Oh my goodness..is this Salicylate food awareness a mighty huge learning curve? I am attempting to get my head around it and putting out tiny creative creepers and make up some of my own recipes so when the big elimination happens in January it won't be such a shock! (It's a big enough shock right now! Yikes!) So far I've managed one brunch recipe..Hey it's a start..lol.
Today I wanted to come up with a soup for My Love to have at lunch times. We eat a lot of homemade soup and once you take out every ingredient that has Salicylate in it...well..it leaves a very, very small list to play with. It's a roller coaster of emotions every day as we stop and call out random vegetables, spices, herbs, fruits to see whether they are allowed or not. And sometimes it can be a moment of elation as we find something that is allowed...but sadly most of the moments go something like this
Me: What about courgettes?
My Love: Death Courgettes!
Me: Noooo!
My Love: Sorry!
or
Me: What about tomato puree?
My Love: Death Tomato puree but fresh and tinned tomatoes are fine!
Me: Oh come on!..Oh really..OK I can work with that..
and rarely..
Me: What about beans and pulses?
My Love: Yeah...
Me: No.Way! *sobs* for dramatic effect ;o)
My Love..No! I meant Yeah they're OK....
Me: YES!!!!! Wehoo!!
We are beginning to laugh about it...sometimes...OK we are working on that too. But for My Love it means cutting out all favourite foods...and for me it's like being an artist/painter and being given an easel, paint brushes and being given a pot of water and being told...there you go..create! Urgh! You would not believe where Salicylates can be found..every blinking where..that's where!
So...large white potatoes are Low and as long as they are peeled they can be used. Onions and garlic are Low also and we have been advised for now to try and keep to the Low or Free lists. Potato Soup was the only thing that came to mind today. And veggie stock isn't allowed now either so it felt a little strange making this soup. Fennel Seeds on some lists are Moderate whilst on others it's Low. So I went with the latter advice because I could not bear to season with just salt. I've used more salt in my cooking in the last few weeks than I have...well..ever! And I'm really, really not liking it!
The soup is silky smooth, pale and the fennel seeds gave it a more pleasing aroma then I thought it might. Naturally it's going to be a very heavy potatoey taste but the fennel seeds work well and cut through that giving the soup a delicate taste. And despite it being a potato laden soup it was surprisingly light. My Love said the fennel gave it a clean taste which wasn't expected and would happily eat it often...which may be the case! lol.
If you are a Salicylate Free vegan and have recipes that you can recommend or want to me try out and blog about...feel free to email me...Please? lol It's very strange not being the 'faddy' eater in the house. Very weird...
Pale and interesting!
Rocket and Roses Potato and Fennel Seed Soup Serves 6
(Original recipe from the Rocket and Roses Vegan Kitchen)
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, sliced
2lb potatoes, peeled and chopped
8 cups of water
1 tsp fennel seeds
salt to season to taste
In a large soup pan saute the onions in the oil until soft. Add the chopped potatoes and stir well to coat them in the onions and oil. Add the fennel seeds and water and stir well. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and then blend until silky smooth.
Enjoy!
~R~
