Last week I wrote about my son not being able to order an item on the lunch menu because a new brand was offered. As many of you already know, I took issue with this not only because it was one of the few items my son could eat, but because I was more concerned about inclusion in the lunchroom for our food allergic kids. I took the matter to the higher powers in our school district and was pleasantly surprised.

The head cafeteria administrator explained to me that the new product was ordered because it had zero trans fat, an issue that was very important to our school district when they were creating the lunch menu this year. Most of the items served had to fit this requirement. Unfortunetly, the nuggets John ordered safely last year had trans fat in them.

We talked at length about how to best address the needs of those on special diets as well as meet the needs of every student in the school. Every item ordered needs to fall within the nutritional guidelines of zero trans fat and make economical sense. We also discussed the issue of why soy milk can’ t be introduced, especially for children who have dairy allergies, are lactose intolerant or are vegan. The head cafeteria admisinstrator was initially told she couldn’t get soy milk because her vendor couldn’t stock it, but it turns out they can. They just have to order smaller quantities and will sell the 8 oz. cartons of soy milk at $1 each. It will be a pilot program and the head cafeteria administrator will order a small case to start. Hopefully it will go well; I’ll keep you posted.

Finally, I offered to to come in to meet the head cafeteria administrator to gain a better understanding of the whole ordering process. The woman who oversees all this was extrememly kind and receptive to all my concerns and readily accepted and understood the needs of  FA kids in the lunchroom. She really got it, and I was so grateful for her support, understanding and “can do” attittude. It is in moments like this that I feel very lucky to live in a school district that is so willing to listen to change. She was the first to say when asked about piloting the soy milk introduction, “why not” and “let’s give it a try”. How lucky is that?

There’s one more thing I had to share because it seemed so funny. Since the weather was warm this weekend we splurged and took the kids out for a treat. We took along a bag of Starburst for John (his favorite) and let the three other children choose a treat at a local sweets shop. Chloe, Matthew and David each ordered a cupcake and my husband ordered a chocolate chip cookie. Every treat tasted awful, so awful that no one finished anything. This is unheard of in my house…throwing out a cupcake? Horrors! Seriously though, it was that bad. And these treats were made with full butter and eggs. My son John laughed at his sister and brothers, and told them, ” you guys should know mom’s treats are better!” It was a good reminder for all of us that we’re not really missing much in the world of bakeries and sweets shops! Bake your own treats…they are so much better.

Happy Baking!

With Halloween over and out, I am happy to report we had another successful candy-filled holiday. The parties at school were a smashing success and all the children devoured the treats from my book. It was especially nice to see many of the children outwardly comment how delicious the cookies were. I could tell it made John feel included and proud. In fact, I think the kids preferred the homemade treats vs. the store bought ones. No matter whose recipe it is, I think homemade is always superior(unless you count my very first cookie creations years ago!).

So while Halloween at school was a success, I recently ran into an issue at my son’s cafeteria that I felt had to be addressed. I’ve written in the past about how happy I’ve been with our cafeteria’s food allergy policy, and how I am especially grateful for our head chef lady. It is because of her willingness to make changes and be diligent about food safety that John has been able to order from the lunch line several times. I NEVER thought this would be possible due to the extent of his allergies. However, the head chef lady prepares food separately in her kitchen for John, orders food from the vendor that has minimal allergens in it, and makes a lot of her food from scratch (as opposed to the overly processed, frozen junk most food vendors carry).

The head chef lady has even offered to stock plain popsicles that John can have on Friday’s Treat Day (where all the kids have the opportunity to buy cookies and ice cream for dessert). She also tried get soy milk on the menu so the kids with dairy allergies and vegan diets could enjoy a nutritional drink too instead of having to order juice. We ran into our first stumbling block with that initiative and that request was denied by the school district for reasons that still baffle me.

Which brings me to an issue that came up yesterday in John’s lunchroom. Last year, I had a list of menu items I knew John could safely eat from his cafeteria. This year, I have had to start all over again, because many of the “safe” products that John has previously enjoyed have been switched out for different brand names. Case in point: Chicken Tenders was on the menu and John was so excited to order this item again, as he had ordered them last year. I then did what I have always done; told John sure, but we have to go talk to the chef lady to double check the boxes and ingredients. I stopped in after dropping John off to his class, went to the freezer to look at the packaging and sure enough, the new chicken tenders had milk in it. I promptly informed the chef lady of this, who profusely apologized and had no idea. It wasn’t her fault; the head cafeteria administrator did the ordering and has changed products. Even though the nutritional value is the same, this person switched brand names for no apparent reason and with no regard for the added allergens in the product.

This is a great example of why we always have to check ingredients EVERY SINGLE TIME our children eat in the lunchroom. Take nothing for granted, because anything can change. What I am annoyed about is that John, and other kids with allergies were starting to enjoy the same freedom of walking through a lunch line that the other kids did. Even the head chef lady acknowledged that she saw John light up with a smile every time he could walk with a tray like his friends did.

I contacted the higher powers at our school about this and asked them to give the purchasing power back to the individual chefs at each of our school district’s cafeterias. They are the ones in constant contact with food allergy parents, and more closely monitor labels than a head administrator. I’ll keep you posted on the outcome.

It’s officially November 1st, and in my book, time to break out all the best holiday recipes. Thanksgiving will be here in just a few short weeks, and I’m already thinking of potential Turkey Day desserts. Look in any food magazine that’s out right now and you’ll see plenty of recipes for Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Tarts, Pumpkin Cheesecakes and even lots of other fall recipes including apple pie. I’ve done them all, but the one pie that really surprised me when I made it last year was the Holiday Cranberry Pie.

This pie is superb in several ways; it’s delicious and not too sweet, colorful and festive. Raisins are a wonderful addition to the cranberries and lend just the right balance of sweet to the tart of the cranberry. You could make my Easy Pie Dough or simply purchase a Pillsbury Pie Crust. After baking the pie be sure to cool it completely before serving, otherwise it might fall apart on you. As with most pies, I love mine served slightly warmed with a generous dollop of Vanilla Soy Ice Cream.

Enjoy and happy baking!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE HOLIDAY CRANBERRY PIE

Yield: 6 servings

1 recipe Easy Pie Dough (see below) or Pillsbury Premade Pie Crust

1 c. water

1 T. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. raisins

2 c. fresh cranberries

2 tsp. grated orange zest

Prepare the Easy Pie Dough as directed and divide the dough in half. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the water and cornstarch until it boils and the cornstarch dissolves. Remove from heat, and add the sugar, salt and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, and set aside.

Rinse the raisins in cold water to prevent sticking. Place raisins and cranberries in the bowl of a food processor and pulse them a few times, just enough to roughtly chop them. Add the raisins, cranberries and orange zest to the cornstarch-sugar mixture and mix well.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-inch glass pie plate with the first rolled out disk of pie dough. Pour the fruit mixture on top of the dough, and top it with the second rolled-out disk of dough. Crimp the edgest and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees adn bake for 25-30 more minutes, or until lightly browned and the fruit juices are bubbling. Cool completely.

Easy Pie Dough

2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 c. dairy free shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces (I use Crisco)

5-7 T. ice water

Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the shortening, and pulse a few times until the mixture resembles small crumbs. Add ice water, 1 T. at a time to the flour mixture, pulsing until the dough just comes together. Transfer the mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to pull the sides of hte dough together, forming a rounded disk. Chill at least 30 minutes before using.

Who doesn’t love hot cocoa? It’s sweet, chocolaty, warm and perfect with marshmallows. My kids are always asking for me to make a mug of this delicious concoction after school. There aren’t any suitable allergen free mixes on the market, and warming Chocolate Soy Milk doesn’t do it for me. I want something as close to the real deal as possible.

When I used to work in the city, I loved to visit Ghirardelli’s Chocolate Shoppe for a tall mug of hot cocoa to go. Over the years, I’ve turned to this easy do-it-yourself hot cocoa mix because it reminds me so much of that decadent hot cocoa I used to enjoy. There’s nothing better than warm chocolate to soothe the soul, especially on a chilly fall day. All you need is soy milk, Hersey’s cocoa powder and a little sugar. Oh, and a mere five minutes on the stove top. The best part? The aroma of simmering chocolate on the stove top can’t be beat.

Upcoming Event alert: If you are in the Austin, Texas area be sure to sign up for a holiday baking class with me at the Whole Foods Culinary School on Saturday, Nov. 14th. I’ll be hanging around afterward to sign books and talk about my favorite allergen free baking tips. Hope to see you there! Happy Baking everyone!

DAIRY FREE HOT COCOA

Yield: 4 servings

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hersey’s)

1/3 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. water

3 1/4 c. plain soy or rice milk

Allergen free marshmallows, for topping, if desired (I use Kraft Jet Puffed Marshmallows)

In a medium saucepan combine cocoa powder and granulated sugar with wire whisk. Add water and heat mixture over medium high heat until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in soy milk and reduce heat. Simmer five minutes and serve in fun mugs with allergen free marshmallows.

A while back a reader wrote me asking whether my new book has a recipe for Snickerdoodle Cookies. She said her husband loves these cookies, and she wanted to make a version free of dairy, eggs and nuts. As it turned out, my current book doesn’t have a Snickerdoodle recipe, but I was already developing one for a new book down the road. Finally, the Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Snickerdoodle Cookie is here! And it is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

The Snickerdoodle Cookie prompts passionate responses from people. It is one of those simple, straightforward cookies whose roots are typically traced back to our childhoods. Some old cookbooks claim the cookie was originated in 19th century New England. The soft and chewy cookie is characterized by a cinnamon sugar and crackled surface. Also, the Snickerdoodle typically uses a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda as a leavener instead of baking powder. I always have cream of tartar around the house since I make a lot of play dough with my kids. Buy a small jar to have on hand;  it will keep practically forever.

This is another recipe I love to make with my kids because they have fun rolling the dough into little balls and then dropping them into a cinnamon sugar mixture. I also like to use the mini cookie scooper for scooping out perfect little 1 inch balls of dough. These scoopers make the whole process of scooping out portions of dough easier and faster.

I hope you and your family enjoy this recipe as much as we do. I’d love to hear from any of you who remember a special cookie they loved growing up, but now can’t find or an enjoy a recipe that is allergen free. Happy Baking!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES

1 c. dairy free shortening (I use Crisco)

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

3 c. unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture for Rolling:

3 T. granulated Sugar mixed with 3 tsp. cinnamon in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine shortening, sugar and applesauce.  In a seperate medium bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt with a wire whisk. Add to shortening mixture and mix on low until thoroughly combined.

Use a small cookie scooper to make 1 inch dough balls. Drop the cookie balls into the cinnamon sugar mixture, making sure the entire surface is evenly coated.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are just starting to brown the middle is still somewhat soft. Cool completely on baking sheet and store in an airtight container.

So many of my other favorite bloggers have given some fabulous tips about allergen safe candies, tips and tricks for Halloween parties and trick or treating. As a busy mama of four I am usually not that creative and don’t plan too far in advance by special ordering candy, etc.  But I do follow some very simple rules every Halloween that make the holiday fun and carefree for John. Here’s some ideas about how to get through this “tricky” holiday:

• PREPARE TO HANDLE THE HALLOWEEN TREAT FOR SCHOOL PARTIES: Ever since John started preschool I have designated myself as the “Snack and Treat Mom” for all holiday parties.  Sometimes, I’ve had to combat with some moms who were adament about sending in their child’s favorite peanut m&m’s.  But over time, as there has been more awareness over the danger of food allergies, I’ve had less resistance. I like to offer a treat that also serves as a craft: pumpkin shaped plain sugar cookies (see my recipes section), bowls of allergen safe icing, candies and sprinkles to decorate. I also love to serve fresh fruit kabobs to the kids along with the cookies. Too much sugar CAN be a bad thing….
• LOAD UP ON ALLERGEN SAFE CANDIES AHEAD OF TIME: There are some good allergen safe candy choices at the store. Our favorite every year are Smarties, Starburst Plain, Original Skittles and those fabulous little Dum Dum Suckers. I fill a huge bowl with all of these and let my kids pass the candy out to all the trick or treaters.
• GO TRICK OR TREATING: What makes Trick or Treating so much fun is not just getting candy, but the act of running from house to house with your family and friends and waiting for the perfect moment to scream “Trick or Treat!”. This is probably John’s favorite part, even more so than getting the candy. We have had a strict rule since he was old enough to talk that there is NO eating on the way. But I always have a backup bag of “safe candy” in my purse if he whines loud enough. So we all just go from house to house, trick or treating like everyone else.
• WHEN YOU ARRIVE HOME WITH YOUR CHILD, ASK HIM TO HAND OVER THE BAG: This is discussed several times prior to Halloween so there are no surprises or issues. The full bag of treats is handed over to me for even exchange of my own bag of “safe treats, cookies and candies. In addition, I pack either a Target gift card or special toy I know he’s been asking for (this year it’s a DS game (on sale of course…). When John was in preschool hot wheels and little trucks did the trick.
• DONATE THE RELINQUISHED BAG OF CANDY: Our school collects excess candy to give to nursing homes and homeless shelters, so it is easy for us to trade our candy in. If your school doesn’t do this already, consider asking your principal to start this year. It’s a wonderful way to give back to others.
• SIT BY THE FIRE, ENJOY A CUP OF MULLED CIDER A WARM DINNER IN THE CROCKPOT: My sister has a tradition of having sloppy joes in the crockpot waiting for her overtired and sugar-crazed trick or treaters. I inherited this great tradition from her and it is a wonderful way to end the evening of craziness. The kids warm up their toes, eat a good dinner and talk about how much fun they had. Again, the less emphasis put on food and candy, the better. So, in the end, John’s Halloween isn’t much different from anyone else’s.  Halloween doesn’t have to be so scary, right?

I’m sure many of you have your own tried and true Halloween tips and tricks….I’d love to hear them!

Happy Halloween!

It has been a weekend of First Events. My sister ran her first marathon here in Chicago. I hosted my first food allergy book launch for friends, family and an extended family of food allergy mamas. And on a more serious and personal note,  my friend’s son suffered a serious food allergy reaction to cashews, his first ever. 

I’ve often said I would never wish a food allergy diagnosis on anyone. It’s terrifying to know that food could inadvertently kill or seriously harm someone you love. I believe that’s why we are all so passionate about awareness and keeping our children safe. I am sure we all can recall that first reaction our children suffered. It’s a life changing event to see your child struggle to breathe or get so violently ill because they happened to eat a cookie that was unsafe, or nibbled on a trail mix bar they’re allergic to. Your life changes in that moment. There is no longer a carefree, eat-whatever-you want type attitude. We all know what could happen, and work very hard to keep food allergy reactions to a minimum. My friend’s life is forever changed after this weekend; having to see her child struggle to breathe, call 911 and spend nearly four hours in the E.R. She was sent home with a much improved son and an EpiPen. But she’ll carry that experience with her for a long time to come.

Which brings me to another first; hosting a book launch party for my first book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book. The event was held at a fun breakfast spot in my local town. I spent two days baking a ridiculous amount of treats: pumpkin sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, banana chocolate chip muffins, french puff muffins, pumpkin bread and even a gluten free variation on my favorite snickeroo recipe. The parents sipped on hot coffee and lattes while the children enjoyed freshly made Italian Fountain Sodas. Parents mingled happily and children snacked freely. I was so touched and grateful to all my dear friends who travelled near and far to come support this project I have worked on for so long. But what I was most humbled by were the food allergic children, happily mixing with other non food allergic children, and eating all the “normal” treats of childhood. It was a sight I never thought I’d see and it was amazing. I especially empathized with the new food allergy mama’s I’ve never met before, who still had a look of fear and disbelief in their eyes, when told that yes, their child really could eat whatever they wanted. It’s these little moments of normalcy that I never take for granted. I’d love to have more of these events for our children. 

In addition to the book launch party this weekend, my older sister ran her first marathon. This was no easy feat for her; she’s had two knee surgeries, two back surgeries, as well as other countless other injuries. In fact, she was registered to run the Chicago Marathon in 2006, but yet another injury sidelined her. She worked hard every single day. And every day presented its challenges; sick kids, travelling husband, exhaustion, naysayers, and a lot of pain from her countless injuries. She NEVER gave up, and never doubted she could do this. And she did it; 5 hours, 45 minutes and 35 seconds. I watched her approach the finish line with her 12-year-old son standing next to me and I swore my knees were buckling because I was so overcome with emotion. She DID it. And she did it well. She never hit the wall, took her time, and enjoyed running through the diverse neighborhoods of Chicago. I am so proud of her and she serves as an inspiration to me that really, we all can do anything we put our minds to. Whether that’s running a marathon, writing a book, or working hard to build awareness so we can someday find a cure for food allergies. The future is limitless and I am still very hopeful we will indeed find a cure, so we won’t have to live with food allergies much longer.

Finally, I want to THANK YOU all of you who post comments and send emails, saying how much you’ve enjoyed the new book and my recipes. It means the world to me and I am so happy that your families are loving these treats as much as mine have. To help spread the word, please consider sharing your experiences with other food allergy mamas by writing a review at www.amazon.com . I’m sure other parents would love to know how the recipes worked out for you.

Happy Baking!

There’s a chill in the autumn air, and all I seem to want these days is something warm and wholesome. I think that’s why I’ve made a lot of muffins lately. The Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Blueberry Bran Muffins is the perfect muffin when you’re looking for something with a little more substance. The classic blueberry muffin is still one of my all time favorites, but this one is a fantastic variation using Kellogg’s All Bran or Wheat Flakes cereal, soy milk and fresh or frozen blueberries. I love this recipe for its simplicity; just a bowl and a spatula is all you really need. It’s the perfect muffin to make with your kids as they can literally produce the entire recipe from start to finish by themselves. And because they helped make it, chances are they’ll actually eat and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

As a pregnant mama, I love making a batch of these even just for me, as it freezes well and can’t be beat for a quick on the go snack. I feel good knowing that I’m eating something that is at least somewhat healthy. Bring your kids to the kitchen, pull up a chair to the counter and make a batch of these. I promise you’ll enjoy them and make them a part of your “favorite muffin” recipe rotation.

Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Blueberry Bran Muffins

For this recipe, I use Kellogg’s All-Bran® cereal. Make sure you always double-check food labels for changes in ingredients.

Yield: 12 muffins

3 cups bran flakes cereal

11/4 cups soy or rice milk

1 tablespoon water

5 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted

13/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375ºF, and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with dairy-free baking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine cereal, soy milk, water, and margarine. Let stand for about 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder with a wire whisk. Add the wet cereal mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries, and divide evenly among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, and bake 18 to 20 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

Somebody once said to me that writing a book is like giving birth, and while I am not sure about that, I will say it has been a long and wonderful process. And as of tomorrow,  The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book will finally be available everywhere. I saw a copy of the book for the first time today, and it brought back so many memories of the last year; the baking, the taste testing, the mess in my kitchen on a daily basis, the photo shoot and so much more. It was a true joy for me to work on this project and share it with all of you. I am also so grateful for the amazing amount of support I have received from not only my close friends and family, but from all of YOU, my virtual friends.

So many of you have written in with your heartfelt testimonials about how much your families have enjoyed the recipes, and it always made my day to read your comments and emails. Now that the book is officially available at the major booksellers, such as Amazon, please take a moment to share your experiences and write a review on their site. So many of you have also shared awesome variations, tips and tricks; share those too. We’re all in this food allergy baking circle together, so the more we can help each other out in the kitchen, the better! Also, remember that if you order directly from my site, a larger portion of proceeds from every book sold will go to directly to Food Allergy Initiative Chicago, a not-for-profit that provides funding for food allergy research and education. I personally sign every book that is purchased through www.foodallergymama.com .

Thanks again for always supporting me and this book. I am truly grateful, and you can be sure I will keep developing and making more yummy recipes for all of our families to enjoy!

In case you haven’t noticed I’ve been M.I.A. this past week, with barely one post written. Truth be told, I have been sick as a dog (though I still don’t quite know where that expression comes from). It started as the flu (either swine or the regular grade) and now has turned into a horrible case of bronchitis. My nights have been spent wheezing and coughing (thanks to asthma!) and my days have been spent exhausted, with more wheezing and coughing. I’m still sick, but am on new medicine so I am hoping once and for all I will kick the bug out of me and be on the road to recovery.

I must admit, I still baked this week. I made chocolate cupcakes for John as he had a birthday party to attend, as well as some blueberry muffins because I was craving them and just had to have them that instant (I suppose that’s more of a pregnancy thing). One thing I really really really wanted was toast with honey and cinnamon sugar. I craved a warm, freshly made loaf from the oven but simply didn’t have the energy or stamina to do it. My Whole Wheat Bread recipe is so easy that I pondered making it from scratch for about five minutes. Then I had an epiphany; there was an extra loaf in my freezer in the basement. I hopped right off the couch and went to retrieve the well wrapped frozen loaf so I could defrost it for my favorite snack later that night; tea and toast. Discovering previously baked goodies in the freezer is like Christmas: true bliss.

My Dairy and Egg Free Whole Wheat Bread is outstanding, and everything bread should be..crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, flavorful and wholesome. Homemade bread is something that can’t be beat, especially when you sick, down and out. In fact, my mom always made me cinnamon toast when I was sick as a child. She’d heavily butter the toast and then take that little shaker guy filled with cinnamon sugar and douse the heck out of that toast. I loved it. It always hit the spot. I also loved having honey and butter sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. It’s still one of my favorite treats to this day. And honey is one of the best cures for hacking coughs and sore throats.

I am excited to share my recipe for Whole Wheat Bread for you because I know it won’t fail you and it is extremely easy to make.  Some people are very intimidated by any recipe that contains yeast. Don’t fall for this; yeast breads are actually one of the easiest things to make yet one of the most rewarding. You simply mix up the ingredients and let time do the work. You can even put your kids to work by having them do the minimal kneading that is required to develop the gluten. Have fun and bake a couple of loaves of bread. And remember to save that other loaf for later…someday the frozen treat might pick up your spirits when you most need it.

Old-Fashioned Dairy and Egg Free Whole-Wheat Bread 

This is one of my favorite breads to make. It is delicious toasted and spread with dairy-free margarine and honey. Freeze the extra loaf by wrapping well in plastic wrap, then foil. Label, date and freeze for up to two months.

Yield: 2 loaves

4–41/2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 packages active dry yeast

2 cups soy or rice milk

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons dairy-free shortening

11/2 teaspoons salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 21/2 cups of the flour and the yeast with a wire whisk. In a medium saucepan heat the soy milk, sugar, shortening, and salt until warm, about 110ºF. Add the soy milk mixture to the flour mixture, and beat on low for about one minute. Scrape down sides with spatula. Beat on high for an additional minute.

Stir in remaining flour, one cup at a time, to make a stiff, but pliable, dough. Turn onto floured board, and knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Transfer dough to a bowl sprayed with dairy-free baking spray, turning to coat all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

Shape each portion into a ball, and place on lightly floured board. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest about 5 minutes. Place dough into two 8-inch loaf pans sprayed generously with dairy-free baking spray. Cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Bake 35 to 45 minutes. Cool slightly, and then remove from pans onto wire rack to cool completely.