Posted Feb 9, 2012 by Nicole Smith |
Isn’t it amazing how many parties and celebrations involve food? I never realized how much food is part of the American social culture until I had a child with severe food allergies. When my son was preschool age, he attended friends’ birthday parties with me or my husband by his side carrying his EpiPen Jr.®, Benadryl®, and safe snack. As he aged, I would call the parents of the birthday child to see what food was being served and to ask if they would like to learn how to operate an EpiPen®. Not once did a parent say no, and thankfully parents who had extended the party invitation were well aware to not serve food with my son's allergens. I would drop my son off, and give the chaperone parent instructions. My son would wear his fanny pack with his EpiPens®. By elementary school age, I'd stay in the driveway or the parking lot of the party to give him some room to enjoy his friends. Then I got brave enough to drop him off and leave after the education session!
Now, as a high school student, he goes to parties of friends — many of whom he has trained how to recognize allergic symptoms and how to operate the EpiPen®. No longer is he afraid what food might be served. He has always felt comfortable taking his own food to parties rather than hoping that something is safe at the event. Or he will just have a soda and enjoy everyone's company.
School parties were frequent in preschool and elementary school. One year when my son was in preschool, a parent was asked by the teacher to please bring in safe candies, upon which she commented, “You mean he’s still allergic?” Yes! Every day of the year, he’s still allergic!
Many children at our son’s elementary school brought in candy along with Valentine’s Day cards. Yearly, we reminded our son's teacher to watch for unsafe candy coming into the classroom and to please send it back home with the student. One year his teacher lined up all of the children’s Valentine's boxes in the hallway. That ensured no unsafe candy was brought into the classroom.
Families who don't deal with severe food allergies may never understand our focus on safe foods at parties. Continued education allows my son to participate and to help others gain awareness while enjoying his company.
Posted Jan 18, 2012 by Paul Antico |
It’s 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night south of Boston. I take my food-allergic sons to our favorite allergy-friendly restaurant, but the wait is too long. Two hours, many other restaurant stops, and a lot of groaning later, we find a basic pizza joint and begin our meal.
Typical weeknight in midtown Manhattan. Our family goes out for dinner with no specific restaurant in mind. How hard can it be with all the choices in NYC? We end up stopping in countless restaurants before finding a suitable, accommodating option an hour later.
Summer weekend in Lake Placid, NY. We visit multiple mom-and-pop restaurants that say they can’t accommodate our kids’ food allergies. At others, the staff clearly doesn't understand what we’re trying to communicate. An unfortunate “hot dog night” is the result.
My family has faced many frustrations dining out with multiple food allergies for more than 10 years. The challenges were tougher early on, when we were “food allergy novices”, but we still encounter difficulties today. It’s not easy gaining the necessary comfort level that a restaurant is going to serve our food-allergic children a safe meal.
But it is possible.
More restaurants are starting to “get” the importance of accommodating guests with food allergies. Whether they're motivated by profits or a desire to “do the right thing” is irrelevant. Either way, our dining options are expanding.
Yet the most important player in providing a safe and comfortable experience is still YOU.
Here are some tips to consider when you're planning to dine out:
- Conduct research in advance. Rather than wandering aimlessly around New York City as I did, go online before you go out. There’s a wealth of food allergy information on restaurant websites and other resources, such as AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com).
- Do not leave home without your epinephrine! If you only remember one thing, let this be it. Don’t let a mistake turn tragic by not carrying this livesaving medication.
- Dine during off-peak hours. Going out at 7:00 p.m. on a Saturday night was a rookie mistake on my part. Restaurants are very busy on weekend nights, increasing the chances of accidental errors that could have severe consequences for food-allergic diners.
- Upon arrival, inform the staff about your food allergies. If you’re not confident in their knowledge and understanding, speak to the manager and/or chef. Ask detailed questions about the menu, ingredients, and protocols, and how they protect against cross-contact. Most importantly, if after speaking to the manager or chef you’re still not entirely comfortable, leave and find another restaurant.
- When your meal arrives, politely ask the server again if they’re sure the meal is free of your allergens. This is yet another opportunity to communicate with the restaurant staff to confirm that you have received the correct, allergen-free meal.
- Visually inspect your meal. I’ve heard countless stories about allergens being clearly visible in a supposedly allergen-free dish.
- After a safe and happy dining experience, thank the staff, leave a generous tip, recommend the restaurant to others, and visit again.
Dining out with food allergies can seem daunting, but let me assure you that it’s possible to have a safe and comfortable experience. It takes a little effort, but the results are well worth it.
Posted Dec 23, 2011 by Nancy Gregory |
Baking … it’s one of my favorite activities, much to the detriment of my waistline. One of the fun aspects of being a part of the editorial team here at FAAN is testing recipes for our member newsletter, Food Allergy News. I had never done much baking without milk or eggs before I joined the staff in 2008, but I quickly learned that you can get delicious results without ingredients that you would have thought were key to baking.
My son Evan, who is allergic to peanuts, and my mom, who doesn’t have food allergies, are always willing to be my number one taste testers. They’re pretty honest, too. I’ve chucked more than one batch of cookies into the trash after getting a thumbs-down from Evan or Mom.
Last year, I tested these sublime Crème de Menthe Bar Cookies for the December 2010-January 2011 newsletter. They were not only a big hit at home, but my coworkers devoured these pretty quickly, too. These are free of milk, egg, peanuts, and tree nuts.
Crème de Menthe Bar Cookies
Bottom Layer:
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup milk-free margarine, melted and cooled
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Middle Layer:
1/3 cup crème de menthe
1/2 cup milk-free margarine, melted and cooled
3 cups confectioners sugar
Top Layer:
1 1/2 cups milk-free chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk-free margarine
To assemble the bottom layer, in a large bowl, whisk together confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, and graham cracker crumbs. Add margarine and vanilla extract, stir until well combined. Press mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan; set aside.
To assemble the middle layer, in medium bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat crème de menthe, margarine, and confectioners sugar until well blended. Spread mixture evenly over crumb crust. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Prepare the top layer by combining chocolate chips and margarine in microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave about 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring after each 30-second interval, until chocolate chips melt. Pour on the top of chilled middle layer. Refrigerate 10 minutes, then score into squares; return to refrigerator for 1 hour.
Posted Dec 22, 2011 by Cybele Pascal |
Just in time for Christmas! And, surprise, surprise -- they’re good for you too! One of my greatest challenges of living with food restrictions is getting proper nutrition into my boys. So I am always looking for ways to sneak nutrient-dense ingredients into my allergy-free recipes.
Hemp seeds (also called “Hemp Hearts”) are a fantastically nutritious source of protein and Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids, which are often hard to get enough of when you can’t eat nuts or fish. These little seeds are not only nutritional powerhouses, they are also seriously tasty, and great in baked goods in place of tree nuts and peanuts. Contrary to popular belief, they are mild and “nutty”. They are great in cookies, tossed in a salad, or sprinkled over your oatmeal. In fact, I’m beginning to think their possibilities are endless.
These cookies are not only fabulous for holiday parties, they’re good enough for any wedding, allergen-free or not. And according to my father, they also taste very much like the legendary (in our family – so I guess it’s a limited legend!) buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread almond cookies made by his grandmother Dora around the winter holidays. I hope you enjoy this modern spin on an old-fashioned classic as much as we do in our food-allergic family.
Gluten-Free Hemp Seed Wedding Cookies
(Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan, Allergy-Friendly)
Makes about 40 1 1/2 -inch cookies
These little gems are normally made with walnuts, pistachios, pecans, or almonds. This tree nut-free version is made with hemp seeds, and is equally delicious and highly nutritious. A perfect little sweet, full of “Hemp Heart,” to share with lots of love!
Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, shortening and vanilla extract. Blend well.
- In a separate bowl, measure out flour mix by spooning flour into a dry measuring cup, then leveling it off with a straightedge, or the back of a knife. (Do not scoop the flour directly with the measuring cup or you’ll wind up with too much flour for the recipe). Combine flour mix, xanthan gum and salt. Stir flour mixture and hemp seeds into sugar mixture, stirring until dough holds together. Cover the bowl and chill about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Shape dough into 1-inch balls, pressing together like you would with Play Dough.
- Place balls 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake cookies on center rack in oven for 18-20 minutes until set but not brown.
- Cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheets. Gently remove cookies with a thin spatula (be careful, cookies are delicate) and roll them in confectioner’s sugar. Cool completely and re-roll in confectioner’s sugar.
TIP: If cookies aren’t eaten within a day, store them in the freezer. Layer them in single layers between parchment paper. Enjoy them at room temperature.
Gluten-Free Hemp Seed Wedding Cookies © 2010 by Cybele Pascal
(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, milk, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)
SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns before consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.
Posted Dec 21, 2011 by Michele Fellows |
Prior to having my beautiful children, I enjoyed cooking with loads of cheese, milk, nuts, eggs, etc. Like all of us, having a child with a food allergy threw me for an absolute loop and I basically had to learn to cook all over again without those ingredients that could potentially be deadly. No problem, I’m up for the challenge.
Baking, however, was another story.
Baking to me was opening up the freezer, getting frozen cookie dough and popping it into the toaster oven. That was it! In fact, my mother gave me a KitchenAid mixer that sat untouched for four years – literally. I had no desire, not until I realized that if I didn’t make a delicious allergy-free sweet for my daughter, she may never have one, and I’ve been baking ever since.
Then came the holidays and the traditional pies! Well, let’s just say that I have yet to master an allergy-free pumpkin pie that can fool the elders … but I have created amazing Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes that’ll blow the socks off any cupcake challenge, and I’m sharing it with you! So bake in confidence, enjoy and happy holidays.
Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes
Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) safe margarine, melted and cooled
- 2 eggs or substitute
- 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin puree
Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) safe margarine
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 T. milk or milk alternative
- 2 T. water as needed
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350° . Line cupcake pans with paper liners. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients, except sugar.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar and wet ingredients.
- Combine and mix wet and dry ingredients.
- Divide batter among liners, filling each about ½ to ¾ full. Bake until tops spring back with touched, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let cool completely and top with frosting. Garnish in cinnamon.
Enjoy!
Posted Dec 20, 2011 by Amie Valpone |
Last year I surprised my family with this tasty recipe at our holiday Thanksgiving table. Needless to say I got a few wandering eyes wondering what this vibrant red quinoa and wild rice dish was all about. I created this beautiful medley of delicious gluten-free grains, fresh vegetables and naturally sweetened coconut, balsamic vinegar and fresh lime juice with inspiration from my local Manhattan farmers market. One bite of this dish and I had the entire holiday table raving over how flavorful, unique and satisfying it was. It’s amazing how you can create a simple allergy-friendly meal and pack in a nutritional punch with natural flavor, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. What’s even more amazing? Well, the fact that my entire family — all relatives (including the little kiddies) and friends were asking for a copy of this recipe before they dug in for seconds. Everyone requested I create this festive dish again for our Christmas dinner, where it once again was a huge hit. It’s gluten-free, milk-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, and vegan so you don’t have to worry about any hidden allergens. You can serve it steaming hot or warm and the best part is the fancy dollop of homemade, creamy hummus you can add for some velvety goodness. Yum.
I know this dish will surely be served front and center on my Christmas table again this year; I can’t wait to start cooking. Will it be on your table, too?
My family will be expecting this dish, as it’s become our holiday tradition to serve at all of our family gatherings. I actually served it at our Fourth of July picnic chilled and it was a huge hit, once again. It’s a versatile, healthy, fun, and creative dish that will have your family’s taste buds yearning for more this holiday season.
Lemon Coconut Quinoa with Ginger Hummus
Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Milk-Free, Egg-Free and Vegan
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup red quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 1 cup wild rice, cooked and cooled
- Juice of 1 fresh lemon
- 1/4 tsp. fresh lemon zest
- 2 T. unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 T. fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1 small tomato, finely chopped
- 1 small sweet onion, finely chopped
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed
- 2 cups chickpeas, cooked
- 1 T. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/6 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
- 1 T. black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated
Directions
- In a large serving bowl, combine cooked quinoa and wild rice. Add lemon juice, zest, coconut flakes, basil, tomato and onion; gently toss to combine. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, combine mashed avocado, chickpeas, vinegar, chili powder, sea salt, pepper and ginger. Using an electric mixer, whip mixture for 2-3 minutes or until silky and smooth. Add sesame seeds; mix well to combine.
- Serve quinoa mixture at room temperature with a side dollop of ginger hummus.
Enjoy.
Posted Dec 19, 2011 by Ming Tsai |
I'm a huge fan of turkey and have cooked it a million different ways. The classic Thanksgiving roast turkey is still a favorite of mine that I look forward to every year. Roasting a whole turkey breast is a great option for small households. Brining keeps the white meat moist; so if there are any leftovers, you've got the foundation for a great sandwich. This is one-pot cooking at its best. You can make a simple pan sauce in the skillet used to roast the turkey and extract all the great flavor from the drippings. Thickening the gravy with cornstarch is a Chinese technique that works perfectly for folks who are on a gluten-free diet.
I prefer to use dried cranberries to make a refreshing chutney that is less cloyingly sweet than the jellied cranberry sauce from a can. This recipe is very versatile. In addition to turkey, the chutney pairs well with duck, pork, and goat cheese. I even use it in a variation of Crab Rangoon, which appears in my cookbook, Ming's Master Recipes.
Sweet potatoes are probably one of the healthiest foods on the holiday table and you'd never know it from their naturally sweet flavor. Ginger has a great affinity for root vegetables. And it doesn't hurt that the spice also aids digestion. I've substituted coconut milk for cream to keep it milk-free. I really like the way the sweetness of the coconut compliments the potatoes.
Brined and Slow Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney and Gingered Sweet Potatoes
Brined and Slow Roasted Turkey Breast
Serves 4
- 1 whole bone-in turkey breast, brined overnight*
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
- 1 T. cornstarch mixed with water to form slurry
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Canola oil for cooking
- Extra virgin olive oil for cooking
- Preheat oven to 275°. Rinse and dry turkey breast; season with freshly ground black pepper and a small amount of salt to taste.
- In a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet coated lightly with canola oil over high heat, sear turkey breast, skin-side down, until light golden brown. Remove turkey from pan.
- Season red onions with salt and pepper and add to pan. Place turkey on top, skin-side up, and drizzle liberally with olive oil.
- Roast turkey in oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until cooked through. Internal temperature should reach 155°F, which will carry over to 160°F. (If you are squeamish, remove turkey from oven when it reaches 160°F). Remove turkey from pan and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- 5. Place pan back on burner over high heat. Add the white wine, deglaze and reduce liquid by half, scraping the pan. Add chicken stock, bring to a simmer, then add cornstarch slurry, whisking until gravy is thickened. Check for seasoning.
*Brine method: Add enough salt and sugar to a quart of water so that it tastes like sweet salt water. Multiply as necessary to fully submerge protein in a large container. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Rinse under running water before cooking.
©2011 Ming Tsai.
Sweet & Sour Cranberry Chutney
Makes 4 cups
- 2 red onions, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
- 2 T. minced lemongrass, white part only
- 2 cups dried cranberries, such as Craisins®, chopped
- 1⁄2 cup sugar
- 2 cups naturally brewed rice vinegar
- Grapeseed or canola oil for cooking
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a sauté pan coated lightly with oil over high heat, sauté the onions and lemongrass until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and check for flavor. Add cranberries and sugar and deglaze with naturally brewed rice vinegar. Reduce by 75%, or until liquid is absorbed. Check again for seasoning. When cool, transfer to a container, cover, and store in fridge for up to two weeks.
©2004 Ming Tsai.
Gingered Sweet Potatoes
Serves 4
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 T. minced ginger
- 2 T. minced garlic
- 8 ounces coconut milk
- Canola oil for cooking
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 375°. Wrap the potatoes in foil, prick several times with a fork, and bake until soft, about 40 to 50 minutes. Scoop potato flesh into a food processor.
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Coat lightly with oil and sauté ginger and garlic until soft. Add coconut milk and reduce by one-half, about 10 minutes.
- Add reduced coconut milk to the sweet potatoes and process until well blended. Season with salt and pepper, and puree until smooth.
©2011 Ming Tsai.
Posted Dec 16, 2011 by Kelly Rudnicki |
The Chocolate Crinkle is the quintessential holiday cookie. Everyone loves them; they’re chocolaty, sweet, and look like cute little snowballs. They always make an appearance in cookie swaps and on holiday treat trays. But traditional recipes call for milk, and require excess steps like melting chocolate over a double boiler or chilling the dough for hours before using. For me, if I’m in the mood to make delicious holiday cookies with my five children, the cookies need to be fast and easy for everyone to make. These crinkles are my children’s favorite type of cookie and they can practically stir the dough and roll the balls in sugar themselves. It’s a lot of fun to make, bake and eat, and has become a staple at our house during the holidays.
Milk-, Egg- and Nut-Free Chocolate Crinkles
- 1/2 c. vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 c. sugar
- 1 c. unsweetened applesauce
- 1 c. cocoa (I use Hershey)
- 2 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 c. confectioners sugar
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil, sugar, applesauce, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract until well combined. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined. Put batter into resealable plastic bag and freeze until well chilled, about an hour. (Alternatively, chill in fridge 3-4 hours or overnight).
Preheat oven to 350° and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut open bag with scissors. Lightly flour your hands with confectioners’ sugar and scoop out 1-inch balls of dough, and roll into a perfect balls. Drop into bowl with confectioners sugar and roll until completely covered with sugar. Place 2 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes or until cookies are just set. Do not over bake. Cool completely on cookie sheets.
Posted Dec 15, 2011 by Jill Robbins |
My family loves apple crisp during the holidays. We live in New England, so we often start by going apple picking together! And of course New England means maple syrup, so my apple crisp definitely has to include some of that. On a chilly autumn or winter day, there is nothing like the warm feeling from apple crisp just out of the oven. Well, that is unless you are my husband who prefers it cold, or my son who delights in covering it with a tower of ice cream, having recently transitioned from rice milk ice cream.
Many families have holiday recipes that have been passed down generation to generation, recipes that unfortunately tend to be full of allergens. Instead, we are creating a new tradition of serving treats that can be shared by family members of every generation. In fact, what I like most about serving my apple crisp to my extended family is that everyone can enjoy it together. It has always been important to me to serve foods that include everyone, regardless of the special dietary needs.
I make my apple crisp with an easy topping of HomeFree gluten-free oatmeal cookies, which in addition to being free of the top 8 allergens and gluten, also are great for people with almost every other special diet. Fresh apples, maple syrup, and cookie crumble….yum! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Happy holidays!
Quick Allergy Friendly, Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Dry Mix:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (or mix with dark brown to taste)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. cloves
Apple Ingredients:
- 6 cups sliced (heaping cups are fine!) peeled apples (about 5-6 large apples that are good for baking, such as Granny Smith or McIntosh – or best is a mix of at least two types. Best if fresh and crisp.)
Topping Ingredients:
- 10 HomeFree gluten-free oatmeal cookies (or your soft oatmeal cookie of choice – about 10 oz total)
- 1/8 cup canola or safflower oil
- 1/8 cup maple syrup
Final Topping Ingredients:
Lightly oil an 8” x 8” cake pan. Preheat oven to 350°.
Put dry mix ingredients into a bowl and mix well with a fork, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar.
Peel, core, and slice apples (about 4 slices per quarter).Pour dry mix over apples while mixing, until apples are just covered. Spread apple mixture evenly in pan, pouring any leftover sugar mix over the top.
Break up cookies into small chunks and crumbs. Stir the 1/8 cup oil together with the 1/8 cup syrup, pour over the cookie mixture, and mix. Spread cookie mixture over apples.
Using a spouted cup, drizzle the final 1/8 cup maple syrup in “S” shapes over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. (Apples will maintain some firmness.)
Great at any temperature.
Posted Dec 14, 2011 by Linsey Herman |
Even though the days grew shorter and colder in my New England hometown, I looked forward to December and the arrival of Hannukkah, the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights. While other families in the neighborhood strung colored lights over wintering evergreens and leaf-stripped trees, my family lit candles on the menorah, the 9-pronged candlestick holder symbolic of the holiday. My favorite night was the first night, the only time of year when my mother would prepare a never-ending batch of potato pancakes, or latkes, and serve them with homemade applesauce and sour cream.
Every family has their own latke recipe. My family’s came from my great-grandmother, who my mother claims was the most talented cook in the family. The recipe has changed little over the years. What makes this recipe unusual is the carrot, which gives the pancakes a slight orange hue and prevents them from turning grey. The pancakes, once cooked, are a little greasy — make sure you keep lots of paper towels on hand to sop up the oil!
My mother’s original recipe required a half-cup of flour and four eggs. I’ve adapted the recipe to make it both gluten-free and egg-free. The resulting pancakes are crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside. In this recipe I’ve replaced the flour and eggs with three ingredients: Enjoy Life’s Crunchy Flax cereal, ground into crumbs; finely milled rice flour; and tapioca flour. The resulting pancakes would make Mom proud!
Enjoy Life Latkes
Makes about 12 each 4” diameter pancakes
- 4 large russet or other starchy potatoes, peeled and chopped into quarters
- 2 small yellow onions, peeled and halved
- 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled, or one large carrot
- 3/4 C Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax cereal, ground into 3 T. of fine crumbs
- 1 T. tapioca flour
- 1 T. finely milled white rice flour
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1-1/2 tsp. sea salt (more to taste)
- pepper to taste
- oil for frying pancakes
Procedure:
Soak potatoes, onions and carrots in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Drain.
Using the coarse zesting side (not grater side) of a box grater, grate carrots, onions and potatoes into a fine paste. If you prefer to use a food processor, use the shredding attachment to grate all the ingredients and then switch to the blade to finely chop the grated vegetables. Once finely chopped, empty into a mesh colander and drain off the liquid into a bowl (there will be 1-1/2 cups or so). Reserve about 2 T. to add back to the batter should you need it. Whisk in Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax cereal crumbs, flours, baking soda, and salt and pepper. The batter will have an orange hue and will feel dry and a little gritty — it should not be wet or runny. If too stiff and does not hold together as a batter, whisk some of the potato water back in, one tablespoon at a time, until it is the desired consistency.
With your hands, take about 1/4 C of batter and form into a 1/4” thick round patty. Gently place it in a hot non-stick skillet filled 1/4” deep with the vegetable oil of your choice. The pancake will break apart or have jagged edges if you try forming it once it has been placed in the pan. After about 4 minutes, when the sides have started to brown and the pancake becomes translucent at the top, flip over. Fry for another 3-5 minutes or until the bottom is also golden. Remove from oil and place on several layers of paper towels to absorb oil. Flip sides to pick up as much oil as possible. This may be repeated several times.
Transfer to a serving plate. If reheating later or freezing, place on a parchment or foil-lined sheet pan and lay the pancakes down in a single layer. You can freeze them this way and then transfer them to plastic bags once frozen. They may be frozen for up to 60 days.
We have found that we like these pancakes best when they are reheated rather than right out of the pan. To reheat the pancakes preheat the oven to 425° F. Lay pancakes in a single layer on a sheet pan lined with foil. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes, or until warmed through and crisp on the outside. Pat with paper towels and serve with apple sauce or sour cream (if allowed).
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