Back! With Italian Sausage

March 4th, 2010 § 0 comments

After a bit of a hiatus, I’m back. Last week I got sidelined with a massive cold that just completely knocked me out. Called off of work, curled up on the couch and sneezed and sniffled and laid for hours in NyQuil-induced naps. I didn’t do anything – no cooking, no working out, no wedding-planning things, nothing but sleep and the Food Network for about 4 straight days.

But I’m good now. Started to get back into working out after a week off, planning meals, cleaning, rocking out to some Nina Simone, all that fun stuff.

Today’s post is quick and simple. In honor of Chicago’s 173rd Birthday, the milk-free recipe for today is Italian Sausage  and Green Peppers.

Green peppers not pictured, mostly because of the following’s influence on my brain:

The wine isn’t Chicago, but the meal definitely is! Chicago is my home town. I’m in love with Chicago. I’m living about 1600 miles away right now, and it’s killing me! It’s a beautiful city, and I cannot wait to return.

In pure South Sider fashion, I pretty much grew up on pizza and grilled Italian sausage. And now, whenever my fiance and I want to feel a little piece of home, most of the time, we turn to food (and baseball). Italian sausage takes us back, if only for a few minutes.

We didn’t grill it – just made it in the pan with some olive oil.

The buns are steamed (which is what you see in the first photo…the green peppers are slllllowwwwwlly sauteing underneath them) and delicious. Sausage is perfectly crisp on the outside and absolutely amazing on the inside.

Sure, this isn’t so much as a recipe as it is an ode to my hometown and nostalgic foods. But it’s the perfect way for me to celebrate the Chicago’s 173rd birthday. It’s an amazing city, really, especially during the summer – which is exactly what this meal reminds me of.  Skyscrapers, blue skies, cool winds off the lake. We visit this meal more often than we probably should!

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Completely milk-free?

February 23rd, 2010 § 6 comments

This is something I’ve been thinking about for the last few weeks. I’ve been reading several things lately about how it’s odd that humans are the only ones who drink milk passed the infant stage of life – that perhaps we weren’t meant to do so.

It’s an interesting idea, and one that seems to make perfectly good sense – sometimes.

If humans were meant to fly, we’d be given wings. But, through years of science and thought, we have the airplane. We worked our way around it.

I know this is somewhat of a stretch.

I used to just prepare meals as normal. If it had cheese or milk, I’d pop a Lactaid or two and go on my way. Sometimes it didn’t work – and that was never fun. But I took it as just something I’d have to live with.

Here and there lately, sometimes I’ve been thinking that not having dairy at all is just something I’m going to have to live with. Sure, I’ll carry Lactaid on me for emergencies. But maybe I should be listening to my body more often? If my stomach doesn’t want me to have dairy…well, then, should I really be having dairy? This is when the “adult humans shouldn’t have milk” theory starts making sense.

But then, there’s Lactaid. Science let’s me eat dairy. Just like science lets me fly home for Christmas. I don’t fly every time I travel, and I don’t have a Lactaid every time I eat.

Also: I love food. Not in an, “I’m feeling emotional so I need to eat to feel better,” way. In a, “I love every last thing about it” way: the colors, the smells, the occasions, the feelings, the nostalgia that can come along with it. Everything.

So how does a girl mix her absolute love of food with the fact that a significant portion of “food” in general has been taken away due to an intolerance?

Do I cut it out completely? And live up to the suggestion that adult humans were not meant to drink milk?

Or perhaps I could treat it the way I’ve begun to treat food in general: you don’t always have to eat 100% clean and healthy, but if you’re gonna splurge: make it worth it. Why waste calories on something with questionable quality, like Taco Bell or movie theater nachos?  This weekend, I had a dark chocolate goat cheese brownie (I can eat goat cheese, but no other cheese). Was it good for me? Absolutely not. But was it worth the extra time put into the gym? Absolutely.

So, again: Perhaps, if I’m going to eat dairy, I’ll make it worth it. Some amazing brie, perhaps; or some crumbly feta on top of a pita with tomatoes, spinach and artichokes. Or mom’s fantastic cheesecake. Not often, of course – once in awhile only. I won’t be buying good brie every other day simply because it’s delicious. Heck, I probably won’t be buying it at all. But if it’s there when I’m at an event or special occasion of some sort?

Bring it on.

What do you think? If Lactaid pills let you eat dairy, do you have guidelines that you’ve set for yourself? Or do you just pop a pill or two whenever necessary? If you’ve cut it out completely, how hard was it for you? Talk to me!

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Vegan: Almond & Maple Scones

February 21st, 2010 § 0 comments

While flipping through the same cookbook from yesterday’s recipe, I found this scone recipe where I already had all of the ingredients. My favorite!

Just a tad bit more daring than my previous vegan dish, I was pretty geeked that I had a use for the lonely, mushy brown banana sitting on top of my microwave: egg substitute!

This Sunday morning breakfast was so easy to prepare. It took longer for my oven to preheat than it did to prepare the whole thing.

Ingredients
3/4 cup raw pecans (I used raw almonds)
2 cups rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup + 4 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce or mushed-up banana
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Finely chop pecans in a food processor. Transfer to a small bowl.

Add 1 1/4 cups of the rolled oats and 1/4 cup of the chopped pecans to the food processor; process until it’s down to fine crumbs.

Transfer mixture into a medium bowl. Add remaining oats, 1/4 cup of the chopped pecans, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup, applesauce/banana, olive oil and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. Pat into a ball.

Place ball of dough on the baking sheet, and flatten into a 9-inch circle.

Cut into 8 wedges. Don’t separate.

Drizzle remaining 4 tsp maple syrup and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup pecans over the top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool before re-slicing into 8 pieces.

Store extra in a ziplock bag. Refrigerate, freeze or eat!

They were delicious! A nice replacement for my usual morning oatmeal, and I love the fact that there’s some left for tomorrow morning’s breakfast. Next time, I’ll probably add more cinnamon – or perhaps some nutmeg – and I’ll try the applesauce instead of the banana.

Another successful vegan recipe! Like I said in yesterday’s post, it’s not something I’m going to commit to permanently, but it’s nice that it’s working out so well (and delicious!) so far!

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Vegan: French Onion Soup & “Parmesan Cheese”

February 20th, 2010 § 0 comments

Fueled by the request of a Twitter follower, I decided to try my hand at a vegan dish for the first time. I picked a fairly easy and safe one.

I was excited at the prospect of trying out a vegan cheese to sprinkle on top. My expectations weren’t too high, but it turned out really delicious. I knew I didn’t want to spend the money on a prepackaged block of vegan cheese from Safeway; if I have an opportunity to make something on my own, I want to take advantage of it. The recipe was from an Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Cooking cookbook. (You have to start somewhere.)

This was also one recipe I didn’t alter in any way, other than using a low-sodium version of the tamari; I wasn’t about to take that much of a risk when I was already in uncharted territory.

Raw Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole raw almonds
3 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
Pinch of sea salt

Put almonds and sesame seeds in a food processor. Mix until finely ground.

Add nutritional yeast flakes and salt. Process until full mixed.

Store in an airtight container for up to two months in the fridge. Awesome. And delicious.

I was surprised I was able to find the nutritional yeast flakes. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I’d never heard of them before a few days ago. I live in a small town, and while the neighborhood Safeway is pretty good about having organic and ultra-healthy things, the only other option was a teeny natural foods store in our “downtown” area. The $10/lb price scared the crap out of me when I saw it at first, but was comforted after I scooped some into the bag. $3.50 later, I walked out with a pretty sizable portion. I know this store will be a big help in later vegan endeavors.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients
2 lb onions (about 4  medium), cut and thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
1 tbsp garlic
1 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups water
2/3 cup tamari
Raw Parmesan Cheese (from above)

In a dutch oven, combine onions, olive oil and margarine. Cover and cook over medium heat without stirring for 5-7 minutes. Onions should be soft.

Stir in garlic, dry mustard, s&p. Stir often for 5-7 more minutes. The onions will turn a lovely brown.

Add water and tamari. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 more minutes.

Top with Raw Parmesan Cheese. EAT!

The flavor was fantastic. I didn’t miss the beef broth-y taste at all, and the cheese-alternate gave it an interesting texture and a nutty flavor. I didn’t miss the croutons, crusty French bread, or gruyere cheese at all.

And it’s probably cliche, but it felt good knowing what I was eating was vegan. Living with lactose intolerance, I am constantly aware of what I’m eating with every bite. Is there any chance that this was made with some sort of milk? Is there cheese hiding anywhere? Was this chicken dipped in buttermilk before it was fried? It was nice knowing that there wasn’t going to be a hint of milk or cheese in any part of this meal. Of course, that comes along with any milk-free recipe I prepare. But this time, it wasn’t like I was leaving the cheese out, or only using it in my fiance’s portion. It was just simply not invited whatsoever this time, and that’s awesome.

While I plan to make more vegan recipes in the future, I won’t be headed down the vegan road permanently. But it is nice to have crossed paths with it in a tasty way.

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Milk-Free Recipe: Dirty Rice

February 16th, 2010 § 0 comments

Nothing please me more when things fall into place. This morning I realized we would be eating the rest of the leftovers for lunch today, and I had planned to at least have them until tomorrow. I figured I’d take some time during lunch at work and find something to make that was quick and easy.

But later this morning, I get an email from my dear ol’ friends at the Food Network and today’s recipe? Dirty Rice. Because of Mardi Gras and all. Even better: I have all the ingredients. Better still: it was extremely simple to make. EVEN BETTER: it’s lactose-intolerant friendly.

So I don’t have to look for a recipe, the one I find is super easy, I can be festive and I don’t have to hit up the grocery store? AND it’s a milk-free recipe? Incredible!

Ingredients (Original link – Thanks Food Network!)
2 cups long grain white rice (I used brown!)
5 cups chicken stock, divided (I used low-sodium, cut a bit with water! 4 cups for the rice, 1 for later on)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil!)
1 pound smoked pork sausage, sliced (I used turkey sausage, about a pound and a half!)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (I used one red, one green!)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (did not use!)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

The oh-so simple instructions:

Make 2 cups of brown rice in 4 cups chicken stock.

Cook sausage in a separate pan. Use a dutch oven or something similar, as you’ll pile everything into it later on. Once cooked, add bell peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Saute until the veggies are soft. Add the other 1 cup of stock and the cayenne pepper. Let it simmer for a bit until the chicken stock reduces a bit.

Stir in the rice. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Amazing.

I have the world’s worst lighting in my kitchen, I swear.

The smooth texture of the rice mixed with the semi-crunch from the celery and bell peppers mixed with the slight bite of the cayenne … delicious. I’m not a fan of spicy things, but can handle a bit of heat. This was the perfect amount. I’m sure the pork sausage would have tasted even better, but I try to substitute turkey whenever I can, AND I had got it on sale at Albertson’s earlier in the week.

Could this be the most perfect day for this recipe? It’s like it was meant to be.

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Yikes. That wasn’t fun.

February 15th, 2010 § 0 comments

Apologies to anyone who stopped by the blog tonight when it looked a little wonky. I was styling comments and sometimes things got a tad bit out of hand. Everything should be good to go now though.

Which brings me to this next point: I’ll probably be making a few tweeks here and there over the next few days/weeks. If you see anything off or wonky wait a bit and refresh. Odds are you and I are at the site at the same time and I’m doing something goofy. I’ll try not to break anything :)

Wonky is my new favorite word, clearly.

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Oriental Chicken & Garlic Quinoa

February 14th, 2010 § 5 comments

I’m not sure why it took me so long to fall in love with my Crock Pot.  But I randomly decided to make some bbq pork on an extra cold Sunday in January a few weeks ago and, well, I’ve used it every single Sunday since.

The recipe for Oriental Chicken came from a Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly cookbook that I picked up from the library. Honestly, I chose it because it had the least amount of ingredients of any of the chicken recipes AND I already had everything on hand.

And, quite honestly, I’ve never made anything with sesame seeds and I wanted to try ‘em out (it ended up giving the chicken a nice texture).

The original recipe called for only four ingredients. I added to it. I can never seem to leave a recipe alone.

Ingredients:
6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup light soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions: throw everything in the pot on low for seven hours.

I freaking love slow cookers.

I added:
1 onion, quartered
~1 tsp. ginger
~3-4 cloves of garlic
~1/4 cup extra honey

The soy sauce turned the chicken a fantastic brown and the apartment smelled lovely all day.

Alongside the chicken, I made some quinoa. The boy and I eat it plain all the time, but this time I added a couple garlic cloves in while it was cooking.

It was amazing. If you’ve never had quinoa, go out and get some as soon as possible. You may have to hit up a health food store, but our local Safeway has it in the bulk bins for about $4.50/lb. Expensive, but a little goes a long way (it cooks similar to rice).

Definitely a good meal! Tasty, inexpensive, insanely easy and – my favorite! – there’s plenty of leftovers for lunches this week!

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So, immediately after my first post…

February 13th, 2010 § 0 comments

I have pizza for dinner.

But not just any pizza – homemade pizza. Homemade crust, homemade pizza sauce. Italian sausage infused with red wine and Asiago cheese.

Did I mention I didn’t make it? Things always taste better when you don’t have to do any work.

Two cheese pills and several pieces of pizza later, I’m a happy girl.

Also, it gives me a chance to reiterate a point early on in the life of this blog: cheese pills can be expensive, and they don’t always work. So it’s always best to save them for the extra amazing, extra yummy meals.

Like homemade pizza.

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Hi!

February 13th, 2010 § 2 comments

I’m pretty geeked to start this blog. It’s been an idea of mine for awhile now to start one devoted to living with lactose intolerance, so I’m excited to finally do it!

When I found out I was lactose intolerant a few years ago, I desperately searched the internet for more information. Sites like the Mayo Clinic helped a lot in knowing the basics, but where were the personal experiences? The message boards? The blogs? The only thing I could find were a few “blah” looking personal sites – and really, with my attention span, that wasn’t going to fly.

So here’s my attempt at creating what I was looking for two years ago!

If you’re reading this on or around February 13, thanks for joining me so early on! There’s lots of things to come: tons of yummy milk-free recipes, product reviews, some personal stories (and, let’s be honest, a bit of complaining from time to time). And perhaps even a few recipes that do have milk products, but are worthy of a dairy-digesting aid or two (I lovingly refer to those guys as Cheese Pills).

So, here’s the goal: trying to be as positive as possible about living with lactose intolerance by finding and making amazing milk-free meals – with just a smidge of the other reality: sometimes being lactose intolerance really sucks and sometimes, you just have to eat a slice of pizza. Because, come on, does anyone really want to live without cheese?

Before I go: make sure you check out the Featured Recipe that I have up already!

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