One Sweet Holiday - Valentine's Day Ideas

Time to start planning those Valentine's treats? I'll give you a few easy ideas to get you started.

If you have a school age child, be sure to speak to your child's teacher(s) to remind them about the food allergy. Ask the teacher to not allow candy to be opened in the classroom. Be sure to check all candy prior to allowing your child to consume it. You will find that some candies which are purchased in the large bags are safe but in the individual packages are not safe. I found this to be true with Necco candies, the makers of the traditional "Sweethearts"candy. When I e-mailed the company, I was informed that the large bags were safe but the small boxes are produced in a facility that also processes their nut candies. If you are not sure of the ingredients, do not allow your child to consume it.

Be prepared to trade out the treats they recieve for safe treats. These could be non-food items as well. Check the dollar stores now for some inexpensive party favors. I usually try to keep a stash of puzzles, coloring books, bouncy balls, play jewelry, toy cars, etc to trade out for the candy.

Make some of your own candy using safe chocolate. You can find some yummy recipes at www.kidswithfoodallergies.org and www.foodallergy.org. Offer to bring your "safe" goodies to class. Try the cupcake and frosting recipe on this blog. You can also make the safe version of "RiceCrispie Treats" using puffed rice cereal, marshmellows, and Earth's Balance Original Spread.

Make some fun Valentine's Day cards and crafts with your child. Emphasize the non-food activities. This year we made homemade Valentine's Day cards for children at our local hospital.

With a little preparation, Valentine's Day can be a safe and fun celebration.

Fall Festival/Halloween ideas

Coming soon...Love to get your ideas and feedback for fall treats that are safe for our allergy kids. I'll post mine in the next few days.

Pumpkin Tortilla Soup

I tried a new recipe on the family tonight and everyone loved it. You'd never know that pumpkin was a main ingredient. I challenge you to try it and give me your feedback. It's great for this chilly weather.



You will need:

Chicken Breast, cooked (I used two)

2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes

1 (32 oz) carton organic chicken broth

3 cups tomato juice

3-4 stalks of celery chopped

2 (13 oz) cans pumpkin (not pumpkin pie)

1 chicken boulillon cube, (I use Herb Ox, contains no MSG and is gluten free)

2 - 3 cloves of crushed garlic

1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground pepper (I used 1/2 tsp because we like it a little spicy but still mild.)

Salt, to taste

5 Corn tortillas or tortilla chips (We like EL Milagro Chips)

Monterey Jack Cheese (Optional)

fresh Cilantro (Optional)



Cook the chicken in the broth until tender. Add all ingredients except pumpkin and tortillas. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add pumpkin and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. You can use ready made chips and crush them over each bowl of soup or slice tortillas into thin strips and brown them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until crispy. Garnish with cheese and fresh cilantro if desired. Makes 12 servings.

Health Event

If you are interested in improving your family's health, please come to a Prevention Plus event on Thurs, Sept 10th at Grace Community Church in Tyler. The program features Dr. Delia Garcia. It starts at 7 pm but arrive early to get a seat. Contact me if you need more information.

Birthday Cake

I've recently had requests for a birthday cake recipe. Here is one that I created that is dairy and egg free. If milk products are not a problem, you can substitute milk for the Silk and butter for the margarine. Here's the recipe. Let me know what you think...

Jason's Cake
Makes :1 layer 9x12 Cake

3 c. all purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 and 1/2 c. Vanilla Silk Soy Milk
1/2 c. Fleishmans Unsalted Margarine, softened
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tsp EnerG Egg Replacer mixed with 2T warm water

Mix all the dry ingredients. Add milk, margarine, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg replacer that has been mixed with water. Mix for 2 to 3 minutes with electric mixer. Pour into a 9x12 greased (with margarine) and floured pan or used 2 - 9"round pans. Bake at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from pan. When cake is completely cool, frosting can be added. It often helps to lightly freeze the cake prior to frosting.

Spring is in the Air

Spring is in the air and for our children with food allergies new challenges await us. As we prepare for this burst of color on the horizon, we also need to prepare our pantries for the events that go along with spring. Many of us have already seen the displays of Easter goodies in the stores. As with all holiday fun, the best strategy is to be prepared with special treats that your child can enjoy so that they won't even notice that they might be missing out on something. By giving ourselves plenty of time to plan and collect the needed items, we can avoid a lot of stress and last minute running. We might even find that we can really enjoy this time with our kids without all the worry.

I have included the list below to help you get started. Please send in your tips and comments so I can post them on the blog for other parents.

1. Start scouring the dollar stores now for little nonfood items.
2. Plan your own Easter egg hunt with other friends that have children with food allergies.
3. Make your own chocolate bunnies by using "Enjoy Life" semi-sweet chocolate chips. Candy molds can be found at most craft stores.
4. Hide empty easter eggs and let your child trade them in for a special prize.
5. Plan an allergy free menu for Easter dinner. Get your recipes together now and try them out in advance.
6. Check websites like www.peanutfreeplanet for help with special treats that can be ordered.
7. Offer to make any special treats for your child's class. Make them ahead of time and freeze them.
8. Read labels very carefully even if it is an item you have purchased in the past. Companies are known to change ingredient labels and manufacturing facilities.
9. Contact me, Diane, or another friend for allergy free recipes and support.
10. Most important...Have fun with your child. Happy Easter and Happy Spring!!

Autumn Fun

Wow!! Fall is in the air. I love the cool, crisp weather, mums, pumpkins, and falling leaves. However, one holiday I used to dread was Halloween. With all the candy that my child couldn't enjoy and the fear that she might get into something that she shouldn't, I was always glad when October 31st passed. As she got older, I learned some great tips that I would like to pass along for enjoying all those wonderful fall festivals and trick-or-treating, if you decide to participate.

One year, rather than collecting candy, we collected donations for the Food Allergy Network. I went door to door with my daughter to share about food allergies and how a donation would help. We also set out a box with information at my family's business and people would drop in change from their purchases. My daughter really enjoyed knowing that she was helping other kids with food allergies.

Another tip would be to allow your child to trade their candy for a safe treat, or better yet, a toy or special trip to the movie with mom and/or dad. This is definitely the healthier alternative.

On a side note...all that sugar suppresses the immune system and is partly responsible for all the illness that we see from October to April. Think about all the sugary holidays...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, Easter. We finally get a break in the summer when our kids are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Either way you look at it, the holidays are challenging times for us and our children with food allergies. Plan ahead. Being prepared will make the holiday time much more enjoyable.