plant-based and free of gluten and the top 8 allergens

This chia pudding with citrus tastes like sunshine in a bowl. Make this magical dish for a decadent breakfast, healthy snack, or dessert.

What are Platelets?

Platelets are made in your bone marrow along with white and red blood cells. These tiny blood cells help your body form clots to stop bleeding. Having too many platelets causes the blood to be thick and flow more slowly, and can lead to a clot in the blood vessels.

We chose chia seeds because they are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet, loaded with protein, fiber, micronutrients, and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to the flexibility of cell membranes, making them more slippery so that platelets are less sticky and less likely to clump together in the blood.

Next, bring on the oranges. Oranges contain salicylates, which help prevent clotting and thin the blood. And what a great time to get a variety of peak season oranges!

Cinnamon is known to reduce the accumulation of platelets and therefore blood clotting. So let’s add a little cinnamon.

mise en place

Types of Cinnamon

There are 2 types of cinnamon, Cassia (known as regular) and Ceylon (known as true cinnamon). Most cinnamon available on the market is Cassia. Cassia cinnamon contains high amounts of coumarin, which has been linked to conditions like liver damage, cancer, mouth sores, and low blood sugar.

Ceylon only contains trace amounts of coumarin. If possible, purchase only Ceylon. And enjoy cinnamon, as it’s one of the healthiest spices around!

Whether or not you’re watching your platelet count, let’s make one of the healthiest puddings ever!

There are different recommendations for the best chia pudding ratio. Making this several times, the ratio we found that works best is 1/2 cup chia seeds to 2 cups milk.

Black Chia Vs White Chia

The black chia seeds make up the majority of chia seeds grown today. Nutritional differences are so marginal that most consider them equal. Black chia seeds have a slightly higher protein content, while white chia seeds are slightly higher in ALA Omega-3 fatty acids.

Most people make their decision purely on aesthetics. We just happened to have white chia seeds. However, black chia seeds are more readily available and are equally as good.

Choose Your Oranges

From blood oranges to Valencia, satsuma, and tangerines, there are so many choices.

Using a sharp knife, carefully slice off the top and bottom of each orange.

With even downward strokes, slice the skin away from the flesh, as shown below. Remove any remaining white pith. Cut crosswise into slices, or for segments, cut between the membranes to segment the orange. Place slices or segments in a container and store in the fridge until ready to serve the pudding.

Easy as 1-2-3

• In a large bowl, whisk together chia seeds, alternative milk, pure maple syrup, orange zest, Ceylon cinnamon, a little salt, and stir.
• Cover and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Remove from fridge and stir again, incorporating the chia seeds that have sunk to the bottom and are clumped together. Place back in the fridge and chill for 8 hours, or overnight, until the pudding is thick. Stir in fresh lemon juice before serving.
• Portion into jars or bowls and top with orange slices or segments.

Chia pudding on its own is fairly plain, but that’s what makes it fun! You can add sunflower seed butter as a topping, a layer, or stirred into the pudding. Or add coconut, jams and spreads, raw cacao powder, or other fresh fruits (berries, bananas, apples, pears, peaches…whatever’s in season).

Chef Mary’s Tip

If you’re having trouble getting your chia pudding to set, check that your chia seeds aren’t old. Also make sure to give your chia pudding a good stir 15 minutes after you initially mix it together. This breaks up any clumps of seeds and ensures the pudding will set.

Chia won’t gel if a liquid is too acidic. For this reason, we let the chia gel before adding a little fresh lemon juice.

We think the texture of chia is fun! However, we have a friend that does not. She wanted to get the health benefits without the tiny pearls, so she blended chia pudding in a high speed blender. She loves it. We have to say, we have never tried this.

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Chia Pudding with Citrus

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 4 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

This chia pudding with citrus is like sunshine in a bowl.

Ingredients

1/2 cup chia seeds, black or white

2 cups alternative milk

3 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon

1/8 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 oranges, peeled & sliced or segmented (see recipe notes)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the chia seeds, milk, maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Cover and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Remove and stir again, incorporating the chia seeds that have sunk to the bottom and are clumped together. Return to the fridge and chill for 8 hours, or overnight, until the pudding is thick. Once the pudding has gelled, stir in lemon juice, if desired.
3. Portion into jars or bowls and top with orange slices or segments.
4. For a richer version, substitute 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk for 1 cup of the alternative milk.

Notes

Orange Slices or Segments

Using a sharp knife, carefully slice off the top and bottom of each orange.

With even downward strokes, slice the peel away from the flesh. Remove any remaining white pith. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, or for segments, cut between the membranes to segment the orange.

Courses Breakfast & Brunch

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Smoothies are a great way to pack in extra fruit and veggies to your diet! We’re excited to share 2 of our favorites that we call the Green Machine and Berry Blast.

Get a head start on those New Year’s resolutions with these delicious blend-and-go healthy breakfast smoothies.

How much fruit is too much? Read more as we share a short video from Dr. Michael Greger. We also share the surprising facts about cinnamon and turmeric…

For 2 delicious smoothies, all you need is a high speed blender, 2 large glasses or Ball Mason Jars and…

• 16 ounces coconut water
• 4 cups (about 2 ounces) power greens
• 3 cups frozen fruit
• 1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 – 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

You don’t necessarily need the newest or most powerful blender on the market. You just need a good blender for smoothies, one that can cut through frozen fruits and pulverize even the stringiest produce into a smooth liquid.

If we had to choose a favorite appliance, it would be our vitamix. It is worth the investment and we use it for so many things, from our morning smoothies to nut milks and from soups to sauces.

Coconut Water

Loaded with health benefits, coconut water is the perfect beverage for restoring hydration and replenishing electrolytes lost during exercise.

The Greens

Greens are one of the healthiest foods. About 2 cups of mixed power greens go into each smoothie. For convenience, we buy the pre-packaged greens that contain spinach, mizuna, chard, and kale.

We don’t even taste the greens. However, if you’ve never had a smoothie with greens, start by just adding a handful of baby spinach. You may hardly even taste the greens. As you add more and more greens, your taste buds will adapt and your body will love you.

The Fruit

It’s important to use whole fruits rather than just their juice. This is because, when juicing, the fiber and all the phytonutrients bound to it are lost.

For our Berry Blast, we chose blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and bananas.

berry blast mise en place

The Green Machine is loaded with pineapple, mango, strawberries, and banana.

Switch up your smoothies a bit, depending on what fruits are in season. Aim for 1-1/2 cups of fruit per smoothie. Frozen fruit is the best since it blends up thicker than fresh.

We always have bananas and pineapples on hand. When the bananas are ripe, they are peeled, cut and frozen in large ziplocks. The fresh pineapple is trimmed, cut into cubes, and stored in the freezer. We prefer to freeze our own pineapples since we don’t have much luck in getting tasty store bought frozen ones.

As far as the berries and other fruit, most of the year we buy blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and mango frozen.

Add-Ins

To the batch of smoothies, add 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder (or fresh turmeric) and 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon.

Sometimes we’ll also add chia or flax seeds, or top our smoothies with hemp seeds.

How Much Fruit is Too Much?

Some people have concerns about the sugar content of fruit, thus restricting their fruit intake. Dr. Michael Greger puts fruit to the test in this short video (just under 4 minutes), how much fruit is too much?

The Truth About Cinnamon and Turmeric

Cinnamon and turmeric are two of the healthiest spices on the planet! That’s a fact, but there are things to be aware of.

-Cassia (known as regular cinnamon) and Ceylon (known as true cinnamon) are the 2 types of cinnamon. Most cinnamon available on the market is Cassia. Cassia cinnamon contains high amounts of coumarin, which has been linked to conditions like liver damage and cancer.

Ceylon cinnamon only contains trace amounts of coumarin, so when possible purchase Ceylon. Cinnamon is loaded with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, lowers blood sugar levels, fights various infections, helps protect against cancer, and has beneficial effects on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

-Be sure to purchase high quality turmeric, as there can be a danger of lead contamination. Bangladesh is one of the leading turmeric-growing regions in the world. Some spice processors in Bangladesh use an industrial lead chromate pigment to infuse turmeric with a bright yellow color. Lead can also come from soil contamination.

Turmeric is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat inflammation. Uses include cancer prevention and treatment as well as treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and infections.

A few years ago, Joel suffered from severe inflammation that almost forced him to quit work. Months after taking turmeric supplements and going on a plant-based diet, his inflammation was gone. Today, he’s in the best shape ever!

Chef Joel’s Tips

• To save time in the morning, pick a day to make smoothie kits. Measure 3 cups of your favorite fruit combinations and place into ziplock quart freezer bags (3 cups of fruit makes 2 smoothies). Prepare enough fruit kits for the week ahead and freeze. In the morning, all you’ll have to do is add liquid, greens, and add-ins to your blender. Then dump in the frozen fruit and blend for about 30 seconds.

smoothie kits

• If you add lemon or other acidic fruits or vegetables to your smoothie, the enamel on your teeth may soften temporarily. Be sure to rinse your mouth with water after drinking a sour smoothie.

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Superfood Smoothies

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 2 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

Delicious blend-and-go breakfast smoothies!

Ingredients

Berry Blast

16 ounces chilled coconut water

4 cups (about 2 ounces) power greens (see recipe notes)

1 cup frozen blueberries

3/4 cup frozen strawberries

3/4 cup frozen banana slices

1/2 cup frozen cherries

1/2 – 1 tsp turmeric powder (or about a 3/4-inch piece of peeled fresh turmeric)

1/2 – 1 tsp Ceylon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Pour coconut water into a high-speed blender.
2. Add power greens, frozen fruit, turmeric, and cinnamon.
3. Start blender on low speed and gradually increase to high speed, blending for about 30 seconds until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, add 1/4 cup or so of distilled water and continue blending.

Notes

Most markets sell a mix of power greens especially for making smoothies. Mix up your favorite greens, from spinach to kale, or mizuna to chard.

Use 3 cups of your favorite fruits. Frozen fruit is best since it blends up thicker than fresh.

For the Green Machine, use 3 cups of a combination of pineapple, mango, strawberries, and banana.

Courses Beverages

The post Superfood Smoothies appeared first on Your Allergy Chefs.

This creamy ranch dressing is so special that it deserves its own post.

America’s favorite dressing goes beyond salads and raw veggies. From baked cauliflower to chicken nuggets, and from pizza, potato skins and smashed potatoes to replacing mayo in potato salad, the possibilities are endless.

Ranch dressing that’s oh so delicious and oh so good for you!

As we mentioned in a recent post for our Southwestern Wedge Fully Loaded, the ingredients of most store bought ranch dressings include not only lots of dairy, but MSG, high fructose corn syrup, modified food starch, less than 2% of natural flavor, and so much more processed stuff.

It just makes sense to make our own!

The dressing is super easy to make. However, you have to allow about 6 hours for soaking the raw sunflower seeds in a small bowl covered with lukewarm filtered water.

You could skip the step of soaking the seeds, but you won’t want to. Let’s talk about why.

Nuts and seeds have high amounts of enzyme inhibitors which protect these foods from sprouting prematurely, but which also give nuts and seeds a bitter flavor and make digesting them difficult.

Soaking nuts and seeds has so many benefits, such as:

• neutralizing the enzymes allowing for proper digestion
• encouraging the production of beneficial enzymes
• removing and reducing phytic acid and tannins
• increasing amounts of vitamins, especially B vitamins
• enabling their many nutrients to be more easily absorbed by the body

Depending on the nut or seed, different soaking times are required, which may vary from 2 to 12 hours.

Why Raw?

It’s important to only soak nuts and seeds that are raw, as those that have been roasted or heated at high temperatures loose many of their enzymes and nutrients.

Also, it’s good to choose organic nuts and seeds when possible, simply because if not they are likely to have been treated with chemicals.

When the seeds are done soaking, drain out the soak water and discard. Thoroughly rinse the seeds. The soaking step can be done up to a day in advance. After draining and rinsing, store soaked seeds in the fridge until you’re ready to make the dressing.

Ready?

Transfer seeds to a high-speed blender. Add hemp seeds, water, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast flakes, coconut aminos, and white wine vinegar. Start blending on low and gradually increase speed. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 45-60 seconds.

Health food stores and markets such as Whole Foods and Sprouts carry hemp seeds, nutritional yeast flakes, and coconut aminos. If you can’t find these products in your area, they are available online.

Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in garlic, dill, parsley, chives, paprika, and a little salt and pepper. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Enjoy…with endless possibilities, including our Southwestern Wedge Fully Loaded!

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Creamy Ranch Dressing

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 1 1/2 Cups

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

America’s favorite salad dressing!

Ingredients

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds + water to cover

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp salt, divided (1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp)

1/2 cup hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

2 tsp raw coconut aminos

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp minced fresh dill

1 tbsp minced fresh Italian parsley

2 tsp minced fresh chives

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the sunflower seeds in a bowl of lukewarm filtered water to cover at room temperature for 6 hours, or up to 8 hours. The water should be at least double in volume as the amount of seeds. Drain and rinse well.
2. Smash garlic clove with blade of knife. Sprinkle first ¼ tsp salt over garlic. Mash into a paste with a fork. Set aside.
3. Transfer sunflower seeds to a high-speed blender with hemp seeds, water, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast flakes, coconut aminos, and vinegar. Start blending on low and gradually increase speed. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 45-60 seconds.
4. Transfer to medium bowl, and whisk in reserved garlic, remaining ¼ tsp salt, dill, parsley, chives, paprika, and pepper. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. This makes a scant 1 ½ cups.

Notes

• Nuts and seeds have high amounts of enzyme inhibitors. This is a reason that unsoaked, they are hard to digest. Soaking neutralizes the enzymes allowing for proper digestion.

Courses Soups & Salads

The post Creamy Ranch Dressing appeared first on Your Allergy Chefs.

plant-based and free of gluten and top 8 allergens

This classic salad begins with a wedge of iceberg lettuce that’s smothered in creamy ranch dressing, with avocado, tomatoes, onions, beans, corn, cheeze, and croutons. The toppings are endless.

Did you know that ranch dressing has double the sales of any dressing, leaving vinaigrettes and blue cheese in the dust? If you take a look at the ingredients of most store bought ranch dressings, you’ll notice not only lots of dairy, but there’s also MSG, high fructose corn syrup, modified food starch, less than 2% of natural flavor, and so much more processed stuff.

Let’s fix that and make our own!

The classic wedge, still popular at steakhouses and many other restaurants, consists of crunchy iceberg lettuce, bacon and blue cheese dressing. We gave our salad a Southwestern spin with ranch dressing, using ingredients we had on hand.

Saturday was 105 degrees here in the valley. We didn’t want to crank up the oven, so this salad was the perfect solution and so much fun!

mise en place for ranch dressing

The dressing is super easy. However, you have to allow time for soaking the sunflower seeds. We soaked the seeds covered in water for about 6 hours. Would the recipe work without soaking the seeds? Yes, but…

Nuts and seeds have high amounts of enzyme inhibitors. This is a reason that unsoaked, they are hard to digest. Soaking neutralizes the enzymes allowing for proper digestion.

When the seeds are done soaking, drain out the soak water and discard the water. Thoroughly rinse the seeds. This step can be done a day in advance. Store soaked seeds in the fridge until you’re ready to make the dressing.

Transfer sunflower seeds to a high-speed blender adding hemp seeds, water, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, coconut aminos and vinegar. Start blending on low and gradually increase speed. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 45-60 seconds.

Transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in garlic, dill, parsley, chives, paprika, and a little salt and pepper. Cover and place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Bad Rap

We know iceberg gets a bad rap, but all lettuce is good for you, even iceberg. Though it’s not as nutrient dense as kale or romaine, it still contains vitamins, it’s hydrating, and it’s definitely not junk food. It’s actually high in vitamin A and potassium.

mise en place for wedge salad

Start with a full head of iceberg lettuce. Remove any brown or wilted outer leaves. Cut the head in half from top to bottom through the stem, leaving the core intact.

Cut each half in half again. Rinse the wedges with water and pat dry with paper towels. Carefully cut the core from each piece and place on separate salad plates or bowls, cut side up.

If you’d like, cut a little from the top as we did below, to form a flat base which will help the toppings from sliding off.

Spoon the desired amount of dressing over each wedge and sprinkle with tomatoes, corn, black beans, cheddar cheeze, avocado, and red onions. Add more dressing, as desired.

Add croutons that meet your dietary needs, or make a batch of our Bistro Croutons.

Let’s have a wedge party!

For a nice dinner party presentation, slice a head of iceberg in half, and then into 6 wedges instead of 4. On a large platter, arrange the wedges, cut side up in a circle around a jar of dressing. Top the wedges with your favorite toppings. Guests can help themselves to a wedge and load it with dressing.

It’s a fun salad that can be prepared in advance.

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Southwestern Wedge Fully Loaded

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 4 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

It’s cold, crunchy, delicious and fun to eat!

Ingredients

Ranch Dressing

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds + water to cover

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp salt, divided (1/4 tsp + 1/4 tsp)

1/2 cup hemp hearts (shelled hemp seeds)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp nutritional yeast

2 tsp raw coconut aminos

1 tsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp minced fresh dill

1 tbsp minced fresh Italian parsley

2 tsp minced fresh chives

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/8 tsp black pepper

Salad

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 cup frozen corn, thawed and drained

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup grated cheddar cheeze

1 cup Bistro Croutons, or store bought

1 medium avocado, diced

1/4 cup diced red onion, soaked in ice water for 10-15 minutes (see recipe notes)

Instructions

1. For the dressing, soak the sunflower seeds in a bowl with water to cover for 6 hours, or up to 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. Smash garlic clove with blade of knife. Sprinkle ¼ tsp salt over garlic. Mash into a paste with a fork. Set aside.
3. Transfer sunflower seeds to a high-speed blender with hemp seeds, water, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, coconut aminos, and vinegar. Start blending on low speed and gradually increase speed. Blend until smooth and creamy, about 45-60 seconds.
4. Transfer to medium bowl, and whisk in reserved garlic, ¼ tsp salt, dill, parsley, chives, paprika, and pepper. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. This makes a scant 1 ½ cups.
5. For the salad, remove the brown and wilted outer leaves from the head of lettuce. Cut in half from top to bottom through the stem, leaving the core intact. Each half will be cut in half again. Rinse the wedges with water and pat dry with paper towels. Carefully cut the core from each piece and place on separate salad plates, cut side up.
6. Spoon the desired amount of dressing over each wedge. Top each wedge with tomatoes, corn, black beans, cheeze, croutons, avocado, and red onion. Drizzle more dressing as desired.

Notes

• Soaking chopped onions in ice water mellows their flavor. The cold water keeps the onions super crunchy, while the sulfur compounds that give onion its pungent, harsh flavor will dissipate in the water.
• Nuts and seeds have high amounts of enzyme inhibitors. This is a reason that unsoaked, they are hard to digest. Soaking neutralizes the enzymes allowing for proper digestion.

Courses Soups & Salads

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plant-based, free of gluten and top 8 allergens

With no oil, no added salt, and no refined sugar, it’s protein-rich, easy to put together and full of flavor. Perfect for potlucks, parties and busy weeks.

Some research indicates that taking in large quantities of raw lectins, which are found in beans and other foods, could have negative health effects. Read more as we share the facts…after sharing the recipe.

First of all, we give a huge shout out to Cathy Fisher and her blog, Straight up Food! Cathy creates recipes without salt, oil, sugar, animal foods, and uses very few processed foods. Her focus is on a diet that promotes excellent health.

We’ve adapted this classic four-bean salad from Cathy.

The salad is typically made with canned green beans. We’ve yet to meet a canned green bean we like, so we blanch fresh green beans in simmering water for about 4-6 minutes, until crisp tender.

The beans are then quickly removed and plunged into ice water to stop the cooking process.

You’ve got plenty of options for this salad: butter beans, lima beans, yellow wax beans, black-eyed peas, or navy beans. Just be sure to use green beans for some color and texture.

Starting with the vinaigrette, place chopped roma tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, pure maple syrup or raw honey, ground cumin, and garlic in a blender, and blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, add green beans, peas, chopped red onion, black, kidney, and garbanzo beans. Pour in the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine.

A little chopped Italian parsley is also nice in this salad.

Just What Are Lectins?

Lectins are naturally occurring proteins that are found in most plants. They serve a protective function for plants as they grow.

Some foods that contain higher amounts of lectins include beans, peanuts, lentils, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, fruits, and wheat and other grains.

The Mayo Clinic tells us that some research seems to indicate that taking in large quantities of raw lectins could have negative health effects. The amounts you’d need to consume each day to get to that level, however is much higher than a typical diet would include.

Studies have shown that lectins break down when processed or cooked, so the risk of adverse health effects arising from lectin-rich foods that aren’t raw is not cause for concern.

Besides, bean consumption is associated with a myriad of health benefits. Beans are packed with fiber, folate, and phytates, which may help reduce the risk of stroke, depression, breast and colon cancer.

No wonder the cancer guidelines suggest you fit beans into your daily meals!

For more information on the benefits of beans and the myths of lectins check out:

The Mayo Clinic Q and A: What are dietary lectins and should you avoid eating them?

Beans and Nutrition: The Latest Research | NutritionFacts.org

Beans, Beans: The Truth About Lectins | NutritionFacts.org

Have you been on the website, NutritionFacts.org? It’s run by Michael Greger, a physician, author, and professional speaker on public health issues. He delivers the latest in nutrition research in easy to understand videos, blog posts, and podcasts. Check him out. He’s awesome!

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Four Bean Salad

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 2 quarts

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

Perfect for potlucks, parties and busy weeks.

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

2 roma tomatoes, chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp pure maple syrup or raw honey

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp minced garlic

Salad

3 cups precooked green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (see recipe notes)

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, soaked in ice water for 15 minutes, then drained (see recipe notes)

3 tbsp chopped parsley, optional

Instructions

1. For the vinaigrette, place tomatoes, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup or honey, cumin, and garlic into a high-speed blender, and blend until smooth. Set aside in refrigerator.
2. For the salad, place the green beans, black beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, peas, onions, and parsley into a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the beans and toss gently to coat.

Notes

• You can either steam or blanch the green beans. For blanching, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add green beans and simmer for 4-6 minutes, until crisp tender. Quickly remove beans from water and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
• Soaking chopped onions in ice water for at least 15 minutes mellows their flavor. The cold water keeps the onions super crunchy, while the sulfur compounds that give onion its pungent, harsh flavor will dissipate in the water.

 

We’ve adapted this classic four-bean salad from Cathy Fisher’s blog, Straight up Food! Cathy creates recipes without salt, oil, sugar, animal foods, and very few processed foods. Her focus is on a diet that promotes excellent health.

Courses Soups & Salads

The post Four-Bean Salad appeared first on Your Allergy Chefs.

Overnight oats are a simple grab-and-go breakfast.

Most of our mornings start at 5 with a trip to the gym. When we get home we have our daily smoothie and often grab a jar of oats and it’s off to work. These oats are perfect for our busy schedules.

Say goodbye to that bland bowl of oatmeal with some topping ideas that will jazz up breakfast’s most popular cereal.

If you haven’t tried overnight oats yet, this recipe is for you…

Overnight oats are basically a no-cook method of making oatmeal.

Rolled or Quick

Use plain old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats that will get too soggy when soaked with milk.

On the topic of milk, of course it’s one that meets your dietary needs. Coconut, vanilla rice, almond, soy, or hemp all work well.

Easy Prep

In a medium bowl combine 2-1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats, 2-1/2 cups alternative milk, 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey, 5 teaspoons chia seeds (optional), and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Cover and place in fridge overnight.

The next morning, stir the oats and portion into 5 bowls or 5 (12-ounce) mason jars.

This can be enjoyed plain or with a topping.

Check out some delicious topping ideas…

It’s really hard to choose a favorite, but sunbutter and jelly rocks!

Top the soaked oats with sunbutter, strawberry preserves, and diced fresh strawberries.

With peaches in season, we love to top the soaked oats with fresh diced peaches and allergy-friendly yogurt.

Here our topping is unsweetened shredded coconut and Enjoy Life’s mini chocolate chips for a real treat! This reminds me of the Mounds candy bar I used to love as a kid.

Apple Pie

Who doesn’t like apple pie? To keep it simple, we added raisins to the oats and topped with unsweetened applesauce and granola. The first photo on this post shows the apple pie oats. We used an allergy-friendly store-bought granola. However, to take it up a notch, top with our toasted coconut and pumpkin seed granola!

Overnight oats are typically served cold, but you can definitely eat them warm. Just place in the microwave for a minute or so and enjoy as is, or top with your favorite topping.

Preparing a large batch before your work week starts will save you time in the morning, as the shelf life for overnight oats is 5 days.

Check out the recipe for other delicious toppings and enjoy your morning!

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Overnight Oats

Author Your Allergy Chefs

Yield 5 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

The best grab-and-go breakfast!

Ingredients

2-1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

2-1/2 cups alternative milk

3 tbsp pure maple syrup or honey

5 tsp chia seeds, optional but recommended

1/2 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine rolled oats, milk, maple syrup, chia seeds, and sea salt. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. The next morning, stir the oats and portion into 5 bowls or 5 (12-ounce) mason jars.
3. Enjoy plain or add a topping (see recipe notes).
4. Shelf life for overnight oats is 5 days.

Notes

The following topping amounts are for 1 serving:

Sunbutter & Jam:  

Top soaked oats with:

1 tbsp strawberry jam or preserves

1 tbsp sunbutter

1/4 cup diced fresh strawberries

Apple Pie:

3 tbsp raisins, stir into soaked oats and top with:

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/4 cup granola

Carrot Cake:

Stir into soaked oaks:

1/4 cup grated carrots

3 tbsp raisins

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Coconut Chocolate Chip

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 tbsp allergy-friendly chocolate chips

Peaches-and-Cream

1/4 cup diced peaches

2 tbsp allergy-friendly vanilla yogurt, optional

Bananas-and-Cream

1/4 cup sliced bananas

2 tbsp allergy-friendly vanilla yogurt, optional

Courses Breakfast & Brunch

The post Overnight Oats appeared first on Your Allergy Chefs.

Need a new breakfast idea? This blueberry bowl packs a healthy punch!

Busy with his three boys, recipe development, and food studies with scientists and athletes working on endurance, performance and recovery, we welcome Chef Mark Allison for another exciting week as he shares his journey into healthy eating and the power of plants…

Chef Mark, we have one question we know you get a lot. What do you eat on a daily basis that gives you such good health and energy?

Chef Mark: 

Having been involved with food my entire life, I have to say that answer has evolved for the better over the years. I once had a real sweet tooth, for example, and now I rarely want anything that contains added sugar.

There was a time I ate a lot of processed foods, but now 80 percent of my diet is based on one ingredient, nutrient dense foods.

80:20

The simple rule of thumb for me is the 80:20 rule. 80% of the time I eat one ingredient foods mixed together with other one ingredient foods and 20% of the time prepared foods containing more than one ingredient.

One Ingredient Foods

What do I mean by a one ingredient food? Well, an apple is an apple. There are no added additives, preservatives, colorants, sugar, salt or fat.

The other 20% of the foods I consume might contain more than one ingredient such as bread. However, I buy bread from my local baker, freshly made with a handful of natural ingredients.

The bottom line is that I try my very best to avoid commercially over-processed foods that you find stacked on grocery shelves for myself and my boys.

One Ingredient Focus in Real Life

I’m up at 5 am. The first thing is a glass of water with lemon or lime, and then off to the gym. I’ve found mornings are my only option for working out. Back home, I shower followed by a giant smoothie of mainly vegetables and fruits to help with recovery and energy. Then I hit the road with the boys, dropping them off at school.

I’m at work by 8 to tackle recipe development, presentations, meetings and food studies with scientists and athletes working on endurance, performance and recovery.

I love one bowl meals for lunch. I’m really into fresh pho or ramen dishes with lots of vegetables and herbs. If I’m not too hungry, I’ll snack on hummus or avocado dip with vegetable sticks, roasted kale chips or spiced chickpeas.

Every night of the week, dinner time is my favorite as I get the boys cooking, and we all sit around the kitchen table and eat together – this undoubtedly is the highlight of my day. During the week I leave work at 5 pm most days. Just before I leave I text the boys with the following instructions, “Walk Molly (our dog), empty the dishwasher, set the table, and peel the vegetables. I’ll be home around 5:30. Love, dad”.

The food changes daily, so I always plan the meals on the weekend, which saves on time, money, and stopping at the grocery store on the way home.

My best advice is to cook at home. That is the only way to know what you are eating and that you are using as many one ingredient items as possible in your recipes. If you are like me, over time you’ll discover a whole new way of eating that’s healthy and nutrient dense and will make you feel great. If you feel great, you will look great and have a positive attitude.

That’s my story, what about yours?

Did You Know?

Research shows that flexitarians – those who make plant foods the star of their diet, with meat, fish, dairy, and eggs playing a supporting role – are healthier than frequent meat eaters in categories such as colon cancer and heart disease risk, and overall mortality.

We’re not saying to give up your steak, barbecue chicken, or pork tacos. However, just making a shift to a more plant-based diet can offer significant health benefits.

Chef Joel’s Tips

• Add more fruits and vegetables to your daily routine.
• Redesign your plate. Fill at least half your plate with produce, grains or beans, and downsize your meat serving.
• Pick the healthiest meats. Decrease the amount of processed meats you eat, such as bacon, deli meats, hot dogs, and sausage. If you do eat red meat, it’s best to stick to small amounts of lean cuts, such as sirloin and top round. Choose meats from grass fed cattle raised on organic pastures.

blueberries are the king of antioxidant foods

We hope you enjoy this super berry bowl. It’s perfect for breakfast, and we think it makes a great dessert!

Visit Chef Mark’s blog, which he created in memory of his beautiful wife Alison Davies, filled with simple, delicious and nutritious recipes he enjoys at home with his three sons.

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Blueberry Bowl

Author Chef Mark Allison

Yield 1-2 Servings

Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.

A super smoothie bowl!

Ingredients

1 cup frozen blueberries

1 banana

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp sunflower seed butter (see recipe notes)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings, such as seeds, fruit and berries, granola, or coconut

Instructions

1. Blend all the ingredients on low speed until smooth.
2. Pour into your breakfast bowl and top with your favorite mix of seeds, fresh fruit and berries, granola or unsweetened shredded coconut. If tree nuts are not an issue, add your favorites.

Notes

If tree nuts are not an issue, you can substitute almond butter for the sunflower seed butter.

Courses Breakfast & Brunch

The post Blueberry Bowl appeared first on Your Allergy Chefs.

We’re so glad to have you here for strategies for taking control of your health!

Jennifer McGregor is a pre-med student who co-created Public Health Library to write about health and wellness topics and to create a forum for sharing reputable health and medical information.

In this week’s post, Jennifer shares how you can take control of your health. Her strategies are great for everyone, including those with special needs.

With the new year in full swing, let’s rejuvenate!

Jennifer has a passion for helping those with special needs.

Over 56 million people in the United States have a disability.

Did you know asthma and food allergies are considered disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

It is also estimated that 1 in 3 school children have a disability.

Health and wellness, it’s for everyone!

Control of Your Health: Strategies for Those With Special Needs

By Jennifer McGregor

Self-care

Disabled individuals sometimes find it more difficult to stay healthy than those who are not disabled.

There are self-care strategies you can practice every day to stay healthy, remain active and stay mentally sharp.

Keep up a regular, weekly schedule of physical activity to maintain good cardiovascular and pulmonary health, and be sure to eat healthy foods, emphasizing the five basic food groups. Avoid junk food and limit your intake of salt, sugar and processed foods.

Don’t use tobacco products, drink alcohol only in moderation, use prescription medications wisely, and schedule regular checkups with your physician.

Don’t neglect the need to socialize; keep in close touch with family and friends, making liberal use of social media if it helps connect you with those who are closest to you.

Exercise

The Center for Disease Control recommends that all adults, including those with disabilities, get at least two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic exercise, a minimum of 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic workouts, and an hour of muscle-building exercise.

Doing so will not only improve key physical functions such as heart and lung performance, it will also help maintain your independence and lessen the chances of contracting disease or developing mental health problems.

People with special needs should always consult with a doctor and carefully tailor their workouts based on exercises they’re capable of performing. Talk with your doctor about the kinds of physical activity that are safe and appropriate given your disability. Remember, the most important thing is to avoid inactivity, and bare in mind that some exercise is better than none at all.

Begin slowly and build gradually, exercising a minimum of 10 minutes per session and increasing slowly over a period of several weeks. As you feel able, watch for opportunities to increase your level of physical activity in ways that are convenient and fit within the scope of your daily activities.

Walking, resistance band training, yoga (or chair yoga), and wheelchair basketball are just some opportunities to bolster your workout routine and get a good mix of cardio and muscle-strengthening exercise.

Consider incorporating a regimen of isometric exercise that can be especially beneficial for individuals who are wheelchair-bound, and try chair exercises if you’re in a wheelchair or have limited mobility.

courtesy of pixabay.com

Indoor air quality

Healthy indoor air quality is also an important factor in one’s overall health. A home rife with allergens, VOCs and other pollutants can create or aggravate respiratory problems and lead to chronic illness.

Use a high-quality air purifier with a HEPA filter. Though an air purifier can’t remove 100 percent of all airborne contaminants, an air purifier can make a significant difference in the air you breathe every day. Before making a purchase, be sure to read guides and reviews online.

Manage your health care

Remember, your health is a partnership between you and your healthcare providers. It’s important to maintain an active role in your own care, so ask plenty of questions and talk candidly with your doctor about any concerns you might have.

Don’t be afraid to address specific concerns about the care you’re receiving so your physician can allay your fears or make any necessary changes to your treatment. If you require therapeutic care, be diligent in your research, and find local care providers with whom you’re comfortable and who come highly recommended. Check ahead to ensure there’s adequate access, such as a wheelchair ramp and elevators.

Make sure you have any questions and concerns clearly in mind going into an appointment; write them down if you need to so you don’t forget them.

If necessary, bring your health records along and anything that might be helpful to your healthcare provider. Think through the logistics of your situation and let your provider know ahead of time if any special arrangements will be necessary to accommodate your visit. Finally, feel free to write down what the healthcare professional says so that nothing is forgotten.

Having a special physical need doesn’t mean you can’t take control of your own health and manage the care you receive. Look for ways to integrate exercise into your daily routine, and pay special attention to self-care needs.

Remember, a disability shouldn’t render you unable to live a well-rounded, healthy and fulfilling life.

Click here to learn more about Jennifer’s Public Health Library.

The post Taking Control of Your Health appeared first on Your Allergy Chefs.