Super Yummy Nightshade Free BBQ Ribs

ok, so they don't look pretty, but they taste good! we served them with steamed broccoli and mashed roasted cauliflower. Yum!

Ribs are easy to prepare, but BBQ sauces have tomatoes and peppers in them, and rubs have paprika and cayenne (also peppers) in them. Since nightshades and I don't get along, that was a problem. We've been doing some research, and after some trial and error, we've come up with some ribs that are yummy and don't have the offending nightshades.

Super Yummy Nightshade Free BBQ Ribs (adapted from a recipe found here)

Baby back ribs
Fauxmato BBQ Sauce
Sweet Dry Rub

Remove membrane from back of ribs. Place ribs on a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet and sprinkle dry rub on one side, then rub it in. Turn over and do the same for the other side. Let sit for 15 or 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees while ribs are resting. Spread bbq sauce on both sides of the ribs. Place a sheet of foil on top of ribs and fold over all sides, sealing the ribs into a packet. Bake ribs in oven for at least 2 hours. We've baked them for 2 1/2 hours and they've just fallen apart before we even got them on the grill. Experiment and see what works best with your oven. After removing from oven, carefully open foil and spread more bbq sauce on the ribs. Throw (or gently place) ribs on the grill for about 10 minutes each side. Be careful not to have the grill too hot or to leave them on too long as the sugars will burn instead of caramelizing. Remove from grill and enjoy!

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free, as well as free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.

Nightshade Free Sweet Dry Rub

When I made ribs this week, I first had to make the BBQ sauce and the dry rub.

BBQ rubs usually have paprika in them, but paprika is made from peppers and I can't eat it, even in small amounts. Because of the lack of paprika and the presence of black pepper, this rub is a bit peppery instead of spicy.

Sweet Dry Rub (adapted from a recipe found here, other ideas are there as well)
6 Tbl brown sugar
3 Tbl Sea salt or Kosher salt (you want a coarse salt that won't soak into the meat right away)
3 Tbl ground black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp mustard powder

Mix ingredients together and store in a cool, dry place.

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free, as well as free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.

Fauxmato BBQ Sauce (Tomato Free)

I made ribs this week, which meant I finally sat down and tried to figure out our BBQ sauce recipe. This version tasted close to the one Mr M made awhile ago (but didn't document) that we've been trying to re-create since. This sauce gets a Korean BBQ sauce flavor from the sesame oil and ume plum vinegar, but it's not over-powering. In the past we've used a bottled Korean BBQ sauce that was really good that contained whole sesame seeds, so you could easily add a tablespoon or two of whole sesame seeds as well.

Fauxmato BBQ Sauce

4 c fauxmato sauce
2 tbl worcestershire sauce (recipe found here, mix together the ingredients below)
     1/2 c cider vinegar
     2 tbsp coconut aminos
     2 tsps water
     1/4 tsp mustard powder
     1/4 tsp onion powder
     1/4 tsp ground ginger
     1/4 tsp garlic powder
     1/8 tsp pepper
     1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 tbl sesame oil
1 tbl ume plum vinegar
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tbl coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp molasses
1/4 tsp tamarind paste
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 bay leaf

Simmer for about half an hour. Remove bay leaf and use sauce. Freeze or refrigerate leftovers. Great on ribs and chicken.

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free, as well as free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.

Ranch Burgers {Gluten Free, Dairy Free}

I know, two recipes in a row? It won't happen again, I promise :)

Yesterday I posted the onion rings I made, and mentioned the ranch burgers I served them with. I'm sure the picture wasn't super helpful in explaining what our version of a ranch burger is, so I'll explain.

Mr M used to season our hamburgers with a mixture of spices and such, which usually included tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce) and worcestershire sauce. Both contain soy, though, and are no longer on the approved foods list.

So what to add to our burgers?

We came up with the idea of adding powdered ranch mix to the meat. Ok, maybe we saw the idea somewhere, but I'm not sure where. In any case, it sounded like a good idea, but then we needed a dairy free ranch mix that would still taste similar to "real" (i.e., Hidden Valley) ranch.

Then I remembered seeing a recipe on a blog I follow for dairy free mock ranch dressing.

Since we use the recipe as she wrote it, I'll refer you back to her blog for the recipe. I like to mix up a double or triple batch so it's ready whenever I want to use it.

Ranch Burgers

1lb burger (beef, elk, etc)
1-2 tbl dairy free ranch mix

Sprinkle the dry mix over the burger (I just eyeball how much I think will be good- more will give a stronger, yummier flavor), then mix well to incorporate the mix into the meat. Form into patties and toss 'em on the grill.

When done, serve with grilled veggies and some gluten free onion rings.

LMS isn't fond of lettuce, so we don't usually wrap our burgers in lettuce, but that is always an option. We also don't add any other toppings (not that there are many that we could actually eat) because the ranch mix gives such a good flavor to the meat that we don't need additional condiments, though Mr M likes to melt some cheese on his. And we just use a fork to eat it- less messy that way :)

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free, and {of course} free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.

Gluten Free Onion Rings

It's been years since I've had onion rings, and lately I've been thinking I'd like to make some. After doing some searching, I found a recipe here that looked pretty straightforward and simple. I did have to change some of the spices, but I think the result tasted great. Though I did remember part of the reason why I haven't had onion rings in so long (aside from the whole gluten free thing). All the oil in fried foods doesn't agree with my stomach :(

This recipe makes onion rings that are coated in a nice, light tempura-like batter. Yum!

Gluten Free Onion Rings

adapted from anaseidel.com

1 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1- 1 1/2 cups water

1 large vidalia (sweet) onion, peeled and cut in thick rings, then separated

Mix the dry ingredients, then add 1 cup of water. Mix and add more water if needed. (I used 1 1/4 cups of water) Batter should be on the thin side. 

Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

Heat some oil in a pot over medium heat.

After the batter has rested for 5 minutes, place some onion rings in the batter and turn them over to coat them.

Let the excess batter drip off (I used a fork), then carefully place in hot oil.

Turn once to allow even browning, then remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Repeat with remaining onion pieces and batter.

Enjoy!

I served the onion rings with ranch burgers (recipe tomorrow!) and grilled veggies. Yum!

Gluten Free Onion Rings

adapted from anaseidel.com

1 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1- 1 1/2 cups water

1 large vidalia (sweet) onion, peeled and cut in thick rings, then separated

1. Mix the dry ingredients, then add 1 cup of water. Mix and add more water if needed. (I used 1 1/4 cups of water) Batter should be on the thin side. 

2. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

3. Heat some oil in a pot over medium heat.

4. After the batter has rested for 5 minutes, place some onion rings in the batter and turn them over to coat them.

5. Let the excess batter drip off (I used a fork), then carefully place in hot oil.

6. Turn once to allow even browning, then remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

7. Repeat with remaining onion pieces and batter.

8. Enjoy!

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free (depending on the type of oil you use to fry the onion rings- be sure to check the label), and {of course} free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.

Sunbutter Fudge

In an effort to wean myself from my Cadbury Mini Egg addiction (I know I'm not supposed to be eating them, but they appeared in our local grocery store before Christmas! How am I supposed to resist them for 5 months straight??!!), I've been searching for an easy dairy free fudge recipe. Several recipes I found had way too many ingredients- I want SIMPLE- but I did find one that I thought would work, so I gave it a try. Unfortunately, it wasn't creamy or very yummy. After a bit more searching I found this recipe that looked promising. I like plain and simple fudge, so I ommitted the apricots and orange zest, and I made a couple tweaks so it would be in line with what we should and should not be eating (and what I had in my cupboard- I didn't have any agave nectar). The result took all of 10 minutes to make and has great texture and flavor. Yum!

Sunbutter Fudge

3/4 c. Enjoy Life chocolate mini chips or mega chunks

1/4 c. sunbutter (sunflower seed butter)- creamy or chunky
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. honey

Carefully melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. If you do it in the microwave, make sure you stir frequently so the chocolate doesn't scorch.

Once melted, stir in sunbutter and vanilla.

Then stir in honey.

As you stir, the mixture should thicken up nicely.

This batch fills this silicone brownie pop pan I found on clearance at Target a few years ago.

If you double the batch, you can spread it in a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined 8"x8" pan. Refrigerate an hour or so till set and hardened, then enjoy!

Sunbutter Fudge

3/4 c. Enjoy Life chocolate mini chips or mega chunks
1/4 c. sunbutter (sunflower seed butter)- creamy or chunky
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. honey

Carefully melt chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. If you do it in the microwave, make sure you stir frequently so the chocolate doesn't scorch. Once melted, stir in sunbutter and vanilla. Then stir in honey. As you stir, the mixture should thicken up nicely.

This batch fills this silicone brownie pop pan I found on clearance at Target a few years ago.
If you double the batch, you can spread it in a lightly greased or parchment paper-lined 8"x8" pan. Refrigerate an hour or so till set and hardened, then enjoy!

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free (depending on the brand of sunflower seed butter- check the label if this is an issue for you), and {of course} free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.

Faux-Mato Sauce

One of the many things LMS and I can't eat is tomatoes. Initially this didn't seem like too much of a problem- just don't put them on our salads or our {bunless} hamburgers. Then we realized that it also meant no chips and salsa (well, we can't eat the chips, either, so no big loss), no pizza (who would want to eat pizza without cheese, anyway?), or spaghetti. Ok, that last one was a bit of a problem. We do like spaghetti once in a while. Mr M did some research and found a company that makes and sells a "Nomato Sauce". However, it was very expensive, which meant we wouldn't be trying it anytime soon. Mr M looked at their ingredient list, then did a bit more research and came up with this recipe for Faux-mato sauce.

For 1 batch of sauce:

1 medium beet
6 carrots
3 stalks of celery

Peel and cube beets, add to a pot of water. Peel and slice carrots into small chunks, add to pot. Slice celery into small chunks, add to pot. Water should cover the vegetables. Bring to boil, continue to cook till all veggies are soft.

When all veggies are soft, drain most of the water. Move veg to blender, including the reserved cooking water (you can do multiple batches depending on blender size and capability). Blend well. ( A Blendtec or Vitamix is great for this) Sauce will be thicker or thinner depending on how much liquid you add to the blender. We tend to leave it pretty thick, then thin as needed when we actually use it.

We make 4 or 5 batches at a time and put the sauce in pint jars and freeze. I imagine you could also run them through a water bath to can them, but that's just too much effort :)

Once you have the basic sauce made, you can do different things with it: tomato sauce, tomato paste, spaghetti sauce, and BBQ sauce.

For a tomato sauce substitute: leave the sauce plain

For a tomato paste substitute: return sauce to pot after blending and cook on medium heat till very thick

For a spaghetti sauce: add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. You can also add minced garlic, chopped onion, and other chopped veg (mushrooms, zucchini, summer squash, etc) if you like that kind of thing (we do).

For a BBQ sauce: I'll get back to you on this one. Mr M tends to throw things in the pot and cook by smell, so it's sometimes hard to pinpoint what he used and how much. We tried to keep track with the last batch, but it didn't taste as good as the previous batch, so we'll keep trying to replicate that so we can share the recipe.

You must be wondering:

But how does it taste????!!

Can it really taste like tomatoes???!!

What about those beets??!!

The answer: yes, it does taste like tomatoes. I only have a memory of what tomato sauce tastes like, but it tasted like it to me. Mr M, who still eats tomatoes when he gets the chance, said it tasted very much like tomato sauce. Some {unsuspecting} friends we had over for dinner didn't notice anything till we mentioned what was in the sauce :)

I will say, though, that the beets do give the sauce a very faint pinkish cast, and if left to sit, will turn your noodles or chicken a bit pinkish. Which is a little weird, but it doesn't affect the flavor.

This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, egg free, corn free, peanut free, nut free, coconut free, soy free, and is also free of tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, sorghum, tapioca, and shellfish. Always check labels before using to make sure the ingredients and/or manufacturing conditions haven't been changed.