At first I was happy, because first and foremost it gets people talking about food allergies, and it praises the Cubs for listening to their fans and giving peanut allergic fans an opportunity to attend a game just like everyone else, but in a more safe environment. For one night. On a Monday night. Against the Pirates. In a Sky box no one was using anyway. But then came the backlash. Remember the comments posted after Joel Stein’s infamous column about food allergies? Yep, those same people must have been posting today too. So rather, than getting all pissed off about it, I figure I would highlight some of the more “interesting” comments people said about me and my son (my rebuttals are in italics):

1. I am sorry and no disrespect toward this child and his family, but this story proves the once mighty America has fallen. What is next, no ice cream day for people who are lactose intolerant? Why yes, that would be the logical next step. Just kidding. And yes, you did mean disrespect.
2. This seems like a great family and I do not mean to be an a-hole, (but you are an a-hole) but I am sick and tired of all this PC krap (SIC) we have in the world today. Really, how PC of you to post this intelligent comment.
3. The wussification (SIC) of America continues..I know, posting anonymously is so not wussy.
4. That’s right lady, smother the boy until you turn him into a girl. Perhaps I should ask YOUR mother for child-rearing advice?
5. It’s our birthday present to him,” said Kelly Rudnicki, a blogger and author on food allergies who has written two books, including The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book. I that says it all.
   This kid will be dancing on one of the floats in that parade they have on Halsted in a couple of years. Wow, he actually took the time to requote me. An A for effort, and just to clarify, is there something “tricky” in that title that “says it all?”. For the record, I’ve danced on those floats for many, many years and would stand proud on Halsted any day.
6. EXTRA CREDIT FOR BEING THE MOST, WELL, DISTURBING:I ‘d like a section where I only sit with MILFs. Now, THAT is a title that says it all. Nice one Larry Horse (yes, that was his pen name)

This is just a sampling folks, but I thought I’d save you the trouble of getting ill and just give you some of the better Springer Zingers of the bunch. Should we be sick to our stomachs and offended? Yes. Should we write letters defending our stance? Yes. Should we keep pressing on, educating and doing the best we can as parents who just want our kids to have little moments of normalcy here and there? Definitely. But should we care what any of these people say? NEVER.

And in the spirit of TV News, as Ron Burgundy would say, “Stay Classy”….that means you, Online Newspaper Readers.

That’s all, carry on.

But the coolest thing this year at Lollapalooza? Seeing my severely food allergic son walk up to a food vendor and order Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream, served in a waffle cone. Seriously, it happened and we’re still talking about it. Temptation Ice Cream, made by local vegan company ChicagoSoyDairy served up these amazing treats at the newly revamped “food court” at Lollapalooza. Their treats are made in dedicated facilities. Believe me, I asked these guys about 15 questions about their product, how it was made, how it was possible. Most of us food allergy mama’s don’t believe a word these people say, but my instinct said it was OK and to trust.

John ate that yummy waffle cone, as did me, my husband and my other dessert-obsessed child Chloe. It was a life-changing moment for us all; finally a chance for John to eat an ice cream cone purchased outside his home with his family. Millions of kids do this very thing every day, but not ours. So when that moment came, and passed, I vowed to remember it forever. Every little kid should get to eat freely the treats of childhood. My son, like so many of your children, can’t. But moments like this remind me that anything is possible.

Date: Monday, August 30th 2010 vs. the Pirates

Time: 7:05 pm

Place: The Batter’s Eye Skybox (In center field, go to www.cubs.com for more information)

Price: $50.00 per ticket (There are a limited number of seats in the designated suite so call asap to reserve your tickets)

Contact: Samantha, Cubs Ambassador who is in charge of this event. Phone: 773-388-8273 or email: fanserviceassistant@cubs.com

I urge any Chicago-area families to PLEASE call Samantha and reserve your tickets this week. This is something that, if successful, they will try to implement on a more regular basis next season. But it’s up to us to make it a MUST ATTEND event for families who struggle with peanut allergies.

We have two tickets reserved and I am beyond excited to take John. His 8th birthday is the next day, and can’t imagine a more perfect birthday present for him.

Finally, a huge thank you to Cubs Owner Tom Ricketts, a fellow resident of my neighborhood and whose son played baseball with John last spring. He’s an incredibly nice and down-to-earth guy, and it was his idea to implement an Ambassador Program responsible for listening to fans’ needs, and wish lists. How cool is that? Thanks Tom, Samantha and to the Cubs organization for truly making a difference in our food allergic children’s lives.

“When I was in journalism school I lived and breathed all things Edward R. Murrow. In case some of you don’t know who Murrow was, he was the pioneer in broadcast journalism who set the highest standard for other journalists. Two of my favorite Murrow quotes came to mind when reading Mr. Stein’s piece:

“Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices – just recognize them.”

“To be persuasive we must be believable, to be believable we must be credible, to be credible we must be truthful”.

Truthful Mr. Stein was not. Instead, he was outrageous, uneducated and quite frankly an embarrassment to the code of ethics set forth by journalists. Check your facts, be truthful, put your own agenda aside and respect the power that has been granted to you. The freedom of the press is so important we protect it in the constitution, but when wannabe journalists like Mr. Stein abuse their platforms to write stupid articles it is an abuse to all journalists. Viewers and readers across the country are losing their trust in the media. We expect more. And as Newton Minnow once predicted that TV would become “a vast wasteland”, the print media is just as guilty.”

Fast forward to a column written by Mr. Stein in the August 9, 2010 edition of Time Magazine titled “Aw Nuts! I had an airtight, zero-tolerance stance on nut allergies. Then my son developed them”. Yes, you read that right, Joel Stein, the same person who ridiculed every food allergic parent in America just over a year ago recently discovered his 1-year-old son is allergic to nuts. He writes “Sitting up at 3 in the morning, I found myself totally believing in the nut-allergy epidemic.” Yes, Mr. Stein, many of us know precisely what that feels like, lying wide awake in the middle of the night thinking about all the ways our seemingly normal lives have changed in that moment our children got their diagnosis of a food allergy. It’s earth shattering and life changing.

I am not going to go down the road of “Karma’s a bitch” with this one. Having a child with a life threatening food allergy is something I would never wish on anyone, even my worst enemy. I honestly feel terrible for Mr. Stein and his wife. But the food allergic children are the innocent victims of this disease with no cure, and they are the ones who have to endure a lifetime of exclusion, anxiety and living with a special set of needs than other children. Of course, these food allergic children NEVER say “woe is me”. These kids are the real heroes, because they never complain about their food allergies.

Instead, I would love to see Mr. Stein use his journalistic platform to raise awareness about food allergies, about what it is like to send your child to preschool, birthday parties, field trips, camps, plane rides, the list goes on. It is in this moment that I think of Edward R. Murrow again, and how he took his platform as a journalist VERY seriously, and demanded everyone else around him do the same. And in the meantime, the rest of us will keep doing what we do, raise our children to be aware and raise money for a cure.

The recipe’s directions in the third paragraph say to remove the cake from the oven after 10 minutes. Then it says bake for an additional 25 minutes. Say what? Here’s how it should read:

Bake cake for 30-35 minutes until light golden brown, and an inserted cake tester comes out clean.

I love this cake only in the summer, when the cherries are perfectly ripe. It’s a breeze to pull together,and your kids can help pit the cherries.  And please, do yourself a favor and invest in a cherry pitter if you don’t already have one. I love my OXO one, available at Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, etc.

Thanks for understanding, hope this helps and happy baking!!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE FARMER’S MARKET CHERRY CAKE

1 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 c. silken tofu

3/4 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. dairy free margarine, melted and cooled to room temperature

1/3 c. soy or rice milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 T. lemon juice

2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1 pint fresh cherries, rinsed and pitted

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt with a wire whisk and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the tofu and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the dairy free margarine, soy milk, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest, and mix well. Add the flour mixture, stirring with a spatula until just combined. Lightly fold in the cherries.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and spray a 9-inch springform pan with dairy-free baking spray. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake for 30-35 minutes or until light golden brown and an inserted cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar if desired or a dollop of your favorite soy ice cream.

If you have other berries in the house, use them. Raspberries, blackberries will do well; just be really careful about folding them into the batter with a rubber spatula so the berries don’t break up.  Finally, many of you have written asking how my recipes can be soy free too. It’s super easy, just exchange soy free margarine and shortening (like Spectrum or Earth Balance) for my Unsalted Fleischman’s Margarine and Crisco. Happy Baking!!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE BLUEBERRY CAKE

1/2 stick dairy free margarine (or 4 T.)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 T. water

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. dairy free “buttermilk” (mix 1/2 c. soy or rice milk with 1/2 T. white vinegar, let sit 5-10 minutes)

1 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

CRUMB TOPPING

1 1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 c. light brown sugar, packed

1 stick cold dairy free margarine, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously spray a 9 inch glass Pyrex baking dish with dairy free baking spray, set aside.

In the bowl of mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dairy free margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add the water, lemon zest and lemon juice. In a separate medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Alternate adding the flour mixture and soy “buttermilk” to the margarine mixture, combining thoroughly. Gently fold in the blueberries (or other berries) with a rubber spatula. Spread batter into prepared baking dish.

To make the crumb topping, combine the flour and light brown sugar with a wire whisk. Cut in the cold dairy free margarine with your fingers until crumbly and there’s still large chunks of margarine in the mixture. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over batter and bake 45-55 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean and crumb topping is lightly browned.

Cool to room temperature and serve.

Two tips: this recipe can be baked in either a 15 by 10 jelly roll pan (for smaller and thinner bars, my kids’ personal favorite) or if you like a thicker bar, use a 13 x 9 metal sheet pan. Also, make sure not to over mix the batter when you add the applesauce. Stir it in and mix until thoroughly combined. Over mixing will produce a tougher result.

I can’t wait for you and your families to try this out!

As a side bar, some of you may already know that my second book, “Vegan Baking Classics” just appeared in stores this week. It is the Vegan version of my first book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book. My publisher approached me with the idea to repackage my first book to make it more Vegan friendly and share all those great recipes with another audience. I thought it was a great idea, since I have so many Vegan readers and get emails all the time from Vegans. I omitted some of the non Vegan recipes (gelatin, honey) and also added a dozen or so new recipes as well. The book will look very familiar if you have the first book, but for many people who don’t search for “food allergy titles”, Vegan Baking Classics will be new to them. I am excited for everyone to enjoy all these recipes that are so loved.

I’m also thinking about a third book and would love your input. What types of recipes would you like to see in a new book? Is there anything else that would be helpful to you and your family? I LOVE your input, it helps me more than I could ever say. So thank you in advance….and post or email me anytime. I’ve always said I really feel I have the BEST blog readers…I feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful support network. Thank you Thank you!!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE SPICED APPLESAUCE BARS

1/2 c. dairy free margarine

1 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

OPTIONAL: 3/4 c. raisins if desired

Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 metal baking sheet or 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan (see my note above) with dairy free baking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dairy free margarine with sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 c. applesauce and vanilla and beat well. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt with a wire whisk. Add to margarine mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in applesauce (add add optional raisins if desired) and spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned and cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely, cut into squares and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

99 percent of the time, I still take the time to read every single ingredient. But for some reason I let my guard down when I bought a new donut in the frozen section at Whole Foods by Kinnikinnick Foods. The package says these chocolate dipped donuts are “Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Dairy Free and Soy Free” in addition to the above disclaimer that it was made in a dedicated facility. I remember thinking at the store before I bought them that I hit the gold mine…finally I can make donuts for all the kids quickly without having to make my own.

Fast forward to a few days ago. I heated the donuts in the microwave, served them to my kids (including John), patted myself on the back for finding an allergen free donut, and called it a day. After eating it, John said his throat itched. I panicked. I checked the package and saw nothing that would alarm me. I gave him a Benydryl just to be safe, and he felt better.

Then this morning, the kids asked for another one of those yummy donuts and in a weak moment, I obliged. Once again, John complained of an itchy throat. This time I read the entire package line item by line item, and finally saw that it contained pea protein and pea starch. Bingo – John WAS having an allergic reaction to the donut because he is allergic to peas and legumes too (5 percent of those with peanut allergies also are allergic to peas and legumes because they are all part of the legume family). I started to panic, but John said it wasn’t that bad, just scratchy. I game him Benydryl and watched him like a hawk for the next several minutes, epi pen in one hand and phone in the other. The reaction subsided, thankfully, without further intervention. We dodged a bullet. And I felt like a failure.

How could I be so naive? I know better, and usually am very diligent about ingredient checking. I don’t know, perhaps it is the craziness of my full household that causes me to be more distracted than usual lately. Never again, I learned my lesson, and feel so darn lucky that nothing more serious happened.

Here’s something else I learned; if your child has a peanut allergy, and is among those 5 percent of people who also have a legume/pea allergy, be wary of labels that say “gluten free or wheat free”. Oftentimes pea or fava bean flour is substituted for wheat flour in recipes (like those new cookies at Starbucks…John can’t have because they are made with fava bean flour).

I apologized to John, and we talked about how “moms make mistakes too”. And that we should never, ever let our guard down when it comes to food allergies. I must admit though, it’s days like today that I wish more than anything, that a cure can be found for our children’s life threatening food allergies. Because that feeling of panic and terror I felt this morning is something I would never wish on any parent.

Happy Baking!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

1/3 c. dairy free shortening ( I use plain Crisco)

2/3 c. light brown sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. good quality vanilla

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. quick cooking oats (not instant)

1 c. dairy free chocolate chips ( I use Divvies or Enjoy Life)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 inch glass Pyrex pan with foil and spray with dairy free baking spray.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, brown sugar, vanilla and applesauce. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Add to shortening mixture. Stir in oats and chips. Spread mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Cool slightly and cut into bars.

After the batter is dropped onto the sheets, have your littlest kiddos sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon sugar mixture. You can’t “over” sprinkle so let them go crazy with it. If you happen to have any of the mixture left over, it’s perfect sprinkled onto “buttered” toast.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer and happy baking!!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE CINNAMON SOUR CREAM COOKIES

1 c. dairy free margarine (I use Fleischman’s Unsalted)

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 c. dairy free sour cream (Tofutti)

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

3 1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

CINNAMON SUGAR TOPPING

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the dairy free margarine, sugar, applesauce and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Slowly add in dairy free sour cream and mix until smooth.

In a seperate medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to margarine mixture until combined. Chill in fridge for at least one hour.

Preheat ovento 375 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove batter from fridge and use a mini cookie scooper to divide batter evenly onto baking sheets. Combine the ingredients for the cinnamon sugar and sprinkle generously over the tops of the unbaked cookies.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Cool completely.

While I am not a fan of the media’s play on words with these food-ban type stories (“It’s not nutty to allergics”) I do appreciate that this issue is getting some serious attention from the USDOT and mainstream media. It’s always amazing to me that food ban stories get non FA people so riled up. They think their rights are violated, and respond accordingly with verbal fights for the right to eat nutty trail mix and peanut snacks. People are so afraid of banning peanuts because they think other food bans will follow suit, and soon everything and anything will be banned.

I don’t advocate food bans in general environments (exception is my son’s classroom, which isn’t a lunchroom and shouldn’t be. It’s a learning environment, but that’s another story). Food bans provide a false sense of security that there are no allergens present. One cannot know if someone just wolfed down a PB and J and failed to wash their hands before stepping into the “banned room”. Also there are so many types of allergies (milk, soy, legumes, eggs, etc. ) that if you start eliminating one food, there will be arguments wanting to eliminate others. I understand this and have always made sure my FA son knows how to keep himself safe when eating at school, camp, play dates and even restaurants.

But I feel very differently about peanuts on planes. Peanuts and peanut products should be eliminated from the snack choices on commercial flights. Peanut particles in reciruculated cabin air can cause reactions, and a severe reaction 30,000 feet is a much different story than a severe reaction at a baseball park. Seriously, there is no comparison. Martin Kanan, CEO of King Nut Companies (a major supplier of peanut products on U.S. airlines) commented “What’s next? Is it banning peanuts in ballparks?”. It’s an ignorant comment that has no relevance to banning peanuts on airplanes. It’s clear he’s worried about his company’s profitability, and I completely understand that. But if he happened to have  a child with a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and nuts, I’m sure he’d think differently.

All the major airlines have cut  back on food service in general, and if they do offer an in-flight snack, why not just swap it for a less hazardous one, like fresh fruit, or carrot sticks, etc.? Is it really that big of a deal to make this simple change, that could potentially keep millions of food allergic people safe, and possibly bring more families back on planes who have been avoiding them?

It seems so simple, yet it is so controversial. What are your thoughts?

So when developing John’s IEP and 504 Plan recently the topic of a peanut free classroom came up again. I decided that once and for all, this year, we were going to require that John’s room be declared Dairy Free too. Because as long as my school doesn’t incorporate a Food Free Birthday Treat Policy among all grade levels (exceptions are holiday parties and special educational events) I was going to make sure my son’s classroom was as safe as possible. As a mom of five kids, I’m busy. And I know all of you are busy. Do you really feel like running around whipping up a batch of my treats (as easy as they are) every month when a child celebrates his or her birthday in class? As much as I love to bake, doing this every month gets tiresome. And it often makes the child with food allergies feel excluded. More important, since daily snacks are allowed in my son’s school, there’s always a child that brings yogurt or cheese to school. John has had some pretty serious reactions just from touching residue of dairy. The whole idea of food in the classroom is so unnecessary, but if it is a must, than I think alternatives such as fresh fruit, pretzels, etc. are safer bets.

I have to give high praise to my son’s educational team, because once I informed them that John’s dairy allergy is as life threatening as his peanut allergy, they were responsive to my desire to make John’s class environment as safe as possible. Our school nurse drafted a letter immediately (once the new IEP and 504 took effect) that was sent out to my son’s classmates. The letter stated that a classmate has a life threatening allergy to dairy, and the specific procedures were in place to provide the safest possible environment. The procedures included:

• Do not send any dairy products such as yogurt or cheese for a snack.
• Do not send container that have contained dairy products such as washed out plastic containers.
• If your child eats dairy before school, please have them thoroughly wash his or her hands before coming to school. It is important that residue from drinking milk, eating cheese or yogurt is not on a student’s hands when they handle common school books and equipment.
• Our classroom celebrates birthdays in a food-free manner. You can contact your teacher for ideas.

I am very proud and grateful that our school took my concerns seriously and quickly enforced new procedures that further ensured John’s safety at school. Of course, I’m sure there may be some eyes rolling or heads turning among some of the parents upon receiving the letter but I hope not. I would like to think that if any non food allergic parent put themselves in our shoes for just even a moment, and think about what it must feel like to know that your child die from a food allergic reaction, they might change their mind and do whatever they can to help.

Have a great holiday weekend everyone!!

This recipe is delicious with freshly sliced bananas and just a sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar, but warmed maple syrup is also a yummy complement. I love that all the ingredients can be mixed in one bowl with one spatula or spoon. In fact, these waffles can easily be made by your kiddos too. Freeze the extras in between pieces of parchment paper in resealable plastic bags. To reheat, simply toast in the toaster at your desired setting. Don’t let them sit too long on the counter though, for they will lose their crispness and start to wilt.

And in housekeeping notes, I have to apologize for being a little MIA (missing in action) the past few weeks. It’s been crazy! I’ve had three IEP’s, construction issues, writing projects, end of school year stuff and in general life with five young kiddos. I know all of you can relate with your own family’s hectic schedules too…but if for some reason I didn’t get back to you or respond right away, please remind me again. I think having baby Michael has caused me to forget things more than usual, so a gentle reminder would be wonderful!! Also, if you haven’t had a chance to do so yet I’d love for ya’ll to share your reviews and testimonials for my cookbook The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book at www.amazon.com . Spread the word and thanks always for your incredible support. It means the world to me.

Happy Baking Everyone!!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP WAFFLES

1 2/3 c. soy milk

6 T. vegetable oil

2 T. water

1 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 2)

2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

2 T. granulated sugar or brown sugar

1 T. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. Enjoy Life Chips

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large liquid measuring cup, combine soy milk, vegetable oil, water and banana with a wire whisk. In a separate medium bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt with a wire whisk. Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Ladle about a 1/2 c. batter on hot iron that has been sprayed with dairy free baking spray. Cook until desired setting’s light is turned off (I like my waffles darker and crisper). Remove and keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

• I wasn’t told this was an optional directive at first. Instead I was informed by my son’s IEP case manager that this was a new district policy to incorporate both documents into one central document. My school district believes these two documents are interchangeable. In my opinion, they are not. A 504 is a Health Plan that is carried with the child through high school, college and beyond. It details all the necessary accommodations needed to comply with the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It does in fact have fewer rights and accommodations than the IEP (or IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), but to call them interchangeable is a mistake. I believe the school district should be informing every family this affects that it is NOT a legal madate, but instead a Best Practices policy. Optional is the key word here.
• I was uncomfortable that my school nurse sent home the food allergy accommodations to me in advance of my IEP meeting last week, therefore indicating she was notified that John did in fact have an active IEP. I am not secretive about my children needing an IEP and never have been. However, I do know some families are uncomfortable with this information being shared and for that reason think that there is a privacy issue at stake here. My son’s developmental delay diagnosis doesn’t impact my school nurse, therefore this information shouldn’t be shared with her (or with anyone else for that matter) without my permission.
• When I pressed our school district for more information about this Best Practices policy, I was told from our superintendent that this practice actually better protects our food allergy kids since IEP’s are viewed as more protective than the Section 504, and therefore is a better place to hold the accommodation information. I asked if I should be concerned if my son ever loses his IEP status since the 504 is considered more “loose”. He responded no, of course, and that they hold both documents in high regard, but that is not always the case with other school systems.

Last week I had three IEP meetings for my children, concluding with John’s. I ultimately decided to hold both documents seperate because I feel they should be. I’d love to know what everyone thinks about this, what they would do if this Best Practices policy is introduced in their own school district.

Have a good week everyone!

I wish all you food allergy mama’s everywhere a blessed and beautiful Mother’s Day with your families! Happy Baking, and remember to take the day off tomorrow!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP STRAWBERRY CAKE

1/2 c. dairy free margarine (I use Fleischman’s)

3/4 c. granulated sugar (plus 1T. for sprinkling)

1 T. water

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/3 c. soy or rice milk

1  1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. dairy free chocolate chips (I use Divvies or Enjoy Life)

2 1/2 c. hulled and halved strawberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and generously spray a glass pyrex 9-inch pie dish with dairy free baking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dairy free margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add water and vanilla and combine thoroughly. In a medium seperate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt with a wire whisk. Add flour mixture to the margarine mixture, alternating with the soy milk. Combine thoroughly but don’t overmix. Stir in dairy free chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into prepared glass dish.

Arrange strawberries on top of cake, cut side down, close together. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T. granulated sugar. Bake 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing.

But this time it was different. As much as I miss my beloved mother, and as much as I would have loved to have her there to share in my children’s special sacraments, I was profoundly grateful for everything I have. My family, my health and my children’s health…it’s all that really matters. NOTHING else matters. As a parent of a food allergic child, we are always worried to some extent for our children’s health and well being, because it could be seriously compromised at any given moment. But sometimes there are moments in my life where I forget all of that, and focus on the now. For me, yesterday, it was watching my son John walk down the aisle with his hands crossed, looking so happy. He looked like any other kid, and in that moment I forgot that he was the one who will have to live his life being more careful than most, that I will always worry a little more about him than my other children. It was truly one of those moments when I was overwhelmed with love and gratitude for all that I have.

Now, on to the party. It was a blast, and I have to give a huge kudos to Whole Foods who blew me away. I met with them prior to the event to discuss our dietary restrictions and John’s allergies. We carefully went through every label and discussed what would be safe and what wouldn’t. We discussed cross contamination issues and how it would be addressed. In the end I was so impressed with their gorgeous, delicious vegan trays. Everyone else was too, and raved about how fresh and yummy the food was. After this fantastic experience with WF, I would highly recommend them to anyone else looking to do a party, whether they have allergies or not. They GET it.

Finally, the desserts. I let John pick out whatever he wanted from my book. He chose Lemon Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Russian Teacakes and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. Everyone devoured the treats…nothing was left. Not even a crumb or a lone chocolate chip. It was gone, and no one ever asked, does this have eggs, etc? They are so much better than store bought treats yet they are completely safe. I love that EVERYONE enjoys the treats, and just carries on with zero discussion of food allergies. It is nice to take break once in a while from the food allergy subject, and just enjoy good food with friends and family. It is a world I am still hopefully we will see someday….

Happy Baking everyone and I hope to post a yummy new recipe very soon…working on it!

But your family might love all these things so please, by all means, add or remove what you want from the recipe. It won’t turn out exactly as mine, but it will come out pretty close. I also decreased quite a bit of the oil and sugar in this version, because there’s nothing worse than a heavy, greasy and overly sugared up muffin. I love that these muffins are full of flavor yet not too heavy. They have the perfect balance of sugar and spice. The other thing I love about them is that they taste even better the day after you bake them. In fact, they last several days tightly covered, making it the perfect breakfast muffin on busy mornings or as a lunchbox treat.

Happy Baking everyone!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE MORNING GLORY MUFFINS

1/2 c. canola or vegetable oil

1/2 c. soy or rice milk

2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 T. water

2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 c. shredded, peeled carrots

3/4 c. shredded, peeled apples (I use Granny Smith, but any variety will do)

1/2 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 12-cup muffin tin with dairy free baking spray. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the oil, soy milk, vanilla and water with a wire whisk. In a medium bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt with a wire whisk. Add the soy milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in the grated, peeled carrots and apples until completely mixed. Stir in the raisins.

Use a cookie scooper to divide muffin batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and store in an airtight container for several days.

As many of you know, I love recipes that my kids can make by themselves in the kitchen with just a little help from me. I’m all about tactile activities, and this one is perfect to do with kids of all ages. You don’t even really need a mixer to stir the oatmeal mixture. Simply stir together using the back of a wooden spoon. Use your fingers to press the dough into the prepared glass dish, and spread the fudge layer with your hands too if you wish. This dish signifies everything I love about baking in the kitchen with my kids because it is literally a hands on project that yields deliciously kid friendly results.

As a side note, I have to apologize for not posting as often lately. Between baby Michael’s crazy schedule and all my other kids schedules things have been super nutty (no pun intended!). It seems that every time I get online I have to get off for one reason or another. But I want you to know HOW MUCH I appreciate all your super sweet, thoughtful and touching comments. Many times I have been moved to tears through your kindness and support. I LOVE hearing how much you and your families are enjoying the recipes…it means a lot to me. I get great joy out of creating new delicious recipes that you can bake in the kitchen with your kids and for your kids. Our food allergic kiddos deserve the world, and it is awesome that they are enjoying all these childhood favorite treats. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And now that I think Michael is finally turning a corner and becoming less fussy I hope to post more like my usual schedule. Update on Michael; he has terrible, and I mean terrible, eczema. In fact, looking at him I am reminded of those early months when John was a baby. The dry, scaly head and face, excessive scratching and peeling. It’s terrible. We’re going to the doctor tomorrow. But I am convinced he has some sort of allergy too, just like John, There are so many similarities. I’ll keep you posted on that.

In the meantime Happy Baking Everyone!!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE OATMEAL FUDGE BARS

OATMEAL LAYER

1/2 c. dairy free shortening

1 c. brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. old fashioned or quick cooking oats (I prefer old fashioned but use whatever you have)

FUDGE LAYER

1/2 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1 1/2 dairy free chocolate chips (Enjoy Life or Divvies)

4 T. dairy free margarine (I use Fleischmans)

1 T. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 inch glass Pyrex baking dish with dairy free baking spray. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a medium bowl with a wooden spoon) combine the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla and thoroughly combine. In a small separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Add to shortening mixture and stir well. Stir in oats. Reserve 1 cup of oatmeal mixture for topping. Spread the rest into the prepared glass dish using the back of a spoon or your fingers. Set aside.

Make Fudge Layer: In a microwave safe bowl combine the chocolate chips and dairy free margarine. Heat in the microwave 20 seconds at a time until the chips are just melted. Add 1 T. water and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. In a small bowl combine the 1/2 c. flour and 1/4 c. sugar with a wire whisk. Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Spread the fudge layer over the oatmeal layer. Sprinkle top with the reserved oatmeal mixture and spread with the back of a spoon or your fingers. Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

My version is Dairy, Egg and Nut Free, of course, and can be adapted to fit your family’s personal tastes. Some recipes call for the addition of dried cherries or cranberries, or even candied fruit peel. It can also include any assortment of spices including cloves and ginger. But I happen to like mine with just a little cinnamon and nutmeg, and a healthy dose of currants or raisins. 

As with many yeast bread recipes, you’ll need to add just enough flour to make a soft pliable dough. Add too little and the dough won’t hold, add too much and your dough will become tough. I call for 3 1/2 -4 cups of flour in my recipe; add only a little at a time to ensure your dough is perfect.

Don’t be intimidated by the fact that this is a yeast bread; it is SO easy! Even the placement of the crosses are easy. You can either cut crosses in the dough before baking, pour the icing mixture into a zip lock bag that has the corner snipped off and pipe directly onto the bun, or even take a little teaspoon and drizzle the icing right on.

My kids LOVE this little bread, and even say it reminds them of a warm and gooey cinnamon roll. They are so yummy, so easy and perfect for Easter. I hope you all have a wonderful Passover and Easter holiday!!

Happy Baking!

DAIRY, EGG AND NUT FREE HOT CROSS BUNS

3/4 c. dairy free buttermilk (3/4 c. soy milk mixed with 3/4 T. vinegar, let stand 5-10 minutes)

1/2 c. vegetable or canola oil

1/3 c. brown sugar

3 T. water

3 1/2-4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

2 pkgs. active dry yeast

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 c. currants or raisins

Icing for crosses: Mix the icing ingredients together in a small bowl until it is easy to drizzle.

1 c. confectioners’ sugar

1-1 1/2 T. Soy or Rice Milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, gently heat soy buttermilk, vegetable oil, brown sugar and water until it reaches 110-115 degrees (about a minute or two). In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment combine 2 cups flour, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and flour. Add soy buttermilk mixture and mix on low for one minute, scraping dough sides so it is evenly incorporated. Slowly add the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time or until dough is soft and pliable. Use a rubber spatula to stir in currants or raisins. Place dough into a bowl sprayed with dairy free cooking spray. Cover and let rise 1-1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Punch down, cover and let rest 10 minutes. Divide into 16 pieces and form smooth balls. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper 1 inch apart. Cover with a clean dishtowel and let rise 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees. At this point you can either cut a cross into the top of each dough ball, or simply put into the oven. Bake 13-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool slightly and pipe on Icing mixture over the cut portion of the dough, or pipe the icing in a cross pattern.

Cool completely and serve.

Feel free to omit the dairy free chocolate chips, but I think they add the perfect amount of sweetness to the moist and chewy cookie. The smell in the oven is reminiscent of freshly baked banana bread. On a cold, snowy spring day here in Chicago, I can’t think of a more perfect treat.

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Banana Oat Cookies 

3/4 c. dairy free margarine (12 T.)

1 c. granulated sugar

1 1/4 c. mashed overripe bananas

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 1/2 c. quick cooking oats

1/2 c. dairy free chocolate chips ( I use Divvies or Enjoy Life)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dairy free margarine, sugar, mashed bananas and vanilla until smooth. In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg with a wire whisk. Add to margarine mixture and combine thoroughly. Stir in oats and dairy free ch0colate chips.

Use cookie scooper to divide dough evenly on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until light brown. Cool completely on cookie sheets.