Squiggly Wiggly Potato

There white, they are edible, most people have them in some form in their dinner and they have the potential to make all sorts of textures.......Potatoes!!!

I was getting sick of the same old mash, chips, potato bake, baked potatoes and so I went on the search for a new recipe for a potato side to go with dinner.

That's when I found a recipe for Crispy Potato rosti.

After a quick look, I realised yes it's safe, looks good so Wednesday this week we had a try and the potatoes were enjoyed by all, definitely a do again recipe!!!

They made the perfect side to our steak and steamed veggies.

After painting a squiggly wiggly monster Wednesday morning, Declan decided that the rosti's will now be known as Squiggly wiggly potatoes! :P

Without any further ado, here is the recipe if you would like to make some too.

Crispy Potato Rosti Squiggly Wiggly Potato :P

makes:8

preparation time: 10 min

cooking: 12 min

700g potatoes, peeled and grated

1 egg (we obviously used 'no egg' powder due to allergies)

2 tbsp chopped chives

2 tbsp plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

vegetable oil, to shallow fry (we used canoila oil)

• Squeeze handfuls of grated potato over  bowl to remove as much liquid as you can. Place the squeezed potato in a clean bowl.
• Add egg and chives, and sift over flour and baking powder. Mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper
• Heat about 4 x 1/4cupfuls of mixture into the pan and flatten slightly, to about 8cm. Cook over a medium heat for about 3 mins each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Repeat with remaining mixture. Drain on paper towel.

Enjoy!!!

Yummy Indian dinner

I simply LOVE Indian food and having been to India twice myself, eating Indian style brings back many fond memories.
 Previous to Declan's anaphylaxis diagnosis we enjoyed the odd Indian take away as well as home cooked Indian meals. The new rule of no eggs and no nut products and no products that contain and/or may contain egg or nuts was massive. It sure did change the Indian menu choices in our house a great deal but I was determined to work with it.

Since food allergies have entered our life I have chosen to cook one recipe for dinner each night instead of cooking one for the kids and one for the adults...we all eat the same.
It has proven to be challenging at times to please everyone but it's easier and we enjoy eating as a family in this way.

Before starting the munchkins on the fail-safe diet last year I had a incredible butter chicken slow cooker recipe up my sleeve (completely nut free and egg free) but it's no longer safe due to all the different spices and tomato paste etc.

I was extremely  happy when purchasing 'The Fail safe cookbook' on seeing that there was an Indian recipe inside and ever since it has been appearing on our weekly menus now and again and is always enjoyed....even the visitors like it!!!

According to the fail safe book an owner of a popular Indian restaurant in Sydney says the secret of a good curry is plenty of onions, salt and oil. In this recipe leeks are used instead of the traditional onion.
So here it is, an Indian recipe without all the spices that is very yummy and full of flavour.
If you don't believe me, try it and see for yourself.
You could always add a little curry or spice to it at the end after serving any allergy meals if you want a little extra taste but I think it's great as it is.

Indian style lamb with leeks and potatoes

800 g diced lamb
1 tsp finely crushed garlic
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbsp sugar
1 large leek, cut into fine rings
2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 - 2 tsp salt
2 cups water

• Put lamb in a bowl. Add garlic and mix well, cover and set aside for 2-3 hours.
• Heat the oil on a medium- high frying pan until hot. Scatter in the sugar and immediately add the leeks. Stir fry the leeks until they are a rich brownish colour.
• Add the meat. Stir and fry the meat for about 10 minutes or until it browns lightly.
• Now add the potatoes and stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
• Add salt and water and bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about an hour or until lamb is tender.
• Stir gently once or twice during cooking. Serve with steamed rice, green beans, homemade pear sauce and plain poppadom's.

Tuna and Pasta mornay

Tuna and Pasta Mornay
(Nut free, egg free)

Before we started on the elimination diet I used to make a mean Tuna mornay that was so easy to make and became a fave for my little munchkins.
I have finally come up with a tuna mornay recipe that everyone in our little family is happy with, that suits the munchkins new diet. It's so quick and easy and freezes well too!!

Preparation time:10 min
Total cooking time: 10-15 min
Serves 4
Storage time: Sauce can be made a day ahead. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Cook pasta and reheat sauce just before serving.
Variations: Use Salmon instead of tuna (fresh or canned),
you could also add heated  corn kernels to the mix for a bit of a change.

• 400g of your choice of pasta (I use organic pasta)
• 30g butter ( I used nuttlex)
• 6 shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon of plain flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (I make citric lemon juice: dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 4 tbsp warm water.Then add 3/4 tsp citric acid. Remember to only use 1 tbsp for the recipe! the rest can be refrigerated for later use)
• 425g can of tuna in brine, drained, flaked.
• 1/2 cup of chopped parsley
• salt to taste

1. Add pasta to a large pan of rapidly boiling water to cook until tender.(when tender, drain)
2. While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a medium pan; add shallots and garlic. Stir over a low heat for 3 min or until tender. Add flour and stir for 1 min.
3. Combine milk, sour cream and lemon juice in a jug. Add gradually to shallot mixture, stirring constantly. Stir over a medium heat for 3 min or until mixture boils and thickens.
4. Add tuna and parsley to pan; stir through for 1 min or until heated through. Turn hotplate off.
5. Add drained pasta to pan, stir until well combined. Season with salt before serving.

asparagus, bean, bacon and cheese pasta

For tonight's dinner I tried out a new recipe,was simply delighted when it turned out very yummy indeed and was well accepted by my hubby, little man and little miss.

It was a recipe from an old cook book I have, I twigged it a little to accommodate the children's dietry needs to make it allergy safe.

When I first found out about the allergies and intolerance's that my children have I went through all my non allergy cookbooks and marked the recipe's that I could possibly twig and change to suit our new diet, slowly slowly I'm getting to try them out.

This recipe has the potential to be made for a lunch,dinner or as a side for a BBQ and could be served hot or cold.
For those of you who dislike or don't like the thought of asparagus...try it! My hubby hates asparagus yet loved this meal :)



asparagus, bean, bacon and cheese pasta

This particular recipe is free of egg, nuts and could be made gluten free if a gluten free pasta is selected. Sorry contains dairy.

Prep time:15 min
Cooking time: 25 min

500g Penne pasta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and coarsely chopped
250g green beans, chopped (frozen or fresh)
5 bacon rashers (350g), rind removed and thinly sliced
1 clove garlic
50g butter, chopped
1 cup finely grated mild cheese
1/2 cup cream (or more if desired)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley

1. Cook pasta in  a large saucepan of boiling water, uncovered, until just tender.
2. Meanwhile, boil, steam or microwave asparagus and green beans until just tender; drain.
3. Cook bacon in a large heated non-stick frying pan, stirring, until crisp. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant.
4. Place drained pasta, asparagus, green beans and bacon mixture in a large bowl with butter, cheese and cream; toss gently to combine. Serve pasta sprinkled with parsley.

Variations: You could mix it up a bit and use different ingredients instead or as well as the asparagus and green beans. For example corn kernel's and snow pea's. To give a bit of a tang to the dish try adding a small amount of citric acid or lemon juice if appropriate.

Enjoy!!! :D

Chicken Casserole

Since changing our families dinner menu, to suit the elimination diet I have been trying new recipes and finding the good, the bad and the delicious.
The elimination diet at a glance means no colours, no preservatives, no flavour enhancers, no sylicilytes, no amines...so basically no artificial foods as well as some natural chemicals which occur in fruits, veggies etc.

This recipe that I am about to share is not only easy, but it's quite delicious, good for a family or dinner guests, or when you need to take a hot dish.


Chicken Casserole
(taken from Sue Dengates 'The Failsafe Cookbook')

500-900g cooked chicken, diced
2 tbsp butter or nuttlex
1 or 2 leeks, finely chopped
1 clove garlic or more, crushed (I always put more garlic :P)
2 tbsp cornflour or arrowroot
1 cup or more of milk, soy milk or rice milk
salt to taste
2 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed
extra butter or nuttlex for topping

• Preheat oven to 200degree's C.Stir-fry leek and garlic in butter until transparent
• Add cornflour and cook for about one minute, stirring.
• Add milk and salt and reduce heat.
• Cook, stirring, over a low heat until thickened.
• Put chicken in a medium-size casserole dish, pour leek sauce over, top with mashed potato and dot with butter.
• Bake for 30 min until brown and crispy.
• Serve with steamed cabbage and green beans.

Variations:

1. With pasta: stir through cooked pasta or gluten free pasta
2. Chicken and leek topping: follow recipe for leek sauce and pour over chicken, use as a topping for noodles or pasta
3. Family pie: top pie with one sheet of commercial puff pastry instead of mashed potato
4. Asparagus: stir though fresh or drained can of asparagus (if tolerated, salicylates)

I hope you find this recipe handy and just as tasty as we did! :)