Here's an interesting new report: The BBC reports that nut allergies appear to be increasing rapidly among Asian children in London. Of course, no one is quite sure why. It seems that nut allergies are increasing among all ethnic groups, even groups that include nuts as a major part of their diet.
I find this interesting because so many theories are floating out there--does not giving kids tree nuts and peanuts early in life cause nut allergies? Does introducing them too soon cause nut allergies? Some people say that the way peanuts are processed in the West has something to do with the increase in nut allergies. Who knows?
I'm sorry to see nut allergies spreading anywhere--it looks like no group is immune from them. Maybe we'll see a cure faster if more of the population becomes affected. I hope so.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Allergy-Free Frozen Treat Follow-Up
Whew, it's hot outside and it got me thinking about the feedback I received on a post I did about food allergies and frozen treats.
Many of us must avoid commercial frozen ice creams and treats due to cross-contact concerns or simply because the ingredients--dairy or eggs--may not be compatible with our allergy needs.
Before I offer another dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free frozen treat recipe to try, I just want to say that I loved what author Linda Coss told her dairy-allergic son about the ice cream truck. For those who didn't see her comment, she told her young son that the ice cream truck was "the music truck" and they enjoyed the music together. So clever and creative! If you want to try that line, give Linda all the credit.
For those of us who are nut-free and dairy-free, I discovered a couple of allergy-free dairy replacements that should help boost up the creaminess factor. One is Marshmallow Fluff (this may not be OK for egg allergies, so check the label.) The other is cream of coconut. Coconut is a fruit, so some people may be allergic to it (I'm quickly learning that you can be allergic to just about anything) but having a nut allergy does not usually include coconut. You can find coconut cream in the Asian or Latino aisle of the supermarket. You can cover up some of the coconut taste with cocoa powder or other flavors if your kids don't like it (my picky eaters do like it--go figure). Both of these ingredients can be substituted for soy milk in a recipe, so experiment and of course, post your results! Note: If you have ANY question about ingredients that are safe for you or family members, ask the allergist. In fact coconut was one of the first things I asked my doctor about since I bake with it fairly often.
A word about ice cream makers: buy one. I got a Cuisinart ice cream/sorbet machine for about $50 and it's worth it's weight in gold. Plus, wait until you see how impressed friends and family are when you inform them you made the ice cream yourself. :)
Now, onto the recipe. You do need an ice cream maker for this recipe but if you get one, you'll wonder how you lived without it, especially this time of year.
Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Chocolate Ice Cream
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 cups soy milk
2 cups soy milk powder
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's but Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate also makes a delicious version)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla (McCormick's brand is safe for nut allergies last time I checked)
To prepare:
1. Combine soy milk, soy milk powder and vinegar in a blender and blend on high until well mixed.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy milk mixture with the cocoa powder and sugars and cook until the consistency is thick, like a chocolate pudding. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
3. Chill this mixture in the refrigerator until cold, about one hour. (You can quick-chill by pouring this into a bowl and setting it inside of a larger bowl filled with ice water).
4. Once chilled, pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions.
5. For best consistency, place the ice cream in a container and chill in the freezer for about 2 hours. Add toppings and enjoy!
Note: for an even creamier texture, substitute some of the soy milk for Marshmallow Fluff or coconut cream, according to your dietary needs.
Anyone else have some good nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free frozen treat recipes? Or how about soy-free as well? I bet Kelly at Food Allergy Mama at least one! How about the rest of you? I'll share some more of my own and my reader's best recipes as the summer continues.
Many of us must avoid commercial frozen ice creams and treats due to cross-contact concerns or simply because the ingredients--dairy or eggs--may not be compatible with our allergy needs.
Before I offer another dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free frozen treat recipe to try, I just want to say that I loved what author Linda Coss told her dairy-allergic son about the ice cream truck. For those who didn't see her comment, she told her young son that the ice cream truck was "the music truck" and they enjoyed the music together. So clever and creative! If you want to try that line, give Linda all the credit.
For those of us who are nut-free and dairy-free, I discovered a couple of allergy-free dairy replacements that should help boost up the creaminess factor. One is Marshmallow Fluff (this may not be OK for egg allergies, so check the label.) The other is cream of coconut. Coconut is a fruit, so some people may be allergic to it (I'm quickly learning that you can be allergic to just about anything) but having a nut allergy does not usually include coconut. You can find coconut cream in the Asian or Latino aisle of the supermarket. You can cover up some of the coconut taste with cocoa powder or other flavors if your kids don't like it (my picky eaters do like it--go figure). Both of these ingredients can be substituted for soy milk in a recipe, so experiment and of course, post your results! Note: If you have ANY question about ingredients that are safe for you or family members, ask the allergist. In fact coconut was one of the first things I asked my doctor about since I bake with it fairly often.
A word about ice cream makers: buy one. I got a Cuisinart ice cream/sorbet machine for about $50 and it's worth it's weight in gold. Plus, wait until you see how impressed friends and family are when you inform them you made the ice cream yourself. :)
Now, onto the recipe. You do need an ice cream maker for this recipe but if you get one, you'll wonder how you lived without it, especially this time of year.
Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Chocolate Ice Cream
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 cups soy milk
2 cups soy milk powder
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1-1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I use Hershey's but Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate also makes a delicious version)
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla (McCormick's brand is safe for nut allergies last time I checked)
To prepare:
1. Combine soy milk, soy milk powder and vinegar in a blender and blend on high until well mixed.
2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the soy milk mixture with the cocoa powder and sugars and cook until the consistency is thick, like a chocolate pudding. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
3. Chill this mixture in the refrigerator until cold, about one hour. (You can quick-chill by pouring this into a bowl and setting it inside of a larger bowl filled with ice water).
4. Once chilled, pour mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's directions.
5. For best consistency, place the ice cream in a container and chill in the freezer for about 2 hours. Add toppings and enjoy!
Note: for an even creamier texture, substitute some of the soy milk for Marshmallow Fluff or coconut cream, according to your dietary needs.
Anyone else have some good nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free frozen treat recipes? Or how about soy-free as well? I bet Kelly at Food Allergy Mama at least one! How about the rest of you? I'll share some more of my own and my reader's best recipes as the summer continues.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Food Allergy Parents and the Dreaded "Phone Call"
My daughter is nine years old and has been in school since she was 3 (counting preschool). She also goes out a bit more on her own with friends than she used to. Since finding out about her life-threatening nut allergy when she was 4, I've come to dread unexpected phone calls from school.
Many of you can relate to the situation. Of course, when you see the number of the school (or the Girl Scout leader, or the soccer coach, or the band teacher, etc.) come up on your phone, you instinctively brace yourself for the worst. I have gotten a lot better about this, but an out-of-the-blue school phone call still has the capacity to chill my blood because I usually have "food allergy reaction" foremost in my mind.
I've gotten several school phone calls over the years--only one was for a suspected reaction. And that one, thank goodness, turned out to be a false alarm.
Now, this year in particular, I have received lots of unexpected school calls--forgotten gym shoes and library books, fevers, strep throat, and most recently this spring, (minor) bumps on the head during playground roughhousing.
Last week, the phone rang at about 11:15. It was the health aide. My heart started a bumpety-bump. What now??? The health aide is a kind soul so she prefaces her non-emergency calls to parents with "This is the school health office. It's not an emergency!" She then told me that my oldest, the allergic one, had a minor head bump and they had watched her in the office while applying an ice pack and then sent her back to class.
I got off the phone, relieved to hear my daughter seemed OK but then concerned because you never know with a head injury! I figured I'd have to keep an eye on her for the next 24 hours--I know kids who've gotten concussions so yes, it does happen.
But then I had to laugh at myself--I've probably spent most of my worrying hours on food allergy related issues. I realized that my daughter has the allergy stuff down--now I just have to remind her (again!) not to get too close to a moving tire swing. (The kids at her school are obsessed with the tire swing.) I don't even think about the tire swing. I've sure never worried about it. See, as my grandmother always said, it's the things that you worry about that never happen. (Most of the time, I've found this to be true.)
So if, like me, you worry that every school phone call could mean serious trouble, take heart--kids can get into lots of other hi-jinks besides a food allergy reaction. Remember that the next time the school calls, then take a deep breath and say hello.
Now that school is ending soon for many kids, the same goes for day camps or other activities. I've agonized (privately) each time I've sent my daughter to these things. Will I get The Phone Call this time?
A couple of years ago my daughter attended Girl Scout camp. She really wanted to go, so we researched the situation and then sent her. It was pretty close to home but she would be eating there--I sent her lunch, so that wasn't a huge issue. Peanut butter was not on the menu, and they had an EMT on staff at the camp so I felt pretty good. But I sure hoped she wouldn't need them.
Turns out she did--she scraped her foot on the bottom of the pool and needed a Band-Aid. So common. So simple! So much wasted worrying!
The last day of camp, my daughter's Brownie leader called. This had to be "the call!" I thought. And on the last day of camp! But again, no emergency. The call was food allergy related, though. The leader said my daughter wanted to know if she could have one of the treats on the cookout--I think it was a s'more. She apparently didn't want to eat it without me giving it the OK. (Well, at least she was paying attention when I told her not to eat stuff she wasn't sure about.) I had the leader read the labels to me over the phone and then gave the thumbs up.
As parents of children with a serious medical condition related to food, we always need to be cautious, of course. As a speaker at the recent FAAN convention put it so well: "Anticipate a reaction, but don't expect it." In other words, be prepared, then don't worry. Easier said than done but this year I'm going to give it a try.
Many of you can relate to the situation. Of course, when you see the number of the school (or the Girl Scout leader, or the soccer coach, or the band teacher, etc.) come up on your phone, you instinctively brace yourself for the worst. I have gotten a lot better about this, but an out-of-the-blue school phone call still has the capacity to chill my blood because I usually have "food allergy reaction" foremost in my mind.
I've gotten several school phone calls over the years--only one was for a suspected reaction. And that one, thank goodness, turned out to be a false alarm.
Now, this year in particular, I have received lots of unexpected school calls--forgotten gym shoes and library books, fevers, strep throat, and most recently this spring, (minor) bumps on the head during playground roughhousing.
Last week, the phone rang at about 11:15. It was the health aide. My heart started a bumpety-bump. What now??? The health aide is a kind soul so she prefaces her non-emergency calls to parents with "This is the school health office. It's not an emergency!" She then told me that my oldest, the allergic one, had a minor head bump and they had watched her in the office while applying an ice pack and then sent her back to class.
I got off the phone, relieved to hear my daughter seemed OK but then concerned because you never know with a head injury! I figured I'd have to keep an eye on her for the next 24 hours--I know kids who've gotten concussions so yes, it does happen.
But then I had to laugh at myself--I've probably spent most of my worrying hours on food allergy related issues. I realized that my daughter has the allergy stuff down--now I just have to remind her (again!) not to get too close to a moving tire swing. (The kids at her school are obsessed with the tire swing.) I don't even think about the tire swing. I've sure never worried about it. See, as my grandmother always said, it's the things that you worry about that never happen. (Most of the time, I've found this to be true.)
So if, like me, you worry that every school phone call could mean serious trouble, take heart--kids can get into lots of other hi-jinks besides a food allergy reaction. Remember that the next time the school calls, then take a deep breath and say hello.
Now that school is ending soon for many kids, the same goes for day camps or other activities. I've agonized (privately) each time I've sent my daughter to these things. Will I get The Phone Call this time?
A couple of years ago my daughter attended Girl Scout camp. She really wanted to go, so we researched the situation and then sent her. It was pretty close to home but she would be eating there--I sent her lunch, so that wasn't a huge issue. Peanut butter was not on the menu, and they had an EMT on staff at the camp so I felt pretty good. But I sure hoped she wouldn't need them.
Turns out she did--she scraped her foot on the bottom of the pool and needed a Band-Aid. So common. So simple! So much wasted worrying!
The last day of camp, my daughter's Brownie leader called. This had to be "the call!" I thought. And on the last day of camp! But again, no emergency. The call was food allergy related, though. The leader said my daughter wanted to know if she could have one of the treats on the cookout--I think it was a s'more. She apparently didn't want to eat it without me giving it the OK. (Well, at least she was paying attention when I told her not to eat stuff she wasn't sure about.) I had the leader read the labels to me over the phone and then gave the thumbs up.
As parents of children with a serious medical condition related to food, we always need to be cautious, of course. As a speaker at the recent FAAN convention put it so well: "Anticipate a reaction, but don't expect it." In other words, be prepared, then don't worry. Easier said than done but this year I'm going to give it a try.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
O'My Goodness! Nut-Free Decorated Cookies!
One of my readers, Kelsey, gave me a tip on a nut-free cookie company in Lake Bluff, Illinois called O'My Goodness.
She had recently received a bunch of beautifully decorated cookies and wanted to share the news with all of us. Thanks for the info, Kelsey!
The site maintains that their facility is peanut-free, so I e-mailed the company and asked if it is tree nut-free also. The company's VP sent me a reply which stated that the company uses no nuts of any kind in its products--they only make plain iced/decorated butter cookies and gingerbread cookies. Sounds good to me!
Check out the link to see the selection--they really are stunning and apparently delish as well. I will have to let you know when I try them myself, but Kelsey says they're great. I am a miserable cookie decorator but am working on it. Being able to buy professionally decorated cookies would be a little slice of nirvana.
On the customer message board, one grandmother wrote in to say how happy she was that her peanut-allergic granddaughter got to eat the "wedding favor" cookies provided by O'My Goodness at a recent event. So if you need that type of thing, check them out.
The company ships all across the U.S. and will do expedited shipping as well. If you have any concerns, please contact O'My Goodness directly, but based on the information I received, it looks like they're a go for nut-free kids.
She had recently received a bunch of beautifully decorated cookies and wanted to share the news with all of us. Thanks for the info, Kelsey!
The site maintains that their facility is peanut-free, so I e-mailed the company and asked if it is tree nut-free also. The company's VP sent me a reply which stated that the company uses no nuts of any kind in its products--they only make plain iced/decorated butter cookies and gingerbread cookies. Sounds good to me!
Check out the link to see the selection--they really are stunning and apparently delish as well. I will have to let you know when I try them myself, but Kelsey says they're great. I am a miserable cookie decorator but am working on it. Being able to buy professionally decorated cookies would be a little slice of nirvana.
On the customer message board, one grandmother wrote in to say how happy she was that her peanut-allergic granddaughter got to eat the "wedding favor" cookies provided by O'My Goodness at a recent event. So if you need that type of thing, check them out.
The company ships all across the U.S. and will do expedited shipping as well. If you have any concerns, please contact O'My Goodness directly, but based on the information I received, it looks like they're a go for nut-free kids.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
New Peanut Flour Warnings for General Mills Cereals
I just got an alert from my local food allergy support group and wanted to pass it along.
Please check the ingredients lists of your General Mills cereals very carefully. The company is adding peanut flour to Cocoa Puffs. Some of their other cereal products contain new allergy warnings for nuts as well as for other foods including gluten.
The link above contains an exchange in the comments section of the blog between someone at General Mills and the Allergy Moms web site readers. The General Mills exec maintains that you can trust the labels on General Mills products and that they explicitly list allergy warnings wherever appropriate.
I know that Frosted Cheerios (a General Mills cereal) contain almond flour despite the fact that the name of the cereal contains no reference to nuts--we found that out just as our daughter was about to eat Frosted Cheerios at a relative's house. This was about a year ago and as I recall, there was no "called out" allergy warning. Almond flour was simply listed as an ingredient. The labels may have changed since then--I'm sure we'll all check our cereal boxes now!
We still eat the plain Cheerios without incident at my house but it just goes to show you that you must read all labels, all the time. As ingredients labels continue to evolve, I'm sure we will all be faced with new decisions about old standby foods.
Please check the ingredients lists of your General Mills cereals very carefully. The company is adding peanut flour to Cocoa Puffs. Some of their other cereal products contain new allergy warnings for nuts as well as for other foods including gluten.
The link above contains an exchange in the comments section of the blog between someone at General Mills and the Allergy Moms web site readers. The General Mills exec maintains that you can trust the labels on General Mills products and that they explicitly list allergy warnings wherever appropriate.
I know that Frosted Cheerios (a General Mills cereal) contain almond flour despite the fact that the name of the cereal contains no reference to nuts--we found that out just as our daughter was about to eat Frosted Cheerios at a relative's house. This was about a year ago and as I recall, there was no "called out" allergy warning. Almond flour was simply listed as an ingredient. The labels may have changed since then--I'm sure we'll all check our cereal boxes now!
We still eat the plain Cheerios without incident at my house but it just goes to show you that you must read all labels, all the time. As ingredients labels continue to evolve, I'm sure we will all be faced with new decisions about old standby foods.