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Baked Apples

By Lillian Medville

Oct 18, 2010, Updated May 11, 2016

My name is Lillian and I’m allergic to gluten, dairy, cane sugar, and soy. I also cannot tolerate the mixtures of flours that are usually used in gluten-free baking and do better on a high protein/low carb diet, so I also bake grain-free. Grain-free, dairy-free, cane sugar-free, soy-free recipes.

These restrictions mean that it is almost impossible for me to eat any processed food (believe me, I’ve tried). One or more of my allergies are in every single bit of food that it is possible to buy pre-wrapped in a package. That makes it really difficult to find food to eat. Because, what I’ve discovered, is that most packaged “food” you can buy at a grocery store, isn’t food. It’s processed food product. And because of my allergies, I can’t eat any of it, even when I really want to, or when I’m really, really hungry.

That is the very reason why it’s been so important for me to learn how to make my own food. A year ago, I didn’t know how to. And a year ago I was either eating food that makes me sick, or I was chronically deprived. And both of those scenarios are almost too depressing for words.

So, I started baking for myself. And it was scary. I really didn’t know if I could do it. I’ve never thought of myself as a baker or a chef. And I think it’s really scary trying a new recipe. When I even thought about trying one, the feeling of risk was overwhelming. Particularly when making that new recipe calls for weird ingredients that I’ve never heard of and have to order in bulk over the internet.

As I started to learn how to feed myself and cook for myself I looked to blogs and cooking shows for inspiration and guidance. But when I watched the shows, or read the blogs, instead of feeling inspired and empowered, I felt intimidated. Because they’re the expert, and so of course they make it look easy. But I’m not an expert. I have no idea how this will go. And that made it all the harder to start.

I wanted there to be a cooking show for people like me. A show where someone makes food that I can eat, with all my dietary restrictions, and they make it for the first time, on camera. So there’s some risk involved. And we get to see that risk. See what it’s really like to make a new recipe for the first time (sometimes it’s great, and sometimes it fails). It should be a funny show. Bring some irreverence into the kitchen.

It didn’t exist, so I started it. I call it “Lillian’s Test Kitchen.” I make other people’s recipes for the very first time on camera. I adapt them to my own needs on the fly and muddle through them. Because I don’t want people to be intimidated and scared. I want them to have fun while they cook. I want them to watch me and think, “If she can do it, so can I.”

In this episode I make Baked Apples for the very first time, on camera. It’s a vegan, primal, and SCD compatible recipe. I ended up using just 6 basic ingredients and the result, was pretty fan-freakin-tastic (if I do say so myself). Check it!

Love,
Lillian

Full Baked Apples post at Lillian’s Test Kitchen.

About the Author

Lillian Medville is a food blogger who is allergic to gluten/grains, dairy, cane sugar, and soy. Her struggle to understand her own allergies (It took her ten years for her to figure them all out) and to help others battling similar issues inspired her to create Lillian’s Test Kitchen, where she has been making other people’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, cane-sugar-free recipes for the very first time on camera for the past several years. You’ll also find her chatting about real foods, the emotional impact of food allergies, and on her other things that make her happy on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.