Breakfast ideas that are milk,egg and peanut free

Alright, I'll try to keep this list healthy folks!

All of these cereals can be served with rice, soy or almond milk.  We use enriched Rice Milk by Rice Dream in our home.

You must always, always check your ingredients before consuming anything.  Even though you are purchasing a product that you have already used, you must always check the ingredients before opening because they can change.  With that being said here are some foods that we enjoy.

• Chex Chocolate Flavored Cereal
• Cherrios Apple Cinnamon Flavored Cereal
• Cheerios Cereal with Honey or sliced bananas 
• Kix Cereal 
• The Food Allergy News Cookbook has a great (Sweet Oatmeal muffin recipe)
• Steel cut oats with fresh fruit
• Linda Coss has a great pancake recipe that never fails in her (What's to Eat cookbook)
• Chocolate Crescents (you can find the recipe here on my blog)
• Bacon and skillet fried potatoes (on a weekend) not the healthiest but, let's face it.. who doesn't love bacon? 

So that's what I serve at my home for my fa daughter.  Hopefully that helps.  Another helpful tip is to consider baking those delicious sweet oatmeal muffins when your leaving early for a long road trip.  I packed 12 of those muffins in an airtight container with Cold Orange juice in our food bag and the kids loved it!  Healthy and safe on the go! 

Ashamed of her food allergies...

At the beginning of the school year, Julia's Teacher explained to her fifth grade class how they would be celebrating birthday's.  Each student would have the opportunity to share about themselves for one week.   They could bring in treats to share and be lead helper for the entire week of their birthday.  They would each fill out a sheet of "My Favorite things" along with pictures of themselves and their families.  One of the questions are,"What's your favorite ice cream flavor?"   Since Julia is allergic to milk, how could she have a favorite ice cream flavor?  Her first question was, "Mom, what am I going to say?  I can't eat ice cream!  It's kind of embarrassing because whenever I tell people, they say that I'm weird.  I hate it.  I don't want to tell everyone about my allergy!" 

I felt horrible that she was ashamed of who she was.  After all, as much as I didn't want everyone to label her as "the girl with the food allergies", she does have them and they are a part of who she is.  I told her that maybe she could say lemon sorbet, that that really was her favorite flavor of ice cream.  Didn't that qualify??  It made sense in my head.  Her response to that was, "Mom, that's not ice cream and everyone will say so!  I'll look dumb!" 

She was angry as she is most of the time about her food allergies.  She often does the whole pity party thing.  I used to join in and wallow in her sorrows with her, until I realized that I was only enabling that whole unhappy with my life attitude.  I now snap her out of it and give her a dose of what I call my reality check.  I told her, "Julia, if you don't want to put lemon sorbet then don't, if you don't want to share about your food allergies then don't, but know this, it's who you are.  You are beautiful, you are creative, you are kind, incredibly smart and you DO have food allergies.  You should NEVER be ashamed of who you are.  It's what makes you YOU!  If you want to say, I left this blank because I am allergic to milk and I can't eat ice cream.  Then that's a great way to teach your friends about the seriousness of food allergies." 

She looked at me and paused for a moment, didn't say a thing for a while.  I was worried that I may have pushed too hard or said the wrong thing.  She looked up at me and said,"Mom, you're right!  I could say...Yeah I have food allergies.. just like Zooey Deschanel!"  I thought that was so sweet.  Her need to feel like someone else really made that moment okay with her.  That ability to relate to someone just like her was all she wanted.  I was so proud of her to feel empowered and brave about who she was.  I understand the need to feel like your peers at that age but when you have food allergies that can feel impossible at times.  I just hope that as the years go by, she gains confidence and feels less unhappy about who she is.  It's my dream for her to be proud, happy and NEVER ashamed of who she is.  Well, next week she gets to share, lets hope she's confidant and strong!

A gratitude journal....

With all of the negative things that we can come up with on a daily basis, it's nice to end the day with gratitude for the great things going on in our lives.  I just saw this show the other day of a young boy who was battling a life threatening disease.  Every night before he went to bed he and his mom would write in his gratitude journal that he kept beside his bed.  It was the last thing that he would think of before he went to sleep every night.  I thought that was the most touching thing that I had ever seen.  Here is a little boy who was dealing with the fact that he might be dying, yet he had so much to be thankful for.  How extraordinary!  I thought, what a great idea.  We should try that at my house with Julia!  She always mentions to me how unfair she thinks her life is because of her limitations with food allergies.  Why not remind her of how lucky she is by making her think of what she is thankful for, everyday!

I believe this would really help keep your kids grounded and appreciative for the little things in life.  So, this weekend we will purchase some journals and get started on what we're thankful for!

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."

Disneyland Resorts and Food Allergies

This is a great video about how Chef Bill and Chef Chris keep food allergic children safe in Disneyland!  Please watch if you're considering taking your family to Disneyland this summer:)
http://youtu.be/YWN11BLyacY

Food Allergy Walk

Hi Folks,  I just thought I'd let you know that if you live in Northern California (like I do) and you've been attending the annual San Franciso FAAN walk, the new location will be San Jose!

Please check out this link so that you can walk for public awareness, for advocacy and someday finding a cure!

http://www.foodallergywalk.org/site/TR/2011Walks/2011Walks?fr_id=1980&pg=entry.

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

Letting go..

And so here I am 9 years later and I'm speaking out about life with food allergies at my local support group meeting next month.  I never thought that I would be the one sharing my story and hopefully offering some insight, when 9 years ago I sat in a doctors office wondering how I could get past the day.  I feel so emotional as I write this, tears streaming down my face in amazement.  I did it, we did it!  We got this far.  So many fears and struggles that we've faced together, Julia and I.  The fear of the unknown took over our lives until we realized that we wouldn't allow it any longer.  We stopped living in fear. Or at least I have.  I was somewhat paralyzed in fear that day at the Dr.'s office when he turned to me and said," Your life will be forever changed from today on.  You will have to carry an epi-pen with you at all times, benadryl and an inhaler."  I was in a state of shock and the look on my face described my ultimate fear of maybe losing my daughter.  I felt as though I had just received a death sentence.  Again, the fear of the unknown.  I didn't know where to go, who to talk to or where to start.  All I know is that I started letting fear win and take over me.  It became everything that I was, I was constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown and somehow holding it in best as possible for my daughter.  Here I am with my first born daughter who is almost one and I 'm not enjoying the moment that we're in because I'm in constant fear of losing her.

How will I cook for my baby?  How will she be able to go to school where everything that she is protected from at home will  be surrounding her on a daily basis.  How will I always protect her?  More importantly, how will she protect herself? 

Fast forward nine years of living with fear, pain, anxiety and chest pains at only 34 years of age and I soon realized that I needed to make a difference at how I looked at our life.  I needed to stop looking at this with angry eyes and a mind full of fears.  I let go and let her become who she was meant to be.  The sweet, carefree and fun little girl God intended her to be.  I began to realize that as soon as I let go of the constant "What if ", I would live in peace again.  I learned that I would be no good to her if I had to be hospitalized for a nervous breakdown or even worse died of a heart attack.  I started to live again, I mean really live again, and she saw that in me.  She noticed my fears were gone and I  began to notice her less afraid, more carefree and more willing to enjoy the wonderful life she has.  She's less concerned about what she cannot have out of life and is more focused on what she can have.

It's a process and we do have minor set backs.  Julia deals with separation anxiety and that's  in part because she's as afraid to stay alone as I was to leave her.  As I've let go of some of my fears, I can only hope I'm teaching her to be more confident and trusting of herself.  After all, I've taught her how to save her own life.

Don't forget... just like like on an airplane, you must always put your mask on first before you put it on your child. 
Take care of yourselves!!  You are important too!

Simply Ming: Food Allergies 101

Please send this video to everyone you know! The more people out there that are educated about Food Allergy Safety, the more lives saved! Send this to Grandparents, Aunt's, Uncles and Friends! Let's spread the word and hopefully make a difference!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYuu8GYJT2c

Chocolate Layer Cake

When I first discovered my daughter Julia's food allergies, the first book that I purchased was, "What's to Eat?" by Linda Marienhoff Coss.  It is my favorite cookbook and I can honestly say that everything that I've tried out of this book is truly delicious! 

I have gone through so many recipes for cakes and cupcakes and most of them have never turned out right!  I just recently tried Linda's "Chocolate Layer Cake" recipe and it was moist and delicious.  It can also be used for cupcakes so that makes it easy for classroom parties.  

Her book is a must have in your collection of cookbooks!  Not only is it filled with tasty desserts, but it also has a great list of dinner recipes as well.  Remember, life doesn't need to be difficult for us moms who have children with food allergies!   A little extra time of planning your meals and desserts  is a great way to keep your family happy at the dinner table! 

I just have to share this wonderful quote that I've recently put up in our dining room, "The fondest memories are made when gathered around the table".

I wish you all happy memories around your dinner table!