Delicous milk, egg, peanut free brownies!

I found this delicious brownie recipe on Pinterest! What I love most about this recipe, because God knows I've gone through my share of brownie recipes, is that it's super easy and most of the ingredients are usually on hand! They have a gooey fudge like texture that my entire family loves!
http://www.littlehouseliving.com/ooey-gooey-brownies.html

Freezing your baked goodies...

I can't tell you how many times I've had to make a "safe pizza", bake "safe cupcakes", frost them, wrap the gift and rush my daughter off to a birthday party! It's crazy and exhausting! Here's a simple tip that might help you avoid all that chaos!

On a weekend when you don't have a lot going on... bake cupcakes, frost them, sprinkle them (because it matters) and freeze them!  Yes freeze them!  When your child gets invited to their next party, you won't have to worry about a thing.  You can simply pull out your pre-made frozen cupcake,  thaw it for about an hour or two and it will be ready for your child to enjoy at their party.

It's hard enough running around having to look for a party gift, you don't need another thing to worry about!  Remember when it comes to food allergies planning ahead is your best tool.

Here we go on our wheat free journey!

Since our last allergy test, it was confirmed that Julia is also allergic to wheat.  I was amazed at the results because she has been eating wheat since she was a toddler.  The Dr. said that if she eats it now and it's not bothering her at all, there's no need to exclude wheat from her diet.  I was relieved yet kind of concerned.  Seeing that her test results showed that she was just not slightly allergic, but enough to cause discomfort, really puzzled me.  As I was leaving the Dr's office, I began to think, "was wheat really affecting Julia"?  I started to think about all the random headaches she gets, the unusual stomach aches that sometimes lead to vomiting, the constant mood swings.  Was this all because of wheat?  

Well, I did a my wheat free challenge to see if her symptoms subsided and sure enough, no headaches, no stomach aches and no nasty attitudes!  She seemed to be more happy and even seemed to have more energy!  So, naturally I had to give her wheat to see if in fact she would react differently.  She seemed to be fine until the evening.  Her nose began to feel congested, she felt very tired,  and grumpy again.  Next day, even worse.  She woke up with a headache and just didn't feel well all day.  So there you have it, my assumption of, "is it really wheat" was confirmed.  I knew it, something in my gut told me that my little girl was not happy and healthy for a reason.  

What I found to be crucial in dealing with children who have food allergies, is keeping a food diary.  Always writing down the food and reaction to the food is the best way to see how food is affecting your child.  It's also very important to keep up your allergy testing, so that you (unlike me) don't miss something important that might have changed in your child.  So here we go Milk, Egg, Peanut and now...Wheat free!  Wish me luck!

Radical New Treatment for Food Allergies

If you haven't already heard, Dr. Kari Nadeau is conducting a trial to desensitize children with multiple food allergies. As scary as it sounds, feeding your child the one thing you've been trying to avoid,  just might be the answer to solving this food allergy crisis!


http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/10/magazine/can-a-radical-new-treatment-save-children-with-severe-allergies.html?smid=pl-share

Egg free, Milk free, Peanut Free S'more Cupcakes

 S'more Cupcakes

Okay... so I'm a little addicted to Pinterest these days! I've learned so many new recipes and this is one of them.  I have modified it to accommodate those with milk, egg and peanut allergies. DELICIOUS!!!!!!

7 whole graham crackers ( 1 cup finely crushed)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons (non dairy) butter or margarine, melted
2 (enjoy life) dark chocolate bars
12 large marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place graham crackers into large resealable plastic bag.  Finely crush into crumbs.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and butter in a small bowl.
Place 1 tablespoon of crumb mixture in each cup of a mini muffin pan.  Firmly press crumbs to form shallow cups.  Bake 4-5 minutes or until edges are bubbling.  Meanwhile, place chocolate bars into microwaveable bowls.
Cut marshmallows in half crosswise using sharp knife or kitchen shears.  Place one marshmallow half, cut side down into each cup.  Return to oven 1-2 minutes or until marshmallows are slightly softened.  Remove pans from oven to cool for about 15 minutes.  Carefully remove cups from pan and cool completely.
Place chocolate bars in the microwave for about a minute or until melted.
Gently dip and turn the top of each marshmallow cup into melted chocolate. Turn top side up and let stand 40-60 minutes or until set.

Makes approximately 24 cups.

Allergy free Cole Slaw

Being that it's Labor Day weekend, I'm sure most of you are getting ready to light up the grill.  That means you'll need some delicious sides to go along with that bbq!  Well here you go!

Here is a light and healthy version of the traditional cole slaw which is also allergy free!



Ingredients:
please omit the sunflower seeds if you are allergic!

• 10 ounces shredded cabbage, about 8 cups
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot, about 1 large
• 1/4 cup roasted and unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

1.  In a large bowl combine the cabbage, carrot, sunflower seeds, chives and parsley.
2.  In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and brown sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking to blend.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat well.
4. Chill before serving.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Number of servings (yield):8

Dairy Free, Peanut Free, and Egg Free Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

So it was a long day of working, making dinner, taking the girls to softball practice and then I get the question...."Mommy, can you please make me some dessert??"  My reply was an exhausted...."Okay".  I just feel so bad when I don't have a sweet in the house for Julia when she craves a sweet treat.  I know that my youngest gets to eat whatever she wants, and seeing Julia's face when her little sister devours a sweet that she can't have, just kills me!  So I try to always have something sweet that she can enjoy. 

I pulled out my latest cookbook, from Mommy Blogger and Author of "The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book" Great Dairy, Egg and Nut free treats for the whole family.  Since I had some yummy ripe bananas in the house, I figured I'd try something with bananas and so I came upon the Banana-Chocolate Chip muffins.  They were really easy to make and they came out really yummy!  Two thumbs up for that one.  It's serves as a tasty and yummy treat for school at snack time, or a great dessert with a tall glass of milk, in Julia's case... Rice Milk!  So there, I tried it and I liked it.  Give it shot, I'm sure you'll enjoy them as well.  I find her book to be a great addition to my allergy free cookbook collection.  You can probably find her book on Amazon.com.

Food Allergies in School

As your little ones start school this fall, not only are you dealing with "letting them go", but you're probably dealing with fears about keeping them safe in school as well.  It's difficult to trust that your child's Teacher and the staff will do their best to keep your child safe, but the key is just staying involved as much as you possibly can.  You may even consider setting up the "Section 504 Plan" for your child, because food allergies fall under a "hidden disability".  If you are interested in setting them up for the "504" please talk with your school principal and they will inform you about what steps you need to take.  It basically protects your child in terms of keeping them safe at school when it comes to their food allergy.  It really holds the school liable for them, so the school may not be as fond of it as you may be.  Be prepared for them to tell you, "Oh, you're child doesn't need it!"  It really means that they don't want all the paperwork involved and all the necessary steps that they will NEED to follow to ensure your child's safety.  BUT.... I do stress that if you are not able to stick around the school as often as would like due to work or other commitments, you really might want to look into setting up Section 504 for your child.  It will hold the school accountable, which means less work on your end!  Obviously, you will want to keep constant communication with your child's teacher to make sure that you are always aware of what is going on in the classroom. 

For my family, we chose not to set up the 504 plan only because I have been blessed to have had such amazing Teachers thus far who have been incredibly helpful in keeping me posted on classroom activities that might include food.  I also think that if you are busy with work and may not have time to be Room Mom for your child's class, why not ask if you can be Room Mom Assistant?  Be involved somehow, that will really ensure that you will always know what's going on in your child's class.  No surprises!  If you are involved in Room Mom responsibilities, then that means YOU get to plan everything, which kind of puts YOU in control of the situation! 

If you absolutely can not fit volunteering or being Room Mom/ Room Mom Assistant into your schedule, then always keep the lines of communication open with your child's Teacher.  Express your concerns at the beginning of the year and tell your child's Teacher what your expectations are in terms of your child's food allergies.  I was fortunate enough to have my child's Teacher from last year give my daughters current Teacher the whole story ahead of time.  So, when I slipped her my note about my daughters food allergies she whispered to me, "I know, I would love to set up a meeting with you so that we can talk about all that!"  

I am a firm believer that you get more out of life with kindness!  So when beginning your child's school year, don't take the negative approach with your child's Teacher.  Do not express negative past experiences with your new Teacher, start the year fresh.  Stay optimistic, every Teacher is different!  Every approach is different so don't think that this Teacher will be like your last.  Give him or her a chance at making your child's year successful! 

• Remember, stay connected with your child's teacher!  By email, phone or messages in the office mailbox.
• Show up at the school as much as you possibly can.
• Try to make it to parties/field trips if possible.  If you are unable to attend, make sure the proper precautions are being made to ensure your child's safety!
• Finally, stay optimistic!  No Teacher wants a disgruntled angry parent!  Anger is contagious!  Be kind, smile and you'll see that you will get that in return!  Remember it's a team effort!

This delicious and refreshing Lemonade cup has become one of Julia's favorite summertime treats!  Most grocery stores do carry them;)  If you happen to go Disneyland this summer, they carry it as well, most theme parks do!  Of course this treat is Milk-Free, Egg-Free and Peanut Free. 

The Challenges of Raising a Child with Life Threatening Food Allergies

So I think it's kind of ironic when I have other people tell me that I'm too nervous or too anxious about my daughters food allergies, when they don't even have any children with severe food allergies themselves.  I often feel like asking them, "Were you there when I thought my daughter would stop breathing??  Have you seen your child look helpless and terrified of dying?"  I'm assuming the answer is no!  It's so easy for others to point the finger and judge you as a parent when they have absolutely no clue about what's it's like to raise a child with life threatening food allergies.  It alters your every move, it changes your family dynamic and it might even affect your marriage.  If your strong enough it shouldn't affect you, but those of us who are not made of steel will crack every now and then!  It's completely normal for us moms to feel depleted and exhausted when dealing with these stressful issues!  We give everything to our children, then our husbands and often forget about ourselves!  BUT.... do I really want all these negative feelings to consume me and become who I am ,OR do I want to focus on the great things that are happening in my life?

When I began to realize that I had lost control of my life and that I had no balance in terms of my personal needs, I began to take life by the horns.   I began to do some soul searching about what it was that truly made me happy before I was married and had children.  Now I don't mean that I should be out at some nightclub with random strangers and staying out till dawn, I just mean doing things that make me happy as a woman.  It's so important for us mothers to get that refreshing quiet time in order for us to be more patient and calm with our children, especially when dealing with stressful situations such food allergies on a daily basis. 

I used to think,"Why would I leave the kids?  What is more important than them?  They need me..."  Yes, all those things are very true but everything is fine when done in moderation.  They won't be miserable without me for a couple of hours.  They will be fine if I decide to go out for coffee with some girlfriends.  I need time to gather my thoughts and be me for a little while and that's OK.  In the end, I'm teaching them that being responsible also means taking time out for yourself and loving yourself.  I'm showing them that I'm important too and that I matter.  That goes for husbands as well!  Your husband will definitely look at you with more admiration and appreciation if you leave him with the kids more often!  I used to struggle with that at first,
"Oh ...he won't be able to do it like I can, or he won't have the patience I do."  The truth is that we decided to make the kids together, we should partake in raising them together!  A lot of women complain that their significant other "doesn't help out as much as they would like".  Well, give your partner more responsibility!  Make them accountable! 

So... what have I done to improve the healthy balance in my life?  I have learned to eat healthier, work out every day (no matter what), no more excuses!  I've also made more time out for myself at least once a week just me time, whether it's going out to a coffee shop with a good book or just window shopping ALONE!  It allows me to just be me, not mom, not wife, not sister, not daughter....just Monica.  Honestly, even my daughters notice how much happier I've become and it's contagious!   Don't allow yourselves to get so caught up in the negative aspects of your lives, try to focus on what inspires you and try to think of that everyday, you'll smile more often...I promise;)  I found this amazing quote the other day and had to share it:

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not!

Study shows that 1 in 13 US children have food allergy

This study was interesting to me because I feel that the public is now taking notice on how prevalent food allergies are in our society.  The people who are affected by food allergies already knew of its seriousness, now it looks like society is catching up.  The alarming factor in this study is that it looks as if it's getting worse in terms of more and more children being affected each year.  The group who formed this study is now in talks with the CDC in working on national guidelines on how to manage food allergies in schools!   It's hope for us parents who deal with the struggle of how to keep our children safe while in school! 
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110620/ap_on_he_me/us_med_food_allergies;_ylt=AhKO2I5GPL3MCNyYl0ibM0aT_aF4;_ylu=X3oDMTNmNGtkZGJtBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwNjIwL3VzX21lZF9mb29kX2FsbGVyZ2llcwRjY29kZQNvZmYxMGt0b3AyMDBwb29sBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMQRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3JpZXMEc2xrA3N0dWR5c2F5czFpbg--

Food Allergy Friendly Potato Salad

Growing up, I really enjoyed my Aunts famous Potato salad that was deliciously tossed with the traditional mayonnaise dressing.  I would love to make it for my daughter but with her egg allergy, that wouldn't be safe. 

While watching Good Morning America today, Emeril Lagasse made a potato salad that was both figure friendly and allergy friendly as well!  It was called "Emeril's Red Bliss Potato Salad".  It looks delicious and I can't wait to try it with my family!  I would like to pass it on to you so that you can try it over the summer with your family too.  Why must food allergies stop us from having some of those traditional summer favorites?? 

Emeril's Red Bliss Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon

Not Your Traditional Potato Salad

Ingredients

12 to 14 small red skin potatoes, such as red bliss, scrubbed well (about 2 ½ pounds)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar, to taste

6 slices crisp-cooked bacon, crumbled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Directions

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add water to cover them by 1 inch. Season with salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small saute pan. Add onion, red pepper, and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until vegetables are softened.
When potatoes are just tender, drain, cool briefly, then transfer to a serving bowl. (Halve or quarter if potatoes are large.) Add the softened veggies, remaining olive oil, 3 tablespoons of the vinegar, crispy bacon , and parsley and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add up to 1 tablespoon more vinegar, to taste.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
This recipe was styled by chef Karen Pickus for "Good Morning America."

Probiotics possibly containing traces of Milk Protein..

Informative article for those with Milk Allergies who take Probiotic pills or dry powders.  

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/_2011/2011_53-eng.php

Angry about Food Allergies!

It's the constant battle of what's fair and not fair at my house.  My oldest  daughter Julia is allergic to Milk, Eggs and Peanuts and obviously avoiding those three allergens can be difficult.   My youngest Emma is not allergic to the same foods and of course that poses a big problem in our home!

The other day when we were at Costco, Emma wanted a sample of the carmel popcorn that was being handed out.  Julia immediately gets this look of anger on her face, as if she resents Emma for being able to eat the popcorn.  The usual reaction is her shutting down, getting angry with me and her sister.  I get it and I understand why she's angry.  I just hopes that she understands that it isn't her sisters fault or my fault either.  I always make treats that are allergy free at home so that Julia can have something special whenever she wants.  I know that those moments come up where she can't eat what others are having and I always like to have something available for her that is safe.  I would hope that she would understand that sometimes her sister is going to want to eat something with milk or eggs.  After all, she isn't allergic to the same foods why should she be deprived from what she wants.

I don't know when she'll stop being angry.  I just hope that she begins to understand that food allergies are just a small part of what she is.  I try to remind her of all the wonderful things going on with her life. 

As her mother, I feel so torn about how to handle this at times.  Yes, her food allergies are a very serious thing but I don't want her to constantly fear life.  I want to see that carefree look on her face like I see on Emma's face.  It's a fine line because I want her to be concerned and always be on top of it although, I don't want her to feel as though she's up against a brick wall.  I want her to see the glass half full.  Sometimes I have to  pull the "other kids have it worse than you card".  Yes, I try to make her realize that life isn't so bad after all and there are children out there with life threatening illnesses.  I hate to do that but, it's only then when her big brown eyes open wide and realize that she doesn't have it as bad as she thinks she does. 

I always get upset when people turn to me and tell me that they feel sorry for my daughter, calling her a "poor thing".  It kills me to have people feel sorry for Julia!  Please don't feel sorry for her.  She has a mother who diligently cares for her and lives for her every need, and  I think that makes her quite lucky in many ways.  She eats mainly homemade food, everything made especially from her mommy.  How many children can say that?  I don't mean to toot my own horn but come on people, I spend a huge portion of my day in the kitchen and I'm happy to say that I would do forever if it meant  keeping her safe!  Please never say that you feel sorry for children with food allergies, I believe that I can speak for most parents of children with food allergies in that we don't want your pity.  We would like your compassion and understanding. 

I think more than anything, I want Julia to stop feeling sorry for herself.  It really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks but her.  I want so badly for her to feel more confident and less scared.

On the way home from Costco, I remember telling her that my wish for her would be that she stops feeling angry.  I know that's easier said than done, but that's my wish.

Anxiety in food allergic children: normal or excessive?

Anxiety in food allergic children: normal or excessive?