Low Histamine Ginger Cardamom Breakfast Rolls Recipe for people with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Histamine Intolerance (Also, Low Lectin, Moderate Oxalate, and Moderate FODMAP) (2024)

Wheatand sugararen’tthe best choices if you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance.They can both be big mast cell triggers.

But wheat and sugararein all kinds of breakfast foods!

If you are like me, youprobablystill have a taste forsomething sweetevery now and again, though.But you probablydon’twant to feel sick after eating them.

Idon’treally even miss wheat or sugar much anymore.But,there are just a few things I still get nostalgic for.

Here’sone of them…

I remember being a kid andgetting special breakfast treats on the weekends. Orange and cinnamon breakfast rollswere one of my favorites.

I remember smelling the rolls baking, andthat warm and inviting scent fillingthe whole house.

And I rememberhow hard it waswaitingfor them to cooldownonce they came out of the oven.I’dwait close byuntil they werecool enough to not burn my mouth.

I knew how good they would taste.And they never cooled fast enough!

It had been over 15 years since was able to eat something like that. But I’d still get nostalgic for those decadent brunch treats I had as a kid.

I started with a few online grain-free cinnamon roll recipe ideas.

Ithen made quite afew adjustmentstocreate alow histamine, mast cell friendlyversion.

My goals for this recipe wereto make it:

• low histamine
• low lectin
• moderate oxalate
• dairy free
• taste sweet without using sugar or artificialsweeteners
• still be delicious, AND
• moderate FODMAP.

This recipe takes a little bit of time and preparation.ButI consider it worththe effortfor a nice weekend brunch option. After all, this is a treat, not an everyday staple.

For day-to day breakfasts, I’ll usually recommend something with more protein. Egg dishes are an easy fix if you tolerate eggs.

And sometimesI’lleven have bacon andgreens. (That’sright! Bacon!) You can check out theLow Histamine Bacon with Southern Greens Recipe.

And breakfastsdon’thave to bewhat you might consider traditional.You can havechicken andvegetables. Oreven roll it up asa breakfast burrito made withourOtto’sCassavaFlour Tortilla Recipe.

With Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance,you might start feeling really limited with what you can eat.

I know I did for a long time. But then I realized we just have to get creative!

Andsometimes…a delicious treat isinorderthat is also mast cell supporting!

Before we go any further, here are three very brief (but important) notes. Please read this so you know what to expect.

1.These rollswill be denser than yeast rolls made with wheat flour.But the golden flaxseed mealin this recipedoes help give it some fluffiness.

2.Andthisnext tipisreally importantto know before you start.

There is one step you need to take the night before.Luckily, it takes only a few seconds.

If you are using coconut milkinstead of coconut cream, you need to refrigerate that overnight.

The recipe calls for coconut cream, but if thatisn’tavailable to you, you can use coconut milk. Stick it in the fridge overnight.

Thenin the morning,use a spoon to remove the solids at the top. Let the solids come to room temperature. Youcan’t skip thisstepor the frosting willseparate.

3.And my last note:I likemypastries just a little bit sweet.You can increase the amount of monk fruitpowderor steviaif you likeyour pastries sweeter.

I’velearned from my recipe trialsand errorsthatit’s importantto read the whole recipeandall the instructions before I even go to the store.

It can be so easy to overlook instructions like “let it rest overnight” or “refrigerate for two hours.” That’s why I wanted to be sure you knew about the coconut milk before you got started.

But before we get tothehow-to part,let’s take a look ata few of the benefits of some of the ingredientsin this recipe.I like to highlight these for you in each recipe.

Knowing the benefits of these ingredients can help you make good choicesand substitutions.AndI hope that will empower you with the confidence to start experimenting with recipes on your own, too!

Some of these ingredientsin this recipewere also used in the German Pancakes recipe.In that post,I went into the benefits of pasture raised eggs, coconut milk, andmonk fruitpowder.

Ifyou’d like to check that out, you can find that here:German Pancakes Brunch Recipe.

In this post, we’ll touch on the mast cell supporting benefits of these:

• gingerand cardamom
• flaxseed
• pecans
• arrowroot

Those breakfast rolls I loved as a kid had alotof cinnamon.Unfortunately, cinnamonraises histamine levels.

ButI’vefound that ginger and cardamom are a tasty substitute forit.Theyadd adepth of flavorrich with warmth and spice.

Not only is ginger tasty, but it has been shown in research to have good antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties, too. And this can help mast cells.

Why is this?

We know that inflammation is common with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance.So, foods with anti-inflammatory properties can be good choices to support better health.

And there is even more good news about ginger. It’s also know to be great for digestion. Ginger can act as what’s called a prokinetic. Prokinetics help with digestion.

They do this byhelpingwith motility to movefood through the intestines.That’simportant because if food sits in the intestines too long, it can start to feed any bad bacteria that might be present.

That can lead to problems like SIBO.Youdefinitely don’twant that!

You can check out this article if you want to learn more about SIBO: Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) –What to Know When You Have MastCell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance.

Fresh ginger isgoing to have the best properties and be lower histamine. You can use a vegetable peeler or a spoon to scrape off the outside skin, if you like.

Then you can use a zester (sometimes called a microplane) to finely grate the ginger, like the one below. It becomes kind of like a paste when you grate it. You don’t need much. A littlebitpacksbigflavor.

Cardamomis the other spice that packsgreat warmingflavor into this recipe. Like ginger, cardamom hasbeen shown to havehistamine reducing properties.

And studies have shown it to be inflammation reducing. Which is good news for your mast cells!

Plus,cardamomcontainsmanganese.Manganese has beenknownto haveproperties to fight off viruses.

I liketousecardamompods. They are the freshestway to get cardamom. Andfresh means lower histamine and maximumflavor.

I store thepodsin the freezerto help extend the shelf-life.

Nextlet’slook at anotheringredient we use in this recipe. We use it for several other recipes on the site, too, soyou’llhave multiple ways to use your supply. Flaxseed.

Flaxseed mealisnothing more thanground up flax seeds. You can find flaxseed meal already prepared. It tends to go rancid easily, though.

I find it’s better to buy fresh flax seeds and grind them up yourself. You can use an electric coffee grinder or a small blender. All you need to do is pulse them for a few seconds to get a nice, fresh meal.

You can get them at most grocery stores. Just make sureit’sin an opaque (not clear) package. This keeps it fresher. And check the date.

Pro-Tip: Always store flax in the fridge or freezer in an opaque container.

Flaxseedis rich inOmega-3 essential fatty acids.These areoften calledthe“good” fats.They’vebeen shown to haveheart-healthy effects.

Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.

And in studies, omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to be anti-inflammatory. Plus, omega-3s are important for mast cell balancing.

Plus,flaxmealis high in a type of fiber thatcan help improve bowel movements!

Check out my flaxseed crackers recipe!

In this recipe,we’remakingit withpecan flourinstead of almond flour.This lowers the oxalates some. Just keep in mind it will be moderate oxalate for 1 roll.

So, if you have oxalate issues –don’t go crazy with these! 🙂

You start with shelled pecans.I recommend ones that arepesticide-free.Below are the ones I get. They are already soaked overnight anddried.

This makes them more digestibleand might possibly lower the oxalate load.And it removes any bitterness.

Or you canget raw pecanssoak them yourself. These arethe ones I use ifI’msoaking and drying them myself. They are pesticide freeaswell.

Then,you’llwant to make your own pecan flour.It’svery quick and simple with a blender or food processor.

Thisprep tipis worthnoting:it only takesa few pulses of the blender to make the flour.

It can bereally easyto over work the pecans and end up with pecan butter instead.After just a few pulses, check on the consistency.

The resultwon’tbe fine like a white flour. It will bemore coarsewith some small chunks.That’sok.Justdon’tover process it.If you try to get it to be soft and fine,you’llend up with butter.

Pecans also containOmega-3 fatswhichhave been shown to be able tohelp reduceinflammation. The magnesium, calcium, fiber,vitamin A,vitamin E, and zinc in pecans also give thesenuts anti-inflammatory properties.

Vitamin A, vitamin E, and zincare also demonstrated in research tosupport your immune system. A healthy immune system is better prepared tofight off infections and repair damage.

Finally,let’slook at an ingredient you might not be as familiar with. Arrowroot.

Arrowroot Flouris gluten-freeand grain-free.It’smade from a starchfrom a type of tropical plant.The arrowroot plant isactually atype of tuber,meaning aroot vegetable.

Here is the one I use.

Arrowroot flourcanbeused in a lot of ways. It can bemixedwithother flours, like coconut,forbaking. It can also be used as a thickener.

Arrowrootisa potentialsource of prebiotics. Prebiotics feed yourgoodgut bacteria.

Since 70% of the immune system is in the gut, you can see how a healthy gut equals a healthy immune system!

Arrowroot does contain some oxalates and FODMAPs.Soremember – it’s all about quantity and moderation. Just eat 1 or ½ of a roll if you have trouble with oxalates or FODMAPs.

Don’tworry,though. If you can only have 1 –these rolls freeze well.

Now that you know a little bit about these health-supporting ingredients, are you ready to get baking?The recipe is next!

Equipment

• ParchmentPaper
• 8” Round pan
• Rolling pin or equivalent

Dough Ingredients

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoonsgroundpecans
• 1/3 cupcoconut flour(you may need more, but start with this amount)
• 1tablespoon100% pure monk fruit powder
• 3 tablespoonsgolden flaxseed meal,freshly ground if possible(you’llneed more if you are using the flax eggs instead of chicken eggs)
• ½ teaspoonbaking soda
• ½ teaspoonarrowrootflour
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
• 3 large eggs room temperature(organic, pasture raised are best)or3flax eggs*
• 3 tablespoonscoconut cream
• 2 tablespoonsghee, softened
• 3 teaspoonslemon juiceor1 ½ teaspoonscream of tartar
• 2 teaspoonsraw unprocessed vanilla powder
• 3 tablespoonswarm water

Filling Ingredients

• 1/4 cupghee, softened
• 2 teaspoons100% pure monk fruit powder
• 1tablespoonsfreshly ground cardamom seeds
• ½ inch organic fresh ginger, peeled and finelygrated
• 10 dropsliquid stevia

Frosting Ingredients

• 6 tablespoonscoconut cream
• 2 tablespoonsghee, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons100% puremonk fruit powder
• 10 dropsliquid stevia
• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
• 2 tablespoonsraw unprocessed vanilla powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with ghee or line with parchment paper.Grind pecans in a food processor orhigh-speedblender like aVitaMixuntil you have a course flour consistency.Itwon’tbe fine like wheat flour.Don’toverprocess or you’ll have pecan butter instead of flour.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the pecan flour, coconut flour, monkfruitpowder, flax meal, baking powder, arrowroot powder, and salt.
3. Add in the eggsorflax eggs*, coconut cream, ghee, lemon juiceorcream of tartar, vanillapowder,and water into the dry ingredients. Combine using a hand mixer. Rest for 5 minutes. The dough will be very sticky.But ifit’stoo sticky and more like batter, add coconut flour, one tablespoon at a time, until you are able to handle it.(One of theMast Cell 360team members recently made this and needed to add three tablespoonsof coconut flour. She made it during humid weather. You may need to adjust depending on your environment, too.)
4. While the dough rests, mix all Filling Ingredients together in aseparatebowlwith a hand mixer.Your result will be like a butter spread.Set aside.
5. Grease hands with coconut oil or ghee. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the ball between 2 large pieces of parchment paper and roll it into a rectangle. Roll outto1/8 inchthick. That will be approximately half the height of a pinky finger. Youdon’twant it so thin that you will have trouble rolling it.Adjust accordingly.Spread the Filling Ingredients onto the doughevenly,leaving a 1-inch margin at the topempty.
6. Using the parchment as an aid, roll the doughup into a tight log. Start from the bottom and roll up towards the top.Get a small bowl of water. Dip your fingers in the water to wet them. Then seal the edge with wet fingertips.(If your dough is still wetand sticky, you may not need this step.)
7. Cut the log crosswise into 9 equal pieces with a sharp knife and transfer rolls to your greased pan.To help keep your cuts neat, wipe the blade of your knifeon a wetclothbetween each cut.
8. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes. When you poke a toothpick into the rolls and itcomes out clean, the rolls are done.If it looks like the tops are starting to get overdone, but the centers are still doughy, cover loosely with foil to prevent burning.
9. Meanwhile, make the frosting by combining 4 tablespoons coconut cream, ghee, and monk fruit powder. Use a hand mixer to whip it until light and fluffy.Mix in vanilla powder and stevia. You canadd additional coconut cream 1 tablespoon at a time until a thick, spreadable icing comes together.Some people like the frosting to melt right into the roll. But if you prefer a firmer frosting to sit on top, refrigerate the frosting until ready to use.
10. Cool rolls for 5-10 minutes before spreading frosting on them.We piped the frosting on for fun, but you can spread it on however you like.If the rolls are still warm, the frosting will meltover the rolls. Either way,it’sdelicious!
11. Freeze your leftovers! Theserolls freezereally well!When ready to reheat, you can pop a frozen roll in the microwave for 30-60 seconds (depending on the strength of your microwave) or let it thaw in the fridge for a few hours.

*How to make flax eggs:

If you are opting for flax eggs instead of chicken eggs,here’show to make flax eggs.

• 1 Tablespoon flaxmeal mixed with 1 Tablespoon warm water = 1 egg.
• For this recipe, you’ll need 3 eggs. So, use 3 tablespoons flax meal mixed with 3 tablespoons of water.
• Let rest for 5 minutes.
• The consistency will be paste-like. Add in where eggs are called for in the recipe.

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