Gluten Free Goodies!

We had the privilege of trying a number of new Gluten Free, Vegan and/or Health Smart products thanks to our friends at the Gluten Free Media Group. Most of you know that we have restricted diet due to food allergies (egg, milk, tree nut and agave) and we try to limit gluten. What many people do not know is that the amount of gluten in things we eat every day, like bread and pasta, is as much as 200% higher now than when I was a child. Meaning it is being put into foods. Just something to think about!

Our lovely box of goodies was full of great items we have never tried (with the exception of Skinny Pop, which we love and IS VEGAN... EVEN THE CHEESE FLAVOR!!!)

These supplements have been awesome as we struggle through an awful NJ spring allergy season. They also taste fantastic! 

I am now in love with these pumpkin seeds. I like to keep things like this in my van and purse. These are a new must!

And, how the heck can you go wrong with chocolate!

This was a new category for us. It is a sauce to add to asian inspired dishes. I have been trying to master a few dishes in this category so I can't wait to get testing!

I LOVED THIS BAR! I limit my carbs because I am insulin resistant and with only 4 net grams of carbs these are awesome. I haven't seen them in stores but amazon had them.

We have tried many different sunbutters but these are tops! And the little pouch is ideal for track meets or games. 

Who thought a quinoa cookie could be good? It was!!!

Love, love, love, love, love!

Everything in our box this month was a hit. I suggest if you can get yours hands on some, go try them!!!

New Jersey GFAF Expo

I was lucky enough to be chosen as an official expo blogger for the New Jersey Gluten and Allergen Free Expo. This is a meeting place for companies to display the many wonderful options available for people living with different food allergies.

As most of you know this is a topic near and dear to my heart. When Abby was first introduced to dairy milk and eggs as an infant she had an immediate and frightening response. As it turned out she has an anaphylactic allergy to ingestion or touch of eggs, cow's milk, tree nuts, agave and blueberries. We spent years strictly avoiding these foods and being very cautious about what we fed her. Since that time she has food challenged a few tree nuts and blueberries so these are all on her safe list. 

In addition to Abby's allergies, my niece Genna had a severe allergy to peanuts and my nephew Jordan (who linked me us with GFAF) has a severe intolerance to dairy and gluten. Life with food allergies and intolerances are no fun at all!

So, I ask you to join us at the NJ GFAF expo in Secaucus, NJ on September 6 & 7th. The expo is at the Meadowlands Expo Center and there will be a wide variety of sponsors and presenters in attendance. We are all very excited to be a part of it and I can't wait to share with you!

If you are able to attend, please leave me a comment below and I will be choosing one lucky winner of four free tickets (using a random number generator) on August 1st!

If you click the banner below you will be taken to the link for discounted tickets.

We hope to see you there!!

Campfire Bars

Because the girls are in an inclusion class AND have a variety of aides and therapists our Christmas list for school can get quite lengthy. So, we try to be creative and think of a nice homemade gift that saves us money but also shows our teachers how much we love and appreciate them. This year we decided to try one of those lovely mixes that comes in a jar where only a few ingredients are needed by the recipient to enjoy the treat. We looked and looked and settled on Campfire Bars.

Campfire Bars Mix:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup graham cracker pieces broken to 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (any size)
• 1/2 cup granola or oatmeal
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Optional: 1/2 cup sliced almonds

1. In a clean one quart jar layer the above ingredients (in order). You will need to press lightly to fit everything into a quart jar. 
2. Seal the jar with either a canning rim and lid or a plastic cap. 
3. Add decorative touches (we used a store bought cover and label) and prepare the cooking instructions on a separate card (or the label). 
4. Cooking Label: Preheat the over to 350 degrees. In a large bowl combine the contents of the jar with 6 tablespoons unsalted butter which has been melted. Stir thoroughly. Press into a cooking spray prepared 9 inch square pan.  Bake 12-15 minutes and cool before serving. 

**Note that by using vegan dark chocolate chips (we loved trader joes) and Earth's Balance Soy Butter this becomes a vegan recipe!

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

I might have never tried this recipe. That is until my Mom handed me a very ripe avocado and said "I really don't want this to go to waste". Was that a challenge? Probably not but I took it as one. I thought about guacamole but that didn't hit the spot. Avocado burgers? Not on meatless Monday. :D

Then it came to me. I had seen a segment on (I believe) Rachel Ray on making chocolate mousse from avocado's. I scoured the internet but couldn't find that particular recipe. So I took a little from one recipe and a little more from another and dessert was a go.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse



by Kristen Fescoe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: NONE!




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Ingredients (serves 4)

2-3 Ripe Avocado's
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup honey or agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 TB vanilla soy milk

Optional:


Fruit for topping
Grated dark chocolate




Instructions

1. Half the avocado and remove the pit. Scoop out the avocado and place into blender or food processor

2. Add the cocoa powder, honey, vanilla and milk

3. Begin on low and move to high. Blend until smooth and creamy. You can add more milk to thin it down.

4. Check the flavor and add more honey or vanilla according to your taste.

5. Place the mousse into a plastic bag and cut the tip of the bag. Pipe the mousse into a bowl.

6. If desired arrange fruit and grated chocolate.

7. Enjoy!


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Allergy testing

Two weeks ago the girls had their bi annual visit to the allergist. It's one of the many specialist visits we like to knock off during the summer months. Everything with Grace looked good. We have to start her flovent for the remained of the fall. She flares (her asthma) horribly during the spring and fall.

Abby had skin testing and unfortunately her egg and milk reactions were big and ugly again. So no progress there. :( Her tree nut testing was all over the place. Ones that were clear last time showed allergies and vice versa. She was officially cleared for almonds and hazelnut. The pecan testing showed a mild positive reaction but the allergist decided he was ready to do a food challenge for pecans. We lucked out and got a cancellation spot. (The waiting list is 2-3 months long.)

So we had to be at the hospital at 7:15 am last Tuesday morning. She couldn't eat anything but clear liquids after midnight so she was starving but in good spirits.

 *Breakfast of champions

A food challenge is done at the main hospital on the day medical floor. They have to be under strict supervision in case of a severe allergy. They mix the allergen into something they can eat in increasing doses. We started with 1/8 tsp of ground pecans. The dose doubles every 20 minutes until she either shows symptoms or eats a full ounce with no reaction.

All in all she did great.

 *Abby's digs

The whole test took almost 6 hours so it was an incredibly long day.

 *Mine :(

We had to stop the challenge one time for mild symptoms but she was able to finish. What I didn't realize is that a skin test will always be the last to show up. So even though her tongue and mouth itched during the test she was able to continue. They are looking for a systemic allergy where either she has hives or is sick to her stomach. She did have stomach pains so when she has pecans over the next few weeks we need to keep an eye on her.

The other odd thing is that if you pass a food challenge you are asked to eat that food 2-3 times a week to continue building and maintaining a tolerance to that food. It doesn't sound like much but it might be a pain to work it in every week. We will do our best.

So next will be blueberry. I am pretty sure she'll fail that one but her allergist is adamant we test her. So for now we wait for a spot. 

Would you believe this is vegan???

I have found a few regular food items that Abby has been delighted by. They are brilliant moments in our household. We can almost celebrate when we find out that something bought off a store shelf (and tastes delicious) is "Abby-Friendly". Here are a few of our favorite finds:

- OREOS!!! The plain chocolate and the vanilla.

- Certain "off the shelf" icing. Not all brands but a few are!

- Campbell's gravies. All of them!

- The new cereal muffin mixes. If you use egg replacer to bake them up they are wonderful!

- Some of the Tastycake baked fruit pies

- Orville Redinbacher (sp?) Natural Popcorn

MORE food allergies

In the wake of the very scary fall Abby had on Monday (if you don't read my other blog you can see the whole tale HERE) Tuesday didn't prove to end much better. In the middle of the afternoon I was feeling guilty about not doing much with the girls all day. I am back to work soon so I have been scrambling to get caught up. I decided we would do a little quick cooking (which they love) so we decided to try a new recipe. The recipe called for several vegan things Abby has had in the past but also raw cashews, walnuts and agave. (The recipe is insanely good and I HIGHLY recommend it. See Here.)

We were nibbling as we ate, which we always do. When we were done we all tried a little bite of our treat. Within twenty minutes Abby started complaining that she felt sick. I looked at her and she was swollen (in her face) and splotchy all over. It looked almost identical to her egg and milk reaction only maybe a little worse. She was COVERED from head to toe in hives and a rash. I quickly gave her Benadryl. The reaction continued and her sinuses filled and swelled up. She couldn't breath from her nose at all. I was about ready to go to the ER when the swelling subsided a little. We did a bath, a second dose of Benadryl and waited it out.

I called the allergist and they strongly suggest the tree nuts. She will have to go do MORE skin testing in a few weeks but it looks like a tree nut allergy. It's not a huge deal since we deal with avoidance to other foods but it just feels like one more thing to have to look for on the label. The poor kid!

Doughnuts!

For all of Abby's life we have made a variety of accomodations for her food allergies. We have figured out how to make just about everything she could possibly want to eat in a vegan variety. For some reason the biggest fail has been doughnuts. We tried to make them, looked everywhere to buy them and no luck. Jordan has made it his personal mission in life to get the girl a doughnut! :D

Last week at school the girls had the "Doughnuts for Dads" day and I planned on sending in vegan scones and muffins for Abby and Brian. I was elated when a mom of one of the girls classmates (and also a friend) offered to make VEGAN DOUGHNUTS! Abby's very first doughnut!!



Needless to say she absolutely loved it!!

If you deal with food allergies or you are a vegan I highly suggest you check out Michele's blog The Vegetarian Who Hates Tofu. If you search for "doughnuts" you will find the recipe! And even if you are not vegan her kiddo's are adorable so it's well worth giving her blog a look! :D

Food Allergy Resources

I recently found this wonderful blog/wbesite called The Food Allergy Mama. She chronicles her life as a mom of children with severe food allergies. This week we tried the most delicious recipe for Chocolate Brownie Pie with NO peanut, milk or egg and it was out of this world good! I just bought her baking book and I can't wait to get baking.

If you have a child with food allergies I HIGHLY recommend her site.