School, Play, and Playmobile Land {Germany 2013}

How are you?  Have you been missing us?!  Yes, yes I know the world does not revolve around me...it is just my meager attempt to be funny ;)

Anyways, we have been in Germany now for almost three weeks and am very much enjoying ourselves.  The girls go to school Monday through Friday, while I work and visit my German clients.  We are staying at my Mom's this year and it has been the best decision.  It is wonderful to get a little spoiled by not having to cook, enjoy my Mom's kitchen and spend quality time with her.  Have I mentioned how amazing her Bratkartoffeln {fried potatoes} are?

The girls have been - at least most of the time - enjoying to go to school and see their friends again.  They visit every year so it is - also for the German kids and at least in Alena's class - a welcome back, Alena.  For Mia Rose it is the first time at a German school, as school here starts with first grade and not Kindergarten :)  One of the things my youngest loves is that she is able to walk to and back home all by herself.  Alena is not the biggest fan of it, but Mia Rose?!   Both girls are fully integrated in the classrooms {they both speak German} and the experience to compare the German school to their school in Portland has been - as always - awesome...Last week, both participated in the Bundesjugendspiele which is a full morning of competitive sports.  They ran, long jumped, high jumped and had loads of fun.  Alena went on an afternoon hike with her class and we ended the day with a big BBQ party at one of the many parks {Waldspielplatz} surrounding Tuttlingen.

On the weekends we have been visiting friends; we see each other only once a year but always pick-up right were we left off.  Now that to me is a sign of true friendship!!!

For fun other we have been to an outdoor theater and saw Rapunzel; visted the Fairytale Garden in Ludwigsburg; went swimming at TuWass; spent time at many playgrounds; visited the Playmobile Fun Land....

And for dinner out?  There is one dish that always works; do you know what it is?  Yup, Pommes Frites which the girls prefer "red/white" { ketchup & mayonnaise}, as well as  plenty of ice "cream".  There are always options when you ask and explain the situation!

Strawberries...

You may, or may not have noticed, how much we I love strawberries.  Especially my all time Oregon favorite the Hood Strawberry!!! I am so happy to share my love for strawberries with my entire family. Well, why would I not, right?! Well, okay here it goes...

When Alena was first diagnosed with Classic Galactosemia as an infant, the nurse at the NICU was kind enough to have the librarian conduct a search about the disorder as it is quite rare. The nurse had the librarian send us pages, upon pages of information.  It also included - this is almost ten years ago - to the diet plan which at the time {maybe still?} most people with Classic Galactosemia follow{ed}in the United States.  The diet does not only exclude galactose from animal/human {you know as in breast milk} sources but also plant based galactose.  The list of disallowed items was - seemingly - endless and quite scary.  You know, no apples, tomatoes, and no strawberries. It was quite sad when we saw all the limitations of this plan...now roll forward a couple of years.  Our amazing metabolic physician had always told us, that plant based galactose is safe, but you know the over-worried mothership, right?! Then we met our friends in Europe and I asked them about plant based galactose.  The first question was "Do people still follow the Acosta diet? Our clinicians find it outdated and we only exclude animal/human sources" - Wow!!! Maybe, our physician had been right all along {duhhh!!!} and that is when we started introducing the varied diet we all now eat.  Because Mia Rose is our second child, we never restricted her diet besides the obvious animal/human galactose.  FYI - the management and diet of Classic Galactosemia is very controversial; this works for us and our children always double check with your clinicians...

Now back to the topic "Strawberries" yes - we all love them, and they disappear in no time.  Take a look at us going strawberry picking earlier this year on Sauvie Island...Oh, yes they are Hoods...

And the dishes - glad you are asking:
- Oregon Strawberry Sundae {Dairyfree}
- Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Strawberry-Mint Popsicle
- Fast Focaccia w/Strawberries  {so delicious - however mine was not as beautiful :)}
- Strawberry Ice Cubes {very easy - freeze the fresh strawberries and drop them in the drink}

What is your favorite berry?  Do you like strawberries as much as we do?

Strawberry-Mint Popsicle Guest Post for girlichef's #SummerOfThePopsicle

I am beyond thrilled  so so very happy to be a guest at my friend Heather's a.k.a. girlichef.  Heather and I met through #SundaySupper and I am thrilled to be a guest poster on her amazing, fantastic blog.  Truth be said, this is my – yes, I probably should not admit this – first ever guest post and I am just a wee bit nervous.  You know, just a tiny little bit…so I am slowly, yup at snails pace getting over it...so now, head on over to girlichef!

We have arrived...

Hi there and greetings from Tuttlingen. We have arrived here last week after a seemingly couple of super long flights.  This year we traveled via JFK and the last leg of the flight seemed for some odd reason {at least to me} endless.  Oh well, I must be getting old...but no complaints, it was just long.  Everything went well.  The girls are really good travelers.  As said before, I packed them a lot of treats and surprises in their backpacks.  Also getting up at 4 a.m. helped all of us get quite bit of sleep - well, at least on the leg from JFK to Zurich.  

The special meal ordered also worked out perfectly this time.  This is the first time, Alena actually cleared her entire meal.  And yes,  it was Galactosemia safe - Orzo with some vegetables

We picked up the car in Zurich at the airport and I drove us to Tuttlingen.  A strange thing happens to me whenever I am back home.  It feels like I never left, every landmark, town, and nature seems so familiar; it is such a deep connection.  Do you know what I am talking about? 

Anyway, after we arrived at my Mom's the ladies needed to get out to the playground...

The next day we took a nice walk up to the "Kapf"

Thank you all!!!

Coconut No-Cream Pie (guest post by girlichef)

I am thrilled beyond believe, friends to welcome my friend Heather of girlichef today; she is one amazing person, blogger, recipe creator....thank you!

Hi everybody!  I am so excited to be here at The Not So Cheesy Kitchen, and to be sharing a dairy-free dish that my friend Bea's whole family could enjoy.  Bea and I met through #SundaySupper, and from the start, I was inspired by her story...the reality and shock of finding out that the things most precious in the world to her, her daughters, were born with Classic Galactosemia.

Now, I had absolutely no idea what Galactosemia was.  Classic Galactosemia is only managed through diet, by eliminating milk sugars from the diet, to be exact.  I'm not gonna lie, the thought of this scares the bejeesus out of me!  I think that I would be a complete mess upon finding out that my children had any food allergies...sitting next to them during school lunch, scouring the treats brought in for classroom parties, following them around with an epi pen.  You know, that sort of thing.

I feel very fortunate that food allergies are not something that I have to worry about on a daily basis.  However, I definitely think that it's important to have some sort of basic understanding about them.  Why those with Galactosemia can't have milk sugars...and what food has milk sugars in it.  What exactly is a Celiac and what ingredients are gluten-free.  Not to mention the ones that seem a bit more straight-forward like nut allergies, lactose intolerance, shellfish allergies, soy allergies, etc.

So yeah, basically what I'm trying to say is that I want to have some good recipes in my arsenal in case I want to cook something for a friend or family member with special dietary needs.  I know there are plenty of things that are "naturally" dairy free.  Things that don't normally have dairy in them.  But if you know me, you know that I want to go a step further and take something that is known for dairy turn that into a dish that those on dairy-free diets can enjoy.

Always doing things the hard way...

Now, I'm a huge fan of Coconut Cream Pie, I love it's silky texture, and the big, puffy clouds of cream on top.  And though this pie is not exactly the same - it is still rich and custardy, and even creamy...without the use of dairy or eggs.  But what I love best about it is the in-your-face coconut taste!

Coconut No-Cream Pie

This Coconut No-Cream Pie is rich and custardy without the use of dairy or eggs. What I love best about it is the in-your-face coconut taste!

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert nut-free soy-free vegan dairy-free gluten-free coconut coconut milk pie

Ingredients (1 (8 or 9-inch) pie)

for the Chocolate Crumb Crust:

• 3 ounces (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) Earth Balance Baking Sticks, melted
• 7-1/2 ounces chocolate animal crackers, chocolate graham crackers, chocolate wafer cookies

for the pie filling:

• 1 (12 ounce) package firm silken tofu, drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 3/4 cup raw cane sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• few grates of fresh ginger
• 1 cup unsweetened, finely shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup unsweetened large flake coconut (or shaved)

Instructions

making the crust:

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Process the chocolate cookies in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Drizzle in melted butter and process until it is combined.

Dump the whole mess out into an 8 or 9-inch pie plate and press it evenly into it, both on the bottom and up the sides. The thickness of your crust depends on the size of the pie plate you use. Bake for 10-15 minutes (less for 9-inch, more for 8-inch). Remove from oven and set on a baking sheet. Leave the oven on.

making the filling:

Rinse the bowl of the food processor and dry it out. Combine the tofu and coconut milk in the food processor (you could also do this in the jar of a blender, but since you're already using your food processor...) and process until smooth. Add sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and almond extracts, salt, and nutmeg; process again to combine well. Pour out into a large measuring cup with a spout and stir in the finely shredded coconut.

Pour the mixture into the pie crust that is now sitting on a baking sheet. If you used the smaller pie plate, you will have some mixture left over (discard or use for something else). Slide into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes (again, longer for the smaller pie plate), or until the center of the pie is set, but still very wobbly. Scatter the larger flake (shaved) coconut over the top of the pie, and return to oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until the coconut flakes are toasted.

Allow to cool to room temperature on a wire rack before transferring to the fridge to cool for at least 3 hours before serving. Store, wrapped/covered in the fridge for a couple of days.

*notes:

Feel free to substitute your favorite non-dairy butter substitute in the same proportions.

Substitute gluten-free chocolate cookies in the crust to make the pie entirely gluten-free.

To make larger flake coconut shreds, peel a coconut and remove any thin, hard brown outer that still clings to it using a paring knife. Once you have only the snowy white coconut meat, use a vegetable peeler to shave coconut off in large shreds. You could grate the coconut to get the fine shreds, or you could use store-bought.

adapted from Allergy-Friendly Food for Families

Thanks so much for hanging out with me today while Bea is in Germany!  I am so grateful to have made such a wonderful friend through blogging.  On a normal day, you can find me one of several places, my blog girlichef - or on facebook, twitter, or my addiction favorite spot of all, instagram.

Sweet and Sour Short Ribs {Guest Post by Blueberries And Blessings}

I am so excited that my friend Pam agreed to be a guest blogger {yes, my very very very first one} on The Not So Cheesy Kitchen today...take a look at this amazing recipe!  Yes, it is all dairy free :) Thank you so much, Pam!

A big hello from northeast Florida today! I’m Pam, from Blueberries And Blessings. I am thrilled to be posting on The Not so Cheesy Kitchen, we met through our mutual love for  #SundaySupper, I fell in love with Bea’s blog and her passion to educate others on issues that she and her family face when it comes to food. She does a brilliant job and her dishes are delicious! What an honor to bring a meal to her table. Without further adieu, let’s talk ribs!

I bought some grass fed beef short ribs a while back when I was on my sojourn to Whole Foods. I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I had truly only heard of a recipe of braised short ribs where you add tomatoes, carrots and the like to them, and I wasn't really feeling that recipe, so I just tucked them away in the freezer until inspiration struck.

I was sitting at my Mom's and looking through her trusty old cookbook when I spotted a recipe for Sweet and Sour Short Ribs. It was like bells went off. I scribbled the recipe down and eagerly went to it the very next day.

I made a few adjustments for convenience's sake - I just didn't have the ingredients on hand - and it still came out perfect. Nice and tangy, with just a hint of sweet.

I have never like sweet and sour recipes that were more sweet than sour, or too sour for that matter. This one fell happily in the middle and couldn't have been more flavorful. The liquid cooked down to the most perfect sauce consistency, too.

I would happily serve these again, even to company. I served them atop some nice steamed brown rice with a side of sauteed broccoli. A perfect chilly evening meal.

Sweet and Sour Short Ribs

adapted from The Complete Family Cookbook

1 - 2 pounds beef short ribs

1 tbsp olive oil

1/3 c. flour, plus 2 tbsp (divided) - I used a  gluten free flour blend, but regular AP will work also

1 leek, chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 c. water

1/2 c. steak sauce (I used A-1)

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 bay leafs

heat olive oil in a dutch oven or large heavy saucepan

dredge ribs in flour, then place them in the pot and brown on all sides, then remove to a plate

add leek and saute until softened (2-5 minutes)

add water to the pan and scrape up all browned bits

add remaining ingredients to the water and stir to combine

return ribs to pot and cover

reduce heat to low to medium low and cook until tender - about 2 to 3 hours

Travel Preparation {tips - #kid travel with #dietary #restriction}

Yes, it is that time of year again.  We are getting ready for our annual visit to go to our other "home" a couple of airline rides away.  Every year we go back home - well, at least for me it is back home to the place I grew up - to Tuttlingen, Germany, a medium size city in Southern Germany.  We usually fly into Zurich, Switzerland as it is the closest and to me easiest airport to get to/from Tuttlingen.

It is also the time of year when the girlies go to school in Germany for a couple of weeks, while I work and visit with some of my clients.  Yes, the girlies do go to school in Tuttlingen; to be exact it is the school I went to as child and my Mom taught at for many years.  This year will be Mia Rosies' first time at the school, and Alena will be going to third grade.  It is a great experience for the girls and fully immerses them into the language as well culture. No worries, both girls have known many of the other children for years.  These are the same children Alena first went to Kindergarten {she started when she was three and went for a month} and has been back every single year.  Mia Rosie also has been to Kindergarten with many of the children she will meet again in her German classroom.  Let me just tell you,  that I am so grateful for my mother and the school in helping to arrange all of this.

Summer 2012

For the children it is a natural experience to travel to Europe; I understand that we are very fortunate and am so thankful for that.  Travel was something that - when Alena was first diagnosed - we were not sure how it would be possible.  We read so many scary things about Classic Galactosemia, the diet and I was at a loss to understand how it could be possible.  In all honesty, I had no idea what her and our life would be like..but let me tell you.  Travel is absolutely 100% possible without any compromise!!! Yes, it may take more work but what that most certainly is not a deterrent for us.  So this is what we do.






Since we travel international, we order vegan meals for both girls {not that great but they do get a tray}

I pack lot's and lot's of food.  Our first flight will be from PDX - JFK and I will be making sandwiches, pack fruit, some cookies and - most important - gum (!).  The girls do not often drink soda - yes, because I block it friends - but this is the time they can get their soda {lemon/lime}.

My plan is - fingers crossed - to get a "safe" sandwich plus some fries for the girlies at our stopover to make sure they are fed and - wishful thinking - tired for the last/longest leg of the flight.

Summer 2012

Oh, and yes I have found it is best {plus the most fun for the girlies} when I pack the food for each girl and they can take it out when they get hungry.  No need to ask the mothership.  Along with the food, I also pack a new book, some markers, a notebook and some other fun little games into their backpacks to be found while we are in transit...





This time we will also enjoy a family vacation at the end of the trip and we will staying in a coupel different hotels.  I will tell you more about that plus the planning involved as we get closer....so stay tuned...

Easy Black Bean Soup with Chorizo plus Yam

How is everyone? As you know this is the first week of summer break here in Portland and the weather has so far been all over the place.  You know sunny, warm, almost - dare I say that - a wee bit too hot and now back to overcast and chilly.  Well, it is still June and I am not complaining.  Everything is growing beautiful.  I am trying my luck again with tomatoes, sugar snap peas, as well as green beans - so fingers crossed it should be a good harvest. I am thinking way too far ahead and really do not want to go there yet. Now what does that have to do with Black Bean Soup?!  Yes, you are absolutely right. Nothing, nada, zilch...You may know how much we all love soup in our house, and Alena is a huge fans of beans.  3/4 of the family loves, loves, loves beans while one person - please guess - is not a huge fan; but add chorizo and that person loves it as well.

So this week, I made an Easy Black Bean Soup and since this person is now the proud owner of a slow cooker it cooked itself while I was in the office.  Now, that is what I call perfect.  Would someone please remind me why it took me so long to get a slow cooker?!

Easy Black Bean Soup with Chorizo plus Yam {slow cooker}

• 2 C dried black beans soaked overnight 
• Splash of olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1" fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 small to medium yam, peeled, and cut into pieces
• App. 5 C of water
• 1 C of your favorite Salsa {I used Pineapple Salsa}
• Juice of 1 lime
• 8 oz Chorizo {dried} - cut into bite size pieces {be sure to read the label}
• Salt & Cayenne Pepper to taste

1. Drain beans and place in slow cooker;
2. In a pot heat olive oil and sauté onions with coriander, ginger, and garlic until fragrant and soft,
3. Place onion mixture on top of beans in slow cooker;
4. Add at least 3 Cups of water to the pot in which you cooked the onions in and stir into it all the bits and pieces. Then pour it into the slow cooker,
5. Add more water until beans are well covered,
6. Add yam and set on high for 6 hours
7. After 6 hours turn slow cooker to low and  add Salsa, Lime Juice, and chorizo
8. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste
9. Leave a on low for at least another 30 minutes before serving

I served it with rice and avocado!  

Last day of school interviews....

Remember our first day of school interviews from September 5th, 2012; well here we are in June 2013 and school is over for the summer.  I interviewed both girls in the morning of the last day of school...

Mia Rose talks about First Grade - and yes, she is super excited for summer break

Alena talks about Third Grade - she is also super excited for summer break

Where did time go? School is over for the summer...

I cannot believe that school is over.  What happened to the time?  Everyone tells you when your kids are little, that time just flies by.  Honestly - probably like many others - I really did not believe that.  But it is so true; especially since both girls entered school.  You know, elementary school.

First day of school 2012/13 {left} and 2011/12 {right}

To me it is a little like a double edged sword it is hard at times to let go, then again I am so proud to see how both of them are growing up becoming amazing girls. Do you know what I mean?

Last day of school 2013

So it is, as my friend Isabel says, about building memories, memories that last a life time.  I think we have been doing pretty well at that thinking back at all the things we have done during this past school year.  Let me see...Seattle, several day trips to Mt. Hood for snow shoeing and sledding, Cross Country Skiing in Sunriver, a couple of day trips to the Oregon coast, many urban hikes, roller skating, birthday parties and lot's and lot's of family time...

Interviews of both girls about the last day of school are coming your way later on this week :)  Thank you so much!