Lentil and Split Pea Soup... It's Better than it Sounds!!

All my life, I've hated split-pea soup. Wouldn't even touch the stuff. The look. The smell. The texture. The taste. No thank you.
But then I was diagnosed with food allergies and couldn't eat most of what I was used to and was forced to try new foods. It's only been a few months since my diagnosis, but I've already found a few recipes that have become stand-bys. Surprisingly, one of my new favorites is Lentil and Split Pea soup. I found a similar recipe on All-Recipes (sorry, I didn't save the link and now I can't find it), then made several changes according to my preferences and what I had in my pantry. Once a month (maybe twice) I make a big pot of this soup on the weekend, then freeze it in individual portions so it is convenient to grab and take to work when I need a quick, tasty, and filling lunch. I throw it in my little fridge at school, and by the time lunch rolls around it's thawed and ready to be reheated.
Before allergies, I never would have put 'split pea' and 'comfort food' in the same sentence. All that has changed now. This is seriously good stuff.

Lentil and Split Pea Soup

In a large pot on medium heat, saute' together
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup diced celery

When onion are translucent, add
8 cups water
1 cup brown lentils
1 cup split peas
2 smoked ham hocks
1 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
Remove ham hocks. Separate meat from bones. Discard bones and fat; chop meat and return meat to soup pot. Discard bay leaf. Enjoy!

Three Bean and Turkey Chili

One thing I quickly learned about food allergies... there is no such thing as fast food. Every bite requires planning ahead, and I quickly learned that it worked best for me to cook on the weekends and package individual portions that I can throw in my bag in the morning and heat up at school at lunchtime. 3- Bean and Turkey Chili is a modification of a recipe I used to make (pre-allergy) and use as filling for enchiladas or burritos. While we haven't switched the entire family over to gf/ef/df... or beef-free..., everyone immediately loved this recipe and it has become a family favorite. I love that it can be thrown together in no time. It's about the closest I come to convenience food!

Three Bean and Turkey Chili

In a large pot, combine:

2 cans black beans (do not drain)
1 can kidney beans (drained)
1 can pinto beans (drained)
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies (my hubby doesn't like chunks of tomato, so I puree mine)
1/4 cup finely minced onions (or 1 Tbsp dried minced onion)
1 tsp minced garlic (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
1 Tbsp chili powder (adust to taste... I usually use about double this amount, but we like it spicy)
1/2 lb. taco-seasoned ground turkey (I use leftovers from taco night)
or 1/2 lb. ground turkey browned w/ 1 tsp olive oil
2 tsp gluten-free taco season mix (I'll share my recipe in another post)

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips or gluten-free cornbread. Enjoy.
(You can also add 1-2 cups frozen corn kernels to this recipe and it is very good.)

Chocolate-Cherry Cookies... Mmmm.

This recipe is the first truly satisfying gf treat I successfully made after finding out that I was allergic to gluten milk, and eggs. It is an adaptation I found on the Bob's Red Mill gluten-free recipe site. The cookies come out with a nice texture (fudgy but not too dense), and a wonderful balance of sweetness and richness.



I would recommend that you not taste the cookie dough, though. The garbanzo flour has a ... well, unique... taste, but it isn't noticable after the cookies are baked.



Without further ado,



Chocolate-Cherry Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment (or lightly grease).

Mix together and set aside:

1/2 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 Tbsp. tapioca flour
1 tsp. xanthum gum
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt


Cream together:

1/2 cup (1 stick) dairy free margerine (I use Nucoa), softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

Add to sugar mixture and blend until mixed:

1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and blend until thoroughly mixed. Gently fold in:

1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried tart cherries

Using a cookie scoop, place dough on cookie sheets about 2" apart. Bake 10-12 minutes until puffed and cracked. Cool on baking sheet five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.

Makes 24 cookies.