Freakin' Delicious Beef, Barley, and Thyme Stew... no nightshades, low histamine, dairy free

Tonight's dinner was crazy delicious, and I have a recipe for you. More on that in a second.

Last night, I made a really delicious meatloaf despite not being able to use anything high in histamine, or anything in the nightshade family (e.g. tomatoes, peppers).

It has been a struggle to find a substitute for tomatoes in recipes like that. Trying to use just brown sugar for the glaze didn't go too well.

So, for last night's endeavor, I started with this recipe from Allrecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/20673/glazed-meatloaf-ii

But, to make it low-histamine, the mustard powder would have to go. The ketchup would have to go. So, too, would the lemon juice.

I substituted a combination of pumpkin puree and tamarind paste for the ketchup: I wanted something with body, sweetness, and tang. I cooked the glaze in a separate pan first, too, to eliminate any excess liquid. I left out the mustard and lemon juice from the recipe entirely.

I added a small, shredded zucchini for a slight nutritional boost. I swapped the bread for unenriched, dairy-free crackers. It was delicious, even the glaze, but I want to tweak the glaze some more before I share the recipe with you. I'm thinking the addition of some jelly, apple, plum, or apricot, plus a splash of molasses, will be the ticket to perfection.

So, in the mean time, I offer you what I made for dinner tonight: Beef and Barley stew, originally from http://www.theperfectpantry.com/2014/04/beef-barley-soup-recipe-pressure-cooker-or-stove-top.html

...and made nightshade-free, low-histamine, dairy-free, and folic-acid free by me.

The barley can be substituted for rice to make it gluten free.

Beef and Barley Stew
adapted from The Perfect Pantry

1 T. oil
1-2 lbs. stew beef or chuck roast, cubed (I used 1 lb. this time; next time, I will use 2 lbs. We like our iron around here! We use Intermountain Family Farms beef: https://www.intermountainfamilyfarms.com/)
1 medium onion, diced
2-4 carrots, trimmed and diced (and peeled, if desired)
1 T. dried thyme leaf
1-2T. blackstrap molasses
1 T. pumpkin or butternut squash puree

2 teaspoons lovage herb (optional: has the taste of celery)
1 cup pearl barley (or rice, for gluten-free)
4 cups beef or chicken stock plus 2 cups water OR 6 cups water plus 1 heaping tablespoon beef or chicken bouillon OR 6 cups water, salted to taste

Pressure cooker (Instant Pot) instructions:

1. Heat oil using IP's Saute feature
2. Sear (just brown on the outside) the beef in batches. Do not crowd and cook through. Remove to a plate, leaving any remaining oil behind.
3. Add the onion and carrots. Cook until onions are translucent. Add thyme, molasses, and pumpkin puree. Cook for a minute or so.
4. Add lovage (optional), barley, and liquid. Turn off heat.
5. Wipe seal and put lid on. Turn vent to "sealing" and set to 10 minutes on high pressure. Once finished, allow to release naturally for 20 minutes.
6. Taste, adjust seasonings, bring to a boil using Saute function, and thicken as desired using cornstarch or flour slurry (I used flour)

Slow cooker (Crock Pot) instructions:

1. In a large saute pan, heat oil.
2. Sear (just brown on the outside) the beef in batches. Do not crowd and cook through. Remove to a plate, leaving any remaining oil behind.
3. Add the onion and carrots. Cook until onions are translucent. Add thyme, molasses, and pumpkin puree. Cook for a minute or so.
4. Place in slow cooker. Add lovage (optional), barley, and liquid. Cook 6-8 hours on LOW or 4-6 hours on HIGH.
5. Taste, adjust seasonings, bring to a boil, and thicken as desired using cornstarch or flour slurry (I used flour)

Parmesan Chicken... hold the allergens

Growing up, both my husband's family and mine ate something called "Parmesan chicken." Different than Chicken Parmesan or Chicken Parmigiana, it is a simple dish of baked chicken dredged in yogurt, then Ritz cracker crumbs seasoned with seasoned salt, garlic salt, and Parmesan cheese, then drizzled in butter and baked. Despite being chicken breasts and baked, they come out moist every time.

But what do you do when someone can't have 1) probiotics, 2) dairy, 3) enriched food products (Ritz contains folic acid), or 4) soy?

You make this, which tastes just like the original! There is a hint of coconut here and there from the coconut milk, but it's not at all unpleasant.

Image source: http://blf.com/media/buy/Breaded-Checken-big.jpg

Parmesan Chicken

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
(or substitute the above three for dairy-free plain yogurt--but my husband can't have those)

1 box Late July buttery-tasting crackers
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

6-8 raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/3 cup butter substitute, melted (we used half Miyoko Shinner's vegan butter and half Smart Balance)

Whisk together first three ingredients in a shallow dish. In the blender, combine remaining ingredients except chicken breasts. Blitz until all crackers are crumbs. Pour into a different shallow dish. Coat each chicken breast in coconut mixture and then crumbs. Place on baking sheet or in a very large baking dish. Drizzle each piece equally with butter. Bake 350F for 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160F. If top is not as crisp as desired, place under broiler for 1-2 minutes as desired. Serve hot.