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Category: Food allergies

Does one (or all!) of your children have food allergies? Sadly this is no longer a rare thing. More and more kids struggle with food allergies now than ever before.

I’ve been there too. Skin testing, blood work, epi-pens…the works. It can be challenging or down right scary.

But you don’t have to live in fear. And you don’t have to just accept food allergies as a life sentence. There is help!

My son went from over twenty food allergies and an epi-pen to being able to eat just about anything. Even nuts!

There are ways to heal the gut and nourish the body so your child can get back to a normal life. Food allergies have so many underlying causes. Once you figure out the root problem and treat it the body will begin to heal.

Don’t let food allergies define your life. I’m here to help you and your child heal.

Five Minute Peach Jam | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Five Minute Peach Jam

Peach jam in five minutes? Yes! And only three ingredients. Simple, healthy and bursting with flavor. Five minute peach jam is a great way to capture summer in a jar.

Five Minute Peach Jam | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Growing up I ate one thing on my toast – grape jelly. Always.

Now that I’m older and cook for myself and my family I like to have a lot more variety. So I make strawberry jam, cherry jam and raspberry jam.

This year I tried peach jam. Wow! It’s like summer in a jar.

Chop. Mix. Simmer.

For real – that is all there is to it. Cut up fresh peaches, add sweetener and grass-fed gelatin. Simmer about five minutes.

Fresh peach jam awaits.

You can even make peach jam without any sweetener if your peaches are sweet enough. Else a couple tablespoons of sweetener really kicks up the flavor.

Five Minute Peach Jam | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Let the kids help.

This is a great project for getting your kids in the kitchen. Peal and pit the peaches and let your child cut them into small chunks. A dull knife is just fine for chopping peaches.

Then let them measure the sugar and gelatin.

Older kids can help with the cooking as well. If you are making a pureed jam this is a great way to teach older kids how to use an immersion blender.

Five Minute Peach Jam | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Spread it on. Stir it in.

Once the jam has chilled for a few hours it will be gelled enough to serve. Spread it on homemade gluten free bread, sourdough bread or your favorite muffin. My kids couldn’t get enough of this peach jam on freshly baked bread alongside a big bowl of soup.

Another great way to use peach jam is mixed into plain, whole milk yogurt. It makes instant peach yogurt without any thickeners, gums or added flavorings.

Spruce up your oatmeal by stirring in peach jam. Top with some crispy pecans and breakfast is served.

Five Minute Peach Jam | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Stock the freezer.

This recipe is for a small batch to eat fresh. You can easily triple it (or more!) and freeze the jam. Then you can enjoy it all year long.

Peach jam in the middle of winter is a real treat! Not to mention it’s very cost-effective. One jar of homemade jam costs about $1.25 (give or take).

The same amount of quality store-bought peach jam would cost about $5.00.

Grab a few peaches and your kids and mix up a quick batch of five minute peach jam. Then enjoy this allergen free spread all year long to change up your breakfast.

What is your favorite type of jam or jelly? Do you make your own?

Five Minute Peach Jam | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Five Minute Peach Jam
Yields 1
Simple and healthy, five minute peach jam is a great way to capture summer in a jar. Only three ingredients and tons of flavor.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup peaches, peeled, pitted, cut into small pieces (juice reserved)
  2. 3/4 tsp. grass-fed gelatin
  3. 1 - 3 Tbsp. organic cane sugar or honey
Instructions
  1. Add peaches and juice to a small saucepan.
  2. Add the gelatin and stir. Let sit 1 minute.
  3. Add the sugar.
  4. Bring to very low simmer and let cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Mash or puree if desired.
  6. Pour into a half pint jar.
  7. Chill until gelled.
  8. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Notes
  1. An easy way to reserve the peach juice is to cut the peach directly over the pan and let the juice drip down while you cut.
  2. You can leave out the sweetener to make this sugar free jam.
  3. This makes one half pint of jam. Multiply the recipe by how many jars you want to make.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats

Peaches and cream overnight oats make a satisfying breakfast. Prepared in advance, they are a grab ‘n’ go breakfast everyone will love. Use fresh peaches in the summer and frozen or canned peaches in the winter.

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

I try my best to do breakfast preparation in advance. In the morning I want everything ready to go.

When my husband is getting ready for work…breakfast is ready.

When one kid wakes up early and is instantly begging for food…breakfast is ready.

When the baby needs to nurse and everyone else is hungry…breakfast is ready.

Since we don’t eat store-bought cereal I need other quick and easy breakfasts that are ready for the family even if I’m busy.

Peaches and cream overnight oats are the perfect solution.

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Simple, simple, simple.

It only takes about five minutes to prepare overnight oats. I line up jars for however many servings I’m going to make. Then just add the ingredients to each jar and mix.

Peaches and cream overnight oats only contain five ingredients. All of them except for the peaches are pantry and refrigerator staples. So you can whip up a batch just about any time.

Give them a boost.

In addition the five base ingredients you can add collagen for protein and egg yolk for vitamins. This will make peaches and cream overnight oats a very balanced breakfast. That includes three components:

  1. Protein – yogurt, collagen, egg yolk
  2. Carbohydrates – oats, peaches, maple syrup
  3. Fat – whole milk yogurt or coconut yogurt

One other thing I love is that the overnight soaking makes the oats much better for you!

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Get ready to host.

These overnight oats are great for the whole family on a school day morning. But that’s not all.

Peaches and cream overnight oats are fancy enough for hosting overnight guests or a brunch. Mix up a bunch of small jars of the oats and leave the peaches on top. They look so elegant. Plus you can just pull them out of the fridge in the morning and have time to visit with your guests. No cooking necessary.

Change it up.

If you aren’t a fan of peaches in your yogurt or you just don’t have any on hand you can swap another fruit. Stone fruits like plums, apricots and nectarines work very well.

Or you can use berries and cherries. They can be fresh or go right from the freezer to the oat mixture. By morning they will be thawed and ready to go!

No matter what flavor you choose overnight oats are a perfect prep ahead breakfast. You can make them for a busy weekday morning or even make a batch while you enjoy some end of summer travel. All of the ingredients are available wherever you go.

On the go.

Peaches and cream overnight oats are also great for school lunches and snacks. Just mix it up the night before. Put a lid on and pack it in the lunch box. It is ready to go when your child is ready to eat.

By using gluten free oats this breakfast is not only delicious but also gluten, egg, nut, corn, soy and rice free. If you use coconut yogurt it is also dairy free. There is a version for just about everyone!

In need of an easy breakfast? Peaches and cream overnight oats are the way to go!

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats
Serves 2
Peaches and cream overnight oats make a satisfying breakfast. Prepared in advance with fresh peaches, they are a grab 'n' go breakfast everyone will love.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup old fashioned oats (be sure to get gluten free oats if you are gluten free)
  2. 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt or coconut yogurt
  3. 4 Tbsp. maple syrup (adjust to your liking)
  4. 1/4 tsp. unrefined sea salt
  5. 1 large peach, peeled and cut up (over oats)
  6. optional - 2 tsp. collagen, 1 egg yolk
Instructions
  1. Divide the oats, yogurt, maple syrup and salt (and collagen and egg yolk if desired) between two small jars or dishes. Mix well.
  2. Cut up the peaches over the jars so the juice drips into the jars.
  3. Cover and refrigerate 7-24 hours.
  4. Stir in peaches when ready to eat.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Grain-free peach cobbler creamsicle

Grain-Free Peach Cobbler Creamsicles

Nothing says summer like fresh peaches! Enjoy them in a frozen treat with these simple grain-free peach cobbler creamsicles. Just a few whole-food ingredients and no refined sweeteners! Your kids will go crazy for this special summer dessert.

Looking for a delicious way to cool down in August? These grain-free peach cobbler creamsicles are made with just a few simple ingredients and kids love them! Put your extra peaches to good use with this fun summer treat. #peaches #summer #frozentreat #popsicle

If you want to know what summer tastes like all you have to do is bite into a fresh, juicy peach. There is nothing quite like it.

Peach cobbler creamsicles transform that summer flavor into a frozen treat you can’t resist.

Start with a simple grain free crumble that only has three ingredients! A quick mix by hand and it’s in the oven.

While the cobbler is baking you can mix up the rest of the creamsicle. Whole milk yogurt and raw milk are combined with pure maple syrup for a sweet, creamy base.

Then cut up fresh peaches right over the bowl so you don’t miss a drop of the juice. Stir them in to create peach cream.

Once the cobbler is done you can mix it into the creamy mixture, pour it into molds and freeze.

Looking for a delicious way to cool down in August? These grain-free peach cobbler creamsicles are made with just a few simple ingredients and kids love them! Put your extra peaches to good use with this fun summer treat. #peaches #frozentreat #summerfood #kidfood

How to Use up Extra Peaches

My kids went crazy for these peach cobbler creamsicles! In fact my husband did too.

I happened to make them when it as about 90 degrees here. Talk about a refreshing treat when it’s hot!

Peach cobbler creamsicles are very allergen friendly. You can swap coconut milk and yogurt for the dairy. They are naturally free of grains, gluten, eggs, nut, corn and soy.

If you can’t have or don’t have tapioca you can substitute for it with cassava or rice. Note that it will not be grain free if you use rice. But it will still be gluten free.

How to Feed Kids that Don’t Like Chunks

If your child doesn’t like food with chunks simply puree all of the ingredients before filling the molds. You’ll still get the peach cobbler flavor in a smooth form. Go with whatever texture works!

When I think of summer I envision sitting on the porch, soaking up the sunshine with peach juice dribbling down my chin (because there is no other way to eat a fresh peach!). Now that summer vision is kicked up a notch with peach cobbler creamsicles (you can let them dribble down your chin too).

Looking for a delicious way to cool down in August? These grain-free peach cobbler creamsicles are made with just a few simple ingredients and kids love them! Put your extra peaches to good use with this fun summer treat. #peaches #frozentreat #summerfood #kidfood

What is the Best Popsicle Shape

When it comes to popsicles I’m kind of old fashioned. I like to use cups and popsicles sticks instead of fancy molds (though these certainly would be a great gift!!!). It reminds me of how I made them as a child. These creamsicles work with whatever you’ve got.

You can use a traditional mold or even these silicon molds to make them more like push pops.

Peach cobbler creamsicles are so refreshing and bursting with flavor, yet full of healthy ingredients. That is an essential part of a great summer.

If you are celebrating a summer birthday these would also make a great birthday treat.

Are you a peach fan? What is your favorite peach treat?

Looking for a delicious way to cool down in August? These grain-free peach cobbler creamsicles are made with just a few simple ingredients and kids love them! Put your extra peaches to good use with this fun summer treat. #peaches #frozentreat #summerfood #kidfood

Grain Free Peach Cobbler Creamsicles
Yields 4
Nothing says summer like fresh peaches! Enjoy them in a frozen treat with these simple grain free peach cobbler creamsicles.
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Cobbler
  1. 1/4 cup tapioca flour (or cassava or white rice)
  2. 2 tsp. butter (or lard or coconut oil)
  3. 2 tsp. pure maple syrup (or honey)
Creamsicle
  1. 3/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt or coconut yogurt
  2. 1/4 cup whole milk (raw if possible) or coconut milk
  3. 3-4 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (adjust to your liking)
  4. 1/8 tsp. unrefined sea salt
  5. 1 large peach, cut into small chunks, juice reserved
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl combine the flour, butter and syrup until crumbly.
  3. Spread on the parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes.
  4. Allow to cool and crumble into small chunks.
  5. In a bowl combine the yogurt, milk, syrup and salt.
  6. Cut the peach over the bowl so the juice drips into the yogurt.
  7. Stir in the peaches.
  8. Stir in the cooled cobbler.
  9. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/

In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

This post is linked to Savoring Saturdays.

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan Week of 8-9-15

This week’s allergen friendly meal plan focuses on peaches and more dietary experiments. It’s time to get more detailed with meal plans!

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Happy Sunday! I’m starting this morning very thankful for a new day. Last night I had one of the most intense headaches ever. Praise the Lord it is gone now. And hopefully it will stay away.

The week ahead.

We’ve got a somewhat busy week ahead. We are meeting my daughter’s potential piano teacher. We need to get to the local meat market. And we have to decide if my daughter is going to take dance class again this year since signs us are this week. We will, of course, make lots of time for playing!

The other big event is my husband and oldest having a father daughter camping trip!

More diet changes.

My headache last night was likely from die off since I started a new probiotic a week ago. So I’m taking a few days off from it and starting again with an even smaller dose.

I think we determined the culprit foods for my little one the last couple weeks were egg whites and rice. Now that those are out she’s been doing well.

I’ve also been researching diet related to mold allergies a lot. My oldest has a bad mold allergy. So we are going to experiment most of the week. The biggest challenges are

  • no leftovers more than 24 hours old…so I’m going to try freezing leftovers right after a meal
  • no cultured/fermented food…cheese, yogurt, sourdough, fermented cod liver oil, etc.
  • no smoked meats…sausage, bacon, ham, etc.
  • no eggs, nuts, corn, tomatoes, potatoes or dried fruit

So I’m trying to really plan out every meal (as you’ll see in the menu) to make sure I have stuff for her.

Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Work in the kitchen.

This week it’s time to can peaches! I have to take care of this task before peaches are done. This will be my first canning of the year. Hopefully I can find the time to do it!!

In addition to peaches here are my kitchen projects:

Lots of great food.

Last week was all about blueberries, and I posted some delicious recipes – blueberry cheesecake pops, fruity breakfast cake and traditional blueberry pie.

This week it is all about peaches! You don’t want to miss any of these. I had so much to share I’ve actually got FOUR new recipes coming this week.

Here is this week’s allergen friendly meal plan. I’ve got lots of simple foods and hopefully enough details that we can really give this mold free diet a try. The lunches listed are for my daughter.

What is on your menu this week? Are you enjoying lots of fresh peaches?

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie
Sunday
B – cereal, fruit | salted caramel custard w/ nectarine, sd cherry granola | toast with sunbutter
L – tuna salad and bacon sandwiches, squash, nectarines
D – grilled hamburgers and corn, beans, applesauce
*make mayo, soak flour for bars

Monday
B – yogurt, granola | sd bread w/ avocado, tuna salad | granola w/ milk
L – leftover burger, peppers, crackers
D – chicken broccoli noodle casserole, applesauce
*make bars, soak flour for cookies

Tuesday
B – bars, fruit | broth w/ chicken, peas, spinach
L – chicken broccoli noodle casserole
D – meatballs, rice, peas
*make cookies, make sd bread

Wednesday
B – cookies, yogurt | broth w/ meatball and beans, cookie | cookie, milk
L – meatballs, rice peas
D – pork chops, baked sweet potatoes, cauliflower
*soak oats, can peaches, soak quinoa, freeze peaches, freeze tomatoes

Thursday
B – oat cups | broth w/ pork and avocado
L –  sunbutter and jelly sandwich, cucumbers
D – honey mustard chicken breasts, quinoa, beans
*make graham crackers, prep camping food, make peach jam

Friday
B – yogurt, granola, fruit | salted caramel custard w/ cherries
L – chicken, crackers, broccoli
D – camping | scrambled eggs, toast, peas
*prep camping food

Saturday
B – camping | sd bread w/ avocado, sardines
L – camping
D – grilled steak, zucchini and peaches, french fries
*make sd english muffins

Fruity Breakfast Cake | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Fruity Breakfast Cake: Super Healthy Kids Post

Fruity breakfast cake is a great way to start the day! Soaked gluten free grains and healthy fat mixed with fresh fruit is a winning combination.

Fruity Breakfast Cake | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Cake for breakfast?

You bet! When made with colorful fruit and nutritious ingredients, cake can be great way to start the day and help your kids enjoy fruit in a different way. Fruity Breakfast Cake tastes delicious which is important so that kids will eat something and feel satisfied until lunch!

Fruity breakfast cake is a combination of whatever berries, cherries or stone fruit you like topped with a low sugar, soaked cake.  It is also free of many allergens – gluten, dairy, nuts, corn and soy.

What makes a breakfast nutritious?

Balance!

Create a balance of macronutrients by pairing the breakfast cake with a protein like scrambled eggs cooked in coconut oil or butter, sausage or whole milk yogurt. Then you get carbohydrates, protein and fat in your meal. This is great for providing energy and balancing blood sugar.

Fruity Breakfast Cake | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Want to hear more about how to create a balanced breakfast and how to make this delicious breakfast cake? Head over to Super Healthy Kids for the full post and recipe!

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan Week of 8-2-15

This week’s allergen friendly meal plan is all about enjoying summer, keeping up with fresh produce and sticking to a rotational diet.

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Welcome to August! It’s the last month before the craziness of fall schedules begins. It is also time to start the thing I’m dreading…having my son skip naps a few times a week to prepare him for afternoon preschool.

We had a wonderful week of no activities last week. I think we all needed that. This week it’s back to the usual orthodontist, groceries, etc.

What’s happening in the kitchen?

I’m doing my best to keep up with all of our fresh produce. Blueberries are now done. But I’m still working on zucchini and beans. I’ve already got quite a bit of both in the freezer.

Next up will be freezing corn and canning peaches. And tomatoes are starting to ripen. I’ll stash those in the freezer to use later for spaghetti sauce.

As usual I have a pretty ambitious kitchen to-do list that includes:

What’s OFF the menu?

Last week was a bit off for my little one (and for me!). I first thought it was from blueberries (and I missed out on blueberry pie!). Then I thought maybe egg whites. But I finally concluded that it was from rice.

So scratch that off my list of grains. I’m now down to rye, wheat, corn, sorghum and teff.

I had been working on creating first birthday cupcakes…but I was using rice. I’m not ready to give my daughter any of the grains I just mentioned. So looks like it’s back to the drawing board for her birthday dessert.

On a good note I finally started my probiotic! And so far it seems to be going ok. Hopefully soon I can give it to my little one as well. We both desperately need it.

I also had my thyroid tested. Everything looks good. I’m glad that is staying stable amidst all the stress.

Since I am adding more wheat to my diet I am still considering letting the big kids have it once in a while too. So this week I will be experimenting and watching for any reactions.

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

What’s cooking?

We were very busy using up blueberries the last couple weeks. We made an amazing blueberry pie. My oldest learned to make one all by herself! Be on the lookout this week for some delicious blueberry recipes.

Last week I posted recipes for sweet potato salmon burgers and homemade tallow french fries. I also shared my daily moments that matter.

I’m still working on stretching our meat budget. And I’m doing some recipe creating this week. Of course we’ve got seasonal produce on the menu as well.

I’m also making a meal for our neighbor that just had a baby. So I’ll be doing a double batch of dinner one night.

Here is our allergen friendly meal plan for the week. Nothing fancy. Just simple, in season food.

What is on your menu?

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Sunday
B – toast w/ sunbutter, peaches | broth w/ squash, peas and salmon
L – cp roast beef, roasted potatoes, broccoli | roast beef, peas, squash
D – grilled cheese, salad, beans, blueberry applesauce | roast beef, beans, sd bread
*soak flour for zucchini bread, soak oats for granola, freeze beans, make jello, make sd bread

Monday
B – yogurt, granola, blueberries | broth w/ beef and beans, sd bread
D – zucchini soup, zucchini bread, cheese
*make zucchini bread, dry oats, freeze beans

Tuesday
B – zucchini bread, yogurt | broth w/ sardines, pumpkin, spinach
D – beef and bean stir fry over rice
*prepare oats, make granola

Wednesday
B – overnight peach oats | salted caramel custard w/ cherries
D – goulash, broccoli, garlic toast | broth w/ ground beef, peas
*soak flour for bread, make peach cobbler, soak lentils, make extra goulash

Thursday
B – baked egg puffs, toast | sd bread w/ avocado
D – creamy red lentil and sausage stew, bread w/ peach jam
*make bread, make peach jam, roast squash

Friday
B – granola bar, yogurt | leftover soup
D – peach breakfast tart, bacon, caramelized Brussels sprouts, corn on the cob
*soak flour for cornbread, soak beans

Saturday
B – kids’ choice | salted caramel custard
D – orca bean and squash chili, cornbread
*make cornbread

Homemade Tallow French Fries | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Homemade Tallow French Fries

Nothing goes better with your grilled burger than fresh-out-of-the-pan tallow french fries! No vegetable oil. No fillers. Just pure potato and real fat.

Homemade Tallow French Fries | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

You’ve got the grill fired up. The burgers are under way. There is a pile of fresh vegetables from the garden to create a salad.

But something is missing.

What is the perfect side with a grilled burger and garden vegetables? French fries, of course!

Convenience Food for Real Foodies

There is very little convenience food that I buy. But I confess that french fries are almost always in my freezer. They are easy when you don’t have time to cut up potatoes.

Plus with a kid that is allergic to wheat, rice and corn but refuses to eat potatoes in any form except french fries or chips…you serve french fries a little more than you would like.

Since I don’t really care for the vegetable oils in the frozen variety I do sometimes make my own tallow french fries.

If you have never had homemade french fries you are really missing out! They are better than anything you’ll get from a bag or even from a restaurant.

My whole family goes crazy for these tallow french fries. I go crazy for them too…because they are made with healthy fat and have no fillers, gums or acids. Some frozen french fries even have corn! A big no-no with a corn allergy.

Homemade Tallow French Fries | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

The Secret to Crispy Homemade French Fries

When making homemade tallow french fries there is an important step you can’t forget. Soak and dry the potatoes! This is critical so they will fry up nicely. The soaking removes some of the starch. And oil and water really don’t mix.

Another key to great french fries is using enough fat. I don’t have a fryer. I don’t like to use up all of my tallow at one time either. But I do make sure that there is a plenty of fat in the pan. When I’m done making the french fries I pour the leftover tallow back into a jar to use later.

Of course the final step is to sprinkle the tallow french fries with lots of quality unrefined sea salt. The saltier the better in my opinion.

Then pair them with quality ketchup or make your own!

Homemade Tallow French Fries | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Freshly Cooked French Fries

Homemade tallow french fries are best eaten fresh out of the pan. There really is nothing like it.

But if you have leftovers (something that pretty much never happens here with homemade fries) you can reheat them in the oven.

You could make a big batch when you have some time in the kitchen and freeze them so you have homemade french fries on hand for quick meals.

French Fries Without Potatoes

Maybe you don’t like potatoes? Or maybe you’re like me and don’t tolerate them?

Try another vegetable! You can use the same cooking method with carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes and rutabagas. Pretty much any root vegetable will work.

Is your mouth watering yet? I know mine is. Grab some potatoes, tallow and salt. Fry up the best french fries you’ve ever tasted.  Just a warning…your family will want them all the time once they’ve tried tallow french fries.

Have you ever made your own french fries?

Homemade Tallow French Fries | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Homemade Tallow French Fries
Serves 4
Homemade french fries with real fat and real salt.
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Ingredients
  1. 3 medium russet potatoes
  2. sea salt to taste
  3. tallow (enough to fill pan)
Instructions
  1. Peel the potatoes. Cut into 1/2" sticks.
  2. Soak the potatoes in cold water for 30 minutes.
  3. Dry the potatoes completely.
  4. Heat tallow in a large skillet over medium heat (use enough to fill the pan about 1/4" deep).
  5. Cook the potatoes in the tallow until golden, turning once in a while to make sure all sides are browned, about 10 - 15 minutes.
  6. Place the finished fries on a paper towel and sprinkle liberally with sea salt.
  7. Serve immediately.
Notes
  1. Lard or palm shortening will work in place of the tallow.
  2. Any root vegetable will work in place of the potato.
  3. Store leftover fries in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Heat in the oven to warm.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/
 In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Made To Matter With Target and Stonyfield: My Daily Moments | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Made To Matter With Target and Stonyfield: My Daily Moments

I am partnering with Target and Stonyfield in the Made To Matter Campaign. I think we should make each day matter with the choices we make for our families and our environment.

I have been compensated for my time commitment to use these products. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments.

Made To Matter With Target and Stonyfield: My Daily Moments | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Have you heard of the Made To Matter campaign? Companies like Target and Stonyfield are doing their part to give consumers better choices of products and food. In turn we can make our own moments that matter.

My daily moments.

I make a lot of choices every single day as I try to raise healthy kids. Sometimes it is about feeding them nourishing food. Sometimes it is about teaching them how to take care of God’s creation.

Then there are times when I have to make choices about their health and well-being.

I have also heard from many moms lately that they want to make good choices but find it hard when they are so bombarded with junk food and chemicals everywhere they go. We all really do want our choices to matter.

Taking care of my baby.

If you’ve been around very long you know that I’ve had a challenging year with my youngest. We have struggled to figure out why she hardly ate for months.

Sometimes she would scream. All of her feedings were so short.

We finally figured out she  has a lot of food allergies and have worked to eliminate the problem foods.

That’s not all.

On top of that she has tongue and lip ties. We have now had them clipped twice to improve her ability to nurse and eat solid food.

Her second clipping was just a few weeks ago. On top of the procedure she was cutting her one year molars. Needless to say she was in pain. She was hardly sleeping either (sometimes taking three hours to get to sleep).

Due to her allergies we can’t use traditional pain medications. They all contain palm-derived ingredients. We tried a few different things without much luck.

Finally we tried Hyland’s Teething Tablets*. What a life saver!!

There was one time I was trying to get her settled for a nap. She just cried and cried. I finally remembered the teething tablets. She was asleep in about sixty seconds (this in not an exaggeration).

We both finally got a little bit of calm and rest in a chaotic time.

Made To Matter With Target and Stonyfield: My Daily Moments | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Made To Matter companies and products.

There are lots of great companies joining the Made To Matter campaign. One of them is Justin’s. We got to sample some Justin’s almond butter, chocolate hazelnut spread and peanut butter cups**.

My kids were so excited to have these treats! I was very excited that my son could actually eat them all. He had never tried a peanut butter cup before.

Both of my kids liked the chocolate hazelnut spread the best (think healthier version of Nutella®).

We also love the SheaMoisture shampoo***. I use it for my seven year old’s hair. I LOVE the smell.

Another brand I use is Yes To. I like their shampoo!

StonyfieldSuperGrainsStrawberry
photo credit: Stonyfield.com
StonyfieldSuperSeedsBlueberry
photo credit: stonyfield.com

That’s not all.

Many of the brands joining in the Made To Matter campaign are creating exclusive products just for Target. This includes Stonyfield.

Stonyfield’s new products have just been released. Super Seeds yogurt has softened flax seeds while Super Grains yogurt contains buckwheat and quinoa. They sound delicious!!

Stonyfield is committed to offering quality, organic products. We love using their whole milk plain yogurt. Stonyfield’s new Oh My Yog! is amazing as well.

I couldn’t finish a post about Target without mentioning their support of breastfeeding moms! Their policy is that you can nurse your baby anywhere in the store. How awesome is that?! You don’t have to hide in a dirty bathroom stall to feed your child. I wish there were more companies like Target that truly supported a healthy lifestyle.

We can all make our lives matter simply by choosing quality products that support health and sustainability.

Have you had any moments that matter lately? What are some of your favorite natural products?

Made To Matter With Target and Stonyfield: My Daily Moments | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

*Please note that Hyland’s Teething Tablets do contain a small amount of lactose. For this reason I only use them when we absolutely need them since my daughter can’t have dairy. In some cases the benefit of the pain relief outweighs the reaction to the lactose.

**All of the Justin’s products we tried contain palm fruit oil. So even though my family loved them I’m not sure I would buy the product due to my daughter’s palm allergy. I don’t really like to have it in the house/have my big kids getting it on anything.

***SheaMoisture does contain coconut oil. So avoid it if you have a coconut allergy. I do not use it on my infant because of this.

In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers

Get out of your summer burger rut with these sweet potato salmon burgers! They are simple, nutritious and even make great finger food for the little ones.Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

You’ve had the grill going all summer with the usual fare – hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecue chicken.

Those are all great. But are you ready to change it up?

Sweet potato salmon burgers are a delicious alternative to traditional hamburgers that you can eat all year long.

They only require a few simple ingredients and minimal preparation time. Sweet potato salmon burgers make a great, quick weekday lunch.

Keep them in mind when it’s time to pack lunches again! They are great eaten cold.Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

You can decide if you make them heavier or lighter on the meat or potato. By using less salmon these burgers make a very budget-friendly meal.

I love how easily these burgers come together. All of the ingredients can be eaten as-is so it’s just mixing and warming. No need to worry about how well done they are.

But what I love even more is how much my kids enjoy them.

You can eat them on a bun or just dip them in ketchup.

It is fun and easy to spruce up sweet potato salmon burgers.

We top them with homemade pesto. You could eat them open face with a fried egg. Here are some other delicious toppings for sweet potato salmon burgers:

Now that my little one is eating a lot of solids I have to cook things she can eat as well. Sweet potato salmon burgers make a perfect finger food.

All of the ingredients are safe for babies six months and older. Break up the burger into small pieces and let them feed themselves.Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Let’s not forget the nutrition factor!

Sweet potato salmon burgers have healthy starch and vitamins from the sweet potatoes. The egg yolks are packed with vitamins. Salmon has essential fatty acids. Then they are cooked in healthy fat for a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat all in one burger.

Be sure to make a big batch of sweet potato salmon burgers. You can freeze some for later. And leftovers are great cold or warm.

Add pieces of burger to your salad, cut it up for dipping or mix it into your scrambled eggs! I like to slather mine with pesto and eat it plain.

If you don’t tolerate potatoes you can use another orange vegetable like pumpkin or squash. The burgers will still taste just as great.

Are you ready for something different on your grill? Sweet potato salmon burgers are the perfect summer or year round meal.Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Sweet Potato Salmon Burgers
Yields 6
A light burger perfect for summer picnics. It even makes great finger food for babies.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato (or pumpkin or carrot)
  2. 6 - 14 oz. canned boneless skinless salmon (one 6 oz. can, two 6 oz. cans or one 14 oz. can - however meaty you like it)
  3. 2 egg yolks
  4. 1 tsp. unrefined sea salt
  5. 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  6. 1/2 tsp. dill weed
  7. 1/2 tsp. organic cane sugar
  8. lard, tallow or coconut oil for frying
  9. optional - crumbled bacon or bacon strips, pesto, grilled onions, avocado, tartar sauce, Miracle Whip®
Instructions
  1. Add the potato, salmon, egg, salt, garlic powder and sugar to a medium size bowl. Puree with an immersion blender. Add crumbled bacon at this point if desired.
  2. Chill 30 minutes.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the frying oil.
  4. Divide the mixture into 6 burgers.
  5. Cook in the pan until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side.
  6. Place burgers on buns and add favorite toppings (bacon strips, grilled onions, pesto, avocado, tartar sauce, Miracle Whip®)
Notes
  1. These burgers make great finger food for babies 6 months and older.
  2. You can substitute tuna for the salmon.
  3. You can add anchovies or sardines to the burger for extra nutrition.
Just Take A Bite https://justtakeabite.com/


In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

This post is linked to Savoring Saturdays.

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan Week of 7-26-15

This week’s allergen friendly meal plan and activities will focus on fresh produce and enjoying summer. It’s finally time to relax…and clean!

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

I kind of feel like summer is just starting this week. Vacation is over. Camps are over. Procedures are over. I think we just might get to fully relax!

We actually don’t even have a single thing scheduled. Maybe I could take the kids to the park for the first time this summer!

My baby girl finally had a whole week that was good!  A few episodes of a gassy tummy. But no allergy run-ins. It’s a miracle. She even nursed every hour yesterday, playing catch up.

I’m hoping we can keep things calm so I can try introducing a probiotic soon. We both really need it.

Going a new direction.

Through this whole process of figuring out my baby’s allergies I’m learning a lot about my own body as well. I won’t go into details here, but I think I am adding gluten back to my diet (properly prepared…not junk food). I have already been eating traditional sourdough for a while. But now I will do some soaked wheat as well.

I really need to be able to rotate my starches. And there aren’t very many I can have. My four day rotation (once I get to the store to get more flour!!) will be: rye/spelt (sourdough), wheat (soaked), rice/teff/sorghum (soaked), corn.

I am planning to let my kids try some soaked wheat as well and see how it goes. If they show any reactions I will keep them gluten free. If not then I will let them have it rotationally as well.

I also learned that I really need to stick to my slow oxidizer diet – no raw veggies. It’s tough since I LOVE salads. But I really feel so much better when I avoid them. I feel good with lots of well cooked vegetables in broth. I’m also making sure I get liver a few times a week.

Good news!

Through elimination/avoiding and working on healing I can now eat eggs, corn and avocado! Three things I used to have a really hard time with and avoided for a long time. They don’t bother my little one either. That is very exciting!!

I also got my thyroid levels checked yesterday. In spite of everything my body has been through lately my levels are stable.

Finally, I’m making it a priority to give my big kids probiotics, vitamins and cod liver oil daily. We all need a vitamin and mineral boost!

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

It’s blueberry time!

Yesterday we stocked up on over thirty pounds of blueberries. This is my favorite time of year…because blueberries are my absolute favorite fruit.

Of course that means there will be blueberry goodness in my kitchen. My baby’s first birthday is also very quickly approaching (ahhhh!!). So I need to start experimenting with cake that she could eat. Here are my potential projects:

I do want to catch up on some thorough cleaning around the house as well. Gotta keep the dust away!

Last week I posted some delicious cherry recipes – sourdough cherry granola, teff and sorghum cherry bars and blender to oven maple cherry baked oatmeal. Grab the last few cherries and give one of these a try!

Let’s get cooking!

I am really trying to cut food costs a bit these days. I need to stretch our meat more since that is one of the most expensive things we buy. The simple solution is casseroles and soups…but that is almost impossible with all of our different allergies. There is so little that the whole family can eat. So I’m doing my best to get creative.

I’ve got lots of tasty food on the menu this week. I’m also changing the format a bit so you can see what I eat too. My meals (if they are different than the rest of the family’s) are second/in italics. This will also help me stick to my rotational eating.

Here is our allergen friendly meal plan. Lots of fresh produce. Lots of blueberries. Lots of summer flavors. What are you eating this week?

One final thing.

I can’t forget to mention one more thing…Happy 12th Anniversary to the love of my life! I can’t wait to see what God has planned for this coming year.

Allergen Friendly Meal Plan | Homemade Dutch Apple Pie

Sunday
B – zucchini muffins, yogurt, | broth w/ steak, squash, mustard greens; zucchini muffin
L – at a baseball game (boys) | tuna salad, peas, zucchini muffins (girls)
D – pepperoni, ham and olive pizza, salad | pea and tuna risotto
*freeze blueberries, make sd pizza crust, render lard

Monday
B – granola bars, yogurt | salted caramel custard w/ blueberries, broth w/peas
D – tacos, peaches, broccoli
*make salsa, make soaked pie crust, skim cream, make vanilla ice cream, make sd bread

Tuesday
B – sourdough toast w/ sun butter, fruit | sourdough bread w/ avocado, ground beef
D – roast chicken, potatoes, carrots | roast chicken, avocado, kale, sourdough bread
*make broth, boil eggs, make blueberry pie, make rice yogurt?

Wednesday
B – hard boiled egg, toast, fruit | broth w/ chicken, spinach and pumpkin
D – pork chops, rice, beans
*soak oats, soak teff

Thursday
B – cinnamon raisin oatmeal, crispy almonds | teff porridge w/ blueberries and gelatin, broth with mustard greens
D – zucchini chicken pie w/ soaked crust, blueberry applesauce
*make cheese

Friday
B – yogurt, granola, fruit | broth w/ chicken, squash and kale
D – sd pancakes w/ blueberry topping, scrambled eggs, roasted cauliflower
*make crunchy crumble, feed sd

Saturday
B – pancakes, fruit, crispy almonds | salted caramel custard w/ blueberries and crunchy crumble
D – pan seared salmon, seasoned rice, peas
*make practice cupcakes