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Specific Carbohydrate Diet healing recipes

A HELPFUL COOKBOOK — The Specific Carbohydrate Diet tells how to make almond milk, or any nut milk, a date paste to use rather than sugar and a dry cottage cheese. The book can come in handy for those with celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and other gastrointestinal ailments. -- Esther McCoy

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet or SCD, is a precise diet designed to help heal the digestive system. It is essential for those suffering from what can be debilitating disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease and other gastrointestinal ailments.

I have in my possession a cookbook called “Baking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet” by Kathryn Anible, and it suggests consultation with a doctor before beginning this type of diet, but it was designed to be a normal and nutritious diet, with a limit to the types of sugars and starches allowed.

Foods allowed on the SCD are beans: Black, kidney, lentil, lima, split pea, navy bean and peanuts. Chick peas beans, soy and cannellini beans are not allowed.

Nuts: All kinds — sesame seeds and sunflower seeds but not chia seeds, flax seeds or hemp seeds.

All naturally occurring fats and oils and all herbs and spices.

Sweets: Honey, fruits, fruit juices and saccharin but not table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, agave, stevia or any other sweetener.

Other allowable foods are eggs, butter, SCD yogurt, dry curd cottage cheese and aged cheeses, but not soft cheeses, milk, cream, half and half, cream cheese and any cottage cheese that is not dry curd.

All fresh fruits, unsweetened frozen fruit, unsweetened dried fruit but not fruits that are canned or stored in syrup or processed with sugar.

Vegetables: Non-starchy vegetables, such as green beans, squash, carrots, peas and spinach. Not starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, yams, or okra or any mucilaginous vegetables.

All fresh meats, poultry and fish, canned in oil or water, but not processed or smoked meats, fish or poultry and no additives or no added sugar.

Food to keep on hand for baking are blanched almond and coconut flour, honey, dates, pure vanilla extract, nut and coconut milk, eggs and baking soda. Other essential pantry and refrigerated items can be olive oil, unflavored gelatin, unsalted butter, fresh or frozen fruit with no sugar added and SCD allowed cheeses.

In baking with honey, reduce the amount to a quarter or one third the amount of sugar called for in the original recipe. For instance if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use 1/4 or 1/3 cup of honey. Because honey adds a great deal of moisture, reduce the amount of wet ingredients or add a little coconut flour to achieve the desired texture.

Baking soda is about four times more potent than baking powder. Using too much can result in a baked product that rises very high and then falls flat as it continues to bake. Using 1/2 to 1 teaspoon will usually be enough to help as batter rises.

Using this cookbook can help in becoming healthy and still enjoy your cake as well. The recipes are designed to help satisfy any craving, even for special occasions or just brunch with friends. I want to change the implication that a diet is negatively restrictive, according to the author, Anible.

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Since regular bread would not be allowed, baking a special variety would be desired, if time allows. This is a thinner version of hamburger buns. Two of these can be toasted and either a scrambled egg or a listed meat put between them for breakfast or lunch.

Sandwich Flatbread

1 1/4 cups blanched almond flour

1/4 cup olive or coconut oil

1 egg, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix all of the ingredients. Divide the dough into four equal portions. Form one portion into a ball and place on the baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.

Gently flatten the dough with your hands or rolling pin until about 1/2 inch thick and 6 inches in diameter.Continue with the remaining dough. Place two flatbreads on each baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.

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The addition of bacon and cheddar cheese to this bread will give it a delicious burst of flavor. It can be sliced for toast or eaten with a meal.

Bacon-Cheddar Bread

1 cup nut butter, almond or cashew

1 tablespoon coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus 2 tablespoons divided

3/4 cup chopped, crisp bacon, about 10 slices, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 4-by8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with vegetable oil. Mix together the nut butter, flour, baking soda, salt and eggs. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup bacon, stirring to combine. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bacon. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

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During the fall and winter months, when the air gets cooler and cold and flu season is upon us, this dessert bread is wonderful to have around.

Ginger has been known to help with nausea and indigestion, while cinnamon is an antimicrobial. This could be the key to keeping healthy during the winter. It may not give you super powers, but it will make your mouth happy, and it makes a great gift during the holiday for someone who requires the specific carbohydrate diet. It can be frosted with the basic cream frosting.

Gingerbread

1 cup nut butter

4 large eggs

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup date paste, recipe included

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 4-by-8-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or oil the insides. In a bowl, mix all ingredients until combined. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool before frosting or it can be served slightly warm if unfrosted.

Basic Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup SCD yogurt

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

In a bowl, whip butter on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until very light in color. Add yogurt, honey and vanilla, continuing to mix. Use frosting right away or refrigerate for up to a week. If refrigerating it, allow frosting to come to room temperature and then rewhip to the right consistency. Keep the cake refrigerated after frosting.

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Yogurt is very important in the recovery process on SCD. Many baking recipes call for yogurt as an ingredient as it gives baked goods a lighter texture and helps activate the baking soda.

You can use dairy products, such as cow’s or goat’s milk or non-dairy nut or coconut milk.

If you have a yogurt maker, use it. Other methods include using a heating pad, slow cooker or the heat from your oven light.

SCD Yogurt

4 cups milk, half and half or heavy cream or nut or coconut milk

1/8 teaspoon yogurt starter, such as Yogourmet or 1 1/2 tablespoon plain bifidus-free yogurt

1 teaspoon gelatin, optional but good if you want thicker yogurt

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, heat milk, half and half or heavy cream to 180 degrees, stirring to avoid curdling or burning.

Remove from heat and let cool to 100 to 110 degrees. Stir in the yogurt starter or yogurt and the gelatin and transfer to a yogurt maker. Allow yogurt made from dairy products to culture for 24 hours at 110 degrees. Yogurt made from nut or coconut milk needs less time, as little as 12 hours but it can be up to 24. Check the temperature with a thermometer every few hours. Remove the lid of the yogurt maker if the yogurt’s temperature climbs above 115 degrees. The yogurt can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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You have seen nut milk named in previous recipes, and here is the recipe for the product. Its uses are endless, as it can be used in cakes, cookies, custards, yogurt and sauces. If you prefer a creamier milk, add more nuts. It can be made with almost any variety of nut, such as almonds, cashews or pecans.

Nut Milk

1 1/2 to 3 cups nuts

6 1/2 cups filtered water, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional

3 dates, pitted, optional

In a medium bowl, cover the nuts with 2 cups of filtered water. Allow nuts to soak for 10 to 12 hours or overnight. Drain the soaking water and rinse the nuts.

Place soaked nuts in a blender and add the remaining 4 1/2 cups water along with vanilla and dates, if desired. Blend 2 to 4 minutes until completely blended. ugh several layers of cheesecloth, drain the mixture into a bowl. Gently squeeze mixture to release the moisture. Pour the nut milk into an airtight container. It will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Shake before serving.

Note: The nut meal that remains in the cheese cloth can be used in baking. Spread the meal evenly onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dry in the oven at 200 degrees, for two to three hours. Once dried, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use.

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Dates have been used as a sweetener for thousands of years. In addition to being a source of potassium, they are rich in fiber. This date paste can be used as a spread, mixed in dips or to sweeten baked goods. It has a slightly fruity brown sugar flavor, although there is no sugar added.

Date Paste

2 cups pitted whole dates

3 cups water

In a saucepot over medium heat, bring dates and water to a simmer. Allow to simmer for several minutes and turn off heat. Let dates soak for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain water, saving it in a separate bowl. Place dates in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little of the soaking water if needed for a smooth paste. Refrigerate for up to one week in an airtight container.

Note: Save the leftover soaking water which contains nutrients and sweetness to use in smoothies or to stir into yogurt.

(McCoy can be contacted at emccoy@heraldstaroline.com.)

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