Tomatoless Spaghetti Bolognese - my way!!

 

Tomato's have become a real problem for K in the cooler weather, in particular creating eczema type symptoms around her mouth. 'Spaghetti Bolognese' is a staple in our house - easy way to hide vegies, simple to make into a big batch and freeze for quick meals.... and most importantly, the kids eat it!!!

 

I have been so worried about what I was going to do if I couldn't give K 'Spag Bol' anymore... until I saw a post by http://www.againstallgrain.com/ for 'tomatoless meat sauce' and thought.... I'm going to give this a go!! ..... So the following is my version! The outcome - the kids ate it and no reaction for K.... Spag Bol remains as the 'go to meal'!!! Phewwwwwwwwwwww

The biggest hurdle I had to overcome was not the taste, but the colour - purple, not red!! Straight away Cayden (4yr) spotted the difference... after a number of discussions about 'trying new things etc' he agreed to give it ago and then finished the lot!! K had already finished by this stage and was ready to move on (as toddlers do!!) 

 

So anyway, I had great success - HOORAY!! The leftovers have now been frozen into portion serves ... HOORAYx1,000,000!!!! (I love having things ready to go....!!)

 

Sauce

 2 tbsp Coconut Oil

1 medium Sweet Potato, peeled and grated

2 cups Beetroot, peeled and grated
1 medium Zucchini, peeled and grated

1 small Red Onion, peeled and diced
1 cup Broccoli

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 tsp Herbamare (herbed sea salt)

1/2 teaspoon (approx.) fresh Cracked Pepper

1 tbsp Mixed Herbs
1 tbsp Coconut Amino Sauce
1/2 cup of water

Meat
2 tbsp Grape Seed Oil
500g Lean Minced Beef
1 tbsp Tamari Sauce (gluten free soy sauce)

 

- Heat Coconut Oil, add Garlic and Onion and cook till translucent (3-4 minutes)
 

- Add Beetroot, Sweet Potato, Zucchini and cook till softened
 

- Add Salt, Pepper, Mixed Herbs, Water, and Sauce and turn heat down to low to simmer for about 10mins

(During this time I got the 'noodles' ready - Brown Rice Noodles for Cayden, Mung-Bean Noodles for K)
 

- Pour sauce into food processor and blend till smooth, set aside
 

- To the pan, heat 2 tbsp of Grape Seed Oil, add Mince and brown
 

- Add Tamari Sauce and Broccoli
 

- Add Bolognese Sauce back to the pan, mix through and continue until Mince cooked through

** I then put everything back through the blender to ensure EVERYTHING is hidden well and no lumps, it just works and I'm not game enough to challenge that yet!! :)

** The sauce was a bit drier than when I make it with tomato's, you may want to add more fats or liquid (stock?) to assist this...

Done!!

I then served with some grated cheese to make it look even more authentic.....didn't really need it!! Up to you!!

Enjoy!!

 

 

 

Tips for helping to control Eczema

Well… Winter is truly is on its way and with it brings the dry weather that can create so many problems for anyone who suffers from eczema!

Last year was a complete nightmare for us with poor K and her numerous skin rashes, infections and reactions. We implemented a number of measures in the house to try and assist with her skin management…. obviously we now know the primary cause for her skin was due to her extreme food intolerances, however the other reality is that we also learnt how sensitive K’s little body is. So due to this, we just can’t afford to take any chances…….
 

Following are the processes we have re-implemented this winter to help keep eczema and similar symptoms under control:

* completely wet dust the house using ‘clove oil’ and airing the house on a regular basis

* washing the kids stuffed toys and then leave them in the sunshine (when possible) as this helps to kill all the dust mites

* only wear 100% cotton as this doesn't irritate

* only bath her every few days (if possible) as water actually dries out the skin and when she does have one, use an oil like 'Alpha Keri' followed by a 'Sorbolene cream with 100% natural glycerine' afterwards to 'lock in' the moisture.

* I cover K’s face every day in an 'Alpha Keri' ointment - she looks like a 'glazed donut' but it stops the wind/sun drying it out! This is reapplied throughout the day as required. I actually get both kids to apply it themselves at night as part of their 'bed time' ritual 

* Not to over dress/heat  her. This is so hard as a parent in winter as you hate the thought of your child getting cold, but by over doing this it can add to the irritation and dry the skin out more

**A fabulous cream I use to help treat K's irritated areas is called 'Hopes Relief' http://www.hopesrelief.com.au/shop/ I bought it from a chemist.

 

If you or your child is suffering from eczema symptoms, other things to consider as triggers and irritators may include:  

• dairy and wheat products, citrus fruits (tomatoes impact greatly on K’s skin), eggs, nuts, seafood, chemical food additives, preservatives and colourings
• air conditioning  & heaters
• dust, mould, grasses, shampoo and conditioners, soaps, washing powders and toiletries

Good luck… hope this helps!!!

Kids Parties Can Work!!!

For any parent coping with a child and food intolerances/allergies, you can really dread an invite to one of their little friends bday parties!! In a kids world 'party' means cake, lollies, biscuits a.k.a 'party food'... however when you have limits on what you can eat, 'party food' is not always the same option...

 

I remember as a kid being able to go crazy at my friends parties, enjoying all the great party foods that I would never get to have on a normal day. Therefore my commitment to K is to try and 'normalise' her food as much as possible, so she too will have the same memories of the simple pleasures like cake with friends!!

What I do to over come the dread:

When K gets an invite, the first thing I do is obviously say 'thank you' but then explain that K has a number of dietary limitations and therefore I will have to BYO her own food!! So many times the parents kindly offer to cater to her needs but without having a true understanding of the issues its tricky, risky and quite frankly just another stress for the parents when they have everything else to plan!! What I do ask though is to get a rough idea of the menu, so I can try and match it with 'K appropriate foods' so its not so obvious that its different!!

Following is the menu plan provided (huge thank you again to the gorgeous family!!) and what I made/brought to attempt to recreate it:


Party Menu                                                      
Fresh Fruit Waffle Basket

Marshmallow Sticks                               
Hokey Pokey Biscuits
BBQ Sausages, Steak and Bread
Vanilla and Chocolate Iced Cupcakes

Klaudia's Menu
Fresh Fruit in a 'Special Party Bowl' (provided)                             
Cooked at Home Steak and Bread due to uncertainty of 'cross contamination'                             
Pumpkin Muffins http://mutritiousnuffins.blogspot.com.au/2011/01/grain-free-pumpkin-muffins.html Iced with Housemade Cheese  http://www.taniaspantry.com/gluten-free-grain-free-dairy-free-nut-free-recipes/housemade-cheese/ mixed with Blueberries and Honey
Chocolate Cake Pops http://www.glutenfreegrainfree.com.au/cake-mix-chocolate-2/ Iced with a Chocolate Glaze and Rolled in Coconut
Dried Fruits and Nuts



This may look like a bit of work, however I did this over a couple of days leading up to the party. The left overs I shared with our weekend house guests and then put a stash in the freezer for the next possible party!!

Best result is that K had an awesome time with her little friends and never felt like she was missing out!!

Quick, Easy and Tasty Stir Fry No.1

Picked the kids up last night from childcare and Klaudia was very, very clear she wanted a stir-fry for dinner. At the beginning of each week I try to involve them in the rough plan of dinners for the week and she had obviously realised this was still to come..... After a huge day for us all, the thought of then cooking a 'Stir Fry' from scratch seemed very unappealing. Fortunately though, also at the beginning of each week, I attempt to pre-chop most of the veggies required for all the planned dinners to cut down on preparation time on the night.... obviously this makes a difference on my statement 'quick and easy'!! :)

Following is last nights stir fry version:

Quick, Easy and Tasty Stir Fry No.1

3 shallot's, finely diced
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
1 tbsp of fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
500g of Pork, sliced (you could use any meat of your choice)
1 medium Zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium Carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium Capsicum, thinly sliced
2 bunches of Bok Choy, roughly chopped
3 eggs, whisked
Coconut Oil
Coconut Amino Sauce (I use niulife)
Sesame Seeds

100% Bean Thread Noodles (Mung Bean)

 

- Heat  some oil in a large wok and cook egg to an omelette, remove from pan, slice and set aside
 

- Heat more oil and stir-fry pork until brown, remove from pan and set aside (you may need to do this in two batches to prevent from 'stewing'
 

- Empty bean noodles into bowl and cover in warm water, allow to soak until clear. Whilst this is happening continue with next stages...

- Heat a bit more oil (remember this forms part of your flavour and Coconut Oil is actually good for you!!!) add shallot's, ginger and garlic. Cook for a few minutes ( the aroma is fantastic!). Add zucchini, carrots, capsicum and stir-fry until starting to soften. Return pork to the pan. Add bok choy and Amino Sauce for flavour. Its important for you to decide how much based on the intensity of flavour you were after( I use a bit cause I LOVE the stuff!!)

 - Once noodles appear translucent, add to stir-fry and mix through. I found it easier to use thongs.

- Once done, serve in bowl, sprinkle with egg and sesame seeds and your finished....

 

EASY!!!

 

Remember... by giving yourself a rough meal plan each week and then preparing for them, it takes away sooooo many stresses and allows you to continue cooking great, nutritious meals with minimal effort!!!

Let's be honest, especially during the working week, 'minimal effort' is the BEST and ONLY style of cooking with a young family!!

Another great bonus.... Klaudia woke up this morning and said she wanted 'Stir Fry' for breakfast too.... I cant argue with that!!.... I decided it sounded like a great idea and had some too..... YUM!!!

 

 

 

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