Fruit Kebabs with Allergy Friendly Creamy Strawberry Dip

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 Fruit Kebobs with Creamy Strawberry Dip

 

Serves 4 to 6

Gluten Free and Free From the Top 8 Allergens 

 

No picnic is complete without watermelon. But why not jazz it up with some additional fruit on highly portable skewers? Add a little allergy-friendly strawberry vegan dip, and bingo – kid-friendly picnic food!  As an added bonus, my boys like to help me make this treat. Or better yet, to make it for me!  It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow, and I’m putting in a request. Happy Mother’s Day, everyone!

 

½ cup sliced strawberries

8 oz (¾ cup) plain vegan cream cheese (use Daiya for soy-free)

6 oz plain vegan yogurt (I like So Delicious coconut milk yogurt)

2 tbsp honey, agave nectar or maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 cups fruit, such as cubed watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, strawberries and grapes

Wooden or bamboo skewers

 

1. Puree sliced strawberries in a blender.

2. Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add yogurt, honey and vanilla, and mix until smooth and creamy. Add strawberry puree and mix until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, thread fruit onto skewers, alternating, as you go. Serve skewers alongside dip.

Fruit Kebabs with Creamy Strawberry Dip © 2013 by Cybele Pascal

This recipe first appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine

 

 

Allergy Friendly Lemonade Cake

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Allergy-Friendly Lemonade Cake

 

Makes 12 ample servings

Free of: gluten and all top allergens

 

Tart, sweet and the perfect finish to a summer meal, get ready to fall in love with this old-fashioned cake.  It can be made a day in advance and lasts for several days, covered at room temperature, but good luck keeping it around that long!

 

Ingredients

¼ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

½ cup plain rice milk

¼ cup + 2 tbsp vanilla vegan yogurt (I like So Delicious coconut milk yogurt)

1½ tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp lemon zest

2¼ cups Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend or my Basic Gluten-Free Mix

¾ tsp xanthan gum

1⅛ tsp double-acting baking powder

1⅛ tsp baking soda

1⅛ tsp salt

1 cup + 2 tbsp sugar

½ cup + 1 tbsp dairy-free soy-free shortening

2¼ tsp vanilla extract

3½ tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 4½ tbsp plain rice milk

1 recipe Lemonade Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

 

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Generously grease a 9×13-inch pan with shortening.

2.  Combine lemonade concentrate, rice milk, yogurt and vinegar in a small bowl.  Add zest, and set aside.

3. Measure flour mix by spooning flour into a dry measuring cup, then leveling it off with a straightedge. Whisk flour mix with xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Add sugar and shortening to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add vanilla and egg replacer mixture. Mix on medium speed 1 minute more.

5. Sift the flour mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer in three batches, alternating with the lemonade mixture, mixing after each addition to combine. Transfer batter to the prepared pan, and use an offset spatula to even out.

7. Bake in center of oven 20 minutes until the cake is starting to pull away from sides of pan, top is a lovely golden color, and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

8. Let cool completely in pan on a cooling rack. Spread with frosting using an offset spatula.

 

Lemonade Buttercream Frosting

 

Makes enough to frost one 9×13-inch cake

Free of: gluten and all top allergens

 

¾ cup dairy-free soy-free shortening

Pinch of salt

¾ pound confectioners’ sugar (2¼ cup + 3 tbsp)

¼ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

¾ tsp vanilla extract

¾ tsp lemon zest

 

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream shortening and salt on medium speed for 2 minutes.

2. Add sugar in three batches, beating after each addition. It will be crumbly. Add lemonade concentrate, vanilla and zest. Beat on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

 

Allergy-Friendly Lemonade Cake © 2013 by Cybele Pascal

This recipe first appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of Allergic Living Magazine

New England Pear Soup with Chervil

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I get very excited when So Delicious comes out with new products.  Their dairy-free offerings open up all sorts of new recipe possibilities.  Which is why I felt gleeful when they rolled out their “Greek Style” coconut milk yogurts this year.  This new yogurt can be used most places you’d use sour cream or Creme Fraiche.  If you can eat dairy, by all means, go for the Creme Freiche, it’s hard to find excuses to eat full fat dairy. But bare in mind, the So Delicious Greek Style yogurt has no cholesterol and 9 grams of fiber per 6 ounce container! Have your tried this yogurt yet? Is it in your stores?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

 

New England Pear Soup with Chervil

Makes 4-6 servings.

This warm pear soup is light and elegant. It’s the perfect way to dress up lovely fall pears. My husband calls it “Divine!” And if you know my husband, yes, he really said that.

 

Ingredients: 

3 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 large pears (Comice, Anjou, Bartlett, etc. – just under-ripe is perfect because they’ll be firm enough to work with easily)
3 Tbsp. sunflower oil (or other mild flavored oil, such as safflower or canola, try Spectrum)
1 1/2 large shallots, minced (1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. honey
3 cups organic vegetable broth
white pepper (black pepper will NOT do for this)
1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh chervil (or chives), finely minced
So Delicious Plain Greek Style yogurt, (or Creme Fraiche – try Bellwether Farms)

Directions: 

Put lemon juice in a bowl. Peel, core, and dice pears into 1-inch chunks, adding to the bowl and tossing them in lemon juice as you work, to prevent pears from turning brown.

Heat sunflower oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Add pears and drizzle with honey. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often.

Transfer pears to a food processor and pulse. Pulsing will prevent them from overflowing. Once pears are almost smooth, run food processor about 1 minute until completely pureed.

Return puree to pan, add broth and stir to combine thoroughly. Add a few turns of freshly ground white pepper, (or a couple pinches if it’s already ground). Stir in chervil. Heat soup to just below simmering point, do not boil.

Remove from heat, ladle into bowls and top each with 1 Tbsp. Greek Style yogurt or creme fraiche. Swirl through soup gently.

New England Pear Soup with Chervil  © 2013 by Cybele Pascal (this recipe originally appeared on Gaiam.com)

(Please note that all my recipes are free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)

SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns before consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.