Chicken, sweet potato and carrot soup

I am finally getting good at creating meals that the entire family can enjoy - including me! I ate this soup as it came, with chunks of my homemade toasted bread thrown in and the rest of my family enjoyed it with a dash of soy sauce. 

CHICKEN, SWEET POTATO & CARROT SOUP

2 tbsp coconut oil

Large white onion (white skin, white flesh), peeled and sliced 

4 small chat potatoes, diced (peeled if dirty)

4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

300g/10.5oz sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 litre/33.8fl oz water

500g/17.6 oz chicken

1 tsp sweet paprika (not hot!)

270ml/9.1fl oz can coconut milk

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pot

2. Fry onion until slightly browned

3. Add potatoes, carrots, sweet potato and water

4. Bring to the boil then immediately reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender (15-20 minutes)

5. Meanwhile, quickly defrost the chicken and chop into bite sized pieces

6. Heat the rest of the oil and the paprika on medium-high in a small frypan until hot

7. Quickly stir fry the chicken, coating it well with the paprika oil as it cooks

8. Blend the soup and the chicken and return it all to the large pot

9. Add coconut milk and heat through

Enjoy ❤️

Hot tips!

🔥 Any potato will do as a substitute but floury potatoes will work best

🔥Use the microwave to defrost meat quickly. When almost defrosted, wash the meat with lukewarm water to clean off any build up and finish the defrosting process

🔥 Chicken thighs have more flavour than breasts and are often cheaper

Broccoli, carrot and macadamia stir fry

I am still on my quest to eat an onion a day (hello quercetin) and a desire for a new flavour led to the creation of this wonderful dish. Fast to make, this could easily be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

BROCCOLI, CARROT & MACADAMIA STIR FRY

1 tbsp coconut oil

Small white onion, peeled and sliced

100g/3.5oz broccoli florets, cut/broken into bite sized pieces 

Small carrot, cut into small batons

1/4 cup water

10 macadamias, roughly chopped

1. Heat oil in a small frying pan on medium-high until hot

2. Add onion and cook, stirring, until just beginning to brown

3. Add broccoli, carrots and water and stir fry for one minute

4. Add macadamias and stir fry until macadamias have started to colour and smell slightly toasted

Enjoy ❤️

Cherry and apple smoothie

I have been banging on about Quercetin lately (our mast cell stabilising friend) and this smoothie is absolutely chock full of it. It's such a shame it turned out so fluffy because the bottom half was filled with gorgeous, bright pieces of cherry which looked summery and wonderful. I have included this and other benefits of each ingredient below. 

CHERRY AND APPLE SMOOTHIE 

 1 Granny Smith apple (quercetin + energy boost)

1 scoop collagen peptides (for those with EDS/connective tissue disorder- optional)

10 cherries, pitted (quercetin)

1 heaped tsp pure honey (quercetin, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial)

400ml/13.5 fl oz pure coconut water (electrolytes)

chia seeds for sprinkling (Omega-3, calcium - optional)

Blend and enjoy ❤️

Hot tip!

🔥 Cherries can be purchased frozen and pitted for use all year round

Caramelised white onion

This is yet another way to use the quercetin packed white onion (our safe onion!) to add flavour to a meal. Caramelised onions are unbelievably versatile; eat them on their own, draped over vegetables, on toast or atop a freshly cooked piece of chicken or lamb. 

CARAMELISED WHITE ONION 

One small-medium white onion (white flesh, white skin)

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, stripped from the stem

1 tbsp coconut oil

1. Peel and slice onion

2. Heat oil in a small pan on medium-high

3. Add rosemary and onion and cook, stirring until onion has started to brown

Enjoy ❤️

Hot tips!

🔥 Make a big batch, freeze and use as required. 

🔥White onions can be hard to find so when you get some, chop them immediately, freeze and use as required

Simple chicken and corn soup

Quercetin is a mast cell stabiliser and onions are chock full of it - one of the best natural sources in fact! Unfortunately brown onions are also histamine liberators and so the safest option for those with MCAS are the white variety which have both white flesh and a white skin. This soup has been designed with speedy preparation in mind to keep histamine at a minimum. 

SIMPLE CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 small-medium white onion

1 clove garlic

500g/18oz chicken

1 cob of corn

500ml/17 fl oz water

1. Peel and chop onion and garlic 

2. Heat oil in a very large saucepan on medium-high heat 

3. Once oil is melted, add onion and garlic and cook, stirring until onion is just starting to get some colour 

4. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Increase heat to high and add, stir frying until chicken is cooked

5. Cut corn from the cob and blend in a food processor with the rest of the cooked ingredients

6. Return everything to the pan, add water and cook until heated

Enjoy immediately ❤️

Hot tips!

🔥 To have the chicken defrosted for the shortest possible time, delay taking it out of the freezer until after step 4. The onions can be taken off the heat while you defrost and chop the chicken

🔥 White onions can be hard to find so when you get some, chop them immediately, freeze and use as required

🔥 For better flavour use chicken thighs rather than breasts

Fast prove bread

Yeast is one of those ingredients that is generally well tolerated in small amounts and so is rated as a 1 on the MCAS food list I trust. The caveat to this rating is that baked goods with a long fermentation time can be a problem - the very reason I had to let go of my sourdough baking obsession! This bread has a very short prove time and is therefore better able to be tolerated. In addition, I have found wholewheat flour to be a much better option than white flour because of the reduction in processing and the comfort that it will be naturally sulphite/sulfite free. I ate three slices of this bread in one day (not a great idea but I was craving energy) and didn't react at all which is nothing short of a miracle. 

FAST PROVE BREAD

1 tbsp pure honey

400ml/400g/13.5 fl oz tepid water

1 tbsp dry yeast

600g/21 oz wholewheat flour (organic is best)

1 tsp salt

Coconut oil for the tray

1. Whisk together honey, yeast and water in Kitchen Aid bowl or large bowl. The water should feel quite warm but not hot as too much heat will kill the yeast. 

2. Leave for 5-10 min. If your yeast is active it should end up bubbly on top.

3. Add flour to the yeast mix and then the salt. The order is important as keeping the salt away from the yeast helps it to work better. 

4. Knead with dough hook for 5-7 minutes or by hand for a little longer. The dough should come together and not be sticky to the touch.

5. Shape the dough into a longish log shape and place on a baking tray/sheet which has been rubbed with coconut oil.

6. Slash the dough deeply (at least an inch deep) and on an angle four or five times with a sharp knife. 

7. Cover with a clean tea towel/dish towel and sit in a warm, draught free place for 20 minutes.

8. Meanwhile preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. 

9. Bake for 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when you tap on the base. 

10. Remove from tray/sheet and cool on a wire rack. 

Enjoy ❤️

Hot tips!

🔥 Store yeast in the freezer to keep it fresh

🔥 Once cool, slice and store in a ziplock in the freezer. The slices should pull apart easily

🔥 Use the frozen setting on your toaster and cook your toast without having to defrost first

🔥 Keep carbs to a minimum to help reduce inflammation. I usually stick to one slice per day

🔥 Avoid spray oil which can cause reactions and sensitivities. I prefer to rub coconut oil on the tray

🔥 Split the dough into 4 to make baguettes or 8 to make mini baguettes and reduce the cooking time to 17 minutes

Mini baguettes mean a
shorter cooking time

Popcorn cereal

It is fabulous to have different breakfast options available and popcorn is definitely a fun way to start the day. Even better, the fruit and nut additions can change each day to help keep things interesting. This dish should be eaten immediately as the popcorn deflates a little as the milk is added.

BASE

Air-popped popcorn

Coconut milk - I like Coco quench (or other preferred milk)

TOPPING SUGGESTIONS

Macadamias

Pistachios

Brazil nuts

Apple

Apricot

Blackberries

Blackcurrants

Blueberries

Cherries

Coconut

Cranberries

Lychees

Melon (not watermelon)

Nectarine

Peach

Pomegranate

Splash of Maple Syrup

Enjoy ❤️