main course Archives - The Flavorful Elimination Diet

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I love a good, hearty, one pot meal. This ultimate bean and lentil soup is a full meal loaded with tons of healthy vegetables and lots of fiber. The lentils and beans provide all the protein you could ask for as well.

For this ultimate bean and lentil soup you can really use whatever beans you already have. I always like to use a can of red kidney beans but the second can can be any other can you already have. I used black beans because that’s what I always have on hand. This soup is meant to be easy to throw together, maybe completely without even going to the store! So don’t get hung up on which beans are best.

For a vegan friendly option simply swap the beef broth for vegetable broth and the worcestershire sauce for a vegan worcestershire, coconut aminos, or soy sauce if your diet allows soy. You could also use an asian mushroom sauce, a common substitute for oyster sauce, if you happen to have it lying around. Basically, you’re just trying to add a bump of umami, especially if you’re not using the beef broth. Traditional worcestershire sauce is made from anchovies but many cheaper brands are actually vegan already since they leave out that more expensive ingredient.

Many bean soups often rely on tomatoes for umami as well. Since this is a nightshade free ultimate beand and lentil soup tomatoes are not allowed. That’s why I recommend the beef broth above other options if your diet does allow it. However, if you make your own vegetable broth you can add plenty of mushrooms to the stock to give it a much heartier umami flavor than a store bought brand may have.

What is Umami?

Umami is that other flavor. You have sweet, sour, salty, and bitter but then there’s umami. It’s often described as savory or meaty. Meat is the most abundant source of umami flavor but some vegetables are umami as well. Tomatoes, mushrooms, avocados, and many fermented vegetables contain the glutamates required to trigger the umami receptors in the tongue.

Fish sauce is widely recognized as one of the easiest ways to add a boost of umami to your dishes. Worcestershire sauce is the American fish sauce. However, since it’s often marketed as fancier than it really is you have to be very careful with imitation sauces full of trigger ingredients like corn or potato starch. Buying fish sauce from an Asian market is much safer as the ingredients are much simpler.

Ingredients

2 large carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
½ tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp black pepper
3-4 tsp salt, or to taste
1 cup chopped green beans, fresh or frozen is fine just bring to room temperature first
1 cup dried lentils
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas, black beans, or navy beans drained and rinsed
6 cups beef broth
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

heat a large soup pot over medium low heat, drizzle with olive oil
add carrots, celery, and onion to the hot pot, saute for about 10 minutes until onions become translucent
add garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute 2 minutes longer
add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil
lower heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until lentils are soft
remove bay leaves and serve hot

Ultimate Bean and Lentil Soup

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 5 servings

Ingredients

2 large carrots diced
2 stalks celery diced
1 large onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
½ tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp black pepper
3-4 tsp salt or to taste
1 cup chopped green beans fresh or frozen is fine just bring to room temperature first
1 cup dried lentils
1 can kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas black beans, or navy beans drained and rinsed
6 cups beef broth
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce or coconut aminos
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

heat a large soup pot over medium low heat, drizzle with olive oil
add carrots, celery, and onion to the hot pot, saute for about 10 minutes until onions become translucent
add garlic, rosemary, and thyme and saute 2 minutes longer
add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil
lower heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 30-45 minutes, until lentils are soft
remove bay leaves and serve hot

Keyword corn free, soy free recipes, vegan

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January 25, 2022January 24, 2022

AmanjaLeave a comment

Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Hash

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I’m calling this a spaghetti squash and turkey hash mostly because I’m not sure what else you’d call it. It’s got potatoes and it’s browned in a skillet, hash! I often see spaghetti squash used as a replacement for actual pasta but I’m not a fan of that. It’s not filling and it’s nowhere near as satisfying. So sweet potatoes make up the filling part of this recipe which makes it more of a meal and less of a disappointing side dish.

Everything in this recipe can be eaten at any point in your elimination diet, from phase one and forward. In the world outside of my elimination diet I would likely replace the ground turkey with the far more flavorful ground sausage but with the buttery goodness of the spaghetti sauce and enough salt and pepper you won’t even miss it. The key to elimination diet recipes is to never forget that you still have some seasoning options!

The main trick to adding flavor to this dish is to get the turkey and veggies properly browned. Without that it will likely be bland. Make sure you drain the turkey of its excess liquid and use a hot pan to get a nice color on everything. Brown the sweet potatoes by throwing them in the hot pan and then not touching them for three minutes before you stir and cover to finish the cooking. If they stick to the pan you can splash in just enough water to lift it up, just be mindful to not soak everything. Really just a splash should do.

Also, I’m a huge fan of using a big heavy cast iron skillet. I know not everyone has that option but if you have the means to buy a new pan I strongly recommend going old school. I understand all the hype now that I’ve tried one and it’s just about the only pan I ever use anymore. It really does make a difference especially when you want that good browned flavor. You don’t need an expensive one to start with, this one is under $30!

How to choose a spaghetti squash

When choosing a spaghetti squash you’ll want to find one that is firm, dry, and has a deep golden yellow color. Make sure it doesn’t have any squishy or cracked spots. You’ll also want to pick up a few and pick the heaviest one for its size. This is also a good strategy for many fruits and vegetables because it means they have the most juice and therfore the most flavor.

Spaghetti squash recipes, like this spaghetti squash and turkey hash, are often going to be made the same way. With you cooking the spaghetti squash seperately, shredding the insides, and then adding it into the rest of the recipe. You cannot use another squash in its place as this is the only squash with that distinct stringly texture.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
2 large sweet potatoes chopped
1 yellow onion chopped
1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lb size if you can find it, I know sometimes the options are limited)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise
scoop out seeds and pulp
sprinkle inside of squash with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper
place inside of squash side down on lined baking sheet, pierce top with fork to vent steam
bake for 45-55 minutes until squash is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork to make the spaghetti strands
while the squash is baking brown the turkey over medium heat
remove turkey from pan, set aside, drain off any excess liquid, lower heat to medium low
drizzle pan with olive oil, add chopped onions to the pan, cook until they sweat
add sweet potatoes and seasonings, cover
cook about 10 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender, if the hash starts to stick add a little water or chicken broth periodically
mix in the spaghetti squash and serve hot

Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Hash

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Prep Time 1 hr 20 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Course Breakfast, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

2 large sweet potatoes chopped

1 yellow onion chopped

1 spaghetti squash (about 3 lb size if you can find it, I know sometimes the options are limited)

olive oil

salt and pepper

1 tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt or to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise

scoop out seeds and pulp

sprinkle inside of squash with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper

place inside of squash side down on lined baking sheet, pierce top with fork to vent steam

bake for 45-55 minutes until squash is tender and pulls apart easily with a fork to make the spaghetti strands

while the squash is baking brown the turkey over medium heat

remove turkey from pan, set aside, drain off any excess liquid, lower heat to medium low

drizzle pan with olive oil, add chopped onions to the pan, cook until they sweat

add sweet potatoes and seasonings, covercook about 10 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender, if the hash starts to stick add a little water or chicken broth periodically

mix in the spaghetti squash and serve hot

Keyword egg free recipes, gluten free recipes, nightshade free recipes

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January 11, 2022January 10, 2022

Amanja2 Comments

Egg Roll Noodle Bowl (Egg free!)

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I love a good egg roll. Unfortunately they’re actually not that easy to find. I don’t like spring rolls, they’re soggy. I want a crispy ultra fried egg roll. Which is clearly not the healthiest option. So instead I offer you all of the flavor with none of the hesitation in this egg roll noodle bowl. This is an egg roll that can actually serve as a full meal.

For the rice noodles you’re going to want to find a thicker noodle, they’ll hold up much better. However, they do take some time to prepare. You will likely need to soak them for a few hours before you’re ready to prepare everything else. Just be mindful of the package directions for whichever kind you buy. And make sure that the only ingredients are rice! Many cheaper brands will sneak corn or potato starch in there and that will not be okay for your elimination diet! If you plan ahead to soak them they cook quite easily. Just a couple of minutes in a pot of boiling water and you’re ready to toss them into your dish.

The other thing I want to mention for this recipe is the fish sauce. I use fish sauce in most of my asian style recipes but many people feel intimidated by it. There is nothing to be afraid of with fish sauce except for using too much. I know it smells weird but don’t let that turn you off. A little fish sauce adds a ton of umami flavor to sauces. I only use 2 tsp in this whole dish but it really does make all the difference. You can find it at any asian market and most grocery stores but the specialty markets will have a larger selection. As always, make sure to look at the ingredients to make sure it’s not going to break your elimination diet.

A good fish sauce will only have a few simple ingredients and will actually contain fish, likely anchovies, sardines, or another abundant salty fish. There are some imitation ones but if you would like an umami sauce that is suitable for those who cannot or do not eat fish look for a mushroom sauce. This will provide a similar flavor profile and provide that umami boost that so many dishes need. Carefully look at the ingredients to find one without soy, this will likely require a trip to a specialty market.

What is fish sauce made of?

Traditional fish sauce is made of salted anchovies or sardines, and may be fermented for more than a year. Many cheaper brands of fish sauce may contain filler ingredients and preservatives such as potato or corn starches and MSG. In order to be as safe as possible for your elimination diet look for brands that only contain fish, salt, water, and sugar. This will also ensure that you have the best flavor for your egg roll noodle bowls.

What are coconut aminos?

Coconut aminos come from the sap of the coconut plant. They are a standard substitute for soy sauce in asian cuisine. My elimination diet recipes rely heavily on coconut to add fat, flavor, and cream to many ingredients. However, some people still do have allergies to coconuts and if you are eliminating coconut as part of eliminating tree nuts please confirm with your doctor before making anything with coconut aminos.

Coconut aminos have a rich flavor that substitutes well for soy sauce. The color is very similar and the texture is just slightly thicker. I actually prefer the consistency of coconut aminos to soy sauce. Use whichever one best fits your dietary restrictions.

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork
1/2 head cabbage
2 small carrots
8 green onions, chopped, white parts included
8 oz rice noodles prepared according to package (account for soaking time)
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce if able)
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste
toasted sesame seeds for topping (optional)

Instructions

brown the ground pork and set aside
using a grater or food processor grate the cabbage and carrots
using the pork fat in the skillet, sautee the cabbage, carrots, and green onions over medium heat 7-10 minutes until the onions just start to brown or cabbage begins to stick
in a small bowl or measuring cup stir together the liquid ingredients and sugar for your sauce, taste it and add salt as needed
combine pork, veggies, prepared noodles, and sauce in the skillet
stir together over low heat until warmed through
serve warm topped with sesame seeds (optional)

Egg Roll Noodle Bowl

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

1 lb ground pork

1/2 head cabbage

2 carrots

8 green onions, chopped, white parts included

8 oz rice noodles prepared according to package (account for soaking time)

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce if able)

2 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

salt to taste

Instructions

brown the ground pork and set aside

using a grater or food processor grate the cabbage and carrots

using the pork fat in the skillet, sautee the cabbage, carrots, and onions over medium heat until the onions just start to brown

stir together the liquid ingredients and sugar for your sauce

combine pork, veggies, noodles, and sauce in the skillet

Keyword egg free, gluten free, nut free

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October 19, 2021September 22, 2021

Amanja1 Comment

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Fruited Corn Slaw

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I love tacos! Unfortunately, my allergies to tomatoes and limes dictate that there is very little I can eat at a mexican restaurant. So I got creative. This BBQ chicken taco is topped with a fruited corn slaw and is meant to be a corn reintroduction recipe for an elimination diet. If corn is off limits for you then you can swap the corn tortillas for flour and remove the corn from the slaw. It won’t be exactly the same but it will still be tasty.

I use my recipe for nightshade free bbq sauce for the chicken. I also use this really simple recipe for slow cooker shredded chicken that is extremely versatile. You’re going to be coating the chicken in bbq sauce so you don’t need to overthink how it’s cooked, simple is just fine here.

I tried to scale down the recipe for the slaw. The first time I made a batch I had way too much! It’ll last well enough for leftovers for a few days but I would suggest that a week is the absolute max. It also is not advised to freeze it so hopefully this smaller portioned recipe works well enough for a family feast with a manageable amount left over. Also, if you have a food processor the vegetable shredding for the slaw will go much faster!

Hard or soft shell tacos?

That really comes down to preference. Soft tacos are a little healthier because they aren’t fried in oil and let to become stiff like hard tacos. Both are made of corn and both are pretty affordable. Pick which texture you prefer and enjoy these BBQ Chicken tacos with fruited corn slaw!

Ingredients

For the Tacos

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
½ batch of nightshade free cherry bourbon bbq sauce (or favorite bbq sauce)
corn tortillas for serving

For the Slaw

1 ½ cups sweet corn
1 green apple, diced
¼ head green cabbage, shredded
¼ head purple cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, shredded
4 green onions, chopped including white parts
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used coconut you can use any that fits your diet)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

for the tacos simply toss the shredded chicken in the bbq sauce
for the slaw combine all the vegetables
in a separate container mix the dressing ingredients (yogurt through black pepper)
toss the veggies in the dressing
assemble the tacos in corn tortillas and enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Fruited Corn Slaw

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Prep Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Tacos

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded
½ batch of nightshade free cherry bourbon bbq sauce or favorite bbq sauce
corn tortillas for serving

For the Slaw

1 ½ cups sweet corn
1 green apple diced
¼ head green cabbage shredded
¼ head purple cabbage shredded
1 carrot shredded
4 green onions chopped including white parts
1/2 cup plain yogurt I used coconut you can use any that fits your diet
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

for the tacos simply toss the shredded chicken in the bbq sauce
for the slaw combine all the vegetables
in a separate container mix the dressing ingredients (yogurt through black pepper)
toss the veggies in the dressing
assemble the tacos in corn tortillas and enjoy!

Keyword gluten free, legume free, nightshade free recipes

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October 15, 2021September 22, 2021

AmanjaLeave a comment

Earthy Red Wine Chili

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Through my own personal elimination diet I discovered an allergy to tomatoes. Since I absolutely love many tomato based dishes this was heartbreaking to me! I was so worried I’d have to completely give up so many of my favorite chili recipes. So I decided to make a few of my own, tomato free chilis including this earthy red wine chili. Unfortunately, you can’t have chili without chili so these aren’t completely nightshade free.

This chili uses a red wine reduction to bring a deep acidity to the dish. It also uses my favorite chili secret ingredient. Unsweetened cocoa powder. The cocoa powder brings an earthy bitterness to the dish and pairs perfectly with the red wine. You’ll be amazed at how such a simple tweak to your dishes can bring out the full potential of all the other flavors.

If you want to make the recipe gluten or wheat free you can use corn starch or arrowroot powder in place of the flour. Just follow the instructions on the packaging for how to thicken. Typically, you’ll use a small amount of the starch to a ratio of cold water, whisk and then slowly add to the broth over heat. Whisk until incorporated and thickened. I simply prefer flour because I find it works the best and I’m lucky enough to be able to tolerate it well. There are always substitutions though!

For another way to eat tomato free chili try out this Green Chili and Sweet Potato Stew!

How to pick a wine to cook with

This earthy red wine chili uses a dark red wine to pair with the beef and seasonings. I try to find one that’s not too sweet but that you’d still want to drink. You’ll have leftover wine and you’ll want to drink the rest rather than just throw it out!

Typically, the best way to find the right wine to cook with is to look at the flavor profile on the bottle and match it to the ingredients in the recipe. For instance, this elimination diet recipe uses cocoa so you’ll want to look for a red wine that has hints of chocolate or a similar complimentary flavor like coffee.

The biggest rule to follow though is to stick to the right color. If a recipe says red, please do not use white just because that’s what you have around the house! Different wines pair very differently with different proteins and there are a couple of simple rules to stick by. Red goes best with beef and other red meats. White goes much better with poultry and pork. Also, just think of how odd chicken would look in red wine, it’d be pink!

Overall, you don’t need to break the bank, just find a decent, affordable bottle and see how it goes!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion chopped
1 large stalk celery, diced small
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno
3 tbsp chili powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup dark red wine (not too sweet)
2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp all purpose flour
olive oil

Instructions

brown the ground beef in cast iron skillet
in a soup pot heat olive oil
saute the veggies until onions are transparent
remove beef from skillet, leave in the fat
add red wine to the beef fat and simmer until reduced by half
add seasonings to the wine and mix well
gently whisk flour into the wine mix slowly until a thick paste is formed, you may need more or less flour
whisk in warm beef broth into the wine mix until paste is dissolved
pour the broth and wine gravy into the soup pot with the sauteed veggies
add the browned ground beef and beans to the pot
bring to a boil
remove from heat, you can serve it now but it’s best to let it sit for at least an hour, preferably overnight in the fridge, before reheating and serving.

Earthy Red Wine Chili

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 5 servings

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 yellow onion chopped
1 large stalk celery diced small
1 green bell pepper diced
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno
3 tbsp chili powder
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp salt or to taste
½ tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ cup dark red wine not too sweet
2 cups beef broth
1 tbsp all purpose flour
olive oil

Instructions

brown the ground beef in cast iron skillet
in a soup pot heat olive oil
saute the veggies until onions are transparent
remove beef from skillet, leave in the fat
add red wine to the beef fat and simmer until reduced by half
add seasonings to the wine and mix well
gently whisk flour into the wine mix slowly until a thick paste is formed, you may need more or less flour
whisk in warm beef broth into the wine mix until paste is dissolved
pour the broth and wine gravy into the soup pot with the sauteed veggies
add the browned ground beef and beans to the pot
bring to a boil
remove from heat, you can serve it now but it’s best to let it sit for at least an hour, preferably overnight in the fridge, before reheating and serving.

Keyword corn free, soy free recipes, tomato free recipes

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