Lisa Tries Mixes from the Heartland

I am a very lucky allergenista, as you all know, I have a new full time job; well it’s in sales so it’s full time plus, and sometimes I get home after 8 or 8:30, but my wonderful husband, Mark, always has a hot meal ready for me when I get home. As I went through culinary school, Mark's skills as a cook have improved right along with mine… but this last week Mark has been really busy with his own computer consulting business (he did my website) and hasn’t had time to prepare homemade meals.

Well, were we in luck- Teri Whisenhunt, of Mixes from the Heartland sent me some samples of her product to try and dinner can be made in as little as a half hour, so we haven’t missed a beat! Mixes from the Heartland is based in Amarillo, Texas which is part of the panhandle, this facility is free of wheat, soy, barley, oats, rye, eggs, nuts and by products. Some of their mixes do contain dairy or shellfish, so be sure to read the labels. We tried the Tex Mex Spaghetti Meal and Texas Bean Bake Meal. The Texas Bean Bake is very similar to chili but has an interesting sweet and spicy taste, and the Tex Mex Spaghetti is tasty with a little kick, I love heat, so this will definitely be a staple in our home.

I have dairy allergies so some of the products are off limits to me, but never fear, I am making some for my sans allergy friends to test and will keep you posted for those of you that can enjoy dairy products.

Having tried these convenient, tasty and reasonably priced meals require only a few readily available ingredients to make a full meal. Teri shared with me, “it kills me to know how high the prices are for Gluten Free products.” We used a pound of ground beef with our mixes and the cost came in under $10 with leftovers for the next day. Teri is also starting a new Organization, called Gluten Free Families in Need, to help feed families that suffer with allergies eat safely and well, how cool is that?

I was so impressed with the company and quality of the products, I asked Teri to provide me with some samples for our Safe & Sound dinner on February 9th, I received a huge box of samples for our gift bags and can’t wait to share them with you.

A Must Have Cookbook for Allergenistas

Did you ever wonder what spices go with quinoa or what would be the best sides to compliment pork? Well, you are in luck, there is a great book that shows you every ingredient, when it’s in season, and what other ingredients go well with it. It’s called, “The Flavor Bible”, by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. I used it to create the pork, apple and red cabbage dish below, I was pleasantly surprised by the results. Please share any new recipes you concoct with this must-have book.

Pork, Apple and Red Cabbage



1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound pork chops
2 teaspoons thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
Kosher salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 cup red onion, small dice
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
2 cups red cabbage, cut in strips
1/8 cup champagne vinegar
1/8 cup red wine
1/8 cup sugar, or less – to taste

Heat saute pan over medium heat for one minute.
Add olive oil and heat another minute.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of pork chops.
Mix together thyme, parsley, Kosher salt and black pepper, reserve.
Place pork chops in pan and cook until brown on both sides, reserve.
Add onion and sprinkle with half of spice mix and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
Add apple, cabbage and remaining seasoning, cook until soft.
Add champagne vinegar and red wine to deglaze pan, cook until liquid reduces by 1/2.
Half way thru reduction of vinegar and wine, sprinkle sugar over cabbage, apple and onion mixture to taste.
Place pork chops in pan to reheat.

Next Up: Lisa Tries Mixes From the Heartland

Landmark Grill & Lounge Unveils Safe & Sound Dinner Menu

When I threw down the Safe & Sound challenge to Chef Kurt Guzowski of Landmark Grill & Lounge , I knew it was going to be good, and boy did he deliver! The menu for our February 9th dinner is creative, interesting and most important, free of the Big Bad 8 allergens and Gluten. There is limited seating available for this special dinner and we are almost ½ way full, so don’t wait to reserve your place.

Starters
Lamb rillette*, date puree, fennel confit served with an allergen-free cracker
Roasted beet salad with a balsamic emulsion and frisee salad, topped with jalapeno oil

Entrees
Wood-roasted chicken with mushrooms and natural jus
Grilled flank steak with roasted cipollini onion and balsamic reduction

Sides
Smoked brussel sprouts** served with bacon
Herb roasted fingerling potatoes and truffles

*Lamb Rillette is tender lamb that has been slow-cooked
**These are not the brussel spouts you refused to eat as a child… all I can say is YUM!

Ok, so now that I got your attention, it doesn’t stop there…
SWIRLZ CUPCAKES is bringing the dessert! Not just any dessert, Pam Rose, is working with her baking team to create a special flavor that will compliment this decadent menu.

After that meal, you are going to need a work-out, so to help- you will get a “weighted” gift bag to lug home filled with allergen treats and coupons from your favorite allergen free brands like:

• Whole Foods Market


• Bob’s Red Mill


• Mixes From the Heartland


• Ener-G


• Free From Market


• Peanut Free Planet

I will update my website with gift bag contributors as they come in, stay tuned!

A Great Hotel to Stay at When Traveling with Food Allergies

My apologies to my favorite allergenistas, two weeks of training for my new job has kept me out of the kitchen from making new recipes. Notice the little burners in the kitchen in my room; I made fajitas last week and the room still smells of onion and garlic! I did want to share with you the wonderful experience I have had at Staybridge Suites in Columbia, Maryland. I filled out a comment card stating that they needed to have more options for people with food allergies and celiac disease. I got a call today, from their Director of Sales, Alicia Smith, she offered to drive me to the grocery store, so that I could pick out foods that were safe for me to eat and even paid the bill! It was really above and beyond. I showed Alicia some options to buy to have on hand in the future for other guests that have allergies, she was very happy to learn how to accommodate us allergenistas! I would encourage you to stay at these hotels, make sure you call in advance so they can prepare for your visit.

Chef Kurt is finalizing the menu for the Safe & Sound and should have the menu to me on Thursday (you can’t rush a masterpiece!), there are only 45 seats available at this restaurant, so don’t delay registering for this special event.

Join us at The Landmark Grill & Lounge on February 9th for our 1st Safe & Sound Dinner of 2010

Here is what other allergenistas are saying about Safe & Sound Dinners….

“Coming to a Safe & Sound Dinner is an incredible experience for anyone with food allergies. To have dinner in a restaurant without worry is a gift, and the food served is incredible. The dinner I enjoyed at BOKA was easily the best meal I've eaten in seven years since my diagnosis! What truly sets Safe & Sound Dinners apart is the company at the table. By the end of a shared meal filled with personal food stories, chatting about favorite products and moaning with pleasure while eating wonderful allergy-free food, you will have a full stomach and new friends.” -Jenn Sutherland
http://www.thewholekitchen.blogspot.com/

“The dinner at BOKA was wonderful in so many ways. The menu was excellent and well rounded. I loved each dish for different reasons and ending on my favorite Swirlz cupcakes was the best. Having the chef come out and speak was a real treat. His food was simple and full of flavor. I am so excited for the next Safe and Sound Dinner in the New Year.”

- Jenni F.

Traveling with Food Allergies and Italian Sausage and Peppers

I just started a new job and am training in Maryland this week. The interview process took place in the matter of days and in a blink I was off to O’Hare. I didn’t give much thought to what I would eat while I was gone, and WOW, it’s not easy to travel with food allergies without a plan ….office lunches brought in, breakfast at the hotel, you know the kind, waffles, toast, bagels, although they had cereal I could eat, no rice milk, top it off with dinners at the guy’s favorite sports bar. Eating with allergies has been difficult to say the least.

With that in mind, I had to think of a way to work around this… So below are some ideas I put together to ease your travels.

• Bring food from home – you have already done the homework on what is safe, just bring it with you.


• When you get settled, find out where the closest grocery store is and stock up on snacks and dinners safe for you to eat. You might want to bring a can opener and silverware from home in case you can find some of Amy’s soups or allergen free frozen dinners.


• Download our restaurant safety sheet to bring into restaurants. Ask the server to have it follow your order thru the kitchen. It explains your allergies and gives protocol to avoid any cross-contamination issues.


• If you have time to prepare, a little internet research goes a long way, find out where the best allergen free stores and restaurants can be found.


• See if your company can put you in a hotel that has a mini kitchen and cook your own meals, it saves money and you will know exactly what you are eating. I am staying at the Staybridge Suites and they have a cute little kitchen complete with dishes, pots and pans and even a dishwasher to save you time on the clean-up.

It takes a little effort, but you can eat just as well on the road.

On to the eats

Pre-allergens I used to love the Italian sausage at Portillos. Topped with sweet peppers and onions – oh so good. When I went shopping at Costco I came across Premio Italian Sausage which are naturally gluten free. Actually, most of their products are gluten free. So I took them home and started cooking, this is a very simple recipe. If you wanted a great roll to put it in, try Deerfield Bakeries . You can buy Deerfield Bakery products at select Whole Food Market stores (call in advance to make sure they carry) or on Deerfield’s website. Enjoy!
Italian Sausage with Sweet Peppers



1lb Italian Sausage links
2 green bell peppers (seeded and sliced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 teaspoon oregano
2 cups beef stock


Brown sausage thoroughly on all sides.
Add onions and peppers and sauté 5-10 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer about an hour.
Serve on your favorite Allergen free rolls.