Food Allergy Woes

Never say final

2011-12-29T11:24:00.002-05:00

So I guess that I was wrong when I said that my daughter 'outgrew' her food allergies. Yes, she was able to drink cow's milk and eat eggs. But little did I know that our journey was not over.

At age 3 her growth stats showed a sharp decline in the height percentages. Her weight percentages had always been low. So we did more blood work, a celiac panel, stool sample, urine sample and it all came back normal. The GI doc looked at her history of food allergies and recommended that we do an upper GI scope. That scope showed that she had eosinophilic esophagitis.

So her poor appetite was all because it actually HURT to eat. Poor baby!

A year later we are doing great. She had to have skin prick testing and food allergy patch testing. Then we started a new elimination diet. For her it was soy and rye. Fifteen weeks later the second upper GI scope came back perfectly normal. The diet changes worked, the inflammation was resolved, and I am happy to report that my daughter actually eats.

Final Post

2010-09-07T15:20:00.000-04:00

As far as I know my family is now allergy free. H has had peanut butter with no reaction. E has had everything but peanuts/tree nuts. I need to ask my pediatrician when I can introduce these. I am guessing age 2.

Thanks for reading!

Great inspirational story

2010-04-23T10:48:00.000-04:00

Linked here is a great inspirational story regarding breastfeeding and food allergies.

Yes, you can figure out what your baby is allergic to via an elimination diet!

Yes, the diet is hard!

Yes, the bond that nursing provides and the nutrition of breastmilk is worth it!

Introducing Yogurt

2010-04-05T09:01:00.000-04:00

As far as I know, baby E is not allergic to cow's milk protein. However, she has never been exposed to it either. I eliminated milk, eggs, and peanuts/nuts from my diet in my 8th month of pregnancy. And then I never added it back. At 3 weeks of age I learned that baby E was sensitive to soy milk in my breast milk. It caused her to have stomach pains and spit-up. Knowing that 30% of individuals with milk allergy also have a soy allergy, I decided not to try cow's milk at all.

Well baby E is now 8 months old. She has been eating rice cereal since 5 months and fruits/veggies since 6 months. She loves food! I felt like it was time to challenge her with both soy and milk again and look for any sensitivities. However, I wanted to give it to her instead of eating it myself. I figured that if she had a reaction it would show up quicker than if she had gotten the milk via breast milk and the reaction would be more pronounced making it easier to identify. So over the past week I have been giving her about 1 tablespoon of cow's milk yogurt each day with her lunch. We are at day 6 with no reactions, no problems, and no changes in the appearance of her poop or skin. I am hopeful that she will continue to tolerate cow's milk protein as I look forward to eating pizza again.

I will challenge her with soy products next month.

Probiotics for Infantile Colic

2010-03-23T10:41:00.000-04:00

Colic is a common problem noted in infants in the first 3 months. Studies show that it affects as many as 1/3 of babies. Yet, despite research, there is still no known cause.

For H, her colicky symptoms decreased markedly when I eliminated some key foods from my diet. I believe that for her, colic was the first sign of food allergies.

I have heard of using probiotics in infants with colic and acid reflux but have no personal experience with it. A friend of mine shared this article with me. It discusses the use of probiotics in breastfed infants that show signs of colic. After 28 days the infants receiving probiotics cried significantly less than those receiving only simethocone. Very interesting!

AllergyEats

2010-03-05T09:40:00.003-05:00

I recently learned about the website www.allergyeats.com. AllergyEats is an interactive website and blog that allows users to find allergy friendly restaurants based on location. Check out the website and tell me what you think about it?

Here is some info from the site-

AllergyEats was 20 months in the making and lists over 600,000 restaurants that can be searched geographically and are sorted based on the restaurant’s level of “allergy friendliness.” This rating is derived from fellow food allergy and intolerant diners who choose to rate the restaurants by answering 3 simple questions. Diners also have the opportunity to add comments to their quantitative ratings as well.

This rating is derived from fellow food allergy and intolerant diners who choose to rate the restaurants by answering 3 simple questions. Diners also have the opportunity to add comments to their quantitative ratings as well.

As a standalone restaurant database, AllergyEats is a useful tool for locating places to dine. In addition, however, I have included features such as allergen information, gluten-free menus, industry certifications, and other relevant information where available. The site will grow in value for those with food allergies or intolerances as more restaurants are rated and comments posted.

Red Robin Burgers

2010-02-08T13:45:00.000-05:00

I recently tried dining at a new restaurant (at least for us) with food allergies. Red Robin is a nationwide burger chain restaurant and I have been craving a good burger. First I checked their website. Under frequently asked questions they do address food allergies with the following statement.

For a number of core Red Robin menu items offered in all of our restaurants
we are able to provide our Guests with allergen information on a number of
common food allergies. This information provides options for items that you can
order to meet your special dietary needs.To download Wheat/Gluten allergen
information and a list of recommended menu items click here.To obtain
other allergen-specific menu information, you can send a request to us via our
"Contact Us" option by submitting a "General Inquiry" or click here.

I e-mailed them to receive the allergen-specific food menu and I found it to be very helpful. They had recommendations for each of the top 8 allergens. I just cross referenced milk and soy and was easily able to find a good burger option to try.

Once at the restaurant the server was able to easily accommodate my requests. My husband and I happened to order the same burger and fries. However, mine did not have the red robin seasoning and, of course, no cheese. When the food was delivered and questioned the server to make sure I had received the right one. She pointed out that my meal was delivered in a yellow basket instead of a red basket. A yellow basket is used for all special request meals for food allergies. I liked that!

Lactose Intolerance vs. Allergy

2010-01-21T13:39:00.004-05:00

Again, I would like to reiterate that a baby cannot be allergic to it's mothers milk. A baby is allergic to foreign proteins present in it's mother's milk (ie. cow's milk protein, wheat, eggs, etc). Also, a baby is not lactose intolerant. It is more likely that the baby has a food allergy or due to foremilk/hindmilk imbalance.

Here are some great articles that a friend of mine shared with me. Happy reading!

http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/lactose.html
http://www.llli.org/ba/Nov98.html
http://www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/lactose-intolerance.html

PF Chang's China Bistro

2009-12-28T13:51:00.006-05:00

PF Chang's has been amazingly accommodating with my food allergy requests. Very few items on the menu have milk in them so that one is easy. They have a specific gluten-free menu, so again that one is easy. Peanuts, soy, and eggs are common ingredients and are harder to avoid. However, I have easily found items to eat with each.

I just let my server know what ingredients that I am avoiding due to allergy. He or she alerts the kitchen and the restaurant manager visits our table. He or she then personally goes over then menu with me pointing out safe options. When the food is delivered to the table, my dish comes out on a special plate that does not match the others. This alerts the staff that the dish is allergy-friendly.

With my older daughter, I did not eat milk, egg, or peanuts. I usually ordered lettuce wraps and crispy honey shrimp or orange peel shrimp. Both shrimp dishes had to be made specially because the normal batter has egg in it.

Now with my baby I avoid milk, soy, and peanuts. I never thought that I would be able to eat Chinese food while avoiding soy....but there were some options. I had spring rolls and Philip's better lemon chicken.

Happy Birthday

2009-12-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Today H turns 2 years old.

Two years ago I would have never thought that I would have had to deal with food allergies. I didn't know that a baby could be allergic to something in it's mother's breast milk. I had never heard of an elimination diet. I never would of thought that I would learn about so many new foods and replacements. I never thought that I would write a blog on the subject...and actually have someone read it. LOL

One year ago I was hopeful that H would outgrow her food allergies.

Today I am grateful for a healthy and happy daughter who is now allergy-free.

Egg Results

2009-11-24T12:10:00.003-05:00

So far H has has multiple baked goods with eggs in them and french toast. No allergic reactions and no upset stomachs.

I think that we are officially allergy free!!!

We will still avoid peanuts and tree nuts for another year though.

Baby E has had no reaction to me eating eggs either. Yay for eggs!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-11-12T10:36:00.000-05:00

During my pregnancy with Baby E, I craved chocolate. In all forms. I drank hot chocolate daily, ate chocolate bars, and devoured cookies and cakes. As the end of my pregnancy neared, I had to find allergy safe recipes to satisfy my cravings as I wanted to eliminated all dairy and egg products from my diet. That is when I found the blog Food Allergy Mama. If you haven't tried any of her recipes then you are missing out. She has some great ones. My favorite is her recipe for chocolate chip cookies.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

Now that baby E is 3 1/2 months old and I am in the midst of a elimination diet I needed to find new ways to get allergy-safe chocolate. Enjoy Life chocolate bars and chocolate chips are a must. But the other day I was craving cookies. First I tried to adapt the above recipe using gluten-free flour and soy and dairy-free margarine. The cookies tasted great (like warm cookie dough) but the texture was all wrong. They were super thin. That is when I remembered the blog Karina's Kitchen (aka the gluten-free goddess). Her recipe for chocolate chips cookies is absolutely amazing. Check them out.

Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Elimination Diet- Egg Trial

2009-11-11T10:31:00.000-05:00

Baby E has been doing great. So I need to try a new food group and see how she does. Next up, eggs. I haven't had eggs since I was about 34 weeks pregnant. I fried up two eggs on Sunday and they tasted great! I had them again on Monday morning too. So far the results are mixed. Baby E has had no acute stomach problems and no additional spit-up, however, her poop was a bit on the runny side the next day. The only thing is that her poop is that way off and on anyway. So no verdict just yet.

Egg Trial

2009-11-10T10:12:00.002-05:00

My daughter seems to have outgrown her milk allergy. No reactions, no upset stomachs, and no diarrhea. The only thing is that she doesn't actually seem to like milk. I bought her YoBaby whole milk yogurt only to have her snub it. She likes her coconut milk yogurt much better. She won't cheese in any form either. So for now it is nice to know that she has more food options even if she doesn't like them.

So the next step, eggs. Sunday she has Bisquick pancakes made with real eggs instead of powered egg replacer. No problems yet.

Milk Trial Update

2009-10-26T11:18:00.000-04:00

It seems that H has outgrown her allergy to milk just as predicted by both the pediatrician and the allergist. We started out by giving her small amounts of bread that had milk baked into it. Gradually she got more and more until she was eating whole slices of bread with no problems. This week we introduced small amounts of pudding, yogurt, and cheese. Each were bites off of daddy's plate. This morning she had a small drink of cow's milk.

The plan now is to let her continue drinking soy milk because that is what she is used to and what she likes. However, we will start giving larger quantities of milk products and see how things go.

I would love for her to outgrow at least one of her allergies. This gives me hope that baby E will do the same.

Milk Trial

2009-10-12T22:27:00.004-04:00

My daughter is coming up on her second birthday which means that it has been one full year since her last reaction to cow's milk protein and eggs via breastmilk. She has actually never had either directly. Shortly after this reaction we got her tested for food allergies. I had learned via the elimination diet that she was sensitive to milk and eggs when she was just 4 and 5 months old. I avoided both for the next 6 months.

Now it is time for us to start challenging her with both food groups to see if she is still allergic. First up, milk. We are starting by giving her bread that has milk 'baked' into it. So far so good. Next week we will try yogurt or cheese and then go from there.

Next month, eggs.

Fruit and Yogurt Parfait

2009-09-29T16:28:00.000-04:00

While on my elimination diet, coconut milk yogurt has been my one indulgence. I love it! Here is a simple treat that I came up with using the yogurt.

1 container coconut milk yogurt, any flavor
approximately 1 cup of granola (Cascadian Farm Organic granola is dairy, soy, and wheat free)
1 banana or 1 cup frozen berries or both

Layer the coconut yogurt, granola, and fruit in alternating layers.
I used blueberry yogurt, banana, and frozen mixed berries in mine.

Can be served immediately or put it in the fridge for a snack for later.

Serves 2.

Outback Steakhouse

2009-09-24T08:10:00.001-04:00

My new diet is making it nearly impossible to actually eat out. However, for my husbands birthday we decided to go to Outback Steakhouse. We have had good success eating there before as the nutritional guide online helps with food allergies. I have found that I can order salmon, chicken, or steak with a side of veggies and a sweet potato and have an allergy-friendly meal. Recently my husband e-mailed them to find out more allergy info and they promptly responded with a complete list of 'don't eat' and 'safe to eat' suggestions.

FYI- the bread is both dairy and egg free!!! Just avoid the side of butter.

Oatmeal cookies-gluten free

2009-09-22T10:47:00.007-04:00

My friend went through this same elimination diet just last year. At one year, her daughter is still sensitive to cow's milk protein but at one point her mom was dairy, soy, eggs, wheat, and nut free (a few others too). She developed this oatmeal cookie recipe as a spin-off of the one that I posted.

1 banana

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup brown rice flour

1/2 c. gluten free flour mix (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 of a teaspoon of salt

2 1/2-3 cups oats

1 T. milled flax seed

3 tablespoons hemp milk

1 bag enjoy life chocolate chips

Mix the brown sugar, sugar, oil, and milk. Add the banana, flax seed, and vanilla. Then mix in the already pre-mixed together mixture of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the oats. If it is too thin, let stand a bit so the oats can absorb the excess liquid. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 13 minutes.

Elmination Diet- More Results

2009-09-21T16:05:00.003-04:00

Baby E slept 8 hours straight last night. If that is not encouraging I don't know what is?

She still has green poop. Most of the time it is seedy, however, mucous is still present. E is gaining weight well and is a very happy baby. So for now, I will continue to be dairy, egg, wheat, soy, and peanut free.

Elmination Diet- More Results

2009-09-17T09:32:00.003-04:00

My elimination diet has been at a standstill for the past week. Baby E is much improved, not gassy, not fussy, no belly problems, and sleeping great. However, her poop is still green and mucousy (should be yellow and seedy). This is a sign of diarrhea is a breastmilk fed baby.

There are 3 commons causes for green poop.
1. Food allergy/sensitivity- most commons causes are milk and soy
2. Foremilk/hindmilk imbalance- if the baby is not fully emptying the breast with each feeding then the baby gets too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk. The hindmilk is higher in calorie/fat.
3. Virus- would be self-limiting.

I have been very aware of how baby E eats and I make sure that she empties the breast completely before moving to the next one. If she doesn't, then she starts on that same side at her next feeding. Therefore, I don't think that this is a problem. For more info on this cause go to http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html

So I have to think that is is something that I am eating. So I eliminated wheat again, changed my chicken consumption to turkey, and have simplified the fruit intake to just apples, pears, and bananas. So far this has helped some. Baby E is sleeping even better and going to bed earlier but this might just be her age. So I will keep this up for another week or so and then decide what to do next.

Chicken Salad- Dairy, Soy, and Egg Free

2009-09-08T09:07:00.001-04:00

1 can (12.5 oz) cooked chicken (or cubed cooked chicken)
1 apple, pealed and diced
1 cup grapes, chopped
1/4 cup Craisins
Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Yogurt- plain
1/4 tsp thyme
pepper to taste

Mix chicken and fruit. Add yogurt one spoonful at a time until you get the desired consistency, mixing well. Add in seasoning and mix well.

Elmination Diet- More Results

2009-09-03T21:03:00.002-04:00

Baby E seems to be doing well with oats and corn. I also tried fish with no problems but I need to try it again to be sure.

Elmination Diet- Soy Trial Results

2009-08-30T20:03:00.002-04:00

Day 1 with soy baby E had no problems. Day 2 she had a lot of spit-up throughout the day and definite stomach problems that evening. The verdict- no soy for me, at least for a little while.

Elmination Diet- Soy Trial

2009-08-28T19:51:00.002-04:00

Next up, soy. Before I had to read nutrition labels, I never realized that soy was an added ingredient in almost every processed food item. It seems to be in everything. I miss crackers and Oreo cookies. Mostly I just miss soy milk though!

Elmination Diet- Wheat Trial Results

2009-08-28T19:48:00.003-04:00

Wheat causes baby E to spit-up more. For the 3 days prior to introducing wheat she never spit-up. After the introduction of wheat to my diet, she spit-up 1-2 times per day. No extra fussiness in the evenings and no stomach pains though. My verdict, eat wheat in moderation.

Elmination Diet- Wheat Trial

2009-08-26T20:25:00.002-04:00

Now that baby E is back to her normal non-fussy self it is time to try some new foods and try and pinpoint what the problem food is. First up, wheat. In my experience it is always best to try the new food in its simpliest form and add it into a normal meal. For wheat I chose pasta. Avoid tomato sauce though!

Elmination Diet

2009-08-26T16:58:00.003-04:00

Breakfast options

Rice Chex with rice milk, banana, apple

Enjoy Life Very Berry Crunch with rice milk, banana, watermelon

Lunch options

Turkey sandwich on brown rice bread with mustard and avocado

Soup (butternut squash or sweet potato) with brown rice or rice pasta

Dinner options

Chicken

Sweet potato

Potato

Zucchini

Snack options

Enjoy Life cereal bars or cookies

Potato Chips

Fruit

Elmination Diet

2009-08-25T16:45:00.003-04:00

After some debate, my husband and I decided to go ahead and try the elimination diet. Our main motivation factor was sleep. A happy baby sleeps better. A baby that sleeps better means having a mommy that sleeps better. A mommy that sleeps better is a happy mommy. So the diet began on Friday.

One comment that I see and hear a lot is "well, what do you eat?". So posts over the next few weeks will be dedicated to just that. What do I eat and what don't I eat? How do I still get some diversity in my diet? How do I get enough calories as to not affect my milk supply?

Foods that I am eliminating:
Dairy
Eggs
Peanuts, tree nuts (first 3 had been eliminated during the pregnancy)
Soy
Wheat
Corn
Oats
Beans
Gassy vegetables like broccoli
Citrus fruits
Fish
Beef

Foods that I eat:
Rice
Chicken and turkey
Sweet potatoes
Potatoes
Squash
Fruits

Sounds pretty boring, huh?

Wondering

2009-08-20T21:50:00.005-04:00

Babies should not be fussy. Babies should not arch their backs, stiffen their legs, and cry in pain. For the first three weeks of E's life she was the easiest baby ever. She nursed well, slept well, and was generally content. H's food intolerance problems began on day 3. H was fussy, cried a lot, and had many stomach issues. E had none of these. My husband and I were thrilled.

Well, 2 days ago that all changed. E has a fussy afternoon with a lot of gas. Next day it was a fussy afternoon, evening, and night. Today was just the evening. Leaves me to wonder, "Is is something that I ate?" Once you have had a food allergy baby that idea constantly runs through your mind. So, the question is, what do I do about it? Do I go through the elimination diet again? Cut down my food options to the bare minimum and then gradually add items back in looking for a reaction. Or do I just eliminate a few additional food groups and see if that fixes it?

Currently I am not eating any dairy, eggs, peanut/tree nuts. Not hard to do since that is H's current diet. Today I eliminated soy. Tomorrow it will be wheat. The next day????

Sigh...I hope that my easy baby returns soon.

Stuffed Pasta Shells

2009-08-11T09:25:00.000-04:00

This is the first time I have made this recipe using dairy and egg-free ingredients, so it may 'evolve' some over time. I loved the way it turned out though and my husband and daughter agreed.

1 box jumbo pasta shells

1 lb ground turkey

2 cups frozen spinach (approximately)

1tsp Italian seasoning or use fresh oregeno and basil

1 container Toffutti cream cheese

1 12 oz pkg firm tofu

1.5 jars of spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook box of jumbo pasta shells according to package directions.

Cook ground turkey over medium heat until done. Add in seasonings and frozen spinach. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until spinach is thawed and the mixture is well mixed.

Mix together Toffutti cream cheese and tofu until it forms and uniform 'creamed' mixture. Then add meat mixture and tofu mixture together.

In an 13X9 baking dish, pour 3/4 jar of spaghetti sauce along bottom of dish. There should be enough there to cover bottom thickly (be liberal). Stuff cook shells with meat/tofu mixture. Arrange shells along bottom of dish. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over shells. Bake 30-40 minutes.

A New Arrival

2009-08-04T16:26:00.004-04:00

One week ago today, I gave birth to beautiful baby girl. I am busy adjusting to my new role as a mother of two girls and may have less chance to post recipes over the next few weeks. I promise to be back though.

So far, my baby daughter is showing none of the initial allergy signs that my older daughter did at this age. My husband and I are hoping and praying for an allergy-free child but at least this time we are more knowledgeable and prepared if she does start showing problems.

Kashi Frozen Meals

2009-07-17T09:57:00.002-04:00

I have found several Kashi frozen meals that I enjoy for lunch while at work. I like that they are labeled 'vegan' clearly on the front of the package and this makes it easier to find out what options are safe for me to eat. I have never fed any of these to my toddler though and I am not sure that she would appreciate the flavors and spices as much as I do.

My two new favorites are Garden Vegetable Pasta and Mayan Harvest Bake.

I also like Tuscan Veggie Bake. I have not yet tried the Veggie Chana Masala or some of the other options.

I could not find an official allergy statement and I am unsure how these product lines are made as many of there other food options do contain dairy.

Sweet Potato Grill Pockets

2009-07-08T15:40:00.000-04:00

I love sweet potatoes and love to find new a fun ways to cook them. I modified this recipe from one that I found on allrecipes.com.

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 apple, peeled and sliced (Granny Smith works well)
4 TBS soy margarine
4 TBS brown sugar
aluminum foil

Tear off 4 large sheets of aluminum foil. Place 1/4 of the sliced sweet potatoes on each sheet. Place 1/4 of the sliced apple on top of sweet potatoes. Top each with 1 TBS soy margarine and 1 TBS brown sugar. Use foil to create packet. Grill on medium for 30 minutes, turning over at least once.

Makes 4 servings.

Quick Pancakes

2009-07-06T09:43:00.001-04:00

I have finally perfected my dairy and egg-free version on Bisquick pancakes. My first several attempts at them provided very thick and dense pancakes. They were edible but I wanted them to be light and fluffy instead.

2 cups Bisquick

1 1/2 cups soy milk

Ener-G egg equivalent for 2 eggs (1 1/2 tsp Egg Replacer and 2 TBS warm water per egg)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp sugar

Heat griddle to 300 deg. Spray with non-stick spray if needed.

Mix Bisquick and soy milk together with a whisk in medium mixing bowl. In separate bowl, mix together egg replace and water until frothy. Add egg replacer, baking powder, lemon juice, and sugar into Bisquick mixture. Mix well with whisk.

Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto hot griddle. Flip halfway through when bubbles appear. Cook until edges are done and both sides are evenly browned. Makes approximately 14 pancakes depending on size.

Serve with syrup or apple butter, and a side of fruit.

Free Giveaway

2009-06-29T21:27:00.003-04:00

Just in case you missed it, check out the Fruit2Day Post from last week.

Free giveaway- Reply to this post in the comments section and win a coupon for a free Fruit2Day coupon that is good for a free 2-pack of drinks. Just include your city, state, and/or country that you are blogging from. Winner will be drawn at random on July 5th. I will contact the winner via e-mail and mail the coupon then.

Fruit2Day

2009-06-24T20:10:00.004-04:00

Fruit2Day is a new all natural fruit drink that contains a full 2 servings a fruit. It is sugar free and has only 110-120 calories per drink (6.5oz). They come in four flavors: Strawberry Orange, Pineapple Banana, Mango Peach, and Cherry Grape.

I was able to try all four flavors to review. I shared then with my husband and daughter (18 months) to see what they would think too.

Our reviews

Myself- Very good. Great flavor combinations. I like the fruit chunks in each drink. My favorite flavor was Pineapple Banana.

My husband- He like them. He is normally not a big fruit and vegetable eater and so he was excited that it tasted good and was good for him. His favorite was the Pineapple Banana and the Mango Peach.

My toddler- She loved all of them!. It was hard to determine a true favorite though. She signed and said 'more' after each drink. It was pretty cute!

Free give-away- Reply to this post in the comments section and win a coupon for a free Fruit2Day coupon that is good for a free 2-pack of drinks. Just include your city, state, and/or country that you are blogging from. Winner will be drawn at random on July 5th. I will contact the winner via e-mail and mail the coupon then.

Much like other fruit juice drinks, Fruit2Day is pasteurized on the same equipment that is used to pasteurize milk products.

Honey Mustard BBQ Pork Chops

2009-06-22T14:36:00.003-04:00

This is any easy marinade for grilled pork chops that I found on allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (contains soy)
2 teaspoons onion powder (I subbed 1tsp onion salt)
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon (I omitted)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 thin cut pork chops

Place honey, orange juice, vinegar, wine, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, tarragon, and mustard in a large resealable plastic bag. Slash fatty edge of each chop in about three places without cutting into the meat; this will prevent the meat from curling during cooking. Place chops in the plastic bag, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Preheat grill for high heat.

Lightly oil grill grate. Place chops on grill, and discard marinade. Cook chops for 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, or to desired doneness.

Holy Cow Food Allergy News

2009-06-18T13:20:00.001-04:00

New website that allows you to keep current with all food allergy news and blogs. All the info that you need and want in one place.

Holy Cow Food Allergy News

FREE! Subscribe and Keep Current!

This E-Newspaper summarizes the happenings in the Food Allergy World, all in one place! Click on an article and it will take you directly to the site that hosts the article.
We do all the surfing, hunting and gathering for you! Subscribe and a daily update of new articles will be sent to your Inbox.

Want to add your blog or website and have RSS? Email saffie@bubblelife.com

Amy's Frozen Meals

2009-06-16T13:53:00.000-04:00

I love to have a hot lunch while at work. I don't do take-out or fast food and I don't always have leftovers available. My solution has been frozen dinner's by Amy's Kitchen. They are a bit pricey but I love the quality of the meals. All of Amy's meals are vegetarian (so no eggs) and are peanut free as well. They offer many options that are gluten-free and/or dairy-free. Some products do contain tree nuts though.

Amy's website publishes the following regarding food allergies:

Amy’s is sensitive to the dietary needs and concerns of our consumers. At Amy’s Kitchen we understand that 1 in 25 people in the United States suffer from a food allergy.
While some common food allergies include: dairy, soy and tree nuts, several other allergies once thought to be uncommon are on the rise, especially among young infants and children. Amy’s Kitchen clearly posts all ingredients on our box panels and on our website to help you to select the right meals for you and your family.

The dairy-free frozen options that I like include:

Pot pies- Mexican Tamale Pie, Shepard's Pie, Non-Dairy Vegetable Pot Pie

Entrees- Black Bean & Vegetable Enchilada

Whole Meals- Bean Bean Enchilada Whole Meal, Veggie Loaf Whole Meal

Indian Meals- Indian Mattar Tofu

For a complete list of their dairy-free options click here.

This is my favorite option-

I have never given any of these to my daughter though. I frozen meals are just for work.

Tuna Salad

2009-06-09T08:44:00.000-04:00

I have been craving tuna salad sandwiches. I normally would use Miracle Whip but that product no longer works in our house anymore. So I tried the soy mayonaise called Nayonaise. I think that is tastes more like mayonaise than miracle whip (less tangy) but it did the trick.

Raspberry Bars

2009-06-08T08:16:00.000-04:00

I found this recipe in the magazine Real Simple. The only modification needed was to substitute soy margarine for butter. They make a very pretty and delicious bar cookie.

10 TBS soy margarine, melted
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 cup fresh raspberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 8X8 baking pan with vegetable oil spray. In bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and oats. Add in melted margarine and combine into dough. Reserve 1/2 cup dough. Press remaining dough into baking pan. Spread raspberry jam evenly across dough, leaving 1/4 inch border around edges. Scatter raspberries over the jam. Sprinkle remaining dough over raspberries.

Bake for 25-28 minutes. Edges will be slightly golden brown. Let cool before cutting.

I need your help!

2009-06-05T09:57:00.003-04:00

My little peanut is currently sick and is on antibiotics for red and irritated sore throat. Because of her sore throat she is not eating well and has lost a little bit of weight. She is already very under-weight and I need to fatten her back up. I am looking for allergy-friendly fattening recipes. Please share!!!

Also, I bought the soy version of 'pediasure' which is a high calorie soy drink. I believe that it is called Bright Start Soy Drink. I has 237 calories/8 oz as compared to regular soy milk which is 100 calories/8 oz. My thought was that I would add some to her soy milk that she drinks right before bed to increase her calorie consumption. She WILL NOT drink it! I have even tried hiding it in her favorite smoothie drink and she won't drink the smoothie. Any creative ways to hide this fat soy milk? Thanks! Maleah

Cookies for Everyone

2009-06-03T11:35:00.000-04:00

Enjoy Life products are still at the top of my list of favorites. There products are free from the top 8 allergens. I lived off of Snickerdoodle cookies and Carmel Apple snack bars in the early stages of my elimination diet in which I was struggling to find things that I could eat that would not upset my baby's stomach.

Enjoy Life has recently published a new cookie cookbook called Cookies for Everyone!

Enjoy Life's™ Cookies for Everyone! offers allergy-free cookies, brownies and bars that are safe and delicious. Each of the 150 recipes are free of gluten as well as the eight most common allergens, thus taking the guesswork out of determining which recipes are safe—and which are a risk. Co-author culinary expert Leslie Hammond teaches readers how to use naturally allergy-free ingredients and substitutes to add richness, texture, pizzazz and nutritional content to cookies and bars without losing the “yummy” factor. Also, co-author Betsy Laakso, Director of Research and Development at Enjoy Life Foods™, brings her expertise of crafting delicious and safe recipes that are both healthful and allergen-free.

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

2009-06-02T11:14:00.003-04:00

This recipe is very easy and delicious. I found the original recipe on a blog called 'Cook Now, Eat Later' which has a selection of freezer recipes. The only modification needed was to use a soy- based margarine instead of a milk-based one and to eliminate the nuts.

Link to original recipe.

1 3/4 cups Quick Cooking oats -- uncooked
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
3/4 cup Brown sugar -- firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt (optional)
3/4 cup soy margarine (I used Fleischmans, Earth Balance is also great)
2 cups Fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup Granulated sugar3 tablespoons Water
2 tablespoons Cornstarch
2 tsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 9x9-inch glass baking dish.

Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add margarine, mixing until crumbly.

Reserve 3/4 cup mixture; press remaining mixture onto bottom of prepared dish. Bake 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine blueberries, granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a boil, simmer 2 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon water, cornstarch, and lemon juice; mix well.

Gradually stir into blueberry mixture; cook and stir about 30 seconds or until thickened.

Spread over partially baked base to within 1/4 inch of edge; sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Cool on wire rack; cut into bars.

My own freezer tip- Place cut bars on cookie sheet and freezer for several hours or overnight. Then wrap individually with plastic wrap and store in a plastic freezer bag or freezer container. Bars are good frozen or can be left out to thaw to room temperature.

A series of lasts

2009-05-30T08:31:00.004-04:00

My dairy, egg, and peanut-free diet starts Monday, June 1st which is approximately 8 weeks before the next baby arrives. I am 'cleansing' my body of allergy foods as to not have any of those 'bad' proteins in my system before I start breastfeeding again. Since you can never really predict a baby's arrival I decided to have a large cleansing window just in case. I found research saying that the cow's milk protein can remain in your system for up to 3 weeks, although most of my research just says one week. Really no one knows.

And really, this all may be pointless. The next baby could have no food allergies at all. Or the next baby could be allergic to soy and fine with cow's milk. Hard to make a prediction, so for now, this is my plan. I will eliminate all egg, dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts from my diet now and for the first couple months of breastfeeding. I will then challenge the baby to each item individually looking for a reaction. With my daughter she had stomach problems, gas, and spit-up within 2-12 hrs after eating a 'bad' food category. Her major symptoms were eczema and bloody stool but I hope to never see either of these in the next baby.

So for the past two weeks I have been indulging in EVERYTHING!!! My Ob appointment on Monday may show a bit of weight gain. LOL

Here is a short list of some of my indulgences:
brownies
Ben and Jerry's ice cream
key lime pie
pizza
cheddar biscuits from Red Lobster
Macaroni Grill's chicken calzone
Olive Gardens's egg plant parmesan
doughnuts
cheesy rice and bean burritto from Taco Bell
chicken quesadilla from Moe's Southwest Grill
lemon ricotta pancakes
Skyline Chili's cheese coney
chocolate milk
cheeseburger

Did I make you hungry?

Grilled Chicken Salad

2009-05-21T10:05:00.005-04:00

Simple recipe for a hot day. Use the outdoor grill and you don't even have to turn your stove on. We have been harvesting fresh lettuce and radishes from our small vegetable garden.

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
Italian dressing (check ingredients carefully some brands list milk as an ingredient)
Favorite salad mixture
Favorite salad dressing
Toppings- radishes, carrots, cucumbers, sesame seeds, garbanzo beans, etc.

Marinade chicken in Italian dressing overnight. Cook chicken in skillet over medium heat or grill until done.

In Search of Hot Chocolate

2009-05-16T08:37:00.002-04:00

With this pregnancy I crave all things chocolate. My indulgence every morning that I work is a cup of Swiss Miss hot cocoa. I never crave this or even think about this on my days off but at work I must have it. So, I need a substitute! I am looking for hot chocolate recipes or mixes that are dairy free. Easier the better as I need to be able to make it quickly before work or make it once at work. Your help would be appreciated!!! Thanks.

Milk Allergy Alert

2009-05-14T09:32:00.000-04:00

**THE FOOD ALLERGY & ANAPHYLAXIS NETWORK SPECIAL FOOD ALLERGY ALERTNOTICE**

MILK ALLERGY ALERT
May 13, 2009

Tofutti Brands Inc. is recalling “Vanilla Cuties” due to undeclared milk.

The product was distributed in California, the Mid-Atlantic region, theMidwest, New England, and the New York City metro area.

The product is labeled with UPC 0-20188-01301-2 and manufacturing facilitycode 360-300.
Consumers may return the product to place of purchase for a full refund.Consumers with questions may call (908) 272-2400.

My Favorite Thing About Sitemeter

2009-05-07T09:58:00.002-04:00

I love sitemeter. I love that it sends me a weekly report showing how many people look at my blog site. My favorite thing about sitemeter is looking to see where my audience is from.

Here is a sample of the locations from last week:

Auckland, New Zealand
Kansas City, Missouri
New Albany, Indiana
Birmingham, Alabama
Buffalo, New York
Atlanta, Georgia
Kirkland, Washington
Washington, District of Columbia
Novato, California
Palm Springs, California
Canada Hamilton, Ontario
Vienna, Virginia
Conway, South Carolina
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Richmond Hill, Ontario
Berwyn, Illinois
Maple Valley, Washington
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Fort George G Meade, Maryland
Sweden Linkping, Ostergotlands Lan
Canada Toronto, Ontario

If any of you are regular visitors I would love to know where you are from!

Free Giveaway- Soy Free Spread

2009-05-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

The Allergic Kid blog is doing a give-away for coupons for Earth's Balance products. Earth Balance makes dairy free spreads and is now offering a new soy free spread as well.

Baked Beefy Tomato Fetuccine

2009-04-29T15:44:00.002-04:00

As is the recipe serves 4 people. I usually make the sauce and then freeze half of it. On the first day I only make 6 oz of the noodles. Use the frozen sauce on another day for a quick meal.

1 lb ground beef
2 cans crushed tomatoes
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
12 oz fettuccine noodles

Saute ground beef until no longer pink. Mix together with canned tomatoes, sugar, and salt.

Make fettuccine noodles according to package directions.

In large casserole pan, place noodles and then top with tomato sauce at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until bubbly.

Optional- top with mozzarella cheese

Freezer- Freeze extra sauce. Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Cook noodles on the day you eat it and bake that day.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2009-04-27T15:13:00.004-04:00

I make this recipe in the crockpot and let it cook all day while I am at work. Chicken comes out very tender and the spices have plenty of time to blend well.

2 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
2 cups frozen corn
2 cans chicken broth
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can tomato puree
1 can black beans, drained
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in crockpot. Heat on low for 8hrs (I am usually gone for 9hrs). Serve with tortilla chips. Tofutti sour cream on top is also good.

Chili

2009-04-24T15:08:00.003-04:00

Everybody has there own version of chili. Here is one of mine.

1lb ground beef or ground turkey
3 cans of beans- I use 1 cans pinto and 1 can black
1 can Rotel tomatoes
2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook ground beef until done. Add in beans and tomatoes. Add in all seasonings. Heat together for 20-30 minutes. The longer you cook it the better the flavor is.

Option 1- Add in 1 small can of tomato sauce and 1 cup of elbow pasta and cook until pasta is tender. My husband likes pasta in his chili but I do not so sometimes I make the noodles on the side just for him.

Option 2- Serve with Frito Lay Corn chips.

Black Bean Soup

2009-04-22T15:00:00.002-04:00

This soup makes a great side dish for your favorite grilled cheese sandwich or turkey sandwich.
3 celery ribs, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 TBS olive oil
3 cans black beans
1 can Rotel (or similar) tomatoes
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp hot sauce

In medium size soup pan, saute celery, red pepper, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add in 2 cans of black beans DRAINED and 1 can of black beans DRAINED AND MUSHED UP to soup pan. Add in Rotel tomatoes and chicken broth. Add in all seasonings and hot sauce. Heat together 20 minutes. Serves 2-6.

Chicken Stir-fry

2009-04-20T14:27:00.002-04:00

My version is easy and fairly healthy.

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 TBS grill seasoning
1 cup snow pea pods
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup duck sauce
2 cups white or brown rice.

Cook rice in rice cooker or stove top following package directions. Chop chicken. Saute in olive oil, season with grill seasoning. Add in chopped red bell pepper and pea pods. Cook additional 2-3 minutes. Then add in soy sauce and duck sauce. Cook additional 1 minute or until fully warmed.

Serve over rice. Serves 4.

Tilapia with Red Potatoes and Carrots

2009-04-17T14:20:00.004-04:00

Super easy and flavorful.

3-4 tilapia fillets
4-5 small red potatoes, cubed
1 cup baby carrots
2 tsps Old Bay Seasoning
2 tsps seasoned pepper
2 TBS olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Placed red potatoes and carrots in baking dish and cover with olive oil. Season with seasoned pepper. Baked 40 minutes. Then removed dish and top potatoes with tilapia fillets. Season tilapia with Old Bay Seasoning. Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are tender and fish is done.

Can also use other vegetables depending on what is in season. Adjust baking time as necessary.

Serves 2.

Glazed Citrus Chicken

2009-04-16T14:13:00.005-04:00

This recipe has a little bit of tang and spice to it which balances nicely with the black beans and rice.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 orange
1/2 lemon
1/2 lime
2 tsps Lawry's seasoned salt
2 tsps Lawry's seasoned pepper
1 can apricot halves, drained
1 TBS brown sugar
dash Nutmeg

1 cup white rice or brown rice
1 can black beans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook rice in rice cooker or on stove top following package directions. Arrange chicken in baking dish. Squeeze juice from orange, lemon, and lime over chicken. Then sprinkle seasoned salt and pepper over chicken. Baked covered for 30 minutes.

Puree drained apricots in a food processor. Heat apricot puree, brown sugar, and nutmeg over medium heat until bubbles appear. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Heat up black beans in separate pot.

Pour glaze apricot puree glaze over chicken and bake uncovered an additional 10 minutes.

Serve chicken with side of rice and beans.

Serves 4.

Recipe Review-RAVE

2009-04-09T13:42:00.005-04:00

I have spent very little time creating my own new and creative egg and dairy-free treats and have been trying all of yours instead. Today, I would like to review 2 recipes from Food Allergy Mama. Her recipes are egg, dairy, and nut free. Please visit her sight as she has a lot of great recipes to share.

Whole Wheat Waffles

I used 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup white flour because I like the texture of things better that way. These waffles freeze well and then I reheat them in the toaster for my daughter. After trying several different toppings, she prefers a thin layer of sunbutter over hers.

Strawberry Bread

I did not have any applesauce and so I just added a little extra water to make the batter moist enough. The bread still rose well and had a good texture. I think that the apple sauce would have made it a bit more moist though and I will make sure to have some on hand for future recipes. I made 4 mini loaves and I will probably freeze one next time even though we had no trouble at all eating all four of them this time.

Thank you Food Allergy Mama for sharing such great recipes!!!

Chicken Curry

2009-03-31T13:35:00.004-04:00

I stumbled upon this recipe while look for freezable dinners. I was excited to find that it was dairy-free. The recipe uses coconut milk. It turned out great. Easy to make, tastes great, and not too spicy. My daughter enjoyed it as well. I told her that it was chicken nuggets, but she even ate the curry sauce over brown rice. Seeing as she is too young to properly use utensils she was a mess by the time she was done. Green curry sauce everywhere! I made the meal during her nap time and then let it simmer until dinner 3 hours later.

Link to recipe blog.

Chicken Curry

Makes 6-8 servings

2-4 Chicken thighs, cut into chunks (I used 1 1/2 large chicken breasts but would do 2 next time)
2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp curry powder
4 Tbsp ginger, fresh and finely chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, fresh and finely chopped
1 large onion, chopped (We are not big onion fans so I used only about 1/4 cup)
1/2 green apple, chopped (I used the full apple since I omitted some of the onion)
3 Tbsp curry powder
6 or more Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sea salt (lower this amount to 1-2 tsp if you are using canned chicken broth)
1 Tbsp rapadura or other natural sweetener (I used regular sugar)
2 1/2 cups (or approx. 1 1/2 -15 oz cans) chicken broth
2 1/2 cans (14 oz) coconut milk

Combine chicken, 2 Tbsp of flour & 1 Tbsp of curry powder in a Ziploc or bowl to coat. Fry lightly in oil (preferably coconut oil) in a frying pan for just a few minutes until cooked. Set aside.

Combine fresh garlic, ginger, onion, apple, curry powder, flour, sweetener and salt in frying pan. Allow to fry under medium heat (I added extra oil to the pan here) to mold the ingredients together (around 10 minutes), until onions are transparent, heated completely through. Add liquids - chicken broth & coconut milk, and stir frequently until heated through and thickened. Add more flour to thicken as needed. Add breaded chicken.

For the Freezer:
This recipe freezes remarkably well. You have two options.
1. Layer a greased pan with cooked brown rice and then top with the cooked curry sauce. Cover and freeze. When ready to serve, thaw, and reheat at a low temperature.
2. Wait to prepare your brown rice till the day you desire to serve this and simply freeze the curry sauce in a container. Glass canning jars work very well. Give plenty of expanding room and make sure it is completely cooled before freezing. When ready to serve, thaw the sauce, and then prepare your rice and reheat your sauce.

Great Article of Allergymom.com

2009-03-30T21:33:00.002-04:00

I subscribe the the monthly subscribtion from allergmom.com and I find that they have great articles. This one I found especially interesting.

Food Without Warning Labels Still Contains Allergens

Filed under: Uncategorized — Gina Clowes March 22, 2009 @ 3:06 pm (Views: 859)

Precautinary labeling is a source of confusion for many. Some believe that if a product does not contain a “may contains” or other warning, that it is safe from cross-contamination. A new study shows that that is untrue. Almost 2% of the products without a warning label actually contained the allergen, and 5.3% of the advisory labeled products contained the allergen.

I guess the moral of the story is to heed the warnings because at least one in 20 of these products actually do contain the allergen but also to keep in mind that even if a product does not have a warning label, you still cannot be 100% sure that it is safe. Explains some of those “mystery reactions” we’ve all experienced.

TUESDAY, March 17 (HealthDay News) — Some food products without “may contain” allergy advisory labels may still be contaminated with allergens, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology held March 13 to 17 in Washington, D.C.

Compared to similar products with no allergens declared, the researchers found that products with advisory labels were less likely to contain egg (1.8 percent versus 2.6), and more likely to contain milk (10.2 percent versus 3 percent) or peanut (4.5 percent versus 0 percent).

Also…
Meanwhile, a separate study at the University of Nebraska found that terms used to describe the possible presence of milk fat or protein (such as “may contain” or “produced in a facility that also processes milk products”) do not necessarily correlate with the likelihood of actual milk presence.

The Nebraska study also found that milk was commonly present in products with a variety of labeling terms: 23 of 50 labeled as “may contain milk” 13 of 57 with “shared equipment” language 9 of 40 with “shared facility” language 16 of 29 with milk listed as a “minor” ingredient 1 of 3 with other labeling terminology

Read more here. or here.

Wednesday Lunch

2009-03-26T10:40:00.004-04:00

Every Wednesday I make the exact same thing for lunch. We have soy macaroni and cheese mixed with tuna and peas. Tuna noodle casserole is and was an absolute favorite of mine but I have had to modify it a bit to make is dairy-free. The original recipe has cream of mushroom soup and I have not found a good alternative for that, so we just used boxed mac and cheese instead. We use Road's End Organics 123'z & Chreese. I find that it comes out much creamier if I use 1/2 cup soy milk and 1/2 tablespoon soy margarine instead of the 1/4 cup soy milk that is recommended.

For a complete list of the other products that they carry (all are dairy-free) click here. The list includes several type of macaroni and cheese, gravy mixes, and nacho cheese dip.

Moe's Southwest Grill

2009-03-21T08:38:00.004-04:00

I would have to say that Moe's is my favorite place to take my daughter for eating out. Yes, they have a lot of cheese products (queso, cheese, sourcream, etc). But I take some reassurance that as I watch my daughter's burrito being made right in front of me that no cross-contamination has occured. We normally get her the Mr. Moo Cow Burrito without the cheese and then my husband eats the cookie for her. For their official allergen guide, click here.

Interesting Blog

2009-03-18T14:37:00.002-04:00

My husband found an interesting blog that shows which restaurants have vegan friendly items on the menu. Good starting point for avoiding milk and eggs but, of course, double check everything.

Random Skin Rashes

2009-03-17T12:56:00.002-04:00

Monday morning I noticed that my daughter had a faint rash covering her back, sides, and belly. I know that she was not exposed to any new or different foods the previous two days. Plus there was no rash on her face. So, what is the cause? The only thing my husband and I could come up with is that she played outside a lot on Sunday while helping us with yard work. The rash cleared up within a day with one dose of hydrocortisone cream. Any suggestions or comments?

What am I doing wrong?

2009-03-17T12:53:00.002-04:00

I few month ago I learned (via my allergy moms) that Jello pudding mix was dairy-free. I thought that this would be a neat snack and something diffferent to make for my duaghter. I bought the instant vanilla and made it with soy mik. It tastes great, but will not set up. I have tried several times. So, what am I doing wrong? Thanks!

My plan...I think

2009-03-13T14:02:00.007-04:00

So, there is very little good research and conflicting research regarding the possibility of passing specific food proteins to your unborn child and thereby, increasing (or decreasing) the risk of food allergies. My conclusion is that genetics and a family history of asthma, allergies, and food allergies seem to be more contributory to the likelihood of food allergies in a child, not what the mother eats or doesn't eat.

That knowledge, combined with the recommendations of both my daughter's pediatrician and allergy doctor, I now have a plan. For now, I will eat a normal, diverse diet that includes all of the top eight food allergies but in moderation. For example, I no longer drink regular milk (although that is because it upsets my stomach) but I do eat cheese. Closer to my due date, I will eliminate all pure forms of milk and eggs so that those proteins will not be in my breast milk once the baby arrives. I will eat baked goods that have milk and eggs in them, but as I do not make these at home it will only be a minimal amount.

Once the new baby arrives, I will continue my milk and egg-free diet for 1-2 months. If the baby has no signs (our daughter had severe gas, eczema, and acid reflux) or problems then I will add the eliminated items back into my diet one at a time and look for changes. Hopefully, I will not have to go through a complete elimination diet again. So, only about 15 weeks left to eat whatever I want. Anybody have any cheesecake handy??? LOL

White Bean Soup with Vegetables

2009-03-03T11:38:00.004-05:00

This soup was good...not great but good. Very healthy!!! Next time I may not blend all of the soup, only half, so that I have some chunks.

1TBS olive oil
1 large onion, minced (I omited, we don't like onion)
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold Potato, chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
3-4 springs parsley, minced
1/8 tsp dried rosemary or 1/4 tsp fresh
1/8 tsp dried thyme or 1/4 tsp fresh
6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
2 cans organic white beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Add olive oil to large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and potato. Saute until the vegetables sweat.

Stir in parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Then add zucchini, stock and beans. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 30 mins, stirring occasionally.

Puree with an emersion blender to desired consistency.

I Can't Believe It's Vegan!

2009-02-27T15:18:00.000-05:00

This is a neat website that shows name brand items that are vegan and thereby are both dairy and egg free. You still have to check the labels for peanuts or other allergy items though.

Gorilla Bread Made Vegan

2009-02-25T14:55:00.002-05:00

The original recipe is a Paula Deen recipe from the food network. I just subbed items to make the recipe both dairy and egg free so that my whole family could enjoy. These are super sweet and full of fat and calories. Not an everyday breakfast items...more of a rare treat.

Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup soy margarine (Earth Balance or Fleischman's)
1 cup packed brown sugar
8 oz of Tofutti cream cheese
2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls (original recipe uses biscuits but these are not dairy-free)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a bunt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the soy margarine and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. Press the crescent rolls out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a scoop of cream cheese in the center of each roll, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Place half of the prepared rolls in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and then pour half of the melted butter mixture over the rolls. Layer the remaining rolls on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, and pour the remaining butter mixture over the rolls. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

Crockpot Minestrone

2009-02-24T14:25:00.004-05:00

The original recipe is from crockpot365.blogspot.com and is called Pasta Fagioli, but I got the recipe from Busy Mom's Cookbook. Both a neat sites for recipe ideas.

The recipe is really good, easy, and makes A LOT. Next time I will make the full amount and the freeze half of it before I add in the pasta (pasta doesn't freeze well). This time I just shared with family and friends and we were able to eat it all up.

1lb ground turkey, cooked
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (14.5oz oz) diced tomatoes with the juice
4 cups of beef broth (check label carefully for milk protein, sub chicken broth if avoiding soy)
1 jar (16.5oz) pasta sauce
2 tsp oregano
1 T Tabasco sauce (I omitted this)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time

Directions

Use a 6 quart or larger crock pot. Brown the meat on the stove top and drain well. Let it cool a bit. Chop up the carrots and celery. Add the rinsed beans, both cans of tomatoes, pasta sauce, and beef broth to crock pot. Add salt, pepper, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Stir in your meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta. Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit.

YUM!!!

2009-02-19T11:51:00.003-05:00

So, I finally made it to Whole Foods and was able to pick up some of the Turtle Mountain So Delicous Coconut Yogurt (dairy and soy free). YUMMY! I only got one, passionate mango, and it was delicious. Way better than soy yogurt and has a higher fat content for my daughter (and for my pregnant belly, LOL). I will have to get more on my next trip.

Vegan Blueberry Muffins

2009-02-17T12:07:00.003-05:00

I made this recipe on Sunday and they were super good. I used fresh blueberries that we had picked over the summer and then frozen. I just let them unthaw in the fridge first. Thank you Maria for recommending the recipe to me!

Click for recipe

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-14T13:27:00.001-05:00

For my husband I have chocolate covered peanuts. My daughter is too youngto appreciate the holiday (or candy for that matter) but I did get her a little present. I found Valentine window clings in the shapes of hearts. She loves magnets and so I hope that she likes these as well. I also plan on making vegan blueberry muffins...if the recipe turns out well then I will post it.

Too Much Ice Cream

2009-02-10T12:25:00.003-05:00

I have found that my system is still adjusting to having milk and egg products. I cannot eat too much of either without having stomach problems (usually diarrhea). So maybe I should remain dairy and egg free along with my daughter???

My latest pregnancy craving has been chocolate ice cream. Sunday night, after my daughter went to bed, I indulged in a good size helping of Ben and Jerry's chocolate brownie ice cream. IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! Unfortunately, I was up at 2am with problems. I guess that I cannot eat so much next time....just a couple of bites.

Turkey Meatballs

2009-02-08T21:44:00.004-05:00

This recipe is similar to my turkey meatloaf recipe. My husband and I had them with marinara sauce in sub sandwiches. My daughter eats them plain. The neat thing is that they freeze well and I can microwave 1-2 at a time for a quick protein option for my daughter's lunch or dinner.

1lb ground turkey
1/2 cup oatmeal (helps with binding, alternative to 1 egg)
2TBS ketchup
1TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp seasoning salt

Mix ingredients well and roll into small balls. Fry over medium high heat until done.

Dairy and Soy Free IceCream

2009-01-29T15:30:00.002-05:00

I like this product better than the soy ice ream options that are available as a substitute for vanilla icecream. And I just read online that they now carry a yogurt that is made from cultured coconut milk. I will have to try that next!

Fruit Smoothies

2009-01-27T13:14:00.005-05:00

My pregnant body has been craving smoothies lately. So after a huge grocery shopping trip for my 2 weeks worth of groceries, I finally had all the ingredients needed for one. My daughter absolutely loved them as well. And I bet that I could put some in a sippy cup just for her.

All measurements are approximate....I tend to eyeball it to get the right texture.

1 cup frozen fruit
1 container soy yogurt
1 cup dairy/soy free coconut ice cream
1/2 cup-1 cup of juice

Strawberry and Mango
-1 cup frozen strawberries and mangoes
-1 container strawberry soy yogurt
-1 cup dairy/soy free coconut ice cream
-1/2 cup orange juice

Blueberry
-1 cup frozen blueberries
-1 container blueberry soy yogurt
-1 cup dairy/soy free coconut ice cream
-1/2 cup grape juice (made the smoothie really blue)

Peach and Mango
-1 cup frozen mangoes
-1 container peach soy yogurt
-1 cup dairy/soy free coconut ice cream
-1/2 can of peaches with the juice

Oreo cookies

2009-01-26T13:41:00.001-05:00

Did you all know that oreo cookies are actually dairy free? I about jumped for joy when I found this out. I was breastfeeding and starving and wanted a cheap and easy indulgence while staying on the elimination diet. I found them in oreo cookies. At first, I had to avoid chocolate but, thankfully, vanilla oreos exist as well.

Enjoy Life Foods- Recipe Page

2009-01-23T14:28:00.001-05:00

I just found that Enjoy Life Foods has a recipe page. Check it out!

Enjoy Life Foods

2009-01-23T14:22:00.001-05:00

I think that every food allergy sufferer should know about this product line. I know that I was ecstatic to find it when doing the elimination diet. Early on when I was eliminating ALL eight of the major food allergy items I thought that I was going to starve. Thankfully, my local Whole Foods had a great selection of Enjoy Life products. After a quick visit to their website, I found that they had many great options.

My favorite indulgence was snickerdoodle cookies. I could eat an entire package in one sitting!

Chicken nuggets

2009-01-23T10:10:00.003-05:00

These chicken nuggets by Earth's best are my daughters new favorite food. I love them because they are easy to make (microwave in 40 seconds), healthy, and allergy free.

Starbucks

2009-01-22T14:13:00.002-05:00

I wish that more places (like Starbucks) had more vegan options, peanut-free options, gluten-free options, etc to match peoples dietary and food allergy needs. I would love to be able to take my daughter out and buy her a cookie or piece of cake and know that it is safe. Right now she is only one-year-old and so it is really easy for my husband and I to order whatever we want...as long as we have a 'safe' option for her to eat while we eat. I know that this will become more and more difficult as she gets older until she gets old enough to fully understand her food allergies. My ultimate hope is that she will outgrow her mild food allergies and this will never become an issue. Until then, I will continue to search out places that my daughter can eat worry-free.

I came across this blog entry in which Starbucks is doing research as to whether or not people would want gluten-free options available on the menu. I do not need gluten-free options, however, I do feel that it is a step in the right direction.

Fried Fish

2009-01-20T09:58:00.005-05:00

In an effort it get my daughter to eat tilapia I tried frying it. My husband and I loved it, but my daughter still wouldn't eat it. Strange that she will eat salmon but not tilapia.

Here's the recipe basics.

4 pieces of tilapia, rinsed
shallow dish of soy milk (could use water or other milk product)
shallow dish of fish fry or bread crumbs

Heat fry pan on medium high heat. Cover bottom of pan with 1/8th inch of olive oil. Dip each piece of fish in soy milk and then into bread crumbs making sure to cover well. Once hot, fry fish for 4-5 minutes per side. Should be crispy and golden brown.

Oatmeal cookies-revised

2009-01-17T21:08:00.002-05:00

I just made a modified version of my favorite vegan oatmeal cookies recipe using coconut oil to add in some saturated fat.

The original recipe is linked below.
http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6605

I used 1/3 up melted coconut oil instead of canola oil. They came out thinner but tasted great.

Fat Muffins

2009-01-16T20:45:00.002-05:00

This muffin recipe is from my friend Monica. Although she calls them 'baby friendly muffins' instead of 'fat muffins.' She also adds coconut oil to her daughter's diet to increase her daily saturated fat. If you look closely at the ingredients you will realize that they is no sugar in them. I think it is because Monica is a nutritionist and thereby a super health nut. LOL Despite the lack of sugar they taste good and my daughter loved them. The only reason I call them 'fat muffins' is because of the added coconut oil. If you use canola oil instead of coconut oil they would be really. really healthy.

2 cups Instant Oats, plain
1/2 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour
1 1/4 cup rice or soy milk
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
3/4 cup shredded zucchini
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
tiny pinch of salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease mini muffin tin. Mix ingredients well. Fill each muffin cup almost to the top (they don't grow too much). Bake 15-18 minutes.

Makes about 30 mini-muffins.

Heartburn during pregnancy and Food Allergies

2009-01-16T10:13:00.002-05:00

This article was brought to my attention from Peanut Free Mama. It doesn't show a direct link between heartburn medications and food allergies but is inferred. Interesting? I do have heartburn with this pregnancy but did not have any with my first pregnancy.

Dairy and Egg Free Lasagna

2009-01-15T14:51:00.004-05:00

This lasagna is surprisingly good. My mother-in-law came up with the recipe and am just stealing it from her. Even my husband and father-in-law ate this and liked it. You could modify your own favorite lasagna recipe by just substituting tofu and soy cream cheese for the normal ricotta and egg mixture.

1lb ground turkey burger
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning (or 1/2 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp oregano)
lasagna noodles
1 zucchini, shredded
1 cup of mushrooms, diced
1 jar of marinara sauce
1 package of silken tofu, firm
1 container of Tofutti soy cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil lasagna noodles according to package directions. Cook ground turkey burger of medium high heat. Season with garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Mix in shredded zucchini and diced mushrooms once done. Mix together tofu and soy cream cheese until well blended and smooth.

Then layer the meat mixture, marinara, and cheese mixture with the cooked lasagna noodles. I end with marinara sauce instead of the normal mozzarella cheese topping. Doesn't look as good but still tastes fine.

Coconut Oil

2009-01-13T12:51:00.002-05:00

So, I went in search of coconut oil this weekend. My local grocery story, Kroger, did not have it and so I had to make a trip to Whole Foods. Not that big of a deal since I needed a few things there anyway. They had two brands of coconut oil. The 365 Whole Foods name brand was out because it lists peanut oil as a possible ingredient (contaminent). So we went with the Spectrum brand...which of course, was more expensive.

Coconut oil is the consistency of candle wax. Never would have guesssed that....I guess that it why is has such a high saturated fat content.

I will post my muffin recipe using coconut oil soon!!!

Saturated Fat

2009-01-06T13:12:00.005-05:00

My daughter drinks soy milk. Now that she is off of soy formula and breastmilk she is not getting any saturated fat in her diet. Traditionally pediatricians recommend switching to whole cow's milk (3.25% milkfat) at one year (or after weaning). One cup of whole milk containes 5g of saturated fat, soy milk has none. Typically a one-year-old should be getting 16-24oz of cow's milk each day. That would be 10-15g of saturated fat daily. So my new challenge is to get enough saturated (and other) fats into my daughter's diet.

Here are some sources I have found so far. The next trick is getting my daughter to actually eat them.

Avocado, 1 cup cubed 3g
Coconut oil, 1 oz 24g
Olive oil, 1 oz 4g
Sunbutter, 2TBS 2g
Earth Balance spread, 1TBS 3.5g
Tofutti cream cheese, 2 TBS 2g

I hope to use coconut oil in baked goods...we will see what works and I will post more as I find more. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Food Allergies and Pregnancy

2008-12-30T15:30:00.002-05:00

I am 10wks pregnant with baby #2. My daughter is allergic to milk and eggs and I want to reduce the risk of #2 having the same allergies. Does anyone have any information as to when I should start to elminate these food items from my diet (if at all). I have not had the opportunity to ask my daughter's pediatrician, however, the allergist recommended a milk, egg, and peanut free diet during breastfeeding only. I have a personal friend that eliminated allergy items from her diet in the 3rd trimester.

Any help or information would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Traveling Recap

2008-12-27T09:16:00.006-05:00

Overall our trip to Colorado was uneventful. We were able to bring all of my daughter's snacks, cooked vegetables, and soy formula on the plane and through security with no problems. On our return flight we even brought a sippy cup of real soy milk as well. Again no problems, we just had to declare the items during the security screening.

I must share a non-allergy related traveling story with you all! Christmas Day my daughter had the stomach flu....not fun. However, by the late afternoon/evening she was able to keep down pedialyte, apple juice, and cheerios. Before bed she even had a bottle of soy milk. The next day was our scheduled return flight. Weather in Colorado was really bad but after several delays we were finally able to take off. Baby girl did great and fell asleep for most of the flight. She woke up just before landing and the turbulence was awful. Just before landing she threw up EVERYWHERE!!! I, of course, had a change of clothes for her but nothing for my husband or I. I washed by shirt in the airport bathroom sink and had to dry it using the hand dryers. LOL The second flight was uneventful and my baby girl ate cheerios, graham crackers, and apple juice throughout the day with no problems. Once we landed we were starving and so we stopped at Longhorn Steakhouse for dinner (BTW- they are very helpful and will make your salmon, steak, or chicken and vegetables with no butter). My daughter was very hungry and ate her vegetables and salmon really well. At the end of dinner she pooped. I picked her up to change her diaper only to find that she had exploded out of her diaper. She needed another clothing change, as did I, I had now had poop juice on my shirt. Needless to say, it was a really long and very MESSY day.

Citrus Glazed Chicken

2008-12-17T09:35:00.001-05:00

Juice from 1/2 lemon, 1/2 lime, 1/2 orange
Lawry's seasoning salt
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can apricots, peeled
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
dash of Nutmeg
1 can black beans
2 cups cooked rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in baking dish. Cover with juice from lemon, lime, and orange. Sprinkle seasoning salt over chicken. Baked covered for 30 minutes.

While chicken is baking, puree apricots in blender or food processor. Heat apricots, brown sugar, and a dash of nutmeg until boiling. Reduce heat and let simmer 5 minutes.

Pour apricot mixture over cooked chicken and return to oven (uncovered) for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with the side of warm black beans and rice.

Tips for Traveling Needed!!!

2008-12-16T09:40:00.002-05:00

The last time we traveled with my daughter she was only 6 months old. At the time her diet was just breastmilk and purees. All of these food items traveled easily. I had to be extremely careful to avoid milk and eggs in what I ate while dining out....but that is another story.

We are traveling for Christmas and will need to provide 1 dinner, 1 breakfast, and 1 lunch all while in an airport. We have Hannah on soy milk and soy formula and so we will bring soy formula with us. That part is easy. What about food? I cannot imagine that they will allow a tupperware full of cooked peas and carrots but I may be wrong. Anyone have any experience with this?

I am prepared with cheerios, dried apples, and graham crackers but she cannot just eat that for 3 meals! LOL

Oatmeal Cookies

2008-12-12T15:09:00.001-05:00

I absolutely love these!!! Banana is used as an egg substitute and regular canola oil is used instead of butter.

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6605

I usually use 2 bananas instead of just one. Did this by accident the first time but they turned out well so I continue to make the 'mistake'.

Chicken Burritos

2008-12-11T15:08:00.002-05:00

Whole wheat tortillas
2-3 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts- chopped
Baja chipolte marinade (contains soy)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained

Marinade chopped chicken for 30 mins. Cook chicken until done. Add in corn and black beans and heat. Wrap in tortillas. Super flavorful...you won't miss the cheese.

Apple Crisp

2008-12-10T15:04:00.002-05:00

This recipe if modified from one that I found at http://www.godairyfree.org/.

Filling ingredients:
4 Granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp corn starch (or potato starch)
2 tsps cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
tiny pinch cloves (about 1/16 teaspoon)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Topping Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsps cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
8 tbsps canola oil
8 tbsps pure maple syrup
1 tsps vanilla
cinnamon/sugar mixture

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl squeeze lemon juice over sliced apples. Coat apples with cornstarch and spices. Place in baking dish and then drizzle maple syrup over apples. Cover with tin foil and bake for 35 minutes.

Prepare topping. Mix together dry ingredients and then mix in wet ingredients. Mix together well until crumbly.

When apples are done baking, remove from oven and toss, then flatten them evenly with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apple mixture. Then sprinkle cinnamon/sugar over that. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, until top feels crispy.

Salmon

2008-12-09T14:58:00.003-05:00

I love salmon and my daughter seems to as well which is good because she is not a big 'meat' eater. I have heard that not many one-year-olds are. I like to make marinades or glazes for my salmon. It is best if the salmon can marinade in the glaze for several hours while being refrigerated.

Glaze#1
1/2 cup orange juice
2TBS honey

Glaze #2
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBS sesame oil
2 TBS maple syrup
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ginger

Glaze #3
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
red pepper flakes, sprinkle over top of fish

Meatloaf

2008-12-07T19:22:00.005-05:00

I actually like the texture of eggless meatloaf much better than the regular version. Here is my recipe.

1lb turkey burger
1/2 cup dry oats
1/2 ketchup
2tsp lawry's seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer so that I don't have to get my fingers yucky. Place is loaf pan. Top with additional ketchup 'blobs'. Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until done.

Second Indulgence

2008-12-05T15:59:00.002-05:00

For lunch I had a pieces of melted cheese on my ham sandwich. I had forgotten how much I like cheese.

I am nervous to eat a lot of dairy and egg products all at once though because I think that I will get a stomach ache. When I did the egg challenge with my daughter in Februrary I had a horrible stomach ache and some 'other' issues about 30 minutes later. Similar experience with the mik challenge in May.

So for now I will slowly add back these food groups to my diet. And, of course, I will remain dairy and egg free when I am with my daughter.