Before my newest book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals came out in February, I used to get emails all the time about how to make a dairy free, classic kid favorite, Mac and Cheese. I know the blue-boxed version is an orange, chemical disaster, but as a kid of the 1970′s and 80′s…I grew up loving the stuff and thinking it was a real “dinner”.

Truth be told, I still love Mac and Cheese, but not that boxed kind. Homemade is the only way to go, whether you have food allergies or not. My version is completely dairy free, fast, easy and tastes like the real thing. Pinky swear.

Hope you like it as much as we do around here. One more thing, It’s Food Allergy Awareness Week. Take a moment and email your school; principal, nurses, teachers and administrators to educate them about the importance of using Section 504 Plans in schools to protect our FA children in their classrooms. Emphasize that food allergies can and do KILL. It’s called Anaphylaxis, not an intolerance. Tell them food allergies are not a choice, but a real disability and that our children’s rights should and will be protected under the American with Disabilities Act. Educate every chance you can. We are all in this together, and it’s so important we speak out on behalf of our food allergic children across the nation.

In honor of FA Awareness week, I’d love to give away a signed copy of my new book! Comment below about how you made a difference in food allergy awareness this week and I will choose a winner at random this Friday! Good luck! And love you all! xo

CLASSIC MAC N CHEESE

Serves 4

The stove top portion of this dish only takes 20 minutes start to finish–almost exactly the same amount of time it takes to make that other boxed, powdery, fake cheese brand.

½ pound elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions, drained

1 ½ cup soy or rice milk, slightly warmed on stove top

4 tablespoons dairy free margarine

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 cup dairy free cheddar cheese, shredded (I use Follow Your Heart, this doesn’t have pea protein. If you are fine with pea or legume protein, you can also use Daiya)

In a medium saucepan, melt dairy free margarine over moderately low heat. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Add 1 c. of the warmed soy milk and whisk constantly for 3 minutes until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of the spoon. Add the dairy free cheese and stir with a wooden spoon for about five minutes. Then add the remaining ½ cup warmed milk, salt, pepper and dry mustard and pasta. Stir until the dairy free cheese is nearly melted, about five minutes .  Once the cheese sauce is smooth and melted, add the drained, cooked macaroni. Stir and serve.

Serve immediately.

I first fell in love with this dish when I was newly married. I ordered it one night out to dinner with my husband, and couldn’t believe the delicious combination of fresh pesto with crisp green beans and just barely cooked potatoes. Over the years I routinely made it at home as it became one of my husband’s favorite meals as well.

Pesto is a food allergy nightmare as it’s routinely made with pine nuts, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and sometimes extra pats of butter. My version has none of that yet it tastes nearly identical to the real thing. It’s easy to whip up in a blender or food processor and freezes well for a quick weeknight dinner or weekend lunch.

I’d also love to thank Babble for naming Food Allergy Mama a Top 100 Food Blog for 2013. I’m honored to be included in this amazing list of food bloggers for the third year in a row.

Hope everyone is having a great spring! Happy Cooking!

xo

PESTO PASTA WITH GREEN BEANS AND POTATOES

Serves 4

Be sure to reserve a little of the pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce when adding to the pasta.

For Pesto:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and packed

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium garlic cloves, chopped

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons dairy free margarine, softened to room temperature

1/3 cup dairy free Vegan Parmesan cheese

In a processor or blender, puree the fresh basil, olive oil, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Pour mixture into a bowl and stir in softened dairy free margarine and Vegan Parmesan Cheese. 

For the Pasta with Green Beans:

1 lb. allergen friendly or gluten free spaghetti or penne pasta

2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and washed

5 small, new potatoes, peeled and cut in half

Vegan Parmesan cheese for topping, if desired

Cook the pasta according to manufactures’ directions.

Meanwhile prepare a medium saucepan by filling halfway with water, put a cover on it and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook just until it can be pierced with a fork, about 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Add the green beans to the boiling water, and cook five minutes. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl with the potatoes.

Drain the cooked pasta, but reserve about a ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.  Add just enough of the pasta cooking water to the pesto to make it a little creamier, then add the pesto mixture to the pasta. Add the green beans and potatoes and stir the entire mixture gently until combined. Serve with additional grated Vegan Parmesan cheese if desired.

February 22, 2013: Kelly guests on CBS Chicago to demonstrate how she makes Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Oatmeal Creme Pies.

February 23, 2013: Kelly shows Dr. Sandy Goldberg how to make Yogurt Parfaits on NBC Chicago.

February 21, 2013: Lunchbreak segment with WGN-TV’s Dina Bair on their Midday News, making Creamy Tomato Soup.

See the recipe here: Lunchbreak: The Food Allergy Mama makes creamy tomato soup

Yesterday, John came home to tell me something that happened to him at school that broke his heart and spirit…not something you want to hear from your child. He was made to feel excluded and different, and as a 10-year-old boy, that kinda sucks. As his mom who has worked tirelessly for several years to give him and kids like him the opportunity to feel normal, included and safe in their very own little safe havens, aka their classrooms (classrooms, NOT lunchrooms), I felt defeated and just tired of it all. So I immediately went home, typed up this email to his school peeps. I want to make clear….his teacher and principal have gone above and beyond to make healthy and inclusive changes at our school.They’ve been outstanding. I know this issue could not have been prevented by them, because they have been awesome at asking me what THEY can do to make kids like John feel more secure, safe and included in their classrooms. I couldn’t ask for more. What seemed obvious to me, however, is that we really are a culture that is obsessed with giving lots of food and sugar to kids not just during class parties, but for birthdays, or for doing something great at school etc. All I’ve ever asked for with regard to serving food in classrooms that are potentially life-threatening to a food allergic child is to take a moment to stop, think and imagine what that child’s life is like. Think of THAT child…and what that world of exclusion and terror FEELS like. That if they made a mistake, inadvertently ate something, they could DIE. In minutes. Just for a moment. I wish we all could remember that Valentine’s Day, like every other day of our lives, should be about LOVE, ACCEPTANCE, COMPASSION AND KINDNESS of others. None of us are perfect…but if we remember to love, we’ll remember to be cool with kids who have food allergies, disabilities, challenges, etc.

Here’s an excerpt of that email…sent with a broken heart. ;(

“I wanted to reach out to you both to let you know about an incident that happened today with John. He came home from school very upset, and hurt about a comment made regarding Valentine’s Day treats. A classmate was responding to a discussion that no candy or food would be allowed with valentines this year, and this classmate said “why don’t we put John and XX, the other food allergy kid, into the pod so we can have our candy?” or something to that effect?  I also heard from John that another classmate grumbled about no candy, and that even a couple more said their parents were annoyed because they already went out and bought a bunch of candy and now what were they supposed to do?

I truly appreciated the concern and care in asking me what to do about food in the classroom for the party in order to keep FA kids safe AND included. XX, you have gone above and beyond in helping raise awareness about food allergies at our school and keeping all our kids safe and included. XX, you’ve been wonderful and have always protected John and put his safety and well-being first.

As I’ve always advocated, I don’t believe in food bans, but I do believe in food free celebrations in order to keep children with LIFE THREATENING food allergies safe, and included. And, there are also a whole set of parents who actually wish there were LESS food, candy donuts cookies, etc. that was distributed to their children. Parents in general are trying to keep more tabs over what is being served to their kids at school. When you throw in the whole food allergy factor, and it could jeopardize a child’s life by having unsafe food in their own classroom, it’s even more important to establish clearer boundaries.

I am always teaching parents of FA children to never apologize for their child’s health condition. Because it is a condition, it is not a choice, or a dietary intolerance, etc. Food allergies can and do kill, and have killed children in their own classrooms. I just don’t understand why we can’t promote a fun, happy Valentine’s Day or other celebration WITHOUT food? Are games and projects not fun enough? Don’t 99 percent of these children get whatever food they want, whenever they want? Should kids like John feel like they need to be quarantined to the pod so their classmates can have food that John can’t even be near because it puts his life at risk? Shouldn’t we be teaching ways to look out for another, take care of each other, put others first?

Finally, I asked my first grader, who is brutally honest about what Valentine’s Day means to him…is it about candy and treats? Cards? His answer? Love, Valentine’s Day is all about LOVE. To that I’d like to add, any celebration at school should be about love and the inclusion of others. And if there are kids in the classroom who could die or feel totally left out because of food for a party, then we should be thoughtful of them by having celebrations that are fun and inclusive for EVERYONE.

John’s bummed, and hurt, but it’s par for course because he’s had to deal with these types of comments since preschool, kindergarten and first grade, until the time our school district enacted Food Free Celebrations. After a year of griping about the change, no one cared, loved the change and it became a healthier way to celebrate parties at school…something EVERYONE can appreciate.

Thank you again to you both for all your help and support. It is truly appreciated.”

Thank you so much for the awesome response to my new cookbook giveaway! Two winners were selected at random and have already been notified. I LOVED reading every single comment, question, etc. You guys are amazing. Truly my rock and I feel so lucky to have so many of you read my blog. Your stories are inspiring, your passion for cooking is contagious and honestly…it’s just so great to know there are so many of us out there cooking and baking and having fun!

I love your comments and reviews…and would LOVE LOVE it, if you could head over to Amazon to post a review for The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy Fast Family Meals. If my recipes work for you, and you love them, spread the word to other food allergy mama’s by sharing your thoughts! Big thanks…I truly appreciate it!!

Here’s a decadent Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake for Valentine’s Day that is also in the new book (and if you’re a longtime fan, a previous post a couple of years ago). Babble named it one of its favorite romantic dishes to share with you significant other.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone! xoxo

This project came to be primarily because of YOU, my amazing readers, fans and friends. I can’t tell you how much your emails, comments and blog posts inspired me to create a cookbook that you and your family could use everyday. As many of you know, I am not a fussy kind-of-girl, and don’t have a lot of time to make fussy recipes. Perhaps later in life when my young kids will be older I’ll devote more time and energy to complicated recipes. But for now I want recipes that are fast, easy and geared toward my family’s personal tastes. In fact, as I note frequently throughout the book, my recipes should be regarded as a template. Feel free to spice up or change recipes or ingredients any way you want. It’s so important to make recipes the way YOU want them. Every recipe can also be made completely gluten-free or allergen free by omitting or using Gluten Free ingredients.

You can now order BOTH books on this site, and as always every book will be signed by me. And as a special thank you for your loyal readership, I’m giving away TWO free books to TWO lucky readers who post a comment on this post…anything you want; your favorite recipes of mine, recipes you wish I would create, your favorite cooking and baking memory with your kids, how food allergies have changed your family’s life, etc. I will choose TWO readers randomly next Monday, February 11th.  I would love to hear from you and thank you for your support!!! This book would not have happened without your love and kindness!!! Huge thanks to you ALL!!!

Happy cooking!!! xoxo

Speaking of my new book, here is one of my favorite weeknight dinner recipes from The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals that is kid friendly and easy to make; Turkey Sloppy Joes. I should have really called them Sloppy Johnnies because it’s John’s all time favorite meal, and one that he has requested as his birthday dinner for years. It’s also full of finely chopped veggies, which I love because my little guy Michael despises veggies in any form, so this is my sneaky way of getting the good stuff into him without him knowing.

Thanks so much everyone and Happy Cooking!!

xo

TURKEY SLOPPY JOES

Serves 6

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

½ green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

½ red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced

1 celery stalk, finely diced

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 small garlic clove, finely diced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 ½ pounds ground turkey (dark meat)

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (omit if

 you have a soy allergy)

6 allergen-friendly hamburger buns, light toasted in 300 degree oven for a few minutes if desired.

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat and add onion, bell peppers, celery, carrot, garlic salt and pepper until vegetables are softened and onion and is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground turkey and cook breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink and cooked through, about 7-9 minutes.

Add brown sugar, dry mustard, tomato sauce, ketchup, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce to vegetable and turkey mixture. Stir well and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Serve on toasted allergen friendly buns.

FREEZER TIP: Mixture can be frozen up to two months in either a resealable plastic freezer bag or container. Reheat over medium low on stove top.

I cooked with this book a lot over the holidays and especially loved the hearty dishes such as Shepard’s Pie, Sopa De Lima, White Chicken Chili and Deep Dish Pizza with Italian Sausage (I’m from Chicago, what can I say?) Cybele always creates recipes that are true masterpieces, and closely mimic the taste, texture and appearance “real” recipes with allergens. (Case in point: Creamy Mac and Cheese is creamy AND delish…not easy to do allergy free).

Another thing I love about this book; it’s packed with everything you need to know about allergy free cooking and how to properly stock your kitchen with the right ingredients. I remember how helpless I felt when I first started cooking allergy free in 2003, because I didn’t know what to buy, or not buy. Cybele’s book takes the guess-work out of it all.

Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking is a gorgeous book, one that has quickly become one of my all-time favorites, and one that I’m sure will be a bestseller along with her other books like The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook. I adore Cybele, and not just because she’s stunning, funny, incredibly smart and generous. I love Cybele because she’s truly passionate about feeding her family safe and delicious food, and feeding yours in the same way as well. She cares so much about giving you the best she can give, and works harder than anyone I know to deliver those results. Congrats to Cybele…love her new book and especially her. And congrats to one of YOU…my awesome readers, because I’m giving away a copy of Cybele’s Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking to one lucky reader who posts a comment below. Post your support, your questions, your comments…whatever you want (but keep it nice! LOL). I’ll randomly draw a winner Friday Jan. 18th and will post the winner within my comments section. Good luck to you all!!!

Finally, one housekeeping note. Have you noticed anything different? My new site! It’s updated, streamlined and overall should be a lot easier to navigate. I’m finalizing all the recipe categories, but you’ll see that you can now search for my recipes by keyword….something I know many of you have wanted for a long time. I will also be selling my new book (autographed) on my site starting Feb. 5th, so at that time you’ll be able to place orders as well. There are just a few little kinks here and there we’re working out, but I’m beyond excited about all the changes. HUGE thanks to my super star whiz web developer Mark CZ…who puts up with a lot of my forget-fullness, spaciness, tardiness, and absentminded-ness (yes, I just made up a lot of new words) and still manages to get everything done so beautifully. I am so grateful…;)

OK, so post your comment now….good luck!!!

xo

Please bear with me as this change will be happening over the next few days, and my site might look a little whacked for a bit. But it is only temporary and know that my site will be active and ready to use at your disposable as soon as possible.

It’s been another amazing year with all of you, the best readers in the universe. I LOVE your comments, stories, tips, words of advice, and encouragement this past year. This blog would not exist without your faithful readership and support, and I’m truly grateful to each and every one of you. Even the naysayers….the negative Nancy’s…I’m grateful to you too. Because it’s often those harshest critics that inspire me to do better at getting the world around us more educated about food allergies and its effects on our children.

Thank YOU for a great 2012, and I’m very much looking forward to 2013 with LOTS of new and exciting things! Happy New Year to you and yours!!

xo

Someone recently asked me for a good Cookie Exchange recipe. During the busy holidays, the best kind of cookie to make for an exchange is one that is fast and easy. Seriously, every year I have all these grand ideas of what I want to do for the holidays, and then this or that comes up and I hardly get to anything. Maybe that will change when my kids are a little older, but for now, I’ve decided I’m just going to roll with things a lot more, and “try” to stress a lot less.

So THIS is my answer to the question above; a very fast, very easy Sugar and Spice Cookie that is perfect not only for the holidays, but for any day of the week. It’s also a very pretty cookie, that can be dressed up in cute packaging.

Speaking of the holidays, my good friend Cybele Pascal’s new book just came out this past week. It’s a MUST HAVE for your kitchen counters, and makes a great gift item too. I’d use this book even if we DIDN’T have food allergies in our house. I love Cybele, and love this book. You will too, I promise.

Speaking of new books, this recipe, Sugar and Spice Cookies can be found in my new book The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy and Fast Family Meals. It’s dairy, egg and nut free but can easily be made gluten-free with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.

One more thing, as I am getting ready with a new and improved website, I’d love to try a new post on this site called Ask Me. In the comments below, if you have a question about baking, cooking, 504′s etc. I’d love to hear it and will answer all of them in my next post.

Happy holidays everyone and enjoy these next few weeks with your families!

SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES

Makes 2 dozen cookies

1 ½ sticks dairy free margarine

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar, packed

¼ cup unsweetened applesauce

¼ cup organic honey

2 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend

2-½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

Sugar Coating

1/3 cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the dairy free margarine, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the applesauce and honey, and mix well.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg and salt with a wire whisk. Add to the dairy free margarine mixture and mix well.

In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Roll cookie dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the cookie balls in the brown sugar mixture and place on parchment paper.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden brown on top. Cool completely on baking sheets.

French Toast….one of my all time favorite breakfasts and one that I always shared with my mom and sister every Tuesday at a diner in Chicago. I loved those French Toast Tuesdays. At the time, I was a young, struggling (POOR) college student. I lived in the city with my sister, worked full-time during the day and went to school at night in pursuit of a journalism degree. Those were long, hard days but also some of my happiest memories. My mom always said if you truly love what you do, it’s never really work. It’s a privilege to do what you love. And back then, I felt enormously lucky to be able to follow my dreams by putting myself through college. So those Tuesdays with my mom and sister were all about connecting during the busiest of times, and to replenish our tired and weary souls by venting, talking, sharing hilarious stories, and eating French Toast.

It’s been 15 long years since I’ve had French Toast with my mom, but I promise you she’s in my heart every minute of every day. I don’t think you can really ever get over the loss of your mom, and nor do I think you should. My mother is irreplaceable…and there isn’t a day that I don’t miss her terribly. So for now, I try to make French Toast once a week, not only because this is probably the most amazing egg free and dairy free (and gluten free) French Toast I’ve ever eaten, but also because somehow it feeds my soul, and connects me with my memories of her. Food is love, food is family, food is memories. It’s not just about eating and cooking. It’s so much more than that…

Enjoy this favorite recipe of mine peeps…it’s easy, fast and absolutely delish…perfect for chilly holiday mornings. This breakfast treat is in my forthcoming book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals, already on preorder with Amazon. xoxo

Happy Cooking!

xo

CLASSIC FRENCH TOAST

Serves 6

6-8 Thick slices allergen friendly bread (I use Vienna Italian bread, but homemade bread that is slightly dry is best.  Use any of your favorite allergen friendly breads)

2 cups soy or rice milk

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon Honey

Maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar

Heat an electric griddle or cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Spray the surface of the griddle with dairy free baking spray.

While the skillet is hot, combine the soymilk, flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla and honey in a liquid measuring cup with a wire whisk. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl and dip both sides of bread slices in mixture, coating well.

Remove bread slices from soymilk mixture, allowing the excess soy milk to drip. Place on hot griddle and cook 3-4 minutes on each side, or until browned. Serve with your favorite maple syrup and confectioners’ sugar.

1. The Food Allergy Mama’s Easy, Fast Family Meals is on pre-order! Go here to place your order for my next book (due out Feb. 2013) It’s packed with snacks, breakfast, lunch, dinner and treat recipes. These are easy, no fuss recipes that are my family’s favorites. They are easily adapted to be gluten-free as well. I love that all these recipes can be made with dairy or eggs too, depending on your family’s preferences or dietary needs. I LOVED working on this book and can’t wait to share it with all of you and your families.

2. Food Allergy Mama is getting a makeover! Actually not me, but my blog. It’s in the process of getting freshened up, so in the very near future you are going to see an updated, more user-friendly version. Can’t wait!

3. Finally, a NEW recipe! OK, I was just posting photos on my Facebook and realized I haven’t posted a new recipe since February?? Crazy. So sorry. This is a photo that I just looked at today…and realized how much I LOVE this new Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache (in the new book!!), and what I love even more are my FA son John’s freckles in this cake shot. Honestly…I’m so blessed to have these amazing children of mine, even more blessed that despite living with life-threatening food allergies, kids like John eat deliciously like anyone else.

4. One last thing! My first book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book is available on Amazon Kindle for FREE right now, as of today October 24, 2012. Order here. May not be free tomorrow or the next day, but if you’re reading this today…I highly recommend you download it as a backup to the print edition. Nothing better than FREE!!!

Love you all, thank you for your patience during this crazy time!!

Favorite Chocolate Sheet Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Serves 8

I often call this cake my “after-school” cake, because it’s my children’s ultimate treat after a long day at school. It’s the perfect cake to make for gatherings, holidays, and birthdays too. I love it to make for my own birthday because it is so darn easy. The cake will keep, covered, for up to three days covered in the refrigerator; heat individual slices for a 10 seconds in the microwave to slightly soften the Ganache before serving.

3 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour

1 ¾ cups sugar

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

2/3 cup dairy-free margarine, melted

1 ¾ cups dairy-free buttermilk (1 3/4 c. soy or rice milk mixed with 1 1/2 T. vinegar, let stand 5 minutes)

2 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

2 cups dairy, egg, and nut–free chocolate chips

½ cup soy or rice milk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350ºF and coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with dairy-free cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt using a wire whisk.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the melted margarine, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan.

Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache: Place the chocolate chips, soy milk, and vanilla in a small saucepan over very low heat and heat, stirring with rubber spatula, until most of the chocolate chips are melted. Remove from the heat and stir with spatula until the remaining chocolate chips are melted.

Once the cake is cooled, pour the ganache over the cake and spread it out evenly. Store the cake covered in the refrigerator.

I’m slowly getting around to returning emails and comments on this blog, and one recent comment on Food Allergy Mama in particular struck a chord with me…it’s a bit long so bear with me:

Whlie (sic) i am aware of allergies, the concept, that i am struggling with is the demand of a preschool child to no longer eat peanuts, tree nuts granola bars, PB and J whole grain breads (made on equipment that also manufactures nuts). We received a note in our childs lunch box this week stating that there is a child in his class that has a peanut (severe) allergy, the only item left in his snack box for him to eat was his juice box). Why does the 95% of the class get penalized for not being allowed to eat their ‘normal’ snack and be straddled to ensure the parents purchase the correct items that are allowable for this one student. Why would not the parent of the child supply a list of those items allowed for the remainder of the class to eat. Dictating what children eat at snack is not easy, and for a new to class stranger to have such demands is absurd. WE have purchased our childs snacks for a two week period and have limited funds to do so, to now purchase nut free items will cost more and we will not be compensated for this extra burden…..How is this right? one rules the majority, i did not sign up for a dictatorship.

our child has allergies to cats, and breathing is limited when they are around them, is it right that we demand that all others in class remove the cats from their home so as to not let the dander be brought to school on the clothing, but hey it is limiting this childs ability to learn by not being able to breath easily……………

this craziness has to stop,

I re-posted this comment only because it is the sentiment that WE ALL have faced in one form or another over the years from other parents about snack polices or food policies in school. Every time I read or hear about a non FA parent get upset about classroom policy and food allergies, I have to take a step back and try to see it from their perspective. What are they are truly angry about? Inconvenience? Lack of control? The right to serve what they want, when they want, to their children’s class? Perhaps. I think more times than not, however, non -FA parents just want to make sure their children are happy, well fed and well nourished at school. I totally get that. And I want the exact same thing, but more than anything I just want my son with a life-threatening food allergy to stay alive. I don’t want him to facet the physical, emotional and social trauma of going into anaphylactic shock in front of his classmates. And I also don’t want his classmates to ever have to witness him gasping for his breath and life. I don’t want ANY child with food allergies, whether he is a 3-year-old attending preschool for the first time, or my soon to be 5th grade son going to a new school, to  feel excluded, different, or anxious in his classroom.

I’ve said it before but it’s worth mentioning again; classrooms ARE NOT secondary lunchrooms. They are a child’s safe haven, a place to learn and socialize in an inclusive, positive environment. I’ve never advocated for food bans, especially in school lunchrooms. My son also has a severe dairy allergy, and I would never expect any school to ban milk, or cheese from children’s lunches. John knows it is HIS responsibility in the lunchroom to eat at a peanut free table and to wash his hands and not share food. However, the gray area lies within the classroom. Schools should consider more food free celebrations, and snacks in the classrooms should be free of potentially deadly allergens. To the reader who posted the comment above, and to any other mom or dad who is annoyed at possibly having to buy certain snacks for the classroom only, I would hope they could try for just a moment to consider the food allergic child, and that no granola bar or cupcake is worth losing a child over. Ever.

When I read the above blog comment, it saddened me that we can’t all just come together and put these children’s lives first, and think about what’s best for them, not what’s best and more convenient for parents. We need to think more logically and compassionately about the issue of food allergies in schools. I respect and value the opinions of non FA parents who wish to fight these types of changes in schools, but I hope that they can respect our food allergic children’s lives and well-being too. Change isn’t easy, but it is possible to do with everyone’s support from the top down, as long as the right information is put out, and more people are educated that food allergies are not a choice or a dietary fad.

In the meantime, prepare yourself in the new school year by scheduling a meeting with your child’s new teacher, principal and school nurse NOW to write a 504 Plan detailing accommodations in your child’s classroom (this is your legal right, don’t accept a “no, we don’t do that here” because it’s against the law to say such a thing). I’m in the same boat as many of you again, facing new food allergy policy issues in our new district. My previous school district in Illinois developed what’s been called the “Gold Standard” of food allergy policy. Below is a link to everything you and your school district administration will need to get the ball rolling; sample classroom letters, 504 Plans, downloads, etc. No need to re-invent the wheel, and it is great to have when your school tells you ” we don’t have the funding or manpower to develop such a policy”. Tell them it’s already been done for them, they just need to enforce it. And remind them that this policy was drafted with the careful consideration of not only food allergy parents and doctors, but non food allergy parents and lawmakers. Here it is:

http://www.isbe.net/nutrition/htmls/food_allergy_guidelines.htm

Good luck everyone, stay focused and positive and keep me posted on how your school year is going.

The possibility of hope, as well as symbols of rainbows is everywhere I turn these days. This past week alone, I received a fantastic Craft Box carrying the theme of Rainbows. I have seen adorable Rainbow Cupcakes, gorgeous photos my Facebook Friends have taken of Rainbows, Rainbow Jewelry, Rainbow flags, the word Rainbow written across pages. What on earth is the Universe screaming out to me right now? I have only a one- word answer to that question – HOPE.

The past six weeks of adjusting my family of seven to a completely new way of life has been challenging to say the least. Though I thought I prepared fully for such a big move from the Midwest, a place I’ve lived my entire life, to the West Coast for my new life, I realized how mistaken I was. One can never prepare fully for leaving behind everything and everyone you know, just to follow what is inside your heart. Moving towns, let alone across the country with five young children, I’ve learned, isn’t for the faint of heart. It is like having your first child; for as hard as you thought being a new parent was, it’s 1000 times harder. I was prepared for the logistics of the move. But I wasn’t prepared for all the other stuff, like completely starting from scratch when it came to my son’s food allergies in school.

Food allergy awareness and policy in schools is pretty much non-existent here, or at least where I live in SoCal. Coming from a school district where I worked hard to make positive and healthy changes for kids with food allergies, I was stunned by the lack of protection for kids here. I was stunned by the amount of food, treats and parties being offered to kids in the elementary and middle school. I was even more stunned that my son’s new allergist said he’s only helped about 4 food allergy families with drafting a Section 504 Plan to accommodate FA children in their schools. Treats are often distributed, and the FA child sits the celebration out, repeatedly. I know, because this has happened to John three times already, and he’s only been in this new school six weeks.

Even beyond the inclusion/exclusion issue, there is the whole safety issue of having a child around food that he/she could inadvertently eat or put to their mouth and have a potentially life-threatening reaction. I have used a great 504 Plan for several years now that specifically requests I am notified every time treats are brought into the classroom, so a. I can send in an alternate treat, and b. to make sure whatever IS brought in is Dairy and Nut Free. I was never notified in advance, which obviously is a huge problem for many reasons.

It’s very simple, classrooms should be safe havens for all children, and every child deserves to feel included and safe in their classrooms, regardless of age or disability. Food allergies are a disability NOT A CHOICE, and it’s time more schools take ownership of this fact and develop policies and procedures to reflect their commitment to keeping ALL children safe. There are too many gaping holes, gray areas, and room for error and potential for miscommunication going on here as well as schools across the country. As I said to my son’s new allergist, there’s a “perfect storm” brewing….something catastrophic can and will happen if these schools don’t pull in the reigns and develop guidelines for these kids. And they will be held liable, especially if that FA child has a 504 Plan.

I’ve never considered myself an extremist, only a mom who cares not only about my child’s health and well being at school, but ALL children at school. Nothing saddens me more than a child feeling alone, withdrawn, left out and anxious. No one deserves this, and kids with food allergies deserve better than that. They deserve the same respect and courtesy as any other kid. Again, this is a basic life lesson that everyone can learn from…love and take care of one another. Look out for one another. And respect each other. I don’t want food bans; I just want policy and written clarification about what’s acceptable and what’s not. I want to know that my 504 Plan will be honored and followed to the letter. It’s time for these schools to step up.

Going back to my original comment of hope. I have GREAT hope for what’s ahead and believe all these rainbows I’ve been seeing is a reminder to not get too discouraged and give up, and to remember that at the end of the day, everyone is doing the best they can with what they have and what they know. Maya Angelou famously said, “When you know better, you do better”. Educate, teach, inspire and help spread the word about how to keep our FA safe, included and HAPPY.

Finally, an amazing example of HOPE: My son’s previous school in IL throws a huge 4^th Grade Farewell party at the end of the school year, a right of passage for these kids going into 5^th grade and middle school. The party is complete with a DJ, Bouncy House, and of course, food. This year, the food committee went out of their way to bring in fun, kid friendly food that EVERYONE could enjoy. No one was left out, regardless of their dietary needs. How amazing is that? My friend sent me photos of kids eating hot dogs, chips and cotton candy, but vendors and products were checked and double checked. It was beautiful, and brought me to tears as I showed John the photos of all his old friends eating food that he would have been able to eat too. He was really happy for them, and thought it was really cool that these moms cared enough to think of kids like him. It blew me away, to be honest, because that kind of compassion and care for accommodating all the kids is nothing short of spectacular. And it’s a reminder that, as I’ve always said, “Anything is Possible”. A HUGE thank you to all those amazing parents in IL, and everywhere, for keeping that message of hope alive, and for taking such good care of our children. And never, ever give up hope.

Second, I deeply apologize for completely dropping off the face of the earth, at least in the blogging world. I jumped on here recently and saw that my last post was in February. In February?? I could hardly believe it and thought something was actually wrong with my wordpress. But then I quickly realized I was a total loser and yes, literally dropped the ball all these months and haven’t posted a darn thing. BUT…I’ll give you the readers’ digest version of the past few months and you’ll see why.

Right after my last post, I sold my house in Wilmette, IL. During this time I was also juggling house showings (which means lots of house cleanings) and writing my next book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Fast and Easy Family Meals for Everyday. Writing this book was a labor of love as it includes lots of amazing recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and treats as well as menu ideas. However, writing roughly 140 recipes means creating them, testing them, retesting them and then cleaning it all up! Which, with 5 kids, virtually no help (except for my beloved Halina who lovingly cared for my kids 4 hours/twice a week while I wrote), and an insane kids’ sports/activities schedule, I was literally using every minute of every day to accomplish every necessary task. So then, after I received an offer for my house in February, my husband and I flew off to sunny CA in search for our new family home. No easy task, yet I did all the legwork and research months before, so I knew EXACTLY where I wanted to live. We spent a weekend in SoCal’s San Clemente and looked at TONS of houses. We found one, put an offer in, and after some multiple offer craziness we got it. Next up was finishing my book manuscript and recipe testing. After I finished that, it was time to cook like a madwoman for the book’s photography. I used the same photographer as my last book, Robert Knapp, who is such a creative genius. He has the most amazing sense of style. However, the process of shooting food photos is more work than meets the eye. And I do all my own cooking, food styling, etc. so the process can be very labor intensive. However, after a few days of that, we wrapped the shoot and I sent the photos and manuscript off to my editor. I took one day off, then got our whole family ready for a trip to Disneyworld….

Disneyworld is truly a magical place and I am so happy we went, even despite the craziness of those few weeks. My friend and AMAZING food allergy mama Lissa Critz at My Magic Journeys set up the entire trip for us, and took care of every single detail from where we stayed to where we ate. And yes we ate OUT!!! That alone made this trip the most amazing experience for us, and especially for John. It felt like a real vacation, one in which we could be carefree and feel as safe as possible. I love Disney and how they make EVERY child feel special and cared for, even those with food allergies. Many of you have feared going for obvious reasons, but please, take my word for it, it is worth every expense to go. It will be the trip of your child’s lifetime. Contact Lissa, she’s the BEST of the BEST and will ease your every fear. She’ll send you detailed printouts ahead of time as to where you and your FA child can eat, along with other special touches. I am forever grateful to her for making this trip one of our favorites.

After we returned from Disneyworld, I attended and spoke at FAAN’s Food Allergy Conference in Chicago and shared my favorite recipes and cooking tips. It was an honor and privilege to be there, and like every other year I’ve attended, met so many wonderful and dedicated food allergy parents. It never ceases to amaze me how much I learn from these conferences. I am so thankful for FAAN and everything they do for families like ours.

After the FAAN conference, I was off to speak at my BFF’s middle school in my hometown in Illinois. That was truly one of the most amazing experiences. Those kids were so special, full of love, wonder, and had a great capacity of understanding and concern for learning about kids with food allergies. Afterward they each wrote me these amazing thank you letters, and they all brought me to tears. Every single one of them.

Then a couple of days after that I was off to Orlando again for my own weekend at the Ritz. I was supposed to go on my own as a treat to myself for finishing my book and meeting an old friend, but my one of my BFF’s was actually in FL too, and joined me for the weekend. We had a blast, and it was great to see old friends and meet some new ones too. Love that Ritz!!

After that trip I came home to pack for 10 days, wrap up the kids’ last days at school and get the final details in order for a cross-country move. Oh my Lord, that was no easy feat. In fact, much of it is still a blur. But I do remember landing at John Wayne Airport in Orange County thinking, “I finally made it”. It was a very emotional moment for me, as moving out west has a been a dream of mine for a very long time. The fact that we actually did it still shocks me. I love Chicago, was born and raised in the midwest, and I’ll always be a midwestern girl, but my heart and soul have always longed to be here. I am an outdoorsy-type of girl, one likes to roam and explore, and my spirit could no longer handle the brutal extremes of Chicago weather. In fact, I loved to be outside so much that I was always the dumb ass who could be found running outside at 5am in 15 degree temps and lower wind chills, many times even during snow and sleet storms. I NEED to be outside, all the time. Now that my kids are getting acclimated to the beauty and warmth here, they are loving it just as much.

So now it is May 13th, I’ve been here nearly a month and still getting my sea legs. But I can tell you that I’ve never felt more at peace, or more at home. Every day I wake up, run along the Pacific Ocean and count my blessings. I am a VERY LUCKY girl. I am surrounded by the love of my family, the beauty of SoCal, meeting new friends whom I already adore, and looking ahead to bigger dreams. I think about the past year, and all my dreams that have come true, and have wondered, “now what?”. I’ve always been a daydreamer, someone who is constantly looking to learn more, know more, and see more. Now that I’m here with my family, and we’re getting settled, I’m already planning for new dreams and experiences. Hope…it’s what keeps us all alive and kicking.  Just like I have hope for a cure for food allergies, or hope that our kids won’t feel excluded at school, or hope that our kids stay safe and happy forever.

I sincerely apologize for being MIA these past several months, but now you know why. It’s going to be another fun and fantastic year as I prepare my next book’s release for you, and will be posting some new recipes (Mac and Cheese anyone??) I love you all and am grateful for your support all these years. Your comments, questions and advice make this journey a blast.

Happy Baking Everyone!!!

xo

The recipe is featured below and I hope you enjoy it as my special treat to you and your fabulous little kiddos!! I also wanted to share some links of my favorite tips and websites. This is not an all inclusive list, and will share some more of my favorites in the weeks to come. Happy Valentine’s Day to you all…you truly make my life a lot sweeter! Muah!

FAVORITE LINKS TO VISIT:

Awesome food allergy mama Gina Clowes on her 10 Things to Know about Food Allergies in Classroom: A must-read for any parent or teacher with kids in school.

Allergy Apparel: I really dig this entire website…all the epi holders are cool, the tees are cool and I especially love the baking accessories. Check it out.

Divvies: What can I say, I adore this brand and really wish their product was stocked in every grocery store in America! I could order something from their site every day, just for ME, and eat tons of it. But I refrain.

The New Nut Free Mom; A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut Allergic Child by Jenny Kales: This ebook is available on Amazon and I have yet to read it, but will soon because anything Jenny writes is enormously helpful, insightful and downright awesome.

Cybele Pascal; The Allergy Friendly Cook: OK, I really love Cybele and am especially loving her brand spanking new website! She also has a new book coming out this year so be on the look out! What a huge service Cybele has done for all of us food allergy mamas in her cooking expertise.

More links to come in the near future…I promise.

CHOCOLATE BANANA CUPCAKES WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

For Cupcakes:

1 c. mashed banana

½ c. room temperature water

¼ c. dairy free “buttermilk” (1/4 c. soy or rice milk mixed with 1 tsp. white vinegar, let stand 5 minutes)

¼ c. vegetable oil

1 tsp. good quality vanilla extract

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

¾ c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1/3 c. dairy free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life or Divvies)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 inch cupcake pan with paper liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the mashed banana, water, dairy free “buttermilk”, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.

In a separate medium bowl  combine the flour , sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.  Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide the batter evenly among the paper cups. Bake 20-25 minutes or until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely.

CREAMY CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1/2 c. dairy free margarine

¼ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 T. soy or rice milk

½ tsp. good quality vanilla extract

2 c. confectioner’s sugar

Combine the dairy free margarine, cocoa powder, soy milk and vanilla in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the confectioner’s sugar, a little at a time, until combined. Turn mixer on medium-high and mix for 3-4 minutes or until creamy. Frost cupcakes.

Your feedback always has been, and always will be very important to me. I started this journey of blogging and cookbook writing because of food allergy kids, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and teachers everywhere. My usefulness to you is my number one priority. I love doing what I do, and there are few things that give me more satisfaction than serving you and your families with new meals that everyone enjoys and shares together. I’m always inspired by your stories, trials and tribulations. And I love that everyone who visits my blog feels the same inspiration and love that I do. This is an incredible community we are a part of, and I’m so grateful to all of you for your endless support, feedback and love. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

So thank you for your patience while I get through it all these next few weeks, and in the meantime, feel free to post your comments and wish list for new recipes. Thank you SO MUCH!!!! xoxoxo

The journalist in me won’t make assumptions until all the facts are out. But I will say that if the school did, in fact decline the mother’s request to keep an EpiPen at school for emergencies, they will be held responsible for negligence and not having an appropriate policy in place for children with severe food allergies. I read the fine print of their “policy” but if a clinical aid refuses the only medication that could save a food allergic child’s life, than all the rest of their policy is crap and BS. The right meds for these kids need to be in the right places at all times. No exceptions.

Which brings me to my son’s school and where they keep EpiPens, medications for children with food allergies. We are fortunate to have a school nurse. She has a big cabinet filled with resealable plastic bags of medications for children with food allergies. The nurse is located down the hallway from the cafeteria. In the event of an emergency in the lunchroom, it would seem there would be enough time to get a child down to the nurse, go through the packs of medications to find his/her specific bag of medication, administer one EpiPen for 10 seconds, maybe two if the first one doesn’t work, call 911 and pray the child responds to the corrective action.

However, I never felt comfortable with this process, because it is assuming everything will go exactly as planned, and that the child’s allergy will be recognized quickly enough to escort the child down to the nurse. I’ve always requested that a second EpiPen package be stored in cafeteria with the lunch monitors who handle the payment/check in. That person is trained on the EpiPen, and the monitors know what to look for in the event of a reaction. This emergency protocol is labeled in John’s 504 Plan. Today, as I was picking up John for his allergist appointment, I asked the office to double check to make sure John’s EpiPens were still stored in the lunchroom. The office confirmed that it was, and out of curiosity I asked if there were any other medicine kits stored in the lunchroom. The nice lady smiled, and responded…”No. Just John’s.”

The proposed School Access to Emergency Act “would enable schools to maintain a supply of epinephrine and enable staff to administer an Epipen to a student having an anaphylactic reaction.” Please read this article for more information about why it is important for you to contact your local congressman or woman for support. In my opinion, every LUNCHROOM should be equipped with EpiPens in the event of a food allergy emergency. There are a number of factors that could affect the child getting the right rescue medication at the right time. We encourage our children to always have their medicine kits on them 24/7, so why wouldn’t we have them available in the lunchrooms, where there is the most risk to these kids? Something to consider when drafting your child’s 504 Plan.

After seven hive reactions in two weeks, I took John to his allergist today to determine why. No new allergies were detected. John’s allergist said recurrent break out of hives is actually common in kids with food allergies when they are exposed to certain viral infections. As long as there isn’t any other respiratory or oral symptoms, it should be fine to treat John with daily antihistamines until the virus has worked itself out. It was interesting to note that John’s skin test and blood result for peanuts is still greater than 100 (KU/L), class 6 (highest class possible), combine that with John’s asthma and, according to John’s doctor an anaphylactic reaction could occur within 1-3 minutes. 1-3 minutes….is all it would take for my son to die if he didn’t have his EpiPens on him. Another variable is possibly how much peanut product would be ingested….the more ingested, the faster the reaction. As we all know, peanut traces could be in breads, cookies, snacks, etc. THIS is the reality parents of children with food allergies have to live with every day when we send our kids out the door. I used to think when John was in preschool that it would get easier when he got older. But I am finding that it is much, much harder. At the end of the day, John desperately wants to be a normal kid, who hangs out, plays sports and goes to 7- 11 with his friends to buy Gatorade. I get it, and I’m letting go as much as possible. But after hearing of another food allergy death…it just makes it all so hard to deal with.

Children are a great gift to us all. As parents we love them more than our own lives, and would gladly give ours to save theirs. We’re fiercely protective of them, and that will never go away. Keep fighting the fight, there’s much more work to be done in awareness, advocacy and prevention. Don’t take no for answer, ever, and believe that your child’s rights at school are just as important as any other child. Believe that homeschooling doesn’t need to be the answer, that your child can adjust happily and even thrive in any environment. And most importantly, believe in the power of YOUR voice, and empower your child to feel the same.

In the meantime, my prayers will always be with Ammaria’s family and loved ones, and hope that we can all help to prevent another child’s death from food. Here’s a great list from FAAN about the Anaphylaxis Do’s and Don’ts. Please read and share.

xo