Friday, January 30, 2015

Gluten-free, Vegan cookbook Living Candida-Free
My own copy of Living Candida-Free by Ricki Heller.



How to feel satisfied and still live within a restricted diet? That is the challenge facing so many people, whether it's due to allergies, intolerance, or other health issues.

For years, my friend, Ricki Heller, has been providing folks who live with Candida Related Complex (CRC) with a feeling of abundance. She has written hundreds of recipes for her website, rickiheller.com,  that are not only gluten-free and vegan, but also reside within the confines of the the anti-candida diet.

Candida Related Complex is a condition where the candida yeast (a normally occurring yeast that makes up part of the human biome) grows excessively, resulting in a host of symptoms ranging from the inconvenient to the debilitating.

Ricki's newest book, Living Candida-Free, written with nutritionist Andrea Nakayama, is so incredibly informative about the basics of digestion, how CRC develops, and what is necessary to do to get your body back in whack. I love how thoroughly researched this topic is by two incredibly smart nutrition-educated women. Ricki writes with such a friendly and accessible voice, while holding your hand through complex information.

If you or someone you know is struggling with CRC (or wondering what might be contributing to health conditions ranging form digestion woes, skin issues, joint pain, thrush, etc.), I encourage you to read this book, Living Candida-Free. It will provide you with the information you need to talk to your own healthcare provider about whether candida is the culprit.

Once you get past the information, though, you get to the recipes -- recipes that bring hope for a full, rich diet while traveling along the road to improved health.

Ricki was generous to share a recipe with us. This soup is exactly the kind of soup I enjoy. Flavorful broth supporting tender greens and creamy chickpeas. 

Photo by Nicole Axworthy



Quick and Easy Chard and Chickpea Soup
Reprinted by permission from Living Candida-Free by Ricki Heller, PhD, RHN (DaCapo Press, 2015)

Makes 6 servings


Ingredients:
  • 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil, preferably organic
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 bunch chard (6 to 8 leaves), stems removed and chopped, leaves shredded (2 to 3 cups leaves)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or stock (homemade or use organic with no sugar or additives)
  • 3 cups canned diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil, or 1/4 cup fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taaste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preparation:
  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic.  Saute until the onion is translucent, for about 8 minutes.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the lemon juice, and bring to a light boil.
  3. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer until all the vegetables are soft and the flavors are well combined, for about 30 minutes.
  4. Add the lemon juice; stir and adjust the seasonings. 
  5. Serve.
  6. May be frozen.
Want to try some more recipes from Living Candida-Free?
Spabettie shared Raw Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles (Yum!)
Recipe Renovator shared Single-Serve Pancakes (Great idea!)
The Blender Girl has a thorough review along with the recipe for Chard & Chickpea Soup.

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book, SUPER SEEDS, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen and Gluten-free Vegan Recipes.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015


Gluten-free Vegan Sunflower Pate & Book Review


As I've said before, one of the fun parts of writing this blog is being introduced to new products and people. 

Recently, I was fortunate to be offered an opportunity to read the new novel, Off the Reservation by Glen Merzer. Off the Reservation is the first book from a new publishing house, Vivid Thoughts Press.

This novel tells the story of a Congressman, Evan Gorgoni, who decides to run for President. They asked me to review it, because Gorgoni is a vegan, and vegan themes run through the book. There are also 20 recipes in the back of the book that Glen's wife, Joanna Samorow-Merzer created. The recipes reflect meals that the Congressman and/or his family enjoy throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm a lover of fiction. I like to be swept away by a story, and Off the Reservation really brought me into this crazy presidential campaign. I loved how Congressman Gorgoni tried to run an honest campaign, talking about the challenges facing our country as he sees them without throwing out a lot of fake promises and platitudes.

I read this around the holidays, and this book was just what I needed -- a little escape from all the to-do list activities that come around then.

The publisher is generously sharing one of the delicious-sounding vegan recipes from the book with us.

Sunflower Pate (recipe by Joanna Samorow-Merzer as featured in Off the Reservation).
vegan, gluten-free, allergen-free
Serves 10 as appetizer

Ingredients:
  • 1 medium-to-large raw yellow-skin potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour
  • 1 medium onion, chopped 
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Preparation:
In the food processor, chop the sunflower seeds coarsely. Add the remaining ingredients and process into a smooth consistency. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper (to avoid use of oil). Pour in the mixture and bake uncovered for 1 hour or until golden brown. Let cool to thicken before cutting into slices and serving. 

Happy Cooking!
Kim

My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.

Thursday, January 8, 2015



Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili - Kim's Welcoming Kitchen




My new year started out with a bang! I was fortunate to get to share some healthy cooking with WGN TV on New Year's Day.  I made Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili from Super Seeds. This recipe is truly one of my favorites. It's quick to come together, it's nutritious, and it's really delicious. In case you didn't get to see it, I'm sharing the recipe here, too. Also, here's a link to my segment.


Super Seeds by Kim Lutz


Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili - Kim's Welcoming Kitchen



Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili (from Super Seeds: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Chia, Quinoa, Flax, Hemp & Amaranth)



Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium onions, cut into medium dice (approximately 3 cups)

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, minced

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into medium dice

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (3 cups)

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 ¾ cups cooked black beans)

1 cup prepared quinoa



Preparation:

  1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
  2. Add onions, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and sweet potato. Saute approximately 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
  3. Add remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through. 

    Happy Cooking!
    Kim

    My new book,  Super Seeds, is available now! You can also find tasty recipes in Welcoming Kitchen: 200 Delicious Allergen & Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes.