Chicken and Waffles

It wasn't until I was actually cooking the waffles that I realized we were having chicken and waffles for dinner. But not the traditional Southern kind with fried chicken. We had BBQ shredded chicken in a crock pot and mashed potato waffles. And salad with a balsamic vinegar reduction. Overall a tasty and pretty low fuss dinner. 

Tommy has a cold and the air quality down in the valley has been bad, so we've been voluntarily housebound for a couple days. So I've spent more time than normal on the internet and browsing random articles on Buzzfeed. Today I saw an article called 21 Ways You Can Take Mashed Potatoes to the Next Level. I love mashed potatoes, but so far Tommy won't eat them. One of the ideas was to make Mashed Potato Cheddar and Chive Waffles. We have some leftover bacon mashed potatoes from our football party on Sunday, so I figured this would be the perfect use for those. Tommy likes waffles, so maybe he'll actually eat these! I modified the original recipe so that Tommy can eat it. Ben and I really like the waffles with chicken on top and a little maple syrup and Frank's Red Hot Sauce. The calories for the waffles are a best guess estimate since I didn't write down exactly what I put in the mashed potatoes.

Mashed Potato Waffles

Makes 16 Small Waffles

1 1/2 cups leftover mashed potatoes with bacon
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 1/2 cup Silk Original Coconut Milk
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp garlic powder

1. Combine all ingredients in a 4 cup measuring cup or a medium sized bowl. 
2. Preheat a waffle iron and spray with oil.
3. Preheat oven to 200°F and place a cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Drop four ~1/4 cup dollops of batter on the waffle iron and cook. 
4. Place the cooked waffles in the oven while you cook the remaining waffles.

Nutritional Info (From My Fitness Pal, per little waffle)
Calories: 90
Fat: 1 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 51 mg
Protein: 2 g

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

1.5 lb frozen chicken tenderloins
1 cup bbq sauce

1. Combine chicken and bbq in a crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shorten the time if you're using thawed or fresh chicken.

Balsamic Vinegar Reduction

Makes 1 Cup

2 cups balsamic vinegar

1. Bring the vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. 

Trust Me Stir Fry

This is my FAVORITE stir fry and one of our all time favorite dinners. Last night Ben said, "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it really is better with the tofu." This dish is based off of a dish my college boyfriend's mother makes. I've changed it a bit, but overall it still resembles her dish. I don't know what it's called in Chinese. I call it Trust Me Stir fry because it doesn't have a lot of ingredients, and the ingredients it does have may not be your favorite. But when you combine them they are DELICIOUS! Trust me, you will love this dinner, even if you don't like green peppers or tofu. 

Every adult that I've made this for has really liked it. Tommy's the only kid that's tried it, so no guarantee your kids will like this. Tommy ate the turkey and a piece of the tofu. He didn't like the green peppers, but since he's just a toddler he gets a pass. =) I'm hoping that in the near future he'll come to realize how amazing this dinner is. 

You can make it without the tofu, but it really adds a great texture and smokey flavor. If you can find it I highly recommend it. Locally I find it at Winco. One of the tricks to getting green pepper haters to like this dish is to thinly slice and slowly cook the peppers. Once the peppers are almost cooked, add soy sauce and continue cooking until they've absorbed the soy sauce flavor and are soft. But be careful not to burn them! Once you add the soy sauce stir the dish often or the soy sauce will burn. 

Ben and I ate it with white rice. We've had it with cooked millet before, but the millet flavor overpowered the dish. If you can't or don't eat rice (like Tommy), I would recommend just having the stir fry by itself.

Trust Me Stir Fry

Makes 5 Servings

1 lb ground turkey
4 poblano peppers (sometimes labeled pasilla peppers), sliced into matchsticks
2 green bell peppers, sliced into matchsticks
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce, divided
1 Tbsp canola oil
7.4 oz package smoked tofu, sliced into matchsticks
Chili garlic sauce to taste

1. Brown and crumble the turkey in a very large nonstick skillet or dutch oven sized pot over medium high heat. When the turkey is almost cooked, add 1 Tbsp of the soy sauce.
2. Remove the cooked turkey and set aside. Add the oil to the pan and reduce the heat to a little under medium. Add all the peppers. When the peppers are mostly cooked, add 2 Tbsp soy sauce. Stir frequently after you add the soy sauce to prevent burning. 
3. When the peppers are soft, add in the tofu and the final 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Cook until the tofu is warm.
4. Add in the cooked turkey and stir well to combine. Serve with chili garlic sauce to taste.

Nutritional Info (From My Fitness Pal, this is just for the stir fry)
Calories: 251
Fat: 14 g
Fiber: 5 g
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 982 mg
Protein: 25 g

Asian Style Crock Pot Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

I'd like to experiment more with spaghetti squash. It's a great low calorie alternative to wheat pasta and Tommy can eat it. Win win. Today I'm trying Chicken Chow Mein in the crock pot. I'm going to the gym after Ben gets home from work, so I wanted something that I could get going before I left. 

Well, I think the squash may have been a little over cooked. It turned more into a mixture of veggies with an asian style sauce. The first attempt I made at the sauce was a little bland and runny, so I added some starch and more soy sauce and sesame oil. The final result was delicious, even though it really doesn't resemble chow mein at all. So I think this dish is better titled "Asian Style Crock Pot Chicken and Spaghetti Squash". We served it with chili garlic sauce to taste at the table for a little extra spice. 

Tommy liked the chicken but didn't care for the squash. When I was younger, I wouldn't eat something if there was "food touching food." Sadly I think Tommy might be entering that phase. That doesn't mesh well with my love of stir fries and one pot dishes.  I hope it's a short lived phase...

Asian Style Crock Pot Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

6 Servings

1 spaghetti squash
1/2 medium onion, diced
5 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp sesame oil
2 lbs frozen chicken tenderloins
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp potato starch
(Optional) Chili garlic sauce to taste

1. Wash the spaghetti squash and pierce multiple times with a knife. Place the squash in a large crock pot. Add the carrots and onion to the crock pot.
2. Combine the chicken stock through sesame oil. Pour over the veggies. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
3. After 3 hours, add the chicken tenderloins and diced red bell pepper. Cover and continue cooking.
4. With 30 minutes left, remove the squash from the slow cooker and set aside. Add the green onions, cover and continue cooking.
5. After the squash cools, slice in half and scrape out the seeds. Shred the squash flesh with a fork along the circumference of the squash to form noodles.
6. Break up the chicken in the crock pot. Stir in the squash.
7. Scoop some of the cooking liquid into a small bowl. Add the potato starch and stir until the starch is dissolved. Stir the starch liquid into the crock pot. 
8. Optional: Serve with chili garlic sauce for some spice. 

Nutritional Info (From My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 238
Fat: 3 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 860 mg
Protein: 37 g

Potato Crusted Salmon

I learned how to make this salmon back in college, but I had forgotten about it until recently. You mix crushed potato chips, butter and mustard together, spread it on a large salmon fillet and then bake. I made a few modifications so that Tommy can eat it. It was so easy and delicious. The salmon was moist but crispy on the outside. I found some potato chips that are fried in avocado oil. That seems to be the only white potato product Tommy will eat! We all gobbled up the salmon so quickly that I almost forgot to get a picture! We'll definitely be making this again in the near future. 

Potato Crusted Salmon

Serves 8

2 lb salmon fillet
2 cups potato chips (ruffled works best)
1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth's Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large microwave safe bowl, melt the Earth's Balance spread.
3. Add the potato chips and crush the chips with the back of a measuring cup. Stir in the seasonings.
4. Press the potato mixture on top of the salmon.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. 

Nutritional Info (From My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 387
Fat: 28 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 231 mg
Protein: 23 g

Gluten and Nut Free Vegan Magic Cookie Bars

Disclaimer: I call these nut free but they do contain coconut. The FDA requires food that contain coconut to be labeled as containing tree nuts, however coconut is not a botanical nut. Click here for more information about tree nut allergies.

I love the Magic Bars at Snowbasin. I figured it wouldn't be too hard to make a version Tommy can eat. The recipes I found online all used graham crackers for the crust, but since I haven't made a Tommy safe graham cracker yet, I went with quick oats. The crust doesn't look like it will stick together, but if you press it firmly into the pan and then carefully pour the caramel on top it will work. Refrigerate the bars overnight before you try to cut them. They are a little crumbly but they are so rich and so delicious. I intentionally didn't calculate the nutritional info for these. 

Gluten and Nut Free Vegan Magic Cookie Bars

1 can coconut milk
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 cup Earth's Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
2 cups gluten free quick oats
2 Tbsp soynut butter
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups finely shredded coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13" baking dish with parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Melt the Earth's Balance and soynut butter in a large microwave safe bowl.
4. Stir in the oats, cinnamon, sugar and remaining 1/4 tsp salt.
5. Press the oat mixture into the baking dish using the back of a cup measure. Carefully pour the caramel on top.
6. Layer the chocolate chips and then the shredded coconut. Gently press the coconut and chocolate chips into the caramel.
7. Bake for 25 minutes until the coconut is toasted and the caramel bubbles up around the edges.
8. Cool and then refrigerate overnight. Then cut into squares.

Thundersnow and Bison Chili

It's been snowing all day. And we just had thunder and lightening! I'm thankful to be in a warm house with nowhere to go today. 

I made Bison Chili the other day and it turned out great! I'm not real comfortable giving Tommy mystery spice blends, so I made my own chili powder with cumin, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika and oregano. Ben and I loved the chili. Tommy ate a little of the meat, but wouldn't touch most of it. He did of course LOVE the Corn-Free Cornbread.

Bison Chili

Makes 8 cups

20 oz ground bison
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 15 oz cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, diced
8 sweet mini peppers or 1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup brown sugar

1. Brown buffalo and minced garlic in a large skillet. Then add the cumin through black pepper. 
2. Add the meat mixture and the remaining ingredients into a slow cooker.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Nutritional Info Per Cup (Calculated from My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 264
Fat: 7 g
Fiber: 6 g
Sugar: 10 g
Sodium: 783 mg
Protein: 21 g

You Win Some, You Lose Some (Lighter Baked Potato Soup)

I spend a lot of my time thinking, stressing and worrying about food. I guess that's probably pretty typical for a food allergy parent. 

What is Tommy going to eat today? 
Will other kids be eating at the daycare/park/gym/etc?
What is that crumb?
Will today be the day Tommy goes into anaphylactic shock?

Last week was a pretty big food week for us. I had two food allergy slip ups as a parent. But we also did have two food victories. First, the bad news. I volunteered to watch a friends two girls for the morning, and I thought it'd be fun to invite over a couple other kids for a play date. Things were going well until lunch. I made Tommy safe waffles for everyone, but I gave the other kids glasses of milk when they asked. I should have just given them water. After the kids eat, not all of them had finished their milk. At one point I saw Tommy with one of the cups of milk. I think at the most he had one sip of milk. About 30 minutes later it was time for Tommy's nap and he was itching his face. No hives, but he was itchy. So I gave him some benadryl and watched him for another 30 minutes then put him down for a nap. Fast forward another hour and he was vomiting like crazy. So his milk allergy has no progressed from just eczema to vomiting as well. Looks like he won't be outgrowing that anytime soon...

My other food allergy slip up was at a birthday party for a friend later that week. There were a couple plates of cheese and crackers on her table, and in one movement Tommy grabbed a crostini and took a bite. At least we think he took a bite. He didn't get any hives or have any other sort of reaction, so either he needs to consume more wheat than that, or maybe we actually caught him before he took a bite. Either way, we dodged a bullet. 

On the plus side, we did have two food victories last week. Tommy went to the local daycare for the first time so Ben and I could go skiing together. He successfully made it through snack time and lunch without eating anyone else's food or having a contact reaction. The daycare is aware of all his food allergies and made sure to feed him separately. 

Tommy also had a positive experience at the gym daycare. At the gym they are not allowed to have food or drink in the daycare room, but as I walked in the door one of the volunteers was mixing up a formula bottle for their child. He made it through with no hives or vomiting. 

These may see like minor experiences to you, but to me they represent victories over my food allergy anxieties. It's a big step for me to trust a stranger with keeping Tommy safe so that I can take some much needed time for myself. 

I have been cooking a lot over the last 8 years, but I never used to have this much stress related to food. I've been working on making yummy Tommy safe foods that we'll all enjoy, but I haven't really been focused on healthy lifestyle. Whenever I talk about what Tommy eats, people tend to say, "Oh, I would lose so much weight on that diet." Well, that hasn't been the case. Yes we eat a VERY high fiber diet, but it's not a reduced calorie diet. All of his alternative grains have about the same calories as wheat. 

Since it is January after all, I finally rejoined a gym and am going to make an effort to have a healthier lifestyle. I'm going to try and post calorie info for my recipes this year. In the past, the only way that has worked for me to lose or maintain weight is to track calories. My Fitness Pal has a pretty good free tool for calorie tracking. It's tedious, but effective. So here's to a healthy and happy 2014!

The recipe today is for a lighter version of the Baked Potato Soup I made the other day. I subbed cauliflower for half of the potatoes. This time the soup was much more runny. If you like a really thick soup, you might want to reduce the broth to 6 cups. Don't let Tommy's smile fool you. He refused to eat the soup.

Lighter Baked Potato Soup (10 servings)

3 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups cauliflower, chopped
12 slices of bacon
1 large onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
8 cups chicken broth
1 can full fat coconut milk
1 can lite coconut milk
4 cups roughly chopped spinach and arugula mix

1. Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat. Remove bacon when crispy and remove all but 2 Tbsp of the bacon grease. 
2. Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. Cook until the onion is tender.
3. Add the potatoes, cauliflower and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes and cauliflower are very tender (about 15-20 min).
4. Mash the veggies with a potato masher until your desired smoothness. 
5. Stir in the coconut milk and crumbled bacon. Heat until all the coconut milk lumps dissolve.

Nutritional Info (Calculated from My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 287
Fat: 12 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 616 mg
Protein: 11 g