This topic is particularly close to my heart. One of my dearest friends has a 2-year-old daughter who is a sufferer of Salicylate Sensitivity. Never heard of it? Neither had I. But my mission is to raise awareness of the impact food has on our health, so I have been investigating!
Firstly, what are Salicylates??? They are a naturally occurring chemical present in a variety of fresh fruit & vegetables but they also exist in a synthetic form that is used in medicines, perfumes & preservatives (Salicylate Sensitivity).
Secondly, what do they do??? They are present in plants as a means to prevent against disease, insects & harmful bacteria and act as a natural immune hormone and preservative.
The list of food sources containing salicylates is extensive! It includes apples, avocado, oranges, tomato, capsicum, broccoli, almonds, honey, coconut oil. Food such as fresh meat, dairy and most grains have limited levels of the chemical and therefore form the core diet for a suffer.
Can fruit and Veg really be that bad??? For some people they are. Healthy food is not healthy for you if it makes you sick! This is my experience with dairy, grains & nightshades – each and every one of us is different. The symptoms of Salicylate Sensitivity vary from mild to severe but can include headaches, bed-wetting, sleep disturbance & irritable bowl symptoms.
As you can see getting a good dose of nutrients with limited fruit & veg is extremely difficult and causes my girlfriend a great deal of stress when it comes to ensuring the health of her daughter. It can be a chore for many parents to get children to eat vegetables at all, but when the options are limited to vegetables such as cabbage, brussel sprouts & asparagus….the task can be overwhelming.
Now comes to the best part of my research……a kid friendly low salicylate recipe found at Cooking for Oscar! This site was created by Oscar’s Mum, Sandra, who has had to accommodate her son’s intolerance to Salicylates, Glutamates, and most artificial flavours, colours, preservatives and additives. Hope you enjoy!
Beef Koftas with Brown Rice and Saffron Yogurt
- 500g beef mince
- 1/2 large leek (roughly chopped)
- 1/4 cup chives (roughly chopped)
- 1 tablespoon pear sauce
- Salt (to season)
- 8 skewers
- Rice bran oil (for cooking)
- Saffron yogurt (Refer to recipe on site)
- Brown rice (I would add some cabbage & beans to the rice)
||If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 6 hours before cooking, or as long as you have time for. This helps to stop them from burning.
||Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Line a baking tray with foil.
||Process the leek and chives in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the mince, pear sauce and salt to season then process until the mixture is like a thick paste.
||Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Take a portion of the mixture, and use your hands to form the meat around each skewer into a sausage-like shape. Place on the prepared tray and prepare the remaining koftas.
||Brush the koftas with a bit of oil and place under the grill for 5 – 8 minutes, turning so it cooks on all sides, until just cooked through.
||Serve on a bed of brown rice with saffron yogurt.