Teen Summit coming up!!!!

Are you ready for the FARE Teen Summit?  This year it's in Milwaukee, WI-- instead of the usual DC. The venue may have changed but the heart of the Summit is still the same:

   We'll scale the heights and grapple with the lows of everything teen-aged and food allergy. 

  Restaurants. Dating. Travel. Sports. College. Parents. (!) Epi-pens and risk taking. 

 And we'll laugh and I'll cry-- I always do-- and we'll make new friends and catch up with old ones. And we'll watch as our strong, brave, and wonderful kids have a blast. 

Hope to see you there!

Community vs Customization in food allergies

Strange title , I know. 

But I'm referencing a discussion-- via email-- I've been having with a woman who is starting a Food Allergy website gathering information on restaurants and cities and where to eat. The plan going forward is to have an app that can personalize the information for your particular allergies...

  Well, I initially took umbrage because the beautiful first e- news alert had a picture of a luscious biscuit and gravy -- a specialty in the city the site was reporting on. Well... 

  My kid can't eat that!-- and lots of others can't either. It's loaded with at least three of the top allergens: Dairy. Egg. Wheat.  No mention of that possibility. 

   And the article went on to discuss restaurants where, while they serve boiled peanuts-- the city specialty, the servers were conscious of nut  allergies. And, also, some of the desserts are made with nut flours, but they're kept separate from the other flours. 

     I emailed the founder of this website, noting that many families -- mine included --wouldn't be comfortable with that level of possible peanut contamination. And our mentors at FARE and other resources reiterate: try to stay away from  places with likely cross contamination. 

  And, I further told the founder that since the site discussed largely peanut allergens--with a nod to gluten free, I didn't  find it very helpful. Many families contend with more than  peanuts. 

  The response to my email was that the information was general and that the founders were  hoping to develop an app that families could customize for their personal allergens. 

  Which got me thinking: 

Where's the community in that? I want to share: Best practices. Information. Experiences. I think that's as important as a " customized app" for one family. 

  And I treasure my food allergy community, those people who help me get from A to Z and skip Eggs inbetween. 

   

Roast chicken in a pot

Fall has arrived! Kids are back at school and beach clubs are closed and we have said our goodbyes to summer-- except in NY the weather seems to have missed the memo. 

It's 90 degrees and much too hot to roast a chicken in the oven-- so get out your soup pot. 

  On high heat throw a rinsed whole

Chicken-- a fryer not a roaster-- in the soup pot. It will squeak and sizzle. Let it for about 4-5 minutes. Then, turn it over with a fork and again, let it sizzle for 4-5 minutes. Lots of salt; pepper if you wish. 

Throw in a cut up onion-- or two. Turn the chicken a couple of times to let all sides get browned/ charred. Then, turn down the heat to medium high and cock the cover on the pot and let the chicken cook for twenty minutes. Turn chicken over and let cook another twenty minutes or until meat falls off the bone. 

  It's easy and can be eaten warm or room temperature. 

Enjoy. 

Roast chicken-- in a pot

School days are right around the corner.

I have a friend who always gets anxious right about now. She has trouble enjoying the end of summer because she knows come Labor Day, school starts again. 

 And with school comes planning. And Pre-planning. Parties and lunches and debate nights and sports weekends. And study groups and college visits and parties and class trips and late games and weekend tournaments. 

  Every September it all begins again-- especially the worry. 

  Well, I can't say there isn't worry.  And I can't even say there isn't a whole heck of a lot of planning and preparing. But I can say: it's worth it. 

  We are modeling how to live in the real world for our food allergic kids. Be it second grade cupcakes or college visits. They're going to have to keep themselves safe -- be it packing something special just for themselves or figuring out which restaurants in a new city can accommodate their needs. 

  And they'll know how to keep themselves safe and happy from our example. They are watching us ask the questions. Make the lists. And be the naggy mom reminding them to take their Epi-pens and have a snack. 

   They are watching us prepare for all the  activities, parties, events and everyday days. And they are watching us --so they know that no one does this alone. We all ask for help from teachers. From friends. From parents. From administrators. From our FA community. We reach out and ask: what should I bring to the swim meet? Or for the Model UN weekend? Or how can my kid eat lunch at the cafeteria?  Or maybe just : hey, I'm overwhelmed, anybody got a tissue?

   And people come through. {okay--We've all bumped up against those folks who say Yes Yes Yes. And do nothing. But your kids know how to deal with them too--because you've shown them how. }

    So for all the anxious moments as the school year approaches. For all the planning and preparing and gearing up-- let's not forget that we are demonstrating every day to our kids that "we're all in this together. That "we can do this. " That they can do this. 

  And they can!

  

  

Roasted Broccoli: A Good Summer Staple

I know the idea of roasting in the heat of summer does not sound like a good one.  But, go with me here. 

 I roast my vegetables early in the morning. It's cooler outside, and I take advantage of multitasking, since the vegetables cook while I'm getting ready for the day. 

  Roasted broccoli especially can be served/ eaten at room temperature. So once the cooking is done-- no more heat. 

  Here's what I do:

One head of broccoli-- which in the Northeast has been stellar this summer

 Cut about two inches off the heavy stems and throw that part away. Then, with a sharp knife, slice the head from stem and strip the thick rind off the stem.

( I strip the rind off the smaller parts too, because that's how my Italian grandmother did it)

 Cut the head into smaller piece and place in a roasting pan or a pie tin. Rinse with water-- retaining a little water in the bottom  drizzle Olive oil over the broccoli and toss the pieces with a spoon or your hands to  them. Cover loosely with foil. 

  Roast in a 450 oven for 30 minutes. The last few you can remove the foil to get the vegetables more crispy. 

  I also roast-- separate from the broccoli-- carrots ( two inch "Fingers"), onions quartered, celery, potatoes ( halved them halved again), sweet potatoes, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower-- broken up. 

Some folks roast beets-- I'd quater or half them to help them cook-- or even cabbage, especially with onions. 

  So easy and ready to serve

With anything from fish, steak to 

Pasta.

  Or for those of you who like your vegetables raw: make a deconstructed salad and let your family build their own. Chopped lettuce, halved endive, sliced radishes , tomato chunks (if allowed) and

Ribbons of carrots, maybe olives and 

Cucumber rounds, jicama -- you get the picture: whatever!

Happy summer. 

Newly Diagnosed with Food Allergies? It gets better

I remember sitting in the lobby of a large hospital complex in a city not my own totally exhausted trying to process the news the pediatric allergist had just leveled at us. My 18-month old son was allergic to: Dairy. Eggs. Tree nuts. Peanuts. Fish. Shellfish. Wheat. Soy. And sesame. And chickpeas. And melon and and and and and. The list just kept going. 

  I was stunned.  What can he eat?

 And, while that was the very last time I asked that question, it was actually a really good way to start taking charge of food allergies. 

1. Make a list of what your child can eat. 

Everything else follows. 

2. Remember you're not alone -- there's a tribe of us out there, eager to share our experiences. 

3. You can do this-- mainly because you have to, but also because you can.

And Happy Fourth of July! 

Pork Tenderloin-- Easy and Allergy Free

I was having people for dinner recently and had to prepare the meal ahead of time. This simple menu-- very summery-- worked really well for preparing ahead and also serving not "piping hot from the oven."

  Pork tenderloins. Pasta salad and spring mixed greens

Pork: In a roasting pan or a mixing bowl:

Marinate the tenderloins in 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup cider vinegar, a dash of flavored or Balsamic vinegar, and garlic peeled and halved-- I use lots

Of garlic.  And I also put a few sprigs of Rosemary in the mix. 

Marinate for at least 30 minutes but could

be more than an hour. 

When ready to cook: preheat oven to 425. Drain the marinating liquid -- but keep the Rosemary with meat.  Put the tenderloins side by side in a roasting pan and roast on 425 for 15 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350 and roast another 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the meat rest in oven for 5-7 and then rest more out of the oven for a full 10 Minutes. 

You can slice ( on an angle about 1/2 inch thick slices) and serve. Or when the meat has cooled, put on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. To reheat-- put in a 425 oven for 10- 15 Minutes. Slice and serve. 

  The pasta salad is my version of Allegy-Free pesto-- which is basil and lots of garlic chopped fine in a food processor. Add olive oil -- if you put the basil/ garlic mixture in a cup, put enough oil

In to barely cover the mixture. 

  Cook your pasta-- I use shell shapes or Farfalle ( spirals)-- wheat free pasta works too! When pasta is al dente-- a little hard---drain and mix in the pesto-- turn the mixtures to coat thoroughly. Add a few handfuls of frozen peas. Serve or keep at room temp. 

  Salad, I think you can figure out for yourself!

Enjoy. 

Food Allergy Cookbook

I just had to brag-- look what some nice person said about the cookbook: This comment means the world to me-- !

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA great cooking primer for anyone

By buyer on April 21, 2016

A great cooking primer for anyone...food allergies or not!! Thank you for writing this book and for spelling out all the steps to make a first-time cook successful!

Newly Diagnosed with Food Allergies? It gets better

I remember sitting in the lobby of a large hospital complex in a city not my own totally exhausted trying to process the news the pediatric allergist had just leveled at us. My 18-month old son was allergic to: Dairy. Eggs. Tree nuts. Peanuts. Fish. Shellfish. Wheat. Soy. And sesame. And chickpeas. And melon and and and and and. The list just kept going. 

  I was stunned.  What can he eat?

 And, while that was the very last time I asked that question, it was actually a really good way to start taking charge of food allergies. 

1. Make a list of what your child can eat. 

Everything else follows. 

2. Remember you're not alone -- there's a tribe of us out there, eager to share our experiences. 

3. You can do this-- mainly because you have to, but also because you can.

And Happy Fourth of July! 

Chickpea Juice as Egg Substitute???

Trigger warning: I'm a little peevish in this post.
When I opened the FOOD section of the New York Times May 11, was I the only person who hadn't heard of this new trick of using chickpea juice as an egg?
This new trick-- made into an industry by its discoverer or inventor, whichever you choose to call him, Goose Wohlt-- and others working in the vegan marketplace.  Sounds great.
 AcquaFaba   Named from the Latin meaning water +bean.

So it whips into meringues, it thickens and binds in baking, it works well in a whiskey sour, and it can leap off tall buildings at a single bound. No, wait-- that's Superman.

However, never once, not even in passing, was food allergy mentioned.  Veganism, yes. The mixtures we have all tried for egg substitutes: baking powder and vinegar;egg replacers ( my favorite is EnerG) were all noted.  But this discovery grew out of a man looking for a good substitute for eggs because he is a vegan-- and a "tinkerer." Obviously veganism is bigger news-- possibly bigger business?-- than food allergy. I'm happy, maybe I can try this in my recipes.  Maybe the food allergy community at large did know about this innovation-- IF IF IF you're not allergic to chickpeas, which many folks are.

But, I think what really surprised me, and then annoyed me, was that nowhere in this article were the 15 million of us who have food allergies mentioned.  That's a lot of folks-- probably more folks than the current total of vegans in the U.S. -- at least according to a 2014 poll which noted that 16 million Americans were vegetarian, about half that group-- 8 million-- were vegan. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/is-2014-the-year-of-the-vegan/

 (Other articles--.http://www.vegetariantimes.com/article/vegetarianism-in-america/ total the number at 7.3 million vegeatrians with no disctinctions.)

Is food allergy not mentioned here-- rarely, if ever, mentioned in food sections-- because people don't believe it's real? Are we "too niche" to be included? What is going on here-- not even a throwaway  mention?

So, I will write to the NYTimes FOOD editor and note that there are 15 million of us eager consumers out there who could have at least been mentioned when egg substitutes are touted and revealed.  And, I will mention that we food allergy folks have experts in the field who could have given opinions or commentary. And, the story could have been broadened by out  many "war stories"of substitution and triumph with egg.

"That," as my mother used to say, 'and a nickel will get you on the subway." Warned you I was peevish.

Food Allergy Bullying: Adults do it too

The wonderful Facebook group I follow on parents of teens with food allergies recently had a post about bullying. 

A mom was distraught because her child was bullied by a grown-up, sort of "bullying by omission"-- a teacher failed to take a stand during an assembly where a student was presenting a paper saying peanut allergies are made up, false, a way to get attention. The teacher, when confronted, apologized. 

   However, is that good enough? Every day our children are taught: stand up for your friends, speak out when you see bullying, say something to show your support. 

  Are adults-- role models like teachers and bosses and clergy-- doing less than what we are asking our kids to do?

   I have personally stepped back when I should have stepped forward. 

   My son's school, where he had been K-12, often dropped the ball on his food allergies:in high school,  not ordering what they promised, so he had nothing as others ate pizza; in second grade, serving his special meals, cold, direct from the cooler I'd sent; that sort of thing. And every time, I went in and talked to the teachers, to the nurse, to the head of school. And I knew I was being put off -- even as I organized gluten and nut free areas at the bake sale. And my son mentored younger kids with allergies in the school library. 

  And, I let myself be appeased by their apologies-- after the fact. I think, as my fierce FA friends show me how-- I think I allowed myself, and by extension my son, to be bullied by the school. 

  Let's not allow apologies after the fact, the teacher who doesn't step in, let's not allow this " bullying by omission" to happen so insidiously and consistently in our lives.   

Letting go with Food Allergies

Lately, I've been enjoying the luxury of not thinking about food. Making it, shopping for it, worrying about it. 

  I am finally "Letting go. " not that I worried when my son lived in another city-- I didn't. I trusted him to do right by himself. And shop, cook and eat properly. 

And he did. 

  But now that he's home again, I had fallen into the gulley of "oh, I'll do that." and had checked out restaurants and encouraged eating before he went out and bringing food to places where the food was uncertain. And all the while

He was saying, "Mom, I'll take care of it."

   Well, after a few stand offs, I realized I was I was being foolish and a helicopter mom: he could take care of it, especially if I stepped out of the way. 

  So, now, I mention where a dinner will be and let him do the rest. If we're at a ball game, I don't bring food -- unless he requests me to (chocolate is a favorite in these colder baseball months.)

  If we're off for the weekend, I don't stock the fridge for him-- you get the picture. 

  But it's tough, stepping away, letting him be independent. After so many years of planning and asking and checking and cooking. But, I am stepping away and I am enjoying the extra time and even more so: I am enjoying seeing my son live so successfully on his own, without my misplaced "assistance" holding him back. 

Easter Greetings, and a picture of the cookbook!

Finally I figured out how to load the picture! (The purchase link is to the right)
Happy Easter all-- I just vetted the menu, with really no substitutions, for our Easter meal with friends.  
Our chocolate and jelly beans are from Vermont NutFree, and the weather looks decent-- what more can I ask! Buona Pasqua, as we say in Italian.

10 Easy Ways in Which Food Allergies Have Changed How I Think

10 Easy Ways in Which Food Allergies Have Changed How I Think About Myself and How I Go About My Life

Maybe I’m teasing-- just a little-- but here’s the list:

·      Explorer: I have discovered a true love of cooking

·      Daredevil: If I can make delicious wheat free, egg free, dairy fee, nut free cake, then I can do anything!

·      Hostess: All the parties are at my house!

·      Vanguard: My son and I now see challenges as opportunities to grow.

·      Colonizer: We’ve built friendships across state lines and ages and allergy lists.

·      Fortune Teller: My son—and your kids—will be people who get things done, who command respect, who lead--not follow.

·      Pilgrim: My family maintains a nutritionally sound diet with lots of fresh foods.

·      Crusader: I get to educate people—informally & formally—about keeping people with food allergies safe and happy.

·      Pirate: Arrrgh—we’re not different or special or weird—try “food allergic”

·      Mythbuster: Sometimes lemons really DO make delicious lemonade!