Lectin Free Recipes

Time for a recipe roundup. Backstory is, my husband Rich was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease about two years into our marriage. Vitiligo, characterized by permanent pigment loss, explained best by saying “it’s what Michael Jackson had”. While this disease is more traumatic and noticeable on folks with darker skin, it was nonetheless upsetting for Rich, especially the way he tans in the summer. Ever a problem solver he started doing his own research and dropped gluten from his diet about 12 years ago. Maybe 7 years ago he tried the AIP diet (autoimmune protocol) and then, after listening to a podcast on Dr. Gundry and his book, Plant Paradox, he decided to go “lectin free”. This was roughly three years ago and he has seen the most improvement on this diet.

Rich’s “diets” worked because he’s married, plain and simple. If he was stag there would be no way he could sustain these diet endeavors, because he can’t cook worth a darn. I’ve taken each diet in stride, figuring out the best things to cook for the family, his limitations included, so I didn’t have to make multiple meals. The interesting thing about lectin free is that over the past few months, I’ve heard multiple friends get prescribed this diet from naturopathic physicians, so it seems like it’s gaining traction. This isn’t going to be a lectin free blog, though the world needs more than the three I’ve found, but I thought I could share recipes I use time and time again in case it could help someone on their health journey.

Right now our schedule is bananas, and Rich is out of the house from 6 each morning till almost 8 each night. I pack up a ton of food for him to bring each Monday morning. This includes five large portions of the kale/rice/goat cheese salad (below), 8 apples, 8 hard cooked eggs, a batch of pecan pie bars or banana cookies (linked below), and lately the pumpkin muffins, also linked. This gets him through the week. Incidentally this diet is beautifully healthy, even if you don’t struggle with an autoimmune, so I’m happy to eat from it as well at dinnertime, though I have no restrictions. I have at least two large pieces of buttered sourdough toast every day, if that explains my position best.

Most of these recipes are easy enough, but my sides are also simple. I roast a lot of broccoli and Brussels Sprouts, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes at high heat with olive oil and salt. I pressure cook rice and mix it with pesto as an easy side as well.

In any of these recipes that you read beans, use Eden Organic canned beans or pressure cook them yourselves from dried beans. All rice applications are white rice (Jasmine and Basmati are fine) that you’ve pressure cooked. The meat should be organic and pastured, as should the eggs.

Meals

One Pan Pork, Asparagus and Leeks

Grilled Drumsticks with Adobo, Garlic and Cilantro

Chicken, Artichoke and White Bean Soup

Chickpea Coconut Stew with Sweet Potatoes and Swiss chard

Black Beans and Rice with Fried Plantains

Pan Seared Shrimp with Pistachios, Lime and Cilantro (omit sugar or use coconut sugar or stevia)

Pancetta, White Bean and Rosemary Soup

Oven Roasted Chicken Thighs

Creamy Pesto Rice with Spinach, Goat Cheese and Shrimp

Broccoli Salad

Rice and Kale Salad with Apple and Goat Cheese