‘I Can’t Believe it’s Liver!’ Duck Liver, Thyme and Orange Pâté

Tags

AIP, AIP on the go, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Duck Liver, Health, Liver, Nutrition, Offal, Pate, Travelling with AIP

(Image by TSL)

I was chatting with The Bacon Mum after our recent Autoimmune Connection session and she mentioned one of her secret-squirrel tips for travelling on a restricted diet was to freeze individual portions of liver pâté and then have them on hand for breakfast with slices of apple… Genius!

I know eating organ meats of any description can be one of the biggest hurdles for anyone embarking on an AIP caper. For many, there’s often something off-putting about offal. In fact, in an effort to get his head around the subject, my good mate, Rory over at The Paleo PI has created an Offal Rating Scale…

Mr Leopold Bloom ate with relish the inner organs of beasts and fowls. He liked thick giblet soup, nutty gizzards, a stuffed roast heart, liverslices fried with crustcrumbs, fried hencods’ roes. Most of all he liked grilled mutton kidneys which gave to his palate a fine tang of faintly scented urine. (James Joyce, Ulysses)

I grew up eating my Mum’s chicken liver pâté. In fact, I’d hazard a guess that her chicken liver pâté might even be the most requested dish in her recipe repertoire. Within our family, at least. It’s SO good!

Just writing about it makes me wish I was sitting in the kitchen in Auckland with my Mum eating her pâté…

But I’m not. Sadly. And, when we were growing up, I don’t think even my Mum knew just what a favour she was doing for us. Liver is such a nutrient dense food.

Want to know just how nutrient-dense? According to the good peeps over at Weston A. Price: – 

Liver contains more nutrients, gram for gram, than any other food. It provides:

– An excellent source of high-quality protein
– Nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
– All the B vitamins in abundance, particularly vitamin B12
– One of our best sources of folic acid
– A highly usable form of iron
– Trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium; liver is our best source of copper
– An unidentified anti-fatigue factor
– CoQ10, a nutrient that is especially important for cardio-vascular function
– A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA.

So, if you take away nothing else from this post, it should be this:

Eat. More. Liver.

And, if you find the idea of eating liver a challenge, I think pâté is probably one of the best ways to ease your way into it.

And, it’s even easier when you use poultry livers (from happy birds, of course!) Duck and chook livers are creamier and more subtle in flavour than those from lamb or beef. Especially with the addition of a little enhancement by way of citrus or even alcohol*…

Instead of chicken livers (à la my Mum), I picked up some gorgeous duck livers from Feather and Bone. The ducks from whence these livers came were pasture raised at Jum Jum Farm. Very happy ducks!

Here at Casa TSL, we’re continuing with our reintroductions, so this number has butter in the recipe, which is traditional for liver pâté. I used some lovely Pepe Saya cultured butter in mine. SO good, but it is entirely possible to make a very good pâté without any dairy – just substitute the butter for lard, coconut oil or – even better – duck fat! 

Unsure how to eat your pâté when you are off bread? – Easy, tastes great with fresh apple slices or try it with carrot and celery sticks. Or, smear some on cucumber slices.

Duck Liver, Thyme and Orange Pate

• Servings: 5 - 6 ramekins
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

175g x best butter, unsalted
500g x fresh duck livers (can substitute chicken livers)
1 x onion
2 x cloves of garlic
2 x sprigs fresh thyme
1 x Tablespoon fresh orange juice
zest of one orange
2 x Tablespoons cognac
60g x clarified butter/ghee, melted (optional)

Method:

1. Start by completing your mise en place (which is just a fancy chef word for preparing your ingredients). Clean and trim your duck livers. Peel and finely chop your onion and garlic cloves. Zest and juice your orange.

2. In a large frying pan, heat a tablespoon of your butter until melted and foaming. Add half the duck livers and fry until golden but still pink in the middle. About 2 minutes each side.

3. Repeat with the second half of duck livers.

4. Pop the cooked duck livers and all the lovely juices into your food processor.

5. Heat another tablespoon of butter and add the onion, garlic, fresh thyme, orange juice and zest. Cook on a medium-low heat until the onion is translucent.

6. Add your cognac. Give the mixture a good stir to release any sticky bits in the bottom of the pan.

7. Remove and discard the thyme stalks. Add the contents of the flying pan to your food processor along with the remaining butter. Mix thoroughly. I scrape the sides of my food processor and mix again to ensure a smooth consistency.

8. Taste for seasoning. Hold yourself back from eating too much! Spoon into ramekins and refrigerate.

9. Optional – If you are serving at a dinner party or want to be fancy-schmancy, cover the top of your pâté with a little melted clarified butter/ghee. It’ll look great and it will last a little longer, too.

E N J O Y !

* the alcohol is cooked off

SCRUMPTIOUS Loaded Banana Bread

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Healthy Banana Bread, Paleo, Paleo Banana Bread

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. This recipe contains nuts and eggs  – both ingredients that are part of the reintroduction phase of the protocol.

It’s been almost two years now, and – small confession – I still miss really good bread. You know the kind I mean – artisan-style sourdough made by bakers who take their bread-making very seriously. Here in Sydney, I mean bread like Iggy’s.

Don’t get me wrong, though. I may miss good bread, but I won’t be having any anytime soon. Probably never again. Gluten is not my friend. And, ‘gluten-free’ definitely does not cut it when it comes to bread.

Life is full of banana skins. You slip, you carry on. (Daphne Guinness)

But, this post is about banana bread. Not bread bread.

And, banana bread is not really bread in the true sense of the word. It’s not made with yeast, water and flour. Rather, its made with bananas. Doh! So, really it’s more like a cake or a loaf.

And, while banana bread can easily be made gluten-free, because it’s not bread (which requires kneading and proving to allow the lovely-yet-naughty gluten to work its magic), it still tastes AWESOME. Some might even say it tastes better…

Better still, (for me) the discovery that I have recently reintroduced eggs successfully back into my life after nine whole months without them.

So, I reckon I deserve a wee celebration!

Having eggs back in my cooking repertoire means the occasional baking treat is back on the table. As good as they are, a girl can only make so many Jaffa Balls!

I started thinking about banana bread at the markets last Saturday. The good peeps at  Kitchen Green, who offer the most delish’ gluten free banana bread, had me salivating. I would have bought some, too. Only, theirs features chia seeds. And I have recently discovered that chia seeds and me are ‘no bueno’. So, I resolved to make my own…

SCRUMPTIOUS Loaded Banana Bread
(Image by TSL)

Bananas lend themselves to healthy baking because they add a natural sweetness and they keep your baking moist.

The thing is, LM is not such a fan of bananas. So when I experimented with this wee number, I added some lemon zest to the batter. To offset the banana-ness of the loaf. And, I reckon it was a winner.

By now, you know that I’m not a particularly finicky cook. I like lots of flavour and not too much fuss. So, while I was playing with this wee baby, I threw in some of the activated (soaked) nuts I had in the pantry and, because I love it, some shredded coconut, too.

The end result is a beautifully moist and crumbly nutty loaf with a lovely citrus kick. YUM!

• Servings: 8 - 10-ish
• Time: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 x cup shredded coconut
1 x teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
Pinch of salt
Zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup nuts, chopped (I used activated mixed nuts because that’s what I had!)
3 x very ripe medium bananas, mashed well
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 x cup honey
4 x happy eggs

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180° C (that’s 350° F). Grease a loaf tin with coconut oil and line with a piece of baking paper (I leave a little overhang of baking paper to aid in removing the cooked loaf from the tin).

2. Using a fork, mix your dry ingredients – almond meal, coconut flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and chopped nuts – in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Pop your eggs and honey into a separate bowl. Whisk. Add your mashed bananas and whisk until very well combined.

4. Pour your egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until combined. Add melted coconut oil and stir again until combined.

5. Pour batter into your loaf tin. Tap on the bench a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Cook for 40 – 45 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Once cooked, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf tin before turning it out onto a wire rack.

This loaf really is best eaten on the day it is cooked but will keep in the fridge for a few days in an airtight container. It also freezes well.

E N J O Y !

Travelling Domestically on a Restricted Diet

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Bliss Balls, Domestic Travel, Travel, Travel Food, Travel Tips, Travelling on the Autoimmune Protocol, Travelling with Food Restrictions

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

The reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure has finally arrived. That means I have started reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. Honestly? – it’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

My doctor told me I had to stop throwing intimate dinners for four unless there are three other people. (Orson Welles)

I’m currently travelling interstate (I’m typing this from my hotel room).

More precisely, I’m having six lovely days in Melbourne catching up with study-buddies, touching base with old friends and – hopefully – establishing a few new connections. LM is not with me. I’m flying solo.

And, just like with my tendency to over-pack, I prepared w a y too much food to take with me. BUT! – I want to minimise the risk of contamination… (Turns out I was contaminated anyway, but at least I gave it a good hard go, yes?)

Travelling on a restricted diet is not so easy. Not by a rather huge margin. And, because it takes so much bloody work, LM thought I should share a few of the foods (and beverages) I carried with me.

First, if at all possible, book accommodation with a kitchen

Really. It will make life so much easier. A decent fridge, a sink to wash up, and basic cookware allows you the freedom to shop for fresh ingredients upon arrival and to store them easily.

I find having provisions on hand means I’m less likely to give into pressure to ‘fall off the wagon’ and, it’s definitely cheaper.

Then, prepare a few foods to take with you

In my case, since I have recently reintroduced coffee, I needed my dairy-free creamer.

I also figured that breakfast is a particularly difficult ask at a restaurant when eggs, grains and dairy are off the menu, so I prepared for that.

And of course, snacks are always welcome!

(Most of) My Interstate Travel Haul
L – R: Jaffa Balls, Mackerel in olive oil, Filtered Water (in red flask), Dark Chocolate, Organic Coconut Oil, Seeded crackers, Dairy-Free Creamer (in silver flask), AIP Reintroduction-compliant Breakfast Crunch.
(Image by TSL)

In case you have any interest, here are links to the recipes for some of the items above:

• My choc-orange ‘Jaffa Balls’ are my current favourite snack ball. I reckon they’re a winner (and they went down a treat with the Melbourne crew)
• The Dairy-Free Creamer is, I reckon’, my best invention ever. Especially if you want the milkiness of a flat white or a latte, but can’t do dairy or soy (and find straight almond milk too watery)
• The very talented Alexx Stuart created this particular Breakfast Crunch recipe. It’s a nut & seed number with some cacao and cinnamon thrown in for added flavour. Frankly, it rocks! – Especially when eaten with coconut yoghurt and fresh berries
• The seeded crackers are a wee number I’m still perfecting. Trust me – you’ll be the first to know when I’m happy with them.

Chilly Bin (NZ for cooler bag!) and my TSL House Fermented Vegetables
(Image by TSL)

 Next, when you arrive at your destination – head to the nearest organic or whole foods store

Seriously. Do not pass go. Have a shopping list prepared and make it a priority to get ‘compliant’ food into your temporary kitchen. I promise you won’t regret it.

Finally, should accidental contamination happen, try not to let it ruin your trip…

Dining out at restaurants (which I have not done in 9 months) means you will have less control over what goes into the pot or pan with your clean food – even with every precaution you can possibly take. If you do have a flare, try to pick yourself up and get back on the horse. Stressing about it will only make things worse.

And, as soon as you get home, you will be back in charge again.

Holy Alter-Ego, Batman! – The BEST Homemade Dairy-Free Creamer EVER!

Tags

AIP, Almond Milk, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Coffee, Coffee Creamer, Cup coffee, Dairy allergy, Dairy Alternative, Dairy Free Creamer, Paleo

(Image by TSL)

“Wait!”
“What?” I lowered my cup hastily, wondering if maybe there was a stray hair, or worse, a newly boiled bug inside my cup.
You got to smell it first. It’s the proper way to cup coffee.”
“Cup coffee?”
“Taste it.”
“What? Are you the coffee police or something?”
(Justina Chen, North of Beautiful)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

The reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure has finally arrived. That means I have started reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. Honestly? – it’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

By far the BEST thing I have been able to reintroduce into my diet is coffee! I have missed my coffee like you wouldn’t believe. More than red wine, even. Truly.

And, when I say coffee, I mean the real deal. No Starbucks for this girl, thank you very much! We are serious about our coffee down here in this corner of the world. And, Casa TSL is no exception to this regional ‘passionate about our coffee’ rule.

Wanna’ know just how serious we are?

Here’s a pic’ of our particular brand of coffee machine here at Casa TSL…

The Bezerra Galatea Domus
We are THIS serious about coffee around here!
(Image from here)

My beloved Bezerra machine has been pretty neglected since February. Nine entire months! She has only seen action when LM fires her up over the weekend for his espresso(s).

…and, I sit on the couch, with my nose in the air, to get my caffeine fix vicariously.

To me, the smell of fresh-made coffee is one of the greatest inventions. (Hugh Jackman)

The thing is, despite the fact that I adore my coffee, I can’t drink it black. Just can’t. And, before you say anything, I know this makes me a pseudo-coffee aficionado. I know purists drink their coffee black. Just not me.

So, what’s a flat white drinker to do?

flat white
noun
a type of coffee made with espresso and hot steamed milk, but without the froth characteristic of a cappuccino.

For a while there, before I started my autoimmune protocol adventure, I was drinking a long black with a healthy dollop of organic cream (raw if I could get it). YUM! And, occasionally, I had the odd bulletproof coffee.

But, any dairy is still off the menu here at my place. And, it may remain that way for a wee while. I’ve got a bad feeling about dairy. So…

…I tried coffee with almond milk. Meh. Too watery. And, there was the curdle factor.

…I tried coffee with coconut milk. Ughh. Too coconutt-y.

And then, lying in bed one night, wondering just how I was going to manage being a coffee-free ‘Chief Barista’ during my parents’ recent visit to Sydney, I had a small epiphany. As you do.

What if I combined the almond milk and the coconut milk to make a dairy-free coffee creamer?

So, I did. And I played around with the formula a little – tweaking it by adding a little maple syrup and vanilla for sweetness and balance. And the results were AMAZING! So amazing that I can honestly say that if I end up being off dairy forever, I can happily drink coffee with my special TSL Coffee Creamer. It’s THAT good!

I can’t express how happy that makes me. It’s quite difficult to limit myself to one cup a day!

And, here’s the recipe. Just for you.

The BEST Homemade Dairy-Free Creamer EVER

• Servings: depends on how you like your coffee (makes about 2 1/2 cups)
• Time: Less than 10 minutes
• Difficulty: ridiculously easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x cup Almond Milk (here’s my recipe for awesome almond milk)
1 x cup coconut milk
1 x teaspoon vanilla essence
1 x Tablespoon maple syrup

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients into a large jar. Secure the lid and shake vigorously.

2. Pop in the fridge just like normal milk. It will last about 5 days. If your creamer separates, just give it a shake before pouring.

That’s it. Simples!

E N J O Y !

If I asked for a cup of coffee, someone would search for the double meaning. (Mae West)

Zoe’s Choc-Orange Birthday Balls (a.k.a. ‘Jaffa Balls’)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Bliss Balls, Choc-Orange Balls, Healthy Snack, Jaffa Balls, Paleo

(Image by TSL)

It’s my buddy, Zoe’s birthday today. It also happens to be my Mum’s birthday, too. But, because I’m lucky enough to have Mum here with me in Sydney to celebrate, I won’t be seeing Zoe on her big day.

So, these balls are dedicated to you, my crazy friend. I hope you have an AWESOME day.

Happy Birthday!

For the uninitiated (those of you not from Australia or New Zealand!), ‘Jaffa’ is a colloquial term that refers to small ball of goodness which consists of a soft chocolate centre with a hard covering of orange flavoured, red coloured confectionery. The name comes from the Jaffa orange. And, through association with this wee ball of goodness, Jaffa has now come to describe a chocolate-orange flavour.

Of course, jaffas are definitely off my menu.  I can’t imagine there’s much about them that are AIP-friendly with all the processed gunk (technical term!) that makes them taste so very good. But these wee ‘jaffa balls’ are a fantastic alternative.

The taste of childhood
We used to roll jaffas down the aisles at the movies
(Image from here)

And, in another bit of somewhat unrelated trivia, I originate from Auckland. In New Zealand, Aucklanders are often referred to as JAFAs. Not because we are full of chocolate and taste weirdly like an orange. Rather, because it is both a slang term and an acronym for Just Another F*&^ing Aucklander…

Now you know!

So, back to Zoe’s birthday balls.

These balls are a little more-ish. Actually, they are more than a little more-ish. And, while they are free of refined sugar and processed gunk, they do have a hefty amount of dried fruit added – so, best to eat in moderation. If you can hold yourself back, that is.

Zoe's Choc-Orange Birthday Balls

• Servings: 20
• Time: 45 minutes + activating and chilling
• Difficulty: ridiculously easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x cup almonds, preferably activated (sprouted)
1/2 x cup cashews, preferably activated (sprouted)
4 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 x cup sultanas
Zest and juice of one organic orange
1/4 x cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup desiccated coconut + more for rolling

Method

1. Pop your almonds and cashews into your food processor. Blitz on high until they resemble fine bread crumbs.

2. Add your dates, sultanas, zest and juice of the orange, cacao powder and desiccated coconut to the nut mixture. Pulse until thoroughly mixed into a thick dough. Give it a pinch test between your fingers. If it’s a little dry, add a drop or two of water.

3. Pour about a 1/4 cup of desiccated coconut into a bowl. Using a tablespoon as your measure, roll balls of the mixture between your hands, and then roll in coconut to cover.

4. Pop into the fridge for at least an hour to chill before devouring.

E N J O Y !

I’m at the reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure. That means I can start reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. It’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries… Summer’s Coming!

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, dessert, Fruit, Hostess Gift, Sweet Treat

(Image by TSL)

There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate. (Linda Grayson)

It’s a good great week here at Casa TSL.

I’m having visitors over from New Zealand. As I write this, Sydney has clear blue skies. There’s a fresh feeling in the air.  A sense that summer is on its way. There’s not much that beats Sydney in the summer-time.

…AND, my autoimmune protocol food reintroductions are going well (so far, anyway!). I’m back on low levels of fruit. Berries are particularly good – less sugar than most. Nuts and seeds appear to be fine. I’m adding back a few spices. And, dark chocolate is officially back on the menu!

The greatest tragedies were written by the Greeks and Shakespeare…neither knew chocolate. (Sandra Boynton)

Last Friday night, I had dinner at a girlfriend’s place. Given my super-stringent dietary restrictions, I’m always so touched when a friend goes out of their way to accommodate me. And, of course, I’m off alcohol at the moment.

So, what to bring…?

The strawberry season has well and truly started down here. And, it seems like it will be a good one. You just never know with strawberries! The few I’ve sampled so far have been deep ruby-red in colour, and tasted juicy and sweet. YUM!

So, to celebrate the successful reintroduction of dark chocolate into my life, I thought I’d whip up some chocolate dipped strawberries as a wee ‘hostie gift’.

To be honest, this can hardly be called a recipe – it calls for only 2 ingredients. But, when strawberries are at their best, this is a seriously winning combination. And, who doesn’t love dark chocolate and strawberries?

You can even almost talk yourself into thinking its healthy, too

(in moderation, at least)

Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

• Servings: depends on your appetite!
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: it's not even a recipe! - its just assembly
• Print

Ingredients:

1 x punnet strawberries (about 300g), carefully washed and dried
150g best quality dark chocolate

Method:

1. Line a tray with baking paper.

2. Break up your chocolate into pieces and pop into a heat-proof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Ensure the bottom of your bowl is not touching the water. Stir occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat.

3. One at a time, dip each strawberry in chocolate, twirling to coat and place onto baking paper.

4. Refrigerate your chocolate-dipped strawberries until set.

5. Try not to eat them all at once!

E N J O Y !

Top Tip: Any left over melted chocolate can be poured into silicon mini muffin moulds. I pop a little Himalayan sea salt on top and sneak one at a weak moment. Delish!

I’m at the reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure. That means I can start reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. It’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

The FABULOUS Fergus Henderson’s Green Beans, Shallots, Garlic and Anchovies

Tags

AIP, Anchovies, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Beans, British Cooking, Fergus Henderson, Paleo, Side Dishes, St John, Vegetables

(Image by TSL)

One afternoon my flat was broken into. The strange thing is, before I went out I had put a hare in the oven to braise, which filled the flat with delicious gamey smells. I cannot help but think that it must have been very distracting to the burglar, the musk of a braising hare. (Fergus Henderson, ‘The Complete Nose to Tail‘)

You know that ubiquitous question that gets asked? The one along the lines of, “If you could invite 3 (or five or even seven) people to dinner – anybody in the world – who would you invite?”. THAT question.

Well, Fergus Henderson would definitely be on my list.

Why?

Well. Here’s a picture of the man himself. Not just anybody could wear a suit like that and get away with it….

(Image from St John Group)

If that is not reason enough for you, his British eccentricity appeals to me. He has a wonderful quirkiness about him. Of course, his approach to food (and eating) is another. His cookbook ‘Complete Nose to Tail: A Kind of British Cooking‘ is fast becoming a staple in my kitchen despite the fact that I can’t eat most of the lovely sweets and breads on offer (I finally purchased it 18 months after it was first published). And, when LM and I were last in London back in 2012, his restaurant St John easily topped the list as our most memorable dining experience – for all the right reasons. It was so good, we even went back for a second helping. And, if that’s not enough for you – Anthony Bourdain rates him, too. BIG time.

Oh – and I think he may just have a lazy eye. But, I could be imagining things. If he does, we have that in common – I have an eye that likes to do its own thing on occasion.

The buzzing of the bees, a glass of rose, the warmth of the sun, radishes and butter. (Fergus Henderson, ‘The Complete Nose to Tail‘)

This recipe excites me in so many ways! First up – it has green beans as the core ingredient. I haven’t had beans in a long time because they fall into a ‘grey area’ for the autoimmune protocol. And then, as is typical for Fergus, the dish is full of lovely pungent flavours – gooey and aromatic roasted garlic, sweetly oven-caramelised shallots, the most English of herbs – parsley, salty capers, and then a massive hit of umami-flavoured anchovies. I adore anchovies, but I do acknowledge they are not to everyone’s taste.

And, sadly, if you are not in the pro-anchovy camp, this recipe may not be one for you to try…

But – on the other hand – if anchovies are your thing, then this recipe may just become your favourite side dish in the whole world.

It’s pretty damn fine, I think.

Fergus Henderson's Green Beans, Shallots, Garlic and Anchovies

• Servings: 4
• Time: 70 minutes
• Difficulty: easy-peasey
• Print

Adapted from ‘The Complete Nose to Tail’ to suit those in the reintroduction phase of the Autoimmune Protocol

Ingredients:

2 x whole bulbs of garlic
16 x shallots, peeled
Coconut oil (or duck fat or lard) melted
Extra virgin olive oil
Himalayan sea salt
1 x small tin of anchovies in EVOO, chopped reasonably fine
1 x handful capers
1/2 x bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 x teaspoon red wine vinegar
900g French beans, topped and tailed

Method

1. Heat your oven to 200°C/400°F.  Cut about 1 cm from the top of each of your garlic bulbs to expose the individual garlic cloves. Discard the tops. Place the garlic bulbs in an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with a little melted coconut oil (or fat of choice). Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 – 50 minutes or until the garlic is soft when tested with a skewer.

2. While your garlic is roasting, toss your shallots in a little more melted coconut oil. Pop them into the oven to roast alongside the garlic. You will need to keep an eye on the shallots, tossing them regularly – every 10 minutes or so – until soft. Keep warm.

3. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the flesh out of the cloves. Try to resist gobbling it all up.

4. In a small bowl, mix the anchovies, garlic flesh, capers and parsley. Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar. Check for seasoning.

5. Bring a pot of well salted water to the boil. Pop in your beans and cook for four minutes. Check for done-ness. Drain and then mix them in a warm bowl with your roasted shallots and anchovy dressing.

6. Serve immediately.

E N J O Y !

Fergus recommends serving this dish with lamb chops. We served ours with some lovely scotch filet from the gorgeous Scotty at Moobi Valley Meats. It was divine!

I’m at the reintroduction stage of my autoimmune protocol adventure. That means I can start reintroducing foods that have previously been excluded. This is managed in a very systematic way – one food at a time, starting with things that are least likely to cause a problem (or that I miss the most!). I’m keeping a food journal and recording any unusual symptoms or changes in mood. It’s actually proving to be more work that strict AIP!

The EASIEST Vegetable Frittata in the World (Bacon Optional!)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Dairy Free, Eggs, Grain Free, Lunchbox Ideas, Paleo, Primal, Quiche

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. This recipe is only suitable for the autoimmune protocol if you have successfully reintroduced eggs. 

I have met a lot of hardboiled eggs in my time, but you’re twenty minutes.(Oscar Wilde)

It seems Sarah Ballantyne and her autoimmune protocol are gaining considerable global traction. And, I can understand why. I’m a believer. It has taken me some time, not to mention a pretty big level of commitment, but I am currently finally free of the autoimmune symptoms that have been plaguing me for 23 years. TWENTY THREE YEARS! That’s pretty amazing…

But that’s not the purpose of this wee post.

One of the best things about undertaking a protocol like AIP, other than the health benefits you hope to achieve, is the support you receive from other people within the ‘AIP Community’ from around the world. There are blogs and Facebook groups, forums and Pinterest boards. And without exception, I have found the people in these groups to be knowledgable, encouraging and understanding. It can be a bit of a lonely road when most of your friends eat a pretty standard diet and you can no longer go out to restaurants, have a coffee or a glass of wine.

And, one of the most common questions asked within these groups is around how to provide food for a family when you are so restricted by the elimination of all potentially inflammatory foods – often for a long period of time. It’s a valid question, especially when there are young children involved.

In this, I am very lucky. LM has totally supported my weird food journey from the first. He’s happy to eat whatever I eat and considers himself my ‘Primary Recipe Tester’. And while its true that the food we eat is full of great flavour and super healthy, we are certainly limited because of the restrictions – particularly by way of spices, nightshades (tomatoes!), nuts and eggs.

First you gotta’ crack some eggs…
(Image by TSL)

Then, you mix everything together and pop it into a greased dish
(Image by TSL)

…and pop it in the oven until its ready!
(Image by TSL)

Regardless of whether we are on the autoimmune protocol or not, Casa TSL is a gluten-free and dairy-free zone*. LM has a violent reaction to cow juice and just feels better when he’s not eating gluten. But, it is fair to say that I feel a little guilty about the fact that his diet is so restricted because of me.

Because of that, even though I’m not eating eggs at the moment, I’ve taken to making him one of these SUPER easy frittatas. It takes no time to whip one up on a Sunday night and its a much healthier alternative to the sandwiches that traditionally fill a lunchbox, with a big hit of protein from the eggs and loads of vegetables.

LM calls this his frittata-ta-ta-ta-ta…. While the base recipe remains constant, I mix it up and throw in pretty much whatever I feel like (read: whatever’s in the fridge). It’s kind of LM’s Potluck Frittata-ta-ta-ta-ta…

The EASIEST Vegetable Frittata in the World

• Servings: 6 (12 for little people)
• Time: about an hour
• Difficulty: easy-peasey
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Ingredients

Base Frittata:
1 x large courgette (zucchini), grated and squeezed in a clean tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible
1 x large carrot, grated
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
salt (I use pink Himalayan salt) & freshly ground pepper
12 x happy eggs, beaten
1 x Tablespoon lard or coconut oil

Optional extras:
garlic
Shredded kumara (sweet potato),
cheese (here we use goats curd or sheep’s milk cheese)
onion
chopped bacon or pancetta
leftover roast meat
leftover roast veggies
smoked salmon
broccoli/cauli’ florets
Sliced leeks
Brussels sprouts
wilted spinach/silver-beet/chard
additional herbs

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C (fan forced)/360°F. Grease a ceramic dish with your lard or coconut oil (my dish is 19cm square)

2. Crack your eggs into a large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Whisk well.

3. Stir in your grated courgette and carrot, chopped fresh parsley, and any other ingredients.*

4. Pop in the oven for approximately 45 minutes (until the edges are golden brown). The frittata will puff up a little in the oven and then flatten out as it cools.

*this time I added sautéed red onion and pancetta, and a little goats curd

E N J O Y !

*I hope to be able to reintroduce some high quality dairy eventually