Well friends, summer is finally here and with it comes cookouts and backyard gatherings. Those usually involve various forms of salads, chips, and grills, right? I know in the past we’ve talked about making our own chips before, standard and sweet, but what about adding a new variable for color and flavor? How about making BEET Chips? And for our salads or to dip some fresh veggies, what about homemade ranch dressing?
Thanks to Beth Cook Publicity and Ulysses Press, I was able to learn about both of these recipe ideas in my new cookbook Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, in exchange for a write-up/promotion. Check below the recipe(s) for my review.
Beet Chips and Ranch Dressing
What you need:
- 4 large beets
- 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
- sea salt, to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or use silicone mats (I also use stoneware)
- Peel the beets and slice them very thin – about 1/16-inch
- Combine beets and oil and toss to coat
- Place beets on prepared sheets and sprinkle with salt
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges begin to curl (Maybe mine were cut thicker, but at 30 minutes I had to flip mine and bake for an additional 15 minutes for them to crisp properly)
- Store in a sealed container for a few days
Makes 4 servings
What you need:
- 1/4 cup mayonasie
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- black pepper to taste
- optional: 1 tablespoon finely chopped dill, Italian parsley, or chives
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well using a fork or whisk
- Cover and store in the refrigerator up to a few weeks
Makes about 1 cup
Comments and Photos:
I love this new cookbook. Sometimes when I get or see a cookbook I think “Great another space suck. I can just GOOGLE these ideas”. This wasn’t my reaction to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. This book was written by Erica Kerwin, who has a son with Chron’s Disease and she wanted to do something to help. She heard from a friend about the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), and decided to give it a try. 6 years later we have her new cookbook!
The book starts out by explaining her background and the diet’s background. It wasn’t until I read this that I wondered about some of the other people who author cookbooks and what their motivation and journeys may have been. I felt Erica had good intentions in her writing and sharing her recipes. She runs a website, Comfy Belly, where people have given her feedback over the years, which as a blogger I felt connected to her and wanted to support her.
Also in the start there are lists of ideas for kitchen staples. She lists different equipment every kitchen should have as well as various staple foods and the best places for storage. For as long as I have been cooking, this section still taught me a few things.
Each chapter covers a different area of cooking to help satisfy the requirements of this diet. In the first chapter “Basic Recipes” some of the starters to other dishes are created. The titles of all chapters are as follows:
- Basic Recipes
- Small Bites and Snacks
- Salads and Soups
- Sauces, Jams and Dips
- Breads, Biscuits and Crepes
- Vegetables and Mock Starches
- Poultry, Meat and Seafood
- Sweet Treats
The Sweet Treats section gives an amazing tip on making homemade ice cream or frozen yogurt when you don’t have a machine. Want to know it? Buy the book. Haha.
At the end there is also a few pages for substitutions/measurements as well as a list of resources. I was floored by the helpfulness and details of these last few pages.
Overall, the book is beautifully laid out, easy to follow, and has simple recipes with brilliant photography. For a little over $10 on Amazon, I think it is in itself a kitchen staple. So while I don’t NEED to follow this diet, thus I can’t speak on its effectiveness, I will say I found the recipes easily adaptable to my needs and preferences. What more can you ask for in a cookbook than a great guide for some new foods?
BTW if the SCD isn’t your thing, interestingly enough my friend Julie of Am I There Yet? Posted a book review today also from Ulysses Press for The Vegan Athlete. Head on over and show her some love too.
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