Sunday, June 27, 2010

Broccoli and Cheese

One of my favorites, now migraine-free!

Broccoli, fresh or frozen, unseasoned, prepared as directed
Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese or neufchatel cheese (not fat-free), cubed
One teaspoon distilled white vinegar
One cup chicken stock
8 pieces high-quality American cheese from the deli counter (not processed)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Melt the cream cheese in a medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Add remaining ingredients. Heat and stir until smooth and heated thoroughly. Pour over broccoli and enjoy!

Fried Green Beans

My husband, a teacher, came home from school last year very excited about something he had eaten in the school cafeteria. Intrigued, I talked to him about...um...fried green beans, and he begged me to make them at home. Of course, I can't make them just like the cafeteria pre-packaged kind, but he said mine were good, too. That's saying a lot, especially since my husband isn't crazy about green beans to begin with.

One package frozen green beans
Two eggs, beaten
all-purpose flour
cornmeal
salt and pepper
olive oil, another cooking oil, or shortening

Pour in just enough oil to cover the bottom of a frying pan and heat over medium heat until hot. Mix 3/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup cornmeal in a small mixing bowl. Place the eggs in another small bowl and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Coat the green beans in eggs, then the flour mixture. Fry one side until slightly brown (about 4 minutes) then the other side. Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Dust lightly with salt.

Pizza!

Migraine-free, child-friendly, cost-friendly, and even gluten-free if you need it to be. A note: Many pizza chains use a garlic butter sauce to flavor the crust before adding toppings. Think all that grease is just from cheese? Think again. This recipe provides a healthier garlic butter sauce alternative for you which makes the pizza taste more like the restaurant chains. If you can't have tomatoes, maybe the sauce will even be enough of a substitute.

Burrito size tortillas (use gluten-free, 100% whole wheat, or white, but check ingredients)
Three tablespoons butter or olive oil
garlic salt
One 6 oz can (small can) tomato paste plus 3 ounces water
garlic powder
salt
dried oregano
one shallot, finely grated
Toppings of your choice (green pepper, green onion, shallots, or whatever you desire)
A sprinkling of mozzarella if your headaches are under control.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place tortillas on a pizza pan or flat baking pan in a single layer. Bake until they begin to bubble, about three minutes. Take tortillas out of the oven and immediately press them with a thick oven pad (or two so you don't burn your hands) until all steam escapes and the tortillas are flat again. Turn tortillas over and repeat directions for the opposite side. Remove from oven.
Prepare the garlic butter sauce by melting 3 tablespoons butter in a small bowl, or you may use olive oil. Add 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and stir with a pastry brush. Brush the butter mixture over the tortillas. If you are using the butter sauce in place of tomato sauce, sprinkle dried oregano on the tortilla crust at this time.
Prepare the pizza sauce by stirring the tomato paste and water together along with 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, salt, dried oregano, and finely grated shallot. Spread this over on top of the butter sauce with a spoon.
Add your toppings, and then the cheese, if your headaches are under control and you find you can tolerate small amounts of tyramine well. As always, follow Dr. Buchholz's directions for adding foods back in as outlined in his book.
Bake pizza until crust is slightly brown, or until cheese is completely melted if using cheese, about five to seven minutes.

Enjoy!