Harvest Monday, 17 March 2014

I tried making my risotto slightly differently and didn't like it nearly as much. My husband agreed. The main difference was trying brown rice instead of the traditional aborrio rice. I won't do that again. From the preserved garden fare there is garlic, thyme, and broccoli.

Then I wasn't paying any attention and cooked my chicken leg upside down so the skin didn't crisp up. Now none of my family actually eats the skin as I've been well trained that skin is bad for you. OK maybe I sneak a little now and then, but usually not. So I took this one upside down leg and didn't feel too deprived. At least the preserved veggies from the garden were plentiful and good. The squash was done up as a casserole with some maple syrup. Yum. I can't believe that I just took photos of my mistakes this week. I had a beautiful salad made with preserved sweet potatoes and corn. It also had green onion and apple with a lime dressing. Yummy. And it was so pretty and colorful, but I guess it was camera shy. I also had a beautifully colored pizza. But again no photo.

And does preserving count if you take a squash and cook it and freeze it? One preserving method to another. When I roast squash I usually cook up two of them and puree them down and freeze them as it is easier to use them this way.

This week cooking will be different. I've decided that I shouldn't put it off any longer. Today starts my elimination diet. I've been having GI issues along with some weird health problems. If you haven't had to go on one (lucky you) it basically eliminates most of the typical problem foods and stick to that for about four weeks and then start putting them back in one at a time. So I can eat all fruit except for the citrus and all vegetables except the nightshades (of course I already know I have trouble with them, but it is a common problem). The only grains that I'll be eating are rice and buckwheat. No legumes, no nuts or seeds, no dairy or eggs, no beverages except water, peppermint tea, and homemade rice milk. No fats except EVOO. Only cold water fish (but no shellfish), trout, and turkey as meats (though I'm contemplating letting in chicken as some elimination diets allow it and then I can use things like my homemade chicken broth), no canned or preserved meats. No sweeteners at all (though again I'm contemplating letting in very small amounts of maple syrup) and no chocolate. As to condiments I can't have any prepared things like mustard, mayo, relish, and vinegar, but the fresh or dried spices and herbs are OK. Vinegar for me will be a problem. How do you make a dressing without some kind of acid? Citrus is out and vinegar is out. And I don't like greens nearly as much without an acid. But I love them with it and just think they are OK without.

My suspicions are that I won't be able to put soy or beans back into my diet. Though I could be wrong. Food might not be an issue at all. But I won't know until I try. Wish me luck. It is going to be a hard month not eating any real treats. Last night I had chocolate cake and scotch. I won't be seeing those for a while.

Harvest Monday is a day to show off your harvests, how you are saving your harvest, or how you are using your harvest. If you have a harvest you want to show off, add your name and link to Mr Linky below.