Gluten-Free “Buttermilk” Pancakes and Grandma’s Syrup

Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 c sorghum flour

¾ c potato starch (or corn starch or arrowroot)

2 packets gelatin

2 tbsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/3 c sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 c cold Earth balance butter

2 tsp vanilla

1 ½ c buttermilk (combine 1 tbsp vinegar and 1 ½ c coconut milk (or other safe milk), let stand 5 minutes)

½ c  coconut milk  (or other safe milk) (more for a thinner batter)

oil for griddle

Directions:

1.  In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients.

2.  Drop pieces of butter into dry mix and mix with mixer on low speed.

3.  Add buttermilk and vanilla, mix  on low until combined.

4.  Add enough milk to make a thicker pancake batter.

5.  Preheat griddle to medium and add oil.  Cook on one side until bubble begin to break.  Flip and cook until done.

Yields 15-20 pancakes

Grandma’s Syrup

Ingredients:

½ c brown sugar, lightly packed

½ c water

1 tsp vanilla

¾ tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1.  Combine ingredients in small saucepan.

2.  Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes stirring often.

I store in an old honey bottle in the fridge.

Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
1- 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast cut into nugget sized pieces
1/2 c safe milk
1 c crushed corn chex
1/2 c quinoa flakes
1/3 c potato flour
2-4 tbsp canola oil (to fry them in)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Place cut chicken pieces in a bowl and add milk.  Stir to coat chicken.
2.  Mix chex, quinoa flakes and potato flour in a small bowl.
3.  Press chicken pieces into chex mixture.
4.  Place into hot oiled skillet on medium to medium high heat and cook 5-7 minutes per side until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Serve and enjoy.

I am sure you could bake these too.  I haven't tried it yet, but will include those instructions if I do.

Sorghum Brownies

Super easy, no mixer required!  Everyone will love these!

1 1/4 c applesauce
1/4 c Earth Balance Soy/Dairy Free spread, melted
1/4 c coconut oil, melted
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 c Enjoy Life chocolate chips (or more if you like)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Stir together applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl.
3.  In a small bowl, combine sorghum flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
4.  Slowly stir flour mixture into wet mixture until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
5.  Pour into greased 11x7 (or similar size) pan.
6.  Bake @350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until center is set.  Cool completely before cutting.

Safe Yogurt

You will need a thermometer to measure temperatures between 90 and 212 degrees (I use a meat thermometer which is cheap and easy to find at the grocery store) and an incubator of some kind* (see below, I use a double crock pot)

Ingredients:
6 cups coconut milk (or whatever safe milk-  I have been using 4 cups coconut and 2 cups hemp)
6 probiotic capsules (whatever kind is safe, we use Kirkman's Pro Bio Gold) or 1 cup yogurt from last batch
2 tbsp honey (or other sugar) (this is needed to give the bacteria enough sugar to eat since cow's milk has a higher sugar content to begin with)
3 packets gelatin or 3 tbsp agar agar
2-4 tsp vanilla (optional, use as much or little as you like, we use 2 cups vanilla flavored milk and 2 tsp vanilla)


1.  Place milk, vanilla and honey in medium saucepan.  Heat on medium heat to almost boiling (until tiny bubbles are starting to form around edges) stirring very often.  While heating slowly whisk in packets of gelatin or agar agar.
2.  Cool liquid mixture to 115 degrees (I put it in the fridge to achieve this more quickly)
3.  Add 6 capsules probiotics  by opening capsules and stirring in (or saved yogurt from last batch (but I still add a capsule or 2 of probiotics, just in case)
4.  Pour contents into incubator.  Maintain temperature of 105 degrees to 115 degrees for 7 hours*
5. Refrigerate until solid and cold.

*For my incubator I place my 1.5 quart (with yogurt inside) into a big crock pot (mine is 3 quarts) that I have lined with towels to insulate.  I turn it to "serve" for about 1/2 hour if the temperature drops to 105 degrees (usually I heat it so the crock isn't cold when I put the yogurt in and then turn it on 1-2 times during the 7 hours). 

 You could probably do this with just one crock pot as long as the temp didn't get too hot around the edges to kill the bacteria (so stir often when crock is on).  Or you can do this on the warm setting in the oven with a baking dish of some sort.  Or in a cooler with hot water bottles around your yogurt container.  The key is keeping the temp between 105 and 115 degrees for 4-7 hours.  I use a meat thermometer to check the temperature.  I check it every 2-3 hours or twice during the incubating process.

This recipe is based on another mama's yogurt adventures:
http://funkyfoodallergies.blogspot.com/search/label/yogurt

I tripped over FPIES and I fell UP!!!!

Falling Up
by Shel Silverstein
I tripped on my shoelace
And I fell up--
Up to the roof tops,
Up over the town,
Up past the tree tops,
Up over the mountains,
Up where the colors
Blend into the sounds.
But it got me so dizzy
When I looked around,
I got sick to my stomach
And I threw down.

I love this poem and I think it describes the roller-coaster ride my daughter Samaya and our whole family embarked on when faced with Food Protein- Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES).  It is overwhelming.  It has been a constant up and down of successes and failures.

In the beginning, I had no idea what was happening with our daughter.  I didn't know why she had diarrhea all the time or why she vomited certain foods.  Then I found the FPIES community on BBC and I knew what was happening.  We got a diagnosis.  I was terrified of what the future would hold and if we would find safe food for Samaya, but at least I had support from this amazing community of moms and a diagnosis.  I was determined, empowered even, by the information I had discovered to find a way to live with FPIES and not by it.  And I fell up!

I began to see things a little differently.  I could stop wondering why she was sick. I just needed to figure out how to conquer this beast.  I searched through the baby food book we had used with my son,  Jack, and became frustrated and overwhelmed.  Nothing in that book could help us.  That was for normal babies.  So I literally threw out the book!  I chucked it across the living room and it smashed against the wall and fell to the floor with a great thud.  And into the kitchen I went.

The kitchen has become my retreat- a place to think, to plan, to conquer this FPIES beast.  With the help of those amazing moms on BBC (and particularly one kitchen-chemistry-inclined mama) I began to manipulate my daughter's tiny menu into an array of new tastes and textures for her to explore.

My kitchen-chemistry success didn't come easily.  My first major chemistry experiment was with arrowroot cupcakes.  I was determined to make cake for my daughter's first birthday.  It didn't go well. Batch after batch went into the oven. Each batch looked like traditional cake batter.  Most began to bake and even smell like cake.  And then each batch dissolved into an oily, gooey puddle. 

Samaya's first birthday "cake" ended up being sorbet and it was beautiful! She loved it, and we were able to make the same happy memories as other kids have- messy first birthdays covered in sugary goo!  But the desire to make her cake never left. 

Over the following summer, we completely gutted and remodeled our kitchen.  The process helped me to push the envelope of creativity.  I had only a microwave and a grill to work with for months!  I enjoyed spending the time preparing fruits, veggies, and meats for my little one (and the rest of our family), but I was really hungry to bake!!!

Finally, my dream kitchen was complete and I could get to work!  With the help of my kitchen-chemistry friend I began to slowly build Samaya's menu.  Her list of safe foods has grown, and the flavor and texture  of my creations has improved dramatically.  I can now create a variety of foods that taste pretty close to their originals (and sometimes better!).  And of course, we have made some tasty cakes!  For her second birthday, I made kitty cake pops for everyone at her party to enjoy!  I have come a long way since those early days of flopped arrowroot cupcakes!

So I decided it was time to share.  Time to share my recipes (and organize them where I can find them).  Time to share our family's story of FPIES with others.  We still struggle with FPIES each and every day but it hasn't beat us!  We are a success story.  I have learned how this family can live with FPIES not by of it.  I have fallen up!  Up to a place of acceptance.  Up to a place of compassion.  Up to a place where, for her I can "throw down" and do whatever I have to do.  I hope you enjoy our journey and my recipes!