Have you ever tried those "cookie swap" holiday parties? Everyone makes a few batches of their specialty cookies, brings them to the party, and all leave with an assortment?
Well, since that would surely be a land mine for most of our kids, The FPIES Foundation support group page started our own brand of "cookie swap."
http://thefpiesfoundation.hoop.la/displayForumTopic/content/256164612198048696/reply/lastReply#lastReply
A thread for parents to post their stand-by holiday recipes safe for their FPIES and/or FA kiddos. There are food recipes and non-food recipes--- ideas for craft activities appropriate for small children and family fun events to ring in the holidays! Please check out the thread for some great recipe ideas and ideas for celebrating the holidays without the worry of food. And also--- post your own recipes or craft/family fun ideas as well! The more resources we all share, the easier the holidays will be for everyone. And really, not only do we parents advocate for our own children, but I know we all love being able to help advocate for the small ones of other parents. Let's make it a fun and safe holiday for all! Go to the link now! :)
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Gearing up for the Holidays-- Recipe Challenge!
Well, how did the year go by so quickly? My goodness life is crazy!
It is that time again-- time for holidays and preparation and all of the excitement and worry that can go along with all of that. So what is a mama of a severely food allergic kiddo to do? Do you even have to ask ;)? It is time for a holiday recipe bonanza!
Please stay posted as I will be posting a new holiday recipe at least 3 times a week, maybe more. Some will be my own and others will be modifications of recipes that I have decided to tinker with. And in true form for this website, they will all be Top 8 free, FPIES common trigger free (free of rice, oats, dairy, soy, peas, legumes, green beans, sweet potato, all squash, poultry) and vegan. And they will taste good! Just a note-- I do use coconut in many recipes but it is very easy to sub for if you are coconut avoiders at your home.
Tomorrow's recipe will be for chocolate gingerbread houses, decorated with safe frosting (I will link the recipe-- it is on this site), sweet tarts and smarties. Stay tuned for the following recipes: candy bars, chocolate candy, gum drops, caramels, candy canes, cut out cookies and many many more!
Here is the recipe to kick it off:
Pear Dumplings
Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
A dash of salt
2/3 cup palm oil shortening/safe butter/coconut oil
1/2 cup ice cold water
Filling:
1 cored, peeled pear (asian pear or a bartlett that you cut the top off so it is apple-shaped)
2 Tbsp brown sugar (also add cinnamon if safe. I did not use cinnamon)
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple
Prepare the dough by first mixing all of the dry ingredients and then blending in the shortening with a pastry blender. Add the water last. Form the dough into a ball. If it is too sticky, add more millet or sorghum flour until smooth. Wrap the ball in saran wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Once the dough is ready to come out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a floured safe piece of parchment paper, place ball of refrigerated dough. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough and then place a piece of parchment or wax paper on top to roll out dough (this way, no dough should end up on your rolling pin!). Roll into a circular shape, about 1/4inches thick. Set aside.
Core the pear (or apple if desired instead) with a corer or paring knife. You will want the outside of the pear to remain in tact and uncut. Place fruit on the center of the dough circle. Stuff the inside of the fruit with pineapple chunks and brown sugar-- top pear with any remaining brown sugar.
Make four slits in the dough from the edge to the outside of the fruit (do not cut under the fruit) at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 respectively. Using the parchment paper below, gently fold up each section of dough to the top of the pear. Once all sides are folded upwards, your pear (or apple) will be encased in a little dough dumpling. Pinch the seams together to create seals around the pear and pinch tips together at the top to seal the dough. If you have extra dough, you can make little leaf shapes and adhere them to the top with a touch of wet fingers pressing the dough together. Brush the dough lightly with either a safe milk (we used coconut) or a safe butter/oil, and lift the parchment paper up to place the dumpling on a cookie sheet (using the parchment paper makes for an easy transfer and a cleaner cookie sheet!).
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the outside of the dumpling is slightly browning and is firm. Halfway through the baking time, brush again with milk or oil.
Enjoy! I will post pics tomorrow. This was what i made for B's Thanksgiving dessert and my picky child ate the whole thing!!!!
It is that time again-- time for holidays and preparation and all of the excitement and worry that can go along with all of that. So what is a mama of a severely food allergic kiddo to do? Do you even have to ask ;)? It is time for a holiday recipe bonanza!
Please stay posted as I will be posting a new holiday recipe at least 3 times a week, maybe more. Some will be my own and others will be modifications of recipes that I have decided to tinker with. And in true form for this website, they will all be Top 8 free, FPIES common trigger free (free of rice, oats, dairy, soy, peas, legumes, green beans, sweet potato, all squash, poultry) and vegan. And they will taste good! Just a note-- I do use coconut in many recipes but it is very easy to sub for if you are coconut avoiders at your home.
Tomorrow's recipe will be for chocolate gingerbread houses, decorated with safe frosting (I will link the recipe-- it is on this site), sweet tarts and smarties. Stay tuned for the following recipes: candy bars, chocolate candy, gum drops, caramels, candy canes, cut out cookies and many many more!
Here is the recipe to kick it off:
Pear Dumplings
Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
A dash of salt
2/3 cup palm oil shortening/safe butter/coconut oil
1/2 cup ice cold water
Filling:
1 cored, peeled pear (asian pear or a bartlett that you cut the top off so it is apple-shaped)
2 Tbsp brown sugar (also add cinnamon if safe. I did not use cinnamon)
1/4 cup finely chopped pineapple
Prepare the dough by first mixing all of the dry ingredients and then blending in the shortening with a pastry blender. Add the water last. Form the dough into a ball. If it is too sticky, add more millet or sorghum flour until smooth. Wrap the ball in saran wrap and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Once the dough is ready to come out of the fridge, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a floured safe piece of parchment paper, place ball of refrigerated dough. Sprinkle a bit of flour on top of the dough and then place a piece of parchment or wax paper on top to roll out dough (this way, no dough should end up on your rolling pin!). Roll into a circular shape, about 1/4inches thick. Set aside.
Core the pear (or apple if desired instead) with a corer or paring knife. You will want the outside of the pear to remain in tact and uncut. Place fruit on the center of the dough circle. Stuff the inside of the fruit with pineapple chunks and brown sugar-- top pear with any remaining brown sugar.
Make four slits in the dough from the edge to the outside of the fruit (do not cut under the fruit) at 12:00, 3:00, 6:00, and 9:00 respectively. Using the parchment paper below, gently fold up each section of dough to the top of the pear. Once all sides are folded upwards, your pear (or apple) will be encased in a little dough dumpling. Pinch the seams together to create seals around the pear and pinch tips together at the top to seal the dough. If you have extra dough, you can make little leaf shapes and adhere them to the top with a touch of wet fingers pressing the dough together. Brush the dough lightly with either a safe milk (we used coconut) or a safe butter/oil, and lift the parchment paper up to place the dumpling on a cookie sheet (using the parchment paper makes for an easy transfer and a cleaner cookie sheet!).
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until the outside of the dumpling is slightly browning and is firm. Halfway through the baking time, brush again with milk or oil.
Enjoy! I will post pics tomorrow. This was what i made for B's Thanksgiving dessert and my picky child ate the whole thing!!!!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Peace in the Darkness
In the town of Ofuna, Japan, there is an impressive statue of the Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of peace and mercy. This site also houses the eternal flame from the Nagasaki bombs and several other monuments to peace. The Kannon in Ofuna is also meant to be a site for people from foreign lands to visit when they are feeling homesick, a place for people feeling like strangers in a strange land, wishing for a normalcy that they once knew.
In the midst of the confusion, the dark nights, and the constant battles with foods and helping our children to have pain-free days, we still have moments of clarity and beauty every single day. We have chances to see the world through their eyes, to see the beauty and to not always have to realize the weight of a situation, no matter how daunting or overwhelming it may be. It amazes me that always in the midst of some of the most frustrating days, the times when I am just done with FPIES and angry at what it does to my child and my friends' children, my daughter, my beautiful B brings me back to peace.
Today, I went to the hospital. Not for a reaction, not for an allergy test, not for a check-up. Today I went for an ultrasound and got to see our new baby for the first time. (Yes, I am pregnant! My lack of posting is now hopefully making more sense to all of you! haha) We have fears of food allergies (mainly FPIES) and fears of my heart condition complicating the pregnancy, but all of that washed away when N and I could show B, "Look! That's our baby! You are that baby's big sister!" She saw the tiny hands and the tiny heart beat and with excitement said, "That baby is wigglin' around!!!" Any and all anxiety we had been feeling just left and we all enjoyed the moment together, meeting our new little family member. There will be times to worry, times to prepare. But there will be times for peace. There really must always be time for peace.
When I first saw the Kannon, B and I were riding the train and had become turned around. Not badly lost, but in need of direction. I remember looking out the train window and whispering "Who is THAT?" as I saw a huge alabaster bust rising out of the densely wooded mountain. When we finally went to visit her, it was the most peaceful place and I understood the Kannon's significance. As I try to be more and more in the moment with B, I realize the place that peace really does need to have in my house (and I am sure in all of our houses!) We have been turned around, we have lost our way on a lot of days because of FPIES and all that factors in to that, but I now aim to focus on being in B's moment, finding myself and finding my family in times of peace. And I am so happy to now have two babies, one more of a big girl and one yet to meet the world, to remind me of this and the so many other moments of beauty that will find us, FPIES or not.
In the midst of the confusion, the dark nights, and the constant battles with foods and helping our children to have pain-free days, we still have moments of clarity and beauty every single day. We have chances to see the world through their eyes, to see the beauty and to not always have to realize the weight of a situation, no matter how daunting or overwhelming it may be. It amazes me that always in the midst of some of the most frustrating days, the times when I am just done with FPIES and angry at what it does to my child and my friends' children, my daughter, my beautiful B brings me back to peace.
Today, I went to the hospital. Not for a reaction, not for an allergy test, not for a check-up. Today I went for an ultrasound and got to see our new baby for the first time. (Yes, I am pregnant! My lack of posting is now hopefully making more sense to all of you! haha) We have fears of food allergies (mainly FPIES) and fears of my heart condition complicating the pregnancy, but all of that washed away when N and I could show B, "Look! That's our baby! You are that baby's big sister!" She saw the tiny hands and the tiny heart beat and with excitement said, "That baby is wigglin' around!!!" Any and all anxiety we had been feeling just left and we all enjoyed the moment together, meeting our new little family member. There will be times to worry, times to prepare. But there will be times for peace. There really must always be time for peace.
When I first saw the Kannon, B and I were riding the train and had become turned around. Not badly lost, but in need of direction. I remember looking out the train window and whispering "Who is THAT?" as I saw a huge alabaster bust rising out of the densely wooded mountain. When we finally went to visit her, it was the most peaceful place and I understood the Kannon's significance. As I try to be more and more in the moment with B, I realize the place that peace really does need to have in my house (and I am sure in all of our houses!) We have been turned around, we have lost our way on a lot of days because of FPIES and all that factors in to that, but I now aim to focus on being in B's moment, finding myself and finding my family in times of peace. And I am so happy to now have two babies, one more of a big girl and one yet to meet the world, to remind me of this and the so many other moments of beauty that will find us, FPIES or not.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
B's Chewy Coconut Granola Bars
Every now and then I assemble a bunch of ingredients in front of my now toddler daughter and let her add what she chooses at will (I determine the amounts of each ingredient though!) to the mixing bowl. It makes for some long ingredient lists but it also makes for a very happy toddler. I created the base for this recipe (the quinoa flakes and sunflower seeds) and allowed her to use "modified discretion" for the rest. Enjoy!
B's Chewy Coconut Granola Bars
2 cups quinoa flakes, toasted (you can sub. millet flakes, rolled oats or amaranth flakes)
1 cup raw sunflower seeds (no husks), ground to a powder and roasted with the quinoa flakes
1 banana, mashed (or 1/4 cup finely diced apples, strawberries, or pineapple)
1/4 c pear sauce (or other fruit puree, no added water)
1/2 c. honey
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips**
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut plus 2 Tbsp
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or silicone liner). Measure out 1 cup of shelled sunflower seeds and pulverize in the blender or food processor until a fine powder results. Pour the sunflower seed powder and the 2 cups of quinoa flakes onto your cookie sheet, blending ingredients with a fork. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Once done, remove mixture and pour into a medium bowl. Increase oven heat to 350 degrees F. Save your cookie sheet and parchment and set aside!
In the bowl containing the toasted mixture, add mashed banana (or diced apples/strawberries/pineapples), pear sauce and honey; blend well. Add brown sugar, vanilla, 1/2 cup shredded coconut and chocolate chips. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Press the mixture onto the lined cookie sheet and flatten until mixture is evenly about 1/4-1/2 inches thick. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp of coconut over the top of the mixture. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the edges turn crispy and golden brown. Allow bars to cool and then cut into desired shapes and sizes. Freeze, store in sealed container, or eat! Enjoy--- we sure did!
** Instead of using 1/4 cup of Enjoy Life chips, you could use 1/4 cup safe baking cocoa instead.
B's Chewy Coconut Granola Bars
2 cups quinoa flakes, toasted (you can sub. millet flakes, rolled oats or amaranth flakes)
1 cup raw sunflower seeds (no husks), ground to a powder and roasted with the quinoa flakes
1 banana, mashed (or 1/4 cup finely diced apples, strawberries, or pineapple)
1/4 c pear sauce (or other fruit puree, no added water)
1/2 c. honey
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips**
1/2 cup finely shredded coconut plus 2 Tbsp
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (or silicone liner). Measure out 1 cup of shelled sunflower seeds and pulverize in the blender or food processor until a fine powder results. Pour the sunflower seed powder and the 2 cups of quinoa flakes onto your cookie sheet, blending ingredients with a fork. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Once done, remove mixture and pour into a medium bowl. Increase oven heat to 350 degrees F. Save your cookie sheet and parchment and set aside!
In the bowl containing the toasted mixture, add mashed banana (or diced apples/strawberries/pineapples), pear sauce and honey; blend well. Add brown sugar, vanilla, 1/2 cup shredded coconut and chocolate chips. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Press the mixture onto the lined cookie sheet and flatten until mixture is evenly about 1/4-1/2 inches thick. Sprinkle remaining 2 Tbsp of coconut over the top of the mixture. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until the edges turn crispy and golden brown. Allow bars to cool and then cut into desired shapes and sizes. Freeze, store in sealed container, or eat! Enjoy--- we sure did!
** Instead of using 1/4 cup of Enjoy Life chips, you could use 1/4 cup safe baking cocoa instead.
An Incredible Update from The FPIES Foundation!
As some or all of you may already know, I am very proud to be serving on the board of directors for The FPIES Foundation, a non-profit organization aiming to educate, empower and advocate for families of children diagnosed with FPIES. I am especially excited to announce to all of you that as of November 3rd, we have now revealed the amazing team of health care professionals helping us to accomplish our goals-- our Medical Advisory Board. This is an incredible group of individuals, truly committed to helping improve the futures for our children, our families, and the medical professionals seeking to help these little ones.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Halloween Crafts!
Hi all! As some of you may already know, I have a play doh recipe in the recipe file (lower left hand column-- and it is alphabetized!) that you can use for making homemade play doh with many different alternative flours (millet, sorghum, corn, etc). You can use this recipe for the craft project I am going to describe below! Or you can use this one for baking soda and starch playdoh--- it calls for corn starch, but you can use tapioca starch, potato starch or even arrowroot starch. You may need to play around with your burner temp depending on the starch you choose, particularly with arrowroot (very temperature finicky). Do not eat these. Even if the ingredients are safe, they will taste awful. You have been warned.
Festive Fall Trees
1. Take a nature walk and find a nice branch that you can either put in a vase or in a flower pot (hold in place with rocks, etc) and has many little off shoot branches-- you need them for hanging your creations!
2. Assemble cookie cutters with a fall or Halloween theme and a few narrow straws.
3. Make your playdoh using your recipe of choice. If you plan on painting your creations, you do not need to add food coloring. If you do not want to paint your creations, make some fun Halloween/fall colors for your playdoh. For extra fun, if not baking the playdoh shapes, you can mix GLITTER into the playdoh. Delightful!
4. Using rolling pins, roll out the prepared playdoh about 1/4 inch thick (or if you are like our house, have your two year old roll it out to her own discretion since she evidently knows best. Thicker playdoh will take longer to dry however.)
5. Cut out various Halloween/fall shapes with your cookie cutters and assemble completed shapes on a clean baking sheet, covered or uncovered (using parchment paper, etc). Using a straw, make small holes in each shape so that ribbon or yarn can be threaded through once dry.
6. Once finished, if using the playdoh recipe in Baby B's recipe file, you can actually bake it at about 325 F until shapes are slightly puffy and firm. Like yucky tasting, salty cookies. If using the recipe for the link above, depending on thickness, playdoh may need to be left out for 1-2 days until completely hard.
7. Once shapes are hard, you can decorate if desired! Use acrylic or tempera paints to paint the shapes-- a sponge applicator might be helpful for small or unsteady (i.e. mama had too much caffeine. . .) hands. You can also glue on buttons, ribbon, etc. Whatever works and whatever sticks! Allow shapes to dry.
8. Once your shapes are decorated to your liking and all decor has dried, cut 4-6inch pieces of festive ribbon (I like the thinnest grosgrain ribbon--- 50cents to a dollar for a spool at Joanns!). Thread each ribbon piece through hole in each shape and knot the ends together.
9. Hang your shapes on your branch (remember our nature walk?)
10. Enjoy your happy Halloween/happy harvest decoration!!
***** For extra Thanksgiving fun. . . . you can make all Thanksgiving shapes-- acorns, leaves, pumpkins, etc. Just be sure shapes are wide enough to be able to write on. Have each child choose a shape and write his/her name on it. Then have the child (adults can do this too!) tell you one thing they are thankful for this Thanksgiving (you can do a little intro with describing in age appropriate ways what it means to be thankful and giving examples of how to show thankfulness). Have the child write or have an adult or older child write for the child what each of them is thankful for, one item per shape. On Thanksgiving, before or after dinner, the whole family can go around and read the shapes, telling what each is thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Enjoy!
Festive Fall Trees
1. Take a nature walk and find a nice branch that you can either put in a vase or in a flower pot (hold in place with rocks, etc) and has many little off shoot branches-- you need them for hanging your creations!
2. Assemble cookie cutters with a fall or Halloween theme and a few narrow straws.
3. Make your playdoh using your recipe of choice. If you plan on painting your creations, you do not need to add food coloring. If you do not want to paint your creations, make some fun Halloween/fall colors for your playdoh. For extra fun, if not baking the playdoh shapes, you can mix GLITTER into the playdoh. Delightful!
4. Using rolling pins, roll out the prepared playdoh about 1/4 inch thick (or if you are like our house, have your two year old roll it out to her own discretion since she evidently knows best. Thicker playdoh will take longer to dry however.)
5. Cut out various Halloween/fall shapes with your cookie cutters and assemble completed shapes on a clean baking sheet, covered or uncovered (using parchment paper, etc). Using a straw, make small holes in each shape so that ribbon or yarn can be threaded through once dry.
6. Once finished, if using the playdoh recipe in Baby B's recipe file, you can actually bake it at about 325 F until shapes are slightly puffy and firm. Like yucky tasting, salty cookies. If using the recipe for the link above, depending on thickness, playdoh may need to be left out for 1-2 days until completely hard.
7. Once shapes are hard, you can decorate if desired! Use acrylic or tempera paints to paint the shapes-- a sponge applicator might be helpful for small or unsteady (i.e. mama had too much caffeine. . .) hands. You can also glue on buttons, ribbon, etc. Whatever works and whatever sticks! Allow shapes to dry.
8. Once your shapes are decorated to your liking and all decor has dried, cut 4-6inch pieces of festive ribbon (I like the thinnest grosgrain ribbon--- 50cents to a dollar for a spool at Joanns!). Thread each ribbon piece through hole in each shape and knot the ends together.
9. Hang your shapes on your branch (remember our nature walk?)
10. Enjoy your happy Halloween/happy harvest decoration!!
***** For extra Thanksgiving fun. . . . you can make all Thanksgiving shapes-- acorns, leaves, pumpkins, etc. Just be sure shapes are wide enough to be able to write on. Have each child choose a shape and write his/her name on it. Then have the child (adults can do this too!) tell you one thing they are thankful for this Thanksgiving (you can do a little intro with describing in age appropriate ways what it means to be thankful and giving examples of how to show thankfulness). Have the child write or have an adult or older child write for the child what each of them is thankful for, one item per shape. On Thanksgiving, before or after dinner, the whole family can go around and read the shapes, telling what each is thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Enjoy!
Monday, October 24, 2011
You Might Be an FPIES Short Order Cook IF. . .
1. You constantly scour cookbooks and internet sites for recipes requiring 5 ingredients or less
2. You remain suspicious of recipes/products claiming "allergy friendly!" due to your child's allergens generally topping the so-called hypoallergenic list
3. You become so accustomed to eggless gluten free cooking, that when making a "regular" cake you are baffled as to why your cake rose so much
4. You develop an affinity for apple or banana tasting baked goods
5. You have separate baking supplies for all of your allergy-free baking endeavors, to the point that your food allergic child will one day have a complete kitchen set when he/she moves out of the house
6. You are forced to purchase a chest freezer for additional long-term food storage
7. You regularly have cases of specialty foods show up on your doorstep so much so that your neighbors wonder whether or not you are starting a health food store on your front porch
8. The majority of your baking ingredients are foods that most of society is blissfully ignorant to the existence of
9. You regularly taste the batter of your baked goods before baking--- no raw eggs so what's the harm, right?
10. You fantasize about the day when your family will be able to enjoy the same meal, all together, and that meal will not consist of only enjoy life chocolate chips and ice water.
Add your own! This list could go on forever!
2. You remain suspicious of recipes/products claiming "allergy friendly!" due to your child's allergens generally topping the so-called hypoallergenic list
3. You become so accustomed to eggless gluten free cooking, that when making a "regular" cake you are baffled as to why your cake rose so much
4. You develop an affinity for apple or banana tasting baked goods
5. You have separate baking supplies for all of your allergy-free baking endeavors, to the point that your food allergic child will one day have a complete kitchen set when he/she moves out of the house
6. You are forced to purchase a chest freezer for additional long-term food storage
7. You regularly have cases of specialty foods show up on your doorstep so much so that your neighbors wonder whether or not you are starting a health food store on your front porch
8. The majority of your baking ingredients are foods that most of society is blissfully ignorant to the existence of
9. You regularly taste the batter of your baked goods before baking--- no raw eggs so what's the harm, right?
10. You fantasize about the day when your family will be able to enjoy the same meal, all together, and that meal will not consist of only enjoy life chocolate chips and ice water.
Add your own! This list could go on forever!
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