There is a vegetarian biryani in from Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World. If you use oil rather than ghee, it is dairy free. The vegetarians/vegans like it as a main and it can serve as a side for the rest. It has a layer of rice, then a layer of vegetables including garbanzo beans and topped by another layer of rice mixed with nuts. Vegetable Biryani RICE LAYER: 3 tablespoons ghee ( Indian Clarified Butter ) or vegetable oil 2 cups white or brown basmati or other long-grain rice 4 cups water (5 cups for brown rice) 2 teaspoons ground turmeric About 1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons table salt or 1 tablespoon kosher salt VEGETABLE LAYER: 1 ⁄ 4 cup ghee or vegetable oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoons black or yellow mustard seeds 1 teaspoon poppy seeds 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 ⁄ 4 to 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon cayenne 3 small or 2 medium-small eggplants, peeled and diced, or 3 cups cauliflower florets 1 large zucchini, diced 1 large red or green bell pepper, seeded, deribbed (white removed), and diced 1 cup lima beans or green peas 2 cups tomatoes purée, or 1 cup water mixed with 3 seeded and diced plum tomatoes 1 teaspoon sugar About 1 teaspoon table salt or 2 teaspoons kosher salt 3 ⁄ 4 cup cooked or canned chickpeas (optional) NUT MIXTURE: 1 ⁄ 4 cup ghee or vegetable oil 2 ⁄ 3 cup raw slivered almonds 2 ⁄ 3 cup raw cashews 2 ⁄ 3 cup golden raisins 1 ⁄ 4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 350 ° F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. 2. To make the rice layer: In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the rice and sauté until opaque, about 3 minutes. Add the water, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes for white rice; about 40 minutes for brown rice. 3. To make the vegetable layer: In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the mustard and poppy seeds and sauté until they begin to pop, about 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the coriander , cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne. 4. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the eggplants, zucchini, and bell pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes. Stir in the lima beans , tomato purée, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. If using, add the chickpeas. 5. To make the nut mixture: In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add the nuts and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Stir in the raisins. Remove from the heat. 6. Spread half of the rice in the prepared dish and top with the vegetable mixture. Combine the remaining rice with the nut mixture and spread over the vegetables. 7. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve warm. VARIATION Omit the mustard seeds and poppy seeds and add 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger with the other spices. Marks, Gil (2008-03-11). Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World (Kindle Locations 14024-14031). Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Kindle Edition. For vegetarian chili, I don't use a recipe. If not using canned beans, I soak dried beans overnight (or do a quick soak by bringing the water to a boil with the beans, turning off heat and letting them sit for a few hours). I usually use a mix of pintos and kidney beans or black and pinto beans. I saute onions. Add some other diced vegetables - bell peppers, summer squash and carrots are good. Add to the beans and pour in a can of diced tomatoes with the juice (or you can use tomato sauce or tomato paste and water). Add chili powder to taste (for 3 16 oz cans of beans, I start with about a tablespoon). Making it for our family where the grandkids don't like it too spicy hot, I usually add some ground cumin and oregano to flavor it without getting more chili heat than they will accept. Also add a bit of salt. Sometimes I'll add soy crumbles (i.e. some soy ground beef substitute). but most of the time I don't

I think the jury is still out on these "anti-fungal" diets. I think diets high in refined carbohydrates can have all kinds of health side effects, (weight gain, high cholesterol, and as mentioned, diabetes or pre-diabetes, allergies, etc.) and one would be wise to limit them, if not cut them out all together. However, I don't recommend going without grains all together, since I personally need the fiber. Lack of fiber, IMHO, is another thing that causes health problems in people who eat high sugar/refined carb diets. I personally don't believe it is just "yeast" that is the culprit. There are approximately 6 billion little bacteria that live on you and in you. You are an ecosystem, and you can get out of whack. Good stewardship of one's body can help. No cure all, but neither are all the creams and pills, which often do not cure at all either. I followed a no-gluten diet for months to curb menstrual cramps, and it had no effect. Exercise on the other hand, goes a long way for me in helping that problem. However, following a diet high in fiber and with a good balance of carbs and protein helps with a whole lot of systemic health problems. Good fuel keeps the body running well, and that in turn helps the immune system fight off yeast infections. Also may help good bacteria establish themselves in your gut and also on your skin. That's a whole other aspect to the story. Modern vinegar is a far cry from the original fermented product. We're using all kinds of weird bacteria and doing all kinds of things that cause bacteria to mutate, not just "yeast." People are getting mutated e-coli establishing itself in their guts too. I have persistent urinary tract infections that are hard as heck to control too, and I've tried all the suggestions of conventional and alternative medicines, and spent THOUSANDS on tests that showed NOTHING. Here's is a recipe Web site that I like. I am no purist when it comes to anti-yeast dieting, but I think the recipes here are very good and very healthy. Oh, and then there's the issue of all the pesticides and hormonal mimics, and food grown on unnatural fertilizers, etc. It is no wonder that many of us are feeling unwell. We're stressing the earth's immune system and then wondering why our own immune systems are having a tough time. Trying to find good wholesome food, fresh air and pure water and time to de-stress and exercise are quite the luxuries nowdays. I have to balance the cost of healthy food vs the benefits, which is hard to do. I also recommend coconut oil, it is a great food. Not a panacea, but worth including in one's diet. Don't know about yeast issues, but oatmeal is a godsend for helping me with my IBS. But not the instant stuff, that's very refined, the old style rolled oats or oat groats. Modern yogurt, dairy and cheese is a far cry from the old style stuff with natural bacteria in it. One of the worst substances for health is this ultra pasteurized milk that is on the market too. They even sell "organic" versions but ultra-pasteurizing things is not a good idea as a substitute for good hygiene in the processing of food. Here is a link that might be useful: Candida diet recipes

It's been a cold, rainy day and I've been going through recipes.... BROCCOLI, BACON AND CHEDDAR TOSS (9 g. carb. per 1/2-cup serving) 3 c. broccoli florets 2 oz. (1/2 c.) shredded Cheddar cheese 1/3 c. raisins 1/4 c. chopped red onion DRESSING: 1/2 c. mayonnaise 2 T. sugar [could substitute non-calorie sweetener] 2 t. lemon juice Add-in: 8 slices bacon, crispy cooked, crumbled In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients. In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; mix well. Pour dressing ingredients; mix well. Pour dressing over salad; toss to combine. Just before serving, stir in bacon. Yield: Nine (1/2-cup) servings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ZUCCHINI CAPONATA (I usually make 1/2 a recipe, which is still a LOT!!! I use it for a vegetarian lunch. Sometimes I'll add a sliced mozzarella cheese stick.) 3 g. carbs per 1/4-cup 1/3 c. olive or vegetable oil (I use 1 T.) 1 c. chopped onions 1/2 c. sliced celery 1/4 c. chopped yellow bell pepper 1/4 c. chopped red bell pepper 3 c. cubed zucchini 2 c. seeded, chopped tomatoes 2 T. chopped fresh basil OR 2 t. dried basil leaves 1 t. salt 1/4 t. pepper 2 T. lemon juice 1/2 c. small pitted ripe olives 2 T. capers, drained (I've never used them) Heat oil in heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery and peppers. Cook and stir 5-10 minutes or until tender. Add zucchini, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium; cook 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in remaining ingredients. Refrigerate 8-12 hours or overnight. Serve with pita bread wedges. Yield: 4-cups. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LEMON-PEPPER VEGETABLES (If you want a whole meal add any kind of stir-fried meat.) Makes 6-servings - 5 g. carbohydrate per serving 1 c. 1/4-inch slices yellow squash (about 1-medium) (I also use frozen zucchini/squash in this recipe) 1 small red bell pepper; cut into 1/4-inch strips 1/3 c. diagonal slices celery (about one stalk) 1/3 c. 1-inch pieces green onions with tops (about 3) 1 t. vegetable oil 1 T. lemon juice 1/4 t. lemon pepper seasoning 4 oz. Chinese pea pods Cook squash, bell pepper, celery and onions in oil in 10-inch nonstick skillet over med-high heat about 2-minutes, stirring frequently, until bell pepper is crisp-tender. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook about 1 minute stirring frequently, until pea pods are hot. 6-servings ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GLUTEN-FREE (ALSO LOW-CARB) ZUCCHINI FRITTERS Yield: 4-servings, 4-grams carbs per serving 2 med. zucchini 2 green onions 1/4 c. almond flour 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, freshly grated 2 eggs salt and pepper 2 T. coconut oil (for frying) Grate zucchini and parmesan into a bowl. Add eggs, green onions, almond flour and season with salt. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat waiting for pan to get hot. Spoon mixture into pan and fry until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ STEAMED VEGETABLES WITH HERB SAUCE Yield: 6 servings; 11-grams carbohydrates 3 c. cauliflowerets (about 1#) 2 med. zucchini, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices 1 med red, green or yellow bell pepper; cut into 1/4-inch strips 1 lemon half Prepare Herb Sauce. Place steamer basket in 1/2 inch water (water should NOT touch bottom of basket). Place cauliflowerets, zucchini and bell pepper in basket. Cover tightly and heat to boiling; reduce heat. Steam about 6 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Arrange vegetables on plate. Squeeze lemon over vegetables. Serve with Herb Sauce. HERB SAUCE 3/4 c. plain nonfat yogurt 1 t. honey (or non-calorie sweetener of choice) 3/4 t. chopped fresh or 1/4 t. dried basil leaves 3/4 t. chopped fresh or 1/4 t. dried tarragon leaves 1/4 t. salt 1 clove garlic, crushed Dash of dried dill weed Mix all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 2-hours but no longer than 24-hours. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ZUCCHINI NACHOS 1 med. zucchini (7-8-inches long), sliced 1/8 t. onion powder 1/8 t. dried basil leaves, crushed 2 oz. (1/2-cup) shredded mozzarella cheese 1/4 c. coarsely chopped pepperoni 1-2 t. grated Parmesan Cheese Microwave Directions: On medium microwave-safe plate, arrange zucchini slices. Sprinkle with onion powder and basil. Top with mozzarella cheese, pepperoni and Parmesan cheese. Microwave on HIGH for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 1 serving; 7-grams carbohydrate

That sounds really good! Trader Joe's small bag of GF flour is better than others I've tried. It's mostly starch. Egg free gets so much harder, and I totally get the desire for commercial products. They have better ways of producing foods using gums and the like. The commercial GF puff pastry that looks okay has eggs and butter. :( I think by the time you remove the gluten and butter, its not puff even through squinty eyes. You have to have some kind of protein, and I don't think pea protein would work. And the fat globules of vegetable fat probably wouldn't work either. :( I found this blog, but what's in the picture proves she's so far down the rabbit hole, she doesn't know what she's making. OTOH, it looks crisp and flakey and might suit the purpose on the homemade side. There's another one that claims to have made GF vegan profiteroles. Well, I made some savory choux paste puffs last year that looked just the same. They're NOT puffs. They're nasty, dry squatty things. Much better to invent something new with what you have than go to these lengths to make a really bad version. The rice crust I described doesn't have to have egg. That just makes it stick together. You could use chia goo or gum or honey or anything that'll make it stick together enough to get it out of the pan. And from that point of view, something like baklava or spankopita filling could be baked by itself in a glazed baking dish and be scooped out and served on GF/eggF/dairyF water crackers (or gluten free matzah-like squares), or just eaten with a spoon. ;) Or GF toast points. Hm... I wonder what would happen if you toasted GF bread, dampened it, and rolled it out thin then baked it? Moosemac, your zucchini sheets sound interesting. I can definitely see it for something like spanakopita!