Spicy Potato Salad with No Common Allergens

 

Some potato salads are bland. This potato salad, besides containing no common allergens, is very well seasoned. 

     2 tsp. oregano (See Spices in the Glossary) 
     1 Tb. Aleppo pepper (See Spices in the Glossary) 
     1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary) 
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary) 
     1-1/2 c. red onion cut into slivers
     6 c. peeled potatoes cut in 1/2" or 3/4" cubes
     1/2 c. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary) 

     Stir the oregano, Aleppo pepper, lemon juice and 1 tsp. of the salt together in a largish bowl. Stir in the onion. Set aside to marinate. 

     Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the potatoes, bring back to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are tender but not mushy. (Allow for the fact that they will become somewhat firmer as they cool off.) Strain. Immediately mix the potatoes and the olive oil into the onion mixture. Allow to  steep for 10-15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Refrigerate.

Chicken Salad With Very Few Allergens

 

   This chicken salad contains no mayonnaise or vinegar and thus doesn't have the allergens that they introduce (egg, soy, yeast, corn).  It can be dressed up, if you like, by stirring in a bit of brown mustard if you have some that you're not allergic to, or garnishing with pomegranate seeds and/or toasted pine nuts, if you're not allergic to them.

     6 T. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     juice of 1/2 lemon (See Juice in the Glossary)

     pinch of tarragon (See Spices in the Glossary)

     pinch of white pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste (See Salt in the Glossary)

     3 cups diced cooked chicken (1/3 inch or so)

     1 cup sliced celery

     6 green onions, sliced

     Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, tarragon, pepper and salt.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Chimichurri Chicken Salad

Alternatively, if you happen to have some vinegar-free no-mayo chimichurri, mix your diced cooked chicken and cut up crunchy veggies (celery, green onions, whatever crunchy veggies you're not allergic to) and dress with chimichurri. This is a particularly delicious way to serve leftover chicken.

     

Asparagus Salad

 

     Raw asparagus is delicious, but it can be a bit tough or stringy. We can improve the texture by 1) discarding any tough, woody bit at the base of the stalk, 2) slicing the asparagus pretty small, and 3) slightly tenderizing the asparagus by soaking it in an acidic dressing. 

     3 Tb. lemon juice
     1/4 c. olive oil
     1/2 tsp. salt
     1/4 tsp. dried tarragon leaves
     1/2 tsp. black pepper
     1-2 garlic cloves, crushed

     2 c. thin sliced asparagus stalks
     1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
     1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
     3 green onions, trimmed and sliced

     2 Tb. chopped fresh dill leaves

     Stir together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, tarragon, pepper and garlic. Stir in the asparagus and set aside to steep for 15 minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients and serve.

Grated Turnip Salad

      In American cooking the turnip most often appears as a strong-tasting vegetable people try to hide in mashed potatoes. I prefer to borrow an idea from Korean cooking, in which its ability to stand up to other strong flavors and be complemented by them is an asset.  Turnip kimchi, for example, is sour, spicy, garlicky, intense and wonderful. It is also a yeasty, fermented food, which is a problem for those of us who have yeast allergies.

     This salad is not a substitute for turnip kimchi, but it is delicious. It is also intense enough to double as a condiment.

     1 cup of peeled, grated turnip (approximately one large turnip)
     2 large garlic cloves, crushed
     1 Tb. freshly squeezed lime juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1 Tb. salad oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (See Spices in the Glossary)
     1/4 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     I recommend a food-processor for grating the turnip if you have one. Squeeze the excess moisture out of the turnip by handfuls.  In a small bowl stir together the garlic, lime juice, salad oil, pepper flakes and salt. Stir this dressing into the grated turnip.

Grated Cauliflower Salad

     This simple recipe makes cauliflower delicious without adding any common allergens. Grating cauliflower gives it an interesting texture and allows you to really meld the flavors of lemon juice, olive oil and fresh herbs into it. 

     1 medium head of cauliflower 
     1 large carrot, diced small
     1 large stalk of celery, diced small
     2-4 Tb. chopped fresh dill weed and/or other herb(s)* (See Produce in 

          the Glossary)
     3 Tb. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     salt  (See Salt in the Glossary)

Remove any outer leaves and the stem of the cauliflower and grate the whole head.  Use a food-processor for this if you have one. Stir in the carrot, celery, herb(s), olive oil, 2 Tb. lemon juice and a sprinkle of salt.  Adjust lemon juice and salt to taste.

*I really like dill with cauliflower, but parsley, cilantro, and fennel leaves are all good choices too.

Eggplant Salad

     Eggplant salad is a classic Mediterranean dish that contains no major allergens (or corn, yeast, or sesame): this is one recipe I haven't had to tamper with. Any wax containing corn, soy, or dairy products on the outside of the eggplants or peppers is peeled off.

     2 medium eggplants 

     2 Anaheim peppers (You can easily substitute other peppers, but Anaheims 

          have plenty of pepper flavor without much heat and are especially easy 

          to peel.) (See Produce in the Glossary)

     juice from 1/2 lemon (See Juice in the Glossary)
     3 Tb. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     2-3 green onions, sliced
     4 cloves of garlic, pressed
     small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped roughly (See Produce in 

          the Glossary)

     salt to taste (See Salt in the Glossary)

For this recipe you need around 2 cups of cooked eggplant,
or about this much raw eggplant. The index card on the right is 4" x 6". 

     You can cook the eggplants and peppers on a grill or about 6 inches under a broiler, turning as needed to cook them thoroughly on all sides. The eggplants should be well charred on the outside (this gives a distinctive smoky flavor) and very soft on the inside. The peppers should be softened up, and their peels should be brown and bubbling up. The eggplants will need more time than the peppers. Cover the eggplants and peppers with a lid and let them sit for a few minutes. Besides letting the vegetables cool off a bit, this allows steam from inside them to loosen the peels.

This is what the peppers and eggplants should look like
when you take them off the grill or out from under the broiler.

     Peel and chop the eggplants. Peel and chop the peppers. Stir in all remaining ingredients.  (Do not delay adding the lemon juice, or the eggplant will turn a yucky brown.)

Hypoallergenic Broccoli Salad

     Most broccoli salad relies heavily on mayonnaise, which generally contains multiple allergens (corn, soy, eggs). I think the dressing I describe here is tastier, as well as containing fewer allergens. The maple syrup complements the bacon, and the mustard adds depth to the broccoli, to which it is related.

     It is important to pay attention to the sources of your ingredients. Bacon, for example, can contain corn syrup and/or soy additives, but doesn't always; Applegate Sunday Bacon, for example, consists entirely of pork, water, salt, cane sugar and celery powder and so is a good choice at my house.  Use real maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup; besides being corn-free, it tastes a whole lot better. Don't skip the step about peeling the tomatoes: one goal of peeling them is to get rid of their wax coating, which may contain corn, soy, or dairy ingredients. If you need to avoid white vinegar (corn, yeast), mix up your own mustard (click on the link provided: mustard is surprisingly easy to prepare yourself).

     4-6 slices bacon (See Bacon in the Glossary)
     4 c. broccoli cut into small florets
     2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes (See Produce in the Glossary)
     3 green onions, trimmed and sliced
     (optional) 1-2 Tb. chopped dill leaves (See Produce in the Glossary)
     dressing (recipe follows)

     Fry the bacon and cut it into chunks; set aside. Prepare a large bowlful of very cold water. Fill a medium pot with salted water and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli to the boiling water, bring it back to a boil, and cook for one minute. Dredge the broccoli out of the boiling water and immediately get it into the bowl of cold water. Leave it there until thoroughly chilled; drain it thoroughly and set it aside.  Get a fresh bowlful of cold water ready. Dunk the tomatoes into the boiling water. Scoop them out after about 15 seconds and get them into the bowl of cold water.  Leave them there for a couple of minutes. Take out, peel, seed, cut into chunks and set aside.

     Just before serving, combine the bacon, broccoli, tomatoes, green onions, dill and dressing. Adjust salt to taste.


The dressing:
     3 Tb. freshly squeezed lime juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     3 Tb. olive or other oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     2 Tb. prepared mustard
     2 Tb. maple syrup
     1/2 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     Mix.

Pasta Salad Without the Usual Allergens

     The archetypal American macaroni salad consists mainly of macaroni and mayonnaise, with a bit of celery or something tossed in.  Besides having a variety of allergens from the mayonnaise, it’s pretty heavy and usually has a chemical aftertaste.  This recipe is more of a classic antipasto, complete with a fair dose of veggies.  Feel free to change the vegetables around a bit according to what you’re okay with and what you happen to have in the fridge.  You can easily substitute grilled zucchini or yellow squash for the mushrooms if you have a problem with mushrooms, skip the onions, or add a few sliced sun-dried tomatoes, a cup of peas or a half cup of chopped Parmesan if you’re okay with those ingredients.

     1 lb. rice elbow macaroni (See Pasta in the Glossary)

     2 cups broccoli cut into small florets

     2 portabello mushrooms

     2 bunches green onions, washed, trimmed and sliced

     3 oz. sliced pepperoni, cut into ½” squares 

     1 batch Lemon Italian Dressing 

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

    (Note: Most processed meats contain corn syrup and other allergens, so read the label for the pepperoni. Applegate pepperoni contains dextrose (from corn?) but no corn syrup. It is also gluten-free and dairy-free.)

    Boil a large potful of water; add some oil, salt and the macaroni. Bring back to a boil, and simmer until the macaroni is cooked. The macaroni should not be al dente: as rice pasta cools, it stiffens back up to a surprising degree, so it needs to be really thoroughly cooked. Of course, it should not be mushy or starting to crumble. Getting this right may take a few tries. Use a timer, and determine the right cooking time for your altitude and choice of noodles. I use Tinkyáda Brown Rice Pasta Elbows (with rice bran). The instructions say to boil these noodles for 15 or 16 minutes, which I find about right if they are to be served hot, even though I live at an altitude of about 5000 feet, where the boiling point is a bit lower. I find it necessary to boil them for 30-35 minutes if they are to be served from the refrigerator. Drain the noodles, rinse them thoroughly with cold water, and allow them to drain thoroughly. 

     Prepare a large bowlful of cold water. Parboil the broccoli for one minute; strain it and immediately dunk it into the cold water to stop it from cooking. Once it is thoroughly cooled off, drain it. Cut each mushroom into 3 or 4 strips and cut each strip into slices that are 1/8” or so across. Stir the broccoli, mushrooms, green onions, pepperoni and Lemon Italian Dressing into the pasta. Adjust salt to taste.

Tuna Salad With Very Few Allergens

     This tuna salad contains no mayonnaise or vinegar and thus doesn't have the allergens that they introduce. If you can't tolerate the amount of vinegar in a spoonful of commercial mustard you can either 1) leave it out or 2) make your own prepared mustard, using lemon juice.  This is surprisingly easy to do. This recipe calls for a can of tuna: if you have some cooked fresh tuna, by all means use that instead! Note that canned tuna often contains ingredients such as "vegetable broth" that are likely to contain soy: read every label, every time.

     1 Tb. good brown mustard

     1 Tb. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     1 Tb. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     sprinkle of salt, if desired (taste the tuna first) (See Salt in the Glossary)

     1 can tuna in water (4 or 5 oz.), flaked with a fork (break up the big 

          chunks). Check the label for soy, yeast or other allergens

     1/2 thin sliced celery stalk

     2 green onions, thin sliced

     Whisk together the mustard, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Stir in the remaining ingredients.  This is good on greens, or with plenty of lettuce in a sandwich.

Cucumber Salad

     This salad contains very few ingredients and therefore very few allergens. It is corn-, soy- and dairy-free, provided the cucumbers are peeled. Besides being extremely simple to make (especially if you use a food-processor to slice the cucumbers), it is refreshing and light, the perfect salad on a hot day. 

     4 medium cucumbers, peeled and sliced thin (See Produce in the 

          Glossary)

     6 green onions, sliced

     juice of 2 small limes (See Juice in the Glossary)

     salt to taste (See Salt in the Glossary)

     Stir all ingredients together.  Chill thoroughly.

Egg Salad With No Corn, Soy or Dairy

     Most egg salad is made with mayonnaise, which usually contains soybean oil (soy) and white vinegar (corn, yeast). Some egg salad contains sour cream (dairy, corn, yeast). These allergens are unnecessary: you can easily make excellent egg salad whose only allergen is the eggs themselves. 

     6 peeled hard-boiled jumbo eggs

     1 Tb. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     2 Tb. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     1 celery stalk, chopped small

     1 green onion, sliced

     chopped leaves from 2 sprigs of parsley (See Produce in the Glossary)

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     Chop the eggs fairly small. Stir in the lemon juice, olive oil, celery, onion and parsley. Adjust lemon, and salt to taste.

Hypoallergenic Mushroom Salad

     Note that some people who are allergic to yeast and mold are also allergic to mushrooms. I'm not, so this simple salad works for me.

     1/4 c. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     3 Tb. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1/2 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     1/4 tsp. black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)
     1 lb. mushrooms, sliced thin

     Blend the oil, lemon juice, salt, and  pepper in a large bowl, then stir in the mushrooms until they are thoroughly coated.  Serve on a bed of spinach leaves if you like.

Yeast-Free, Corn-Free Carrot Salad

     Carrot salad can easily be hypoallergenic, but it often contains raisins, which have yeast on their surface. It may also contain vinegar, which is a fermented product and therefore a source of yeast.  White vinegar, of course, is made from corn.  Leave the raisins out: carrots are already fairly sweet and don't need further sweetening. Carrots also pair beautifully with savory vegetables such as  green onions and celery. Add a bit of diced radish for crunch if you like.

     This simple salad is colorful on a bed of chopped greens.

     2 lb. carrots--washed, peeled and grated
     12 green onions, sliced thin
     (optional) handful chopped parsley or cilantro (See Produce in the 

          Glossary)
     1 stalk of celery, sliced
     1/4 cup olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     juice of 1-2 lemons (See Juice in the Glossary)
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)


     Stir the vegetables and olive oil together.  Add lemon juice and salt to taste.


Variation:  Make daikon salad by simply replacing the grated carrot with grated daikon. (Squeeze the excess moisture out of the grated daikon.)

Hypoallergenic Beet Salad

     Red beets and leafy greens are very beautiful together. Also, the slight sweetness of beets and the slight heat of green onions complement each other perfectly. 

     The conventional garnish to put on top of beet salad is crumbled feta.  If you can eat cheese, that's a good way to go.  I find toasted pine nuts bring a lot of flavor and texture  to this salad too, though, making them an excellent alternative.  If you are allergic to both cheese and pine nuts, just skip them: this is still a delicious salad. 

     leafy greens (See Produce in the Glossary)

     1 batch of marinated beets (Recipe below)

     3 green onions, sliced or cut into very thin 3-inch-long strips

     olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     ¼ c. pine nuts (See Pine Nuts in the Glossary)

     oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     Put this salad together in layers.  First cover the bottom of a serving dish with some loosely chopped greens:  I find greens with a bold, savory flavor, such as beet greens or arugula, contrast perfectly with the slightly bland, sweet beets, but  use whatever greens you like. Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto the greens. Distribute the beets on top of the greens.  On medium heat, lightly brown the pine nuts in a smidge of oil with a pinch of salt. Remove immediately from the hot pan to cool so they do not have an opportunity to scorch.  Distribute over the salad. Garnish with the green onions.

Marinated beets

     1 lb. beets (about 2 large), peeled, quartered, and sliced thin (1/4" or less)

     1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     1 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     (optional) sprinkle of chopped fresh dill weed (See Produce in the

          Glossary) or pinch of dry dill weed (See Spices in the Glossary)

     (optional) sprinkle of chopped fresh mint (See Produce in the 

          Glossary) or pinch of dried mint (See Spices in the Glossary)

     Stir salt and any herbs into the lemon juice. Throw beets into boiling water, and simmer until they are thoroughly cooked but still firm, 10-12 min. Drain beets and immediately stir into the lemon juice.  Allow to steep, stirring frequently, for half an hour or so.  Chill.

Hypoallergenic Quinoa Salad and Hypoallergenic Buckwheat Salad

   

Hypoallergenic Quinoa Salad

      In principle, quinoa should be the perfect grain for a nonallergenic salad. In practice, quinoa salad is often a soggy mess. When you add such wet ingredients as oil and lemon juice to perfectly cooked quinoa it becomes too damp, of course.

     This recipe, inspired by the technique for making Turkish bulgur salad, produces quinoa salad that is dry and fluffy.  The difference is that the quinoa is only fully cooked after it interacts with the hot oil and soaks up the lemon juice.

     2 cups quinoa, rinsed and thoroughly drained

     1 Tb. cumin (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1/2 c. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     1 onion, chopped very fine

     1/2 Tb. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     3 cloves garlic, crushed

     ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice  (See Juice in the Glossary)

     chopped leaves from one bunch of parsley  (See Produce in 

          the Glossary)

     1-2 oz. finely chopped fresh dill (See Produce in the Glossary)

     two bunches of green onions, trimmed and sliced

     Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the cumin and quinoa, bring the water back to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover, and cook until there is no stray moisture in the pot (10-15 minutes).  Put aside and allow to set for a few minutes. Meanwhile, fry the onion with the salt in the oil on high heat until it is translucent and very soft, stirring constantly.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so, being careful not to brown the onions or the garlic. Immediately stir the onion mixture into the quinoa. Allow to steep for 10 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice and allow to steep for another 5 minutes.  Chill thoroughly.  Stir in the remaining vegetables and serve.

Variation: Leave out the cumin, use lime juice instead of lemon juice and replace the parsley, dill and green onions with:

      2/3 c. carrot, diced fairly small

      2/3 c. jicama, diced fairly small

      1 bunch of cilantro, chopped fine


Hypoallergenic Buckwheat Salad

To make buckwheat salad, substitute buckwheat for quinoa in the recipe given above. You do not need to rinse the buckwheat because, unlike quinoa, buckwheat does not have bitter compounds on its surface.