bubblechild | Nut, dairy, and gluten-free PESTO

Erica at Bubble Child Blog has a great recipe for Nut, dairy and gluten-free pesto. She also has a great site that is a lot of fun to read. Her personal touch to her posts sets it apart and adds a new dimension to the news and recipes (and there are lots) she tells us about.

Presto! Nut, dairy, and gluten-free PESTO.It’s no wonder Italians are so happy– basil is apparently a natural serotonin booster.  You know what?  The way I feel right now eating this nut, dairy, and gluten-free pesto pasta, I sure believe it!For anyone who doesn’t suffer from a deadly nut allergy like me and other nut bubble children, they probably did not know that pretty much all pesto is made with nuts, be it pine nuts most common or walnuts a little bit more gourmet.

via bubblechild | Banishing the Bane of the Food Allergy.

LA Cooking Examiner: Passover recipe: Nut-free haroset

Here is another posting for our Jewish readers, and anyone interested in trying this Passover menu item!

My kids’ school is a no-nuts zone, so when my 7-year-old’s class celebrated Passover last week I created this nut-free version of the traditional haroset. Haroset is one of the symbolic Passover foods, meant to resemble the mortar the Jewish slaves used to build the pyramids of their Egyptian masters.

An Ashkenazic haroset is normally made with chopped apples, walnuts, cinnamon, sugar and sweet Passover wine. I substituted pumpkin seeds for the nuts to accommodate the school rules. I make my haroset in the food processor and prefer a finer texture, but if you like yours chunkier, by all means chop the ingredients by hand.

Nut-free haroset

4 apples, cored, peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp sweet Passover wine

Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry nonstick pan over medium-high heat until seeds start to brown and pop, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool 10 minutes.

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is chopped and combined but still has a little texture. Let sit at least 1 hour, and up to 4 hours, to let flavors meld.

via LA Cooking Examiner: Passover recipe: Nut-free haroset.