don't want Megan to go through the scope right now. The scope would be exploratory, there is no life threatening situation to make the scope mandatory. Of course the doctor would want to do a scope - that's what she does. She does it well. But I want to try other, less invasive things first.
Several "ah-ha's" have clicked into place recently:
The good doc herself mentioning this may just be an imbalance of flora or inflammation due to the girls' recent antibiotic use.
My neighbor mentioning that after being treated with antibiotics to counter MRSA, her digestive system was wiped out for a whole year trying to rebuild good flora. She says the IBS cycle can be self-propagating. That she herself had an endoscopy done to see why her heartburn is so bad and that nothing was found.
Thinking about inflammation, I remembered reading somewhere that when celiacs are diagnosed, damage and inflammation can be so bad that they need to avoid certain grains and fibers for a time until their guts heal. We don't have celiac as far as I know, and the doc said there will be no evidence of damage (especially being gluten free for a year) but there could be inflammation due to having a sensitive digestive system.
Remembering that grains can be an issue for some people, I remembered a particularly bad day last week where the girls had three muffins in one morning. They were hungry, and the muffins were homemade and healthy, so I didn't think much about it. But that night Anna's IBS symptoms got really bad, and the next day Megan followed.
Then I thought about all the antibiotic use Megan has had over the past year. I can count at least 5 episodes of antibiotic use since last August, two being in the past two months. That's a lot of gut abuse right there. And Megan had 4 vaccine booster shots last month. For an immune system that not as robust as others (as evidenced by her asthma, eczema, true dairy allergy and other food sensitivities), she has taken a real pounding. No wonder her system is off.
All of this is starting to make sense to me. I think the antibiotic use has tripped their systems pretty badly, especially Megan as she's had more antibiotics than Anna. I think the flora is way out of balance. I think there could be some inflammation too. I think it will take time for their systems to balance out again.
So I'm going to cancel the scope. I'm going to double up on their probiotics. I'm going to investigate supplemental digestive enzymes. I'm going to reduce the grains in their diet for a little while - not remove them completely, but reduce them. If things don't start to get better in a couple of months, I'll go ahead and re-schedule Megan's scope.
I feel good after reaching this decision. It was worth co-pays and the trauma of a possible scope to come to this conclusion. Thank you, thank you my readers who have given me advice and support! You helped things click into place. :)
I wrote the other night about Megan's scheduled scope, trying to purge my feelings and find the kernel of intuition underneath the layers of emotions. I slept on it, thinking that would bring clarity to the situation, but upon wakening the next day, the vague feeling of dread had not abated. I read the comments left on the post - a million thank you's to all who commented, you have helped me sift my feelings.
So what I'm feeling is this - I don't want Megan to go through the scope right now. The scope would be exploratory, there is no life threatening situation to make the scope mandatory. Of course the doctor would want to do a scope - that's what she does. She does it well. But I want to try other, less invasive things first.
Several "ah-ha's" have clicked into place recently:
The good doc herself mentioning this may just be an imbalance of flora or inflammation due to the girls' recent antibiotic use.
My neighbor mentioning that after being treated with antibiotics to counter MRSA, her digestive system was wiped out for a whole year trying to rebuild good flora. She says the IBS cycle can be self-propagating. That she herself had an endoscopy done to see why her heartburn is so bad and that nothing was found.
Thinking about inflammation, I remembered reading somewhere that when celiacs are diagnosed, damage and inflammation can be so bad that they need to avoid certain grains and fibers for a time until their guts heal. We don't have celiac as far as I know, and the doc said there will be no evidence of damage (especially being gluten free for a year) but there could be inflammation due to having a sensitive digestive system.
Remembering that grains can be an issue for some people, I remembered a particularly bad day last week where the girls had three muffins in one morning. They were hungry, and the muffins were homemade and healthy, so I didn't think much about it. But that night Anna's IBS symptoms got really bad, and the next day Megan followed.
Then I thought about all the antibiotic use Megan has had over the past year. I can count at least 5 episodes of antibiotic use since last August, two being in the past two months. That's a lot of gut abuse right there. And Megan had 4 vaccine booster shots last month. For an immune system that not as robust as others (as evidenced by her asthma, eczema, true dairy allergy and other food sensitivities), she has taken a real pounding. No wonder her system is off.
All of this is starting to make sense to me. I think the antibiotic use has tripped their systems pretty badly, especially Megan as she's had more antibiotics than Anna. I think the flora is way out of balance. I think there could be some inflammation too. I think it will take time for their systems to balance out again.
So I'm going to cancel the scope. I'm going to double up on their probiotics. I'm going to investigate supplemental digestive enzymes. I'm going to reduce the grains in their diet for a little while - not remove them completely, but reduce them. If things don't start to get better in a couple of months, I'll go ahead and re-schedule Megan's scope.
I feel good after reaching this decision. It was worth co-pays and the trauma of a possible scope to come to this conclusion. Thank you, thank you my readers who have given me advice and support! You helped things click into place. :)
Friday, June 5, 2009
Bummer
Literally. I took the girls to a Pediatric Gastroenterologist this afternoon. The girls have had IBS symptoms for a few months, Megan more so than Anna. Their pediatrician has been trying to chase down the reason with no luck. So he gave us a referral to a specialist and off we went.
The Pedi GI was very interested in a few things: Megan's asthma and eczema issues. Megan's true dairy allergy at 2 1/2 years old, her bout of rectal strept at 3 1/2 years old, and the IBS that is going on lately. She's also interested in Anna's ASD and the fact that both girls have food intolerances. She thinks they are all somehow linked, and that by looking at one girl we'll find out what is linking both girls. It may be something as simple as an imbalance of flora in the gut. It could be something else. She wants to do an endoscopy and colonoscopy on Megan to find out.
I was fine with that when I was face to face with the doctor. I want to track down the problem. She left, and the nurse came in with the instructions for the scope. Megan is to have only clear liquids - no food - the day before the scope. She is also to have a Ducolax suppository, and probably something else unlovely that I can't remember right now. The day of the scope, Megan is to ingest nothing at all. We are to bring her to the hospital, be with her as she's put to sleep, leave as the scope is done and be there when she wakes up.
I am having several issues with this, now that I've agreed to it. The first is denying my four year old baby anything to eat. She'll be hungry. I will have to tell her "no". What do I tell her when she asks me why? When she cries because she wants something to quiet her gnawing hunger? I don't want to scare her. So I've decided if Megan goes on a liquid diet, everyone goes on a liquid diet. Misery loves company, right?
The second issue I have is seeing the image of my baby on a cold hospital table, full of tubes and needles and a mask. Call me weak, but I can't take it. I've been crying and crying about this. How can I leave her all alone, with strange doctors and nurses, and not know what is happening to her? How can I not be there with her to hold her hand, even if she's not aware of my presence? I'm a mess thinking about this.
The third is that it's no small thing to put a little person to sleep. She's so tiny. I'm afraid of the risk.
The fourth is that it's expensive. We are barely treading water as it is, and that is with the help of family. Family to help us shoulder the costs of Anna's intervention and therapies. Loans to help us give Anna the education she needs to succeed. We can't afford to do this. And we can't afford to not do this. How can we not? Megan needs our help as much as Anna does.
It's very scary to bring children into the world and then realize you may not be able to give them everything they need. Nobody tells you this when your hormones are rip-roaring crazy to get pregnant and procreate. I love my children more than anything else in the world. Right now I feel paralyzed by fear.
The Pedi GI was very interested in a few things: Megan's asthma and eczema issues. Megan's true dairy allergy at 2 1/2 years old, her bout of rectal strept at 3 1/2 years old, and the IBS that is going on lately. She's also interested in Anna's ASD and the fact that both girls have food intolerances. She thinks they are all somehow linked, and that by looking at one girl we'll find out what is linking both girls. It may be something as simple as an imbalance of flora in the gut. It could be something else. She wants to do an endoscopy and colonoscopy on Megan to find out.
I was fine with that when I was face to face with the doctor. I want to track down the problem. She left, and the nurse came in with the instructions for the scope. Megan is to have only clear liquids - no food - the day before the scope. She is also to have a Ducolax suppository, and probably something else unlovely that I can't remember right now. The day of the scope, Megan is to ingest nothing at all. We are to bring her to the hospital, be with her as she's put to sleep, leave as the scope is done and be there when she wakes up.
I am having several issues with this, now that I've agreed to it. The first is denying my four year old baby anything to eat. She'll be hungry. I will have to tell her "no". What do I tell her when she asks me why? When she cries because she wants something to quiet her gnawing hunger? I don't want to scare her. So I've decided if Megan goes on a liquid diet, everyone goes on a liquid diet. Misery loves company, right?
The second issue I have is seeing the image of my baby on a cold hospital table, full of tubes and needles and a mask. Call me weak, but I can't take it. I've been crying and crying about this. How can I leave her all alone, with strange doctors and nurses, and not know what is happening to her? How can I not be there with her to hold her hand, even if she's not aware of my presence? I'm a mess thinking about this.
The third is that it's no small thing to put a little person to sleep. She's so tiny. I'm afraid of the risk.
The fourth is that it's expensive. We are barely treading water as it is, and that is with the help of family. Family to help us shoulder the costs of Anna's intervention and therapies. Loans to help us give Anna the education she needs to succeed. We can't afford to do this. And we can't afford to not do this. How can we not? Megan needs our help as much as Anna does.
It's very scary to bring children into the world and then realize you may not be able to give them everything they need. Nobody tells you this when your hormones are rip-roaring crazy to get pregnant and procreate. I love my children more than anything else in the world. Right now I feel paralyzed by fear.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
No Bake Cookies
When DH and I were first married, we lived in an apartment on the third floor of a family's house. We were boarders, I guess. We had no kitchen, and although we were invited to use the family's kitchen downstairs for cooking and washing dishes, I felt a little funny about invading their space. So I bought a little two-burner stove thing for the countertop and we made meals using that, a crock pot, and an electric skillet. I occasionally baked using the oven downstairs, but I ran across this recipe for No Bake Cookies (from my mom's stash of recipes) and I ended up making them often.
It's funny how little life can change even after many years. A decade later, we have two kids and an oven, but our kitchen is almost as small as that one we had upstairs when we were first married. I do a lot of cooking in the crock pot. Sometimes I wish we had an electric skillet, too, but there's no space for one. And I'm hauling out this recipe again to try to beat the heat of summer while satisfying the sweet-toothed children in the house.
The original recipe called for 3 cups of oats. We can't do oats, so I substituted quinoa flakes, buckwheat cereal and walnut meal and it tastes just the same as I remember it. (If you can do oats, feel free to substitute 3 cups of gluten free oats for the quinoa flakes, buckwheat and walnut meal.)
I like the crunchy texture the buckwheat gives to these cookies and so does Anna! I'm excited to report that these cookies are Anna-approved - she inhaled two within the space of a heartbeat and then asked for more. I'm especially excited about having found quinoa flakes. I've finally found a way to get quinoa into my kids!
No Bake Cookies
1/2 cup dairy free, soy free margarine, such as Earth Balance*
1/2 cup rice milk or other dairy free, soy free milk alternative
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups quinoa flakes
1/2 cup cream of buckwheat hot cereal, uncooked
1/2 cup walnut meal
6 tbsp. cocoa powder
powdered sugar for coating
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dry buckwheat hot cereal over medium heat, stirring often, until light brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a medium pot, stir together the margarine, rice milk and sugars. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Stir together the quinoa flakes, toasted buckwheat, walnut meal and cocoa powder. Pour this into the wet ingredients in the pot and stir until well-blended. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
Sift about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a medium bowl. With wet fingers to keep the cookies from sticking to you, form a rounded teaspoons of batter into a ball and roll to coat evenly in the powdered sugar. Shake off excess sugar and place cookie onto a piece of waxed paper. Repeat until all the dough has been used. Place cookies in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
*Although I have not tried this, I think these cookies would do well with 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup applesauce in place of the margarine. I'll try that next time.
**I may also try adding 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the cookies.
Update 6/5/09 - I just ran across another recipe for GFCF No Bake Cookies here that has peanut butter as an ingredient. That sounds good! Next time I'll play around with my recipe and add some cashew butter to the cookies.
It's funny how little life can change even after many years. A decade later, we have two kids and an oven, but our kitchen is almost as small as that one we had upstairs when we were first married. I do a lot of cooking in the crock pot. Sometimes I wish we had an electric skillet, too, but there's no space for one. And I'm hauling out this recipe again to try to beat the heat of summer while satisfying the sweet-toothed children in the house.
The original recipe called for 3 cups of oats. We can't do oats, so I substituted quinoa flakes, buckwheat cereal and walnut meal and it tastes just the same as I remember it. (If you can do oats, feel free to substitute 3 cups of gluten free oats for the quinoa flakes, buckwheat and walnut meal.)
I like the crunchy texture the buckwheat gives to these cookies and so does Anna! I'm excited to report that these cookies are Anna-approved - she inhaled two within the space of a heartbeat and then asked for more. I'm especially excited about having found quinoa flakes. I've finally found a way to get quinoa into my kids!
No Bake Cookies
1/2 cup dairy free, soy free margarine, such as Earth Balance*
1/2 cup rice milk or other dairy free, soy free milk alternative
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups quinoa flakes
1/2 cup cream of buckwheat hot cereal, uncooked
1/2 cup walnut meal
6 tbsp. cocoa powder
powdered sugar for coating
In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dry buckwheat hot cereal over medium heat, stirring often, until light brown and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a medium pot, stir together the margarine, rice milk and sugars. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Stir together the quinoa flakes, toasted buckwheat, walnut meal and cocoa powder. Pour this into the wet ingredients in the pot and stir until well-blended. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
Sift about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a medium bowl. With wet fingers to keep the cookies from sticking to you, form a rounded teaspoons of batter into a ball and roll to coat evenly in the powdered sugar. Shake off excess sugar and place cookie onto a piece of waxed paper. Repeat until all the dough has been used. Place cookies in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
*Although I have not tried this, I think these cookies would do well with 1/4 cup coconut oil and 1/4 cup applesauce in place of the margarine. I'll try that next time.
**I may also try adding 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips to the cookies.
Update 6/5/09 - I just ran across another recipe for GFCF No Bake Cookies here that has peanut butter as an ingredient. That sounds good! Next time I'll play around with my recipe and add some cashew butter to the cookies.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Corn Chowder
I love chowders. This one turned out really good with So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk Beverage (in the refrigerated section). It's thicker than rice milk and it's white like cows milk, so the look and feel of the soup is perfect. It does not have a strong coconut taste at all - the soup actually tastes like real corn chowder and not like coconut-corn chowder!
5 ears fresh corn, or one 16oz package frozen corn, thawed
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups water*
1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, such as So Delicious
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 slices cooked bacon, diced
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes or 2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife (do not cook the corn first). Heat oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the water and the potato. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook uncovered another 10 minutes or until the potato is cooked through.
Process half of the corn/potato mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth and return to the soup pot. Stir the coconut milk, salt and pepper into the soup in the pot. Bring to a simmer. Add the bacon and heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the parsley. Adjust salt and pepper as desired.
*Chicken broth can be used in place of the water, just reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp.
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