Category: NYC activities

Gluten-Free and Low-FODMAP Chicken with Broccoli

Hunter Mountain SkiingI’ve taken my son skiing a few times this season, and he’s really loved it.  The conditions weren’t perfect as we chose some of the coldest days of the season, but I’ve been so impressed with his ability to pick it up.  Can’t wait to get back out there soon!

We visited Hunter Mountain in NY but are itching to get further west for a different ski experience!

Hunter Mountain Skiing

Following on the theme from my last post, I have another gluten-free and low-FODMAP Chinese food recipe for you today!  We ate this one for days, and it was great every time. Please note that I did use broccoli in the recipe as it is my son’s favorite.  While broccoli has shown up on some lists of foods to avoid or limit when following a low-FODMAP diet,  however, theMonash University has recently published new resultsshowing the breakdown of FODMAP rating for 1 cup.

Gluten-Free, Low-FODMAP Chinese Chicken with Broccoli and Fried Rice (Fried Rice recipe coming next!)

Gluten-Free, Low-FODMAP Chinese Chicken with Broccoli

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups of broccoli, cut into florets

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Marinade

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil

Sauce

¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil

1 tablespoon water

Directions

In a small bowl combine all marinade ingredients

Combine chicken cubes and marinade in a shallow container and refrigerate for at least 1 – 2 hours

In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients

Once ready to cook, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and marinade along with 1/2 of the sauce.  Cook chicken until no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan to a plate

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add broccoli and red peppers and saute until tender, about 5 minutes

Add chicken, remaining sauce and sesame seeds and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens

Serve with fried rice – recipe to follow next!

 

Gluten-Free Egg Rolls

We have had a busy winter so far!  We had a trip to Connecticut to visit one of my besties where we had dinner at a great little Italian place Pasta Cosi.  Not only do they have a Paleo Eggplant Lasagna, but apparently one of the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies was filmed there.  Yes, I have a special place in my heart for the Hallmark Channel…

We try to make at least one trip to  Brooklyn Bowl each winter, where they have family friendly times that make it a lot of fun and quite a bit easier!

Sometimes when we get home from travels or even being out in the cold, I want to order Chinese food but it is so hard to find gluten-free and low FODMAP versions of the classics.  I have a few recipes that I will be sharing that get at the need for some FODMAP-friendly Chinese food!

Gluten-Free Egg Rolls

Ingredients – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Wrappers

3 cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s 1:1 baking flour)

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup water

Directions – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Wrappers

Combine flour and salt into a large mixing bowl

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water until combined

Add the eggs and water mixture to the flour. Stir well until mixture comes together to form a ball – if the mixture is not coming together, you may need to add more water (start with a tsp at a time)

Coat your work surface and rolling pin with flour

Split the dough into thirds.  Spread one section out on the work surface and roll into out as thin as you can without it beginning to split

Cut the rolled dough into ~6×6 in squares (you will see mine ended up a bit more like rectangles 🙂 )

Lift squares up with a spatula and transfer to a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper on it

Cover the finished squares with a lightly damp cloth until use to keep them from drying out. Store this way for only 1 hour or so – more than that and they will begin to dry out

While those sit, you can move on to the filling

Ingredients – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Filling (Shrimp)

6 – 8 medium sized shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 tsp chopped fresh ginger

3 oz bean sprouts

2 shredded carrots

2 cups shredded cabbage

4 tbsp peanut oil

Ingredients – Sauce

3 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1/8 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp chopped ginger

2 scallions, chopped (green end only)

Directions – Sauce

Whisk ingredients together until well combined

Directions – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Filling (Shrimp)

Add 1 tbsp of oil to a frying pan, heating for a few minutes

Add the shrimp and cook until it begins to firm up and is cooked through

Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside

Add the ginger, carrots and cabbage to the frying pan and cook until the carrots and cabbage are tender

Remove from heat and set aside

Add the gluten-free soy sauce,

Heat a wok or a deep drying pan to medium high heat.  Add remaining oil and heat for several minutes

Retrieve the gluten-free egg roll wrappers and fill with cabbage and carrots, shrimp and bean sprouts.

Wet edges of wrapper with a little water and fold 3 points to the middle like an envelope. Then wet last point with water and roll closed.

Place the egg rolls in the heated oil, flipping every 30 second to 1 minute until golden brown ( 2- 3 minutes)

Remove from oil and serve with dipping sauce while still hot – enjoy!

 

 

Welcome the new year – January 2, 2017

Happy New Year!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and spent time with family and friends. I had time with both and enjoyed some quiet time in the city as well.  Below is a snap of my favorite mulled wine from Jamie Oliver; friends of mine make this every year at our Christmas gathering, and I love it!

A few pics from city wandering and a trip to the Whitney to check out some art.

As for New Year’s Eve itself, it looks like one of two options for me – attempting to make a difficult, new recipe or ordering gluten-free Domino’s :).  This year was the new dish option, and I am so glad I did that!  I made gluten-free, low-FODMAP Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls and gluten-free, low-FODMAP Shrimp Pad Thai.  I’ll share the Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls today; look out for the Pad Thai later this week.

Gluten-Free, Low-FODMAP Pork and Shrimp Spring Rolls

Makes 10 – 15 rolls

Ingredients

   

Spring Roll

1 large carrot

4 -5 scallions, green end only

1 inch ginger, chopped finely

3 garlic cloves

1 1/2 cups red cabbage

1/4 lb. pork

1/4 lb. cooked, de-shelled, de-veined shrimp

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

1 1/2 tbsp. gluten-free soy sauce

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Rice paper wrappers / spring roll skin

10 -12 basil leaves

Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup gluten-free soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. chopped ginger

1 chili pepper

Directions

Spring Roll Filling

Shred carrots, chop scallions and ginger and slice garlic cloves in half.

Heat wok or frying pan over medium hear.  Add canola oil and warm through.  Add scallions, ginger and garlic to the oil and cook for 1 – 2 minutes.

Add the pork to the frying pan and cook through completely.

Remove the garlic from the frying pan, and add carrots and cabbage to the mix.  Cook for several minutes until the cabbage wilts and carrots soften.

Add the shrimp and heat through.

     

Add rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar per measurements above.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for several minutes until the flavors come together and some of the sauce is absorbed into the vegetables and meat.

Set the filling aside while making the dipping sauce and preparing the spring roll skin.

Dipping Sauce

Slice chili thinly, removing seeds if desired to cut back on the heat. Place in a small mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients into the bowl and whisk together until fully combined.

Spring Roll

This may take some trial and error to get the feel of the spring roll skin.  I would encourage making 2 spring rolls at a time to ensure the paper maintains its form.

Slowly dip a spring roll skin into hot water, covering the entire surface. The spring roll skin should begin to soften and become pliable.

Place on a cotton dish towel for ~30 seconds.

Slowly peel the spring roll skin from the dish towel and bring to your serving plate for creation of the roll.

Place 1 – 2 basil leaves (depending on size) in the lower part of the spring roll skin.

Add about 1 1/2 tbsp. of the filling into the spring roll skin, on top of the basil leaves.

Roll the skin, folding in the sides as you go.

Serve with dipping sauce.  Enjoy!  Let me know how you like it 🙂

 

The Search for BBQ – June 6, 2016

I love BBQ – tender meat, tasty sauce, eating with your hands; it doesn’t get better than that! BUT it is nearly impossible to have BBQ sauce out that isn’t full of our favorites – onion and garlic :(. I’ve been experimenting with a few recipes at home in the slow cooker.  I’ll share one below, and you can expect to find more as I continue exploring!

Before I share my recipe, though, I thought I would let Matt debut his chef skills.  He’s been obsessed with Man vs. Child, Chopped Junior and Master Chef Junior this past year.  He somehow pulled together something edible – despite starting with hot sauce, yogurt and cheese on the counter!  We ended up with banana, blueberries, nutella and yogurt.

IMG_2915

IMG_2979

FODMAP-friendly BBQ Pulled Chicken

Ingredients – BBQ Sauce

  • 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp tobasco
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp chipotle chili pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic-infused ollive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • Splash of water

Directions – BBQ Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small pot and heat on medium-high heat. Simmer until the mixture thickens, adding additional water to keep from becoming too thick if needed.  Continue to cook for 10 or so minutes, until the sauce is well combined to a good consistency.

Add 2 full chicken breasts, cut in half and the BBQ sauce to the slow cooker.  Add a splash of water or FODMAP-friendly chicken stock if you need more liquid in the slow cooker.  Heat for 4 1/2 hours on low, removing at 4 hours to discard bones and skin and shred the chicken.

IMG_2965 IMG_2966 IMG_2969 IMG_2972

And then of course, I enjoyed it over salad for lunch – sneaking out of the office to enjoy the sunshine 🙂

IMG_2992

 

 

 

My Best Beach Bud – May 9, 2016

In case you have missed this about me, I will tell you – I love the beach.  Absolutely adore it.  Winter, spring, summer and fall – all you have to do is call.  No, but really…it has this strange power of me.  It is also the only place where I can truly relax.

 

And, lucky me, I got a little one who loves the beach as much as I do!! 🙂 Matt and I will take any opportunity to get close to the water.  A few weeks back we went to a picnic with some friends out at the beach in the Rockaways.  We had the best kite-flying weather I have ever seen, and a great day of sun, sand and friends!  I also made some yummy cookies (see recipe below) for the day.

IMG_2816IMG_2812

IMG_2806 IMG_2803

And now on to the fun snacks!

IMG_2740 (1)

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip and Coconut Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s 1:1)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups flaked coconut (unsweetened)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Place foil down on a cookie sheet or lightly coat with extra coconut oil to prevent sticking. 

In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time.  Stir in vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl.  Slowly stir into the liquid mixture.  Fold in the chocolate chips and coconut.

Spoon cookie dough onto the cookie sheet.  Bake for 7 – 9 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for several minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool.

The recipe will make about 25 – 30 cookies depending on size.  Let me know how you like them!

IMG_2732 IMG_2733 IMG_2734 IMG_2736

IMG_2737

IMG_2740 (1)

Pizza Saturdays – April 24, 2016

Saturdays were made for pizza; I will believe that as long as my stomach can tolerate mozzarella and tomatoes (I am probably a bit too hopeful that it lasts the rest of my life :)).  I’m not sure how this new routine started for us; I think it may be related to my discovery of the best gluten-free pizza in NYC at Numero 28.

Since we didn’t leave Brooklyn this weekend, I tried out a new recipe at home after the DUMBO Family Festival (views below near the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges).  I’ve been relying too much on my favorite gluten-free pizza recipe from Minimalist Baker, so I created my own thick crust recipe this weekend, and it turned out great.  I just need to get Matt eating some veggie and meat toppings now 🙂

IMG_2681 IMG_2685

Thick Crust Gluten-Free Pizza

Ingredients – Dough

  • 2 cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s 1:1)
  • 1/4 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
  • 1 tbsp. active dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (plus 1 tbsp. for coating the dough)
  • 3/4 cup warm water (about 100 degrees)

Ingredients – Sauce and Toppings

  • 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes (make sure there are no onions and garlic in the tomatoes)
  • 2 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 clove garlic (in muslin bag)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 block grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1 tbsp. ricotta cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a deep baking dish with olive oil to prevent sticking.

In a medium-size bowl, place the gluten-free flour, cornmeal, yeast, sugar and salt and stir to combine.

Create a hole in the middle of the flour mixture and add the warm water and olive oil.  Slowly stir the flour into the water mixture until it begins to come together.  Begin to mix the dough with your hands if needed to combine further.  If the dough becomes too sticky, sprinkle additional flour until the mixture forms a ball without sticking to your hands.

Coat the outside of the dough with the remaining olive oil and press down into the baking dish.  Flatten so the crust is about 3/4 in. thick, with a higher wall around the outside.  Bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until the crust begins to lightly crack.

While the crust is cooking, heat tomatoes, garlic, basil and salt over medium heat.

Remove dough from oven and coat with sauce, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella.  Cook for another 10 – 15 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to brown and bubble.

Allow the pizza to cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Sprinkle with hot pepper flakes for some extra flavor! Enjoy!

I’d love to hear from you! Let me know your FODMAP experience with cheese / pizza – leave feedback in the comments 🙂

IMG_2706 IMG_2707 IMG_2711 IMG_2712 IMG_2713 IMG_2715

 

Bring on 2016 – January 1, 2016

2015 was a weird year.  So many good changes happened, yet so many other things didn’t move forward at all.  We went on some amazing vacations – California, Florida, London, and so many great changes happened for my son in terms of schooling and overall developmental progress.  When I step back and look at the bigger picture, I see we have so much for which we are grateful and feel so blessed.  In the day to day, sometimes it is hard to see more than the things that are staying the same.  In short, I’m ready for 2016!

We rang in the new year by sleeping early after the big masquerade party.  I woke this morning to an excited little guy giving me a hug and kiss, saying “Happy 2016, Mom!!” He’s a sweet guy.

IMG_0932

I sometimes forget the view we have from our apartment, but it strikes me every now and then.  Last night I was glad I could see 1 WTC through the clouds and fog – it’s helpful for keeping my own worries and issues in perspective. Plus it’s a beautiful part of NYC.

IMG_0948

On to today – I started the day with a trip to the gym with my dad.  Always good to start the new year with a gym day.  And end the first of the year with cookies.  That’s also good.  I made another really simple recipe tonight while my son was in the shower so he could have one before bed.

IMG_0963

FODMAP – friendly Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 12 cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup peanut butter (make sure the peanut butter does not contain high fructose corn syrup)
  • 1/3 cup sugar + 1 tsp for sprinkling on cookies before cooking
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease cookie sheet with coconut oil (spray or solid).

In a medium size bowl, mix peanut butter and egg until fully combined.

In another medium  bowl, mix sugar, coconut flour and baking powder.

Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet and mix well with a wooden spoon. Make sure all lumps from the dry mixture are gone. Add the chocolate chips and mix again.

Form cookie shapes (1 – 2 tbsp worth) with your hands and place on the cookie sheet.  The cookies will not expand during cooking.  Sprinkle the extra tsp of sugar on top of the cookies before baking.

Bake cookies for 7 – 10 minutes.

Let the cookies cool for about 10 minutes once removed from the oven. They will continue to firm up when removed from the heat.

IMG_0959 IMG_0960

Remember – I welcome comments / feedback – 2016 is the year for growing and changing 🙂

Weekend News – December 14, 2015

Welcome to my first blog post!  My sister has been suggesting I blog for years (probably so that I don’t talk her ear off so much), but I’m just now getting around to it and am excited by the new challenge.

We’ve had beautiful weather in NYC lately, so we spent the weekend bopping around enjoying some of the best our city has to offer.  Central Park in 60 degree weather is absolutely perfect!

IMG_0711

We made a stop for brunch at A.G. Kitchen (warning: I love NY Magazine), where they have a great gluten-free burger bun.  We also did an order of guacamole, onion on the side for my belly – I seem to do OK with small amounts of avocado but if you’re doing the full FODMAP elimination it should be avoided.

IMG_0717

And then I made a HUGE mistake.  We were having such a wonderful, calm NYC day and I ruined it by suggesting we see the tree at Rockefeller Center.  We barely made it out of the crowds alive, but we did get our annual shot of the tree which may make it worth it in a few days when I’ve recovered 🙂

IMG_0741

I will be posting some products to the Product Recommendations page today and posting some recipes this week – stay tuned!