Histamine Intolerance

[Morrack]

Hi everyone, new here. My wife has histamine intolerance, and is only able to eat a very limited number of foods (list to follow). Mostly squash. She's been eating pretty boring meals because of it. We just returned from a stay at a spa/resort where the chef went way above and beyond - he took her list of foods she can eat, and custom made some amazing meals for her. This has inspired me to try and do the same for her, or as close as I can come as a newbie to cooking (eep). I'm having a tough time finding suitable recipes though, everything I find has stuff she can't have, and I don't know enough about cooking to know how to adapt/substitute. Would anyone be willing to suggest a recipe or two using only the following ingredients?

• Squash (all kinds)
• Zucchini
• Parsnips
• Pears
• Cranberries
• Turkey
• Lamb
• All lettuce, but no spinach
• Coconut
• Olive oil
• Butter
• All spices, but no curry
• Parsley
• Rice
• Millet

She can't have anything else, including vinegar, lemon, anything fermented, etc. I know that's a pretty restrictive list to come up with anything tasty, but I'm hoping someone is up for a challenge

 

[Whiskadoodle]

welcome to DC.

I hope your wife overcomes her intolerance. I'm not sure what fermented foods mean? Does this include bread, or cheese or?

I will search my recipe files for something tasty for you both.

 

[Morrack]

Thanks Whiskadoodle. Fermented foods are things like sauerkraut, pickled foods, yogurt, etc. Basically, anything that's not on the explicit list above is a no go. Other foods either contain high amounts of histamine, or trigger the body to release extra histamine, which causes high levels of swelling for her. No fun - makes for very painful joints, etc.

 

[95Austin12]

You can add some more items like freshly caught fish, shellfish and pork, Chicken (skinned and fresh), Cream cheese, butter (without the histamine generating rancidity).

 

[medtran49]

I take it no potatoes or crackers (yeast free) of any kind? Sugar, honey? Onions, garlic?

The rice or millet can be used to make a stuffing/dressing for the turkey with poultry seasoning. You can use pears and cranberries to make a chutney for a side. You'll need some kind of sweetener, whether it is honey or sugar. If you can find some of acid (usually vinegar or lemon juice) that would make chutney taste better. Maybe just a splash of white wine?

You can make mashes with parsnips and any of the hard squashes (butternut, acorn, etc), besides cubing them and roasting preferred as it gives more flavor than steaming. Butternut squash soup | Paleo Leap . If she can have eggs (even just yolks) or egg substitute, you can find recipes for dessert using pumpkin and coconut milk.

You can sub out turkey for the duck in Spiced Duck Breast | Paleo Leap . Might have to leave out the mushrooms and leek (onion family). I'd serve it with rice or millet spiced with 5-spice powder.

I LOVE rack of lamb cut into "lollipops" and grilled. I usually rub them with a mixture of garlic, oregano and olive oil first and let them sit for a while. You could make a mash with the parsnips and maybe grill some romaine since you'd have the grill going anyway.

Slice up green/yellow squash and layer, dotting with butter and S and P in between layers. If she can have Ritz crackers, crush some of them and sprinkle in between layers. Also, thinly slice onions and put in layers too if she can have. Top with dotted butter, crushed crackers, S and P, cover and bake at 375 until almost done, then uncover and let dry out/brown on top just a bit. Time will vary depending on how thick your casserole is.

Since you say you are a newbie cook, I'm just going to mention some things that are available that you might not know about like rice noodles (quite a few types), rice flour, coconut milk (NOT the super sweet stuff you make drinks with).

You might want to check out glass/cellophane noodles to see if she can eat those just for a change of pace. Maybe a stir fry type dish with turkey, parsnips and one of the hard orange squashes, cumin, cilantro, touch of heat with cayenne or chili powder if you don't want too spicy.

 

[medtran49]

Scratch the pumpkin I mentioned above, just saw something that says pumpkin is a no go even though it's a squash. You can sub out butternut or acorn.

 

[medtran49]

Just thought of something for lamb, a tagine. Base something off of this Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Honey and Apricots Recipe : Emeril Lagasse : Food Network . I'm assuming you can use honey, garlic, onions because they were listed as okay food items on sevearl lists I looked at. Sub out pears for the dried apricots (even if you have to use fresh, just add them in a LOT later), leave out the raisins if she can't have. I'd probably use millet and just sub out a hard squash and parsnips for the veges not on your list, leave out the others, and the almonds/butter if she can't have those.