Cook Allergy-Free

Reflections on an Allergy-Free School Year

2011-06-08T10:55:00.003-04:00

My son just finished Kindergarten. I had been apprehensive about sending him to school because of his allergies and asthma.

On the first day of school I sent a box of non-perishable snacks for him to have access to during their snack time. This worked really well and I just made sure it was well-stocked throughout the year.

Sometimes I would send snacks for the whole class and my son was always excited about getting to be the snack helper.

For each holiday party I made sure I sent a treat bag just for him if I wasn't able to be at the party to supervise. I also sent him with his own cake or cookie to eat during the party. This worked very well.

After the first day of school when my son was offered some cheese puffs by another student, he never ate anyone else's food at lunch. I packed his lunch every day and my son never questioned why he couldn't eat the school tray lunch.

We did have two incidents that were cause for concern. The school gives each child a prepackaged cupcake one day during the month of their birthday. My son's name was on the list for December so he was given a cupcake. No one seemed to remember he had food allergies. My son assumed that since an adult gave him the cupcake that it was safe to eat.

While he didn't have an immediate reaction he did complain of a stomach ache, had some small skin colored bumps on his chest, and needed a breathing treatment that night. Thankfully, the reaction wasn't severe, but I did talk to the school about being more diligent.

One other time he was given some pizza that another class brought to my son's class to share. The teacher must have asked if he ate pizza at home and he said yes. He was given a piece, but only ate a couple of bites because it didn't taste like his pizza. He had a similar response as when he ate the cupcake.

Those were the only times he was given the wrong foods. I thought it would be simpler to just tell the school not to let him eat anything I don't send, but apparently it wasn't a fool-proof idea.

I also had to make sure that I was informed about special events. For example, on the hundredth day of school everyone got ice cream. I brought my son's ice cream so that he wouldn't be left out. Also, on that day my son's class counted out 100 fruit loops and strung them on a necklace. I sent cereal for my son and he was able to have fun, too.

It was a lot of work to be so diligent for my son, but he is worth it. We are looking into the option of having a 504 Plan for next school year.

How do you handle your child's food allergies while they are at school?

Using a Blender as a Grinder

2011-05-24T14:55:00.000-04:00

Did you know that you can use your blender to grind flax seeds, oats and possibly other grains?

A couple of years ago I found this out and was so happy. I purchase golden flax seed to make egg replacers and thought I would try grinding them in my blender. It worked very well.

To grind the flax seed I use a pint sized, regular mouth canning jar and fill it half full. Then I put the blender parts on it and put it on my blender base. I use the ice crush setting and in a minute or two I have freshly ground flax meal.

By using the canning jar, I can put an old peanut butter jar lid on top and store it in my refrigerator.

I also use my blender to grind gluten free oats for use in my oat chocolate chip cookie recipe. Millet would work well with this process. I am not sure that rice would be fine enough with the blender, but then again I have never tried it.

Have you ever used your blender as a grinder?

Gluten Free Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-05-16T14:25:00.001-04:00

I have been making this cookie recipe for almost two years and just realized I have never shared it here. These are a soft and tasty cookie that my whole family enjoys.

This recipe is free of dairy, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.

Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 Cups Gluten Free Oat Flour*
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax*
1/4 Cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
1/3 Cup Oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup Rice Milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine oat flour, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, sugar, ground flax and chocolate chips in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine oil, milk and vanilla. Pour liquid mixture into bowl with dry ingredients and mix well. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

*To make oat flour and/or ground flax simply grind them in your blender. When choosing oats make sure they are gluten free like Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain, Rolled Oats.

Homemade Pancake Mix

2011-05-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

I have been debating about whether to keep this blog going or not. It has been six months since I even posted anything. (Is anyone even still out there?) I have two other blogs and keeping this blog going hasn't been a priority. However, I decided to give it another try and see how things go. I will try to post once a week and go from there.

I recently did something that has saved me a lot of time on Saturday mornings (our pancake morning). I have started making homemade pancake mixes. When Saturday morning comes all I have to do is measure out the wet ingredients and then add the contents of my mix. This has been working very well.

Here is how I make my pancake mixes using my pancake recipe.

In a zip-top plastic bag I place:

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1 Tbsp. Sugar

1/2 tsp. Sea Salt

1 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed

1 Cup All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum

I write the following on each bag:

Allergy Free Pancake Mix - Add 1 1/2 cups of dairy-free milk, 2 Tbsp. oil, and egg replacer to equal 1 egg.

When I am ready to make the pancakes I place all of the wet ingredients into a bowl and stir. Then I empty the contents of my bag into the bowl and stir until blended. I let the batter rest for about 5 minutes while my griddle is preheating.

Then I pour the pancake batter on the griddle in approximately 1/4 cup increments. Turn them over when bubbles have formed on the top. Cook them on the other side until golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat until all batter has been cooked.

Now I am going to try to figure out what other recipes I can turn into mixes to save time. Have you ever done this?

Snacks at School for Kids with Food Allergies

2010-11-08T14:50:00.001-05:00

My son who has allergies started Kindergarten this year. I knew he would see the other kids eating lots of things he couldn't have at both lunch and snack time. His teacher was well-informed and thankfully kept an eye on him the first week any time he ate. She saw a child give him something he shouldn't have two days in a a row and stopped him before it went further. After several discussions about those foods making his tummy hurt my son hasn't had a problem since.

I pack his lunch every day so I know that he is getting foods that are safe for him at lunch time. I also placed a small shoe box sized lidded plastic box in his classroom with individually packaged snacks that he could eat during snack time. He has done so well with this and hasn't been upset when the other kids eat something different for snack time.

The picture above shows some chocolate cupcakes I made to keep in the freezer at school. The purpose of this is to allow my son to have something similar to the other children for parties or if a child brings in cupcakes for a birthday. The teacher can just take one out in the morning and it will be ready by snack time.

I did pack my son a special treat bag on the day of his class Halloween party. I didn't want him to feel left out when other children got a treat bag.

So far things have worked out really well for my son this school year. I am finding that dealing with my son's food allergies while he is at school can be manageable through good communication with the school and through sending foods and snacks that are safe for him.

Do you have a child in school who has food allergies? What are some things that have worked for you?

Homemade Gluten-Free Fish Sticks

2010-09-23T11:45:00.000-04:00

My son with allergies asked me to make him "fish fingers" a few weeks ago, so I decided to attempt it. He absolutely loved them and ate all of them. We had them again on Monday and he ate more fish than I did. This recipe is so simple it almost can't be called a recipe.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish. It does contain fish.

Gluten-Free Fish Sticks

Fish Fillets (I like to use Tilapia. If frozen de-thaw before cooking.)
Cornmeal
Water
Oil (I either use canola or olive oil.)

Heat a skillet over medium heat with your choice of oil. Cut the fish fillets into sticks or bite-sized pieces. (This recipe will also work with whole fillets.) Rinse the fish with water. Put some cornmeal into a bowl and coat the fish with the cornmeal. Shake off the excess. Put the fish into the hot skillet. Turn the fish when it is golden brown on one side. The fish is done when it is golden brown on both sides. Place the fish on a paper towel lined plate to drain. Serve and enjoy.

This recipe is not only healthier than fish sticks you can buy in a store, but you also know exactly what is in them. With food allergies, that is always a plus.

Strawberry Sorbet

2010-06-14T10:45:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago we picked 33 pounds of strawberries at a u-pick farm. We made jam, pie, smoothies, froze some berries, and ate some plain. I decided it would be fun to try to make a frozen dessert since ice cream is out of the question for a few of us.

I have never made sorbet before, so I really don't even know if this recipe is officially sorbet. Also, I wanted to make it so that you wouldn't need an ice cream maker to make this tasty frozen treat.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, tree nuts, and peanuts.

Strawberry Sorbet

5 Cups of Pureed Strawberries*
2 to 2 1/2 Cups Sugar

Combine the strawberries and sugar and pour into an 8 in. x 8 in. glass baking dish. Cover and put the dish into the freezer until the mixture is frozen.

*I pureed the strawberries in my blender until there were no lumps. Also, I used 2 1/2 cups of evaporated cane juice, but I am pretty sure I could have gotten by with just 2 cups.

Cashew Milk

2010-04-21T13:33:00.001-04:00

I haven't tried making any new non-dairy milks for a while. Last week I decided to try to make some cashew milk. A few recipes I saw said to soak raw cashews in water overnight and drain them before using to make cashew milk. I will try this the next time I make some. I think raw cashews would be best, but if those aren't available then unsalted cashews would be my next choice.

After checking out several recipes online here is what I came up with. I actually didn't mind drinking this. I have gotten so used to not drinking milk that I am not sure it is something I would do all of the time. I did use it in some recipes and on some cereal with success.

This recipe contains tree nuts. However, it is free of eggs, dairy, peanuts, wheat, and soy.

Cashew Milk

1 Cup Cashews
Water
1 Tbsp. Honey
1/8 tsp. Salt

Put cashews in a blender. Add enough water to fill the blender to the 4 cup line. Add the honey and salt and blend on high for at least 5 minutes. Pour through a strainer or nut milk bag. (See this post for what I use instead.) Store cashew milk in a lidded container in the refrigerator.

Sugar Cookies

2010-04-14T14:05:00.000-04:00

I haven't made a batch of sugar cookies from scratch since we found out about my son's allergies last year. A few weeks ago an online friend mentioned she had made some allergy-free sugar cookies. I asked her if I could try the recipe and she was kind enough to share it with me.

My children had a lot of fun rolling out the dough and making cookies at Easter time. I even came up with an allergy-free icing that they could paint onto the baked cookies. I will definitely make this recipe again because we all liked them.

This recipe is free of eggs, dairy, soy, wheat, peanuts and tree nuts.

Allergy-Free Sugar Cookies

Cream together the following 4 ingredients.

1 Cup Lard (The original recipe called for 3/4 cup dairy-free margarine.)
1 Cup Sugar
Egg Replacer for 1 egg*
1 tsp. Vanilla

*The recipe I was given called for 1/4 cup of applesauce, but I used 1/2 of a banana because I was out of applesauce. There was definitely a banana taste, though. I imagine any egg replacer would work. I will try applesauce next time.

In a separate bowl mix the following dry ingredients with a whisk.

2 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
3 Cups of Gluten-Free Flour** (Please see note below)

**The original recipe called for 1 1/2 cups white rice flour, 1/2 cup sweet rice flour, 1 cup potato starch, 1/2 cup tapioca starch. However, here is what I used.

1 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Sorghum Flour
1/2 Cup Potato Starch
1/2 Cup Tapioca Starch
1/2 Cup Corn Starch

Combine the wet mixture with the dry mixture and mix well. Roll the dough out to a thickness of approximately 1/4 inch and use cookie cutters to make shapes. (The original recipe said to refrigerate the dough for 1 hour, but it made it too hard to work with. I would not refrigerate it again.) Use powdered sugar instead of flour if the dough is sticky. Place cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes. (15 minutes was perfect in my opinion.) Cool on a wire rack.

Icing Paint

In a small bowl or mug combine the following. Use a pastry brush or spoon to paint cooled cookies.

1-3 Drops Food Coloring
1 Tbsp. Water
4 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar

Banana Zucchini Bread

2010-03-30T08:25:00.000-04:00

I came up with this recipe when I started making banana bread and realized I didn't have enough bananas. We all liked the result.

This recipe is free of eggs, soy, dairy, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Banana Zucchini Bread

1 c. Sugar
1/3 c. Melted Coconut Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Egg Replacer Equivalent to 2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Water
1 Mashed Banana
1 Cup Shredded Zucchini
2 Cups Gluten Free Flour Mix*
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax
1 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Baking Powder
1 stp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease loaf pans. (I used three small loaf pans, but this recipe will make one large loaf if desired.) Mix sugar, egg replacer, and water in a bowl. Add oil, banana and zucchini. In a separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients with a whisk. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until moist. Pour batter into loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 40 minutes to an hour depending on loaf size.

*Flours can be any combination of gluten-free flours to equal 2 cups. Here is the combination I used.

1 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 Cup Tapioca Starch
1/4 Cup Sorghum Flour
1/4 Cup Garbanzo Bean Flour

Chocolate Cake

2010-03-10T13:20:00.002-05:00

I wanted to make a chocolate cake that was free of the top 8 allergens last week. For some reason I decided to look through my Betty Crocker Cookbook and found a recipe I thought I could easily adapt. It turned out to be a very moist and tasty cake.

This recipe is free of eggs, dairy, soy, peanuts, wheat and tree nuts.

Chocolate Cake

Mix the following ingredients with a whisk or fork.

1 2/3 Cups Gluten Free Flour (Use a blend of your choice.)
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Baking Cocoa
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum

In a separate bowl combine:

1 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 tsp. Vinegar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Combine the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and mix well. Add 1/4 Cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips and stir. Pour into an ungreased 8" x 8" x 2" pan and place into a preheated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Gluten-Free Coupons, Samples and More

2010-01-26T08:22:00.001-05:00

Money Saving Mom (Thanks for this link, Money Saving Mom!) just posted a link for coupons for gluten-free products. I just signed up for Gluten-Free Circle. I only had to fill in my name, email, address, and answer a few questions about what types of products I am interested in. Then they sent me an email where I had to confirm my subscription. If you are interested click on this link to get free gluten-free products.

Popcorn

2010-01-19T14:53:00.002-05:00

We love to eat popcorn. It is a frugal whole grain snack that only has one ingredient. We purchased an air popper a few years ago so that we could enjoy popcorn as naturally as possible. Our air popper is just as fast as microwave popcorn without all of the extra ingredients and cost. We often add a little salt, but that is all.

If you are looking for an inexpensive snack that is free of the top 8 allergens then I suggest popping some popcorn.

Does your family enjoy popcorn? Do you have any allergy free toppings you like to use? If so, I would love to hear about them.

Pancake recipe sent in by a reader.

2010-01-14T12:42:00.016-05:00

About a month ago I received an email from a reader. Her name is Amy and she was nice enough to send me her pancake recipe. I tried it out today and found the pancakes to be tasty.

I wanted to quote something that Amy said that really stuck with me. "I do a combo of making things from scratch and buying products. It is terribly expensive, but I think of it like buying medicine for her. If she needed an expensive medicine I'd buy it."

Thank you, Amy, for this recipe. I will definitely be making more of these pancakes.

I also wanted to share that a blogging friend of mine, Abbi of Proverbs 31 Living, made my banana pancake recipe with beet puree recently and shared about it on her blog.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and tree nuts.

Pancake Recipe

1/4 Cup Cornmeal

1/4 Cup Gluten-Free Oats

1/4 Cup Flax Seed Meal (I usually just grind flax seed in my blender.)

1/2 Cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour (*See note below.)

1 Tbsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Cup Rice Milk (Any non-dairy milk or even water will work.)

2 Tbsp. Oil

A little Honey (I used 1 Tbsp.)

*I didn't have any of the all-purpose flour so I used a combination of 1/8 Cup Sorghum Flour, 1/8 Cup Garbanzo Flour, and 1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch.

Here are my pancake instructions for how to make pancakes from this recipe: In a bowl mix the milk, oil and honey with a whisk or fork until blended. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients with a whisk or fork. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined (do not over mix). Allow the batter to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. While you are waiting preheat an oiled griddle on medium low heat. Pour the pancake batter on the griddle in approximately 1/4 cup increments. Turn them over when bubbles have formed on the top. Cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat until all batter has been cooked.

Note from Amy: "The flaxseed meal makes it puffy, so I have to add more rice milk. I keep the batter in the fridge and use for a couple of days."

Gluten-Free Biscuits

2010-01-12T10:58:00.003-05:00

I fiddled around with my mom's baking powder biscuit recipe and think I have come up with a tasty allergy-free alternative. My son absolutely loved these and I have to say they tasted pretty good to me as well.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and tree nuts.

Baking Powder Biscuits

2 Cups Gluten-Free Flour * (See note below.)
4 tsp. Baking Powder
2 tsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/2 Cup Shortening or Lard
2/3 Cup Rice Milk (or other non-dairy milk) or Water
Additional Gluten-Free Flour for Kneading

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut in shortening with a fork or pastry blender. Make a well in the center and add milk. Stir just until the dough clings together. Knead on a floured surface. Roll to a ½ inch thickness. Cut with a cutter or a cup. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes approximately 12 biscuits.

*Here is the gluten-free flour blend I used to make these biscuits. You may use any combination of gluten-free flours you wish or any prepackaged all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. This makes 2 cups of gluten-free flour.

1/3 Cup Garbanzo Bean Flour
1/3 Cup Sorghum Flour
1/3 Cup Corn Masa Flour
1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch
3/4 Cup Rice Flour

To make the biscuits pictured I used lard and water instead of shortening and milk. If you choose shortening I would recommend an organic shortening. Also, I unintentionally rolled the dough out a little flatter than I like, so I ended up with 14 biscuits.

Dairy-Free Banana "Ice Cream"

2010-01-07T06:45:00.049-05:00

When my son's allergies were diagnosed I wondered if I would ever find a safe "ice cream" for him. We experimented this summer with a coconut milk version that sometime I hope to perfect enough to post here. In the meantime, my sister-in-law recently sent me this link. I had never heard of banana "ice cream", but I thought it would be fun to try.

This recipe only contains 1 ingredient: a frozen banana.

Let me just say that a frozen, pureed banana tastes surprisingly like real ice cream with much less banana flavor than I would have expected. However, I should have come up with a different name than ice cream because my son was afraid it would hurt his tummy if he tried it. I am so glad that at just 5 years old he has a pretty good grasp on what will happen if he eats something he is allergic to. Yet, I would love for him to try this healthy dessert.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts.

Banana "ice cream" with chocolate syrup added.

Banana "Ice Cream"

1. Peel and freeze one (or more) ripe banana. (*See note below on freezing bananas.)

2. Place frozen banana in a food processor or blender.

3. Blend until smooth. This will take several minutes.

4. You may add 1 Tbsp. honey, jelly or chocolate syrup for a little extra flavor. (I'm looking for a healthier chocolate syrup alternative.)

5. Serve and enjoy.

*Freezing Bananas:

Peel ripe bananas and cut them into chunks, or slice them in half and then slice the halves lengthwise (4 pieces would equal one banana). Then, place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and place them in the freezer. In a few hours you can take them off the tray and place them in baggies or freezer containers. This is a great way to prolong the life of bananas that are going brown.

Gluten-Free Rolls, Pizza Dough, Breadsticks and Cinnamon Rolls from 1 Recipe.

2010-01-05T22:22:00.002-05:00

I have finally come up with a versatile dough recipe that is safe for my son who has allergies to wheat, soy, dairy and egg whites. It is a variation of my own regular pizza dough, and my son has loved all of the baked goods I have made using this recipe. Granted he is only five and doesn't have sophisticated taste buds. However, he is the one I am doing all of this for, so his reaction is the one I am most concerned about when I concoct the recipes featured on this blog. If you try this dough and like it (or even if you don't like it) please leave me a comment.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts.

Gluten-Free Dough

1 Cup Very Warm Water

1/2 Tbsp. Yeast

2 Tbsp. Sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 1/2 + Cups Gluten-Free Flour *(See note below.)

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Mix water, yeast, sugar and olive oil in a bowl. Let the mixture stand until bubbles form on top. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt and xanthan gum. Combine the two mixtures using a spoon or spatula (No need to use a mixer.). Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough and turn in the bowl to lightly coat it. Cover and let rise for 1 hour. You may now use this dough in the recipes below.

*Below is the flour blend I have been using for this dough. You can use any all-purpose gluten-free flour mix or your own preferred blend of flours. Makes 2 1/2 cups of gluten-free flour.

3/4 Cup Sorghum Flour

1/4 Cup Potato Starch

1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch

1/4 Cup Garbanzo Bean Flour

1 Cup Rice Flour

Gluten-Free Rolls

Using the recipe above and some additional rice flour to prevent sticking divide the dough into 12 balls. Place in a greased pan with sides. Cover and allow the rolls to rise for about 30 minutes. Bake in a 375 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Gluten-Free Pizza

Follow the dough recipe above. Once the dough has risen use a little rice flour to help roll it out. Press the dough onto a pizza pan or stone. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and add pizza sauce and your toppings of choice. (If you aren't allergic to dairy then you can add shredded cheese to the top.) Bake for an additional 10 minutes. You don't have to bake the pizza in two stages if you don't want to. This process just helps the crust not be so doughy. My son's usually has his pizza with my spaghetti sauce and browned burger.

Gluten-Free Breadsticks

Using a little rice flour to prevent sticking you can either roll the dough (from the recipe above) into breadsticks, or you can roll out the dough and then use a pizza cutter to divide it into breadsticks. Place the breadsticks on a cookie sheet or pizza stone and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven until lightly browned. (Approximately 15 minutes.)

Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls

Using the dough recipe above roll out the dough until it is about 1/4" to 1/2" thick. Brush the dough with melted coconut oil. (You may use melted butter if you don't have a dairy allergy.) Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the dough. (I don't use approximate measurements for this.) Roll the dough, from the outside in, into a log shape. Use clean string or plain dental floss to cut the dough into rolls that are about an inch thick. Place the cinnamon rolls in a greased pan with sides. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until rolls are golden brown.

Once the rolls have cooled you may want to make a powdered sugar glaze to go over the top. To make the glaze mix 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and a very small amount of water. Whisk together and then drizzle over the top of the rolls.

Spaghetti Sauce

2009-11-24T21:42:00.002-05:00

I use home canned tomato sauce to make this easy spaghetti sauce that my family enjoys.

This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, and peanuts.

Spaghetti Sauce
1 Quart Tomato Sauce
1/8 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic Powder

Boil all ingredients in a pan until desired consistency is reached. Add browned ground meat if desired.

If you find that your sauce isn't as thick as you would like then you can mix some cornstarch with cold water. Then add a little at a time to your spaghetti sauce until it is the consistency you desire.

Chocolate Pancakes

2009-11-16T13:43:00.004-05:00

I decided to use some chocolate Rice Dream I had purchased to make some pancakes. (I promise I do make more than just pancakes.) I made a small batch and they were eaten with no complaints by my youngest two children.

This recipe contains no diary, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts or tree nuts.

Chocolate Pancakes

1 1 /2 Cups Chocolate Rice Dream (or any dairy free chocolate drink)
Egg Replacer Equivalent to 1 Egg
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (Use a coffee grinder for this.)
1 Cup Gluten Free Pancake Flour
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Preheat a griddle on medium low heat. In a bowl mix the rice milk, oil, and flax seed with a whisk or fork until blended. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with a whisk or fork. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined (do not over mix). Pour the pancake batter on the griddle in approximately 1/4 cup increments. Turn them over when bubbles have formed on the top or they are golden brown on the bottom. Cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat until all batter has been cooked.

Gluten-Free Coupon

2009-11-13T07:44:00.003-05:00

I saw this link at Money Saving Mom earlier this week and thought I would pass it on in case it is still an active link.

I had to sign up for the Gluten-Free Choices Newsletter. Then I was able to print a $1 coupon. I kept hitting my browser's back button and was able to print several of these. They don't expire until 12/32/11, so that is a bonus. Here are the products the coupons are good for.

* Gluten Free Arrowhead Mills
* DeBoles Pasta
* Tropical Source
* Gluten Free Café
* Imagine Soup
* DREAM products

I recommend signing up for the newsletter and printing out these coupons. We all know how expensive allergy-free products can be and how rarely you find coupons like this. Let me know if this is still working and you were able to print some coupons.

Zucchini Casserole

2009-11-11T22:58:00.002-05:00

This casserole recipe is based on a dish my mom has made over the years. We enjoyed eating this meal all summer when our zucchini crop was abundant. We can still enjoy it this fall and winter because I froze zucchini chunks just for this recipe.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Zucchini Casserole

1/2 Cup Uncooked Rice
1 Pound Cooked Ground Beef
1 Medium Zucchini (Peeled & Chopped)
1 Pint Tomato Juice
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp. Dried Onion Flakes

Mix all ingredients and place in a casserole dish with a lid. Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1 hour.

I am linking this post with Life as Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap. Today she is asking for people to share recipes for those with food allergies or special diets. I am anxious to see what others have posted and to get some new ideas.

Pumpkin Smoothie

2009-11-04T22:23:00.003-05:00

I recently cooked and pureed one of our Halloween pumpkins. I was trying to think of some ways I could use the pumpkin and decided to try making a pumpkin smoothie. I am happy to say that this was a successful experiment. I thought it tasted very good.

This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts and tree nuts.

Pumpkin Smoothie

Place the following ingredients in a blender and use the "ice crush" setting until everything is smooth. Makes 1 serving.

1/2 Cup Cooked & Pureed Pumpkin (You could also use canned.)
1 Tbsp. Honey
1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 Dairy-Free Milk Ice Cubes (See note below.)
A small amount of water if needed to keep ingredients blending.

**To make the dairy-free ice cubes simply pour the dairy-free milk of your choice into ice cube trays and place in the freezer until frozen. This is a great way to save the milk for a later time if your milk is about to expire. For this recipe I used hemp milk.

Banana Pancakes

2009-10-27T14:11:00.005-04:00

I decided to experiment with the recipe I posted last week for zucchini pancakes and substitute one mashed banana for the zucchini. My son seemed to enjoy them. I could taste the banana, but it wasn't overpowering.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Banana Pancakes

2 Cups Water
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Melted Coconut Oil
3 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (Use a blender or coffee grinder to grind the seed.)
1 Mashed Banana
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Cups All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
½ tsp. Xanthan Gum

Preheat a griddle on medium low heat. In a bowl mix the water, oil, flax seed and banana with a whisk or fork until blended. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with a whisk or fork. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined (do not over mix). Pour the pancake batter on the griddle in approximately 1/4 cup increments. Turn them over when bubbles have formed on the top or they are golden brown on the bottom. Cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat until all batter has been cooked.

Zucchini Pancakes

2009-10-22T10:43:00.007-04:00

I am embarrassed about how long it has been since I last posted here. I could go on and on about how busy I am, but I will spare anyone who might actually read this the details. So, I am going to jump right in and share a recipe I created this morning for my son. He really liked these pancakes, so I thought I would share it with you. It is a modification of my original pancake recipe that can be found here. I also used the pancake flour recipe I posted here.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Zucchini Pancakes

2 Cups Water
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Melted Coconut Oil
3 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (Use a blender or coffee grinder to grind the seed.)
1/2 Cup Shredded Zucchini
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 Cups All Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
½ tsp. Xanthan Gum

Preheat a griddle on medium low heat. In a bowl mix the water, oil, flax seed and zucchini with a whisk or fork until blended. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with a whisk or fork. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined (do not over mix). Pour the pancake batter on the griddle in approximately 1/4 cup increments. Turn them over when bubbles have formed on the top or they are golden brown on the bottom. Cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat until all batter has been cooked.

Note: I peel my zucchini prior to shredding it. I also freeze it in the summer for use all winter long.

Living Harvest Hemp Milk

2009-08-03T09:15:00.000-04:00

Since taking my son off of dairy I have been trying to go almost dairy-free myself. I have always loved drinking milk, eating cheeses and other dairy products. However, since going off of dairy I have noticed that I don't have the stomach issues I have had for years. I realize now that I have had a dairy intolerance.

So, for the last several months I have not had a glass of cow's milk. I always used to drink several a day. As you may have noticed from perusing this blog that I have tried to make several dairy-free milks. While I have had success baking with them I do not just drink a glass of them.

We tried Living Harvest's Vanilla Hemp Milk a few months ago and were pleasantly surprised at the taste. I actually was able to drink a small glass of it and so did my son. My husband was very sceptical because he was associating hemp with THC. Living Harvest claims that there is 0% THC in their products.

I like the fact that there is 40% of the daily recommended amount of calcium in each 8 oz. cup of hemp milk. The package claims that "hemp seeds have no known allergens and are one of nature's most complete sources of digestible protein."

The main reason I tried this product was this article I had read from Passionate Homemaking .

There is a link at the top of the page for the hemp milk. However, I purchased mine at our local Kroger store. There was a coupon on the package for $1 off of 2. If you have tried this product let me know what you thought.

Water as a Milk Substitute

2009-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

I recently wanted to make my cornbread recipe recently, but realized I didn't have any rice milk made. Everyone was hungry and time was of the essence, so I decided to try using water instead.

I was pleasantly surprised that there was no difference in taste that I could tell. My family happily ate the cornbread, so I would say it was a success. I realize that some nutritional value is lost by not using milk, but in a pinch I think it would be alright to try.

Have you ever used water as a milk substitute? How did it work?

Cornstarch as an Egg Replacer

2009-07-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

I tried another egg replacer and this one was very easy. To replace one egg in a recipe use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with three tablespoons of water. I thought it worked quite well.

Marinated Cucumbers

2009-07-15T22:37:00.003-04:00

My garden is providing us with many cucumbers this year. I wanted to share a recipe with you that we enjoy.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Marinated Cucumbers

4 Cucumbers (Peeled & Sliced)
Sliced Onion (I use about 1/2 of an onion.)
1 Cup Vinegar
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar
1 Tbsp. Salt

Mix last 4 ingredients in a bowl and pour over cucumbers and onion. Chill for several hours for best flavor.

AllerNotes

2009-06-25T13:51:00.002-04:00

I was reading a copy of Allergy & Asthma today and noticed an ad for something called AllerNotes. So, I went to their website. I thought this looked like a good idea, but noticed that they didn't have any notes for multiple food allergies. However, there is a type that you can write in your allergy. Maybe it would have room to write all of his food allergies on it. So far it hasn't been a problem because we have not eaten out since his diagnosis in February. However, I do want others to be aware of his allergies. What do you do to let others know about your food allergies?

If you are interested in seeing the AllerNotes go to their website here.

Apricot Puree as an Egg Replacer

2009-06-25T07:15:00.002-04:00

I recently tried a recipe using 1 tablespoon of apricot puree as an egg replacer. I think it did fine, but I wouldn't use it to replace all of the eggs in a recipe if there were more than one or two. I think that it would make the recipe take a lot longer to bake and I am not sure what the results would be. You could sure try it though.

One thing I did do was freeze some apricot puree in an ice cube tray. Each cube is approximately 1 tablespoon.

Here's how I made the puree. You could use fresh apricots, but I chose to use a can of apricots in light syrup. I drained and rinsed the apricots. Then I put them in the blender until they were smooth and not lumpy. I used 1 tablespoon of the puree for a recipe and then froze the rest in an ice cube tray. When they were frozen I put them in a zippered bag. When I want to use them I will just thaw them out and they will be ready to go.

Have you ever tried apricot puree in a recipe?

Coconut Milk

2009-06-24T12:00:00.001-04:00

I made a batch of coconut milk yesterday and thought I would share how I made it.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts and tree nuts.

Coconut Milk

1 Cup Unsweetened Coconut
2 Cups Boiling Water

Combine coconut and water in a blender. Let the mixture sit in the blender for about five minutes. Blend on low speed for a few minutes. Allow the mixture to sit for another 5 to 10 minutes then blend again. Pour mixture into a nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth (See note below.) to strain the coconut. Pour into a clean jar and refrigerate or use immediately.

You can repeat the process using the same coconut for a thinner batch of milk. I am sure that sweetener could be added to this recipe, but I just used it plain in a batch of cornbread with success. Stay tuned for an upcoming post with a coconut milk ice cream recipe.

Once your coconut milk has been sitting in the refrigerator for several hours you will notice that there is a layer of cream floating on top of the milk. You can either take this out and use it for some other purpose, or you can poke some holes in it and shake your jar to mix. You could also run the milk through the blender again.

Do not place more than two cups of boiling water in the blender at once. Ask me how I know this. Let's just say you probably don't want to have to clean up the mess it will create.

*Note: I do not own an official nut milk bag. What I do have is a cheap lingerie bag that has very tiny holes (See picture above). I had purchased a set of three in varying sizes for $1 at a dollar store. This is a frugal option that has worked well so far.

Chocolate Mousse

2009-06-22T07:00:00.002-04:00

When I first heard that avocados could be used to make chocolate mousse (pudding as we call it) I couldn't imagine that it would taste good. I was wrong! The good fats in avocados make this dessert healthy. It is also very tasty.

This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, soy, wheat, tree nuts, and peanuts.

Chocolate Mousse

1/2 Cup Warm Water
2 Whole Ripe Avocados (Remove skins and seed.)
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until it is the consistency of pudding. Chill and serve.

I have halved this recipe with success.

Hummus

2009-06-19T14:51:00.002-04:00

This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, soy, and wheat. If you choose to use a nut butter instead of tahini then the recipe would contain tree nuts or peanuts.

Hummus

2 Cups Cooked Garbanzo Beans/Chickpeas
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
2 Cloves of Garlic
2+ Tbsp. Water (Start with 2 and add more if needed)
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. Tahini or Other Nut Butter
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture is a smooth adding more water as needed to achieve desired consistency.

To cook dried garbanzo beans first rinse and drain 1 pound of beans. Soak for 12-24 hours in a large pot with plenty of water and a few tablespoons of lemon juice. After soaking drain and rinse beans once more. Cook in a pot with fresh water for 1 and 1/2 hours after they start to boil. Drain and use in this recipe. Freeze the remaining beans in 2 cup increments to easily make additional batches of hummus.

Cake Mix Reviews

2009-06-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but any product reviews I do here are unsolicited. I just want to share my experience with products that are available for those with allergies. Always take my reviews with a grain of salt because I am just giving you my opinion.

That being said I want to tell you about two different cake mixes I have tried recently. The first is another Pamela's Products mix. The one we tried this time was the Classic Vanilla Cake Mix.

The package says that you have to use eggs and that substitutions will not work. I tried egg yolks in place of the regular eggs since my son is only allergic to the whites. It made the cake yellow instead of white as evidenced by the picture above. I think that it turned out alright, but wasn't as good as it might have been had I used whole eggs. So, I don't think I will buy this mix again.

The other cake mix I tried recently was from Cherrybrook Kitchen. This was the first time I have tried one of their products. The mix was free of all the top eight allergens. All I had to add was oil, water, and vanilla (which I imagine could have been left out). My kids all loved it and it was very moist and tasty. I actually like this mix better than the Pamela's Products mixes I have tried.

Lemonade

2009-06-11T08:05:00.003-04:00

Summer wouldn't be complete without being able to drink lemonade. At least from my point of view this is true. Lemonade from scratch is really the only way to go. Have you ever looked at the powdered stuff. I have to admit we have used it many times. I never really thought about the ingredients. However, some brands put soy in the mix and that is something we are trying to avoid. Also, there are artificial colors added which I would also like to avoid. So, if we want lemonade then the best way to go is to make our own.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, dairy, eggs, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Lemonade

Makes 2 Quarts

1 Cup Lemon Juice (more if desired)
2/3 Cup Sugar (more if desired)
Water

Mix lemon juice and sugar in a 2 quart pitcher and add enough water to equal 2 quarts. Chill and enjoy.

The amounts of lemon juice and sugar can be increased or decreased as desired. What I listed is what we enjoy. My kids don't like a super tangy lemonade, so this is how I make it.

Delicious Living Magazine Online

2009-06-10T08:48:00.003-04:00

When we went to our local health food store last week I was given the latest issue of Delicious Living Magazine. All of the articles from the magazine can be found at the link above. I wanted to point you in the direction of a few things that I found interesting.

First, I read the article called Allergies and Everyday Toxins. It talked about two allergens in foods. One was sulfites and the other was MSG. The article also discussed other toxins that can be found in the home that can cause allergic reactions.

I also found a recipe that I am hoping to try soon. It is frozen dessert called Strawberry Granita and looks yummy and healthy. I would have to skip the cream that they poured on top, but I think it would still be tasty without it.

Also, here is a link to coupons available to print from the site.

While there was quite a bit of advertising in the magazine, I did find some useful information. Maybe you will find something useful from visiting the website.

Water

2009-06-09T09:43:00.003-04:00

Sometimes we get so concerned with what we will eat or drink that we make it more complicated than it should be. I heard a phrase recently that I liked. Eat like your grandparents (or great grandparents) would have.

What that means to me is that if I can't pronounce it or don't know where it comes from then I probably shouldn't eat or drink it. I want to try to keep things simple and healthful for my family, so I am going to work harder at making sure the ingredients in the foods we eat are healthy.

That being said I wanted to share with you about the most popular beverage at our house. Water. That is what is in the glass in the picture. I thought I would say that so you don't think I am just showing off my fancy glass. :-)

About 1 1/2 years ago I started giving my children more water to drink. I realized they were drinking too much milk and juice. I have to say that not only do I feel it has been a healthful choice, but it has also helped our food budget.

Now, I am not going to go into tons of details and info about how great water is. I think most everyone already knows that. However, I do want to encourage you to drink more water. Your body will thank you for it.

I will leave you with a quote from my daughter. She had asked me why I was taking a picture of a glass of water. I told her that I wanted to post about water being a good drink choice. Here was her response. "Water is pure and natural, and it is a great drink choice that God gave us. No one is allergic to water." :-)

Mashed Banana as an Egg Replacer

2009-06-08T14:42:00.004-04:00

I had read quite a bit about being able to use 1/2 of a mashed banana as a replacement for 1 egg in recipes. I made the mistake of trying to use an extra banana in my banana bread recipe in place of two eggs. This was way too much banana and the bread never got done even though I baked it an extra half an hour or more. So, I would advise against using an extra banana in a banana bread recipe. :-)

I did try using a whole mashed banana in place of two of the four eggs required for my pumpkin cake recipe. It worked well, but there is a slight banana flavor to the cake . It didn't bother any of us, but it did make a difference in the taste. I am thinking I will try using 1/2 of a banana next time and a different egg replacer for the other three eggs.

I haven't experimented more than that with bananas as an egg replacer, so if you have any advice or information I would love to hear it.

Update: I recently read that adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder in addition to the banana works well.

Pumpkin Cake

2009-06-08T14:29:00.005-04:00

This is my allergy-free recipe adaptation of my grandma’s recipe. I made this recipe using frozen pumpkin puree and it worked well. The original recipe called for canned pumpkin.

This recipe is free of wheat, dairy, egg whites, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Pumpkin Cake

Egg Replacer equal to 4 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or melted Coconut Oil)
2 Cups Pumpkin Puree
2 Cups Gluten-Free Flour Mix
2 tsp. Baking Soda
2 tsp. Cinnamon
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg replacer (egg yolks and banana in this case). Add sugar. Mix well. Add oil in a slow stream. Beat well. Add pumpkin and continue mixing. In a separate bowl sift or whisk together the flour mix, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and xanthan gum. Add to the 1st mixture and beat well. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan or angel food cake pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. Serve with whipped topping or powdered sugar.

Gluten-Free Pancake Flour

2009-06-03T13:00:00.003-04:00

I make pancakes quite a bit, and have been experimenting with different gluten-free flour combinations. I think I have finally come up with one that my son likes. The recipe makes 1 cup of flour, but you could always double, triple, etc. to suit your needs.

Gluten-Free Pancake Flour

1/3 Cup Buckwheat Flour
1/3 Cup Masa Harina or Brown Rice Flour
1/3 Cup Tapioca Starch

Mix the flours thoroughly with a whisk. Use in your favorite pancake recipe or try mine here.

I also tried the following ratio and was successful. However, this mix has a much stronger flavor. So, if you want to put a little hair on your chest so to speak then you might like this combination. :-)

1/2 Cup Buckwheat Flour
1/4 Cup Masa Harina or Brown Rice Flour
1/4 Cup Tapioca Starch.

Mix thoroughly with a whisk.

Cornbread Recipe

2009-05-29T12:18:00.003-04:00

My family loves to eat cornbread. However, it has been a struggle to come up with a good recipe since I started cooking around my son's allergies. So it came as a surprise to me last night when my family actually enjoyed a batch of cornbread. They told me to take a picture of it and print out the recipe. I guess that means it was a success. Hooray for small victories!

This recipe is free of wheat, egg whites, dairy, soy, peanuts, and tree nuts (unless almond milk is used).

Cornbread

2/3 Cup White Rice Flour
(or 1/3 Cup Brown Rice Flour + 1/3 Cup Tapioca Starch)
1/2 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
3 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Rice Milk (or Almond Milk)
2 Egg Yolks (or another egg replacer for 1 whole egg)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine rice flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum with a whisk. Add olive oil and whisk until most of the lumps are gone. In a separate bowl mix rice milk and egg yolks until well blended. Add the dry and wet mixtures together and stir just until moist. Spread in a greased 8” square pan (Tip: Get hands wet and spread batter in pan with fingers.) and bake for 15+minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Fudge Brownies

2009-05-26T13:57:00.005-04:00

I modified my brownie recipe to be allergy-free this weekend. The brownies are chewy and tasty. Even those in my family without allergies thought they were good.

This recipe is free of wheat, soy, egg whites, tree nuts, peanuts, and dairy.

Fudge Brownies

2 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (use a blender or coffee grinder for this)
6 Tbsp. Water
2 Egg Yolks (rinsed)
3/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Coconut Oil)
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Additional 1/4 Cup Water (if necessary).

Mix the ground flax seed and water together. Add egg yolks and olive oil and stir until blended. In a separate bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and xanthan gum until well mixed. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir. If the mixture is too hard to stir then add the additional 1/4 cup water. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake in a 325 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

As with any of my recipes if you see 2 egg yolks listed in the ingredients and you know you are allergic to them please feel free to substitute another egg replacer. 2 egg yolks are the equivalent of 1 whole egg. In this recipe you could add another 1 Tbsp. of ground flax seed and another 3 Tbsp. of water.

Also, if you try one of my recipes please leave a comment for that recipe with letting me know whether it worked for your family or not. Thanks.

Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix

2009-05-22T08:23:00.003-04:00

We tried Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix and all I have to say is that my son absolutely loved it. I made it with an egg substitute due to my son's egg white allergy, and baked it in a 9 x 13 pan. The cake turned out very moist and was a hit. I would definitely purchase this mix again. As I have said before, I really enjoy cooking from scratch because of the frugal aspect and the sense of accomplishment it brings. However, by using a mix some of the guess-work is taken out. And, when you are dealing with gluten-free (and allergy-free) baking, sometimes that can be so helpful.

Homemade French Fries

2009-05-21T09:17:00.006-04:00

Have you ever looked at the ingredients on a package of French fries? I really never had, but it sure was enlightening. Many commercial brands contain gluten, colorings, and other preservatives/additives. I am guessing that this keeps the fries crispy and pleasant looking, but do we really need those ingredients? Also, if you are allergic to those things can you still enjoy a good French fry?

Yes!

I make homemade French fries by cutting potatoes into fry-sized pieces. I then cook the until they are golden brown in my deep fryer which has olive oil in it. I can cut up several potatoes and get them ready while my fryer is heating up. Easy!

Now, if I wanted to freeze the un-cooked fries for later use I would probably use the following method. Put the fries into a bowl of ice water as you are cutting the potatoes to prevent them from turning brown. Then drain them and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Pop the cookie sheet in the freezer until the fries are frozen. Then transfer them to a baggie or container and keep them in the freezer until you are ready to use them. I think that you could also get away without soaking the fries in ice water and still be fine.

I have heard good things about sweet potato fries and am anxious to try making some. I have planted 12 sweet potato plants and this will be one thing I plan to do with our harvest.

Gluten-Free Spaghetti

2009-05-20T13:54:00.006-04:00

Since our family loves spaghetti I have been on a search to find a gluten/wheat free spaghetti that everyone will enjoy eating. We have tried three different brands since we found out about my son's allergies. I have briefly discussed each brand below.

Brown Rice Spaghetti

The Tinkyada brand of brown rice spaghetti is by far our number one choice for spaghetti that is gluten/wheat free. It most closely resembles traditional spaghetti, and has been able to please everyone in our family. Even my husband, who has been somewhat resistant to all of these changes, willingly ate it. :-)

There was a hint on the package for saving energy that really worked. The instructions were to bring the water to a boil, add the pasta, boil for one minute, turn off the heat, and cover the pan for 20 minutes. I think this will be something I will try for all pasta.

Quinoa Spaghetti

The Ancient Harvest quinoa spaghetti did not pass the test for everyone in my family, but my allergic son liked it. I have only purchased it once, but would be willing to try it again. It was not just like traditional spaghetti, but could be a good option for people looking for a gluten/wheat free spaghetti with the benefit of quinoa being a complete protein.

Corn Spaghetti

We have tried the DeBoles brand of spaghetti two times and will more than likely not purchase it again. No one but my toddler enjoyed eating it. I also noticed (as evidenced by the picture above) that it breaks very easily. I tried cooking it according to the package directions and using the energy saving method described above with the same results.

Almond Milk

2009-05-19T14:02:00.003-04:00

Left to Right: a Raw Almond and a Soaked almond

In order to make almond milk you will first need to soak the raw almonds for at least 12 hours in warm water. (Drain and rinse the almonds before using.) The soaking process neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors in the almonds much the way soaking beans or grains neutralizes phytic acid. While almonds and other nuts do contain phytic acid the amount is much smaller than in grains. Another added benefit of soaking the almonds is that the amount of vitamins your body can absorb increases. For more information check out this post from the Nourishing Gourmet.

Almond Milk
4 Cups Water
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Cup Soaked Raw Almonds
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp. Raw Honey

Combine everything in a blender and blend on high for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Store in the refrigerator. Shake before serving. Makes one quart.

I have also seen nut milk bags that you pour your nut milk into and then squeeze out the milk. I thought a more frugal option might be to use a small lingerie bag with very tiny holes. I purchased a set of 3 such lingerie bags at a local dollar store for, you guessed it, $1 for all 3. I think the benefit of using a bag instead of a strainer or cheese cloth is that you can squeeze all of the milk from the ground almonds more easily.

Don't throw away the ground almonds that you strained from your milk (see picture below). Use them in place of some of the flour in your recipes. The benefit of this is that you aren't wasting anything. Plus, the almonds have been soaked which improves their nutritional value. I am going to use them in my banana bread recipe that I posted here.

I have also read that blanching the almonds for a few minutes in boiling water and then slipping the skins off is an alternative to letting the almonds remain raw.

Egg Yolks

2009-05-16T13:09:00.002-04:00

If you have checked out some of the recipes I have posted you may notice that some call for 2 egg yolks. I will usually put the word "rinsed" in there, too. Now you may be wondering what that is all about.

My son is allergic to egg whites, but not the yolks. I have found that I can use 2 rinsed egg yolks in place of one whole egg. We have a few laying hens of our own now, so I know the quality of the eggs is very good (Check my posts from my other blog here and here.). Also, the yolks have so much nutrition packed inside. Check out the info on this site if you are interested in knowing more about egg yolks.

So, if you are curious about how to rinse an egg yolk then I have a video for you. My 6 year old son and I created this video this morning. He thought it was so cool that he video taped something that is now on the internet. :-)

Pamela's Gluten-Free Bread Mix

2009-05-15T15:16:00.005-04:00

I recently made a batch of Pamela's Gluten-Free Bread Mix. I made part of the batch into rolls and part in a small loaf pan. I did that because I thought my son would like rolls better, and there was enough batter left to make a small loaf. However, he liked the bread better than the rolls and they were from the exact same mix. Strange, but he's my kid and I love him.

This mix was easy to prepare and tasted very good. My non-allergic daughter really liked it, too. The package had lots of information on variations to the mix which was nice. Overall, I was pleased with this mix and would buy it again. This, coming from someone who tries to cook everything from scratch, is a big deal. :-)

Below are pictures of the rolls and the bread I made with the mix.

Update: I made another package of this and put it all in one big loaf pan. I did not like the results at all. The bread did not seem to be done inside, so I put some foil on it and baked it for longer and I still didn't think it turned out quite right. My son loved it though after I toasted it. I would suggest using 2 small loaf pans (maybe 3) or the muffin tins as described on the package.

Xanthan Gum

2009-05-15T14:10:00.004-04:00

I have come to learn that xanthan gum is a necessary ingredient in wheat-free/gluten-free baking. If you intend to go gluten-free then it is something you will want to keep in your cupboard.

I could bore you with lots of scientific details about xanthan gum, but here is what Bob's Red Mill's website says about it.

"Xanthan gum is used by people who are allergic to gluten to add volume and viscosity to bread and other gluten-free baked goods. It is made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris and is a natural carbohydrate."

Now, how do you use it? Well, from everything I have read the amounts I have listed below seem to be the standard for using xanthan gum in baking.

1/4 tsp. for Cookies
1/2 tsp. for Cakes
3/4 tsp. for Muffins and Quick Breads
1 to 1 1/2 tsp. for Breads
2 tsp. for Pizza Crusts

Use the amounts above per ONE cup of gluten-free flour in recipes. So, if your recipe is for a cake which requires 3 cups of flour then use 1 1/2 tsp. of xanthan gum.

Ener-G Egg Replacer

2009-05-14T14:11:00.003-04:00

I want to share another egg replacer with you. Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer is gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free, has no preservatives, no artificial flavorings, or sugar added. It contains no eggs or animal protein.

It only takes 1 1/2 teaspoons of egg replacer (mixed with 2 tablespoons of warm water) to equal one egg. That means that one box is the equivalent of 113 eggs. This is a very frugal and allergy-free option for baking.

**Now for some exciting news. I am going to give away a box of Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer to one randomly selected reader. All you have to do to be entered in the drawing is to leave a comment letting me know about how you (or someone you love) deal with food allergies. If you want a second entry then post about this giveaway on your blog, and come back and leave comment with a link to the post. For a third entry tweet about this giveaway on Twitter and come back and let me know. So, you have 3 chances to win. The giveaway will close Tuesday May 19, 2009 at 9:00 p.m.

Update on 5/19/09 at 9:16 p.m.: We have a winner! Hannah will receive the box of Ener-G Egg Replacer. I appreciated each of you who commented and I hope you will visit and comment again. Hannah please email me (at jackiesembroidery at gmail dot com) your address so that I can mail your egg replacer. I hope it is helpful to you.

P.S. I used www.random.org to determine the winner.

Pancakes

2009-05-14T08:13:00.006-04:00

I have spent many mornings during the past 3 months trying to create a pancake recipe that we will all like and is allergy-free. It seems like trying to modify my pancake recipe has given me more trouble than any other recipe so far. Well, this morning I tweaked the recipe just a little more and I think it is safe to call it a success.

This recipe is free of dairy, egg whites, soy, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts.

Pancakes

Egg Replacer Equivalent to 1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Dairy Free Milk
2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Melted Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp. Baking Powder
1 Tbsp. Sugar
1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (Use your blender or coffee grinder to grind the seed.)
1 Cup All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum

Preheat a griddle on medium low heat. In a bowl mix the egg yolks and milk with a whisk or fork until blended. Add oil and mix. In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients with a whisk or fork. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined (do not over mix). Allow the batter to rest for 5 minutes. Pour the pancake batter on the griddle in approximately 1/4 cup increments. Turn them over when bubbles have formed on the top. Cook on the other side until golden brown. Remove from heat and repeat until all batter has been cooked.

Food Allergy Awareness Week

2009-05-13T15:11:00.003-04:00

This week is food allergy awareness week. Check out The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network for more details. They have lots of information about how to help others be more aware of food allergies. I would encourage you to check out their website.

Pamela's Chocolate Brownie Mix

2009-05-11T11:04:00.003-04:00

I recently made a batch of brownie's using the mix pictured above from Pamela's Products. The mix is wheat-free and gluten-free. The package indicated that the chocolate chunks in the mix contained non-GMO soy lecithin and traces of milk protein. To avoid possible allergic reactions the chunks could be sifted out of the mix. I used 2 rinsed egg yolks in place of the egg required due to my son's allergy to egg whites.

One thing I liked about this brand was the myriad of possibilities for this mix. Listed on the package were 7 brownie variations along with a cake and cookie recipe. The instructions were detailed and easy to follow.

The brownies passed the taste test for our family, and were very easy to prepare. I would be willing to purchase this mix again even though I am usually a "from scratch" kind of cook. It was nice to have something that tasted good and didn't require a lot of effort to still be considered homemade.

Oat Flour Tortillas

2009-05-06T12:01:00.003-04:00

I have made these tortillas several times and have found them to be easy and tasty. They are a nice alternative to those made from corn or wheat.

Free of eggs, dairy, soy, nuts, peanuts and wheat.

Oat Flour Tortillas
2 Cups + 1/2 Cup Oat Flour (Grind rolled oats in a blender to make oat flour.)
1 tsp. Salt
3/4-1 Cup Water
Pizza Stone

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set the pizza stone on the bottom rack and allow it to heat as the oven preheats.

Use 2 cups of the oat flour and whisk it with the salt in a bowl. Slowly add water until the dough clings together and holds its shape. Sprinkle some of the extra flour on a flat surface and knead the dough for 4 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 equal sized balls and cover. One at a time, roll out the dough balls with a floured rolling pin until they are very flat. Poke holes all over the tortilla with a fork.

One at a time place the tortillas on the pizza stone for 3 minutes. While one is cooking roll out another tortilla.

Flax Seed Binder 2

2009-05-05T14:16:00.004-04:00

Here is another egg replacer I have tried using ground flax seeds and water. The recipe makes the equivalent of 1 egg, but could easily be doubled, tripled, etc. to correspond with the recipe you are using.

Flax Seed Binder 2

1 Tbsp. Ground Flax Seed (Use a coffee grinder or blender to grind the seed.)

3 Tbsp. Warm Water

Stir together and let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it becomes gelatinous. Use in place of 1 whole egg in baking recipes.

Banana Muffins

2009-05-05T09:19:00.009-04:00

I modified my original banana bread recipe to make it allergy-free for my son.

Free of egg whites, soy, dairy, peanuts, and wheat. Contains tree nuts (almonds).

Banana Muffins

1 c. Sugar
1/3 c. Coconut Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Egg Yolks (rinsed)
1/3 c. Water
1 ½ c. Mashed Ripe Bananas (about 3 bananas)
1 c. Rice Flour
1/2 c. Almond Meal
1/2 c. Tapioca Starch
1 Tbsp. Ground Flax
1 ½ tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Baking Powder

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins. (Or put cupcake papers or silicone liners into muffin tins.) Mix sugar, egg yolks, and water in a bowl. Add oil and bananas. In a separate bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients with a whisk. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until moist. Fill muffin tins approximately 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.

**Flours can be any combination of gluten-free flours to equal 2 cups. 4 egg yolks are the equivalent of 2 eggs, so any egg replacer for 2 eggs should work.

Flax Seed Binder

2009-05-05T09:11:00.004-04:00

I found this recipe at Passionate Homemaking. I have used it in several recipes, and find that it is a healthful alternative to eggs since my son can't have egg whites. I have been less than pleased with some of the other replacers I have tried, but this has worked well so far.

Flax Seed Binder
1/4 Cup Ground Flax Seed (I used a small coffee grinder to grind the seed.)
3/4 Cup Cold Water

Mix ingredients in a small pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat. Store binder in a glass container with a lid. Use 2 tablespoons in place of one egg in baked goods. It was suggested to mix this with the first liquid ingredient in the recipe before adding it to any other ingredients.

Molasses Cookies

2009-05-05T09:06:00.007-04:00

I have modified a molasses cookie recipe to be free of the foods to which my son is allergic. They have a strong flavor, but are tasty. Even some people who don't have food allergies tried these and really enjoyed the taste.

Free of eggs, dairy, wheat, soy, peanuts and nuts.

Molasses Cookies
3/4 Cup Coconut Oil
1 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Flax Seed Binder
1/2 Cup Blackstrap Molasses
3/4 Cup Rice Flour
3/4 Cup Tapioca Flour
3/4 Cup Cornstarch
1/4 Cup Potato Flour
3/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Sea Salt
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Ground Cloves
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Ground Ginger

White Sugar

Cream coconut oil and brown sugar. Add flax seed binder and molasses and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients with a whisk until well blended. Add dry ingredients to the first mixture and mix. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each ball in white sugar. Place on greased cookie sheets (I line mine with parchment paper instead.). Bake 10 minutes. Leave on cookie sheets for at least 1 minute before moving to wire racks to cool.

Homemade Rice Milk

2009-05-02T14:29:00.004-04:00

I have been using this recipe for several months. It is very frugal and is safe for those with dairy allergies. We use it in place of regular milk in all of our recipes.

Time-Saving Tip: Cook up a large batch of rice and freeze it in 1/2 cup portions. This way you won't have to cook up the rice each time you need more milk.

Rice Milk
4 Cups Water
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 Cup Cooked Rice
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp. Raw Honey

Combine everything in a blender and blend on high for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Store in the refrigerator. Shake before serving. Makes one quart.