Food Allergies

Recipes

Written by Elke Probkevitz

Thursday, 07 October 2010 10:23

Deciding what to serve your child for a nutritious meal can be stressful enough without the added obstacle of food allergies. So many children are afflicted with an allergy of some sort these days. In the United States alone, there are about three million children with food allergies. Even if your own children do not have allergies, you must be sensitive to this issue when packing their lunch for school.

Food allergies occur when the body mistakes a component in a food as something harmful. Your body reacts by creating antibodies to protect itself, resulting in the production of histamines, which can cause mild to severe reactions affecting your eyes, nose, throat, respiratory system, digestive system, and skin. The most common food allergies are those to milk, eggs, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and gluten. Luckily, most of these allergies can be outgrown, but for those that are not, parents must be resourceful to find adequate alternatives. For dairy, egg, and fish allergies, a vegan cookbook is a good place to find recipes without these ingredients.

Since food allergies have become so prevalent, there has been a huge surge in the availability of alternatives for many products. â€œGluten-free,â€ â€œegg-free,â€ and â€œnut-freeâ€ are common descriptions on product packaging available in almost every supermarket. When cooking at home, substituting for commonly used ingredients can often produce very similar results and help your child feel less restricted by her allergies.

Eggs. When baking, there are products that take the place of eggs to leaven baked goods. They cannot be used, however, to make meringues or scrambled eggs. When making pasta, there are plenty of egg-free varieties made from semolina, rice, or corn. They do have different textures and consistencies, so try out different types to find the one that you prefer.

Milk and dairy. Milk is commonly avoided due to lactose intolerance and kosher restrictions, as well as for food allergies. Substitutes such as soy, rice, and almond milk are great healthy alternatives to use when cooking or straight from the carton with cookies or a bowl of cereal. There are also dairy-free cheese substitutes that come in many varieties, from American to mozzarella, that can top a pizza or even a burger. Dairy-free ice creams have also been around for a while, made with soy or coconut milk.

Nuts and nut butters. Roasted seeds, such as sunflower or pumpkin, are generally safe for those who have tree-nut allergies and are a great snack food or can be a great replacement for pine nuts in pesto or for almonds in some recipes. Peanut butter is banned from most schools, so soy nut butter is a great way to keep your PB&J-loving kids satisfied. Butters made of sunflower and pumpkin seeds are also available alternatives.

Soy. Unfortunately, this is one of the more challenging allergies, since there is not a suitable substitute, and many processed manufactured products contain soy ingredients. A parent must be vigilant when choosing purchased goods. The best advice would be to find simple homemade recipes to ensure no allergens are in your childâ€™s food.

Wheat and gluten. When substituting for all-purpose flour, there isnâ€™t one flour that is an exact substitute. Blending flours will achieve the best results. There are wheat-free and gluten-free flour blends available, or you can mix your own. Store-bought and bakery breads now come in gluten-free and wheat-free varieties, and usually taste the best when toasted.

Pumpkin Muffins

This is a vegan recipe, so it is egg-free and dairy-free, and it is also gluten-free and wheat-free. Itâ€™s great as a breakfast, snack, or side dish.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup oat flour (or whole oats finely ground in food processor)
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 egg substitutes (equaling 2 eggs)
1 1/2 cup pumpkin purÃ©e
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup white sugar
cinnamon-sugar blend (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350Â° and place rack in middle. Line muffin tray with liners and grease with cooking spray.

Mix the oat and gluten-free flour in a bowl. Whisk together all other ingredients in a large bowl until smooth. Combine flour mixture with other ingredients until just incorporated.

Divide batter among muffin cups, sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar, and bake until puffed and golden brown, about 30â€“35 minutes.

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