There's lots going on in my kitchen, and office, as we rapidly move toward having Caroline's No Nightshade Kitchen: Arthritis Diet on the shelf. Won't be long now. Thank you for your patience. In the meantime, I wanted to share a new recipe for using leftovers, which can be of help for all of us. Happy cooking and be well!

Caroline

LEFTOVER  ASIAN  STIR-FRY  WITH  RICE  STICKS

This recipe developed one evening when there were only a few ounces of leftover grilled pork in the refrigerator, along with some fresh vegetables. See what happened.    Serves 2-3.

4 oz. leftover grilled pork, thinly sliced

½ shallot, minced

1 ½ cups celery, sliced

1 cup carrot, chopped

2 cups asparagus, sliced in ½ inch pieces

½ package of rice sticks and boiling water

Sesame oil

White and black peppers, to taste

Kosher salt, to taste

Tamari

Asian fish sauce

¾ cup fresh basil, loosely packed

Slice pork, set aside. Prepare vegetables, set aside. In boiling water to cover rice sticks, stand for 10 minutes to soften.  When done, drain well, chop in 2 inch pieces, cover with paper towel. Place 2 tablespoons sesame oil in medium skillet. Sizzle oil, add pork and vegetables. Stir-fry until vegetables are tender crisp. If needed, add additional sesame oil. Season with peppers, salt, tamari, and fish sauce, to taste. Add rice sticks and basil, mix well. Serve immediately. Note: Please use vegetables that are on hand in your kitchen, and leftover chicken can substitute for pork.  Enjoy!!

NIGHTSHADE FREE

GLUTEN FREE

LACTOSE FREE

Spicy Shrimp with Gluten Free Pasta

 

 

 

This delicious shrimp dish is laced with Madeira sherry, mushrooms, and garlic. It's perfect for an easy, autumn supper, when you may be growing tired of grilling. (But, do we ever get tired of grilling?) Shall I say, this pasta dish is a nice alternative.  Serves 2.

SPICY SHRIMP WITH GLUTEN FREE PASTA

Serves 2.

8 medium-large shrimp, raw and shells removed

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Kosher salt, white pepper, and black pepper, to taste

3 large garlic cloves, minced

Dash tamari

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Squirt fresh lemon juice

2 servings gluten free pasta

6-7 large mushrooms, sliced

Olive oil

1 cup Madeira sherry

Place shrimp in a bowl with sesame oil, salt, peppers, garlic, tamari, mustard, and lemon juice. Add additional white pepper, as desired. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, prepare 2 servings of gluten free pasta, drain, keep warm. In a skillet, at medium high heat, sauté mushrooms in 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, until shinny and soft. Push to side of pan, add shrimp mixture, sauté until shrimp turns pink. Add Madeira sherry and additional olive oil, if needed for consistency. Simmer for a couple minutes longer to slightly thicken. Mix well with cooked pasta, adjust seasonings, and serve.

Note: Simple supper, nightshade, gluten, and lactose free! Enjoy!

Hello again! If you've been a follower for a while, you may notice that Caroline's No Nightshade Kitchen: Arthritis Diet has a new look as well as the new website:
http://www.carolinesnonightshadekitchenarthritis.diet

Hope you will take a peek at the website, and I'd enjoy hearing your comments.

Be well,
Caroline  

Well, I did it again to my surprise. This past weekend in a restaurant near my home in Boulder, I unknowingly ate some form of nightshades in the food I ordered. As careful as I am in restaurants, and as helpful as the waitstaff can be, sometimes a mysterious ingredient gets on my plate, and I have a serious episode with nightshades foods. The food was delicious and lovely, but by the time I returned home, my hands were in severe pain that lasted throughout the night, into the next morning. Unfortunately, this time the pain spread through my entire hands, not just the knuckles. I still don't know what the ingredient was, there didn't seem to be anything spicy in any of my foods, but something was there. The extraordinary pain is the same every time: consume something with nightshades, then pain attacks within 30-45 minutes. All of us who suffer with arthritis and nightshade sensitivities must be careful with everything we eat...the cost is great if we aren't. I'm concerned the damage will remain as increased disfiguring, long after the pain subsides. 

Take good care and be well!
Caroline

NEW WEBSITE:  http://www.carolinesnonightshadekitchenarthritisdiet.com

GRILLING TONIGHT?  Who says that you can't have yummy summer fare without nightshades: tomatoes, peppers, white potato, and eggplant. Grill you favorite chicken or fish recipe tonight, and add PEACH AND RICOTTA SALAD for something new and festive. I hope your summer is filled with special treats of all kinds. Be well!

My very best,

Caroline

PEACH AND RICOTTA SALAD

A beautiful summer’s delight that comes to life with white peaches, low fat ricotta, pistachios, and lemoncello. How bad is that?    Serves 4.

1 cup low fat ricotta

Agave or honey

1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon

1/3 cup finely chopped pistachios

4 medium white peaches, unpeeled and thinly sliced

Drizzle olive oil

Lemoncello, chilled

On four individual salad plates, add ¼ cup ricotta, smooth into a small circle. Top with 1 teaspoon agave or honey and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Sprinkle lightly with pistachios. Top with sliced peaches, a tiny drizzle of olive oil, additional pistachios, and 1 tablespoon lemoncello. Serve immediately.

CANTALOUPE,  ONION, AND CUCUMBER

                                 GAZPACHO  WITH ORANGE

For something different, spicy, and refreshing on a hot summer’s day, try this nightshade and gluten free cold soup. If you want to tame the spice,  reduce white pepper. Serves 4-5.

1 cantaloupe, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

½ onion, minced

2-3 green scallions, sliced

Zest of  l lemon

Juice of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon white pepper, or to taste

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Salt, to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

¼ cup fresh mint, minced

2 cups yogurt

1 cup ice cold water

2 cups orange juice

Place first 12 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend well, slowly add yogurt, until smooth. Add cold water and orange juice. Mix well, and chill for several hours.

Nightshade free

Gluten free

Peach Gazpacho for Hot Summer Days...and Nights

Greetings from......  
Caroline's No Nightshade Kitchen: Arthritis Diet

Hope you're doing well during these hot summer days. If you want something to cool the palette, how about Peach Gazpacho. Peaches are just about perfect, so the time is right for this luscious soup. It's a summer's treat in my kitchen.

Special thanks to those of you who have shared your experiences about eliminating nightshade foods from your diet. Many of you found that your arthritis pain has diminished greatly or has completely stopped. On a personal note, the pain and inflammation in my hands is completely gone as long as I avoid nightshade foods in any form. This is not new for me, but what I've experienced for many years. Unfortunately, the smallest amount of tomatoes, peppers, white potato, eggplant, or any derivative or seasoning made from nightshades triggers extreme pain and swelling for me, in about 45 minutes.

CAROLINE'S NO NIGHTSHADE KITCHEN: ARTHRITIS DIET is in production and should be available around September 1. I hope you can join me for the introduction event for my book, which will be announced.  The cookbook and guide has 200 recipes that are nightshade free, but many are gluten and lactose free. I've learned that many who are affected by nightshades, including those with rheumatoid  arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and other inflammatory diseases, often have problems with gluten and lactose as well. There's still much to be learned about the mysteries of various foods that affect our bodies.

While I wait for the book to be published, I continue to cook and develop recipes that I'd like to share. My Peach Gazpacho recipe is one of those, and is listed below. Throughout the summer, I plan to post many of my new recipes which are not in the cookbook, and some that are. Please check this blog for additions. It's summer and time to think of foods that are cool and easy to prepare. I hope the recipes will be helpful as you enjoy BBQ's, picnics, and summer parties on the patio.

So for now, happy summer and stay cool. Living better with arthritis is my goal for all of us!

Be Well,

Caroline

PEACH GAZPACHO

Serves 4-6.

6 ripe peaches, pitted with skin, and sliced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice, or to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

3-4 tablespoon onion, chopped

White pepper and Kosher salt, to taste

½ - 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

½ - 3/4 cup cold water

3-4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1-2 avocados, sliced (garnish)

Sprigs of fresh basil (garnish)

In a large food processor, add peaches, cucumber, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, onion, pepper, salt, yogurt, and water. Process until smooth, but retain some texture. Add basil and refrigerate for 4 hours. When ready to serve, garnish with slices of avocado and sprigs of basil. Note: This soup can be made the day before.