My name is Amber Gibson. I attended culinary school where I met my husband. We both graduated in 2010. I graduated with a pastry arts degree and I have done some cake decorating in the past. I worked as a cook and supervisor at a restaurant called Champions in a downtown Indianapolis Marriott hotel for eight years. While working for Champions, it gave me opportunities to grow as a chef by helping design the menus, organize and prepare food for parties, and placing orders. While I have had special dietary requests from guests of the restaurant, nothing would challenge me more than the special diet necessary for my daughter. Samantha was born in June of 2015 with Homocystinuria. Similarly, to PKU, she has to have a protein restricted diet. She has really broadened my ideas for food and menus. I have more knowledge of different vegetables, fruits, and nondairy products than I could ever imagine having learned in culinary school. Nothing empowers you to learn more than experience. Thanks to my daughter and her needs, I have been able to gain such experience and through this experience I will share with you the recipes I have been able to recreate for her and our beloved HCU and Allied Disorders community.
Asparagus Soup
Aparagus is now available in grocery stores practically year-round, but in my mind it is still the flavor of spring. This soup brings back memories of picking spring asparagus...
Banana Blueberry Cake
I made this cake to use up some ripe bananas. I love that it basically tastes like a cake and the banana flavor is not too overpowering. Very moist and so delicious! Great for...
Bread pudding
I was just playing around in the kitchen one day and came up with this bread pudding recipe. I used Cambrooke's artisan bread, but you can use any low protein bread. You may need...
Buffalo Jack'n
This is a spin on my jackfruit salad recipe. This can be used for salads or sandwiches, hot or cold. You can use this as a base for a Buffalo dip by mixing it with nondairy cream...
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
These are so delicious and no one will know you made it low protein! These were devoured faster than I could fill the strawberries. These will make a great treat for school lunches...
Cheesy Vegetable Etouffee
My husband and I enjoy going to a Creole restaurant called Yats and my daughter always wants to try it. I came up with this recipe to be similar to the chili cheese etouffee that...
Christmas Mint Cookies
My son loves these mint cookies, so I wanted to create one that was lower in protein. I did use Brenda's cookie recipe as a guide to make these delicious cookies. These will be...
Cookie Butter Pie
One of the most requested pies for holidays is peanut butter pie. In fact, I have to make at least three because someone always sneaks off with one! I promise you it will be the...
Corn Salsa
This is simple dish to make for taco Tuesdays or a family cookout. The 4 hours is just to refrigerate the salsa to bring the flavors together. That step can be skipped if in a...
Crepes
I created these looking for a similar match to the palachintas (Hungarian pancakes or crepes) we make in my family. These work perfectly and can be filled with anything from cookie...
Herb Butter
This is a great butter for grilled or roasted vegetables. You could even use this to finish a nice pasta dish. It is very versatile. I recommend using unsalted butter if you use...
Mandazi
I decided to adapt this for the low protein community. These are fried in oil and come out fluffy and crispy. They can easily be reheated in an air fryer or toaster oven and they...
Marsala Mushrooms
My favorite dish is chicken marsala. I just love the meld of flavors, so I wanted to make something Samantha could enjoy. Serve these with your choice of pasta or as an accompaniment...
New Year's Cabbage
My husband enjoys the tradition of having cabbage on New Year's Day for prosperity. This is a great side dish that can be shared for everyone's good fortune for the year to come....
Pea-Not Butter Pie
I created this to mimic a peanut butter that I make for my family all the time. You can use other cream cheese, such as Tofutti or daiya, but you will have to adjust the PHE and...
Pineapple Kiss
This is a quick sweet sauce I came up with to use up some pineapple. If you have the tolerance you can add a little toasted coconut for nice flavor and texture. This is great for...
Pineapple Sauce
This is a great way to use those leftover cores from cutting a fresh pineapple. They add just a hint of pineapple flavor and it is great to use for stir fry, jackfruit wings, or...
Pumpkin Cookies
I created these cookies as a means to use up leftover canned pumpkin. They are soft, cake like, and delicious! My dad really enjoyed them. If you can find them, you can use the...
Roasted Farmers Harvest Pasta
This recipe is a great way to use vegetables from your local farmers or farmers market. It has a nice delicate dressing to not over power the flavor of the fresh vegetables. You...
Samantha's Favorite Cheese Sauce
I made this sauce for Samantha as an alternative to mac and cheese after begging for the boxed ones that are too high. It has good flavor and can be used for so many things- veggies,...
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Pot Pie
This is a great hearty meal for everyone to enjoy. I did not account for any biscuits in the nutrition information. This way it is open to any option. I used canned biscuits when...
Slow Roasted Onions
I made these because I had the large red onion that I did not want to go to waste. These have such a great flavor with the marinade and the caramelization of the onions. You can...
Triple Ginger Cake
I love ginger and I will eat it in almost anything. I made this cake because I had a craving for ginger. This is a delicious cake with a little bite from the candied ginger. It...
Vegetable Green Curry
My husband's favorite Thai dish is green curry. I wanted to create a vegetable version with great flavor, but not as much spice. I came across green curry seasoning and it worked...
