SCD Stuffed Grape Leaves

These are eaten in many different cultures and go by multiple names. Most people probably think of Dolmades, the Greek version of stuffed grape leaves. However, the recipe I've always made was one that my mom got from a Lebanese friend. To make them SCD-appropriate, I left out the rice. Removing that step actually cuts the cooking time way down so it was a double bonus! I'm not entirely sure what Elaine Gottschall would have had to say about jarred grape leaves - I couldn't find anything on the BTVC website about them but since pickles are generally legal, as long as you read the label on the grape leaf jar carefully, you should be good to go!

1 jar brined grape leaves
1 pound ground meat (lamb is traditional but I use beef)
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
salt, to taste
1/2 cup golden raisins
2-3 cloves garlic
olive oil
lemon

Brown the meat over medium heat in a large skillet. Crush the garlic and add it to the meat. Add in the allspice, cinnamon, salt and raisins and mix thoroughly. Now, you are ready to roll the leaves.

Lay one leaf on a flat surface and place a spoonful of meat mixture in a line just above the stem of the leaf.

Next, fold the two bottom flaps of the leaf up over the meat.

Fold the sides in and finish rolling it like a burrito.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the rolls, seam-down in a glass baking dish. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. Put the dish into the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Since there is no rice to cook, this step could be skipped but it steams the leaves and softens them up a little. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges.

SCD Deviled Eggs

As you can see from the above picture, I'm one of those people who has a special tray just to serve deviled eggs, so you know how crazy I am much I must love them. They are the perfect appetizer/potluck dish: simple to make and loved by everyone I know who isn't vegan. Plus, they're already SCD-friendly as long as you use the right mayonnaise. I'm sharing my very basic, bare-bones (but still delicious) method. You can make these more exciting by adding crumbled bacon, or adding a chopped up chipotle pepper (AKA Huevos del Diablo). If you make deviled eggs a lot and like to take them to parties, I recommend getting one of these freezer trays that I have, which will keep them cool for hours.

12 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade is recommended but we find Trader Joe's brand to be safe - use at your own risk)
2 Tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tsp vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste
Paprika, for garnish

Put the eggs in a large pot of cold water. Place the pot on the stove and turn the heat to high. When the water first starts to boil, set the timer for 12 minutes. When the eggs are done cooking, remove the pot from heat and allow eggs to cool in cold water. Peel the eggs, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop the yolks into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper to the bowl and mix it all together until smooth. Put the yolk mixture into a pastry bag or a zip-top sandwich baggie with about 1/4 inch cut off the bottom corner and pipe it into the empty egg whites. Sprinkle a pinch of paprika on the top of each one and get out of the way!

SCD Apple Sage Stuffed Mushrooms

Need a quick and easy SCD appetizer to bring to a holiday party that your non-SCD friends will eat?  These bad boys are a winner!  They're easy to throw together quickly and the flavors make such a festive combination.  Here's what you do:

20 white mushrooms
1 Granny Smith apple
1 small shallot
3 slices bacon
1 Tbsp dried sage
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 egg white
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Clean the mushrooms and remove the stems. Fry the bacon and drain it on a paper towel - leave the grease in the pan.  Dice the mushroom stems, apple and shallot finely and saute in the bacon grease (you may need to add a little olive oil if there isn't enough bacon grease).  Remove from heat and grate in the Parmesan cheese, crumble in the bacon, add sage and salt to taste and then stir in the egg white.  Stuff the filling into the mushroom caps and place them in a baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes and serve warm.

SCD Baba Ghanoush

Pre-SCD, my go-to party dip was usually hummus.  Now, with garbanzos out the window, I decided to try making baba ghanouj.  The flavors are very similar and the best thing is, you don't even have to make any modifications to make it SCD-friendly.  Just make sure the tahini you get doesn't have anything added to it. I use a brand called Joyva.  You can dip all kinds of veggies in it - I like zucchini slices and strips of red bell  pepper.

2 eggplants
4 cloves garlic
Juice from one lemon
1/4 cup tahini
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and cayenne to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the eggplants in half and rub them with olive oil.  Put them on a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down.  Poke the skins with a fork in a few places to let the steam out as they bake.  Roast them for 30 minutes.  The next step isn't necessary but will give the finished product a smoky flavor, which is really nice.  Turn your broiler on and move the rack up so the eggplants are just a few inches away.  Broil for about 10 minutes or until the skins start to char and blister.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool down.

Scoop the flesh out of the skins and into a strainer to let excess liquid drain.  Put the eggplant, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and spices into a food processor.  With the food processor on, slowly add the olive oil into the tube until the mixture has a creamy, silky texture.  Serve it with cut up vegetables for dipping.

SCD Pickled Beets

Pickled beets are a big favorite in my family.  My sister claims she knew that her guy was the one when, the first time she went to his house, he offered her beets he had pickled himself. We really are that serious about pickled beets!  With a few very small changes to the way I used to do it, I made SCD pickled beets that my husband devoured with glee.

6 beets
1 cup white vinegar
salt to taste
2 Tbsp honey
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cut the ends off and scrub the beets well.  Simmer them in boiling water for about half an hour.  Remove from the water and let them cool until you can handle them.  Remove the skins.  Slice them into thin rounds and set aside.  Bring the vinegar, honey, salt, cloves and cinnamon to a boil.  Chop up the garlic and add it and the beets to the boiling vinegar.  Let the beets sit in the boiling mixture for a minute or two and then cool.  Put them in a container with a lid and stick them in the refrigerator.  You can eat them right away and they are delicious!