Nut-Free Recipe: No Nuts 'Peanut Butter' Chocolate Squares

For anyone who has eliminated peanut butter from their home or other nut butters due to their child's peanut allergy or tree nut allergy, but who still craves it once in awhile, this recipe is for you. Using a peanut butter substitute in place of traditional peanut butter, these squares are so good. I found a similar recipe using Snickers candy bars and I thought--why not SunButter and chocolate chips instead? It turned out to be a good experiment and they have become a family fave.

 

I used the new Hershey brand "Baking Melts" in this recipe for a change of pace from chocolate chips and may I just say: Yum! The large chocolate discs stay soft and melty and are really delicious. A word about Hershey: they will mark their products for "may contains" and shared equipment. If you need more info, they recommend you call them. I've called them many times, use their products and feel comfortable doing so. As always, what product you use is totally up to you! I would also suggest using Enjoy Life Foods nut-free, soy-free, gluten-free and dairy-free mega chocolate chunks in these squares, or any of your favorite chips.

 

I've heard from so many of you that your husband or other family members have given up peanut butter at home (my DH has, too) so this would be a nice sweet treat to bake up for Father's Day. (But of course, they're good any time.)

 

One word of warning: these dessert/snack squares are NOT low-cal and they are addictive. But they have oatmeal in them, so they can't be all bad, right? Ok, you've been warned. :)

 

For those of you avoiding sunflower seed butter for allergy reasons, of course soy butter would work in this recipe. If you don't like to use peanut butter substitutes altogether, then why not treat Dad to my other reader favorite recipe?  Big Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies.

 

 

Nut-Free Mom's No Nuts "Peanut Butter" Chocolate Crumble Squares

 

1/2- 3/4cup (or more to taste) SunButter (TM) sunflower seed butter or soy butter

1/2 cup (or more to taste) of your favorite nut-free semi-sweet chocolate chips, chunks or baking melts. (I use Hershey or Enjoy Life)

2 sticks of butter or dairy-free (or regular) margarine, melted

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (I use McCormick)

1 tsp baking soda (Arm & Hammer)

2/3 cup dark brown sugar (I use Dominos's)

1 - 1/4 cup oats, uncooked (I use Quaker Oats)

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use Gold Medal)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with baking spray (I use Pam with flour or regular Pam). In a large saucepan or in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter or margarine. Remove the pan from the heat (or microwave) and stir in the flour, baking soda, oats, brown sugar and vanilla until completely blended and crumbly.

 

 

Press about 2/3 of this mixture into your prepared pan. Alternate scoops of SunButter (I use a small ice cream scoop) and scatter your chocolate pieces evenly in the pan, about 1/2 inch from the edge of the pan. If you like, smooth out the scoops of SunButter a bit for a more even amount in each bite. (I usually do this.)

 

 

Crumble the rest of the oatmeal mixture evenly on top. Bake for 22-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown, then cool the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars or squares to serve.

 

 

 

Makes 24 bars.

 

 Please note: You and your allergist are the best judges of what to serve your child. Any questions about whether or not the foods in this recipe are appropriate for your situation, please call your doctor. For product questions, please contact companies directly. Thank you!

 

 

Food Allergy-Friendly Snacks: Fruit and Veg with Two Dips!

Sunflower fruit dip..tastes kind of like a caramel apple.

Back to school time has me thinking about healthy snacks and treats. And lately, I've had many reader questions about processed foods and which ones are safe for nut allergies. (See my previous post for some nut-free suggestions.)

However, with food labels largely inconsistent and requiring additional research (and processed foods filled with so many unwanted additions like chemicals and hydrogenated oils), it's easier and healthier for us to turn to simple, whole fresh foods for snacks and treats. But then there's that age-old parental question: how do you get kids to eat the good stuff?

In the toddler and preschool years, my way to encourage fruits and veggies was with dips and creative plating. Now, I'm no food stylist (and I've got the pictures to prove it) but it's amazing how a little "playing with their food" will encourage a kid to eat healthfully. The other thing that works wonders is dips and dunks for the fruits and veggies. Kids love to dip and dunk their food, so let 'em have at it with these two dip recipes I'm sharing here.

The fruit dip recipe that follows is based on one given to me by a book club friend--she used peanut butter. I replaced this with SunButter, but if that work for you, another really good dip is Greek yogurt with honey swirled in. Can't have dairy yogurt? I've seen more non-dairy yogurts popping up in my local grocery stores lately. One more thing about yogurt: I prefer Greek yogurt and it's pretty easy to find these days. If you can't find it or don't have it on hand, you can create a thicker, creamier yogurt by draining plain yogurt in a coffee filter set inside a strainer. Strain over a bowl in the fridge and discard liquid whey that collects on the bottom.

SunFlower Dip

 

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup SunButter sunflower seed spread (or to taste)

3 tablespoons brown sugar or honey, or sweetened to taste

 

For serving: crisp apples cut into slices.  Bananas are another good pairing

with this, but whatever fruit your child enjoys is great.

 

Whisk the first three ingredients together until fully combined. Spoon into the

middle of the plate or into a small ramekin (shown in the photo). Arrange the apple slices

around the dip in the center of the plate in a flower shape. Watch the fruit and dip disappear!

Cover any leftover portion of the dip; it will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

The following herb veggie dip is based on a Greek yogurt and cucumber dip my family loves. If your kids don't mind a little texture, some unseeded English cucumber grated into this dip is awesome! Even if you don't incorporate cukes into this, they are great served with the dip on the side. Use my recipe as a template depending on your child's palate and tastes. You are basically jazzing up plain yogurt so that it tastes more like ranch dressing--only healthier.

Herb Veggie Flower Dip

It's not Picasso on the plate, but it gets them eating their veggies!

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

Minced garlic or garlic powder to taste

 (go easy on the garlic for younger palates)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 shredded cucumber, well drained (optional)

Fresh or dried dill

Fresh minced parsley (optional)

 

Mix all ingredients thoroughly and let sit for about half an hour in the refrigerator to let flavors develop. Serve with your child's favorite veggies, or if you are feeling energetic, arrange a celery stalk and baby carrots as show above. (Tip: Little kids seem to really like this presentation). Cover and refrigerator any leftover dip; it will keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

Nut-Free Lunch Box Ideas: Spotted on the Shelves

GoGoSqueez (TM) Applesauce on the Go

 

Looks like it might be getting easier to find nut-free lunch foods at the supermarket. In the past few weeks during my back to school food-shopping frenzy, I've found a growing number of items aimed at kids that are both healthier from a sugar/fat perspective as well as being marked "nut-free." Sometimes these foods are free of other allergens and gluten, too. They are all well-marked to say nut-free or they mention what allergens they DO contain. This approach makes it SO MUCH easier to determine if a food gets the "nut-free" nod for your child's lunch so I hope this trend continues.

 

First up, I found, "GoGo SqueeZ" (TM) applesauce snacks (pictured above) at SuperTarget. They are marked as "Gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free" on the packaging and the containers are BPA-free. The packaging is squeezeable and resealable for eating on the go (and less waste) and it comes in many delicious flavors like applesauce berry and applesauce with cinnamon. (Please note that this product has a small cap, which may make these unsuitable for younger children.)

Also at SuperTarget (and exclusively sold there) I discovered Quaker School Days(TM) Chewy(R) Granola Bars. Up until now, granola bars from Quaker have not been safe due to the nut allergy warnings on the box. According to the Quaker Oats FAQs page, the company will mark if there is a risk of trace amounts or peanuts or tree nuts in their foods. These contain no such warning and in fact, the box calls out the allergens in very large print. Please be aware that the bars contain wheat, milk and soy ingredients. If you don't have to avoid these allergens, then these might be a great nut-free choice for your child's lunch. The bars come in two flavors -- Apple and Berry -- and at $2 for an 8-bar box, the price is pretty good.

Large print comes in handy here--no need for a magnifying glass as with some labels.

Quaker Chewy (R) School Days (TM) Granola Bars

Next, I found a ready-to-eat meal series of lunches called "Go Picnic(R)." One big warning on this one: These lunches are gluten-free, vegan and kosher, so there is only one lunch that is "nut-free," the SunButter and Crackers meal. What I like about this meal is that each item is individually wrapped, so there is not a cross-contact risk even though the company makes other lunches with nut items.

Everything from Go Picnic (R) is individually wrapped, so there is no cross-contact issue.

The SunButter(R) and Crackers meal we purchased feautured a small squeeze container of labeled SunButter (so everyone sees that it is not peanut butter), multi-grain crackers, fruit leather and two items from Enjoy Life Foods(R) -- No Nuts Seed & Fruit Mix and Double Chocolate Crunchy Cookies. The item pictured above has fruit bites, so please check the labels if you  see fruit bites included. For the box I picked up, the only Top 8 allergen listed was soy because of the SunButter -- it may contain trace amounts of soy.

Next up, I am so excited to share that Skeeter Snacks peanut-free and tree nut-free cookies are now available in many stores and will soon be in many more states. Some of you have told me that they are available at stores in your area including Costco and Walmart.

You'll find Skeeter (TM) in a growing number of stores (and ask your store to carry them if they don't already).

Check their website for a store locator or order online. These crunchy cookies are made in a nut-free facility and they come in three flavors--Chocolate Chunk, Oatmeal and Skeeterdoodle (a take on the snickerdoodle cinnamon cookie). We are big fans of these cookies; be advised they are nut-free only. Skeeter Snacks will be handing out cookie samples at the huge upcoming FAAN Walk this weekend in Houston, so if you are planning on attending the Houston FAAN Walk, say hello to the Skeeter folks for me!

Surf Sweets gummy candies..so many varieties to tuck into a lunch box.

Finally, if you are looking for a truly tasty and all-natural sweet treat for your kids, you can find Surf Sweets at Whole Foods and a growing number of stores. These tasty organic gummies are made in a nut-free facility and they never fail to please. Be sure to check out their fabulous seasonal gummies such as Spooky Spiders, coming up for Halloween and their every-popular Gummy Worms.

Anyone else have some supermarket finds to share?

Please note: These items were chosen for their nut-free status, but the consumer should do their own checking as manufacturing practices may change. Not all of the foods may work for your family due to additional allergies or other reasons, so please check the labels on each food and ask your allergist/call the companies directly if you have further questions about these products and their appropriateness for your situation. Thanks!

Food Allergy-Friendly "Sunella"--Our Nut-Free "Nutella" Substitute

I don't know if it's all of those Nutella commercials that we've been seeing lately (you know, Nutella for breakfast, etc.) but a lot of you have been contacting me about my recipe for as we call it, "Sunella" a nut-free hazelnut chocolate spread that we make at home using SunButter brand sunflower seed butter.

I posted this recipe awhile ago and when Babble.com was looking for allergy-friendly recipes on their Facebook page, I entered this and won a cookbook! So I hope you'll try it. What follows is my original post:

I used to be a big fan of Nutella, that chocolate-hazelnut spread that is a European sensation but is now widely available in the U.S. I don't have peanut butter or tree nut products in my house anymore, but I definitely have missed Nutella. I bet some of you do, too.

Last week, I remembered that I had (from years ago) a peanut butter-chocolate recipe that was meant to be used as filling for dessert calzones (this recipe was suggested if you didn't have access to Nutella). I used to make these dessert calzones using only Nutella, but that was back in the days before nut allergies came into my life.

I dug up this book and decided to use SunButter in this recipe, along with a few other of my changes. I know that some of you with nut allergies also are allergic to seeds, so if you can have soy butter, you can replace the SunButter with that. In fact, I've seen a soy butter-chocolate spread at the supermarket, but making your own tastes a lot better if you have the time. Personally my family and I prefer the taste of SunButter over soy butter, but of course, use what you like best.

So here goes: the SunButter(R)-chocolate spread recipe followed by the one for dessert calzones. Enjoy!

SunButter(R) -Chocolate Spread

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey's)
2/3 cup milk (any kind--substitute non-dairy if you need to)
1 tsp vanilla extract (I use McCormick or Nielsen-Massey)
1/2 cup SunButter brand sunflower seed spread

In a medium saucepan, stir the sugar and cocoa powder until blended. Gradually stir in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, then lower heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and Sunbutter, stirring until smooth. Let cool thoroughly before using.

Store this in the refrigerator. It will keep for about a week.

Dessert calzones with Sunbutter-chocolate filling

Use your favorite pizza dough recipe or buy pre-made dough (I sometimes use Pillsbury brand). Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll each piece into a 6-7 inch circle. Spoon two tablespoons filling into the center, then fold dough into a half-moon over the filling. Pinch the edges together and fold bottom half over top, crimping to seal well. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between each calzone. Bake until well browned-between 12 and 20 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove from oven and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Devour in minutes.



Food Allergies When Crisis Hits: Emergency Preparedness Is a Must

I had another post planned for today but the tsunami in Japan got me thinking about so many things. My heart goes out to everyone who has been touched by this tragedy, including those in the affected U.S. regions who must now wait out the oncoming storm. I hope they are all safe.

This incident reminded me of a post I did when we were hit with severe weather that caused lengthy power outages here in Chicago. Luckily, this was nothing like what they are facing in Japan or in other places where earthquakes have occured, thank goodness. However, when you've got food allergies in your family, more common weather emergencies like hurricanes, flooding, blizzards and tornadoes require a bit more preparation.

Weather disasters and other emergencies aren't pleasant to think about but since they don't happen when you expect them, it's best to be ready.

Here's a few tips for keeping on top of food allergies in an emergency:

1. Have a good stock of "safe," non-perishable food items that can be eaten by the entire family. Soy milk (if you can have it) doesn't require refrigeration and bottled water is always good to have on hand in case you can't use your tap water for any reason. I like to have cereal, crackers, pretzels and slow-spoiling fruits like apples and bananas on hand in case of a blackout. SunButter, if you can eat it, is also good to have as is non-refrigerated cheese and crackers (if you aren't allergic to dairy). Anything from Enjoy Life like trail mix and granola is safe for the Top 8 food allergens, gluten and sesame. These foods will keep well and give you much-needed energy if you are low on food and stressed.

2. Make sure all your prescriptions are up-to-date and well-stocked. Check to make sure that you have several epinephrine auto-injectors, a bottle of Benadryl and whatever asthma or seasonal allergies your child needs well before a crisis hits. In the event of extreme bad weather, you may not be able to renew these prescriptions in a timely manner, so get them now. Keep them in a plastic resealable bag so they don't get wet.

3. Keep a nice supply of cleaning wipes and antibacterial hand wipes. If the worst happens and you have to leave your home for any reason, you'll be able to remove allergenic residue from surfaces. In addition, hand and face wipes will come in handy for personal use.

4. Get the "Go Bag" ready. At a FAAN Conference I attended a couple of years ago (sign up now for the 2011 FAAN conferences coming up soon!), a dad who used to work with NYC on Emergency Preparedness discussed the need for a "Go Bag" that you have ready for your child in a convenient area of your home. This bag would contain up-to-date medications in addition to safe, unperishable foods and drinks.

Food Allergy Fundraiser from Peanut Free Planet -- Today Only!

Have you visited the food allergy support site Kids with Food Allergies? Then you know how much great information and support you can find there. If you haven't check them out! They've teamed up with nut-free online food purveyor Peanut Free Planet for one day only--Friday, April 9th. Today only, 5% of PFP sales will go to the Kids with Food Allergies organization. In addition, everyone who makes a purchase today will receive a goody bag chock full of delicious items from Sunbutter, Sweet Alexis nut-free, dairy-free and egg-free Bakery and many more of your favorite nut-free food brands.

This is too delicious to pass up--and you'll help support a wonderful cause. As soon as I'm finished typing this, I'm heading over there myself.

I just found out about this goody bag giveaway and fundraiser from Sweet Alexis, a company I can personally vouch for as super yummy (the banana bread! the cookies!) and best of all, safe for my nut-allergic daughter.

It's great to be able to offer your child safe and nut-free treats that are also good to eat! What are some reader nut-free food favorites? Let us know.