mmm Father’s Day

So as we all know, father’s day was on Sunday and my dad got some brunch!  Now my dad is a big lover of lemony deserts, when my parents were married, my mother promised to make him a lemon meringue pie but that never happened so when he turned 60 I made the pie!  I think it turned out pretty tasty if I do say so myself.  I am also a big lover of lemony treats as well as the LCBOs Food and Drink Magazine.  I keep the for years and try to test out some of the recipes.  I recently came across a recipe for Lemon Ginger Oatmeal Cake from the Winter 2011 Edition.  I thought this would be a perfect cake to serve wtih brunch for father’s day!

Lemon Ginger Oatmeal Cake

**Note – I do not like ginger so I omitted it….

• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice – FRESHLY SQUEEZED (way better than store bought)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind
• 1 1/2 cups flour – just scooped and leveled off – I used spelt flour for this recipe
• 1/2 cup bran – I didn’t have bran so I used ground oats (left over from the Neiman Marcus cookies!)
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats – I think I probably added more….feel free to experiment!
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened – I used coconut oil and since it was so hot out it was melted
• 1 cup buttermilk – 1 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar and then add enough almond milk to make 1 cup.  I used the lemon juice in this recipe since I had extra.

GLAZE

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup chopped candied ginger
• ** I just mixed some lemon juice with icing sugar to make a drizzle for the individual slices, since I knew a lot would be leftover and most likely eaten in the morning, I didn’t want to ice the whole cake just to keep it slightly healthier!

1. Preheat Oven to 375F and grease a 9inch cake pan.  I juse used a springform pan to make my life easier!
2. Place ginger, lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a sauce pan and simmer on medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat and add lemon zest and cranberries.  This will be added after the cake has been mixed!
3. Combine flour, oats, (oat)bran, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
4. Beat butter (coconut oil), and sugar until creamy.  NOTE – I had to but the cocnut oil in the fridge for a bit to stiffen it up so it could then be beaten into a nice smooth mixture.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
5. Add half the flour mixture, beating unitl combined and then half the buttermilk.  Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
6. Stir in the cranberry-lemon mixture
7. Spoon mixture into cake pan and then cook for about 40 minutes.  Let cook for about 5 minutes and then remove from the pan to continue cooling. 
8. Add the glaze if you wish!

NOTE – I really like this cake, but my cranberries all went to the bottom of the cake and therefore so did most of the lemony taste.  Next time I might just add the lemon zest in seperately so it is more evenly spread out or reserve a bit of the lemon juice and add that to the butter-sugar-egg mixture.  All in all still good!

I will also mentioned that pancakes were part of this brunch menu and I had read about savory pancakes so I did a bit of an experiment and added cooked breakfast sausage and sharp grated cheddar cheese to some of the pancake batter and cooked up some savory pancakes!  I was told by my sister and dad that they were good. 

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with Coconut

I am not a big fan of carrots or coconut but I love this soup!  A great friend and felow colleague of mine Dr. Kathy VanZeyl ND has provided me with this recipe and since I love soup during all seasons, why not post it in June 😛

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp turmeric (or curry powder)
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
• 1 can (28oz/796ml) tomatoes, including juice (I have also used just plain tomato sauce if I didn’t have tomatoes in stock)
• 2 large carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 cups red lentils, rinsed
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 can (14oz/398ml) coconut milk
• Finely chopped cilantro (optional)

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds.  Add onions and cook, stirring until softened (about 3 minutes).  Add garlic, turmeric/curry, cumin, sea salt and peppercorns, stir and cook for about 1 minute. 
2. Add tomatoes adn jice and bring to a boil, breaking up with the back of a spoon.
3. Transfer to a slow-cooker.
4. Stir in carrots, lentils, lemon juice and stock.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8hrs or high for 4hrs, until lentils are tender
6. Stir in coconut milk and cook on high for 20-30mintues, until heated through.
7. When ready spoon into bowls and top with chopped cilantro.

June is THYROID AWARENESS MONTH

The thyroid gland is one of the most important hormone producing glands in the body.  Thyroid hormones are essential for regulating body metabolism, helps to regulate body temperature, energy, growth and development.  Symptoms of an underactive thyroid include fatigue, dry skin, thinning hair, sluggish digestion, and feeling cold. 

The conventional medical system typically just looks atTSH(thyroid stimulating hormone) levels and determines if the thyroid is working or not based on those levels, and not necessarily on the symptoms the person is presenting with.  Many people will experience symptoms even if their thyroid levels are within normal levels and this is something we call sub-laboratory hypothyroidism.  An under-active thyroid is most commonly treated with a synthetic form of T4, of the forms of thyroid hormone, which needs to be converted to T3 in the body.  If the body cannot properly convert the T4 to T3 then the person’s symptoms will not get better.

 When the thyroid is overactive, your metabolism goes into overdrive and most people experience weight loss, sweating, and a racing heart.  Other symptoms can include hair loss, diarrhea, feeling hot, fatigue and changes in vision.  Most times, the thyroid is removed when it is in this hyperactive state, rendering the person in a perpetual underative state with the need to take medications for life.

Naturopathic Medicine can help to treat the various thyroid conditions by helping with conversion, or providing the necessary compounds to restore balance.  Naturopathic medicine can helps in a variety of ways including:

• Acupuncture
• Herbal remedies to support the thyroid gland
• Dietary changes
• Specific nutrient supplementation – certain B vitamins and selenium are needed for the conversion of T4 to T3.

Meatballs with Red Curry Peanut Sauce on Jasmine Rice

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend, I did and I have been enjoying the sun and heat since then!  Yes I do love the heat!!

I love Thai food and I have been experimenting a little bit at home by making curries and this recipe comes from the LCBOs Food and Drink Magazine (Holiday Issue 2005).  I think its needs a bit more heat, so maybe a tsp or tbsp of green curry paste would do the trick or maybe some chili flakes or something….

Meatballs

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup frsh bread crumbs (I used kamut bread crumbs)
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 2lb lean ground pork or beef (I used ground turkey)

1. Preheat oven to 450F
2. In a large bowl combine eggs, bread crumbs, basil, lime juice and curry paste.
3. Blend in ground meat.
4. Form 1 1/2 inch balls and place on a greasted baking sheet about 1inch apart
5. Bake for about 15 mine or until no longer cold inside, let cool sliglthy and refrigerate until cold.

Red Curry Peanut Sauce

• 2 400-ml cans coconut milk, divided
• 3/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp Thai red curry paste (I think I used 2 tbsp)
• 2 tsp grated lime zest
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• New Addition – I only had unsalted peanuts so I added a few dashes of fish sauce to the add that saltiness.

1. In a saucepan, combine 2.5 cups coconut milk, peanuts, sugar and curry paste (and fish sauce if you are using some).  Bring to a boil over med-high heat and then reduce heat and gently boil for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has slightly thickened.
2. Transfer to a heat proof container and let cool, then stir in the lime zest and juice and refrigerate until cold.

Rice

• 2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
• 1 tsp salt (I omitted)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1. Combine rice, remaining coconut milk, 3 cups water and salt (if using) and bring to a boil, stir once, cover and reudce heat to low and simmer for 15-20minutes.
2. Once done, fluff with a fork, and spread out on parchment paper and refrigerate until cold (I didn’t dothis..)

Garnish

• 1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
• Chopped fresh basil and mint
• Lime Wednges

Basically it is supposed to be served like a casserole, but of course you can just serve it as is and forget all the refrigeration that takes place to cut down on prep and time.

If you want to make it into a casserole (which is what I did after I had my initial dinner so that I could just freeze it as one):

• Gently stir in basil and mint into rice and then pile rice into the middle of a shallow casserole dish, apparently making sure that the rice doesn’t extend to the sides of the dish.
• Combine meatballs and sauce until coated and then spoon around the edges of the dish.
• Cover the top with plastic wrap and then tinfoil and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To reheat – remove plastic wrap and cover with foil.  If thawed then bake for 45min in a 275F over, an dif frozen then bake for about 75min
• Serve sprinkled iwth coconut, fresh basil and mint; and garnish with lime wedges.

**Basically I mixed everything up together in the casserole dish so it wasn’t really picture quality and I also steamed some broccoli, snow peas, onions, and carrots to add a bit of veggies to the mix!  I ate it all mixed as one dinner and then froze the rest…so hopefully it turns out okay when I thaw it…we shall see..

As I mentioned I thought it had a good taste, but was just missing some more spice – but that can always be adjusted after the fact as well incase there are some people who do not like spice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Braving the BUGS: Natural Solutions

So the May long weekend is coming up and many people are going up north to celebrate and kick off ‘summer’.  We Ontarions are brave souls going up north for the long weekend because the bugs are out in full force, especially the dreaded BLACK FLY’S who like to take chunks out of us.  Here are some natural methods to prevent and treat bug bits, for those of you who are trying to stay away from the chemicals in typical bugsprays.

Prevention

1. Wear protective clothing, tuck-in loose shirts and pant legs
2. Apply citronella to exposed skin
3. Apply undiluted tea tree oil to small areas of exposed skin, or diluted to larger areas of exposed skin.  To dilute, use 7 drops mixed in 1 tbsp of a carrier oil (olive, almond)
4. Apply natural insect repellants such as:

• All Terrain Herbal Armor by All Terrain Company
• Buzz Away by Penn Herb Co.
• Gone by Aubrey Organics
• The Bug Disenchanter Outdoor Herbal Spray by IMHOTP
• Ledum Away but St. Francis Herb Farm Inc.

Treatment

• Use a cold compress on the affected area to decrease pain and swelling.
• Try some Vitamin C – it has natural anti-histamine effects and can help to decrease the redness adn swelling that is associated with bites.
• Topically, echinacea dropped on an insect bite (a mosquito bite for example) every 5-10minutes can help to reduce the itch and irriation.
• A little Tea Tree Oil (like 1 drop) on a bite can also help to numb and sterilize a wound.  Just remember that it will STING initially.
• Homeopathics are great to help decrease symptoms.  Apis is good for a bite that is red, hot, swollen and burning; while Ledum is good for bites and stings with deep puncture wounds where the part feels cold.  There are also topical homeopatic gels and creams that you can apply to a bit.

Have a great bite free long weekend!

Strawberry Lemon Shortcake: Mother’s Day Desert for Breakfast!

I have always loved to bake, and in the last few years I have gone dairy free and for the most part it is pretty easy to sbustitute butter and milk in recipes.  Unfortunately, sour cream and whipped cream are a completely differnet story, espeically if you are trying to stay soy free as well.  My sister also doesn’t eat wheat so for years my baking has been wheat and dairy free and really no one can tell the difference.  In the last little while I have been trying my hand at gluten free baking, and that does take a little more pizzaz!  I have made some chocolate cakes and brownies using the namaste mixes and they have also been delicious and no one could tell they were gluten free, but I wanted to start trying from scratch.

I also have a good friend who just did some food allergy testing and wheat and eggs came back as no-nos for her (among other things).  I wanted to make something that she could enjoy as a birthday desert and decided to kill 2 birds with one stone by making it for Mother’s Day as well!  I have what I think is a delicious strawberry shortcake recipe that was given to me by another excellent baker years ago, and its a more dense cake than a sponge cake, and best of all there are no eggs in it so its already vegan friendly!  Then I went serching for a vegan lemon curd to accompagny the shortcake and strawberries and really I could have eaten it all by itself….

So here we go!

Shortcake – preheat oven to 400F

• 4 cups of flour – I used Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour (and I am pretty sure its the same as the All-Purpose one found at the Bulkbarn – same ingredients, so probably same proportions…)
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup butter – I used coconut oil
• 2 cups buttermilk – any milk alternative and then just add 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice to make it sour
• New addition – the zest of 1 lemon
• New addition – 1 tsp vanilla
• New addition – 3/4 tsp xanthum powder for every cup of flour used.  Just follow the directions on the back of the flour package for how much to add.  I chose the amount for muffins and quick breads because this cake is not a traditional cake and has that denser consistency and it worked out fine.

(this recipe can be halved!)

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl
2. Cut in the butter/butter alternative (I put my cocnut oil in the fridge for a few minutes to harden it up a bit more), and mix/cream toghether until it gets that crumbly appearance
3. Add in the sour milk, vanilla and lemon zest and just mix until the dry ingredients are moistened, being careful not to overmix.

Add to an greased or parchment-papered baking dish and sprinkly with sugar. Cook in a preheated oven set at 400F for 20-30minutes, until a toothpick or knife comes out clean.  I think mine took around 23-25min.

Vegan Lemon Curd – I forgot to save the link for this recipe but just google vegan lemon curd and it is close to the top.  I followed the directions almost exactly and it was divine!  THANKS 🙂

Cooking this recipe slowly and stirring constantly is key, otherwise it will not thicken properly.  Aloow it to cool completely before putting it in the fridge.

• 1 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (I only had enough lemons to make 1 cup so just added 1/4 cup water and it was still plenty lemony!)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest (optional – I used it, don’t think it would be as good without)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp coconut milk
• 3 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp cold water (next time I am going to try arrowroot starch)
• 2 tbsp dairy-free soy margarine, divided – I used coconut oil

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, and salt stirring well to completely dissolve the sugar
2. When the sugar is dissolved add the cornstarch mixture and coconut milk, stirring well to combine.  Stir constantly, cooking until the mixture begins to thicken and the first few bubbles appear on the surface, about 8 minutes.
3. Add the dairy free margarine or coconut oil, stirring constantly, for several more minutes, or until the mixture starts to resemble a thick pudding.
4. Transfer the mixture to a heat proff dish and let cool before placing in the refrigerator.  Best if you let it chill in the fridge for 2hrs before serving.
5. Should last about 2 weeks when refrigerated and covered.

Cut up your strawberries and make a whipped cream if people so desire!

I like to cut the shortcake in half and then take the 2 halves, top with strawbwerries and lemon curd and for all you dairy lovers, a dollop or 2 of whipped cream to finish it off.

ENJOY!  (will have to take pictures next time)

Food Allergies and Sensitivities – My Take!

Part 1: Defining the Terms

When most people hear the term environmental allergies, they tend to think of the same cluster of symptoms (itchy eyes, runny nose, hives, possibly anaphylaxis etc.) because it is a pretty ubiquitous term.  However, when we start talking about food allergies and sensitivities, the topic becomes a bit more complex, leaving many people confused.  The problem is that there is no standardization for most of these terms, which is something that is needed.

Recently at the International Celiac Disease Symposium, there has been a consensus as to defining different gluten-related pathologies: celiac disease, wheat allergy, and gluten sensitivity.  Based on these more-well defined terms when it comes to gluten-realted pathologies, I am going to translate these terms to encompass food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities in general.

Allergy

Allergies occur when the immune system over-reacts to something that is generally not harmful resulting in those typical allergy symptoms.  Currently only IgE reactions are considered try allergies.  The IgE reaction is an immediate hypersensitivity reaction that occurs within minutes to hours after exposure, leading to the release of inflammatory chemicals, specifically histamine leading to redness, swelling, itching, hives etc.

The most common food allergies typically develop in early childhood and may be resolved if there is no contact with the food and include:

• Eggs
• Milk
• Peanuts
• Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster)
• Soy
• Tree nuts
• Wheat

So in terms of the gluten-related conditions, this is where a Wheat (gluten) allergy would fit.  This allergy can affect the skin, digestive tract or respiratory tract.  Symptoms can include hives, nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting and anaphylaxis.  Said to affect less then 1% of children, most of whom outgrow it, with the treatment being to avoid wheat/gluten

Food Sensitivity (a non-IgE allergy)

While only IgE reactions are considered, foods can also trigger other immune reactions which also cause many symptoms throughout the body.  One of the most common which is what many tests are for, is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction looking at IgG antibodies in the blood.  IgG reactions take hours to days to develop after exposure to the allergen and are more frequently associated with chronic conditions as opposed to the more acute symptoms you see with the IgE food reactions.  Symptoms are widespread and can include:

• Headaches
• Mood disorders
• Asthma
• Recurring respiratory infections
• Skin conditions such as acne or eczema
• Joint pain
• And many more

So while not producing what is defined as a true allergy, it is important to remember that there is still an immune reaction and most blood tests out there are looking for levels of IgG.  IgA antibodies which play an important role in protecting the respiratory tract and digestive tract can also produce a delayed reaction and tend to increase when there is mucosal damage.  Testing for IgA is not as readily available as it is for IgG.

Gluten sensitivity is now a recognized diagnosis, based on elevated levels of IgG or IgA antibodies to a gluten protein but without the intestinal damage that is seen in celiac disease.  For many years, people have been suffering from symptoms of celiac disease or a wheat allergy but have been told it is all in their heads or keep getting the run around because they have not tested positive for celiac or an allergy.  Basically, gluten sensitivity is a diagnosis of exclusion but the treatment of avoiding gluten is still the same.  One difference is that people might occasionally be able to eat small amounts of gluten in the future with no symptoms.

So based on this new acceptable diagnosis of gluten sensitivity, any other food sensitivity should be considered as basically a non-IgE immune reaction (or allergy) that can be detected with a blood test.

Food Intolerance

A lot of the time the terms food sensitivity and intolerance are used inter-changeably, but with the new definition of food sensitivities, they now need to be considered as separate terms.  A food intolerance refers to a non-immune reaction to a food, meaning that if you are intolerant to a certain food and have a blood test it will not show up on the test.  A lot of the time a food intolerance might be due to an enzyme deficiency, a lack of stomach acid, a chemical reaction, a reaction to food additives.  Just think about a lactose intolerance…you are lacking a specific enzyme needed to help break down dairy products, usually leading to digestive symptoms but the typical IgG blood tests out there will not show any sort of reaction because there is no immune reaction, but there are still unwanted symptoms.

Even as I write this, there is still controversy and confusion as to what the terms mean.  As clinicians, the terms we learn at school vary from one institution to another and we tend to stick with the terms that we learn.  Even I have had to wrap my head around some of the changes, as I used to use the term sensitivity and intolerance interchangeable.  Many clinicians will use the term intolerance to mean an IgG-mediated immune response and sensitivity as more of the non-immune mediated response.  As I mentioned earlier, I have defined the terms based on new terms outlined by the Celiac Symposium in 2011, but it is really important for the medical community to come to universal definitions so that everyone is on the same page.  For now, the important thing if you are interested in finding out your food allergies/sensitivities/intolerances is to become informed by asking your health care practitioners a lot of questions.  Your local Naturopathic Doctor is more than qualified to answer any questions you may have and help you on your path to wellness. 

Stay Tuned for Part 2: An Overview of the Different Testing Available

Hello!

Hello, My Name is Joanne Dawe and I am a Naturopathic Doctor in Markham On.  I have switched over my blog from simply posting on my website to this more specific blog site!  I will be posting about various health issues but hopefully also some tasty recipes that I have tried out in my quest to bake delicious gluten and dairy free treats…and possible egg free as well (why not go vegan right!).

Not only do I love baking but also reading, traveling and spending time outside, especially during the summer at the cottage.

I hope everyone enoys the blog!