In the News: Food Allergies, Nut Allergies and Summer Travel

 

Earlier this week, CNN.com quoted me and others (like Anaphylaxis Canada) in a story about food allergies, celiac disease and travel. The story focused on international travel and it had some good information. For example, it looks like many European countries are getting on board with accommodating allergies and celiac disease. You can read the full story by clicking this link. Thanks to the author of this story--she has food allergies herself, so she wanted to spread awareness. I appreciate that she included my remark about not letting allergies hold you back. True, some destinations are better than others, but if you're willing to be flexible, travel with food allergies is something you can incorporate into your life with relative ease.

In the spirit of the season, I gathered links to some of blog posts I've written about travel in the summer.

Here are two links about summer travel including some tips on managing allergies at your destination. Click here and here for these articles.

Regarding air travel with nut allergies: I discuss a spring break trip and how we dealt with the airlines. Click here for that story.

If you have not seen AllergyEats, check it out! It is nationwide (U.S. only) free site that provides peer-reviewed food allergy restaurant advice. You can narrow it down by city, state and multiple food allergens. Even if you don't see a review on a restaurant, you will see what is at your destination and can begin researching. I've used this site and it's very helpful.

One thing I strongly suggest is to have access to a kitchen or even a small refrigerator at your destination whenever possible. That way, you can serve your child safe breakfast or lunch without a lot of searching for "something safe" when everybody's stomach is rumbling and the family is starving. The little 'fridge is a big stress-saver.

If you want a quick link to the food allergy policies on airlines, check the right sidebar of my site for a link to Allergic Living magazine's excellent guide.

What works for you when you travel? Share your tips with us.

For more on coping with nut allergies in general, click here.

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!

 

 

Day Trip Time with Food Allergies: Bring a Cooler Tote and Chill Out! Plus, Nut-Free Lunch Ideas

Life's a beach if you come prepared to deal with
food allergies on your day trip.

With summer, comes day trips and with that comes a need to prepare for all the eventualities. Getting kids ready to go anywhere seems like a military maneuver at the best of times, but when you've got kids with food allergies you've got to take a few more precautionary steps. I got to thinking about this during a recent visit to Brookfield Zoo, located just outside Chicago. But anywhere we go this summer -- the zoo, an amusement park, the beach -- will require the same level of prep.

So, here they are--my tips for successful summer day-trippin' with food allergies:

1. Get an insulated cooler tote bag. The Brookfield Zoo, like many other family-friendly day trip destinations allows you to bring your own food. I bought a chic insulated bag from Thermos (TM) and it was a godsend on our recent zoo trip. During one of my numerous trips to Target, I grabbed this cute, diaper bag-sized tote and some freezer packs for keeping sammies and drinks chilled. The extra front pockets were useful for the epinephrine auto-injectors, my wallet and assorted sundries so I didn't have to bring a separate purse. The best part -- you can find totes that aren't super-huge and don't weigh a ton, which is much less cumbersome to carry and easier on your shoulder blades! I recently saw several great-priced cooler totes at Target, my home away from home. Look for them in the "Summer's Up" section towards the back of the store, next to the gardening stuff.

2. Bring placemats for the picnic table. Lots of paper placemats exist nowadays, or just bring  paper towels or a washable tablecloth or mats to keep it eco-friendly. Since you just never know if the last family was packing peanut butter (and let's face it, they probably were), be ready to protect the table for your child which will reduce the risk of cross-contact from table residue. Besides offering protection from allergenic foods, covering a common table gives you clean surface -- which is just more appetizing for everyone.

3. Locate the First Aid station upon arrival. Many amusement parks, zoos and even large public beaches have these. You may never need this, but it's good to know where it is in the event of emergency.

4. Check and double-check that you have your epinephrine auto-injectors before departure. I don't know about you, but I seem to constantly be transferring my items from bag to bag all summer long. You don't want to leave your epinephrine auto-injectors behind (always bring two), only to discover that it's missing upon arrival at your destination. I place Post-It notes on my dashboard to remind me.

5. Stock up on the Wet Ones Wipes. For wiping hands before and after eating, you can't have too many of these. Great for little faces, too.

6. For restaurant tips on the road, check out AllergyEats. This free service offers peer-reviewed restaurants listed according to city, state and specific food allergies. They just announced that AllergyEats is now an affiliate to Open Table, a reservation resource. You can use your AllergyEats smart phone app to make Open Table reservations. Cool.  Click this link to find out more info.

So now that you've got your cooler and your plan to bring lunch, what do you bring? Obviously, your kids will have their favorites, but here are some ideas for you. I love this fake sushi wrap sandwich idea that I saw on Pinterest. A nice change of pace from a sandwich, and healthy, too.

Or about little fruit kabobs? Or cheese and ham kabobs? Any “kabob” or food on a stick is fun for kids to eat and easy to pack. Just keep the sticks separate and store the fruit or ham and cheese in baggies or reusable food keepers.
 
For a salty snack or treat, Pirate's Booty is always good and Pop Chips are nice, too as neither are fried in oil. Both are nut-free and Pirate's Booty is gluten-free, but they do have dairy.

Of course you need a sweet treat! If you don't feel like baking in heat, Skeeter Snacks peanut-free, tree nut-free cookies are a great addition to your packed lunch.

I also like to pack two of my favorite nut-free baked treats: Granola Bars and Nut-Free Brownies. The granola bar recipe is found by clicking this link, and here is my brownie recipe. My mom made these for us all the time when we were growing up.

Jenny's Nut-Free Brownies

1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs (organic or free range if possible)
2 squares unsweetened chocolate; I use Baker's brand
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder; this gives you a cakier brownie with a higher rise. If you want chewier, flatter brownies, omit the baking powder.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Chop chocolate and butter into chunks. Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl until butter is melted and chocolate is almost completely melted (about two minutes.) Remove from microwave and stir until all of the chocolate is melted. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix flour with salt and baking powder if using, in a small bowl. Pour sugar into larger bowl that can hold all of the batter. Using a heat-proof spatula, scrape melted chocolate mixture into the bowl with the sugar and stir until fully combined. Add eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly. Add vanilla.

Gradually add flour mixture into chocolate-egg-butter mixture until combined.

Bake for 16-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes up with a few fudgy crumbs clinging to it. (The 9 x 9 inch pan will bake up more quickly). Do not over bake.

Allow to cool, then sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve.

What do you like to bring on your day trips? Any tips you've found especially helpful? Let us know.

Nut-Free Supermarket Find Friday: Clabber Girl Baking Powder! (Plus some nut-free recipes)

Clabber Girl® brand baking powder makes nut-free baking a lot easier. 

Nut-Free Supermarket Finds Friday on The Nut-Free Mom blog is back! This week's focus is Clabber Girl Baking Powder, a company that has been around quite awhile and has been displaying a "made in a peanut-free facility" symbol on their baking powder for years. Still, many people are not aware of the product's nut allergy-safe status. I use this baking powder not only for  the peanut-free symbol, but also for its excellent quality. Since I'm a frequent baker, I use it a lot.

Next time you are at the supermarket, take a spin through the baking aisle and look on the back of the Clabber Girl canister. You'll see a symbol that says "peanut-free facility." Look carefully--it might be gray or red, but it's there. Usually, Clabber Girl features a yummy recipe on the back of the canister as well, so be sure to check those out, too.

Companies are not required by law to label in this way, so I appreciate seeing this symbol.Of course, since I deal with tree nut allergies as well, I investigated Clabber Girl's practices with regard to tree nuts. Here is an excerpt from the most recent customer service interaction I had with the company on February 7, 2013:

"Our facility is peanut free, however we do manufacture products with tree nuts.  These products (gelatins, puddings and cookies) are not manufactured in the same building as the baking powder and baking soda that we produce, so they are segregated.

Any and all baking powders produced by the Clabber Girl Corporation do not contain any spices, flavors or colorings. They do not contain any of the following commonly recognized sources of allergenic responses: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean, mollusks, tree nuts, wheat, barley, rye, peanuts, and soybeans.  Examples of the food products most commonly known to cause allergic reactions as stated above, are not present in any of the ingredients which are in any of the baking powder formulas produced by the Clabber Girl Corporation, corn starch, bicarbonate of soda, sodium aluminum sulfate, acid phosphate of calcium."

Does reading about baking powder make you feel breaking out your baking ingredients and whipping up something good? Me too. If you're so inclined, here are two recipes from my site in which I use Clabber Girl baking powder. Either one would be perfect for Mother's Day! Here you go:

Nut-Free Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake

Heart-Shaped Scones

For more information on Clabber Girl's peanut-free policies, please check out their  web site. If you have any questions about their facility, you can fill out a contact form, also available on their web site.

Note: If you have concerns about any food item and need more info, please contact the company directly. Manufacturing practices can change over time, so be sure to get updated information as needed. It's up to the consumer to decide what is the best option for their situation. And thank you!

New Year, New Food Allergy Diagnosis?

 

Click the link for more info on my e-book guide:

http://tinyurl.com/c57j2fy

The following article was posted previously, but its message is perennial.  If you are beginning a new year with a new nut allergy and/or other food allergy diagnosis, hang in there. You will learn what you need to know. What follows are some of my best tips for getting started. (And check out my e-book for lots more info and encouragement).

Each year around the winter holidays, I receive an increase in the number of e-mails and posts I've received from parents facing new nut allergy diagnoses in their kids and I've even heard from several young adults with new nut allergies.

The most frequent word I hear is "overwhelmed." This is so understandable. It is overwhelming. The wealth of information alone (often conflicting) can be hard to absorb. Plus, you may wonder if you'll ever have a normal life again, if you will ever learn to decipher food labels and if your child can even go to school. You wonder if every food has the potential to harm your child and/or you. Life can seem very scary and very surreal.

I've been there and I can tell you that things improve. But I can't sugar coat the facts: your life will change, sometimes in ways you may not even foresee now. Some of the changes will be hard to deal with; some may even be positive in the long run. I can think of two positive changes: becoming healthier in our family eating habits and learning to be more assertive in life and ask for what we need. I also have a truly compassionate daughter whose own struggles have made her want to be helpful to others facing different challenges.

Food allergies are never welcome and they make life more difficult at times. But you can live well with them. Here are some things that have helped me and my family:

Seek expert medical advice from an allergist. I've found the best people to handle the medical aspects of food allergy have been our allergists. Find a board-certified allergist and then follow their advice. Keep up on yearly visits, appropriate testing and keep in contact with them about medications. An allergist will be more knowledgeable on food allergies than most pediatricians, not to knock them because they're helpful, too. But an allergist will be more up-to-date on the constantly changing aspects of food allergies and this will be invaluable to you.

Always stand firm about food allergies. You'll meet people who don't take food allergies seriously, who may even blow them off completely. Sometimes those closest to you won't accept the situation. Be prepared for it. Usually, ignorance about food allergies is the key reason. If you know that something is not safe then avoid the food, situation or if need be, the person until they "get it." Risking an allergic reaction to preserve any relationship is never worth it. As we saw recently in Chicago, food allergies can be fatal when not clearly understood or properly respected.

Be informed but don't overload on random info. This is the hardest thing because Internet access can uncover some crazy stories and information. Overloading on stories of food allergy deaths or unproven medical information is never helpful and may be harmful.

Knowledge is half the battle. The good news is, if you're reading this you probably have received medication, medical advice and are just generally prepared to face a reaction if it occurs. Witnessing an allergic reaction without any knowledge of what may be causing it or without any medication to treat it is much, much worse. If you know what you're dealing with, you can avoid or safely adapt to potentially harmful situations and cut down on risk.

I want to wish a healthy and Happy New Year to you all! Let's be safe together and please continue to share your input and comments!

Peanut Allergy Parenting Guide: The New Nut-Free Mom E-Book! Reduced Holiday Price!

A concise, effective nut allergy guide, written for parents and caregivers, by a parent who has "been there."

Each day I hear from more parents who have just found out that their child has severe peanut and/or tree nut allergies. A new nut allergy diagnosis is a very overwhelming time and it helps to hear from a parent who has been successfully navigating allergies for years. It's even better to have this guidance in a quick, easy-to-follow format for busy parents -- and who isn't a busy parent these days? My book picks up where your doctor's appointment leaves off, to offer you the lifestyle guidance you'll need as you adjust to your new "nut-free normal."

 

That's why I wrote my e-book: "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut Allergic Child." Now, you'll find the book at a reduced holiday price of $7.99!

 

 The holidays are a time when many food allergy questions arise and this book has got you covered with information on how to determine what foods are safe, how to educate other about your childs' food allergies, dealing with relatives who don't "get it" and much more practical advice to help steer you through the holidays and beyond.

 

Below is information on how to get the book, plus see what others are saying about The New Nut-Free Mom!

New to Nut Allergies? You're Not Alone.

Written by a parent who has been in your situation and lives it every day, "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut-Allergic Child" by Jenny Kales is the concise and easy to follow guide you need.

How to buy my e-book:

Purchase directly from Amazon Kindle:

Click this link to buy my book "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut-Allergic Child" on the Kindle.

Or click here: http://www.amazon.com/NEW-Nut-Free-Mom-Nut-Allergic-ebook/dp/B0078G41MW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329149735&sr=8-1


Buy directly for the Nook from Barnes and Noble:

Here is the direct link, on the Barnes and Noble web site.


No Kindle or Nook? No problem.

Luckily, you don't need a Kindle or Nook to read my e-book. There are many free downloads you can use to read my e-book on your MAC or PC, android phone, iPad and more.

FREE Apps from Kindle

Click the link below to find free apps from Kindle that will allow you to download my book. Note: You do NOT need a Kindle to download these apps:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

FREE Apps from Nook:

Click the following link for a list of free Nook apps available that will allow you to download my book. Note: You do NOT need a Nook to download these free apps: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/free-nook-apps/379003593


Book synopsis:

"Trying to cope with raising a nut-allergic child? Here comes the Nut-Free Mom to the rescue. This is the one book that gives a "crash course" on what you need to know – from a mom who’s “been there”.

The book offers heart, humor and hard-won experience to help caregivers cope with nut-free living. Learn how to handle play dates, grocery shopping, meal-planning, dining out, family gatherings, and many more practical, real-life situations. Written in a lively format, the book includes scores of tips that’ll boost your — and your child’s — confidence.

As a professional writer for nearly twenty years and as a parent currently raising a child with life-threatening nut allergies, Ms. Kales is uniquely qualified to author The NEW Nut-Free Mom. Kales has advised thousands of parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers from all over the world via her award-winning blog “The Nut-Free Mom”.

This is the book that Kales wishes she had when her daughter was first diagnosed with a life-threatening nut-allergy. For anyone wishing to raise a healthy, well-adjusted child with nut or other food allergies, this book will be an indispensable guide."

Praise for "The New Nut-Free Mom" from food allergy advocates:
Susan Weissman, author of the food allergy book Feeding Eden and a Huffington Post contributor, reviewed "The New Nut-Free Mom" on her web site.

"Jenny Kales...is about as savvy about the challenges of nut allergies as anyone I can think of. Sometimes people write handbooks because they can. Better to read advice from an author who should write the book and really and truly lives it day to day. That is this book. It's succinct, direct and never preachy. Allergy parents will get exactly what they need so they can move on, be safe and enjoy life."

Jennifer B., allergy advocate and author of the popular blogs, Food Allergy Buzz and Peanut-Free Baseball, had this to say about my e-book:

 "Jenny is a calm voice of experience and reason in an overwhelming world of nut allergy fears, conflicting information and controversy. Her book helps steer parents and caregivers through all of the questions that arise following a diagnosis of peanut and/or tree nut allergies. It is really a treasure trove of valuable tips, accumulated through experience over the years.  If you are new to managing a child's peanut and tree nut allergies, you can't ask for a better and more thorough summary of need-to-know information. It's especially wonderful to have Jenny's wisdom so conveniently packaged in an e-book to take on-the-go too!"

 

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone for the support of my e-book, "The New Nut-Free Mom: A Crash Course in Caring for Your Nut-Allergic Child." I appreciate the great feedback, reader reviews and general well wishes! This book is for parents of kids facing a diagnosis of life-threatening nut allergies for the first time, but it's also useful for any caregiver: grandparents, relatives, close friends.

I hope it is helpful to you all.

 

Nut-Allergy Friendly Dinner: Pasta with Homemade Sauce

By now all of us are in full swing of school, homework, extra-curricular activities and of course, Halloween preparation. With work of my own to do and two kids on the go, I like to have some healthy, tasty and relatively easy meals in my arsenal.

This is a busy time of year, but we we've still got to eat dinner! So I thought I would repost one of my family's favorite week night meals:  pasta with homemade sauce. Besides being fresher-tasting, a homemade sauce is a great food allergy-friendly option because we know exactly what goes into it. Plus, making pasta sauce can be very relaxing after a long day. Once the meat is cooked, you just let it simmer, stir it occasionally and let the great cooking smells fill the house.

This sauce is wonderful to freeze and defrost on those super-busy nights. Occasionally, I make the sauce in the morning, put it in the slow cooker on low and then cook the pasta in the evening. The sauce--the hard part--is already completed and the flavor benefits from the long simmer in the slow cooker.

If you're looking for a meal to fill little tummies before Trick or Treating (cutting down on candy temptation until you can either vet or turn in the candy for safe treats), may I suggest this?
 
Here's my recipe for my favorite pasta sauce. The sauce has ground beef; if you want to go meatless, this recipe is still good. Or add some crumbled, cooked Italian sausage if you enjoy that flavor. As with any pasta sauce, the longer you simmer this, the better it gets. It's even better the next day. You can double the recipe for a larger family. Enjoy!

Nut-Free Mom's Weeknight Pasta Sauce

1 lb. ground beef (I use Laura's Organic ground round)
A couple tablespoons olive oil
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
4 cloves of minced garlic
1/2 tsp (or less if you like less heat) red pepper flakes
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 cup low-sodium beef broth (I use Swanson's organic beef broth or stock)
A couple glugs of orange juice (if serving adults only, add some red wine)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes (I use Hunt's Natural)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (I use Hunt's)
About 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or to taste
1/4 cup shredded basil or a couple tsp dried
1 tsp dried oregano
Grated fresh Parmesan for serving (optional)

Heat olive oil in pan and add beef. Season meat with black pepper and brown in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper and oregano. While this is cooking, grate onion into meat mixture using a hand grater. Cook a few minutes to soften the onion, then add broth and wine or OJ. Stir pan and deglaze, incorporating any browned bits from bottom of pan. Add tomatoes and half the parsley and basil. Stir again, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. (You can do this while you boil water and cook pasta). Right before serving, sprinkle with rest of parsley and basil. Serve with your favorite pasta. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, if using.

Makes 4 good-sized servings.

Nut-Free Halloween Edible Craft Project: Pumpkin Cake Haunted Houses!

A completed pumpkin cake Haunted House.

Halloween is fast-approaching and those of us who have kids with severe food allergies are searching for fun Halloween treats and activities that are safe. Here's one to do with your kids at home or for a Halloween party with friends: an edible Halloween craft project using delicious and healthy pumpkin cake to make "Haunted Halloween Houses."

I recently included a pumpkin-apple bread recipe and please note that this recipe is a bit different. It's more dense, which helps the cake stay together. Another tip is to let the cake sit for several hours after coming out of the oven so that it does not fall apart when you try to work with it.

To "glue" the roof of the Haunted House to the base and to create doors, etc., we used a basic buttercream frosting. I tinted the frosting purple, black and orange and then a reusable pastry tube with tips.  (I have this kind of stuff because I am a kitchen gadget geek.) Nordic Ware has a wonderful pastry bag made out of solid plastic--it is kind of like a cookie press and is very easy to clean up. I bought mine at SuperTarget, my home away from home.

 If you don't have one of these frosting decorators, you can place the different frostings in resealable plastic bags, cut off the corner of the bag and then squeeze the frosting through it. Works great!

My daughters used inedible plastic spiders as well as Sixlets, Halloween gumballs and cupcake picks (inedible) to decorate. We got this huge bag of nut-free candy made in Canada at my local Jewel (Albertson's) supermarket for some of our candy decor.

Candy made in facility that does not process nuts.

Front of the bag: It's called Witch's Brew and has gumballs
 (Jack o Lantern and eyeballs) and black and
 orange Sixlet candies, among other nut-free treats.

You could also use Surf Sweets spooky spiders, Vermont Nut-Free Chocolate Skippers (like M&Ms) and other chocolate props such as Premium Chocolatiers amazing array. Whatever you like and is nut-free (or free from) would work here. I just had a thought that a plain Tootsie Roll (nut-free facility, by the way) would make a nice little chimney on the house. In any case, you and your kids can have fun with this project.

Nut-Free Haunted House Pumpkin Cake Project

(Please note: make this nut-free, dairy-free and egg-free by using dairy-free margarine, dairy-free milk and your favorite egg replacer)

Recipe:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (or use a combination of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (from a can)
1/4 cup milk (you can use dairy-free milk)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 - 1/2 cups sugar plus 2 tablespoons (you can use part brown sugar if you like for a deeper, richer color and taste)
2 large eggs (or use egg replacer)

Method:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix. In a small bowl, combine pumpkin puree, milk and vanilla. Set aside.

Cream butter or margarine with sugar in a large mixing bowl until fluffy and light. Beat in eggs or replacer; eggs should be added one at a time and then blended.

Reduce mixer speed to low. Alternately, add flour mixture and pumpkin mixture, ending with flour mixture. Beat until just blended and no traces of flour remain visible.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35 minutes; check with wooden pick. If it the pick is clean, remove from oven. If not, bake a few more minutes and test again. Do not over bake.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely. For this project, let it cool for several hours. If eating it without doing the project, eat a slice warm with some powdered sugar on top.

Project:

Once the cake is cooled, slice it evenly into squares. Use one full square for the base of the house. Cut another square in half; these triangles will be used for the roof.

Secure the roof to the base of the house with butter cream frosting of your choice. Decorate as desired and enjoy!

You can keep the finished houses in a container with a tight-fitting lid for a few days...but they will probably disappear pretty quickly.


Happy Halloween!

While you are online today, will you take a minute and vote for me in the Facebook Circle of Moms Food Allergy Blogger contest? It ends today, so every vote counts! If you like this blog, I'd love your vote. And THANK YOU!




Nut-Free Ice Cream Recipe: Pumpkin Pie!

Fall is here! So I thought I'd re-post this ice cream family favorite recipe for PUMPKIN PIE ice cream.

My kids love this but it's also special enough for the adults. Put a big dollop of Cool Whip on top and it's like pumpkin pie without the crust.

Chicago Parent magazine included this recipe in their online cookbook. Click the link for the entire recipe and enjoy!