Challenge for the creative cook: elimination diet recipes

[sirion]

Due to unknown food allergies, I have begun an elimination diet, where I am forbidden from eating most foods for a month, after which I can add back ingredients at a rate of 1/week.

Basically, I can eat lamb, turkey, most game, deep-ocean fish, most fruits and veggies, some nuts, and some oils.
I can't have grains, legumes, eggs, milk, sugar, onions, chocolate, potatoes, corn, rice, citrus, pepper (black or any hot pepper), alcohol, apples, or tomatoes. If it's related to one of these, I probably can't have it.

If you can provide me with some tasty recipes, this month will be much much easier (and I'll get to do a lot of cooking, which is nice, too). Bonus points for recipes that last in the fridge or freezer for multiple days, as cooking a lot on one day is easier than cooking three times every day. I'm actually trying to gain weight, rather than lose any, so feel free to go wild with the calories.

Example OK ingredients:
-Meat: Lamb, wild game (except buffalo, I believe), deep-water ocean fish (orange roughy, halibut, tuna, salmon), turkey, crab, lobster, oysters, deer, rabbit, duck, goose, clams, pheasant, frog legs, quail, scallops, cornish game hen, sardines in olive oil
-Veggies: All OK [except corn, white potato (sweet potato = OK), tomato, onions, all legumes]
Sweet potato, yam, cabbage, carrot, okra, radish, greens(beet, mustard, spiish, collards, etc), cucumber, eggplant, brussel sprouts, kale, avocado, broccoli, parsnips, green pepper (no hot peppers), rutabaga, leek, turnip, garlic, ginger.
-Fruits: All OK except apple & citrus (lemon and lime can be used for flavor).
-Nuts: Hazelnut, almonds, pecans. No peanuts(= legumes)
-Oils: Safflower, Sunflower, flaxseed, sesame, extra virgin olive oil.
-Condiments: Honey in small amounts, Stevia extract, cilantro, almond butter, sesame butter(tahini).

While I've written out most of the parameters, the full rules of the diet are here: http://drcranton.com/Elimination_Diet.pdf

Thanks in advance!

 

[SierraCook]

I have not made this recipe, but it sounds like it might be something that you could eat.

Marinated Lamb Chops

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon, zested (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1 lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 (4-ounce) lamb loin chops, trimmed of all visible fat

In a small bowl stir together the first 7 ingredients. Put the lamb chops in a sealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over them. Move the chops around in the bag so the marinade coats them well. Marinate for 1 hour. Grill or broil the chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare.

 

[Piccolina]

Hi Sirion, I can relate to your elimation diet woes, I've got to eat around some serious medical issues myself, and it can be tricky to continually find diverse foods that fit into your own diet boundries. On the plus side though, I have found that over time (once you know for sure what you can and can't eat) that it becomes almost second nature to find and create recipes that only use your allowed foods.

You didn't specifically mention pork one way or the other but here is a total TNT pork roast recipe (just omit the pinch of brown sugar). I think that roasting up a tin (pan) of some of the root veggies that you mentioned like parsnips, turnips and (if you can eat them) jerusalem artichokes with some garlic, olive oil and fresh rosemary or thyme would be a wonderful dish to serve with this roast.


Caraway and Herb Crusted Pork Roast


3 pound (approx) boneless pork loin (roast)

2 ½ tbsp of crushed caraway seeds

1 tsp of dried thyme

1 tsp of dried parsley

1/3 tsp dried marjoram

2 tbsp olive oil

a pinch of brown sugar

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste



Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).

In a mixing bowl combine all the spices and herbs with the olive oil and brown sugar, stir until you have a thick paste.

Next place your pork loin (with the fat side pointing upwards) in a non-stick or lightly oiled roasting pan (larger enough so that your roast will have space on all sides and not be touching the sides of the pan).

Firmly massage the herb and spice paste into the roast, covering as best you can all over. I then like to add a few tbsp of water to the pan (about 4-5) and cover it with tinfoil (or a lid should you roasting tin happen to have one).

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook for at least one hour (aim for an internal temperature of at least 160°C). About once every fifteen minutes peel back some of the foil and gently baste the roast entirely (you don’t want to wash away the herb and spice coating). Replacethe foil and continue cooking.

After one hour remove the foil and turn up the heat on your oven by 25°. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or longer if needed, you are going for a lightly golden colour on the top of your crackling (fat). If needed increase the heat of the oven slightly more to achieve this result. Once the roast in golden brown on top remove it from the oven and let it sit in the pan for about 5-7 minutes.

Remove from the pan and slice into thin slices. Drizzle with any remaining pan juices and serve at once to your eager crowd.

Makes 6 servings


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Here is a lovely Kale recipe that I've posted before, it only uses ingredients that you can eat: Garlicky Broccoli and Kale Stir-fry


If you can eat pine nuts, this recipe is an Italian classic that goes so well alongside both fish and meat dishes, it's a TNT of mine (and surely many other people): Spinach with Pine Nuts

 

[sirion]

Thanks, sierra & piccolina. While I can't eat pork (or beef or chicken), I imagine that I can substitute lamb for a pretty tasty meal, and all of the other suggestions so far have also looked great. Thanks much, and keep em coming.

 

[Piccolina]

Thanks, sierra & piccolina. While I can't eat pork (or beef or chicken), I imagine that I can substitute lamb for a pretty tasty meal, and all of the other suggestions so far have also looked great. Thanks much, and keep em coming.

Hi Sirion, you're very welcome. Yes, come to think of it I don't see any reason at all why you couldn't use lamb here instead of pork, I bet it would be delicious!

 

[JMediger]

Even though it's summer, soup comes to mind ... I make a sweet potato bisque that is wonderful cold and even without the onion and cream, I think it would still be good (boil your sweet potatoes, run through a food processor - adding stock until desired consitancy, season with thyme and marjoram). I think you could add fennel to this (if you are allowed) and that would add an interesting angle to the soup.

Salad also comes to mind as well ... spinach with poppy seeds and strawberries, drizzle with hazelnut oil & vinegar ... greens with mandarin oranges and pine nuts, drizzle with oil and vinegar ... etc.

I hope that helps a little - I'll keep thinking ...

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

If you can't have sugar, then you must also stay away from brown sugar as it's made from sugar and mollases (a sugar by-product). You should be able to substitute with Splenda or Stevia. But you won't get the brown sugar flavor.

In some dishes such as stir-fries, by caramelizing veggies sucha as carrots, you develop the natural sugars in the veggie which will add a bit of the brown sugar flavor.

If you can't have onions, I would also stay away from leeks and garlic as they are all members of the lily family.

Here's a sample Meal.

Grilled Country-style Pork Ribs with Sweet Potatoes and Zuchini

Ingredients:
1/4 lb. Country-Style Pork ribs per person
1/4 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup Splenda or Stevia equivalent
1 large Sweet Potato per person
1 zuchini per person
1 stick butter, softened
Heavy-Duty Aluminum Foil

Spices for the Sweet Potatoes
1/8 tsp. powdered ginger
1/4 tsp. all spice
1/8 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinamon
1/4 cup Splenda
1/2 stick butter

Fire up the grill, direct heat method over a solid bed of coals. Cover 1/4 of the grill with the aluminum foil.

Combine ribs, ginger, salt, lime juice, and Splenda in a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Shake vigorously and let sit for 15 minutes.

While the fire is heating, slice each zuchini into four spears.
Wash the sweet potatoes and pierce lightly with a fork, all over the skin.

Place the Sweet Spuds into the microwave and cook on the baked potato setting for the number of sweet spuds you are cooking. Dry the zuchini spears with a paper towel and smear with half of the butter.

Remove the ribs from the bag and put in a bowl to carry to the grill. Take the zuchini with you. Place the ribs over the uncovered grill and the zuchini on top of the aluminum foil. Cover and adjust all vents to the half-open position, or if using a gas grill, turn off the flame from under the squash.

Cook for 5 minutes and check the veggies. Turn over the meat. Cook and additional 5 minutes and remove from the fire.

Split the sweet spuds and mash in a bowl. Add Splenda and add the Sweet Potato spices and butter. Stir together.

Sprinkle the zuchini slices with paprika and serve everything arranged on plates.


Now take this theme and change it up by roasting in the oven, substituting chicken, or rabit, venison, whatever. Change up the veggies by using celery, tomatoes, and carrots. Or cook up some beets with a bit of Splenda and a touch of cloves. Thicken the beet juice with a cornstarch slurry (lightly thicken).

Take any kind of meat, cube it, and throw it together with water chestnuts, bias-sliced celery, bamboo shoots, bok-choy, baby corn, a bit of Splenda, a dash or two of ginger, another dash of Chinese 5-spice powder, a tbs. or so of Maggie seasoning sauce (similar to soy sauce, but not made from soy beans), and a slplash of rice-wine vinegar (vinegar is optional). Serve with brown rice, or rice noodles (cellophone noodles).

Another great recipe is to make your favorite spaghetti sauce and serve it over cooked spaghetti squash.

For seafood, you can broil, bake, grill, barbecue, smoke, poach, make into a soup... Well, I'll let someone else get a word in here. I've got to get to the store and get home.

And everyone else who's reading this post, c'mon. We know hundreds of recipes and can plan meals as good as anyone on the planet. Give a hand.

Seeeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North