Baby B's Top Ten

A new page has arrived! This is the place to go for new finds for baking with FPIES/ PI kiddos, allergen friendly companies, and our general favorites for foods and food prep related to our cause-- feeding the FPIES baby/toddler/preschooler and doing it with FLAVOR!

This week's 10 for 4-25-11 (boy oh boy am I behind!!!!)

10. Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Nectar
Use it as a honey substitute, use it in place of maple syrup, use it as a sweetener! This thick syrup comes from the sap of a coconut tree, so it doesn't taste very coconuty like you might expect, just sweet! www.coconutsecret.com

9. American Spoon Preserves
Found these today at Whole Foods and although they are made in a facility with a laundry list of B's trigger foods, I will still be hopeful that (after contacting the company) she will be fine with the strawberry preserves. Ingredients? Strawberries, sugar and lemon juice. No stinking apple pectin--- hooray!!!!! http://www.spoon.com/

8. Kosher for Passover
Enough said! Be sure to check out all of the selections with this season of the year! The margarine in particular  is not only soy and dairy free (as well as other allergens free)-- it is made with palm oil and/or canola! Stock up--Passover only comes once a year!

7. So Delicious Coconut Milk Drink Boxes (8 pk I believe)
They come in vanilla, chocolate, and sugar free original. We will be trying the chocolate one soon!

6. Once Again Sunflower Butter
No soy/dairy/gluten/peanut contamination, but they are processed on shared equipment with cashews and almonds, though the nice lady on the phone reassured me that the equipment is chemically cleaned in between processing of each product. Ingredients? Sunflower seeds (roasted) and salt. That's all! Will be trialling this week! http://onceagainnutbutter.com/Home_Page.html

5. Beets!
Quite the powerfood, beets can be used to make homemade food dye (golden beets make a lovely sunshiney orange gold dye; red ones make a lovely reddish purple dye), roasted, pureed and used in baking, used for soup!! Check out the nutritional values on here:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49

4. Funky Food Allergy Blog
Her recipes are kid friendly and easily adaptable! I have tried making many of them for B, with great success!
http://www.funkyfoodallergies.blogspot.com/

3. FPIES mama's blogging away!
These mamas have been BUSY-- managing their families, managing the special concerns regarding the safety of their little ones with FPIES, and these wonderful ladies STILL have time to blog and share their journeys! Amazing and incredible resources for the family who have become FPIES veterans as well as the family just beginning the FPIES journey! See the home page of this blog for a list! If you want to be added to the list, just let me know! Leave a comment below!

2. Local Station ABC 40
They helped us bring FPIES awareness to our community and helped to promote our fundraiser by featuring our family on the evening and morning news broadcasts!
http://www.wggb.com/Global/story.asp?S=14396766

1. Yogurt!
Homemade, that is! Made possible by a good friend, only a tiny bit of recipe tinkering was required (B can't have gelatin). No need for a yogurt starter (a "typical one at least)--- simply use the probiotics that are already safe for you and your child!! Check out her blog while you look over the yogurt recipe! http://yummyinmyfpiestummy.blogspot.com/2011/04/safe-yogurt.html

This week's 10, for 11-14-10:

10. Sweet Tree Sustainable Sweeteners/ Coconut Palm Sugar
Low glycemic index, organic and high nutrient. What's not to love?! AND it bakes beautifully-- think of halfway between the baked results of white sugar and brown sugar. Makes wonderful textures for baked goods! It is a little sweeter tasting, so maybe use a little less than the recipe calls for. Found at Whole Foods!

9. Coconut Secret/ Raw Coconut Aminos Soy-Free Seasoning Sauce
A substitute for soy sauce-- use it in stir fries and other Asian-style cooking endeavors! I can't wait to try a quinoa, rutabaga and pineapple stir fry for our rutabaga trial! Found at Whole Foods!

8. Quinoa
What a great food-- its no wonder the Incas revered this pseudo grain so highly!! It is also super versatile, in addition to be an excellent source of protein, fiber and has an amazing amino acid profile (http://www.quinoa.net/199.html) You can use the seeds, flakes and flour for baking; the seeds and flakes for simply cooking and eating; and the seeds can even be used to make quinoa butter (peanut butter substitute) and quinoa milk!!

7. Polenta
We like the instant polenta-- comes powdered in a box. Boil some water, throw in the polenta, reduce the heat, and stir until thickened to desired consistency. You can then use the mixture as "dough" and cook in a skillet. Great for a quick on-the-road meal (if you don't do the skillet step) or part of a quick dinner after a long day! Colavita is our current brand, reasonably priced at 2.99 for a 1 lb box!

6. Elyon Natural Vanilla Marshmallows
Corn, tapioca and KOSHER gelatin!!! The gelatin is made from Nile perch or tilapia, so no worries for those who react to pork or beef. It is certified Kosher Parve and available at Whole Foods!

5. Boxed Hemp and Boxed Coconut Milk
Great for the emergency food supply to keep in the basement or in the car for those cold winter months. We always think of keeping safe foods for everyday use, but what about in case of emergency? Until they are opened, these milks do NOT need to be refrigerated!

4. Rutabagas
Still have to experiment with these, but from everything I have been reading, they cook similarly to potatoes (can make pasta, french fries, dumplings, etc. with them) but have a much more substantial nutritional profile (http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2611/2)

3. Non-Food Stocking Stuffers
Target, Walmart and other stores have non-food stocking stuffers that are adorable and appropriate for a variety of ages, if you are unable to put candy in your LO's stocking this year. And these are much less sticky than their candy counterparts. . .

2. Ceres Brand Juices
The pear, papaya and mango juices have NO corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, apple juice, or grape juice. Very short ingredient lists and they are boxed so they can be stored outside of the fridge when not opened. If your LO can have pear, these are a great line of juices to try! Found them at Whole Foods. . .

1. Dishwasher Safe Cookware
I can wash it and then sterilize it so that B can use it and so can the rest of the family!! Less pans taking up space in my small cabinets!

*** A BONUS Fav: Joann Fabrics stores are selling bee themed cookware-- I picked up a cake pan for B's second bday!! http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/productdetail.jsp?pageName=search&flag=true&PRODID=zprd_02247682a



This week's 10, for 10-24-10:

10. Full Circle Prenatal Vitamins:
Great for breast feeding moms and allergen free! I just picked them up at our local grocery store! Also, they are BPA friendly!

9. Frontier Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract:
Has a phenomenal  flavor (just made the best cookies ever!), is corn/wheat/dairy/soy/etc free, and is found at Whole Foods as well as online.

8. Coconut Oil: 
Great for cooking and loaded with nutrients! 100% pure coconut oil by Jarrow Formulas was at Whole Foods for a little over seven dollars, 16oz jar.

7. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Pancake Mix:
A mix that is not only gluten, soy, dairy and egg free, but is also RICE free!

6. Masa Harina:
I love masa. There is no hiding it. It will always be a favorite because it opened the door to baked goods, cookies in particular, for my beautiful B.

5. Arrowroot:
This starch is a little sensitive, but it is very VERY well tolerated (in olden times, they used it to feed very sick invalids!) Works great as a thickener for pie fillings, but also can be used in some recipes as an egg substitute and/or a binding agent. Adds a little sweetness without the sugar and can also be used as a base for a pudding. Be sure to check out its Japanese "cousin" Kudzuko-- cooks similarly and historically is said to have healing properties for digestion and in treating addictions!

4. The PIC Foundation:
An excellent support source for anyone who loves a PI child/toddler/infant! http://www.facebook.com/pages/PIC-Protein-Intolerant-Children-Foundation/149795518371805

3. The FPIES United Family Fund:
A fund working to raise money for research through CHOP!! http://giving.chop.edu/goto/fpiesfund

2. "Crunchy" Mamas:
Those who have supported us in breastfeeding, homemade baby food and slinging-- B and my lifesaver for her first year!

1. Other Parents of FPIES and PI Little Ones:
Alone, we are lost. Together, we and our children finally fit in. I love all of you guys!!!

And of course, my beautiful Baby B-- there is no rank for her, as she trumps them all! She is my passion and my drive, she is my love and my everything! And for the support of my DH-- this cannot be ranked, either! I would be lost without him!