Thursday, March 20, 2014

Allergy-Friendly Lemon Basil Risotto

Happy first day of spring!

I wanted to share a recipe today that reminds me of spring. When I think of spring I always think of lemons. Lemons add a fresh, vibrant flavor that I love.
Risotto may seem intimidating, but you just have to keep an eye on it. Once you get the hang of it, it really is easy. And there are so many different things you can do with risotto.

 Feel free to add veggies. Sometimes I add peas and/or asparagus to this. 
Enjoy!

This recipe is free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Lemon Basil Risotto


4 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, diced
1 cup arborio rice
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup basil, chopped
Salt and pepper

Heat the broth to a simmer in a saucepan.
Reduce the heat to low. You just want to keep it warm.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the shallots and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. 
Add the rice and sauté for a minute.
Add the lemon juice and cook, while stirring, until it is absorbed.
Add enough broth to just cover the rice and stir frequently until almost absorbed.
Repeat until the rice is al dente.
This will take about 20 minutes total.

The risotto should be creamy, not soupy or sticky.
Remove from heat and stir in the lemon zest and basil.
Serve immediately.


Friday, March 14, 2014

Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cody and I made chocolate chip cookies together! 

I was actually really emotional about this the first time we made them together. To most people chocolate chip cookies are not a big deal. When you find out your child is allergic to eggs, dairy, peanuts and wheat you wonder (after wondering what the heck you're going to feed him!) if he'll ever be able to have the treats that most kids can eat.

I'm just really happy that I can make chocolate chip cookies for my little boy to enjoy. It is a big deal for us.

It took me a while to get to these because Cody didn't like chocolate. At all. He would spit out anything with cocoa powder in it and look at me like I was crazy for giving him something so vile. I figured he'd come around and he did!

Enjoy!

This recipe is free of the top 8 allergens (egg-free, dairy-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, fish-free and shellfish-free) and vegan.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

2 cups oat flour or flour/blend of your choice
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup sweet potato purée (I use baby food)
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 cup chocolate chips (Enjoy Life makes great dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
In a mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients until thoroughly combined.
Place spoonfuls of the dough about 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes, until golden brown.