Allergies on the Rise!

I was listening to the news the other night and heard something about food allergies.  This got my interest (food allergies and education -- that is what I turn the volume up for!).  Turns out food allergies are on the rise.  Newest data: 1 in 12 kids have some sort of food allergy.

Today Show Report

I also found this article: from CNN.  It was about a dad who lost his son to a food allergy.  It also mentioned that having a food allergy isn't "cool."  My favorite quote from the article:

"There's a sense of embarrassment associated with food allergies for teens in particular, especially when they have to decline a kiss from a date who has just eaten peanuts or other offending foods."

This could not be more true.  Those of you that know me, know that I found out about my allergies the hard way.  In college, I kissed a boy after he had eaten peanut butter.  And away I went to the hospital.... 


me and Steve (aka: peanut-butter boy) about a month after the hospital trip

[Don't worry, we are still good friends.  He is forever known as "peanut-butter boy" at my parents' house.  My mom always asks: "How is peanut-butter boy?"]

I found out later in life that I was allergic to peanuts.  And then tree nuts... and then soy.  Finally, adding wheat and dairy.  It was a HARD adjustment.  Especially when it came to my social life.  I hated, HATED, going out to eat.  Hated it.  I could never eat anything -- and the waiters always give you this horrible look and say "Oh, I am so sorry....."  It sucks. 

And yes, I had to ask boys what they had eaten before I kissed them.  Luckily, my amazing friends asked for me!  But it was embarrassing.  And annoying.  But necessary.  Going to the hospital telling the doctors that you kissed a boy and wound up in the hospital is not the best situation.  Hilarious, yes.  Fun, not so much. 

You would be surprised at how little people know about food allergies.  Yes, you can die from a food allergy.  It has happened.  More than I want to admit.  But food allergies are out there.  And becoming more prevalent.  1 in 12 kids.  You will know someone with food allergies.

Please, please learn more about food allergies -- make those with food allergies feel welcome and less embarrassed.*







*I must say that my friends and family are the best.  They often make things for me to eat or find places where I can eat.  I mean, my mom made an ENTIRE allergen-free Thanksgiving dinner last year.  Now that is just plain awesome!  And the Future Husband is constantly perfecting a gluten-free pasta recipe -- and making allergen-free ravioli -- YUM! 

Calling All Recipes!

As I was looking up the Betty Crocker Gluten Free products, I came across this challenge.  So, those of you who read this -- what in the world should I bake?!  It doesn't have to be something that I have already baked. 

What do you want to see made safe for you to eat?!

I have about three weeks so send me your suggestions!

And of course, I will keep you posted on the trial and errors of my baking :)

Product Placement

I had to run to the store to grab a tomato for our dinner tonight.  And I also picked up some Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix.  You didn't know those two items were in the same aisle?  I had had a rough day at work and the store didn't have chocolate sorbet....

So I figured I would buy the mix and then blog about it -- and eat some chocolate to make my day better!  It is tough trying to bake with allergies.  You can't just go to the store and buy a mix with a can of frosting and away you go.  It doesn't work that way.  You have to plan things out.  And go to the speciality stores to buy the ingredients you need.  Until Betty Crocker.  Who rocks, by the way!

You can now go to the store and get gluten free mixes.*  Chocolate Cake.  Brownies.  Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Vanilla Cake.  And my personal favorite: Bisquick!!!!  I have not tried any of them, until tonight!  (I am extremely excited to try the Bisquick!).

The recipe was really easy to follow.  Add 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter (of course I used Futter) to the mix -- how easy is that?!  I used an 8x8 pan and glad I did.  The mix was really thick and I had to use a spatula to spread it out in the pan.  It also didn't rise very much (the reason I was happy I used the 8x8 pan). 

But.... after it cooled and I took a bite..... it was YUMMY!!!  And it was so easy to make.  I am HIGHLY recommending this product :)




*Make sure the mixes are also free of your allergens.  The brownie mix was safe -- and I actually think the others are safe as well.  Just use safe add-ins (like rice milk, egg replacer, futter, etc.) and enjoy!

Tips for Chicken Noodle Soup

I haven't been feeling well lately.  And I know why.  I have been "cheating" -- but no worries, not on the Future Husband.  I have been cheating on myself with food.  JA coined the term "cheating" and for us, it has stuck.  Cheating means not following our allergen diets, and eating things we know we are allergic to. 

For JA, this usually means "cheat-za" (or pizza).  For me, it is usually desserts.  But lately, it has been a little of everything.  The FH (Future Husband) and I have been travelling a lot lately.  At the end of April, we went to the wonderful wedding of my oldest friend -- it was in North Carolina.

(me and Jordan at her gorgeous wedding)



The food was amazing and how could I pass up true Southern BBQ?  Including fried chicken.  I just had to eat at Bojangles -- the best chicken and biscuits ever!  It all sure tasted good, but I didn't feel so good....

But that didn't stop me from enjoying myself in Vegas the next weekend.  I enjoyed all the amazing food Vegas had to offer -- including Serendipity's Frozen Hot Chocolate and the Pastrami Sandwich at the Carnegie Deli.  I just ate my way through Vegas.  And my stomach sure paid for it....

(eating my pastrami sandwich that I could barely fit in my mouth)

(me, Krystle (FH's cousin) and Dee (future mother-in-law) enjoying our frozen hot chocolates)

I continued to cheat throughout the next few weekends when we had family and friends in town.  It is just easier when we go out for me to cheat.  But it has caught up to me.  And my stomach and body are paying for it.

So tonight the FH made me his Nana's (great-grandmother) Chicken Noodle Soup.  This is an Italian style soup -- with meatballs!  Making chicken noodle soup gluten-free is very easy.  Regular soup doesn't have any dairy, nuts, soy as it is -- so all you have to do is replace the noodles. 

So some tips when replacing regular noodles with gluten-free noodles:

- don't use quinoa pasta -- it just doesn't hold up well with the broth

- our favorite brand is Tinkyada -- we actually use the shapes (like the pasta for kids)

- Lundberg pasta works well too

- COOK THE PASTA SEPARATELY!  Since you are using rice pasta, the pasta will continue to soak up the broth/liquid -- expanding the noodles and reducing your amount of broth

*so we add the noodles into the bowl and then pile on the soup -- we even store the noodles separately, just combine when you want to eat leftovers*

My tummy is starting to feel better :)  And I am not cheating for the whole month of June.  Wish me luck!  And enjoy your own soup when you are feeling under the weather!

Chocolate Pudding Pie

We had a BBQ with friends this past weekend.  And of course, I brought the dessert.  I had been reading Cooking Light and found a recipe for Rich Chocolate Pudding Pie.  It sounded delicious and pretty easy to make, so I figured why not try it!

I told JA about it and she recommended that I try a similar recipe in a cookbook that she is in love with: Cooking for Isaiah (it is a gluten and dairy-free cookbook).  I wanted to make both of them and then figured we could do a blind taste test to see which one would make the blog.

As I set about baking, I already knew which one I would blog about.  And the reason was simple: it was easier to make.*  This happened to be the Cooking Light version of the pie.   [I had to adapt a few things of course.]

AK’s Cooking Light Rich Chocolate Pudding Pie

Crust:

30 chocolate cookies (I used an entire package of Pamela's Cookies)

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate -- melted

1 oz. dark chocolate -- melted

1 tablespoon canola oil

To prepare the crust, place the cookies in a food processor and process until finely ground.  Add in the melted chocolate and canola oil; process until well blended.  Press the mixture into the bottom and up sides of a greased 9-inch pie plate.  Freeze for about 15 minutes or until set.

Filling:

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup coconut milk (in the can and not light)

1 cup rice milk [mixed with the coconut milk]

2 large egg yolks

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate – chopped finely

1 ounce dark chocolate – chopped finely

1 tablespoon vodka

½ cup fresh raspberries

To prepare the filling, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in a large saucepan; stir with a whisk.  Add half of the milk [that you mixed together] and the 2 yolks; stir with a whisk until smooth.  Stir in the remaining milk.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stir constantly.  [This took about 5 minutes for me, and the mixture was thick but not so much bubbly.]  Remove from heat and add the 4 ounces of chocolate.  Stir until smooth and add the vodka.  Pour into the set pie crust.

Cover with plastic wrap; chill 4 hours or until set. [I recommend putting it in the freezer.]  Serve with raspberries – use whip cream if you want.**

It was yummy and rich – you don’t need too much!

 

*While the other version turned out great, it was a little difficult to make.  You had to separate egg yolks and whites (not too hard).  Then you had to double boil the egg yolks, whites and also the chocolate.  The author didn’t give enough information to let me know the consistency of the yolks, so the first time, it was too thick.  Then the whites were too thin.  Then…. Finally on round #4, I got it right! This is why I chose to write up the other recipe J

**I found Rice Whip Cream and was extremely excited to try it….. Only to find out it tasted like crap.  I don’t recommend it and neither does JA.  We threw the can away!

Sorry there are no pictures....  I was too busy making the other version of the pie four times to take pictures.  But I can say that it turned out great and I will make it again!

Gluten Free Around the World

My parents just got back from a 10-day bike trip around Tuscany.  Jealous?  Agreed.  I have been to Italy before and fell in love with the food!  And of course the wine. 

So when my parents decided to go, I was excited for them but also a little jealous that I wouldn't be able to eat the delicious Italian food.*

Until I got this email from my mom:

WHAT?  And the best is that this menu is not from a town that any of us have ever heard of -- no Florence, Rome, Milan for this gluten-free menu!  It is from one of the towns my parents stopped at during their trip.  Now, these are "tourist" places -- but still -- this is Italy we are talking about.  The home of pasta and pizza.  And here, those that can't eat gluten can travel to the birth place of such amazing food [and history] and actually be okay! 

So tonight the Future Husband and I made pasta.  He is part Italian after all!  We made gluten-free ravioli!  It was stuffed with peas and goat cheese.**  Talk about amazing :)  [He and I are still working on our gluten-free pasta recipe -- we can't seem to get it "perfect" but we are getting there.]

So now, I can enjoy amazing gluten-free pasta here at home or in Italy.  And since we will be traveling to Europe next year, it is nice to know that I will be to find some things to eat.  Now if only the French made their bread gluten-free....



*I can eat some gluten.  I have found that if I eat too much in a short period of time, I get an icky rash on my arms.  Nothing itchy, just annoying and not the greatest looking.  So I tend not to eat gluten unless it is worth it.....
**I can handle goat and sheep cheese/milk.  Must be a lactose thing!  So I do use some of these products in my cooking/baking!

Coconut Cake

Easter just came and went and what better way to celebrate with a coconut cake?  So I set out to find a cake that would be wonderful for Easter dessert!


I started out using GF Goddess's coconut cake: found here (but of course I changed it).  I wanted 3 layers so I 1 1/2-ed the recipe:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans with a circle of parchment paper.


In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients:

2 1/4 cups tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup sorghum flour
3/4 cup organic coconut flour2 3/4 cups organic cane sugar
3 teaspoons xanthan gum
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Add in and beat:

4 1/2 free-range organic eggs, beaten, or egg replacer *I separated the last egg into a bowl and then just scooped out about 1/2 of it -- not an exact science at all*
1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup coconut oil

      *instead of just using 3/4 cups of oil, I separated that into 3 different 1/4 cups and did oil, shortening, and coconut oil since I am not a fan of straight oil*
1 1/2 14-oz can organic light coconut milk  *this was about 3 cups of coconut milk*
2 teaspoon lime juice
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
*my batter needed a little extra liquid, so I added 1/4 cups of rice milk*

*Mine baked for 33 exactly and turned out perfect*

Continue to beat until smooth. It should resemble a slightly thick and sticky cake batter.


Using a silicone spatula, divide and scoop the cake batter into the three prepared cake pans and spread evenly. Use wet hands, if necessary, to smooth out the tops. Bake in the center of the pre-heated oven, side by side for 33 minutes, or so, until firm and springy. A cake tester inserted into the center should emerge clean. Cool on a wire rack.

So, now that the cake was made, what to do about the frosting?  When researching for cakes, I found a Bobby Flay coconut cake that he had done for a "Throwdown" episode.  The cake had a custard filling.  That sounded wonderful.  But how to make a custard without dairy?  Why not try my new favorite ingredient, coconut milk?

There is light coconut milk which resembles more of a milk consistency and just regular coconut milk.  This is a thick and rick consistency -- something that resembles more of a cream consistency.  This could work....

Coconut Custard:

1/3 cup rice milk

3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 cup light coconut milk 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons vodka

2 teaspoons lime zest

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine the milks and vanilla in a medium nonreactive saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat.


Whisk together the yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture then return the mixture to the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and whisk in the vodka. lime zest, and vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.

Then comes the tricky part....

Finishing the Custard:

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup rice milk

Combine these two in a small saucepan -- be sure to whisk out all the lumps!  Heat on medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick.  Once thick and smooth, remove from heat and let cool.  [Note that once the mixture starts to go thick, it gets thick fast so keep stirring and don't cook it too long!]

Add to the custard along with 2 heaping tablespoons of shortening and about a 1/3 cup of powdered sugar.  Beat all of the ingredients together until custard is smooth.

(The boys -- my fiance and his friends -- who taste tested the custard decided that it was just amazing on its own!!)

The Frosting:

1 bag of powdered sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon coconut extract

enough hot water to make the frosting the desired consistency (I usually use around 1/4-1/2 cup)

Mix all the ingredients together -- add the water as needed.  Super easy!

Now to assemble the cake.  Take the three cooled layers and shave off the tops to make them all flat and smooth on top. 

Place one layer, cut side up, on a plate.  Spoon about half of the custard filling onto the layer -- put don't spread it out all the way to the edge, leave about an inch all the way around.  Place the next layer on -- cut side up again.  The custard will squish out to the edges!  Put the rest of the custard on doing the same as the first layer. 

Place the last layer on -- this time cut side down.  Finally frost the cake as you wish!  And if you want, put some shredded coconut on the sides of the cake.

[*By the way -- the foil is around the plate to make sure that the plate stays clean.  Just take 3 or 4 pieces and fold around the side of the plate.  Frost away then pull out the foil!  Et Voila -- a perfectly frosted cake and a clean plate!]

The cake being served at our "family" Easter Dinner!!!

The final product turned out pretty good.  I would tweak a few things next time -- like maybe using some rice milk mixed with coconut milk and I probably would not use sorghum flour.  I like the lighter textures of the not as "healthy" gluten free flours.  But, I still ate it and I still ate some seconds :)