Cashew Milk

I’ve recently been talking with more and more moms just starting to implement diet changes, and I love it! While milk alternatives are certainly not necessary (water is best), they often help with the transition away from dairy/casein. Homemade milk alternatives avoid the MSG-laden additives found in most store-bought milk options. For us, we landed on homemade cashew milk because it was quick, easy, and reduced costs.  If you choose to use nuts in your milk alternative, raw (un-roasted) nuts are preferred to keep glutamate risk down. Possible add-ins are strawberries, mango, or cacao nibs for chocolate [...]

Cashew Milk2020-10-02T12:02:20-04:00

Low-Glutamate Broth

MSG in your broth?  Yes, this can be true- especially when using many store-bought options. Processed store-bought options contain many additives high in free-glutamate (MSG) like- monosodium glutamate itself, natural flavors, hydrolized protein, gelatin, “spices”, hydrolized soy protein, flavoring, dextrose, corn syrup, yeast extract, yeast, and even the terms “broth”, “bouillon” and “stock” as ingredients are known to often contain these higher levels. Additionally, some amount of free glutamate can naturally be created during the process of making the broth and may be problematic for those sensitive to free glutamate. Yes, you heard that right.  According to [...]

Low-Glutamate Broth2020-10-02T12:07:40-04:00

Pumpkin Seed Croutons

Let’s be honest, my family tires of salads and I find myself frequently looking for ways to spice them up a bit.  I was inspired to make our own “croutons” about a year or two ago after purchasing the Laura Lea Balanced Cookbook and decided to put our own spin on her recipe.  One of my additions to the recipe was to include one of our favorite herbs, milk thistle. See this post as to why we love milk thistle. Milk thistle is great and is known to help calm microglial activation, which produces inflammatory cytokines and [...]

Pumpkin Seed Croutons2020-10-02T12:17:03-04:00

Mango Salad Dressing

This simple salad dressing is a light and refreshing option for a summer salad!  The mango flavor pairs well with many grilled proteins, avocado and is a delicious topping for grilled pork, salmon or chicken kabobs.  Not to mention, mango and red onion are fantastic sources of quercetin, which inhibits glutamate release and a natural mast-cell stabilizer. Ingredients 1 large fresh mango 1/2-1″ piece of fresh ginger 1 tbsp chopped red onion 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 1/4 c. fresh cilantro (packed) 1/4 c. avocado oil 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1 tbsp fresh orange juice Instructions [...]

Mango Salad Dressing2020-10-02T12:40:51-04:00

Cashew Bread

Recipe adapted from the amazing Danielle Walker at, Against All Grain.  I highly encourage her cookbooks; Delectable Paleo Recipes, Meals Made Simple & Celebrations.  While all ingredients are not low glutamate, most can easily be adapted.  While we don’t consume a lot of bread now, this recipe was essential in helping us transition away from processed foods.  I would be cautious not to go overboard with the consumption of this bread.  The amount of egg and nuts found in this can be problematic for some (especially if sensitive to oxalate) and may result in behavioral symptoms, including constipation.    Ingredients 8 [...]

Cashew Bread2020-10-02T13:27:44-04:00

Vegan Parmesan Cheese

There are just certain dishes where you need to incorporate the parmesan cheese flavor!  We keep a batch of this in our freeze to step up some of our easy weeknight meals.  We love this sprinkled over our yuca crust pizza, grain free spaghetti & meatballs, roasted artichoke hearts and anything that sounds good at the time. If you can tolerate nuts, you will want to try this! Ingredients 1 c. Organic Raw Macadamia Nuts 1/4 tsp. Himalayan Salt 1/4 tsp. Garlic granules* 1/4 tsp. Onion granules* Instructions Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until fine [...]

Vegan Parmesan Cheese2020-10-02T13:28:45-04:00

Mayonnaise

Homemade vinegar-free mayonnaise has become a staple in our home.  We primarily use it in salad dressing blends or as a base for chicken, egg, tuna and shrimp salads.  If you can tolerate eggs, you may find this proves to be a great addition to your meals. My son loves it! […]

Mayonnaise2020-10-02T13:30:07-04:00

Vegan Ricotta Cheese

We’ve found that one of the best ways for us to personally navigate the world of casein-free, is to incorporate the use cashews. Cashews have a cheesy creamy texture and can often taste like a creamy ricotta, depending on the seasonings used. This creamy cashew ricotta works well in many recipes and stores great in the freezer.  It can also easily be grated on meals for the perfect finishing touch! […]

Vegan Ricotta Cheese2020-10-02T13:31:12-04:00

Super Green Powder

Most veggie powders, like spirulina, contain a high amount of glutamate. We made a low glutamate, lower oxalate, super green powder using lacinato (aka dino) kale. This is a great option for those picky eaters or little ones you’re trying to get more veggies in. Simply toss this powder into smoothies, sauces, baked goods, etc. for extra fiber and nutrition (magnesium, vitamins K, A & C, folate, etc). This super food will also help in detoxification, lowering inflammation, neutralizing free radicals and offers neuroprotection from excess glutamate. Any greens can be used or combined but we [...]

Super Green Powder2020-10-02T13:32:35-04:00

Chia Seed Jam

Did you know that free glutamate (aka MSG) can often be found in some of healthier food options, like jam? It is often found in higher levels in additives like citric acid, pectin, natural flavors, etc.  Not to mention, many conventional jam options are loaded with other inflammatory additives like high fructose corn syrup.   Looking for a quick clean store-bought option? Take a look at this post, where I compare two store-bought options.   Ingredients 10 oz. frozen berries 3 tbsp. water 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1-2 tbsp. sweetener of choice (honey best, maple syrup if [...]

Chia Seed Jam2020-03-05T12:12:42-05:00
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