Posted on August 13, 2010, 10:33 pm

The cooking forum needs an thread for speciality diets.

let me give examples.

Posted on August 13, 2010, 10:35 pm

Pear Baby foods (4 acid reflux)
Pear and Apple Puree (great for beginners)

1 ripe pear
1 apple
1 cinnamon stick (introduce your baby to pear WITHOUT cinnamon before including it in this recipe)

Peel and core the apple and pear, then cut them into chunks.
Place into a saucepan, just cover with water and add the cinnamon stick (if using).
Simmer gently until tender, then remove the stick and mash/puree as desired.

Note: You may need to remove the pear before the apple as - depending on its ripeness - it may soften more quickly.

Pear Baby Food - Baked Pear and Carrot Mash (a yummy first food)

1 carrot
1/2 ripe pear

Peel the carrot and peel, then core, the pear.
Cut the carrot into strips and the pear into chunks.
Wrap the prepared carrot and pear in foil and seal, to make a parcel.
Bake at 375 deg F (190 deg C) until tender.
Mash well or puree.

More carrot baby food recipes here

Pear Baby Food - Pear and Raisin Mash (6 months+)

1 large, ripe pear
1oz (1/8 cup) raisins
a little unsalted butter, melted
1 fl oz (1/8 cup) apple juice

First, soak the raisins in the apple juice until softened.
Peel the pear, remove the core, then slice it.
Arrange the slices on your grill (broiler) pan and brush with melted butter.
Grill (broil) until tender, turning occasionally.
Mash or puree the cooked pear with the softened raisins and apple juice.

Pear Baby Food - Cinnamon Pear with Cream Cheese Topping (6 months+)

1 pear (peeled, cored, cut into chunks and placed in a small saucepan with enough apple juice to cover)
1 cinnamon stick
1oz (1/8 cup) cream cheese
drop of maple syrup

Place the cinnamon stick in the saucepan with the pear and apple juice and simmer until the pear is tender.
Remove the cinnamon stick, then mash or puree the pear.
Combine the cream cheese with the maple syrup.
Place the pear puree in your baby's bowl and top with the cream cheese mixture (this dish is best served when the pear is still warm).

Pear Baby Food - Pear and Butternut Squash Soup (6 months+)

1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
8 fl oz (1 cup) homemade chicken stock
8oz (1 cup) butternut squash, cubed
1 medium pear, peeled, cored and cubed
2oz (1/4 cup) celery, well chopped
4 fl oz (1/2 cup) milk
pinch chopped, fresh thyme
pinch oregano
little freshly ground black pepper
little olive oil

Saute the onion in the oil over a medium heat until golden brown.
Pour in the stock (broth), then add the squash, pears and celery.
Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat.
Simmer for 10 mins, then stir in the milk and seasonings.
Check that the veggies are tender, then cool and serve.

Pear Baby Food - Pear and Quinoa Breakfast (great for babies enjoying texture)

Quinoa is a highly nutritious grain - and is a rich source of calcium. Of all grains, quinoa has the highest protein content and also contains phosphorus (important for a healthy heart, kidneys and brain), vitamins B and E and iron.

Find out more about quinoa and other grains here

2oz (1/4 cup) quinoa
4oz (1/2 cup) apple juice
1oz (1/8 cup) sultanas
pinch nutmeg
1 small, sweet pear

Peel, core and dice the pear.
Rinse the quinoa, then place in a small saucepan.
Add the water, nutmeg and sultanas.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 5 mins.
Add the diced pear, then continue to simmer until all the water has been absorbed by the quinoa.

Pear baby food recipes - finger foods
Pear-y Special Quesadillas (for babies comfortably biting and chewing)

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 small pear, peeled and cored
2 tbsp mozzarella or other mild cheese

Bake the pear, wrapped in foil, until soft.
Cool and mash.
Spread the soft pear over half the tortilla, then sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Fold the tortilla over into a semi-circle, then place it on a warmed skillet (frying pan).
Heat for a couple of minutes on each side, until the cheese has melted, then cut into wedges and serve when cooled to a safe temperature.

Pear and Banana Muffins (sugar free - ideal from around 12 months+)

2oz (1/2 cup) self raising flour (or all-purpose plus 3/4 tsp baking powder)
1 egg
1 ripe banana (this provides the sweetness to the muffins, so it is important the banana is ripe)
1 ripe pear
2 fl oz (1/4 cup) olive oil
good pinch cinnamon
1 tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 375 deg F (190 deg C).
Peel and core the pear, then chop finely.
Mash the banana.
Whisk the oil and egg together in a bowl unti thoroughly combined.
Add the cinnamon to the flour, then stir in the chopped pear.
Gently blend the banana and the oil mixture with the flour, then add the milk.
Grease a muffin tray, then spoon in the mixture.
Bake for around 20 mins, until golden and firm.

Please note that this recipe produces muffins that are deliciously dense and moist rather than fluffy and light.

Posted on August 13, 2010, 11:10 pm

EGG FREE COOKING AND BAKING

Eggs are used as binders and thickeners in casseroles, and as binders and leavening agents in baked goods. As popular, totally egg free egg replacer is Ener-G Foods Egg Replace sold in natural food stores and many supermarkets. It is beaten with a liquid before using and is best used in baked goods only also it does not always work well in "packaged" mixes (you have to experiment but is great in from scratch baking.

To Bind or Thicken without eggs.

arrowroot powder
potato starch
tiny cornstarch
oat flour
soy flour
whole wheat flour
garbanzo (chickpea) flour
mashed potatoes
mashed sweet potatoes
mashed vegetables
seed butters
nut butters
soft tofu blended with flour (use 1 TBSP flour to 1/4 cup tofu)

To Lighten Baked Goods Without Eggs

flax seed
1/4 cup soft tofu blended with the liquid called for in the recipe
1 heaping TBSP soy flour or garbanzo flour beaten with 1 TBSP water
2 TBSP flour, 1 1/2 tsp canola oil, 1/2 tsp non aluminium, double acting baking powder beaten with 2 TBSP water
1 tsp with Ener-G Egg Re placer beaten with 2 TBSP water
1 TBSP cornstarch ad 1 TBSP instant soy-mild powder beaten with 2 TBSP water
1/ cup mashed banana or apple sauce and 1/2 tsp non-aluminium, double action baking powder

For Egg Flavour or Colour

nutritional yeast
vegan chicken flavoured instant broth powder (flavour)
tiny pinch of turmeric (for colour)
small amount of prepared mustard (for colour)

For texture of Cooked Egg

crumbled silken or soft regular tofu or tossed with any "eggy flavoring/coloring
mashed garbanzo beans or white beans or also tossed with egg flavouring/colouring

and in many cookie pancake, baked goods that only call for roe egg you can just skip the egg and just add an extra 2 - 3 tablespoons of liquid to the batter...

I have also heard using apple sauce works if you are looking to moisten
Reply to this discussion topic

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Ener-G Egg Replicate - follow directions on box.
2 tbsp corn starch = 1 egg
2 tbsp arrowroot flour = 1 egg
2 tbsp potato starch = 1 egg
1 heaping tbsp soy powder + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg
1 tbsp soy milk powder + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water = 1 egg.
1 banana = 1 egg in cakes.
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Grinding up 1 tbsp of flaxseed and adding 2 tbsp of water = 1 egg.
You can also substitute an egg-sized chunk of tofu, ]
mashed potatoes or, apple sauce.

It depends on what you're fixing: flaxseed is the best binder for things that won't stick together properly w/o an egg, like a rice ring, but potatoes or tofu work better for a veggie loaf when you want zero flavour added and apple sauce is great for baking.

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When I bake I use something called Lecithin. It comes in powder form, and you can buy it at a health food store. It comes in a 1lb can with a orange label. It should say Lecithin Fine Granules.

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half banana is a good sub for one egg. it really makes cakes and pancakes taste GREAT!