Avocado Egg Salad was one of my staples when I started the low oxalate diet twenty some years ago. At that time, I was so sensitive to acidic foods that I had trouble with the small amount of vinegar in mayonnaise (acidic food sensitivity is a common problem for people with oxalate-related bladder, genital or anal symptoms). I started using mashed avocado or guacamole as a mayonnaise substitute in my sandwiches and salads.  Avocado egg salad was one of my favorites!

I’m no longer so sensitive to vinegar that I have to avoid mayo. However, I am concerned about the industrially processed seed oils, such as canola and soy oils, that are typically used in mayonnaise. Since I no longer choose to eat these oils and it’s hard to find a mayonnaise with only olive oil, I have returned to my vegetarian roots and have started using mashed avocado as a mayonnaise substitute again. This substitution may also work well for people who are allergic or sensitive to eggs, although it won’t work for this recipe! Try using mashed avocado with chicken, turkey or pea salad, instead.

Avocado Egg Salad

1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon GF prepared yellow mustard or GF Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5-6 hard-boiled eggs (use 5 if they’re extra large)
salt to taste
1 cup low oxalate greens, such as Romaine or Arugula

Mash the ripe avocado in a bowl with a fork (leave a few chunks if desired). Add the mustard, white pepper, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Chop the eggs (or mash them with a fork) and fold them into the dressing until well-mixed. Serve on a bed of low oxalate greens such as Romaine lettuce or argula.

Makes two servings. Avocado egg salad is best if eaten right away or within 12 hours.

Low Oxalate Info: All ingredients in avocado egg salad are low oxalate. It has about 2 mg. oxalate per serving when made with Romaine lettuce and Dijon Mustard and about 2.8 mg. oxalate per serving when made with yellow mustard and arugula.

Variations:  Add a few tablespoons yogurt for a creamier salad. You may also like a few tablespoons of chopped green onions, a clove of crushed garlic, some rich-tasting olive oil, or a tablespoon or two of chopped herbs, such as cilantro or basil.

Other Diets:  Avocado egg salad may also be appropriate for gluten-free, dairy-free, GAPS, vegetarian and Paleo diets.

Many new low oxalate dieters are at a loss for what to eat for breakfast, especially if they used to eat a lot of whole grain toast or muffins.  Corn tortillas may help fill this gap (2.5 mg. oxalate per “medium” white corn tortilla, or 6.5 mg. oxalate for one GF, Mission Brand, yellow corn tortilla).  Tortillas can be eaten plain, with cream cheese, with Sunbutter or as the wrapping for a breakfast burrito.  I especially like to make breakfast tostadas, especially in the summer or early fall when all of the veggies come fresh from my garden.

I admit my family is pretty boring when it comes to breakfast.  We’ve adjusted well to mostly grain-free breakfasts.  We eat eggs almost every day, occasionally with sausage or ham, occasionally with yogurt or coconut flour banana bread.  Sometimes on a Saturday morning we like to dress things up and have Paleo pancakes, cottage cheese pancakes or these breakfast tostadas.  I eat mine with lots of veggies.  The boys eat theirs veggie-free with some fruit on the side.  Breakfast tostadas are very versatile and can accommodate many dietary restrictions and variations.  I rarely make mine the same way twice.

Here’s one low oxalate combination that I especially enjoy.

Breakfast Tostadas

2 white corn tortillas (7 or 8 inch)
1 T cooking fat or your choice (I use lard, butter or olive oil)
2 ounces shredded cheese of your choice
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1 T fresh chopped fresh cilantro
Pinch cayenne pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup low oxalate tomato such as big beef (1/2 inch dice)
plain yogurt or sour cream for a garnish

Warm the corn tortillas in a medium-sized skillet with oil over medium low heat.  Flip tortillas as soon as they become pliable (tongs work well for this) and add 1 ounce shredded cheese to the top of each.  Put the lid on and cook for about 1 min.  Remove the tortillas and set aside on two plates.  Add the onions to the skillet and let sweat for 1-2 minutes.  Add the peppers and cook another 1-2 minutes.  Add the cilantro and cayenne pepper.  Push the veggies to the side of the skillet and crack in four eggs for over easy or over medium eggs (alternately, you may scramble them).  Put the lid on and let eggs cook for about 3 minutes until the eggs are set on bottom but still runny on top.  Separate eggs with a spatula and flip.  Cook for another minute or two to desired yolk “doneness.”  Top each cheesey tortilla with two eggs and half the veggies.  Add the tomatoes and garnish with a dollop of plain yogurt.

Serves 2

Note: This is my one skillet method for making one or two breakfast tostadas.  If you are making breakfast tostadas for a crowd you might want to use 2 – 3 skillets and cook the tostadas separately from the veggies and eggs, so that everyone’s tostada is done about the same time.

Veggie Variations:  You may use any combination of low oxalate veggies that you wish.  I also really enjoy these with zucchini or yellow squash, dino kale, garlic, green chilis, sweet banana peppers, and shredded lettuce (raw).  You may want to try other low oxalate herbs, too, such as basil. I tend to use whatever is fresh in the garden at the time.

Dairy-free: Simply leave out the cheese and garnish.  You may also want to use three eggs instead of two if you want your breakfast to be more filling.

Low Oxalate Info:  All the ingredients in breakfast tostadas are low oxalate as long as you choose a low oxalate tomato variety such as big beef or pink girl (early girl, German Johnston, brandy wine and yellow pear all have less than 6 mg. oxalate per half cup and also work well in this recipe).  Breakfast tostadas have about 6.7 mg. oxalate per serving when using big beef tomatoes.

Updated July 2013: Please see the comment section below my post for Low Oxalate Tacos for a discussion of white versus yellow corn tortillas, how and when they were tested and oxalate values of each.

Other Diets: Breakfast tostadas may also be appropriate for gluten-free and vegetarian diets.  They also may be appropriate for dairy-free and GFCF diets with modifications.

As soon as I found out that cinnamon was high oxalate, I started experimenting with my pumpkin custard recipe to see if I could make a cinnamon-free version.  My boys love pumpkin custard and my low sugar variation is perfect for breakfast or a snack.  We needed to create a new low-oxalate custard recipe and fast!

Of course an orange-colored dessert must be eaten with an orange spoon!

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was.  In fact, I’m somewhat happy I was forced into trying something new because I really love the raw ginger is this ginger pumpkin custard.  My first try turned out to be the best, so here it is!  We use the lower sugar variation for side dishes and the higher sugar variation with whipped cream for a dessert.  You can also add more eggs for a higher protein version, which makes a great breakfast.

Ginger Pumpkin Custard

2 cups pumpkin puree (see note on how to bake a pumpkin)
3 eggs
3/4 cup cream, half and half or coconut milk*
1/4 – 1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon raw ginger, minced or grated (I use a garlic press to mince the ginger)
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Dash salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Put all the ingredients in bowl and stir until well mixed.  Turn into a greased 8 x 8 baking dish or pie plate (see note on baking dishes).  Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the center is set.  Serve warm or cold (we like it cold).  If serving as a desert (higher sugar version) you may want to add a dollop of whipped cream.  If serving as breakfast or side dish (lower sugar version), you may want to add a dollop of plain yogurt or coconut cream.

Serves 8  (recipe easily doubles)

How to Bake a Pumpkin:  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cut a pie pumpkin in half (use a sharp knife and make multiple cuts instead of sawing).  Scrape out the gooey insides and save the seeds to make toasted pumpkin seeds (recipe upcoming).  Lightly grease a cookie sheet and place the pumpkin flesh-side down.  Bake until the pumpkin’s skin is lightly browned and the flesh is soft–about 45 – 60 minutes.  Let the pumpkin cool.  Scoop out the flesh and either puree in a blender or food processor, or mash with a potato masher (a fork can also work).  One pie pumpkin usually yields about 3-5 cups of pumpkin puree, although some of the bigger, fleshier ones can yield more.  You may also use this method to bake butternut squash or acorn squash although cooking times are less (30 minutes for acorn squash and 45 minutes for butternut squash).

Ginger Pumpkin Custard keeping some low oxalate acorn squash company in the oven.

A Note About Coconut Milk:  This recipe works great with coconut cream or with any creamy variety of canned coconut milk, usually marketed for Asian or Caribbean cooking (I use my store’s brand, but  Chaokoh is a good choice with zero oxalate content).  Do not use the coconut milks that come in a carton and are marketed as non-dairy milk substitutes (usually are found  next to the rice, soy or almond milks).  These are too watery and have not been tested for oxalate content.

Update 6/12: I recently started using Natural Value coconut milk and am much happier with it than the Chaokoh.  I originally used Chaokoh because it had tested at zero mg. oxalate, but I was unhappy with putting preservatives in my body (especially considering I probably have a leaky gut), so I started using my store’s brand although I knew the guar gum probably raised the oxalate content substantially.  Natural Value coconut milk contains no preservatives and no guar gum – just pure coconut!  It should be very low oxalate (possibly zero) and I feel confident recommending it as a preservative-free alternative to Chaokoh.  It is currently the only coconut milk I am using and I am happy with the quality and the way it works in my recipes.

A Note About Baking Dishes:  If you use a glass baking dish you must turn down the temperature in your oven by about 25 degrees and increase cooking time about ten minutes.  Glass dishes have a tendency to burn the edges of delicate egg dishes.  Ceramic casserole dishes are usually a better choice.  You also want to make sure that the pumpkin mix is between 2 and 4 inches deep in your dish of choice.  If you double the recipe and then use a small casserole dish (so the mixture is 4-6 inches deep in the dish) the sides will burn before the center is finished cooking.  I usually double my recipe and use a large ceramic pie plate (12 inch diameter).  It took me about three trials before I found that this was the best dish in my house for custards and egg casseroles.  You may have to experiment, too.  Also note that honey sometimes causes excessive browning on the edges of a custard.  If you are using the sweeter version you may want to turn your oven down and cook the custard a little longer.

Low Oxalate Info:  Nutmeg (9.4 mg./tablespoon) and raw ginger (6.3 mg./tablespoon) are medium oxalate ingredients.  All other ingredients are low or very low oxalate.  Ginger Pumpkin Custard has about 3.3 mg. oxalate per serving (based on 8 servings made with canned pumpkin).  The oxalate content may be lower when using fresh pumpkin.

Substitutions:  You may substitute acorn squash  or butternut squash for the pumpkin (oxalate content will increase by about 1 mg. per serving when using butternut squash).  Butternut squash is particularly yummy! You may also use canned pumpkin if you wish.  Please note that canned pumpkin often has less moisture than fresh pumpkin, so you may have to add a little more half and half or coconut milk (up to 1/4 cup).  I suggest you try the recipe first and see how it works before adding moisture to canned pumpkin.

You may increase the ginger up to 2 tablespoons.  I love this, although the boys do not.  An additional tablespoon of ginger adds about 0.8 mg. oxalate per serving.  This version really deserves the name ginger pumpkin custard!

You may replace the honey with maple syrup or with liquid stevia (use about a half teaspoon of liquid stevia) with little change in oxalate content.  If you use liquid stevia, increase the half and half by a few tablespoons to make up for the decrease in moisture when leaving the honey out.  I like the combination of  1/8 cup honey with half a dropper of liquid stevia for a lightly-sweetened side dish.

You may add up to two more eggs for a higher protein version of the custard.  If you add more eggs, also add more half and half or coconut cream (about 1/8 cup more per egg).  You may also want to add a little more ginger and nutmeg as the higher egg version tends to be a little bland.  Adding two eggs, 1/4 cup coconut milk and a half tablespoon of ginger only increases the oxalate content of the entire custard by 3.2 mg. oxalate.

Other Diets:  Ginger Pumpkin Custard may be appropriate for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, Primal, Paleo, moderate carb, GAPs, and SCD diets with appropriate ingredient choices.

Photo credits go to mia3mom for Friday Photo: Orange and to sundaykofax for IMG-0698.

I was looking through my grandma’s old cookbooks and came across a cultural gem, Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers–Vegetables, published in1963.  It’s a wonderful snapshot of how America used to eat vegetables–usually in small portions with lots of cheese, mushroom soup, cream sauce, and buttered bread crumbs (according to over 2000 home economics teachers!)  Hard-boiled eggs were also a common ingredient in these recipes, which intrigued me since I had never eaten hard-boiled eggs in a casserole.  I had to try it!

Cameron eats his Eggs and Peas with Onion Cream Sauce

The verdict?  Hard-boiled eggs chopped over asparagus, peas or zucchini is really tasty although I could do without the mushroom soup and oxalate-filled crumb toppings.  I decided to experiment a little and came up with this yummy, low oxalate casserole. The onion in the sauce takes a little extra work, but it’s so good, it’s worth it.  Especially since the rest of the dish is so easy (skip the white sauce step and it’s ultra easy!).

My picky eaters dissected this dish, but after a slow start (Cameron would only eat the peas at first and Aidan ate everything else on his plate but the casserole), both boys agreed to try the eggs and cheese part and loved it.  They both ended up eating healthy-sized portions and wolfed it down the second time I served it.

Eggs and Peas with Onion Cream Sauce

1 medium white or yellow onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup water
8 ounces frozen green peas* (about 1 cup)
8 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and shelled
1/2 cup heavy cream, sour cream OR plain yogurt (see note)
1 tablespoon butter AND one tablespoon cornstarch (optional, see note)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 ounces Swiss cheese

Place the sliced onion in a small saucepan with the water, bring to a boil and boil for five minutes until most of the water has evaporated.  Meanwhile put the peas in a 2-quart casserole.  Slice the hard-boiled eggs and place over the peas.  When the onion is tender, place it in a food processor or blender (with left-over water) and puree.  Melt the butter in the warm saucepan and add the cornstarch.  Mix well and cook for about 10 seconds.   Add the cold milk, stir well, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often.  When the white sauce boils and thickens, add cream, salt, pepper, and onion puree.  Stir the sauce well then pour over sliced eggs.  Sprinkle the casserole with Swiss cheese, then place it under the broiler for about 3 -4 minutes until it is browned.  Serve immediately.

Yeild: 4 main dish servings or 8 side dish servings

Note: If you don’t want to bother making a white sauce, replace the cream with sour cream or plain yogurt, reduce the milk to 1/4 cup, and leave out the butter and cornstarch.  When making your sauce, simply mix the sour cream, milk, onion puree, salt and pepper in the warm sauce pan, then pour over the egg mixture.  You will have to broil the casserole a little longer, but it’s still quite yummy (especially with sour cream) and only a little runny.

*Oxalate Note: Green peas are a “lower medium” oxalate vegetable with 5.7 mg. oxalate per 1/2 cup.  All other ingredients are low oxalate or very low oxalate.

Variations:  This is also good with steamed asparagus or sauteed mushrooms  instead of peas.  I haven’t tried it with sauteed zucchini yet, but that’s next on my list.

Other Diets: This recipe may also be appropriate for gluten-free (make sure the sour cream is GF), vegetarian, and controlled carbohydrate dieters.