The Sensitive Kitchen

Episode 040 Holiday food can be stressful.  Add food restrictions of any kind and the complications multiply. In this episode, Cindy discusses several tips for navigating the holiday season:  family meetings, making choices and enoying what you can eat.   For more personalized advice,  Cindy has a new holiday food quiz to help you navigate this stressful time.  Your answers to the quiz will determ...

Episode 039 This is hands down my favorite recipe for muffins & quick breads!  It is naturally dairy free and  can easily be made gluten free. Vegetable haters in your house?  Do NOT tell them there is sweet potato in this recipe.  They will see green zucchini flecks in the recipe, but the grated sweet potato just melts into the muffin and you will not even know that  it is there - except for...

Episode 038 Cindy shares two simple recipes for cranberries, a cooked sauce and a raw relish with apples and  oranges.  Cindy reviews some of the research about  the health benefits of cranberries.  There  is accumulating evidence they help prevent heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and reduce inflammation.    She also discusses some of the misunderstandings around sugar and gives a practical way to...

Episode 037  Cindy's delicious squash soup contains no major allergens and it is AIP (autoimmune protocol) and Paleo compliant.  This soup can be made by anyone with a soup pot, cooks knife and an appliance to blend the soup  -  an  immersion blender,  blender, high speed blender or food processor.   You  won't believe the  transformation butternut squash has with just a few vegetables,...

Have you cooked with chia seeds yet?  Chia seed pudding has become a favorite in our house.  It's quick, and has only a few ingredients.  Chia pudding is gluten free, egg free, soy free, & nut free (unless you are using a nut  containing milk or protein powder), and it can easily be made dairy free. It makes a great breakfast, snack or dessert. In this episode's nutrition tidbit, Cin...

Episode 035 Tasty Bean Sausage Stew is filled with fiber and protein.  It is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, egg free - as long as the chicken sausage you choose is.  It is simple to prepare and makes a large portion so you can have a couple of meals for your freezer.   Cindy discusses a new study that links decrease in severe COVID to an abundance of plant foods in your diet.  This meal can pu...

Episode 034 Cindy discusses a zucchini (summer squash) side dish that is simple to prepare and tickles your taste buds.  Perfect for those dealing with multiple food sensitivities or allergies as this vegetable recipe is top 9 allergen free.  Most Mexican squash recipes contain corn, but this one does not!  So those of you avoiding corn can eat this dish.  The simple sauce brings the whole dish to...

Episode 033 Plenty of ripe tomatoes.  Either you grew them yourself (and the squirrel in your neighborhood did not eat them)  or you are fortunate enough to live near a farmer's market with the opportunity to purchase a half bushel (or a peck) at a reasonable price.  What do you do with your bounty? CIndy discusses ways to use tomatoes raw, cooked and cooked for later.  She shares her family&...

Episode032 Fresh Corn  Tomato Salad uses in season tomatoes and corn combined with herbs and a simple dressing.  The result is a nutrient dense, well balanced salad full of summer flavor.  In this episode Cindy Sullivan, MPH, RD, CHES, discusses the nutritional benefits of corn.  Did you  know it is filed with antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect your eyes and skin?    The recipe is found...

Struggling  to  get  your recommended vegetables every  day?   Try these muffins!  No  added  sugar, no added fat, all whole grain and  plenty  of  vegetables.  That's a  healthy  muffin  - and they taste pretty good!  Rebekah Klewicki, a rising senior at Virginia Tech studying Nutrition and  Dietetics,  developed  the recipe.  We have both been testing the  recipe for a month with so many va...

Episode 030  Have you had an epic fail in the kitchen lately?  Or something  that took more time or dishes than you anticipated?  Listen  to be encouraged!   Cindy shares her  recent adventures making  veggie muffins  - in  all their  different forms.  She also shares her CHOICES framework for  changing your recipes (for any reason). Upcoming  additions like Pinterest and  The Kitchen Table member...

Episode 029 Summer Tortellini  Salad is a great summer main course.  It is bursting with flavor from the marinated sundried tomatoes Cindy discussed last episode (028).  Summer Tortellini Salad is a hit at picnics, cook outs, outdoor concerts, bridal showers and other celebrations.  The nutrition tidbit for this episode is all about cashews.  Cindy also discusses ways to modify this recipe for a v...

Episode 028 Homemade Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes are a wonderful condiment for pizza, omelets, sandwiches, bruschetta.  My favorite, Summer Torellini Salad  (episode 029), can't be made without them.  Store bought sun dried tomatoes, are soaked in  mild vinegar.  Then use the flavored vinegar to make  homemade vinegarette, Sun Dried Tomato Dressing.  Or use up some old tomatoes to make a var...

#026  Meat and beans together are a nutrient powerhouse!  Since we have discussed the merits of legumes recently (episodes 003, 013 and 021), in this episode, Cindy discusses the benefits of beef including some new and interesting research.   Customizing for dairy free, gluten free, onion free and even picky eaters is easy with taco night!  This savory base is perfect for piling on the veggies - a...

Episode 025 Bavarian (German) Potato Salad is a warm, comforting side dish that uses just a few ingredients.  It is naturally  gluten free, dairy free, egg free, soy free, nut free.  Easier than most potato salads  it does not require peeling the potatoes.  It is delicious warm or as leftovers.  Parsley adds brightness to this dish and many nutrients: vitamin K, vitamin A, folate and vitamin C.  P...

Episode 024  A versatile hot chicken salad that can be used to feed a crowd or bring to a potluck.  It is gluten free, dairy free, and soy free.  It can be easily made egg free by using a mayonnaise free of eggs.  The recipe calls for nuts, but pepitas, pine nuts (which are really seeds) or other seeds can be substituted.  You can add your own flavorings like herbs or flavored potato chips.    It...

Episode 023  Cindy shares one of her family's favorite quick vegetable salads.  In this episode she dives into reasons to eat more cruciferous vegetables: sulphoraphane.  It is a powerful bioactive that enables your body to efficiently fight both oxidative stress and inflammation.  Find out the tip that will increase the disease fighting power of cruciferous vegetables.  And discover a new wa...

Episode 022 Homemade marshmallows are an intermediate level project requiring a bit of equipment and safety precautions, but the results are WELL worth your time.  And you can offer a special treat to a special someone who cannot eat artificial colors or preservatives or any of the top 8 allergens!  No gluten, dairy, egg, nuts or soy here!  (They do contain corn products.) These marshmallows are c...

Episode 021  One of my favorite bean recipes.  This is a naturally top 8 allergy free except for the goat cheese used for garnish (check chicken broth ingredients if you do not make your own!).   It has no onions or garlic for those who are sensitive.  It is made in the slow cooker after sauteeing prosciutto and vegetables.  In this episode, Cindy discusses the health benefits of legumes, also kno...

Episode 020.  A naturally dairy, gluten and nut free Thai soup.  Warming Thai spices like ginger, garlic and lemon grass tickle your taste buds in this easy to prepare main dish soup.   Rebekah Klewicki. a dietetic student at Virginia Tech, developed this recipe.  She has been helping me with the podcast behind the scenes this year.  Today I am interviewing her about the development of this quick...

Episode 019 St. Patrick's Day dinners of corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes often needed a little something extra.  But most Irish soda breads are dry and crumbly.  Here is an "Amercianized" one that is moist, delicious with more than half of the grains, whole.  In this episode Cindy presents some compelling evidence to include more whole grains in your diet.  According to t...

Episode 018 Cindy interviews Debra Prince who has been gluten free for almost 20 years.  She has recently added corn free and has had to modify recipes again!  Debra cooks almost all of her family's food.  She has successfully modified everything from bread, biscotti, pizza crust, cookies and focaccia.  You don't want to miss her gluten-free baking tips as well as tips on cooking for mul...

Episode 017.  Three tasty granola recipes - loaded with whole grains and fiber.  All are loaded with crunchy, big chunks.  One is gluten-free, nut-free.  One is higher protein.  All are easy to modify.  Add a variety of dried fruits, nuts, seeds.  Try different flavorings - cinnamon, cardamom, grated orange peel, vanilla.  Make a different one each week or find your favorite and stick with it.  Th...

Episode 016 This is an addictive Asian noodle recipe with seed or nut butter as the star of the show.  It is a versatile, easy-to-modify vegan main dish. Even if you're not vegan yourself, a plant-based meal is easy on your heart and your budget. Plus, it's always good to have a meal to share with a vegan friend. It's quick and easy, made with pantry staples, except for the chives....