Will is currently at an amazing Preschool that practices a nut-free environment. We are extremely grateful that we don’t have to worry about his exposure to peanuts or tree-nuts, but that only covers two of Will’s six food allergies. And since we are understanding and aware that we cannot ask an entire community to discount cow’s milk, eggs, bananas and strawberries so as to accommodate one child, we have become more involved with the activities in the classroom. Today the class was baking white bread.

When I saw the activity on the calendar, I requested a copy of the bread recipe a few days before they were scheduled to bake. In this case, the white bread recipe was extremely simple and therefore not hard at all to modify so that Will could participate in the project. I then stayed up late last night to bake and make sure that the result was edible — Will has had a cold these past few days and wasn’t really up for baking, not to mention that he is not a bread fan and so I doubted his interest to do this at home… At school, however, I didn’t want him to be left out or set aside to avoid exposure to the dairy products.To my surprise, the bread was delicious, and the replacement items were so easy that I decided to send him into school with the alternate ingredients.

Makes 2 Loaves of White Bread

Active Yeast Packets – 2
Warm Water – 1/4 Cup
White Flour – 4-5 Cups
Sugar – 2 Tablespoons
Salt – 2 Teaspoons
Baking Powder – 2 Teaspoons
TO REPLACE BUTTERMILK: Soy Milk – 2 Cups + Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 Tablespoons Combined
TO REPLACE BUTTER OR MARGARINE: 4 Tablespoons Soy Margarine
Non-Dairy Cooking Spray to Grease your pans

You will need: measuring tools; 2 small mixing bowls; 1 large mixing bowl; wire whisk; rubber spatula; 2 bread pans

In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the active yeast in the warm water and then whisk 4 1/2 cups of flour plus the rest of the dried ingredients together in your large mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Add the yeast and soy mixtures to the flour and then knead while adding more flour as needed until you can form two loaves. Grease your pans, add the dough and then set in a warm place for 45 minutes to rise.

Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes.

And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? No. He didn’t eat it here at home and he told his teacher that we is waiting until he’s a grownup before he ever eats bread. Because, you know, eating bread is so mature, right?

Related articles

• Will’s Kitchen Blog (rysalcreative.com)

At the end of April we were blessed and overjoyed to welcome Will’s baby sister Josephine into our family. So, while not everything has changed, we had to take a break from Will’s Kitchen for a while, but we are happy to say that we are back on our game — the allergen free game, of course. And while we hope that you didn’t miss us too much, we have still been cooking egg, dairy and nut free while following our routines of keeping up with all things allergic…. we just haven’t had the time to share. Moving forward, we hope to be checking in more frequently, but may not be able to on a weekly basis.. Here’s what’s been going on lately:

• Right before Josephine was born (and I mean like the day before) Will and I did take the time to make Sweet Potato Biscuits from The Kitchn, pictured above (sans Maple Butter)… Although the biscuits were tasty, they were rather heavy so we are working on changing the recipe to be a little less filling… And The NOSH – Did Will Eat It? Yes!

• Will had a visit with a new Allergist that offered us some alternative thoughts on our situation. I wrote a silly blog post over at For the Birds, from a parental perspective… We are still discussing where we go from here in terms of the new advice…
• Since April, we have continued making several of our favorite recipes — Corn Bread, Chocolate Chip Cookies, AND – with the garden fresh basil – lots and lots of PESTO…
• We are super excited about trying out this Cinnamon Sugar Radish Chip recipe [the kitchn] and really appreciated the idea of Avocado and Olives Bruschetta from A Scientist in the Kitchen (who knew!)…
• AND, Will’s Dad and I made these Pork Chops with Magic Dust [Serious Eats] last night — YUMMY, although I do recommend cutting the recipe in half even for 4 chops as there was a lot of spice wasted… although Will would never try this at 3 years of age, it still counts as dairy, egg and nut free!

AND because the internet is all knowing, a few other links on allergies include:

• Allergy Girl comes out of her shell [Wall Street Journal]
• Another Nut-Free Mom has some advice on traveling with allergies [The Nut-Free Mom Blog]
• Introducing Milk through baked goods may help fight the milk allergy [Private MD Labs]

Related articles

• Easy, Food Allergy Friendly Dutch Oven Camping Recipes (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• Outgrowing Allergies (everydayhealth.com)
• The Best Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. Ever. (momsvegankitchen.com)

• This week in Will’s Kitchen we’ve made Sesame Chicken Nuggets and Falafels…
• We are looking forward to converting this Sweet Potato Biscuit recipe from The Kitchn (sans maple butter) as well as these yummy Papas Rellenas (potato balls stuffed with ground beef) from La Cocina de Nathan, which we found through Oh Joy… If you have any recipes that you would like for us to try, please send them on over!

OTHER LINKS this week include:

• Food without fear [Time Out Chicago] — Allergen Free Friendly Restaurants in Chicago!
• Mt. Airy Retailer finds Niche as Food Allergies Increase – [Newsworks] (Philadelphia)
• Australia is Food Allergy Capital of the World [Topnews]
• Food Allergy Affects 12 Million U.S. Kids [UPI]

Related articles

• Daring Cook’s: Papas Rellenas (kitchenmisfit.wordpress.com)
• Recipe for Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Sumac (kalynskitchen.blogspot.com)
• Will.i.am “Sesame Street” Song “What I Am” [VIDEO] (popcrunch.com)
• Never Eat Fast Food French Fries Again (fooducate.com)

• This week in Will’s Kitchen we’ve made Sweet Chicken Fajitas, Mini Turkey Burgers, and of course Chocolate Chip Cookies (you can count on us making these almost every week)…
• We also converted this Blueberry Yogurt Cake recipe from Shutterbean and plan to share our delicious results next week…Yum…
• We are looking forward to converting and trying these recipes in the near future… Baked Spring Rolls and Low-Fat Lo Mein from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and Sunny Carrot Muffins from Kids Eating Healthy…

OTHER LINKS this week include:

• Babies Food Allergies – First Born are More Susceptible [Evoscience]
• A Little Compassion for Kids with Food Allergies [Mamaroo]
• Cooking with Food Allergies [Chefwangs]
• Law Professor Writes Children’s Book About Food Allergies [Auto-Mobi]
• Coping with Food Allergies at School [Springfield, MA Channel 3]

Related articles

• Will’s Weekly Links (willskitchen.com)
• Low Vitamin D Linked to Allergy Risk in Kids (webmd.com)
• Vote The Food Allergy Mom As One of the Top Mom Food Blogs of 2011 (thefoodallergymom.wordpress.com)
• allergies, food allergies, food allergies season of birth, kids food allergies, children food allergies (webmd.com)
• Birth Order Linked to Allergies, Study Says (fitsugar.com)
• Severe Eczema May Be Linked to Food Allergies in Children (aolhealth.com)

Makes approx. 12 pancakes:

Large Potatoes – 4 or 5, peeled
Onion – 1/2 cup
Egg Replacer – According to package instructions; Equivalent to one large egg
Flour – 1 Tablespoon
Canola Oil – 1/2 Cup
Salt & Pepper – To taste

You will need: Hand Grater; Mixing Bowl; Skillet; Slotted Spoon, Fork & Spatula; Paper Towels

After peeling your potatoes, let them soak in warm water for a few minutes and then coarsely grate by hand. Follow by grating the onion and then mix the two together. In a separate bowl, mix together your egg replacer (according to package directions) and flour and then stir into the potato/onion mix.

Heat oil in your skillet over moderately high heat. Spoon approx. 2 tablespoons potato mixture per pancake into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper.

And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? Yes! But only a taste… he wasn’t crazy about the whole project, in all honesty — thought it was too slimy, which is interesting because he doesn’t seem to mind mud-puddles outside…. We thought the pancakes were delicious, although deceivingly filling…

YUCK!

Note to self: writing recipes is HARD. Of course this happens more often than not when we decide to throw the entire left-over contents of our refrigerator into the mix… Not only will we never learn, but we may never attempt greatness with the almighty FILO again. FAIL — but fun, nonetheless.

Unfortunately (or fortunately — depends on your poison) for us, we haven’t learned our lesson yet and continue to attempt to make egg recipes with the major and minor replacements.  In this case — Ener-G Egg Replacer was our victim of choice and Popovers were the target.

Ener-G Egg Replacer – Equivalent of 2 eggs
FLOUR – 1 Cup
BAKING POWDER – 2 Teaspoons
KOSHER SALT – 1 Teaspoon
SOY MILK – 1 Cup
CANOLA OIL – 1 Tablespoon

You will need: Measuring tools; 2 Mixing Bowls (one small & one medium); Wire Whisk; Spatula; Popover or Muffin Tin

Grease your popover or muffin tin and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In the small bowl, mix together the egg replacer — you will see that it has the same consistency as egg whites. In the medium bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and then mix in the soy milk, oil and egg replacer. Stir it all together so that there aren’t any flour lumps and then spoon the mixture into the greased tin about half way per cup.

Bake for about 30 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Unfortunately (or fortunately — again, is the glass half full or are you taking this too seriously?) The popovers are not popovers… instead they are more like mini faux egg muffins… Smaller, they barely rise to “popover” the edge of the baking tin AND although they have the light fluffy interior consistency  — they are not hollow, which is a definite quality of the true popover. Also, having once been a regular egg eater, I could taste the egg replacement — which was a little strange. All things aside, however — eaten as a popover, with a little spread of soy butter — they are quite delicious…

And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? No. Despite having a good time making them — Absolutely not. In fact, he told us that they were “disgusting” without even attempting to try them… We think we may have hit a wall here in the 3 year old tasting arena… regardless of the proper use of the word, “disgusting”. On the other hand, however, we were quick to finish them off so we aren’t ashamed to steal a few bonus points for the team.

Amid all of the craziness of preparing for Annie’s wedding last week, I totally forgot to mention that it was also Vegan Week over at The Kitchn.

I know — HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW THAT? I mean really. With everything else going on in the world… your life, etc. — how did you fail to lift your head up and recognize the significance that is Vegan Week? I mean… I bet you ate dairy — eggs… MEAT, even. Because when I realized that it was Vegan Week, that’s exactly what I did. AND, not only that, but I FAILED to point it out to just about EVERYONE I know… excluding Mr. Sal, of course, who responded with a polite “Oh really” followed by the expected uninterested silence that could pretty much win the world series of poker should the opportunity arise… In other words, I blame myself.

But that’s okay. It’s alright that Vegan Week at The Kitchn was overlooked somewhat… mostly because I am not a Vegan, and you probably aren’t either… although I have to admit that the whole lifestyle is somewhat enviable and admittedly, healthy. And while I admit to questioning the morals of Taste vs. Lifestyle, Vegan Week was a little bittersweet for us as the timing fell just around Will’s allergy tests. Recipe trials, one of our favorite pastimes, over at Will’s Kitchen even slowed in hopes that the need to cook and bake dairy and egg free had passed… So while all of these delicious recipes and Vegan ideas were flashing before my eyes, I was in complete denial about committing to try any of them without knowing whether he was still allergic to cow’s milk, eggs, trees nuts and peanuts… Which, as it turns out, he still is — although his severity is slightly decreasing (yay!).

So while we are brushing off the counters at Will’s Kitchen (where I am repeating this post and stepping up our game) — getting out our spatula collection and preparing for another GO in the world of all things SAFE — the feelings of disappointment are a little numb. We’ve been laxed, a bit too much perhaps, with what we know about food — the controversies and unkempt practices that our country seems to “overlook”. And while I could completely cut loose and get balls out POLITICAL about what I’ve learned over the past three years about food — production, overproduction, shelf-life and LIFE EXPECTANCY– I will sit here angry and frustrated, but patiently stewing (dairy-free — of course). Because who wants to see me shouting at the blinding snow??– Pregnant, admittedly crazy and (oh, what the hell) only wearing slipper socks an apron while whipping together an admirable batch of these?

Come at me with an Egg McMuffin and I’ll gladly show you the door… but not without a lifetime of guilt schooled through flour throwing tantrums and apple sauce….Burned on your brain for the rest of your life… with love, of course.

Organic, farm fresh, real sugar… saved from the GENETICALLY MODIFIED to the Fresh to Fork… We may not be Vegans and we certainly aren’t Vegetarians, but we are shoveling our way out to a new way of eating… One allergy test at a time.

Related articles

• Welcome To Vegan Week at The Kitchn! (thekitchn.com)
• Vegan Around the Clock: 25 Vegan Recipes from Breakfast to Dessert from The Kitchn Recipe Roundup (thekitchn.com)

Trust me, if I didn’t tell you carrots were in them, you’d have no idea.

Dairy Free Semi Sweet Chocolate – 1/2 Cup
Carrot Puree – 1/2 Cup
Light Brown Sugar – 1/2 Cup
Soy Buttery Spread – 2 Tablespoons
Cocoa Powder – 1/4 Cup
Vanilla Extract – 2 Teaspoons
Apple Sauce – 1/2 Cup
Flour– 1 Cup
Kosher Salt– 1 Teaspoon

You will need – Mixing Bowl; Measuring tools; Rubber Spatula; Food Processor for Puree; Sauce Pan; Spoon; 9×9″ Baking Dish.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease the baking dish. Over a very low burner, melt the Semi Sweet Chocolate until creamy and remove from heat. Let the chocolate cool a bit while you puree your carrots and then combine the two in a mixing bowl. Add in the brown sugar, buttery spread, cocoa powder and vanilla and mix together until creamy. Will likes to take his time with this by using a potato masher while pretending to be a giant crushing machine… you may do the same should you be so inspired.

Once the batter is creamy, stir in the apple sauce, flour and salt. The batter will seem thick as you spoon it into the baking dish. Try to keep the batter even in the dish by spreading it around before putting the brownies into bake.

Bake the for approximately 30-35 minutes… Please be sure to wait a few minutes before you attempt to eat — I know, the temptation may be too much to handle, but trust me — the wait will be worth it.

And the NOSH – Did Will eat it? YES, well… sort of. He’s had a nibble here and there — but I think he might be slightly suspect after seeing the carrots as part of the mix… Just trying to keep the little man honest — although it probably doesn’t help that his parents are polishing them off before he has too much time to think about it.