Living WELL with Food Allergies

A Survival Story Worth Telling...

2012-01-27T19:00:00.000-08:00

Boy Survives Delayed Reaction to a Peanut Allergy

Thank goodness this boy is alive. But what a horrific experience for everyone involved!

Celebrities Have Food Allergies, Too!

2012-01-24T16:00:00.000-08:00

Even glamorous people can suffer like the rest of us! Here are a list of celebrities that have food intolerances or allergies.

From Huffington Post... http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/23/gluten-free-celebrities_n_1217317.html

How to ID Genetically Modified Food

2012-01-15T13:48:00.000-08:00

This is great information if you are as freaked out by genetically modified produce, as I am...

How to ID Genetically Modified Foods at the Supermarket

The Enemy

2012-01-12T12:31:00.001-08:00

Nothing freaks me out more than seeing a pistachio. It didn't used to be this way. They were my friends. I ate them by the bag full, as I cracked their shells apart. It was, without question, my favorite nut. Never did I think that I would have to give them up. Until the day that I found out that my daughter is exceptionally allergic to them. (If you have never heard that story, you may read about it here.)

That was the day that I gave them up. Because if I were to consume them, even out of her presence, and if I were to kiss her or touch her... she could still die. She is that allergic to them. When dining at a restaurant, I will often wince when I see them an ingredient on a menu. The only time that I have had one, in the past 4 years, was at my cousin's wedding when I was served a pistachio-crusted chicken. I attended the wedding by myself and was away from my kids for the weekend. So I went crazy. Actually, I ate about three bites. It wasn't very good.

Lately, I have been on edge about all things related to nuts especially when my daughter is not with me. The recent death of little Amaria Johnson, a Virginia first grader, has rocked the allergy community. She died after eating a peanut that a classmate had given to her on the playground. There are two stories about why she was not given the medications that would have saved her life; she had a known peanut allergy but for whatever reason, the school did not allow her to keep her Epi Pen in their office. They were also supposed to administer Benadryl, as an emergency precaution. And they did not. She died of an anaphylactic reaction that led to cardiac arrest within minutes.

My daughter, Ella, is also in the first grade. After hearing about this tragic event I immediately drafted a letter to the faculty of her school. Even though I go over her "allergy protocol" at the beginning of each school year with whomever her teacher is, I wanted to remind them, again, of what needs to be done if she were to have an allergic reaction. Her school is "nut free" in that they request that parents do not allow their children to bring nuts to school. In spite of this general rule, kids still bring PB & J's to lunch from time to time. When they do, they are asked to consume their sandwiches at a separate table. This has not been a problem for us because our daughter does not seem to have an anaphylactic or airborne issue with peanut butter, even though she is allergic to peanuts. There are other nut allergic kids in the school, but I do not know what their particular situations are. Our school is small, less than 90 kids from TK-6 grades. It is a tight community and everyone always seems to look out for each other. The reason it is only "nut free" and not NUT FREE is because the school is a part of a larger facility that hosts many different functions. It is a religious day school and is part of a Jewish Synagog that is part of a much larger community. The spaces are shared for a variety of events, seminars and classes. It would be impossible for them to monitor every single situation where someone could bring food into the Temple. Long story short, nut contamination is possible but I trust the staff at her school to watch over our daughter and make sure she stays out of harm's way. Her friends have also proven to be marvelous advocates for her, which is another great line of defense.

Last week, I arrived to pick her up and discovered a trail of empty pistachio shells, leading toward the play yard. Naturally, you can imagine the panic that I felt. When I saw Ella she was surrounded by a couple of friends and all at once they told me, "You are not going to believe what happened today! Sasha brought pistachios for her morning snack and then she shared them with Zoe!" Sharing food is absolutely not allowed at school. But I know how things go doing morning recess, kids are running in a million different directions and it would be quite easy for a teacher to miss such a transaction.

I went home and wrote another letter to the Head of the School. At this point, I felt a little like a pain in the ass but it had to be done. The school policies are clear on the issue, nuts are not allowed. But legally, it is a bit of a grey area because the facility is shared. The Head of School got back to me right away (she is amazing and I adore her) and she had spoken to the first grade teacher about the incident. Because I had just sent them all a letter the week prior, the nut issue was very much in their minds. The teacher eventually saw what the little girl was eating, confiscated the contraband and asked both girls to go to the restroom to wash their hands. I do not know if the girl's parents were informed or not. After a few years of doing this blog, I have learned that it is best to let the schools handle these situations when possible. And I trust that they did. I feel like I would be overstepping my boundaries to e-mail the parents directly, especially because I do not know them that well. By the way, Ella is not the only child in her class of 16 that has deadly nut allergies.

As if all of this was not enough to add to my new crop of grey hairs, we had another little run in with our "enemy" at my nephew's birthday party. My sister had ordered a cous cous salad from a restaurant that we all love and it was made with pistachios! So once again, I went into "freak out" mode. The salad had been packaged with several things that my daughter would normally love to eat... fruit salad, steamed brussels sprouts, rice. I promptly told her that she could not get anything from the kitchen and that I had to select the foods for her to eat. And then I told my family that if they ate the offending dish, to please wash their hands and to NOT kiss Ella. Clearly, they must all think that I am the true nut. But honestly, you have to do what you have to do when it comes to keeping a child safe. I don't really care what people think about me. All I care is that my daughter makes it through life, without dying prematurely because of some stupid mistake.

Hopefully, we are done running into our little green friend, at least for a while. The year has barely begun and this is already too much.

I wish nothing but safety and good health for all of you in the allergy community. Check those Epi pens to make sure they are up to date. And make sure you have enough Benadryl or generic antihistamine to take down a horse. Better safe, than sorry!

If you have not done so already, please take a moment to sign this petition...

Save Allergic Children's Lives in School

It is impossible to know when a first reaction will occur. This bill will protect kids who have known food allergies and those who may not know, yet.

Allergy Safety in Schools

2012-01-11T15:38:00.001-08:00

From CNN...

Girl's Death Highlights Allergy Safety in Schools

Anthony Field of the Wiggles and his new role

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

He's delighted children all over the world as the blue Wiggle and now Anthony Field is taking on a new role, teaching kids and adults alike about the dangers of allergies as a spokesperson for Anaphylaxis Australia. He and his son Antonio joined TODAY to talk about the campaign.

http://today.ninemsn.com.au/videoindex.aspx?uuid=907b2c8a-9559-476a-8284-d6453a76254a

A 7 year old Virginia Girl Dies After an Allergic Reaction

2012-01-03T21:56:00.000-08:00

Child Dies in School from a Peanut Reaction

This is a horrible story to have to share at the beginning of a new year. I send much love to the people who are mourning this little girl. It is shameful and inconceivable that ANY school would tell a parent to "keep the Epi pen at home". This from an institution who's primary goal is to care for and educate children? Despicable!

Food allergies are real. People need to wake up and get serious about this problem before more innocent lives are lost. If there is anything that you can do to help affect change in your community, please, please do it. Stop the madness.

Formula Recall, in the USA

2011-12-21T23:18:00.000-08:00

Walmart pulls formula from its shelves after a boy dies

When Technology Attacks...

2011-11-21T06:56:00.000-08:00

Should Pregnant Women Ditch SSRIs, Microwaves and Cell Phones? From the Daily Beast

There is no doubt in my mind that all of this stuff plays a part in many of our health problems. As wonderful as technology can be, there is a price to pay.

Not really honey?

2011-11-09T17:50:00.000-08:00

Not so much, I am afraid.

Most honey sold in US grocery stores not worthy of its name

Bagged Salad Recall

2011-10-21T22:30:00.001-07:00

Not sure why, but I have always been afraid that this would happen...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/20/health/bagged-salads-recall/

Love, Linda

2011-10-20T15:34:00.000-07:00

A friend just told me about this company that makes t-shirts that announce a child's allergy. Really cute stuff, worth checking out.

Love, Linda

My Kid's Nut Allergy is Bringing You Down

2011-10-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

This is a blog post for Babble by my friend, Cassandra Barry. Some of you may know her as Mrs. Joel Stein. Now I know that my readership tends to go up every time Joel's name is mentioned and many of you are still quite annoyed with him. Just know that they are a family, like any other, who is trying to make their way through the world while having a child with food allergies. Their situation is unusual because Joel has such a big soapbox.

As I have said many times before, it is important to approach life with a sense of humor even when the going gets tough. I have always admired Cassandra because her husband often uses her as inspiration for his satirical writing. And it never seems to phase her. Laszlo is lucky to have her as an advocate!

My Kid's Nut Allergy is Bringing You Down by Cassandra Barry

Tainted Cantaloupes Linked to 13 Deaths

2011-09-28T15:32:00.000-07:00

If you have not heard, there is a big cantaloupe recall right now. Scary stuff...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/28/health/cantaloupe-deaths/index.html

Safety Tat (Temporary Tattoos)

2011-09-12T19:02:00.000-07:00

We have spent a lot of time at Disneyland this Summer. I sure wish I had known about this company, sooner! As fellow allergy bloggers have pointed out, these would be a marvelous way to announce a child's food allergies. I am going to be placing my order now!

SafetyTat

From the Martha Blog

2011-09-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Food Allergies from a Kid's Point of View

Another printable option...

2011-09-03T10:41:00.001-07:00

Printables from Allergy Free Table

Peanut & Nut Free Labels to print at home

2011-09-03T09:33:00.000-07:00

It's never too late to print a batch of these for the new school year...

Food Allergy Printables from KidsCanHaveFun

The Cake Mix Doctor: Gluten-Free

2011-08-08T21:53:00.000-07:00

My dirty little secret when it comes to baking is the Cake Mix Doctor cookbooks. People are always blown away by her recipes and I never, NEVER tell them that I used a cake mix. Now there is a Gluten-Free version and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy. If you are looking for a way to shake up your routine, grab a box of GF cake mix + this cookbook and get busy!

The Cake Mix Doctor Bakes Gluten-Free

Making food-allergic kids feel included

2011-07-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

From CNN...

Making food-allergic kids feel included

The News We Have Been Praying For...

2011-07-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Once a year, we take a trip to our allergist's office. Our 6 year old daughter is skin tested with all of the things that she has shown to be allergic to. We have been doing this for the last 4 years. Often, we see some reactions decrease, slightly. Sometimes we see new ones emerge (cinnamon, popped up last year). Every since we have known about Ella's allergies, we have been told that it is statistically possible for her to outgrow SOME of them. Namely, wheat, soy and eggs tend to be allergies that people tend to get over as time passes. Often, this can happen when a child is between the ages of 5-7... or so we have been told. We have always had it in our minds that maybe, just maybe things could change. The nut allergies are different. The doctor has told us that it is unrealistic for us to think that Ella will ever be able to consume them. Or at least, it is highly unlikely. So we have focused all of our hopes and dreams on the possibility that she can eat wheat again. After all, this has been a very annoying thing to have to avoid. It is an expensive allergy to have (hello, Whole Food's grocery bills!) and it has been isolating for her, socially (birthday party, anyone?)

Skin Test. Photos like these are as common as school portraits in our house

Ella is pretty good with her skin tests. She despises getting blood tests and will do almost anything to avoid them. But I always try to pack lots of distractions and sweet treats. This time around we took 4 spools of crafter's lacing to make lanyards, a pad of paper to play hangman and a purse full of Dum Dum Pops.

Blue Raspberry Relief, courtesy of a Dum Dum Lollipop

Lanyard Bracelet. I'd show you our hangman games,

but she wiped the floor with me.

And getting beat by a 6 year old is pretty... humiliating.

We waited 15 minutes to see results. Ella was a little anxious because it was the first time we have skin tested her for nuts since she had a horrific reaction, 2 years ago. Our doctor came in, with her poker face and slowly charted the results. Ella, naturally, kept asking her, "Can I eat wheat now? Can I eat wheat now?" Dr. Baum is an ocean of calm. She never raises her voice, always is comforting... she simply asked Ella to wait a few minutes more.

Drum roll... ELLA IS NOT ALLERGIC TO WHEAT ANYMORE!!!!!!! The same thing goes for soy and cinnamon!!! Truly, this feels like such a miracle. Ella was practically floating from the news. Honestly, I have never seen her glow as much as she did in that moment. She was so happy. The doctor told us to approach this with baby steps and to not jump into eating bowls of pasta, at least for now. Maybe a bit here and a bit there. Possibly working up to more as time goes on. I could see Ella imagining all of the things that she can now eat, that she could not before... crackers, challah, pancakes, the cupcakes I make that she is never allowed to eat, breadsticks, CROISSANTS, pie and the list goes on. I told her, "You can also eat wheat pasta and Grandma's spaghetti sauce!" And she looked at me and said, without missing a beat, "Just because I can eat wheat doesn't mean that I now want to eat sauce, Mommy!" Ella hates anything saucy.

As for the tree nut allergies, the results were pretty much what we anticipated... she is still highly allergic to almost all of them. Same goes for peanuts and sesame. But we can handle that. SHE CAN EAT WHEAT!!!!

As a reward for her bravery and to celebrate her new ability, I asked her what she wanted to have for dinner. She opted for a pancakes at Du-Par's... a place in LA that makes the most amazing light and fluffy pancakes....

Just one pancake, but oh so blissful.

Now we have been handed a new deck of cards and it seems like this hand might be better. The one good thing about the wheat allergy is that it has limited the amount of possibilities for cross contamination with nuts. Wheat is in everything. So pretty much anything processed has been off the table. Now that she can eat store bought bread and snack foods, it seems like we are going to have to be much more careful about label reading. Same goes for restaurant "adventures". It has been hard to go wrong with a bowl of brown rice, steamed veggies and grilled chicken.

For the moment, I am just going to be happy for her and will try and hit "pause" on my worry button. I am just so excited for her, as the world just got a whole bunch more interesting.

To be continued...

Hypoallergenic Dogs? Maybe not...

2011-07-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

Growing up, we had a cockapoo who we loved for over 16 years. He never shed and we assumed he was "hypoallergenic". Both my sister and I had horrific environmental allergies, but we always never thought that it was because of our dog. (I still do not, by the way!) My Mom has a Bichon Frise, her third, and she swears that they are also hypoallergenic. I have never had issues with them but my sister has. That is why this new study intrigues me...

The Myth of the Hypoallergenic Dog

What do you think? Which pets have given you trouble? Which ones have not?

California Pizza Kitchen, Gluten-free!

2011-07-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

GF Pizza with Mushrooms & Olives

We have been hearing rumors that CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) was getting ready to offer a gluten-free pizza crust option. The wait is over! Tonight, we got to try their new crust. The new pizza is part of a new menu that is packed full of Gluten and Wheat free options.

Pizza dough ingredients are said to contain: Rice Flour, Water, Corn starch, Tapioca dextrin, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Whole Eggs, Sugar, Salt, Xanthan Gum, Baking Powder, and Soybean Oil.

The verdict: We LOVE it! More importantly, Ella loves it. The crust was thin and was not overly seasoned, like other GF crusts that we have had. Making it easy for a 6 year old to love it. "It's just as good as a wheat pizza!" exclaimed Ella has she quickly gobbled down 4 of her 6 slices. Thankfully, she saved enough for left-overs for her camp lunch tomorrow.

As an added bonus, CPK does not charge extra for the crust and you can order it on most of your pizza favorites.

Our favorite GF pizza is still Pizza Fusion , but this is a close second. CPK happens to be near our house and our school often throws fundraisers there. Now we can order something beyond grilled chicken and steamed broccoli! Something tells me that we will be back soon.

Here is a link to other CPK Gluten-free menu items...

CPK Gluten-free Menu

Kids Bowl, Free?

2011-07-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

Looking for something fun to do indoors this summer, to beat the heat? How about bowling? This is a fabulous deal worth checking out, especially if you have kids. Up to 4 adults can be listed on the Family Pass (including babysitters and grandparents) and they can bowl 2 games per day! You are charged a one time fee of $24.95, not including shoe rentals.

http://www.kidsbowlfree.com/

GF Cookies and Creme, no bake Cheesecakes

2011-07-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

These look simply delightful and I had to share this link. Can't wait to give them a try.

From "Simply, Gluten-Free"...

http://simplygluten-free.com/blog/2011/06/gluten-free-no-bake-cookies-creme-cheesecakes.html

Food Allergies More Common, More Severe Among Children

2011-06-20T22:27:00.000-07:00

This was on CNN today. Not much of a surprise to those of us who have a child who is severely allergic to some type of food. The numbers are increasing and this is downright, disturbing.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/20/food.allergies.pediatrics/index.html?hpt=hp_bn6

Fun things you can make with a box of GF cake mix...

2011-06-14T14:03:00.001-07:00

I have been busy, VERY busy. In my arsenal of allergy friendly cookbooks, I have several great recipes that I could not live without. But there are days when I don't even have time for those. So I have been keeping boxes of GF cake mix on hand for anything that might come up. There are several companies that make these mixes and most seem to be quite good. But if you add a few extra ingredients like chopped fruit or orange juice, you will be thrilled at what can be created. And if you use the cake in unusual ways, like in a trifle or dipped in chocolate you would be hard pressed to find someone who would turn their nose up at the end result. Here are a few things that I have made in the past few months for a wide variety of Ella's activities. Tea parties, play dates and even a dessert for a grandparent visit. Everyone was clamouring to get to these bad boys. Hopefully you will be inspired to stock up on a GF mix, or two...

Impromptu play date activity... Cherry Chip Cupcakes

Ice Cream Cake, GF Cake layered with mint chip ice cream

Trifles! Sweet, glorious trifles!

Petit Fours, for taking to a little girl's birthday party

Miniature Cupcakes with Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting

Where, oh where have I been?

2011-06-14T13:08:00.001-07:00

MasterChef 2, FOX... Main Cooking Competition Area

My blogging, as of late, has been minimal. This is not because I have stopped Living WELL with Food Allergies. Rather, I have been insanely busy with my day job... working as a set decorator for two Television shows. As you may know, those shows are both on FOX... Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef. We did two back to back seasons of HK and one season of MC. I LOVE my job and am quite proud of my amazing art department. There are often quite a few challenges that we overcome, by what often seems like a miracle.

My sets are like my children; I love them all. But MasterChef holds a special place in my heart. It is a fun show to watch and like anyone who watches the show, I enjoy rooting for the underdogs. Part of my job is to work closely with the Culinary Department to really create a setting that is different than any other cooking show on TV. This year, I was blessed to work with a team that was led by the fabulous, Sandee Birdsong (a former Top Chef contestant and producer). Jane, Joplin, Brad and Jeff were a dream to work with. Together, we created pantry and equipment rooms that exceed anything that has ever been seem on TV before. In fact, MasterChef International liked what we did so much that they are now going to try and recreate these environments on the other MasterChef version that air around the world. They took extensive photographs of our sets, which was really exciting for us. If you have not seen

the show, I would encourage you to check it out. Season 2 just started airing. You may also see full episodes here.

Our Pantry. A true feast for the senses!

The kids visited me on set a couple of times and Ella was quite taken with the pantry. She grabbed a few of her favorite types of fruit, as well as some chocolate. Milo, ever the boy, was fond of the fork lift. Lucky for him, we seem to have one of those on every set!

Hell's Kitchen 9 and 10 were also a lot of fun to create. Season 10 is still shooting, currently, but Season 9 is set to begin airing alongside MasterChef, Mid July. I would show you photos, but unfortunately, I am not allowed to until the show airs. Our show and my sets will be featured in Design Trade Magazine at the beginning of next month, I believe. Really exciting stuff!

Our family has also been quite busy. Ella finished kindergarten and is excited to move into first grade in the Fall (sob!) Milo has been dancing his way through his first year of preschool. In true California style, both kids are enrolled in a children's yoga class which they LOVE. My husband's show, "The Cleveland Show" also on Fox, has been renewed for a fourth season and we are very excited about that.

Things on the allergy front seem to be okay, thankfully. Ella's wheat allergy seems to be diminishing, at least a tiny bit. We have been letting her eat very small amounts and have not seen a rise in her allergy symptoms. By small, I mean, a bite of bread or a battered chicken tender. We will have her tested again in the next couple of months just to further monitor the situation. We visited Disney's California Adventure last week and had lunch at Arielle's Grotto. I told our waiter about Ella's allergies and he was very helpful in finding things for her to eat. (There were many options). And for dessert, they even brought her a special cup of sorbet. A fabulous experience, all the way.

The summer is looking to be very exciting with Art Camp just around the corner and trips to places like Yosemite and Northern California. We are also considering a trip to Hawaii, in September. Hopefully, I will have time to blog more often. I have missed being able to connect with all of you. I send kind wishes for your summer plans, as well. Hopefully, everyone will have nothing but great stories to report!

European E. Coli Outbreak

2011-06-02T22:51:00.000-07:00

This is pretty scary. I hope they find out how this happened and quick...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/02/europe.e.coli/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Can Transfusions Trigger Severe Reactions in Those with Allergies?

2011-05-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Troubling, to say the least...

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docid=653055

Rice Krispie Sushi

2011-04-19T19:28:00.000-07:00

We got this month's copy of Parent's Magazine in the mail today. As usual, it was filled with tons of great parenting information and ideas. Our daughter's 6th birthday is just around the corner and they have a great section this month called, "Birthdays on a Budget". The one that really got me excited was the Japanese Tea Party theme. The featured dessert is for "sweet sushi" made with rice krispies, fruit leather/roll-ups and a few other things. What a perfect idea for a kid who has a wheat or dairy allergy! The treats can be made with margarine. Just be sure to check the ingredients for the candies that are used, as licorice often has wheat in it.

Link to the Parents Magazine article

I was really excited to show the article to our daughter (who, by the way is having a Backyardigans themed party) and she was very excited. But she mentioned that a friend of hers from school often brings these treats as dessert in her lunch. Where have I been that I missed this? Naturally, I will be trying them as soon as I can. And I looked them up on the Internet and found a couple of other resources to check out, as they are quite detailed...

http://www.mommyknows.com/birthday-party-candy-sushi/

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/mock-sushi-687463/

http://www.salon.com/food/kitchen_challenge/2010/04/05/rice_krispies_treats_sushi_open2010

Easter Eggs

2011-04-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

Spring is upon us and it is time to start dying Easter eggs, as Easter is just a week away. If you have ever wanted to dye Easter eggs, naturally, you may want to try this. With a few beets, cabbage and some turmeric you could create some pretty fabulous colors. Throw in some onion skins, and you will never want to go back to those boring, ubiquitous colored pellets again!

How to dye Easter eggs naturally

Matzah Rocha

2011-04-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

This recipe has become a beloved tradition at our house each Passover. Everyone loves it and it makes for a perfect dessert after the Seder dinner... or anytime! I even made some for Ella's birthday party last year and they flew off the table. The key to this recipe is the salt. There is nothing better than the chocolate/salt combination. We're making a double batch!

Matzah Rocha

1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 boards matzah or enough GF crackers/matzah to cover cookie sheet
plain kosher/coarse or sea salt (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, grease the foil with cooking spray. Lay out matzah in a single layer, breaking boards as needed to cover the foil completely.

Boil butter and brown sugar together over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. (It’s important to bring to a boil and keep boiling for 3 minutes to allow the butterscotch to fuse together, but do not boil for much longer than 3 minutes, as butterscotch burns easily.) Working quickly (before butterscotch hardens), pour butterscotch over matzah and spread over the whole surface. Allow some time for it to harden.

Melt chocolate chips over a double broiler, or over low heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan, taking care not to scorch. Spread the chocolate over the butterscotch. Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Bake at 350° for 5 minutes to allow everything to set. Freeze for one hour or more, keeping the cookie sheet as level as possible. Break into pieces and serve. Can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature.

Yields: Serves 8-10

Time to make: 1½ hr

Source: Bigoven.com with modifications by Heidi

Three Wishes...

2011-04-15T10:17:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, Ella's teacher had the children make "wish" books. In it, they could got to imagine 3 wishes. These are the things that Ella wishes for most...

You guessed it, this one made me cry.

This one made me laugh. She likes to make BIG plans with her friend, Zoe. And this one proves that she is just like every other five year old!

Allergen Alert, in a place you would least expect it...

2011-04-10T08:28:00.000-07:00

Miracle-gro potting soil contains peanuts, coconut and tree nuts

There's always hope...

2011-04-02T21:23:00.000-07:00

From NPR... Pricey Asthma Drug Shows Potential in Easing Children's Milk Allergies

More Potential Risks of Red Food Dye

2011-03-30T11:09:00.000-07:00

From CNN... FDA Weighs Food Dye, Hyperactivity Link

Coping with Food Allergies at School

2011-03-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

Finally, a little uplifting story!

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/Coping-with-food-allergies-at-school--118792224.html?skipthumb=Y

GF Gooey Bars

2011-03-12T21:31:00.000-08:00

I adapted this recipe from this month's Everyday Food. It is so good, you'll never miss the wheat or gluten. My brother-in-law was over to the house this morning. He gobbled down 2 of them and raved about how much he loved them. (He normally runs in another direction when he sees raisins.) He didn't realize that there are raisins in the bars. When I told him, he could not believe me. And he didn't notice the missing wheat, either.

These are very easy to make and even more fun to eat. Enjoy!

GF Gooey Bars

nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour

1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons white rice flour

1/3 cup +2 tablespoons potato starch

1/4 cup tapioca flour

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon course salt

3/4 cup GF rolled oats

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)

1/2 cup raisins

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

2 cups ( 7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 x 13" baking dish with parchment paper, leaving overhang on short sides. Lightly coat paper with cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse together butter, confectioner's sugar, flours, xanthan gum and salt; until mixture becomes a coarse meal. Add oats and pulse until just combined. Press dough evenly into the bottom of the dish and bake until lightly browned and firm, about 20 minutes.

Scatter chocolate chips and raisins evenly on top of crust. Drizzle with condensed milk and top with coconut. Bake until coconut is golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely on wire rack before cutting into 18 squares. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

YIKES!

2011-03-10T21:51:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for generics!

US Takes Over Three Tylenol Plants

Hamentashen for Purim

2011-03-09T20:15:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a wheat and gluten free Hamentashen recipe that is sure to knock the socks off of everyone, look no further. We are going to be cranking out a few dozen of these bad boys this weekend. This is the third year in a row that I am posting this recipe. Enjoy!

This gentile has had her work cut out for her, as she raises a Jewish kid who is allergic to so many things. All of the Jewish holidays are celebrated with specific kinds of foods. Now I am constantly trying to find recipes that are adaptable to Ella's special diet and often, I find things that are really quite delicious. Today we made Hamentashen off of a recipe that I found on the Internet. Naturally, it is wheat and gluten free. We filled ours with three separate fillings; apricot, chocolate chips and blackberry. When pinching the "hats" I closed them a little too much; more than what is traditional. But they tasted just as good! These will now be a staple in our home.

Gluten-Free Hamentashen

1 stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour (superfine is best)
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup tapioca flour

Fillings of your choice: apricot, prune, or berry preserves,
chocolate chips, M&Ms, cream cheese or whatever your heart
desires!

Directions...

Cream butter and sugar in a bowl; add egg and mix. AddOJ and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, mix together all dry ingredients; slowly add
mixture to butter and sugar mix.
Mix until just combined.

Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight. Dough needs

to be very cold to work with.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover cookie sheets with parchment

paper.

Roll out dough onto a lightly gluten-free floured surface. Roll to 1/8-1/4" thickness. Cut circles in dough with a 2 1/2" wide glass. Fill each circle with about 1/2 teaspoon of filling of your choice.

Fold up 3 sides of circle and pinch edges firmly to form a triangle with opening at the center to let the filling poke through. Or if you have an over eager pincher, as I did, you may seal them closed.
Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Let cool on rack and transfer to a plate.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Music to my ears!

2011-03-07T22:25:00.000-08:00

In case you have not heard, Allegra is now available without a prescription!!!! I come from a long, line of allergy sufferers and this is the one medication that has always worked for us. Not sure why it has taken so long for this miracle medicine to become OTC, but I am very, VERY happy. No more fights with our insurance provider!!!!

More about Allegra

Skippy Peanut Butter Recall

2011-03-06T11:20:00.001-08:00

Recall Alert! If peanut butter is your thing (if you are one of the lucky ones) make sure you check your jars of Skippy, especially if you have any of the reduced fat varieties. They might be contaminated with salmonella.

Skippy Peanut Butter Recall

Missed it by THAT much!

2011-03-05T11:24:00.001-08:00

When I was a kid, we watched a lot of "Get Smart". The main character, Maxwell Smart, had a lot of memorable quotes. He always got a laugh when he would say, "Missed it by that much." His delivery was spot on.

As a mother of a child with food allergies, I think it is important to have a good sense of humor. And as frustrating as our situation can be, it always helps when I can find a way to laugh. When possible.

As some of you know, I work as a Set Decorator in the film industry. Two of my shows are on Fox, both staring Gordon Ramsay; Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef. MasterChef is currently in production and they sent an e-mail out to the staff and crew asking us if any of our kids would be interested in participating in one of the upcoming competitions. My first reaction was to be VERY excited. Ella, my five year old daughter, is very interested in what I do for a living. She jumps at any opportunity to come to my work. Over the course of a show, there are many stages of development for her to observe. The planning, design and model building. The preliminary materials search. The building of the set. The months of shopping and finally, the set decoration. I try to bring her along so that she can witness and participate in each step. After I finished decorating MC Season 2, I brought her to the set and the first thing she said to me was, "I want to be on this show!" And I told her that the show was like a big game with grown ups who are competing against each other to see who is the best chef. I couldn't foresee a chance for her to appear on camera... until I got an e-mail yesterday.

And then I remembered the food allergies. I knew that if they were doing a food competition with children, things like peanut butter and pasta were VERY likely to be involved. There was no way that she could participate. And I heard Maxwell Smart say his famous phrase, "Missed it by that much!" And I couldn't help but smile.

The good news is that Ella will never know that she missed an opportunity to be on TV. She is already quite bitter about the whole allergy thing and there is no need to add fuel to that fire. But it was a striking reminder of the lack of freedom we have in our lives, at times. But honestly, I am just happy that I have such a fabulous kid who is creative and wonderful in every way.

But I am going to suggest they do a competition for people who have food allergies. Top Chef did it and it was a great episode!

Antibiotics in our foods

2011-03-02T11:49:00.000-08:00

Pharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticals and MORE pharmaceuticals. What have we done to our foods? Our bodies? Our planet? These are all questions to ponder as you read the following article. Our food system is clearly broken. Sometimes I feel like we are so ahead of the cart it seems almost impossible to fix...

Today's Food System: All Drugged Up from the Huffington Post

Gluten Free Diets are Sexy? Who knew?

2011-03-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

According to CNN, they are...

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/02/28/gluten-free-and-well-fed-when-did-g-free-get-all-sexy/

GF Red Velvet Cupcakes

2011-02-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

A little bird just told me that Sprinkles is now offering a GF red velvet cupcake. I called them to see if nut flours are used and they said, "no". BUT they do not suggest any of their cupcakes to anyone who may have a nut allergy. (Cross contamination risk.) But if gluten/wheat are your only problems... SCORE!

Go here, for more info... Sprinkles

Salsa and Sauce Recall

2011-02-06T09:15:00.000-08:00

If you happen to have a wheat or gluten allergy, heads up about this recall. Good to know before you open up that jar of salsa or eat something at a Super Bowl party...

American Spoon Recall

Those pesky peanuts...

2011-02-01T21:55:00.000-08:00

... cause so many problems for those who are severely allergic to them. Planes are very confined areas and what might seem like an innocent snack to some, is lethal to others. This is a great article from Allergic Living, worth reading...

Anaphylaxis in the Skies -without your auto-injector

Keebler Recall

2011-01-28T21:08:00.000-08:00

Those elves have some splainin' to do...

For those of you who may be fans of Keebler cookies, the company has recalled 17,000 eight-count cartons of Keebler Fudge Shoppe jumbo fudge sticks because the mislabeled cartons contain individually wrapped jumbo peanut butter sticks. The company says consumers with peanut allergies the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they eat the fudge sticks. More information: 888-746-3679; www.Keebler.com.

Music to my Ears

2011-01-27T14:29:00.000-08:00

San Luis Obispo is my home town so news of this bakery makes me very happy! We can't wait to try it out, next time we are in the area.

http://www.ksby.com/news/los-osos-mom-opens-up-allergy-free-bakery-for-sweet-alexis/

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

2011-01-19T21:38:00.000-08:00

Lately, we have been rediscovering steel cut oats. They are delicious and far more nutritious than old fashioned or quick cooking oatmeal. Here is a recipe that I have been making lately in our trusted slow cooker. The best part: it is ready to eat right when you wake up!

Serves 6

2 cups steel cut oats (look for GF, if need be)

4 cups of water

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped (I like red varieties)

1 cup raisins or dried cranberries

2 tablespoons of butter or margarine, chopped into small pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker. Cook on low setting for 8 hours. If desired, serve with steamed milk of choice (soy, rice, cow's milk, coconut milk, etc.).

Unused portions can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

Itchy Legs, once again

2011-01-17T22:31:00.000-08:00

Ella is allergic to wheat. As much as she hates it, as much as we want her not to be... she is allergic to wheat. This is an odd allergy for her. She doesn't see a reaction right away. If she eats something that has wheat in it, it often will take hours and sometimes days for her body to respond. She starts itching. At first it might be a patch of "dry skin" in her face. Followed by small bumps. Then she starts to get a tiny rash on her legs, which spreads over time. Before we know it, she is scratching everywhere.

Even after a dose or two of her allergy meds, the rashes will remain. There is only one way to make the itching stop and that is to eliminate wheat (and several other allergens) from her diet.

She is five. The only thing that matters to her is that she gets to eat things that her friends and family get to eat. And unfortunately, we are a part of a food culture where most foods are wheat based. Pizza, pasta, crackers, cake, bread, bagels, and on and on.

Over the past couple of years her wheat allergy has diminished. Mostly because we have been so strict with what she is allowed to eat. Oddly enough, this has given us a false sense of security. She's no longer a 4, she's a 1!!! On occasion, we let our guard down and let her have a little. Maybe in the form of a chicken nugget. Maybe a goldfish cracker or two. Maybe even a tiny nibble of pizza. This is a bit of a balancing act for us. We are weighing a lot of factors; her need to fit in, our desire to make her happy, our need to keep her healthy. I will admit, sometimes it is easier for us. Maybe if she eats a little birthday cake, we won't have to make a wheat-free version to take along with us. And then we give her a little extra allergy medication at night.

This might all seem a bit distorted or confusing. What are these people doing? Honestly, it all comes from a loving place. And we are always second guessing ourselves. But how much is enough? Where do we draw the line? Ella cannot possibly understand our seemingly arbitrary and changing rules. Without question she will grow up to have major control issues. And most likely, hate us.

As we have relaxed a bit on how much wheat she is allowed to have, her skin has started to get itchy again. How much are we giving her? Generally, she is allowed to have a 1/2 a piece of challah with her classmates on Fridays. And maybe a Ritz cracker on a saturday. Or we let her try something we are eating, like a bite of pasta. But not every day.

We just found out that she has been asking her her friends if they can share their snacks with her at recess. This is not a good thing, from our perspective. But for Ella it means that she can finally enjoy what they all take for granted, just a little. We have asked her to stop this and hopefully she will. (When the kids share food, wheat is the least of my concerns.)

When she starts itching, I take notice. To me, it just isn't worth making her uncomfortable. Ella definitely would not agree. "So what, Mom! It's a croissant! C'mon! A CROISSANT!"

I just hope that we are able to move past all of this one day. As I have said before, wheat allergies are so very challenging. And as much as I love finding fun ways to cook brown rice pasta, it just wears me out. And worse than all of that is the fact that my beautiful daughter suffers regardless, whether she eats wheat or not. And there is nothing I can do to take away that pain.

Food Allergy Myths

2011-01-17T18:08:00.000-08:00

Two articles worth checking out and passing along to those in your life who have misconceptions about food allergies.

Here is a great little article about some common food allergy myths from MedicineNet.com... http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=61262

And from FAAN... http://www.foodallergy.org/page/myths

Celebrating MLK Day

2011-01-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

If you happen to be home today and want to celebrate Dr. King, here are a few recipes (Southern "Soul Food" inspired). On the menu, Oven Fried Chicken Fingers, Collard Greens, GF Mac and Cheese and Black Eyed Peas. If you have little ones and are looking for fun activities to do, I have attached a link to some fun Dr. King themed crafts. This was a great, great man. And I feel like he always held his head high. His words were tough, direct and powerful. But always civil. I am so glad that we have a holiday that honors a man who truly changed our country, for the better. Happy MLK Day!

Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers

2 1/2 lb skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
7 cups cornflakes (7 oz), coarsely crushed

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter 2 large shallow (1 inch deep) baking pans.

Gently pound chicken between sheets of plastic wrap with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until 1/3 inch thick. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Stir together butter, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Put cornflakes in another shallow dish. Working with 1 strip at a time, dip in butter, then dredge in cornflakes, pressing flakes firmly to help adhere. Transfer as coated to baking pans.

Bake, switching position of pans halfway through baking, until chicken is golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes total.

Cool chicken in pans on racks to room temperature (crust will firm up as it cools).

Collard Greens and Turnips with Ham Hock

6 cups water
1 large ham hock (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon Rooster Sauce
3 pounds collard greens
1‚ pounds turnips

In a 6-quart kettle bring water with ham hock to a boil (water will not cover hock) and simmer, covered, turning hock over halfway through cooking, 1 hour. Add vinegar and pepper.

While hock is simmering, remove and discard stems and center ribs of collard greens and cut leaves into 1-inch pieces. Stir collards into hock mixture and simmer, partially covered, until almost tender, about 45 minutes. Cut turnips into 1/2-inch cubes. Stir turnips into collards and simmer, partially covered, until turnips are tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Season collard and turnip mixture with salt and pepper.

Gluten-Free Mac & Cheese

This is my favorite wheat-free Mac & Cheese, by far. I am a BIG fan of this comfort food and I never thought I would find a recipe that is as good as the typical, wheat pasta versions. But this is just as good. You will never know that this is GF, especially if you add even more shredded cheese to the top after you have poured it into the pan.

http://glutenfreemom.typepad.com/gluten_free_mom/2008/02/gluten-free-mac.html

Black Eyed Peas

http://southernfood.about.com/od/blackeyedpeas/r/bl81231b.htm

Dessert is still up in the air. Maybe some sliced pears. Or chocolate of some sort, if Ella has anything to say about it! Mommy will probably enjoy a little Bourbon after the kids go to bed!

Crafts

This is a website that we use constantly. There are a lot of great ideas of things to do with the little ones. Ella has been having fun creating her "Thank You, Dr. King" coloring book. If you are home tomorrow and looking for something to do, you may want to consider doing some of these activities...

http://www.first-school.ws/theme/special-days/martin-luther-king-jr.htm

Food Truck Sensation: BEWARE!!!

2011-01-16T22:06:00.000-08:00

There is a new food fad that is sweeping the nation, gourmet food trucks. These are not the roach coaches of yesteryear. They are often run by famous chefs and are a true cult phenomenon. We live in Los Angeles, the mecca of all food trucks. There are blogs about them and reports posted on Twitter about where the trucks can be found. Everything from crepes to gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches to korean BBQ tacos. The sky is the limit and the offerings can be spectacular. But if you have food allergies, you should eat with caution. A mommy friend of mine alerted me to an experience she had, recently. They were eating off of a burger truck. And they ordered some french fries, which without their knowledge had been cooked in peanut oil. There were no signs posted, warning people with food allergies. This was strictly a burger truck and the family, who has a child that is highly allergic to peanuts, never imagined that the french fries would be cooked in such a way. Thankfully, they caught the mistake before their child got a hold of them and was sick. ALWAYS ask, even when you might think that it is an impossibility. People use all kinds of crazy ingredients and it is better to be safe than sorry. I am sure that peanut oil is a delicious way to fry potatoes, but certainly not worth the risk.

If you are interested in tracking down one of these trucks, here is a great LA area link...

http://www.findlafoodtrucks.com/

But eat with caution!

From the LA Times

2011-01-06T23:01:00.000-08:00

I meant to post this last week, but time got away from me. Worth a read...

With children and food allergy diagnoses, thoroughness is key

Vaccine Controversy

2011-01-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

From CNN...

Medical journal: Study linking autism, vaccines is 'elaborate fraud'

What does everyone think about this? I have mentioned hesitation about vaccinations on this blog in the past, but tend to be on the side of Western Medicine when it comes to immunization. My daughter did have a horrible reaction to her first MMR shot and I have often wondered if her allergies are related in some way. It is not really a rational, fact based theory. It is more about me wanting to have a direct cause for her situation; someone to blame. But I have several friends, whom I respect deeply, that have decided to not immunize their kids. Many of them, using Dr. Wakefield's study as the foundation of their argument. And there are a host of other reasons why parents choose to not vaccinate, which are all worth considering. Much like all things relating to parenting, there is a lot of gravity in the decisions we make... everything from baby shots to where our children will go to school and beyond.

One thing is for sure, this controversy is only heating up and I am sure we are going to be hearing a lot more in the days and weeks to come.

In case you have not heard...

2011-01-05T21:59:00.000-08:00

Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act Becomes Law

http://www.foodallergy.org/page/food-allergy-and-anaphylaxis-management-act-becomes-law

Inspiration!

2011-01-02T14:44:00.000-08:00

As many of us are working through our New Year's resolutions, it is important to find inspiration where ever you can. Today, my husband and I have been tackling some light organization around the house. Things like cleaning out the fridge and cupboards. The kids have been sorting through their toys and getting rid of old markers. As I took a break to listen to the rain outside, I decided to open up this month's issue of Sunset Magazine. In it there is a fascinating article about a family in Mill Valley, California who are virtually garbage free. I am mystified by their simplified lifestyle. After the holidays, the amount of "stuff" in our home is at an embarrassing all time high. I simply cannot imagine living so minimally, but I respect the notion, on the highest of levels. It truly is something to aspire to. If we could all just reduce our waste, even a little, the world would be a much better place. The article is really worth checking out if you are interested...

The Zero Waste Home and here is the blog of the woman who is featured in the article...

http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/ Really thought provoking stuff.

My daughter's Hopscotch Magazine also had a piece this month called, "Waste Not, Want Not" that has been sticking with me. It is by Vijaya Bodach who reflects on her childhood growing up in India. They created very little garbage and reused everything. They lived a simple life composting what they could and appreciating what little they had. It is an interesting tale of different cultures. The author says, "Looking back, I realize that we were poor, But it didn't matter. We were happy." As a parent of a child who has been given so much in her life, without knowing what it is to suffer, I found this story endearing. Beyond just the fact that they lived simply and produced little waste.

As Americans, we truly do produce a lot of garbage. The average person in the USA tosses out about 1,130 pounds of waste each year. (According to Sunset magazine, not sure what portion of that is recyclable waste.) Other sources put that number a bit higher, but on average, most of us recycle about 40% of our garbage sum. That's somewhat encouraging! "What's Up with Trash" is a source for easy to comprehend statistics about how much waste those of us in the USA produce. (YIKES!) Worth checking out if you are interested.

Don't get me wrong, I am as guilty as anyone. I shop for a living. And many of the things I purchase (sometimes by the car load or truck load full) are breakable and require a lot of wrapping. I do own about 30 reusable shopping bags and refuse plastic whenever I can. But that doesn't mean that I cannot try to do better.

None of this really has much to do with food allergies, at least on the surface. But I do think our overuse of plastics and chemicals are related in some way. I just offer up this post as a way to get people thinking about the impact that each of us has on the world. We are all connected, after all.

Best of luck with your resolutions in this new year. Lord knows I need help with mine... to eat less sugar. Usually, I try to avoid making such New Year's declarations. But when the pants get a little tight around the waist, some changes have to be made!

Getting Gum Out of the Hair: When Peanut Butter is an Impossibility

2011-01-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, as we returned home from a trip to the snow my daughter sat in the back seat of our minivan twirling gum in her fingers, dangerously close to her hair. Thankfully, we managed to get her to spit out the dangerously gooey mess before it became tangled. But it got me thinking: What would we use if gum was stuck in her hair? My mom used the classic, peanut butter, in my hair. But having a kid who is allergic to peanuts makes this remedy an impossibility. So I have been researching alternative methods and here is a list of what I have found...

1) Olive Oil or other cooking oil like Canola or vegetable. Rub the gum with the oil, leaving in for 3 minutes. Gently remove the gum by working it with a comb. Wash hair with shampoo, afterward.

2) Ice. Apply ice to the gum, until it is hard... about 10-15 minutes. When it is rigid enough, break it apart and remove it from hair.

3) Vaseline. It works the same way as the olive oil.

4) Baby Oil. Same method as Vaseline or Olive Oil.

4) Rubbing Alcohol. Apply it to the gummy area with fingers. (A cotton ball would only make the mess worse). Gradually, the gum will come loose. Wash and rinse hair, afterward.

5) Toothpaste. Gradually rub pea sized amounts into the hair until the gum comes loose. Wash and rinse, afterward.

For more ideas, check out How to Get Gum Out of Your Hair by Wikihow or How to Get Gum Out of Hair by Livestrong.com or check out this comment board on the topic on EHow.com.

Alfalfa Sprout Recall

2010-12-29T21:25:00.001-08:00

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm238417.htm

Parsley and Cilantro Recall

2010-12-27T21:37:00.000-08:00

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/27/salmonella.produce/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

An ode to a pistachio

2010-12-26T21:23:00.001-08:00

There was once a time that I consumed pistachios, with all of their salty goodness, by the bowl full. Every so often I would encounter one with a closed shell. The one that said, "Oh, no! I do not belong to anyone. Move along. Not worth the trouble." And then I would. If anyone would would ask me what my favorite nut was I would say without hesitation, a pistachio.

That was, until I discovered that my daughter is dreadfully allergic to them. What once brought me so much joy is now giving me nightmares. If I were to eat one and then kiss her, she could die. Her allergy is "off the charts" according to her allergist. "We have never seen a person this allergic to pistachios." After we found this out, I threw out my stash. And have not eaten even one of them, since.

But I would be lying if I said that I do not miss them. A friend of mine and I were at one of my favorite restaurants recently and the featured special was a salad with heirloom tomatoes and pistachios. She ordered it. I wanted it. She offered me a bite. I refused. And gosh darn it, I have been craving it ever since.

I think about pistachios often. For a foodie, it is an ingredient that is almost impossible to resist. But I have to. I often think about folks in my position. Parents who love peanuts or almonds or dairy and can no longer "go there" for fear of endangering our little ones. This is a rough spot to be in.

There is an ice cream joint in Hollywood called Mashti Malone's. They are famous for their rosewater and pistachio ice cream. It is heavenly. Believe me, the temptation to pop in there is very strong. And I constantly pass the place as I head down La Brea, multiple times a day.

Maybe it is the Catholic in me. Sometimes a gal just needs to feel guilty. And suffer. I say this all, very tongue in cheek. But there is some truth to this yearning.

When I was looking up images to attach to this post, I stumbled upon the photo above. It seems that some woman in Ohio found what appears to be the image of Jesus on her pistachio. If you were to ask me, I would say that the face looks more like the weird preacher guy from "Poltergeist." (But I am sort of intrigued by the chipped red nail polish.) Anyway, she found this amazing and special nut on Christmas Eve, of all days.

Read about it here.

Coincidence? I think not.

Yesterday, I happily celebrated the birth of Jesus with my family as we consumed massive amounts of "rich" and tragically unhealthy food. There were no pistachios. But it must be said that I am thrilled at the end of each day that we have made it through without visiting the ER. I am willing to do anything that keeps my daughter safe.

As she told me recently, "I love you, Mommy. You are my whole world!" Guess what, kid? You are my entire universe.

From our home to yours, Happy Holidays

2010-12-24T08:05:00.000-08:00

This Holiday season seems to have been on warp speed. It is hard to believe that it is already Christmas Eve. The big news at our house is that Ella has lost her first tooth, meaning that the Tooth Fairy AND Santa will be visiting our home all within the same week!

I went back to work the Monday after Thanksgiving, but that has not derailed my holiday baking. So far, I think I have made about 12 dozen gingerbread cookies. Some were for school parties others were gifts and more than a few have been consumed by us. Naturally, I have also made a lot of decorated sugar cookies, peppermint bark, cupcakes, toffee, rum balls, lemon persimmon bars, oodles of baked sweet breads, Cornflake snowflakes, coconut "snow balls", GF peppermint ice cream cake and I even brought out my cookie press a time or two. (We are working on our "relationship" and the courtship has been a bit rough at times.) All of this has made for a busy month, not that I am complaining. I love this time of year. And nothing makes me happier than seeing the excitement on my kid's faces.

Sometimes it is hard to slow down enough to enjoy the moment, but I am trying. A dear family friend passed away last week and my sister has been quite sick with a horrific throat infection. Nothing about this has been fun, especially because it is Christmas time. So I have been counting my blessings and trying to appreciate everything that is valuable and great in my life. And saying my prayers that my sister will have a Christmas miracle!

Since she has been sick and my brother in law is recovering from a recent appendectomy, we have been having lots of play dates with my niece and nephew. Having all of that youthful energy and laughter around the house is really special. Let's be honest, having four kids under the age of 5 all at once can be a little.... exhausting. But fun. :) My daughter has her food allergies, my son cannot eat pecans and my nephew is allergic to eggs. There is a lot of discussion before each snack or meal is consumed. Thankfully there are so many goody options that no one feels like they are "suffering". We had Chinese food for lunch yesterday and each kid had something different on their plate. My son and niece were eating low mein (with wheat based noodles). My daughter said, "Mommy, I feel left out. Why don't I have noodles, too?" She had veggie rice without soy or egg, but these kids like to all have the same stuff. So I let her taste the noodles, which she immediately spit out. "Too saucy!" So many overlapping needs and tastes! We do what we can.

Tonight we are going to make a big dinner, Italian style. (Isn't that what all of the German-Irish families do on Christmas Eve?) Hopefully we will make a dent on some of those desserts! And Christmas day will be filled with presents and even more food. Something tells me I am also going to have to fit in some time at the gym when the dust settles.

I hope all of you have a safe, healthy and especially joyful holiday. Please eat with care when someone else is preparing your meal. Don't forget your safety kits, just in case. Sending you a giant hug and a wish for a very happy new year!

-Heidi

Girl Dies of Food Allergy After a School Party

2010-12-21T15:43:00.000-08:00

This is not what I like to report on, ever, but especially this time of year. My heart goes out to this girl's family. All of us who live with food allergies and constantly face the threat of anaphylaxis understand the gravity of this death. Please, please be careful at holiday parties this year. It is often easy to slip into a relaxed state of mind. Do what you can to stay informed about what you and yours consume. And carry those Epi-Pens and Benadryl!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/21/seventhgrader-katelyn-car_n_799633.html

http://www.suntimes.com/2966858-417/according-allergic-allergy-examiner-girl.html

Coconut Snowballs

2010-12-18T16:47:00.000-08:00

I first published this last year and am looking forward to making them again next week! If you cannot have dairy, there are some fabulous soy or coconut ice cream alternatives that would be just as delicious.

When I was a kid growing up in the 70's and 80's there was a treat that we would get at the store, every year around Christmas. I cannot for the life of me, remember who made it or what it was called. But it was basically vanilla ice cream, rolled in shredded coconut. And then it came with a small candle that you were suppose to put in the middle and light it. Very festive! For the past couple of years I have been craving this dessert like crazy. So I decided to make my own version and was thrilled at how easy it was to do. (I guess my years working at an ice cream parlor continue to pay off!)

1 Pint of the best vanilla ice cream

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and let rest on the counter. Fill a shallow bowl with the coconut. With a #20 scoop or another trusted ice cream scoop, create a balls out of the ice cream, trying to keep them as round as possible. Gently roll each ball in the coconut and place on a cookie sheet covered in parchment. Repeat until you have run out of coconut (I was able to make about 6 snowballs). Stick the cookie sheet in the freezer and allow balls to harden for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Joyce's Joy Juice

2010-12-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

This recipe came from a former co-worker of my Mom's. The ingredients were sloppily written on the back of an old envelope at what I am assuming was a very fun Christmas party. We have been making it, happily, now for close to thirty years. If you are looking for a warm drink to serve or bring to a holiday party, consider this. Or you can whip up a batch and drink it while decorating the tree and wrapping gifts. Spiking is only optional!

Joyce's Joy Juice

7 cups apple cider

5 cups orange juice

1½ cups fresh lemon juice

4 cups superfine sugar

3½ cups STRONG black tea

5 cups water

4 cinnamon sticks

1 tablespoon of whole cloves

1 (2") piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for approx. 30 minutes-1 hour, depending on taste and urgency.

Remove cinnamon, cloves and ginger.

Serve with brandy.

Kourtney Kardashian's Son Hospitalized with Peanut Allergy

2010-11-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

This has been all over the news for the past couple of days. My heart goes out to them and hope their son is okay.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20444171,00.html

All Aboard!

2010-11-21T22:24:00.000-08:00

Lately, I feel like I am on a fast moving holiday train. A bullet, that is rushing toward the new year. So much to do as the days fly rapidly outside my window. I have been buzzing around my kitchen, nonstop since Halloween. The picture above says it all. It is not even Thanksgiving yet and I am already prepping for Hanukkah and Christmas. My daughter's school has had two bake sales in the past month. The first of which, I cooked SEVEN different items for. The school set a record in sales, earning over $800. There was another one this weekend and I decided to only make two items. (Slacker, I know.)

My house has turned into a round the clock bakery. I asked my Dad what my Step Mother wants for her birthday and he said, "Oh, just make her one of your chocolate goodies." Then the school asked for volunteers to make goodies for the all school Thanksgiving feast. I am a sucker, I volunteered. Naturally, my mom is also depending on me to help her prepare my family's Thanksgiving dinner. We have a large family and my Mom's house is the center of our universe on what has become my very favorite holiday. So I grab some comfortable shoes, a Cafe Mexicano from my favorite cafe and a good bottle of wine as I roll my sleeves up and get busy.

It is not all baking, too. My daughter attends a Jewish school and they are putting on their annual Hanukkah pageant. An e-mail went out asking for parents to help making costumes and decorating the sets. So naturally, I volunteered. (One day, very soon my husband will surely have me committed.)

Oh, and did I mention our holiday party, my daughter's performance in "Where the Wild Thing's Are", and the biggest of all celebrations... Christmas? This is the point where I should ask Calgon to take me away.

This all brings me endless amounts of joy and yes, there may be dark puffy bags under my eyes but gosh darn it... it is worth it. The funny thing is that I know that there are so many other people out there, just like me. Trying to do all that they can to make their holidays spectacular. To me, it means so much when people give their time and make things themselves. It is what the holidays are all about. And I feel quite blessed to have a home over my head, healthy children and an abundance of love in my life. Lots to celebrate!

This is the time of year that I find myself thinking a lot about my Grandmother, Mary. She was an absolute inspiration. She literally prepared for Christmas, year round. She made doll ornaments from clothespins and crocheted snowflakes, as she sat in her chair each night. (This, after raising four kids, maintaining a spotless household and making some of the best food anyone has ever tasted). When Christmas arrived I was thrilled to run into their warm home in the mountains where stacks of delicious goodies awaited me. It was a child's dream come true. Everything was perfect, scrumptious and seemingly effortless. It all came from her heart. If there is anything that I wish to give to my family, it is that. Lord, how I miss that beautiful woman.

I also miss my strong, warm Grandfather who was the ultimate host. He lived for these types of celebrations. If we had ham, he'd make sure that there were at least 4 different types of mustards. It was also his job to make sure everyone had a drink in hand, at all times. He always had a great story to tell; I hung on his every word.

Sigh.

I am the epitome of a holiday softy. A total sap. But something tells me that by the time New Year's rolls around this year, I will be ready for it.

Oh, and I almost forgot... I just got called back to work. I start prepping the sets for Hell's Kitchen AND MasterChef in a week. Better drink more of that coffee!

Why not?

2010-11-18T22:10:00.001-08:00

If you happen to have a second and are feeling the "love" please vote for this little blog that could. Many thanks, in advance!

http://www.babble.com/babble-50/mommy-bloggers/nominate-a-blogger/index.aspx

Antibiotics: Do they really stop ear infections?

2010-11-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

This one really surprises me, from CNN...

Study: Antibiotics have little impact on child ear infections

Eczema strikes, again

2010-11-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

Our daughter used to have dreadful eczema. In fact, it was an early indication that she was having bad reactions to foods. After we cleaned up her diet (wheat and soy being the biggest culprits) her eczema left and we have not seen it since.

My son has always had very sensitive skin. A few months ago, our allergist suggested that we stop using dryer sheets and encouraged us to use a non-comedogenic lotion all over his body after bathing. He does not appear to have any of the food allergies that his sister has. We skin tested him and he only reacted to pecans, and mildly. After following the doctors instructions, we have seen his skin clear up. But over the past week, he has developed an angry red rash around his chin and cheeks. He has been taking antibiotics to cure a sinus infection, and I wonder if his rash is a reaction to that. Or maybe he could be experiencing dry skin from the oddly dry weather we have been having. But his doctor thinks he might be reacting to the wipes we use to clean him. He also has the rash on his tush. She told us to use only Lanisnoh wipes (the kind made of gold... only kidding, they aren't cheap!) And she prescribed a topical cream, to be used until the rash clears up. On top of this, she wants us to avoid foods like tomatoes that are acidic and might further aggravate the situation, for the time being. Sorry kid, your beloved pizza and spaghetti with marinara are off the table!

All of this is a guessing game and none of it makes me happy. I despise seeing my little guy uncomfortable and I do not like the looks I get when I drop him off at preschool. (Doctor says that it is NOT Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease, nor is it Slapped Cheek Syndrome). But it is a bit of a game; one of elimination. Hopefully we will find the source before we all lose our mind.

Kind of praying that it is the wipes, actually. I would much rather pay for those little purple packages than find out that he has some other kind of crazy allergy. Fingers are crossed...

Sesame allergies; related to nut allergies?

2010-11-16T16:26:00.000-08:00

I found this little article from Medicine Journal Feeds, very interesting. It certainly applies to our family. Our daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts and is just as allergic to sesame. But she has no issue with coconut, thankfully. I know that this is not the case with everyone but I wonder if there is a connection. I am terrified of her having any contact with sesame, especially after I saw her reaction following her most recent skin test.

Characterizing the relationship between sesame, coconut and nut allergy in children

Just as a side note, a few years ago I had to have an emergency appendectomy. My appendix had cracked and was reacting to a small seed that had gotten stuck. Can you guess what that seed was? Yep, it was a sesame seed! Ggrrrrrrr!

Thanksgiving Recipes to Share

2010-11-10T18:22:00.000-08:00

Here are several delicious looking recipes for Thanksgiving from Food Allergy Living, as well as links to other helpful articles on the subject...

Thanksgiving All Encompassing Resource List

Thanksgiving ideas

2010-11-10T18:17:00.000-08:00

These craft, meal and activity ideas are worth checking out. From Kids With Food Allergies...

KFA Celebrates Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: What do you serve?

2010-11-09T11:26:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. There is no question, it is my favorite holiday. My Mom and I cook like lunatics, all day. And then we feast! Having a child that is allergic to so many things can really complicate things. In years past, I have prepared a special wheat free pumpkin pie, just for my daughter. And then last year I bought a mini pre-made version at Whole Foods and she loved that, too. But that is just dessert.

To add to the insanity, I have a kid who hates mashed potatoes. So her meal is usually turkey, cranberry sauce, raw veggies from the appetizer plate and some of my Mom's stellar Jello salad. That is a pretty decent meal by most standards, but this year I am going to try and make something else.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? And how do you handle the stress associated with food allergies on this holiday that is all about eating? Please let me know by leaving a comment or on my Facebook page!

Never Been So Happy to Dislike Cilantro

2010-11-06T21:51:00.000-07:00

Trader Joe's Recalls Products with Cilantro

Peanuts and Pregnancy?

2010-11-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

Thought this costume was cute,

even if it doesn't totally relate to the topic :)

There has been a lot of research indicating that eating peanuts during pregnancy can possibly contribute to a child developing a peanut allergy. There is a new report out today from the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, that suggests that there may, indeed, be a connection. Everyone on the web has been talking about it. Here is a link to an article that discusses the findings...

Pregnant Woman Who Eat Peanuts May Put Infants at Increased Risk for Peanut Allergies

Allergy Free Halloween Treats

2010-10-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Rice Krispie Pops, dipped in white chocolate & sprinkles

If you are looking for a treat to make for Halloween that is allergy friendly and with ingredients that are easy to obtain, this might be the one for you. They are made with the classic Rice Krispie Treat recipe, so they are free of tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and eggs. If you want you can make them with dairy free margarine and forgo dipping them in white chocolate, if you have a dairy allergy. Here is the link to the recipe that I followed...

Rice Krispie Original Treats

You will also need...

14 oz. chopped white chocolate or Wilton candy melts

Halloween-themed sprinkles or candies

(***If you are making a dairy free version and will not be dipping them in white chocolate, you can add candy or sprinkles to the mixture. You can either do this right after you add the rice krispies or you can sprinkle them on top of the mixture, after you have pressed them into the pan.)

Use a 8 x 8 glass baking pan, that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover the bottom and sides with 2 overlapping sheets of wax paper, allowing the extra to hang over the sides. Then spray the pan, once more.

Pour the prepared treat mixture into the pan. Spray hands with cooking spray and pack everything down, as tight as possible. Even out the top, if necessary. Refrigerate until cool, approx. 20 minutes. Remove from the pan and wax paper. Move to a cutting board. Cut the edges to make an even square. Then cut into fourths, crosswise and then each row into three rectangles. This should yield 12 treats, plus a few scraps for you to chow down on or to give to a lucky family member. Insert a stick into the center of each treat and place on a cookie sheet that is covered in wax paper.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Treats, ready for dipping.

With a double boiler, set over low heat, melt approx. 8-10 ounces of chopped white chocolate or melting chips (like the ones you find at the craft store from Wilton). Stir until melted and take care not to burn or scald the white chocolate. Once it is all melted, dip the treat into the chocolate. Cover 5 sides, leaving the bottom where the stick meets the treat, uncovered. Use sprinkles (double check those ingredient list for any possible food allergens) or candies to sprinkle over the chocolate. Cover all sides, except the bottom. Place back on the cookie sheet that has been covered with wax paper. When all treats are decorated, return to the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

They should sit out for about 20-30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Yields 12 treats.

Note: If you read the recipe for GF Brownie Pops from an earlier post of mine, you may recognize the orange colored white chocolate and the same sprinkles. There is no shame in using up ingredients, people! If you got it, use it!

Raisinet Recall

2010-10-25T14:53:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Halloween...

Nestle Recalls Fun-Size Raisinets Over Allergy Concerns

LA FAAN Walk 2010

2010-10-24T19:56:00.001-07:00

Our team shirts, ready to be delivered.

Our team captain, adorned in latex.

Our float.

Milo was bitter because there was no room for him in the float.

Hanging out in a tree, waiting for the walk to start.

The Walk was a great success. It was nice to be surrounded by so much love and support. My family came out to walk with us on what turned out to be an amazing California day. There were so many beautiful families and groups of friends. We dressed in purple; Ella's favorite color. My 6' 5" brother-in-law was even man enough to wear a shirt that was bedazzled in rhinestones in the shape of a peace sign. (He gets major points for this, in my book).

Why the peace signs? Well, if you happen to have or know a child in grade school you may have noticed that peace symbols are quite trendy right now. You can be certain that our little group of 3-5 year olds have no concept of "peace" but they sure can identify its symbol. So I indulged Ella on this one. All of our shirts had the image, as well as our "float" which was a very elaborately dressed Radio Flyer wagon. We made "Team Ella" signs with glitter foam, attached some sparkly purple bows, added a few "no sesame, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and wheat" signs, and finished it all off with some purple leopard print ribbon. A job that even Fancy Nancy would approve of. We also decorated our two team strollers.

The walk, itself, was not bad. Two miles, along Santa Monica Beach. It has been overcast and raining all week. But we were graced with a break in the clouds and some 70 degree weather. I had the opportunity to meet lots of new people and share stories. And we also were able to enjoy the music, balloon making and free samples that the vendors had to offer.

The organizers did a top notch job with everything. We appreciate all of your dedication and hard work. Our team earned over $1000, which is quite a feat in this shaky economy. Thanks again to all who made contributions. Hopefully some day we will find a cure.

If you are interested in participating in one of these walks, they take place all over the USA. There are several upcoming walks. Maybe there is one in your area? To find out more information, check out FAAN's Walk for Food Allergy site.

Gluten-Free Oreos

2010-10-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

Gluten-Free Girl just posted this recipe for GF Oreos. They look pretty fab. Here is a link to the recipe...

Gluten-Free Oreos by Gluten-Free Girl

GF and Wheat-Free Paper Mache/Papier Mache

2010-10-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

We have been going crazy with the Halloween crafting this year. Something that I used to love to do as a child was paper mache or if you like to spell things the French way, papier mache. The traditional papier mache paste is made with flour and water. But after some internet sleuthing, I found two ways to make it without using flour.

1) Mix 2 parts white glue with 1 part warm water. Combine well. Paste is ready for use!

2) Claycrete Instant Papier Mache This product is made from paper and is finely ground into a dust. You mix it with water, kneed it a bit and mould it. You do not need to use strips of paper, newsprint or magazines; the mix is all you need.

We tried both ways and quite honestly, I preferred the old fashioned way; using option #1. This is how we made our pumpkins...

Papier Mache using wheat flour-free paste

You will need:

Batch of Paste (see option #1, above)

2 Old Magazines or Catalogs or 1 section of a newspaper, cut into 2"x 6" strips

4-5 latex balloons

Paper Cups

Acrylic craft paint (orange and black)

Glue

Black glitter

Green pipe cleaners

Green paper or foam leaves

Hole punch

Twine or ribbon

Cover a work surface with butcher paper or newsprint. Mix the paste, according to the instructions (1) above. Place cut strips next to your bowl of paste. Blow up balloons to desired size and rest each in a paper cup. (You can use any kind of cup, I liked the paper ones because clean up was a breeze). Place each strip, one at a time, into the glue. Squeezing off as much excess as you can into the bowl.

Begin to layer the strips on top of balloon. Place the strips on top of each other, overlapping slightly. Layer them in a perpendicular fashion; one goes vertical and the next horizontal and so on.

Continue this process, as you work your way around the balloon.

Cover the entire balloon, right up to the base of the balloon but do not cover the "belly button". Leave that part sticking out.

Set the balloons aside to dry. This should take about 12 hours or overnight. Make sure to flip the balloons as some point during this time so that the underside can dry and the papier mache does not stick to the cup.

Once the balloons have dried completely, it is time to paint them. Paint the main body of the balloon, orange. Allow to dry completely. Draw the face with black paint or if you prefer, paint the face with glue and sprinkle with glitter. Be sure to shake off all of the excess.

Once the pumpkins have dried, you can remove the latex balloon. Hold onto the belly button and pull on it slightly. Cut the latex, making sure not to sever it all of the way. As the air escapes, you will hear a crumble, crunch sound. Remove the balloon and any paste crumbles that are left behind.

To make a stem, simply leave the hole left by the belly button, as is. Create the stem out of the pipe cleaners. Hot glue it into the top. You can also add leaves made from paper or green foam sheets, if you desire.

If you want to make a pumpkin pot, for carrying or displaying goodies you can cut a bigger hole in the top with scissors. Punch two holes with a hold punch on opposite sides of the pumpkin's face. (As far down as your punch will allow, about 1" from the top). Attach ribbon or braided twine to the holes, creating a handle.

If the pumpkins are rolling around a little, simple press them gently on a flat surface. They should even out. You can also spray them with a little polyurethane spray, gloss or matte finish if you want to preserve them a little.

Los Angeles FAAN Walk

2010-10-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

The LA FAAN Walk is less than a week away. If you are in the area and want to join us, please do. The walk will take place in Santa Monica on Sunday, October 24 and hopefully we will have beautiful weather. If you would like to check out our personal page, "Team Ella", go here...

http://www.foodallergywalk.org/site/TR/2010Walk/2010Walks?px=1344588&pg=personal&fr_id=1480

Our fundraising goal is a bit smaller this year, as so many people have been hit hard by the economic situation. But we are almost there!

If you are planning on doing the walk and want to join our team we would welcome it. Or if you happen to be going already, look for us. We will be wearing purple. And chances are quite good that I will have a baked goody or two!

GF Brownie Pops, Halloween Style!

2010-10-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

As many of you who read this blog frequently know, I like to collect baking pans. Recently, I mentioned the braided loaf pan that we have been enjoying. My newest acquisition is a brownie pop pan. Yep, I have a habit. I have seen these pops in magazines and at friend's parties for quite some time. And I thought it would be fun to have another way to make wheat/gluten free treats. For my first adventure, I decided to use the GF brownie mix from Trader Joe's. Mostly because it is so simple to use and I happened to have a bag on hand. The instructions on the pan's packaging suggested that you insert the stick in one of two ways... 1) Halfway through its baking time or 2) After the mini cake has cooked, removed them from the pan and insert the stick as it cools. I tried both ways and had great success with the latter. For some reason the sticks kept falling over when they were in the oven. (The second method made dipping a lot easier, too.)

This was version #1. As you can see, the sticks are already leaning a bit.

I dipped the pops in melted white chocolate that was orange colored. And then I had Ella sprinkle the orange and black jimmies over them. (We also tried dipping the wet pops in the sprinkles but they got too goopy. It was a mess.)

But if you happen to be looking for a fun activity and treat and are getting tired of cupcakes, you may want to consider investing in one of these pans. They can be found online or most places that carry Wilton pans, like Michaels.

Ella is already planning her Christmas version. And Milo is already waiting in line to eat them.

Yum! (NOT!)

2010-10-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

This is a photo that has been making the rounds lately, via e-mails and Facebook. It is a photo of msm (mechanically separated meat). Chickens are turned into this goop and made into nuggets. It is made from the parts of the chicken that are left over, after processing. To combat the risk of bacteria growth, it is washed with ammonia and then re-flavored artificially. Because the color turns pink, it then has to be dyed with additional artificial colors.

This image has been stuck in my head for days and I decided to go to snopes.com and see if there was any truth to it. According to their research this is both true and false information. If you are curious, you should check out their report. (See link above).

What I got out of is is that processed chicken nuggets are gross, no matter how you slice it. And certainly not something I want my kids to eat on a regular basis. (Too much handling = scary, in my book. Especially when we are talking about an animal product).

Yesterday at the parents meeting at my daughter's school, there was a lot of discussion about what kind of chicken to serve to the children for hot lunch. All of the parents want the kids to eat grilled chicken. All the kids want are nuggets. Here is a really interesting video link from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on the topic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9B7im8aQjo&feature=player_embedded

Thankfully, our daughter does not partake in the school hot lunches because of her multiple food allergies. When I make chicken strips I do it with organic meat that has been covered in cornflakes. But I anticipate that this will be something we will have to deal with when my son hits grade school, as this is the kind of junk he LOVES to eat. Hopefully, this image will still be in my mind.

Try, try and try again!

2010-10-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was my son's birthday party. He does not happen to have food allergies but three of the children who came have severe food allergies and one parent who is gluten intolerant. When I asked my son what he wanted for his birthday he said, "Cupcakes!" And since I have been known to bake on occasion, I felt like it was a reasonable request. His theme was "Toy Story" so I decided to make Mr. Potato Head, Hamm and alien cupcakes. My original plan was to make another wheat-free, nut-free, egg-free and dairy free cupcake for Ella and her friends. (Something that was easily distinguishable from the rest.) I bought a mix from Whole Foods (usually I use a cookbook recipe, but I thought I would save a bit of time measuring if I used a mix). The cover of the box said it was free of everything on my list, plus corn-free. It said, "Add your own sweetener" which I assumed meant that the sweetener was the only thing that I would have to add. I quickly scanned the ingredients and everything looked good. It wasn't until the night before the party when I realized that I would have to add one cup of milk and SIX eggs to make the cake. Please tell me in what world this is dairy free and egg free? (They did not offer any alternatives for the eggs but suggested rice or soy milk, in lieu of cow's milk.) So I was in a pickle. The recipes that I had called for ingredients that I did not have. So I was left to improvise. I decided to make Ella wheat-free and gluten-free cupcakes (with dairy) and then I made rice crispy treats with dairy free margarine. After the treats set, my plan was to cut them into circles and decorate them (along with the GF cupcakes) like Jessie's hat. I pulled out a recipe for vegan/ dairy-free frosting. Everything was going great until I added the gel food coloring... when everything started to separate. Something that really grosses me out for some odd reason. And then I second guessed myself, yet again, when I started worrying that the red food coloring might cause issues for the other little girl. So I made a version with white frosting and sprinkles.

Dairy-free, egg-free rice crispy treats, done 2 ways.

(Intervention? Therapy? This woman needs help!)

And then I ended up frosting Ella's cupcakes with traditional buttercream. Hey, go with what you know! This is how they turned out...

Ella's wheat-free/GF cupcakes

So for a party of 20 children and 2o adults, I ended up making 4 types of cupcakes and rice crispy treats. Each one was worth it. The mother of the little girl told me how much she appreciated my efforts. And that was enough for me.

Unfortunately, everyone at the party is now convinced that I am a total lunatic. Which is not so far from the truth! :)

Vaccines

2010-10-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

The controversy over vaccines never seems to end. I read about this case today and am not sure how or if it relates to food allergies but as a parent, I find it interesting. We happen to believe strongly in vaccinating our children, but there hasn't been a single doctor visit that I have not cringed, cried and prayed that I was doing the right thing. Sadly, I have a friend who lost a child to the flu a few years back... and if she had been vaccinated, she would have been protected. (The flu strain that she got was the same as the immunization that year.) The little girl was 2.

That being said, I am still totally open to all debate on this issue and pass no judgement on those who decide against vaccinating their children. Clearly, this is a very complex issue and every parent has to make their own decisions based on what is best for their kids. Recently, we agonized over the MMR booster for our daughter who had a horrific reaction to her first MMR shot. Thankfully, reader Linda from New Jersey suggested that we take a titer test to check the level of antibodies in her blood needed to fight the measles, mumps and rubella. As it turns out, her levels were more than high enough and the booster would have been uneccesary overkill. This is something that should be discussed with your doctor if it is something that you are considering. We live in California and the laws are pretty strict when it comes to school aged children and their immunizations. We have had to jump through a few hoops since school started; lots of letters being faxed back and forth, to confirm that Ella does not need the booster. Thankfully, our doctor and our school are very patient and have been willing to work with us.

In any case, if you are interested in the above mentioned article from today's Huffington Post, here it is...

Vaccine Side Effects Case Could Go to the Supreme Court

Allergen Free Halloween Party near Atlanta

2010-10-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

If you happen to live near Sandy Springs, in the Atlanta area and you have a little one with food allergies, you may want to check this out. A non-profit group has teamed up with the fire department to throw a Halloween party for kids with food allergies. Cool! The party will be on October 23 at Fire Station #2. There will be games, crafts and prizes. The children will receive a goody bag with non-food items. They will also get to meet firefighters and see the trucks. Organizers ask that no food be brought to the event.

If you live in the area and want to attend, you need to register in advance. E-mail the number of children attending to

confirm@fakidsatl.org or by calling 404-512-7983

Kids really are more allergic

2010-10-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is from Time.com. It sort of reiterates a bunch of the articles that I have been posting lately, but with much of the data in one place. Worth a read...

Not Just Your Imagination: Kids Really Are More Allergic

Early or Late: When Should Foods Be Introduced?

2010-10-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Ella, 8 Months Old

Lately, there seems to be a shift in thinking about food allergies and when to introduce certain foods into a child's diet. My daughter is five and when she was two the common advice that was handed out was that children should wait until age two before trying any kind of nut. Now research is indicating that EARLY introduction might be the best way to avoid food allergies.

We were also encouraged to breastfeed our daughter, because that is supposed to help minimize allergies. I breastfed Ella for a year. I did let her drink formula from time to time after about 10 months, just in case I was killed in a freak accident and unable to feed her. As it turned out, I had to have an emergency appendectomy and spent an entire week in the hospital. It was one week before her first birthday. Because of all of the drugs in my system, I had to force wean her. (It was a nightmare for me, and she barely seemed to notice). Thank God for the formula!

From six months on, her diet was heavy on wheat. Pasta, bagels, bread, crackers... the typical American diet!We gave her soy around that time, as well. We let her have eggs some time in that period and she hated them. Through it all, she had eczema on her the insides of her arms and behind her knees. I just thought she had dry skin.

Since we were trying to do everything by the book, we waited until her second birthday to let her sample nuts. We started with peanut butter. She didn't want any part of it. When she did put some in her mouth, there was no reaction. It seemed like a good sign. Then we let her have pesto or something with pine nuts, again no reaction other than her refusing to eat it. The turning point in our lives happened when we let her have a pistachio. It is a story that I have told a thousand times and it never gets easier to remember that day. She put a fraction of the nut into her mouth. She spit it out; screamed as if it were a burning jalapeno. Within seconds, she had hives all over her lips. Within a few minutes, her eyes were swollen shut. And then she started started having trouble breathing; it was textbook anaphylaxis. I was pregnant with my son at the time. And the hormones + the stress of the situation, kicked in. I drove her, like a maniac, to the ER. As soon as we got there, they ushered us in. She was given an IV and they administered antihistamines, epinephrine, and steroids. We remained there for several hours as we waited for the swelling to go down.

Two weeks later, we had her blood allergy tested for dozens of foods. We were shocked when we got the results... wheat, eggs, soy, all tree nuts, peanuts and sesame. She was highly allergic to all of these things. I cannot say why she did not react to the peanut butter or the pine nuts. But she clearly had been having some difficulty with the other things, as evidenced by her horrible skin rashes.

I am a bit baffled about this new research, from a personal stand point. We do not have a history of food allergies in our family. She had wheat as soon as she was able to eat (early introduction) and she is allergic to it. And we waited on the nuts (later introduction) and she is allergic to them. I am very curious about what the experiences of my readers were. You may want to also check out this article from Med India...

Overprotective Parents Put Their Kids at Higher Risk of Food Allergies

(Talk about an annoying title!)

Did you breastfeed/were you breastfed? When were the allergic foods first introduced? If you have a moment, I would love to hear your story. Either in the comments section or on my Facebook page...

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Living-WELL-with-Food-Allergies/104254489630769

Black Male Children Have Highest Rates of Food Allergies

2010-10-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article that is worth taking a look at. Sort puts the kibosh on the theory that food allergies are a yuppie phenomenon and only happens to upper middle class, white kids. (Sorry, Joel. I had to say it.)

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/643891.html

Favorite Cookbooks Gadget

2010-10-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

I just added a new bar to the right of this page, which lists all of my favorite allergy-free cookbooks. Check it out if you are looking for something specific. I have tried to call out what the book avoids for easy reference.

Exciting, encouraging research from Johns Hopkins

2010-10-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Really? I can eat cheese again?

Johns Hopkins researchers Turn Off Severe Food Allergies in Mice

Flu Vaccinations and Food Allergies

2010-10-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

This is from today's Businessweek...

Kids with Food Allergies Shouldn't Skip Flu Shots, Experts Say

Something to think about. I know that our house has already been hit hard with lots of viruses and it is barely Fall. I want to do everything in my power to stop things from being spread around and keep the kids healthy. If you need more convincing, here is a post of mine from July to consider...

New Thinking on Flu Shots & Egg Allergies

And take those vitamins!

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef Cookbook

2010-10-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

Super jazzed to see that my copy of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef by Shauna James Ahern and Daniel Ahern arrived in the mail today. I have not yet made any of the recipes but I know that I am going to love, love, LOVE it! It is very well art directed and there are lots of personal stories interspersed throughout the book (totally my kind of thing). It is a cookbook for those who have a more sophisticated palate. Some of the things that I cannot wait to try are the Smoked-Salt Caramel Ice Cream (drool!), the Arugula-Fig Salad with Blue Cheese & Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, Gluten-Free Crackers, Risotto with English Peas, Fava Beans and Prosciutto, and Fresh Gluten-Free Pasta. I can imagine that Celiacs all over the place are singing! Several of our friends are Gluten Intolerant and I am so happy to have this as a resource for my library, should they ever pop by for dinner. And it will come in handy over the holidays when I need to create something my family will love AND is safe for Ella to eat.

This is definitely a "grown-up" cookbook for the true foodies out there. The recipes are fairly simple to follow and the ingredient lists are not ridiculous. I highly recommend it to anyone who might be looking for this sort of a thing. (And I will post more of a review once I actually cook something from the book. I am just so darn excited, I wanted to share!)

Organic produce delivered to your door: A GREAT thing!

2010-09-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Many areas now have companies that deliver fresh, seasonal and local, organic produce right to your door. I have heard about this quite a bit from my friends and I was interested but not enough to try it out. And then my son's school sent home a flier from a local delivery company that also donates a portion of their profits to our school. Talk about a cool fundraiser! So I decided to go for it. The company is called Farm Fresh to You and each week they are delivering a mixture of fruits and vegetables to us. (They have lots of packages available, varying prices and quantities.) We are getting their regular package which is $31.50/week.

Last week we received heirloom tomatoes, rapini, chard, green grapes, cantaloupe, black plums, baby bok choy, sweet peppers, red radishes, arugula and fingerling potatoes. I will tell you many of those items are not ones that I would normally buy, but that is a very good thing. It has pushed me to make new things or to adapt old recipes.

On Sunday, we had a little play date at our house. My kids have been really into waffles lately so I decided to use up the cantaloupe and the grapes. We made melon balls, which was a great activity for Ella as I prepared the rest of the meal. Naturally, bacon was involved. But we opted for the "healthier" turkey bacon; still good! I made the wheat free waffles from scratch but you could also use a frozen version like Van's, if you were interested in make a similar meal.

Sunday Brunch

Tonight we are having two meals. One for Kid #1 (Ella) who refuses to eat anything that has sauce or tomatoes. So I threw together a soup with mushrooms, ginger, carrots, snap peas and the baby bok choy. I will add some mung bean noodles before I serve it.

Dinner For Kid #1

The rest of us our having a version of Mama's Spaghetti. A staple around here. But instead of using canned foods, like I normally do for this recipe, I am subbing everything out with fresh veggies. I am using up the heirloom tomatoes and sweet peppers from our delivery. It smells Heavenly and tastes even better!

Dinner For Kid #2 (and the rest of us)

If you have thought about doing a produce delivery service, I would highly encourage you to do it. It is a good way to eat more fruits and veggies an may challenge you to try new recipes.

CNN Poll: Vote Now!!!!!

2010-09-28T16:37:00.000-07:00

There is a CNN poll going on right now about peanut bans in schools. Please take a second to vote and make your voice heard. And pass along a link to your friends and family.

Also, if you are easily disturbed steer clear of the comments section. (It is so easy to spew anger and hostility when you are hiding behind a computer.) Since I have read a lot of this garbage, again and again, I am choosing to ignore it. Besides, I promised my husband that I would avoid it.

To vote...

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/09/28/lunchtime-poll-the-peanut-butter-ban/

Food Allergies Make Kids a Target of Bullies

2010-09-28T12:31:00.000-07:00

And this, from CNN today. We need to protect our kids. This is so frustrating...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/09/28/food.allergy.bullying/?hpt=T2