Multiple Sclerosis Friendly Recipes

Quick and Easy Cucumber Salad

11/11/2020

Eating healthy does not have to mean slaving over a stove for hours on end. Don't get me wrong, I do sometimes love to spend a lot of time cooking and trying out new things. But sometimes, I just don't have the energy. I am sure many of you feel the same way, and just don't have the stamina to put too much effort into cooking.

That's why I wanted to share this recipe for a quick, easy, and delicious salad that pairs wonderfully with oven-baked salmon for a quick, no-fuss, but quite fancy meal. The hardest step is peeling the cucumber...but guess what? You can leave the skin on! And if you are feeling very fatigued, do the salad preparation at the kitchen table to save energy. I get it, sometimes there just isn't enough energy for everything, but try to save up some to at least cut up your veggies.

Cucumber Salad
vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free

Ingredients:

1-2 cucumbers, chopped (peeled if preferred)
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 tomatoes, diced (more or less depending on preferences)
1 tsp mustard
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
optional: add in some fresh, chopped cilantro or dill

Instructions:

Add the cucumber, onion, and tomatoes to a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mustard, oil, and vinegar and then pour on top of the veggies.

0 Comments

Apple Crumble

11/11/2020

0 Comments

We were lucky enough to be able to visit one of the many apple orchards in the area this fall, which means we had a lot of apples in our kitchen. As I was pondering what to do with the overwhelming amount of apples, my daughter yells out "Let's make apple crumble!". It was a genius idea! Since we already know the basics for a crumble recipe from my Blueberry Lemon Crumble recipe, I figured this should be a snap.

Basically, I just switched out the blueberries for apples (but instead of 16 oz I used 32 oz of fruit) and added a bit more fruit juice with an additional lemon and orange and added some fall spices. It turned out so good that I am bringing it to Thanksgiving with the family this year. Maybe you will, too.

Apple Crumble Recipe
vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free

Ingredients:
Apple Filling:

32 oz. apples of choice, cored and diced (peeled if preferred, but I kept the peel on)
1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons and 1 orange
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp tapioca flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves

Base and Crumble Topping

1 cup chickpea flour (or substitute almond flour or if you are not sensitive to gluten you can use whole wheat flour.)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1.5 cups oats
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups almond butter (or substitute tahini, peanut, or cashew butter)
2/3 cups maple syrup (or honey if preferred)

Instructions:
Apple Filling:

Add all ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer while stirring for about 10 min. The sauce will thicken up at this point. Remove from heat and set aside.

Base and Crumble Topping:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix together flours, oats, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Mix together almond butter and maple syrup in a small separate bowl until they are well combined and then add this to the dry mixture in the large bowl.
Stir until very well combined. This takes a little while until the wet ingredients are well incorporated in the dry as it gets really thick.
Line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper.
Take half of the thick base mixture and press along the bottom of the dish. Wet your hands to keep the mixture from sticking.
Spread the apple filling on top of the base.
Crumble the rest of the thick mixture over the apple filling.
Bake in the oven for 30 min.
Remove from oven and cool before serving.
Save leftovers covered in the refrigerator and either eat cold or warmed up for about 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

0 Comments

Zucchini and Nut loaf

11/11/2020

0 Comments

Since the holidays are approaching, I wanted to make sure to share one of my favorite recipes that can make this time of the year extra special. The nuts give this loaf a nice and toasty flavor while the zucchini adds moisture and additional vitamins. It is perfect for special occasions but can also be made anytime you are in the mood for something comforting and cozy.

It pretty straightforward to assemble (just process the nuts and spices and mix in the rest) and can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge prior to baking (stop at step 4 below). If you are looking for a delicious main dish to make this holiday season you should try this one out. It will definitely be a nice addition to the dinner table.

Zucchini and Nut loaf Recipe
vegan, plant-based, refined sugar-free

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups raw pecans (can also do a mix of pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds)
1 tsp dried herb of choice (thyme, rosemary, sage, basil, or oregano mixes)
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups of bread crumbs (5 slices of MS friendly bread mixed in a blender, I typically buy the Ezekiel brand of bread)
2 cups grated zucchini (about 2 zucchinis)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Optional sugar-free ketchup for topping

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare an 8 inch loaf pan by either greasing with olive oil or lining with parchment paper.
Add nuts, seasoning, and salt to a food processor and process until very fine.
In a large bowl combine the nut mixture with the rest of the ingredients. Add more olive oil if it looks too dry after mixing.
Add the mixture to the loaf pan (if preparing ahead of time, you can stop here and store it in the fridge until ready to bake).
Cover the nut loaf and bake for 50 minutes, then remove covering (you can add the ketchup to the top at this point) and bake another 15-20 minutes until cooked through.
Let cool for 10 min before removing from the pan and serving.
It will be soft so make sure to clean the knife in between slices to ensure it all doesn't just get stuck to the knife!

0 Comments

MS Friendly recipes

Quick and Easy Cucumber Salad

Apple Crumble

Zucchini and Nut loaf

Author

Archives

Categories