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!!