Betty’s Broccoli Casserole

chickennugget is on a roll! Where is she finding all these yummy recipes? Well, this broccoli and cream cheese with almonds will easily be a family favorite for years to come. From allrecipes.com.

Betty’s Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets
1/2 (16 ounce) bag frozen chopped broccoli
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces
1 cup dry bread crumbs (without problem ingredients)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 (2.25 ounce) package slivered almonds


Directions:

1. Preheat an oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease an 8x8 inch baking dish.

2. Pour 1 or 2 tablespoons of water into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Place the broccoli florets and chopped broccoli into the saucepan with the water, cover, and cook over medium heat until thawed, about 5 minutes. Drain off the water, and stir the cream cheese into the hot broccoli. Spread the broccoli mixture into the prepared baking dish.

3. Mix the bread crumbs with butter in a bowl, and spread over the broccoli in an even layer. Sprinkle the top with almonds, and bake in the preheated oven until the top is browned and the dish is bubbling, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Peanut Butter Pie

chickennugget hit another winner with this one. There's nothing like the rich, creamy flavor of peanut butter pie. For an added twist try using sunflower, almond or cashew butter instead of peanut butter. From healthyicrecipes.com.

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peanut butter, sunflower butter or cashew butter (you can use a blend of 2 or 3 to vary the flavors)
8 ounces organic cream cheese (softened)
1 cup of organic whipping cream (avoid ULTRA pasteurized and use fresh cream from fresh, raw milk whenever possible)
3/4 -1 cup of organic sugar blended into a powder
1/8 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional)
graham cracker pie crust (without any problem ingredients)

Directions:

1. Whip heavy cream in cold glass bowl.

2. Mix together nut butter, sugar, almond extract (if using) and softened cream cheese. Add this mixture by folding it into the whipped cream.

3. Next, spread into graham cracker crust.

4. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Easy Basic White Sauce

For those who want an easy cream soup base, chickennugget has some awesome recommendations:

thespruce.com- How To Make A Basic White Sauce

dish.allrecipes.com- All About Roux

allrecipes.com- Cream Soup Base


These are easy cream bases and they make any amazing cream soup out of anything using this base. You can even use this base for mac n cheese, scallop potatoes, broccoli soup, etc. This base is amazing and the things you can create with it are amazing! Some of the links give you ideas and suggestions of thing to add.

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Don’t let the name scare you. patricialynne07 adapted this recipe using carob powder to make it IC friendly. From myheavenlyrecipes.com. She gives it: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

This recipe makes enough to fill a quart mason jar. If you don’t want to make that much simply cut the recipe in half. By cutting the recipe in half it will fill a pint mason jar.


Ingredients:

2 cup water
2 cup pure cane sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup carob powder
2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Place water, sugar and salt in sauce pan.

2. Be sure to continue to stir so the sugar dissolves.

3. Heat up and bring to a boil for a minute.

4. Remove from heat.

5. Let cool for 15 minutes before adding in carob powder.

6. Stir well and then add the vanilla mixing again.

7. Pour into a 1 pint mason jar and refrigerate for up to two months.


*If you want the consistency a bit thicker you can STIR the contents of the jar or shake it before serving. You can also add a teaspoon or two of cornstarch to the pan to thicken it up.

Thick and Chewy White Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

What could be better than a thick and chewy peanut butter blondie loaded with creamy white chocolate and plenty of peanut butter chips? Beats me. From bakerbynature.com.
I give it: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Thick and Chewy White Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (4 ounces; one stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 and 3/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt (fine sea salt, table salt, or kosher salt will all work)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips (without problem ingredients)
1 cup peanut butter chips (without problem ingredients)
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt for sprinkling (optional)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line a 9" x 13" pan with parchment paper; lightly grease the paper and set aside.

2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-heat. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and brown sugar, whisk well to combine.

3. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the salt, flour, and baking powder, mixing just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

4. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan, then sprinkle the top with additional white chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, if desired. Bake the blondies for 15 minutes, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for another 15-18 minutes, or until they're light brown on the edges and top. Carefully remove them from the oven and cool completely before cutting.

TIP: It is important to let the blondies rest, in the pan, for about 20 minutes before cutting.



See, they do come out great! I can't wait until these cool down so I can have some!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Pure creamy comfort food made right in your crockpot! So quick, easy, and hearty with veggies, rice and chicken! From damndelicious.net.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (if tolerated)
6 cups chicken stock (without problem ingredients)
1 cup wild rice (without problem ingredients)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced (if tolerated)
3 carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves (if tolerated)
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.

2. Stir in chicken stock, wild rice, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Add mushrooms during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

3. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred, using two forks.

4. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and half and half, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Stir chicken and milk mixture into the slow cooker. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.

6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.


*Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.

Impossibly Easy Ham and Swiss Pie

Well, the last one came out good (Impossibly Easy Chicken and Broccoli Pie) and I found this and I thought it looked good too. I can’t wait to try it!

Make as directed or you can change it up a bit and make it your own (add crumbled bacon, fresh or frozen broccoli, fresh or frozen spinach that is thawed, and thoroughly drained, mozzarella or cheddar cheese instead of Swiss, or a pinch of garlic, rosemary, etc.). From bettycrocker.com.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham (without problem ingredients)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese (if tolerated)
1/4 cup chopped green onions or chopped onion (if tolerated)
1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt, if desired
1/8 teaspoon pepper (if tolerated)
2 eggs


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle ham, cheese and onions in pie plate.

2. Stir Bisquick mix, milk, salt, pepper and eggs until blended. Pour into pie plate.

3. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Nightshade-Free Marinara Sauce

For those craving tomato sauce for pizza, spaghetti, etc. patricialynne07 found this recipe at allergyfreemenuplanners.com. She adapted it to make it IC friendly. It is a time consuming recipe, lots of peeling, and simmering the beets until they get soft which took longer than 25 minutes (more like 40 minutes). She gives it: ★ ★ ★ ★

Nightshade-free Marinara Sauce

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced (if tolerated)
1-2 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
5 carrots, sliced
1-2 medium beet, peeled and diced into small-medium chunks
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 -2 cups water or stock (without problem ingredients)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Sauté the onions in oil in a medium to large sauté pan. It helps to have something that has a lid. Cook onions until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Add the carrots, beet chunks and about 3/4-1 cup water. The smaller you make the beets, the faster they will cook.

2. Cover and cook veggies over medium-low heat or at a simmer. Cook until the beets are soft, about 20-25 minutes. Check on them periodically to make sure there is still some water in the pan and they are not burning.

3. When beets are cooked through, add about 1/2-1 cups more water, herbs, salt and pepper. Using a hand blender (or transferring to a blender), blend veggies with water until smooth. Add more water if needed to make a marinara-like consistency. Add more herbs or salt to taste. If you would like some tang, add the lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to make it more acidic like tomato sauce.

This keeps well in the fridge and it makes a pretty big batch. I’ve been using some for dinner the night I make it, then freezing half the batch in a couple containers for future use. However, it keeps in the fridge for over a week.

Sunday Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy

Too many roast beef with mushroom gravy recipes have Lipton Onion Soup Mix, cream of mushroom soup or Worcestershire sauce in it which are major no-nos for people with IC. Finally, a recipe without the problem ingredients that we can enjoy! Make as directed or you can change it up a bit and make it your own (add garlic, dash of Coconut Aminos, etc.). From foodnetwork.com. Check out the video on how to make it on the website!

Sunday Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:

1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless beef bottom round roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (if tolerated)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced (if tolerated)
4 cups low-sodium beef broth (without problem ingredients)


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season well on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the roast and brown all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and beginning to release liquid, about 5 minutes.

Add the onions and broth and stir until combined. Nestle the roast into the vegetables, adding any juices it released to the pot. Add the beef broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven to roast for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid, carefully flip the meat and continue cooking for 30 minutes; the meat should be fork tender and the liquid reduced.

Remove the pot from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep it warm. Let the mushrooms and onions stand several minutes undisturbed to allow some of the beef fat to rise to the surface. With a large spoon, skim off the excess fat and discard. With a ladle, add about 1 1/2 cups of the mushrooms and onions with some cooking liquid to the bowl of a blender or food processor. Carefully puree the mixture until very smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot and stir very well until combined; taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve, slice the pot roast and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle some mushroom gravy over the top and pass the extra gravy at the table.

Twice Baked Potatoes

These are so easy and make a great side dish. One of my family’s favorite, from foodnetwork.com.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 large baking potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sour cream (if tolerated)
5 ounces (about 1 1/4/ cup) sharp Cheddar cheese, grated (if tolerated or use mild)
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
Salt and pepper (if tolerated)
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (if tolerated without problem ingredients)
1/4 cup finely chopped green onion (if tolerated or omit)


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash the potatoes and pierce them with a fork. Rub the potatoes with the olive oil and place them on a jellyroll pan or a large cookie sheet with a rim. Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour, or until done. Remove the potatoes from the oven and cut them in half lengthwise. Set aside. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the potato flesh into a large electric mixing bowl. Add the milk, butter, sour cream, cheese, garlic salt, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until creamy. Divide the mixture evenly and spoon it back into the potato shells. Return the potatoes to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with the bacon and green onion.

*Cook Notes: I learned the hard way not to wrap the potatoes in foil before baking. It softens the shells and they will fall apart, not good! Baking them unwrapped makes the shells stronger for scooping out the potato flesh later.

NO Bake Peanut Butter Special K Cookies

chickennugget sent in another winner! And there is NO baking!

NO Bake Peanut Butter Special K Cookies

1/2 cup light Karo syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups Special K cereal or organic cereal (check for problem ingredients)


Directions:

Bring Karo syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth and melted. Stir in cereal and drop onto wax paper that has been sprayed with olive oil (to prevent sticking). Some people squeeze and form these a bit as you drop them. You must drop them fast as they start to cool, but be warned, this is some hot stuff so your fingers can get a bit burnt if you’re not careful!

*I have not tried other nut butters, but I am sure you could use any nut butter if it melts. I would also experiment with this too!!!

*We have played around with other cereals! You can get very creative with this recipe.

IC Friendly Herb and Spice Blend

patricialynne07 sent this in for those of us who need something to give our bland IC food some zip. Try mixing up a batch of this IC Friendly Herb and Spice blend from a dietitian on whatever you want and enjoy! From icdietblog.wordpress.com.

IC Friendly Herb and Spice Blend


Mix the following in an empty spice container:

2 Tbsp dried basil
2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp crushed thyme
2 Tbsp dried marjoram
1 Tbsp rosemary
1 Tbsp dried sage
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp coarse salt (optional)

White Chocolate Covered Cashews

chickennugget sent this luscious recipe in which is one of her favorite easy, no bake, IC friendly snacks. It’s to die for! She gives it: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

White Chocolate Covered Cashews

Ingredients:

1 bag of Nestlé white chocolate baking chips
1 large can of roasted cashew nuts


Directions:

1. Melt white chocolate over medium heat, stirring constantly.

2. Stir in cashew nuts.

3. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper.

4. Allow to harden.

5. Enjoy!

Blueberry Sauce

This sauce comes from the Blueberry Breakfast Casserole, but could be used to top all kinds of desserts like ice cream or cheesecake. Soooo delicious! From nikicooks.blogspot.com.

Blueberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries (I actually used half fresh, half frozen and as fine)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter


Directions:

Stir sugar, cornstarch, and water in small saucepan. Cook mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mixture will thicken. Stir in blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes until berries have "burst". Add butter and stir the sauce until butter is melted.

Homemade Breakfast Bars

patricialynne07 sent this IC friendly recipe in for those of us who love breakfast bars. Great for breakfast or snack. From icdietblog.wordpress.com.

Homemade Breakfast Bars

Ingredients:

1/3 c honey
1/2 c almond or peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 c gluten free crispy rice cereal
1 c gluten free uncooked oats
2 Tbsp ground flax seed if tolerated or ground almonds
2 1/2 tsp unsweetened carob powder (optional available at health food stores or online)

Optional: Add your favorite tolerated dried fruit — blueberries, golden or regular raisins, pear or apple chunks.


Directions:

1. Microwave honey and nut butter 30-45 sec or until bubbly in a glass bowl. Add vanilla.

2. Combine rice cereal, oats, flax seed or almonds and carob powder in a large bowl. Stir in honey nut butter mixture until well combined with a spatula as is very sticky.

3. Pour into lined 8×8 pan and press down until level. Cool then cover and put in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

4. Cut into bars with sharp knife sprayed with cooking spray. Cut into 8 or more bars, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Leave out 5 min and enjoy!

Blueberry Breakfast Casserole

I found this recipe at icdietproject.com and I about died! This lovely recipe creates an amazingly flavorful and fun breakfast casserole sure to please family members of all ages. Simply put . . . it’s yummy!

Ingredients:

12 slices homemade-type white bread (without problem ingredients)
16 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1 c. fresh blueberries
12 large eggs
1/3 c. pure maple syrup
2 c. milk

Sauce Ingredients:

1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1 c. water
1 c. fresh blueberries
1 T. unsalted butter


Instructions:

Prepare the night before:

Remove crusts from bread and cube bread into 1-inch pieces.

Layer ingredients in a buttered 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish:

1. Half of the bread cubes (the bottom)
2. Cubed cream cheese
3. Blueberries
4. Other half of the bread cubes

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, syrup, and milk. Pour over bread/blueberry layers. Cover, and chill overnight.


In the morning:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.

For blueberry sauce:

Stir sugar, cornstarch, and water in small saucepan. Cook mixture over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Mixture will thicken. Stir in blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes or until berries have “burst.” Add butter and stir the sauce until butter is melted. Serve casserole with sauce.

Pan Roast Beef Tenderloin with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

This looks so good that even people who do not like red meat would like this. Tender, juicy, beef tenderloin in a mushroom cream sauce. The recipe calls for cognac or white wine, but you can use pear juice to make it IC friendly. From food.com.

Pan Roast Beef Tenderloin with a Mushroom Cream Sauce

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1 dash olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
2 (6 ounce) beef tenderloin
salt and pepper (if tolerated)
1 clove garlic
1 sprig thyme
6 tablespoons pear juice (without problem ingredients)
1⁄4 cup chicken broth (without problem ingredients)
3⁄4 cup 35% cream (light whipping cream)
1 cup of assorted mushrooms
chopped parsley (if tolerated)


1. In a fry pan over medium high heat, add a splash of olive oil and half a teaspoon of butter.

2. Season the beef tenderloin with salt and pepper and add to pan. Add the clove of garlic and sprig of fresh thyme.

3. Slowly roast the beef tenderloin on all sides, turning routinely every 2 to 3 minutes. To cook the beef tenderloin medium, this should take approximately 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Once roasted nicely, golden brown, remove the beef tenderloin and keep warm off to one side.

5. Pick out the garlic and thyme, return the pan to the heat, and add pear juice.

6. Add the chicken stock and reduce by two- thirds, then add the cream and simmer gently to reduce and thicken by half. Season with salt and pepper and keep sauce warm on one side.

7. Using a clean fry pan, over high heat, quickly sauté your choice of assorted mushrooms that have been picked over and cut into hazel nut size pieces.

8. Sauté in a splash of olive oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper; this should take 3 to 4 minutes for the mushrooms to soften and release some juices.

9. Arrange beef tenderloin & mushrooms on your plates, then drizzle sauce around the mushrooms and a little over the tenderloin.

10. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze

This is so unusual and looks yummy! I can just taste the flavors of cardamom, juicy pears and a sweet almond glaze! From spoonfulofflavor.com

Cardamom Pear Bread with Almond Glaze


Ingredients:

Cardamom Pear Bread
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (if tolerated)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (if tolerated)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (if tolerated)
1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt (if tolerated)
1/3 cup pear juice (1/2 cup for high altitudes)
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons oil such as canola or vegetable
1 egg + 1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup shredded pear, approximately 1 large pear
Toasted sliced almonds for topping the bread (optional)


Almond Glaze
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pear juice plus more if needed (without problem ingredients)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract


Directions:

Cardamom Pear Bread
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, pear juice, honey, oil, eggs and extracts.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold together with a rubber spatula.

6. When the batter is nearly combined fold in the shredded pear.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (See note below about baking times.)

8. If the bread starts to get too brown on top cover it loosely with a piece of foil.

9. Cool the bread completely on a wire cooling rack.


Almond Glaze
10. In a small bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze until smooth and pourable.

11. If the glaze is too thick add more pear juice, about 1/2 teaspoon at a time, if it's too thin add more powdered sugar.

12. Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled bread and top with the toasted sliced almonds if desired.


Notes:
* If you live at high altitude your baking time will probably be closer to 45 -50 minutes and if you are closer to sea level it will probably be closer to an hour.

* If you don't live at high altitude it is recommended you used 1/3 pear juice. For high altitudes use 1/2 cup pear juice as you typically need more liquid when baking at altitude.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Craving Shrimp Fried Rice and thinking it’s a no-no with IC? This homemade version is adapted to be IC friendly and so much healthier, cheaper than take out and tastes a million times better! From damndelicous.net.

Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Coconut Aminos
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder (if tolerated)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper (if tolerated)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (you can use frozen)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (if tolerated)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 cups cooked rice
2 green onions, sliced (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together Coconut Aminos, sesame oil, ginger powder and white pepper; set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add shrimp, and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside. *If shrimp is already cooked, save shrimp until step #4 with rice, green onions, and Coconut Aminos mixture.

3. Add garlic and onion to the skillet, and cook, stirring often, until onions have become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in carrots, corn and peas, and cook, stirring constantly, until vegetables are tender, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Stir in rice, green onions and Coconut Aminos mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in shrimp.

5. Serve immediately.

Pear Salad Dressing

Finding a salad dressing that you can use while having IC is extremely hard. I found this at nikicooks.blogspot.com. This one is Niki’s favorite dressing on a spring salad with feta cheese. What salad will you put this on?

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp pear juice (you can even use the juice from canned pears)
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

Add all ingredients and whisk.

Note: Niki triples the recipe to keep around for a while. Just make sure you shake before using again.

Crustless Quiche with Spinach, Sausage, and Sundried Tomatoes

Making a quiche seems rather daunting, but bakerbynature.com makes it easy and tasty too. I adapted this recipe to make it IC friendly.

Crustless Quiche with Spinach, Sausage, and Sundried Tomatoes

Ingredients:

(1) 8 ounce package ground sausage (without problem ingredients)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 medium red onions, diced (if tolerated or try 1 T onion powder)
(1) 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
6 large eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (if tolerated)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (if tolerated or omit)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Lightly grease a 9" pie plate or quiche pan; set aside. In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, brown sausage until no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon transfer the sausage to a bowl and set aside. In the same skillet add the olive oil (keep the sausage grease in there - it adds flavor!) and onions and sauté until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Add in the spinach and cook until all of the excess moisture is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside. In a large bowl vigorously beat the eggs for 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the cheese and beat well to combine. Stir in the spinach mixture, sausage, salt, pepper, and sundried tomatoes, mix well to combine. Spread evenly into prepared pie plate or quiche dish. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Slice and serve at once!

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

An easy, no-fuss dish you can make right at home. It’s also cheaper, healthier and quicker than ordering out! This recipe can easily be adapted for your favorite add-ins such as grilled chicken or a seafood medley. From damndelicious.net.

Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:

8 ounces fettuccine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk, or more, to taste
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (if tolerated)
1 large egg yolk, beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (if tolerated)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

2. Combine butter, garlic, heavy cream and milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and egg yolk, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk as needed.

3. Stir in pasta and gently toss to combine; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan and parsley, if desired.

Beef and Bean Meatloaf

As requested from chickennugget, a Beef and Bean Meatloaf recipe. I adapted it to make it IC friendly and converted it to American measurements and temperatures. From foodinaminute.co.nz.

Beef and Bean Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely chopped (if tolerated)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage (without problem ingredients)
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs (without problem ingredients)
15 ounce can baked beans (without problem ingredients)
2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
½ tsp dried thyme
1 handful fresh parsley, finely chopped (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Lightly grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Cook the onion and garlic in a dash of oil over medium heat until the onion softens. Remove from heat and place in a bowl to cool.

3. Add ground beef, sausage, breadcrumbs, baked beans, Coconut Aminos, thyme and parsley and mix together until well combined.

4. Turn meat mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Press mixture firmly into the pan and smooth the top. Cover with foil.

5. Bake meatloaf for 45 minutes. Remove foil and brush the top with some Coconut Aminos. Return to the oven and cook a further 5 minutes until top is glazed.

6. Drain off any fat residue and allow to rest in the pan for 10 minutes to firm up before turning out onto a serving plate. Cut into thick slices. Serve with creamy mashed potato, seasonal vegetables and extra Coconut Aminos or try serving cold with salad or as a sandwich filling.

Oatmeal Caramel White Chip Bars

Who can resist white chocolate, oatmeal or caramel? Not me. This is so yummy and it’s easy to make. Definitely a winner for sure! From verybestbaking.com. I give it: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Ingredients:

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups quick-cooking oats (I used Quaker Old Fashioned Oats)


Filling
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Premier White Morsels (check for problem ingredients)
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup caramel topping (without problem ingredients)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.

For Crust
1. Beat flour, sugar, butter, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl until crumbly. Beat in oats on low speed just until combined. Press half of mixture (about 2 1/2 cups) into bottom of prepared baking pan.

2. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool in pan for 2 minutes.


For Filling
1. Sprinkle crust with morsels and nuts. Blend caramel topping with flour. Drizzle over morsels and nuts. Crumble remaining oat mixture over nuts.

2. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.




They come out great every time!

Meatloaf Cordon Bleu

Craving some meatloaf and thinking you can’t have any? Here is a recipe from allrecipes.com that has been handed down from generation to generation that is IC friendly.

Meatloaf Cordon Bleu

Ingredients:

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs (without problem ingredients)
1 small onion, chopped (if tolerated or try onion powder)
2 eggs, beaten
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper (if tolerated)
4 ounces thinly sliced cooked ham (without problem ingredients)
4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced (if tolerated) or use Mozzarella cheese, Cheddar cheese, etc.


Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pat the meat mixture out onto a piece of waxed paper, and flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Lay slices of ham onto the flattened meat, and top with slices of cheese. Pick up the edge of the waxed paper to roll the flattened meat up into a log. Remove waxed paper, seal the ends and seam, and place the loaf into a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

3. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the loaf is no longer pink inside.


*How to roll meatloaf (skip to 4:50)

Classic Cheesecake

Here is an IC friendly cheese cake that is absolutely delicious and easy to make. I’ve made it for years and I always receive lots of compliments on it. From pamperedchef.com. I give it: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Classic Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust
8 graham crackers (4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches each, about 1 cup crumbs) (without problem ingredients)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar

Filling
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream (if tolerated)
1 teaspoon vanilla


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place graham crackers in resealable plastic food storage bag. Crush into fine crumbs using a roller. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar; mix well. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of springform pan fitted with flat base. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cooling rack.

Meanwhile, place cream cheese in large mixing bowl. Whisk until soft and creamy. Whisk in sugar and flour until well combined. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Pour batter over slightly cooled crust. Return to oven. Bake 50-55 minutes until center is just set.

Remove from oven. Cool 20 minutes on cooling rack. Carefully run sharp knife around edges of cheesecake. Allow to cool to room temperature; cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Release side clamp and remove collar. Top with fresh blueberries or whipped cream.

Easy Clam Chowder

Clam chowder is easier to make than you think – and the homemade version is unbelievably creamy, flavorful and chockfull of clams! From damndelicious.net.

Easy Clam Chowder

Ingredients:

4 slices bacon, diced (if tolerated)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced (if tolerated)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 cup vegetable stock (without problem ingredients)
2 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, juices reserved (without problem ingredients)
1 bay leaf
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup half and half*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (if tolerated)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


Directions:

1. Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 1 tablespoon excess fat; set aside.

2. Melt butter in the stockpot. Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk, vegetable stock, clam juice and bay leaf, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in potatoes.

4. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12-15 minutes.*

5. Stir in half and half and clams until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.

6. Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.

*Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.

*Cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on the thickness of the potatoes.

Asparagus, Bacon and Herbed Goat Cheese Frittata

Don’t be scared to make a frittata, because reciperunner.com sure makes it easy to do. This frittata is not only good for breakfast, but also makes a great dinner. If you happen to have leftovers it tastes just as great the next day!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons milk
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste (if tolerated)
1 cup asparagus ribbons, (you can use a vegetable peeler)
2 slices bacon, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 ounce herbed goat cheese, crumbled


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to broil.

2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl.

3. Heat an oven safe non-stick 9.5 inch skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat.

4. Quickly sauté the asparagus ribbons for about a minute.

5. Pour in the egg mixture over the asparagus.

6. Let the eggs cook for a couple minutes until they start to set.

7. Sprinkle the bacon and goat cheese crumbles evenly over the top of the frittata then place the skillet in the oven.

8. Broil the frittata until the top is set and golden brown, about 4-5 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven and let the frittata stand for a couple minutes.

10. Serve the frittata in the skillet or use a rubber spatula to loosen and remove it from the skillet onto a serving plate.

Creamy Spinach Pasta

patricialynne07 sent this yummy recipe in. The garnish of Feta Cheese really adds that needed extra zing! From nikicooks.blogpot.com.

Creamy Spinach Pasta

Ingredients:

3 servings Linguini (or other pasta of your choice)
2 cups packed fresh spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (equals to 2 fresh cloves garlic)
1/2 pint whipping cream (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
Feta Cheese to garnish... about 1/3 cup depending on how much you want.


Directions:

Cook pasta per instructions on package. Melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour, mixing until creamy. Slowly add the whipping cream, minced garlic, and salt while whisking. Cook over medium heat continuing to whisk until creamy. In a separate pan, sauté the spinach in olive oil until wilted (just a few minutes). Add to sauce before serving and mix well. Add any additional flour to thicken more if desired (will thicken upon standing too). Pour sauce over pasta and garnish with Feta Cheese. Serve with cheesy garlic toast.

Yields 2 large or 3 regular servings

Grilled Chicken Kebobs

It’s time to throw some chicken on the barbie! I can’t wait to make this! From icdietproject.com.

Ingredients:

12 to 16 bamboo skewers
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch square pieces
12 – 16 small cleaned mushroom caps
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. pear juice (without problem ingredients)
2 t. garlic powder
2 t. onion powder (if tolerated)
2. t. dried rosemary leaves, crushed slightly
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper (if tolerated)


Directions:

Soak skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Arrange chicken pieces, peppers, and mushrooms on soaked skewers. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, pear juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Place the kebabs in a 13 x 9 baking pan. Pour marinade over kebabs. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. Grilling: Set gas grill to medium-high. Place the skewers of chicken on the hot grill and grill for 6 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, on an uncovered grill. Chicken pieces should reach a temperature of 165°F. Serve immediately over rice or pasta.

*Grilled Steak Kebabs: Substitute 1-1/2 pounds round steak cut into 1-inch cubes for chicken.

Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

Who likes Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup? Well, I love it and here is a copycat recipe that allows us to make it at home and IC friendly too. From damndelicius.net.

Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced (if tolerated)
2 stalks celery, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable broth (without problem ingredients)
2 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
16 ounces broccoli florets
1 carrot, julienned
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (if tolerated or use mild cheddar)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste (if tolerated)


Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in vegetable broth, milk and heavy cream, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in broccoli and carrot.

3. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 6-8 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached.

4. Stir in cheese, a handful at a time, until smooth, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

5. Serve immediately.

Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

patricialynne07 sent this in and it really looks good! From icdietblog.wordpress.com.

Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained thoroughly
2 cups cottage or ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (if tolerated)
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper (if tolerated)
12 lasagna noodles, cooked & drained
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 (8 oz.) can chopped mushrooms
2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded
1 medium onion, chopped (if tolerated or try using onion powder)
1 medium bell pepper or zuccini squash, chopped

White Sauce:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk

*Meat lovers may add a pound of cooked, chopped ground meat to the white sauce.


Directions:

Prepare white sauce . . .

1. Melt butter or margarine in one quart saucepan over low heat.

2. Stir in flour and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until bubbly. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

4. Boil and stir one minute. Cover and keep warm. If sauce thickens, beat in small amount of milk.

then…

1. Mix drained spinach, cottage or ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and bell pepper or zucchini.

2. Arrange 4 noodles in ungreased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.

3. Top with half the cheese mixture and 1 cup mozzarella, place 4 more noodles on top.

4. Layer mushrooms, carrots, onion and bell pepper or zucchini on noodles.

5. Spread half the white sauce over top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Mozzarella.

6. Top with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, white sauce and mozzarella.

7. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup remaining Parmesan cheese.

8. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 – 45 minutes, until hot & bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Meat lovers may add a pound of cooked, chopped ground meat to the white sauce.