Salmon Croquettes with Lemon-Mayo

Today I had an appointment with my gastroenterologist. Everything went well but he asked me to get some blood tests to check my white blood cell counts. There was a long lineup at the outpatient lab so I made good use of my time and did some recipe planning on my blackberry.

A while ago, canned salmon was on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart. Naturally, I stocked up. I tried to have the canned salmon for lunch in a cold salad but was put off by the fishy taste.

Using Google to look up "canned salmon recipes", I came across this Lemon Salmon Burger recipe.

Obviously I had to make some adjustments to suit my dietary restrictions (substitute bread crumbs, omit red pepper flakes and onion), but I was determined to have some yummy salmon for lunch.

When I got home, I considered defrosting the gluten-free bread I had in the freezer for bread crumbs. Then, I realized what I could use instead: stale potato chips!

There aren't many snacks I can have that are cheap and readily available but plain potato chips are often made with just potatoes, oil and salt. I usually buy the Lay's brand "lightly salted" variety. My bag of potato chips has been going stale for a week. I was ready to throw them out but thought "people use stale bread in recipes all the time, why not use stale potato chips?"

Ingredients:
For the croquettes:

1 can salmon (I used Clover Leaf brand Wild Red Pacific Sockeye Salmon).
If you see salmon skin and bones, try to remove these as best as possible. In a croquette, these are just not appetizing.

1 small ziplock bag full of potato chips (about 30 chips), crushed in bag.

Handful of parsley, washed and chopped.

2 eggs (beaten)

Salt (about 1 tsp) and pepper (about 8 grinds of the pepper mill)

2-5 tbsp Cooking oil (I used leftover bacon grease)

For the lemon-mayo:

2 tbsp mayo

Juice of 1/4 lemon

Pinch of dried basil

Directions:

1) In a medium bowl, combine salmon, potato chips, parsley, egg, salt and pepper.

2) Heat a non-stick pan to medium (6) and add cooking oil.

3) Form the croquettes using a fork and the palm of your hand. Place each croquette in the pan as it is formed.

4) Cook croquettes on first side until bottom is slightly browned (approximately 5 mins). Flip the croquette and brown the other side (approximately 3 mins). Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to repeat this process a few times. Give the croquettes at least a 1/2 inch "breathing space" on each side.

5) While croquettes are cooking, mix mayo, lemon juice and basil in a small bowl.

6) Serve immediately. Makes about 8 palm-sized croquettes.

I have a few croquettes left over- these would be delicious with a salad for dinner tonight. You can also make the croquettes smaller and serve with a variety of flavored mayos as an appetizer or finger food.

Pancake Smileys

Yesterday was Sunday. For a weekend brunch I made bacon and Bob's Red Mill gluten-free pancakes. It was fantastic.

I had a few leftover pancakes and decided to be creative with my breakfast this morning.

Ingredients:

Leftover pancakes (I placed sheets of parchment paper between the pancakes before putting them in the fridge to keep them from sticking together.)

1 banana

Handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips (check ingredients for gluten, dairy, carageenan)

Directions:

Arrange as shown in picture (or as you wish) and microwave for one minute.

I ate mine folded up taco-style. The bananas keep the pancakes moist and the chocolate chips melt just enough to make this worthy as a breakfast or dessert.

4 ingredient pasta

As a student, I'm always looking for quick, freezer-friendly meals that are easy to heat up during exam season. Pasta has always been a staple in my student diet- but how can you make a tasty pasta sauce without onions, garlic and cheese?

First, a note on gluten-free pasta. It is usually made from rice or corn flour instead of wheat flour. I've tried a few brands out there and don't really have a preference- as usual, I just go for whatever is on sale. I find that with gluten-free pasta it is very important to follow the cooking directions on the package. What seems "al-dente" upon testing may just be inedible when you add the sauce.

So how can you add flavor to your pasta sauce without onions, garlic and cheese? Herbs! I use lots of basil- a perfect match to tomatoes. This is my alternative to pre-made pasta sauces such as Ragu or Classico.

Ingredients:

1 can crushed tomatoes
1 package basil (approximately 30 leaves of basil)
1 package gluten-free pasta
1 package ground beef (approximately 1.5 pounds)

salt and pepper to taste (I add lots and lots of fresh ground pepper)

What you need:

- deep nonstick pan
- large pot for boiling pasta (non-stick preferred)
- strainer
- spatula
- can opener

Directions:

1) Chiffonade the basil leaves

2) Add the ground beef to the pan and brown (do not drain off the fat, fat= flavor)

3) Add the basil and crushed tomatoes

4) While sauce is cooking, cook the gluten-free pasta according to package directions

5) When pasta is cooked, add back to the non-stick pasta pot

6) Add pasta sauce to the pasta slowly- making sure not to drench the pasta with sauce. Store away extra sauce in freezer.

You can add just about anything to this recipe. I like to cook up some mushrooms and zucchini and add to the ground beef to give my meal some extra fibre. If you (or your guests) can tolerate and enjoy spicy food and/or dairy products, add some hot sauce and parmesean cheese!

*** low-calorie option: make sure to use brown rice pasta and substitute ground chicken or turkey for ground beef. You may want to add some chicken stock to keep the meat moist.

LPK's Culinary Groove at the farmers' market!

I had an interview for a volunteer position in the Yonge and Eglinton neighbourhood today and spotted a farmers' market on my way to the subway. I just had to check it out.

The market was quite small but had a wide variety of goods: fruits and veggies, honey, soap and moisturizer made from honey, organic meats... pretty much your standard farmers' market. It also had Jamaican food, a crepe stand and a premade entree (i.e. chicken pot pie) stand. I bought some peaches and was ready to head home. Then it caught my eye... a LPK's baked goods stand with the words "organic, gluten-free, vegan".

Vegan= dairy-free! Vegans don't eat any animal products (that includes milk, honey, and gelatin). I love meat but appreciate the availability of vegan products because it makes my diet easier to follow. Treats like cupcakes and cookies are an added bonus.

LPK's farmers' market stand offered cookies, cupcakes, Nanaimo bars and a rice foccacia. I indulged in a banana cupcake with maple frosting and an Oreo-inspired cookie. I was impressed with the prices- sometimes gluten-free products are marked up because vendors know you have very little choice. At $6 for both my treats, I felt the pricing was fair and comparable to market-price baked goods at bakeries and cafes.

Left to right: chocolate chip cookie, ginger sandwich cookie, Oreo-inspired cookie

I needed an afternoon pick-me-up and coffee goes amazingly well with baked goods. I decided to use my coffee quota for this week and took a seat in the nearby Starbucks. I ordered a "tall, mild" and dug in excitedly.

First up: the banana cupcake with maple frosting. (see picture below)
- very moist, not crumbly like many gluten-free products
- sweet but not too sweet
- would definitely purchase again


Next up: the Oreo-inspired cookie. (I was going to save this for dessert tonight but couldn't resist),
- at first, I found it a bit crumbly
- tastes EXACTLY like an Oreo
- a good size (approximately as big as my palm)

I was tempted to head back to LPK's stand and buy everything in sight. Fortunately, they have a store at Queen East and Broadview and a website! Their menu is available online and lists all allergens. You can browse their website for all their products and get info for custom orders for special occasions. Everything looks so beautiful and delicious!

Finally, the environmentally-conscious would approve of LPK's Culinary Groove. They use "organic, fair trade, local and seasonal products whenever possible".

Looks like I've found my new favorite pastry shop.

Dining out: sushi

This weekend I was treated to a lovely sushi lunch. For me, sushi is the perfect meal out- what you see is what you get. If you order carefully and avoid the soy sauce, you won't be bothered by a single allergen. Plus, the pickled ginger and green tea are great anti-inflammatories.

Things to look out for:
-cooked fish like unagi (eel). It is cooked with teriyaki/ soy sauce.
- tempura (it can be battered in rice or wheat flour, or a combination- better safe than sorry)
- anything labeled spicy
- artificial crab meat (it contains gluten)
- bonito (squid) flakes and rice seasoning. I have no idea what is in this but I'm betting it contains gluten
- salad with dressing

What I usually order:
- sashimi and nigiri sushi
- miso soup (avoid if you have a soy allergy)
- rolls: avocado roll, tuna roll, salmon and cucumber roll

My neighbourhood sushi place makes lots of specialty rolls- they have one with ingredients I can have! It is called the Boston roll: salmon, avocado, cucumber and tobiko (flying fish roe). Yum!


I like to share so I make sure my dining partners are aware of what I can and cannot eat. I also make sure to grab my fair share of wasabi before others use it (to prevent cross contamination) My boyfriend and I split a delicious sushi boat and I told him he could have everything on the left and I would have everything on the right. He got to enjoy a spicy tuna roll and I got to enjoy a lovely meal out without too much planning.

*note* if you have a serious gluten allergy it is important to advise the kitchen. Knives are often used to cut items with gluten and can contaminate your food. As always- ask your server if you have any doubts.

yoso Soy Yogurt

What I purchased: 2 strawberry, 2 vanilla, 2 blueberry

On Friday, I got my wisdom tooth removed (just one tooth, thank goodness). As with any medical procedure, I am a little extra anxious because of my colitis. Everything turned out really well and the long weekend here in Canada gave me a chance (*ahem* excuse) to relax.

When you have any sort of dental surgery, solid foods are out of the question for at least one day. The dentist recommended ice cream and yogurt. She also prescribed antibiotics to prevent infection. Antibiotics scare me a little because they kill all the "good" bacteria in your gut. I already take a probiotic to keep my gut flora at healthy levels but antibiotics are pretty powerful. I was prepared to buy some yogurt to boost my probiotic intake.

So I went to Metro (my local grocery store) and came across yoso. It contains inulin, a prebiotic. Probiotics are actual bacteria that are ingested. Prebiotics encourage the colon to produce more "good" bacteria. According to yoso's website: "Inulin is not digested in the stomach or in the small intestine and so reaches the large intestine intact, where it stimulates the growth of beneficial bacteria."

Also, unlike many non-dairy products, this contains NO CARAGEENAN!

Great! But how does it taste?

Vanilla flavor

I love the texture- it is more akin to Greek-style yogurt than the 0% fat yogurt. My favorite flavor is the strawberry. I mixed this with a little bit of pudding (just use Jell-o chocolate pudding and substitute almond milk for regular milk) for dessert- yum yum! I'm not crazy about the vanilla flavor but a teaspoon of jam in every container can change that.

I see myself having this yogurt for breakfast or dessert regularly. At a price of $4.89, it is not much pricier than a brand-name Greek yogurt.

I hope to try more yoso products in the future. They offer (at the moment) soy yogurt, soy spreads, soy sour cream and soy drinks. All their ingredients are listed online and I can only see carageenan in their beverages. Best of all, they are a family-run business from Ontario!

Low-budget Vegan "Curry"

Chickpeas coated in the coriander, turmeric, ginger paste.

Curry and rice. So simple, so nice.

Blended and served as a soup.

Before I started my gluten-free, dairy-free diet, I loved dining out at Indian restaurants. The food is so flavorful and my favorite part was the nann bread and the yogurt raita sauce. Sadly, Indian restaurants are off-limits for me now because everything on the menu contains at least one of: dairy, gluten, onions and garlic.

Instead of feeling sorry for myself (which is easy to do when you have colitis), I came up with an Indian-inspired "curry". This is a Vegan recipe, but even meat-lovers (including my boyfriend the ultimate steak enthusiast), love it! Many people think of "curry" as spicy, but really it is just a name used to describe dishes from South Asia that use ground spices for flavor. The three most common "curry powder" spices are: turmeric, coriander and cumin.

The star of this dish is the turmeric. I like this spice not only because it gives a wonderful colour and flavor but also because it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, a quick search on google scholar (query: turmeric + colitis), produced quite a few peer-reviewed articles on turmeric's effectiveness in treating colitis. This includes a double blind human study and an animal study.

This meal has it all: protein from the chickpeas, starch from the potatoes and vitamins from the cauliflower and carrots. While coconut milk may be saturated fat, remind yourself that you are eating a vegan, home cooked meal. Many cultures around the world traditionally use coconut milk as a staple in their mainly plant-based diets. If you can tolerate dairy, you can use milk or sour cream in this recipe instead.

What you need:

Spatula or wooden spoon

Knife

Colander/ strainer

Cutting Board

Vegetable peeler

1 large pot with a non-stick bottom and a LID (I use a non-stick wok that holds about 2L of liquid.)

Slow cooker (optional)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. coriander powder

3 tbsp. turmeric powder

2 tbsp. freshly minced ginger

4 tbsp. olive oil

1 can coconut milk (I buy the cheapest one I can find while trying to avoid sulphites that are used as preservatives).

1 can tomato paste (optional)

2 tbsp. gluten-free tamari sauce

1 can chickpeas

1 whole cauliflower

2 medium potatoes

2 carrots

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Prepare the vegetables:
Wash and peel potatoes and carrots, then chop into large cubes (approx. 1 inch x 1 inch x 1 inch).

Wash and prepare the cauliflower. Every part of the cauliflower is edible except the green leaves.

2) Rinse and drain the chickpeas

3) Mince the ginger (2 tbsp is approximately 3 slices minced)

4) Turn the stove on maximum. Add olive oil and ginger to the pot and brown the ginger.

5) When ginger begins to sizzle, add the coriander and turmeric. You will begin to see a "paste".

6) Add the rinsed chickpeas and stir.

7) Add the coconut milk (and optional tomato paste) and stir.

8) Add the cauliflower, potatoes and carrots. Stir well. If there is not enough liquid to cover the contents of the pot (which is usually the case), add water or another can of coconut milk until the contents are all covered.

9) Cover the pot with the lid and wait for the curry to "bubble". Once the curry begins to "bubble", turn the stove to medium and add the gluten-free tamari sauce.

***At this point, if you don't want to sit around watching the stove and you have a slow cooker, you can put the contents of the pot into your slow cooker and set it on "high" for about 3 hours*** (if you use a slow cooker, the final product tends to be more "runny"- better blended as a soup than as a curry

10) Stir the pot approximately every 10 minutes for 30 minutes. Then, turn the stove to low.

11) Stir the pot approximately every 25 minutes for about 2 hours. You are waiting for the vegetables to be tender enough to eat with just a fork or spoon- just give it a test once in a while and when you think the curry is done, its done!

12) Salt and pepper to taste. I like lots of fresh ground pepper in mine.

Serve alongside rice, gluten-free pasta or gluten-free bread. Also delicious on its own or as a soup after a quick spin in the blender.

Enjoy!