Comfort food recipes without the common allergy ingredients.
Author: cookingwithoutallergens
I was born and raised in central New Hampshire but have also lived in Boston; Tempe, Arizona; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; and Derry, New Hampshire before moving to Edina, Minnesota in 2019 after my husband died. I'm a retired archivist, worked for the Arizona State Archives and the National Archives and Records Administration. Began cooking at age 4, learned to read reading a cookbook. As a teenager, I often cooked family meals as my mother was busy correcting papers or doing class preparations for the next day.
Began developing food allergies at menopause and the number has grown over the last several decades.
This is a very quick and easy pudding to make and tastes creamy and rich just like one made with milk and cream. I garnished mine with roasted pumpkin seeds but if you can have one of the plant based whipped creams, that would work even better.
Put in a medium saucepan (2 quart):
2 cups oat milk (any milk EXCEPT soy would work)
about 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup carob powder
1/4 cup agave nectar (or 1/3 cup honey or date syrup)
Whisk until well blended. Place over medium high heat. In a small bowl whisk:
1/2 cup oat milk
3 tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca flour
When the carob mixture begins to steam showing that it’s getting hot, pour in the arrowroot mixture and begin whisking the pudding as it will thicken quickly once the mixture comes just to a boil. Continue whisking until it thickens. Remove from heat and add:
1/4 cup carob chips (Optional but makes for a richer pudding)
1 tablespoon vegan butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whisk until smooth. Pour into ramekins and cool. Cover with small amounts of plastic wrap to keep the pudding from forming a skin (I actually like the skin the best so I don’t mind it). Makes 4-6 servings depending on the size of your ramekins (or old-fashioned pudding bowls!).
My grandson and I made this the other night. He ate two helpings! Very simple to make and quite delicious especially if you like chicken and lemon like we do.
First, dry and trim any fat from:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cut each breast into large chunks then salt and pepper to taste. Heat in a 12″ skillet with high sides over medium high heat:
1 tablespoon olive oil
When shimmering add chicken chunks, brown on every side. Remove to a plate and add to the pan:
1 pound asparagus, washed, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
Sauté 2-3 minutes before removing from the pan. Pour off oil in pan to leave about 1 tablespoon. Add:
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 teaspoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Sauté just until the coriander becomes fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add:
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons lemon juice
chicken breasts along with any juices on the plate
1/2 can (about 1 cup) drained and mashed chickpeas*
Reduce heat to medium low or low and cook just until the chicken registers 175 degrees or is completely firm to the touch, about 10-15 minutes. Turn the chicken several times while cooking to ensure an even cook. If the sauce is reducing too much, reduce heat to low and/or cover the pan to keep in the remaining sauce. When chicken is cooked, remove to the plate and add the asparagus back into the pan to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until just tender. Stir the chicken back into the pan. Serve over rice, garnish with fresh parsley or green onions. Makes 4 servings (unless you’ve got someone like my grandson around!).
*If you like the texture of whole chickpeas you can also add the other half can whole when you add the asparagus back into the pan towards the end.
There are probably as many recipes for chicken cacciatore on the internet as there are recipe sites. But here’s another one that’s easy to prepare and tastes oh so good! The chicken stays fairly moist (because it’s browned before stewing), the portobellos add some depth to the dish and the sauce is rich and succulent. Using boneless, skinless chicken thighs cuts down on the cooking time so this can be ready in about 40 minutes for a fairly quick midweek supper.
Trim fat and dry with paper towels:
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and pepper lightly. Over medium heat begin heating a Dutch oven and add:
1 tablespoon olive oil
Add the chicken thighs and cook, about 4-5 minutes before turning and browning on the other side. If the chicken sticks to the bottom of the pan when trying to turn it, it’s not ready to turn so brown a little longer. Once browned on both sides, remove to a plate and add to the pan:
1 medium onion, diced
5-6 stalks celery, chopped
3 large or 5 medium portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and chopped
3/4 cup diced carrots
Lightly salt and saute until the onion is translucent and the celery and mushrooms are softened. Add:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour
Mix to combine and cook out the flour over medium low heat for a minute before adding:
2 cups chicken stock (or 1 cup white wine and 1 cup chicken stock, or 1 cup chicken stock and 1 cup mushroom stock)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
14-15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
Stir to combine and then place the chicken thighs into the stock, pushing down to cover. Be sure to add any juices that have accumulated on the plate as well. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes until chicken reaches 175 degrees internally. It will start falling apart when completely stewed so don’t worry if you don’t have a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Add:
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Stir to combine. Serve over rice, pasta, or potatoes. I’ve discovered at my local Whole Foods Market, a heart of palm pasta (365 brand) that is very low in carbs and very tasty so I added a bag of it (drained and rinsed) about 10 minutes before the cacciatore was done. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired. Serves 4.
Humans aren’t the only ones with food allergies and sensitivities – our pets can also deal with these issues. A good friend of mine always made the food and treats for her pets and this is one of her recipes that I’ve adapted to fit those dogs with gluten sensitivity. It’s my experience that most dogs love peanut butter and carob so I’ve incorporated those ingredients as well but if your dog can’t have peanut butter try using pumpkin or sunflower seed butter instead.
My son and his family went on a short vacation this last week and I’ve been dog sitting for their springer spaniel. He gobbles up these cookies, probably would eat all 20 that the dough made if I’d let him! His dog walker took several home to her 2 dogs who also loved them.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet. In a medium to large mixing bowl add:
1 1/2 cups white rice flour
1 cup sweet potato flour*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar (I used date sugar)
2/3 cup peanut or seed butter
In a small bowl mix together:
1/2 cup pumpkin seed protein (or pea protein would work well)
1/2 cup cold water
Add to the dry ingredients along with:
1 cup chicken or beef stock
Mix until completely combined, mixture may be a little sticky, if so add a little more flour. If you have a biscuit cookie cutter, feel free to roll out the dough and cut into biscuit shapes. I didn’t have one so I used my 1/4 cup scoop to form cookies and then flattened them. Cook 45-60 minutes, or until completely firm. Cooking time will depend on the size of your cookies. I cooked mine for about 40 minutes and they turned out still soft in the middle.
*Amazon has a wide variety of sweet potato flours available.
I ate only one little slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving and its one of my favorites so I thought about the pie squares that were so popular in the 70s and 80s, especially those lemon and pumpkin ones and decided to see if I could make an allergy free alternative. Low and behold, no pumpkin in the cupboard but sweet potato puree in excess. And they turned out sooooooo good! Creamy and delicious. I topped the pan with roasted pumpkin seeds which added a nice contrast of textures to the dessert. If desired, of course, pumpkin could be substituted but probably you’d want to add more sweetener and I’d recommend using coconut or date sugar rather than additional liquid.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse until combined into a crumbly texture:
1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup date sugar
1/2 cup vegan margarine or cold olive or avocado oil (it will get thick and turn white when frozen or chilled for a day or two)
When crumbly, press into the bottom of a 9×13″ baking pan. Mix in a medium bowl:
1 can sweet potato puree or 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes
1/4 cup maple syrup
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (any except soy)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup pumpkin seed protein or any protein powder you have on hand
1/4 to 1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Whisk together until combined and smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, sprinkle with the seeds if desired, and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Chill thoroughly before cutting. Top with a non-dairy whip if desired.
Most gluten-free muffins (and breads) are very gummy, overly moist. These are not! They have a very soft crumb but are not crumbly or overly dry. By finely dicing an Asian pear, these have a great crunch along with the spices. Just delicious! And fairly quick and easy to put together and bake (about 30 minutes altogether). Of course, apple can be used instead of pear.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease a 12-muffin pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine:
1/4 cup avocado oil (or other mild oil)
1/2 cup gluten-free oat milk (or other non-dairy milk)
4 tablespoons pear sauce (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons date sugar (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon)
3/4 cup finely diced Asian pear (1 small)
Stir to combine before adding:
1 1/2 cup gluten-free flour blend (one with guar or xanthan gum already in it)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Mix thoroughly until combined. Spoon into muffin cups (about 2/3 full), sprinkle with date sugar if desired and bake for 15-18 minutes until skewer comes out clean.
I’ve been looking at all kinds of recipes for baked “oats”. But none of them have actual oatmeal in them, they all use oat flour. So here’s my alternative. I’ve added some quinoa flour and oat protein powder to the mix to increase the protein content of the pudding as well as increasing the sweetener a little because the flour, at least in my opinion, overrides the taste of the pumpkin and spices. I didn’t think of it until after they were in the oven but adding some roasted pepitas would some crunch.
As a reminder for those of you new to my blog, there are a number of allergen-free recipes here to make your Thanksgiving dinner allergen free such as gluten-free gravy (and fat free), string-bean casserole, vegan pumpkin pie, and a delicious mushroom and Italian sausage stuffing (which I made this year with a loaf of that quick and easy oat bread on the blog).
Lightly grease 6, 6-ounce ramekins and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl whisk together:
1 can pumpkin puree
1 cup quinoa flour
3/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup pumpkin protein powder (or any protein powder you use, vanilla or even chocolate would work)
1/3 to 1/2 cup maple syrup (or honey, coconut nectar, date syrup, etc.)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup dairy-free milk (any will do but I would advise against using soy)
1/4 cup roasted pepita seeds
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Whisk until smooth then scoop into the ramekins to about 1/2″ from the top. Dust top with more pumpkin pie spice. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until set.
It’s that time of year again! Time to pull out the gingerbread recipes along with all the pumpkin and spices. Here’s a very easy ginger cookie recipe that takes very little time to throw together and only 10 minutes to bake so in a mere 20 minutes you’ve got cookies – just as quickly as any tube of cookie dough you buy in the grocery store. And oh so delicious!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet by covering with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl combine:
1 tablespoon ground flax
3 tablespoons warm water
Stir to combine and let sit for a minute or two until a gel forms. Add:
1/2 cup pepita butter (or sunflower butter, tahini, etc.)
1/3 cup date sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Using a hand mixer, mix until fully combined. Add:
3 tablespoons all-purpose gluten-free flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Using a spoon, mix in the dry ingredients. This is too thick for the hand mixer. When combined, using a small cookie scoop, place scoops on the prepared baking sheet and flatten. Makes about 15 cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.
When I worked at Arizona State University, the chair of the department and I shared the same birthday so we’d go out for lunch annually on our birthday. There was a little Chinese restaurant near campus where we’d devour several orders of pot stickers and a soup bowl of hot and sour soup. I’ve been checking every grocery store I go to and I couldn’t find gluten-free wonton wrappers but a check on-line found a recipe. So, although this process is somewhat lengthy, the dumplings are well worth the effort.
First, make the wonton wrappers by combining:
1/2 cup all purpose gluten-free flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 white rice flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon guar gum
Whisk together the dry ingredients then stir in:
1/2 cup boiling water
Dough will start to come together. Add:
2 tablespoons cold water
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Stir to combine, kneading with hands if necessary. Form into a ball, cut in half. Place one half under plastic wrap to stay moist while working with the other half. Roll the dough into a log then cut into 12 pieces, about 1 tablespoon each. Roll the pieces into balls and place in a sandwich bag until ready to fill. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Next, make the filling. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse:
8-10 scallion whites
6 ounces shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup shredded carrots
Pulse until well ground. Put into a medium bowl with:
3/4 pound ground turkey (or pork)
3 teaspoons date sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce substitute (see recipe under sauces)
1/2 teaspoon ginger juice (or freshly grated ginger)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Combine, cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to fill the wontons. Using a bamboo steamer (or a steamer basket or pot but you won’t be able to cook as many at once), place over water on the stove. Take one dough ball, place between two pieces of plastic wrap, and using a small rolling pin (or any can), roll out to about a 3″ circle. Place about 1 tablespoon filling in the middle. Using the plastic wrap, bring the sides of the wonton wrapper together in the middle. Pick up the ball and gently press the edges together to seal the dumpling (these can be either round or rectangular). If the dough is dry, wipe the edges with a small amount of water to moisten and seal. Place in the steamer and repeat until the steamer is filled, without the dumplings touching the edges or each other because they will stick as they cook. Bring the steamer water to a boil and cook the dumplings 10-12 minutes. Serve with a sesame garlic sauce and garnish with the scallion greens.
Yes, another eggplant recipe! And a very simple dip to prepare; the hardest part is roasting the eggplant and that’s not especially difficult, just time consuming. I can’t tell you exactly what size eggplant to buy – you’ll want about 2 cups of eggplant pulp. The 3 oriental eggplant I used only gave me about 1 cup of pulp so I would recommend a medium to large Italian eggplant for this recipe or else adjust the other ingredients to the amount of eggplant pulp you roasted.
First, roast the eggplant by slicing it into 1″ slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray or brush the eggplant slices with olive oil then turn them over and repeat. Roast in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
While the eggplant is roasting, in a small skillet heat:
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon cumin
Heat only until you can smell the cumin, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Remove the eggplant and let cool slightly before peeling the skin from around the outside of each slice. Place in a food processor and add:
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt and pepper (about 1/8 teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
the cumin and avocado oil mixture
Pulse until smooth, spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle with dried or fresh parsley. If desired, sprinkle with olive or avocado oil as well. Serve with gluten-free pita or quinoa buns (see recipe below).
Quinoa Buns
I thought these sounded interesting – avocado and quinoa with lime juice? Who puts lime juice in a bread? But I thought it sounded like it might be a good vehicle for the baba ghanoush. And it sounded very easy to make so I gave it a try and it actually is delicious but just be miserly with the lime zest or it overpowers the other flavors in the buns.
In a medium to large bowl combine:
1 1/2 cup quinoa flour (if you don’t have any but you have quinoa, simply pulse in a food processor to make flour from the raw quinoa)
1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
In a smaller bowl mash:
1 whole large ripe avocado being sure to take out any brown bruise spots which won’t mix into the batter
Add to the avocado:
1-2 tablespoons lime juice (juice from 1 lime)
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup water
Using a whisk or hand mixer, combine the wet ingredients until fairly smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. It’s a sticky dough so using wet hands shape into 6-7 balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flatten to about 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle with more sesame seeds and let sit while the oven heats to 425 degrees. Bake about 25 minutes total, turning the buns over at 15 minutes to brown both sides. Test with a toothpick for doneness. REMEMEBER GLUTEN FREE BREADS CAN BE GUMMY SO EVEN IF THE TOOTHPICK COMES OUT CLEAN, THEY STILL MAY NOT BE COOKED THROUGH. Cool completely before cutting.
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