Welcome to Lexie’s Kitchen! Since 2007 we've been on a journey to recovery with our youngest son. Through diet and targeted biomedical treatments we have made great strides in healing him from the inside out. Click here for the full story and a few words about the ingredients I use.

 

POPSUGAR Select Food

 


Monday
Oct172011

Red Kuri Squash & Fennel Bulb Soup Recipe

This post is linked to: Diet Dessert and Dogs Wellness Weekend Round-Up
This post is linked to:
The Sensitive Pantry's Farmers Market Recipes

Our first year in Wyoming, summer ushered in winter—overnight. I remember trees cloaked in green one day and brown the very next. This year has been a whole different story.

Fall has been glorious!

On Saturday we headed 90 miles south to find even more Autumn splendor. After dropping my hubby off at his rugby match in Arvada, the boys and I headed over to Boulder.

It was a spectacular afternoon!

Fall foliage and foothills behind Boulder.We met up with Elana (Elana's Pantry) and Kelly (The Spunky Coconut) and their families at the Boulder County Farmer's Market. It was so great to catch up in person, to taste the batch of Elana's Paleo Banana Bread that Kelly had baked up, and to try the market's gluten-free fare—a food-centric meet-up, of course!

Kelly (The Spunky Coconut), Me, Elana (Elana's Pantry)Aside from the lively conversation, the market was brimming with rich hues of Fall and people.

Mid-October and we're still in Tevas and shorts!There were new discoveries to be had ... like this tasty watermelon radish ...

Tried watermelon radish for the first time.

... and an abundance of squash—including a new favorite—Red Kuri.

The moment I laid eyes on Mr. Red Kuri, I was in love.

I knew nothing about this squash—don't think I'd even ever seen one until this Fall. My friend, Hannah, has likened its shape to that of a cross between a pumpkin and a pomegranate. That describes it perfectly—at least the exterior. The first time I baked one, I was pleasantly surprised by the deep orange, sweet potato-like texture and chestnut-like taste of its flesh. I had expected it to be more watery and akin to an acorn squash or pumpkin. But that it was not. After pondering what to do with it, this is what I came up with. Hope you enjoy!

Red Kuri & Fennel Bulb Soup

Gluten-Free | Casein-Free | Corn-Free | Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Fish-Free | Nightshade-Free | Peanut-Free | Potato-Free | Rice-Free | Shellfish-Free | Soy-Free | Tree Nut-Free | Wheat-Free | Grain-Free | Sesame-Free | Sweetener-Free | Yeast-free | GFCF | Vegetarian | Vegan

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon OLIVE OIL
1/2 FENNEL BULB, sliced
2 SHALLOTS, roughly chopped
1 GRANNY SMITH APPLE, cored and roughly chopped
2-1/2 cups cooked RED KURI SQUASH flesh (I like this cooking method)
3 cups VEGETABLE BROTH
1/2 can Thai Kitchen® canned COCONUT MILK
1 tablespoons LEMON JUICE
1 teaspoon SALT or to taste
CAYENNE PEPPER to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. In medium soup pot, sauté fennel bulb, shallots, and apple in oil until tender. 

2. Transfer to blender along with squash and enough of the broth to puree. Blend until smooth.

3. Return to pot. Stir in remaining broth and remaining ingredients.

4. Simmer on low 10-15 minutes.

5. Serve.

Friday
Oct142011

Making the Switch: Shelly's Story

 

SHELLY | 44 | Lexington, South Carolina, USA

This week, on Making the Switch, you are meeting Shelly. I want to extend a very special thank you to this beautiful lady for taking the time to put her story into words to share with us today. Shelly's experience is a reminder to all moms to "take time for you." And I don't mean booking a pedicure or hitting the mall (sure those things are nice). I mean more along the lines of taking time for your health. As moms, it's easy to neglect our own health and well-being as we devote ourselves to the care and keeping of our family (I was so guilty of this). The stressors of life take their toll. As you care for your loved ones, ensure you take time to care for you. Find a reputable holistic doctor, schedule a physical and blood draw (or the tests they recommend), and take the needed steps to achieve optimal health, today! You won't regret it.

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Shelly's Story

Making the switch to whole, natural, unprocessed foods saved my life.

Literally.

 

Click to read more ...

Tuesday
Oct112011

Kid DIY Banana Mummies (and "Things")

With Halloween around the corner I find myself strategizing. How will I navigate the season? How will we steer clear of the gobs of sugary goodies and candy that come with it?

Sugar will be ever-present; at school, at parties, on end-caps at the grocery store. For a family that doesn't do much sugar, snubs artificial ingredients, and can't have gluten or dairy, Halloween presents a little, ahem, challenge. I will be begged and bargained with, but I refuse to succumb!

And this is where I need your help.

Click to read more ...

Tuesday
Oct042011

Dairy-Free Coconut Milk Yogurt Recipe

Coconut milk yogurt with a drizzle of Coconut Secret's Raw Coconut Nectar.

:: POST UPDATE ::

When I originally posted this recipe, I recommended using GI Prostart Non-Dairy Yogurt Starter. However, I have found a new favorite and one that I get much better results with. Going forward, for this recipe I solely endorse the use of Vegetal from Cultures for Health because it does a much better job.

Ingredients: Live active bacteria (Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp bulgaricus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Streptococcus thermophilus), Rice maltodextrin

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For those who've had enough of my non-dairy yogurt business, you might want to turn back now. For those wanting to venture on—let's go. Today we're making coconut milk yogurt!

 

Click to read more ...

Thursday
Sep292011

Lemon Poppyseed Waffles | Gluten & Egg-Free 

I'm dancing around the kitchen with a mouthful of Lemon Poppyseed Waffles. Oh my! 

These beauties are gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free—100% vegan. I have a thing for pancakes and all things waffle-y. So when I landed on this recipe I knew I had give it a go. This morning when I announced to the kids that we were having waffles for breakfast (on a school day nonetheless!), they squealed with delight. That's when I knew this recipe better deliver.

And, it did. Absolute perfection!

The sorghum and rice flour based batter was quick to whip up and the waffles cooked up beautifully. They had a light, delicate crisp with a hint of lemon and poppyseeds. Quite impressive for being egg-free! The recipe called for a teaspoon of xanthan gum—which I forgot (yikes, I thought). But they turned out just fine without it. If you don't have a problem with xanthan gum, by all means leave it in. But it's nice to know that these waffles turn out just fine without it. Next time I will add a few more poppyseeds and little more "lemon"—perhaps in the form of some lemon extract?

So, you want the recipe?

Click to read more ...