When my son had an egg allergy, I used the following substitutes to replace eggs in baking:
- Use applesauce instead of eggs (approx. 1/4 c = 1 egg) Note: You may need to add 1/2 tsp. baking powder as a rising agent when using applesauce.
- Use EnerG Egg replacer (found in most health food stores)
- 1 T water + 1T soy flour = 1 egg
- 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin (like Knox blox) = 1 egg (to make 1 egg, combine 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin with 3 T cold water. Stir until dissolved. Add 2 T plus 1 tsp. of hot water and stir. When using your own recipes, decrease the liquid called for in your recipe by about 1/4 c to compensate for the water added from the "egg.")
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A few free recipes
As I've been organizing my blog a little bit better, I ran across these recipes I posted in the "comments" section of one of the posts. I thought I'd post them here as well. Enjoy!
Breakfast recipes:
Apple Rice Cereal
½ c apple juice or cider
1 T dairy-free margarine
2 c brown rice, cooked
2 T raisins
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and simmer for 8 – 10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with soymilk and brown sugar, if desired. Yield: 4 servings
Oatmeal with Flax Seed
2 c water
¼ tsp. salt
1 c old-fashioned oats
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 T ground flax seed
Bring water and salt to a boil. Add oats and cinnamon. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in ground flax seed. Serve warm with soymilk, raisins (optional), and 1 T brown sugar. Yield: 4 servings
Bread Dishes:
Easy Breadsticks
By Bonnie Lewis
1 1/2 c warm water
1 T dry active yeast
4-4 1/2 c flour
1 T sugar
1/4 c dairy-free margarine
1 tsp. salt
Soften yeast in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Add remaining ingredients except dairy-free margarine and mix thoroughly. Roll out on lightly floured surface until it is 1" thick. Cut into strips. Melt half the dairy-free margarine on the cookie sheet and place bread sticks on cookie sheet. Brush rest of dairy-free margarine on breadsticks. Sprinkle with garlic salt or seasoned salt, if desired. Let rise 20 minutes to 1 hour. Bake for 15 minutes at 400° F. Yield: 1 dozen
Whole Wheat Herb Rolls
By Janell Vezzani
1 ¼ c warm water
1 T active dry yeast
1 T molasses
1 T honey
2 T dairy-free margarine
1 ½ c white flour
2 c wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
In a medium bowl, combine water, yeast, molasses, honey, and dairy-free margarine. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Mix together. While mixing, add water mixture. Knead together 5 minutes until sides of the bowl are clean, adding more flour if necessary. Pre-heat oven to 175º F and then turn off. Form dough into 16 dinner rolls and let rise in warm oven until almost double (20 min.). Turn oven on to 375º F, leaving rolls in, and bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until done. Serve warm, if desired. Yield: 16 rolls
Soup Dishes:
Autumn Soup
By Bonnie Lewis
1 lb. hamburger
1 c onion, chopped
4 c water
1 c carrots, cut-up
1 c celery, diced
1 c potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. browning and seasoning sauce (for color, optional)*
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. basil
6 tomatoes**
In large saucepan, cook and stir meat until brown. Drain off fat. Cook and stir onions with meat until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except tomatoes; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add tomatoes; cover and simmer 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 6 servings
Taco Soup
By Joan Lewis
1 onion, chopped
2 lb. ground beef
2 cans (28 oz. each) kidney beans
2 cans (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
1 can (16 oz.) corn
2 c water
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix* (Or use 2 T Taco Seasoning Mix recipe p. 83)
Corn chips*
In a large kettle, brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients, except corn chips. Do not drain vegetables. Simmer 30-45 minutes. To serve, put a handful of corn chips in a soup bowl. Ladle soup over chips and serve warm.
Salad Dishes:
Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad
By Tara Haglund
1 ¼ c dry whole wheat couscous
5 T olive oil
1/3 c lemon juice
2 tomatoes, diced
½ green pepper, diced
½ onion, chopped
6 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 T fresh mint, chopped
Salt and pepper, lightly
In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/4 cup dry whole wheat couscous. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Fluff with fork. Add tomatoes, diced green pepper, chopped onion, parsley, and mint. Salt and pepper lightly. Refrigerate to chill, then fluff with a fork, and serve.
Serves 4 hard-core Middle Eastern eaters, serves 12 regular people who are tentative about trying something new.
TIP: We use the Trader Joe's® whole wheat couscous for this recipe. You can also use bulgar or cracked wheat--they just take a little longer. If using cracked wheat, combine boiling water, cracked wheat, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl and let it set for 30 minutes – 1 hr, or until the cracked wheat is cooked through and can be fluffed with a fork. Add the rest of ingredients, chill, and serve.
Greek Pasta Salad
1 pkg. (16 oz.) penne pasta
¼ c olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. basil, dried
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 – 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 cucumber, coarsely chopped
1 c black olives, sliced
Cook pasta according to package directions. In small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, basil, pepper, and garlic salt. In large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, and olives. Add oil mixture. Stir to coat evenly. Chill before serving. For more flavor, add Italian Salad Dressing, if desired. Yield: 8 servings
Main Dishes Recipes:
Beef ‘n Broccoli Stir-Fry
By Charlotta Curtis
Marinade:
1 tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. sugar
1 T soy sauce
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. water
1 clove garlic, minced
Ingredients:
1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced
5 T oil
2 large heads of broccoli, chopped
1 can bamboo shoots, drained
½ c sliced mushrooms (canned or fresh)
1 ½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. sugar
2 T water
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T water
Steamed rice
In a small bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add to flank steak and marinate overnight in fridge (or for a couple of hours). In a large wok, add 2 T oil and pour in marinated flank steak (including marinade). Stir-fry 1 min, or until beef is cooked. Remove beef and set aside. Put 3 T oil in wok. Add broccoli, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Stir-fry until tender crisp. (About 3 minutes). While vegetables are cooking, in a small bowl mix together salt, sugar, and 2 T water. Add sugar/salt mixture and meat to vegetables. Stir-fry 1 minute. While cooking, blend together cornstarch and 1 T water. Pour into wok. Cook until thickened. Served with steamed rice. Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Chicken Cacciatore
By Janell Vezzani
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in large pieces
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ c flour
3 T olive oil
1 lg. red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 ½ c chicken broth*
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
3 T drained capers, optional
¼ c fresh basil, chopped
Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1 tsp. each salt & pepper. Dredge in flour. In a large frying pan or wok, sauté in oil 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and oregano to same pan and sauté until onion is tender. (About 5 minutes). Add diced tomatoes, broth, and capers. Return chicken to pan. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat and cook until chicken is fully cooked (about 15 – 20 minutes). Transfer chicken to a platter. Boil sauce until it thickens slightly. Spoon off fat. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with basil. Serve over rice or cooked noodles. Yield: 6-8 servings
Taco Salad Supreme
1 lb. ground beef
2 T taco seasoning mix*
½ c water
2 cans (16 oz. each) kidney beans, drained
3 c rice, cooked
1 can (16-17 oz.) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 head lettuce, shredded
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced olives, drained
1 cup salsa
2-4 cups tortilla chips, slightly crushed
Brown beef and drain fat. Add taco seasoning mix, water, and kidney beans. Cook for 15 minutes. Place rest of ingredients into separate bowls. Let each guest build their own salad in the following order: Steamed rice, meat mixture, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, salsa, and tortilla chips. Yield: 6 - 8 servings
Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4 c dried minced onion flakes
4 tsp. cornstarch
3 T salt
4 T chili powder
3 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
3 tsp. dried minced garlic
3 tsp. hot crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons low sodium or sodium-free beef bouillon*
Blend all ingredients together until spices are well mixed and ground up. Store taco seasoning mix in tight container. 2 T equals one commercial package. Use as directed in recipes. To add to hamburger meat, brown one pound ground beef, add 2 T taco mix, and 1 cup water. Simmer 5 minutes.
Tyson’s Sloppy Joes
By Dave & Mary Jane Babbel
1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey or ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 c celery
1/4 c green pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 T prepared mustard
1 T vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 c chili sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
Brown meat, onion, celery, green pepper together. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes or put in a crock pot. Serve on dairy-free bun. Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Breakfast recipes:
Apple Rice Cereal
½ c apple juice or cider
1 T dairy-free margarine
2 c brown rice, cooked
2 T raisins
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and simmer for 8 – 10 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with soymilk and brown sugar, if desired. Yield: 4 servings
Oatmeal with Flax Seed
2 c water
¼ tsp. salt
1 c old-fashioned oats
¼ tsp. cinnamon
1 T ground flax seed
Bring water and salt to a boil. Add oats and cinnamon. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat. Stir in ground flax seed. Serve warm with soymilk, raisins (optional), and 1 T brown sugar. Yield: 4 servings
Bread Dishes:
Easy Breadsticks
By Bonnie Lewis
1 1/2 c warm water
1 T dry active yeast
4-4 1/2 c flour
1 T sugar
1/4 c dairy-free margarine
1 tsp. salt
Soften yeast in 1 1/2 cups warm water. Add remaining ingredients except dairy-free margarine and mix thoroughly. Roll out on lightly floured surface until it is 1" thick. Cut into strips. Melt half the dairy-free margarine on the cookie sheet and place bread sticks on cookie sheet. Brush rest of dairy-free margarine on breadsticks. Sprinkle with garlic salt or seasoned salt, if desired. Let rise 20 minutes to 1 hour. Bake for 15 minutes at 400° F. Yield: 1 dozen
Whole Wheat Herb Rolls
By Janell Vezzani
1 ¼ c warm water
1 T active dry yeast
1 T molasses
1 T honey
2 T dairy-free margarine
1 ½ c white flour
2 c wheat flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
In a medium bowl, combine water, yeast, molasses, honey, and dairy-free margarine. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Mix together. While mixing, add water mixture. Knead together 5 minutes until sides of the bowl are clean, adding more flour if necessary. Pre-heat oven to 175º F and then turn off. Form dough into 16 dinner rolls and let rise in warm oven until almost double (20 min.). Turn oven on to 375º F, leaving rolls in, and bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until done. Serve warm, if desired. Yield: 16 rolls
Soup Dishes:
Autumn Soup
By Bonnie Lewis
1 lb. hamburger
1 c onion, chopped
4 c water
1 c carrots, cut-up
1 c celery, diced
1 c potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. browning and seasoning sauce (for color, optional)*
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. basil
6 tomatoes**
In large saucepan, cook and stir meat until brown. Drain off fat. Cook and stir onions with meat until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except tomatoes; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add tomatoes; cover and simmer 10 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender. Yield: 6 servings
Taco Soup
By Joan Lewis
1 onion, chopped
2 lb. ground beef
2 cans (28 oz. each) kidney beans
2 cans (28 oz. each) diced tomatoes
2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
1 can (16 oz.) corn
2 c water
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix* (Or use 2 T Taco Seasoning Mix recipe p. 83)
Corn chips*
In a large kettle, brown ground beef and onion. Drain. Add remaining ingredients, except corn chips. Do not drain vegetables. Simmer 30-45 minutes. To serve, put a handful of corn chips in a soup bowl. Ladle soup over chips and serve warm.
Salad Dishes:
Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad
By Tara Haglund
1 ¼ c dry whole wheat couscous
5 T olive oil
1/3 c lemon juice
2 tomatoes, diced
½ green pepper, diced
½ onion, chopped
6 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 T fresh mint, chopped
Salt and pepper, lightly
In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup boiling water with 1 1/4 cup dry whole wheat couscous. Add olive oil and lemon juice. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Fluff with fork. Add tomatoes, diced green pepper, chopped onion, parsley, and mint. Salt and pepper lightly. Refrigerate to chill, then fluff with a fork, and serve.
Serves 4 hard-core Middle Eastern eaters, serves 12 regular people who are tentative about trying something new.
TIP: We use the Trader Joe's® whole wheat couscous for this recipe. You can also use bulgar or cracked wheat--they just take a little longer. If using cracked wheat, combine boiling water, cracked wheat, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl and let it set for 30 minutes – 1 hr, or until the cracked wheat is cooked through and can be fluffed with a fork. Add the rest of ingredients, chill, and serve.
Greek Pasta Salad
1 pkg. (16 oz.) penne pasta
¼ c olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. basil, dried
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 – 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 cucumber, coarsely chopped
1 c black olives, sliced
Cook pasta according to package directions. In small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, basil, pepper, and garlic salt. In large bowl, combine pasta, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cucumber, and olives. Add oil mixture. Stir to coat evenly. Chill before serving. For more flavor, add Italian Salad Dressing, if desired. Yield: 8 servings
Main Dishes Recipes:
Beef ‘n Broccoli Stir-Fry
By Charlotta Curtis
Marinade:
1 tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. sugar
1 T soy sauce
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. water
1 clove garlic, minced
Ingredients:
1 lb. flank steak, thinly sliced
5 T oil
2 large heads of broccoli, chopped
1 can bamboo shoots, drained
½ c sliced mushrooms (canned or fresh)
1 ½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. sugar
2 T water
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 T water
Steamed rice
In a small bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add to flank steak and marinate overnight in fridge (or for a couple of hours). In a large wok, add 2 T oil and pour in marinated flank steak (including marinade). Stir-fry 1 min, or until beef is cooked. Remove beef and set aside. Put 3 T oil in wok. Add broccoli, bamboo shoots, and mushrooms. Stir-fry until tender crisp. (About 3 minutes). While vegetables are cooking, in a small bowl mix together salt, sugar, and 2 T water. Add sugar/salt mixture and meat to vegetables. Stir-fry 1 minute. While cooking, blend together cornstarch and 1 T water. Pour into wok. Cook until thickened. Served with steamed rice. Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Chicken Cacciatore
By Janell Vezzani
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in large pieces
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ c flour
3 T olive oil
1 lg. red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano leaves
1 ½ c chicken broth*
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
3 T drained capers, optional
¼ c fresh basil, chopped
Sprinkle chicken pieces with 1 tsp. each salt & pepper. Dredge in flour. In a large frying pan or wok, sauté in oil 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and oregano to same pan and sauté until onion is tender. (About 5 minutes). Add diced tomatoes, broth, and capers. Return chicken to pan. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat and cook until chicken is fully cooked (about 15 – 20 minutes). Transfer chicken to a platter. Boil sauce until it thickens slightly. Spoon off fat. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with basil. Serve over rice or cooked noodles. Yield: 6-8 servings
Taco Salad Supreme
1 lb. ground beef
2 T taco seasoning mix*
½ c water
2 cans (16 oz. each) kidney beans, drained
3 c rice, cooked
1 can (16-17 oz.) whole-kernel corn, drained
1 head lettuce, shredded
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 can (2 1/4 oz.) sliced olives, drained
1 cup salsa
2-4 cups tortilla chips, slightly crushed
Brown beef and drain fat. Add taco seasoning mix, water, and kidney beans. Cook for 15 minutes. Place rest of ingredients into separate bowls. Let each guest build their own salad in the following order: Steamed rice, meat mixture, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, salsa, and tortilla chips. Yield: 6 - 8 servings
Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4 c dried minced onion flakes
4 tsp. cornstarch
3 T salt
4 T chili powder
3 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
3 tsp. dried minced garlic
3 tsp. hot crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons low sodium or sodium-free beef bouillon*
Blend all ingredients together until spices are well mixed and ground up. Store taco seasoning mix in tight container. 2 T equals one commercial package. Use as directed in recipes. To add to hamburger meat, brown one pound ground beef, add 2 T taco mix, and 1 cup water. Simmer 5 minutes.
Tyson’s Sloppy Joes
By Dave & Mary Jane Babbel
1 to 1 1/2 lb. ground turkey or ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 c celery
1/4 c green pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 T prepared mustard
1 T vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1 c chili sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
Brown meat, onion, celery, green pepper together. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes or put in a crock pot. Serve on dairy-free bun. Yield: 4 - 6 servings
The Greatest Christmas Present Ever ... Hope
I couldn't have asked for a greater Christmas present this year. Just a few days before Christmas, I received a call from Johns Hopkins Hospital with the lab work results for my oldest son. Ever since he was a baby, he has never been able to have any dairy products without severe and life threatening reactions. We had him retested every few years with no change in his dairy allergy. It's now been four years since we last had him tested. (He is 12 years old.) We got the blood work back from his RAST test, and although it is not a negative result (less than .1 out of 100), he came back at .3 out of 100!!! It is truly miraculous! Because of that, he now qualifies for challenge testing. We will start out by baking 1/12 c of cow's milk and 11/12 c rice or almond milk into a batch of muffins or pancakes, let him eat 1 every other day (which would be equivalent to about a tsp. or so of cow's milk per serving) and observe him for a month or so. If he shows no reaction, then we will increase his amount little by little. Although this is VERY exciting news, I will still have my epipen in hand, just in case. I plan on doing this as a blind test so that he won't know which muffin has the dairy in it. That way I can be a little bit more objective with his results.
When I shared with my son the results of his blood work, he said that the first thing he wants to eat when he can have dairy is a doughnut! (I wouldn't thought it would've been cheese or ice cream:)). I will keep you posted on our progress. My hope is that by the time he is fully independent and on his own, he will be able to fully tolerate dairy products, if not straight, then at least in baked goods. I will also be testing my boys who get ear infections at the same time, watching for any symptoms and seeing what level, if any, of dairy they can tolerate. Here's to a bright future and a Happy New Year!!!
When I shared with my son the results of his blood work, he said that the first thing he wants to eat when he can have dairy is a doughnut! (I wouldn't thought it would've been cheese or ice cream:)). I will keep you posted on our progress. My hope is that by the time he is fully independent and on his own, he will be able to fully tolerate dairy products, if not straight, then at least in baked goods. I will also be testing my boys who get ear infections at the same time, watching for any symptoms and seeing what level, if any, of dairy they can tolerate. Here's to a bright future and a Happy New Year!!!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Visit with Dr. Wood and update on allergies
We finally got to see Dr. Wood last week at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Our baby tested negative for a milk allergy, and I have slowly been reintroducing dairy into my diet while nursing her. So far I have seen no negative reactions. The test is only 50%-60% accurate, though, as she is only 5 months old. I will introduce solids at a slow pace and watch her closely to make sure that she's okay. The good news is that I was told that food allergies are much more common in boys, so the likelihood of her following in her brother's footsteps is much smaller.
Both of my boys who get chronic ear infections tested negative to a dairy allergy as well. That said, I was told that they could still have an intolerance to milk, thus creating the environment for ear infections. (As far as I know, milk products can cause more mucus in your system which can block the eustachian tubes from draining. They have had NO infections or ruptures since removing all dairy from their diet.) Dr. Wood suggested that I can try to slowly reintroduce dairy (like casein, whey, or in baked goods) and see what happens. If they show no reactions, then perhaps I can be less strict with their dairy avoidance, though they will most likely not be able to have straight cheese or cow's milk, at least not at this time.
My oldest son, who has been highly allergic/anaphylactic to milk products, got blood work done to test the severity of his milk allergy. We are currently awaiting the results. Dr. Wood suggested that if his milk allergy is under a certain percentage, then we can try a food challenge where I bake 1/4 cow's milk to 3/4 rice milk and see if he has any reaction. I will get the results soon, and will post them as we go along. I have to admit that I'm a little bit scared to try dairy with him, but in looking towards the future, it would be a lot easier if I didn't have to worry everywhere we went about whether or not an item contained dairy products in it. He was last tested when he was 7 and had not outgrown his milk allergy at all (that said, he had, however, outgrown his egg allergy). He is now 12, so we are hopeful to see what the results are. My hope is that he will be able to tolerate certain levels of dairy by the time he goes off to college. If not, then at least he has the skills necessary to live a happy and healthy life regardless of his allergy.
As far as my soy allergy goes, I asked Dr. Wood about it, and he said that people who are allergic to certain types of trees (which I am highly allergic to as well as many grasses, cats, dust, etc.) can have a higher chance of having a soy allergy as well as an allergy to other legumes. He suggested that I would probably be okay with soy lecithin, soy oil, and soy sauce. As of right now, I have tried all three and have had NO adverse reactions. Yeah!!! I did, however, have a flat bread roll up that had high fiber and protein (from soy), and my throat started to feel like it was swelling shut. Although I love a lot of the healthier options, I suppose that my body can't tolerate soy in that high concentration. We have been cooking a lot with rice milk and almond milk with a lot of success. All of the recipes thus far in my cookbook have been easily adapted to be soy-free (excluding soy sauce and soy lecithin), which makes me happy:) I bought some coconut milk, and am hoping to come up with a dairy-free/soy-free whipping cream. If I have success, then I will post the recipe:)
Both of my boys who get chronic ear infections tested negative to a dairy allergy as well. That said, I was told that they could still have an intolerance to milk, thus creating the environment for ear infections. (As far as I know, milk products can cause more mucus in your system which can block the eustachian tubes from draining. They have had NO infections or ruptures since removing all dairy from their diet.) Dr. Wood suggested that I can try to slowly reintroduce dairy (like casein, whey, or in baked goods) and see what happens. If they show no reactions, then perhaps I can be less strict with their dairy avoidance, though they will most likely not be able to have straight cheese or cow's milk, at least not at this time.
My oldest son, who has been highly allergic/anaphylactic to milk products, got blood work done to test the severity of his milk allergy. We are currently awaiting the results. Dr. Wood suggested that if his milk allergy is under a certain percentage, then we can try a food challenge where I bake 1/4 cow's milk to 3/4 rice milk and see if he has any reaction. I will get the results soon, and will post them as we go along. I have to admit that I'm a little bit scared to try dairy with him, but in looking towards the future, it would be a lot easier if I didn't have to worry everywhere we went about whether or not an item contained dairy products in it. He was last tested when he was 7 and had not outgrown his milk allergy at all (that said, he had, however, outgrown his egg allergy). He is now 12, so we are hopeful to see what the results are. My hope is that he will be able to tolerate certain levels of dairy by the time he goes off to college. If not, then at least he has the skills necessary to live a happy and healthy life regardless of his allergy.
As far as my soy allergy goes, I asked Dr. Wood about it, and he said that people who are allergic to certain types of trees (which I am highly allergic to as well as many grasses, cats, dust, etc.) can have a higher chance of having a soy allergy as well as an allergy to other legumes. He suggested that I would probably be okay with soy lecithin, soy oil, and soy sauce. As of right now, I have tried all three and have had NO adverse reactions. Yeah!!! I did, however, have a flat bread roll up that had high fiber and protein (from soy), and my throat started to feel like it was swelling shut. Although I love a lot of the healthier options, I suppose that my body can't tolerate soy in that high concentration. We have been cooking a lot with rice milk and almond milk with a lot of success. All of the recipes thus far in my cookbook have been easily adapted to be soy-free (excluding soy sauce and soy lecithin), which makes me happy:) I bought some coconut milk, and am hoping to come up with a dairy-free/soy-free whipping cream. If I have success, then I will post the recipe:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)