Sunday, August 24, 2008

German Apple Cake

This is my new favorite dessert.

German Apple Cake

2 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. vanilla
4 cups apples, peeled, cored & diced (about 4 large)

Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 Tbls. butter, softened
1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat egg and oil for a couple minutes, add dry ingredients, mix well. Add apples and vanilla, mix until well blended. Pour into a greased 9x13. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Frosting:
Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy, add powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Things I Have Learned

It has been just over a week since I went on the wheat free and soy free diet with Noah. Coming up with meals has sometimes been so hard that it made my head hurt. But I have learned a few things in this short time.

* Brown Rice pasta tastes pretty good, but isn't as pretty as semolina.
* Wheat free/Soy free bread is hard and dry. Not bad for french toast, but not a great sandwich.
* Trader Joe's is the place to get your brown rice pasta. They also carry a rice cracker that works for us.
* There are many choices for cereal: Cap'n Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Trix, Honeycomb are just a few. There are not many "healthy" options. There were times when I have been tempted to just go to the all cereal diet. It would be much easier.
* Having a child with food allergies is not the cheapest way to go.
* Wheat free/Soy free does not mean low fat.
* You can get sick of mexican themed food, when all you can eat is corn tortillas.
* Tomato soup has flour in it. As do cream soups and onion soup mix.
* Many chilis have flour in them.
* Soy sauce has wheat in it.
* I lasted a week before really craving a cupcake, cookie or slice of pizza.

I bought a couple of cookbooks this weekend and will be experimenting with some of the recipes this week. We will be introducing soy into the diet starting Friday. Seems as though that list is shorter than wheat's. Feel free to suggest any recipes or foods that you love that are wheat and soy free!!!