I know this blog is for Matthew--but eventually it'll be shared with our youngest son who we know for sure has at least a dairy allergy.

So from time to time I'll add some foods that are 'baby safe' as well. We didn't know about Matthew's allergies until close to 12 months of age (although he was having reactions to some items prior to that point)

Here is one product I am IN LOVE with!

Super Puffs from Plum Organics---they are free of wheat. Adam has been happily eating these and I am so excited knowing we aren't introducing wheat yet (since there's certainly a good chance he's allergic to that as well).

They are available at Target amongst other stores.
http://www.plumorganics.com/for_super_puffs_panel.php

My go-to WHITE SAUCE recipe

This is my go-to recipe for a 'cream soup' base---I use it in things like pasta and cream sauce or even pot pie.

WHITE SAUCE:
1 cup rice milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons dairy free margarine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Take your COLD rice milk in a small pan (on the stove of course) and whisk in the cornstarch. Add the margarine and other ingredients. Let get warm and then whisk until it gets thicker.

You can even chop up mushrooms and add in for extra flavor. Sometimes I add in a little more bouillon or salt for flavor. A great base for so much!

Tacos....and more!

What kid doesn't love to build their own taco?

I had never used a slow cooker to make tacos before but tried it one day and WOW!

THE HOW TO:

Take about 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (raw/thawed)
1 jar of salsa of your choice (they have several different gluten free varieties out there if needed)

Put both in a slowcooker on LOW for 8 hrs. Around 7.5 hours I shredded the chicken and placed it back in with the liquid. The two will mesh for 30 minutes and create the best tacos ever!

WAIT....THERE'S MORE!

What we did was the first night had chicken tacos, second night had a chicken taco salad (fried and baked taco shells) and then the third night you can make chicken enchiladas. Or if you are 'chickened out' you can always make an item and freeze for later....much much later.

Rice Chex Chicken---yumptious!

This is a fave amongst Matthew and his daddy. And it's honestly not too difficult.

Rice Chex Chicken

--a package (or two) of chicken tenderloins (you know, those skinny pieces of chicken)
--about a cup of rice milk
--grind up about 3-4 cups of rice chex (we use one of those mini food processors that we also use to make baby food)
--about a tablespoon of garlic salt
--about a teaspoon of parsley
NOTE: You can add whatever spices you like really

Spray the pan lightly with some cooking oil
Preheat oven to 375
Dip the chicken in to the milk and then in to the bag of ground up cereal and spices (I use a freezer bag for this---then Matthew gets to shake it to coat)
Drop chicken on to coated pan
Once all chicken is dipped and ready--give a light spray of oil to the top--I think it helps get it crispy

Bake until done--about 30 min or so (I use a food thermometer). Bake uncovered.

This dish is great with any veggie of choice and some mashed potatoes. If in a hurry, quarter up some potatoes and drop in a bag with oil and spices like cumin and garlic. Drop in to a pan and bake with the chicken (separate pans though--and make sure it's covered to cook faster)

Chicken With Cauliflower RECIPE

This is a link for a recipe that I saw them cook on a PBS cooking show--it was awesome!!! And honestly, pretty easy. Bonus is that it's the only way my husband will eat cauliflower and my son loves it too!

Voila!!
Enjoy.

Link: http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/chicken_with_cauliflower_parsley.html

Yummy CHICKEN FINGERS......

So what kid doesn't love chicken fingers?? Heck, for that matter what adult doesn't??!!

CHICKEN FINGERS (BAKED)
---A package of chicken breast tenders or cut up chicken breast in to smaller pieces
--- about 3-4 cups of rice chex
---seasonings: garlic salt, seasoned salt, parsley, whatever you want to add really. I pretty much just use garlic salt and parsley (about 3 tsp total)
---milk (I use rice milk). You could probably also use a vanilla "milk" as well for added flavor or even a coconut milk
---egg (optional)---we don't use the egg but you could to help coat

Pre-heat oven to 375
coat a 9x13 pan with some oil

I use a food processor (mini one) to crush up the chex (this is something Matthew helps with). Pour in to a gallon storage bag. Add spices. Shake to mix.

Coat your chicken tenders with milk (and egg if you are using that)---then drop in to the bag of chex/spices and shake it baby!!! Then place in pan. Repeat until all chicken is coated. I give a slight spray of oil on to the top to help crisp. Do not cover with foil.

Pop in the oven until done---about 170 degrees internal temp. Around 30-40 min or so.

SIDE DISH: If you want, cut up potatoes and season with oil and cumin --cover with foil--and place in the oven while these are cooking. OR make mashed potatoes while the chicken is cooking.

Who doesn't love a boxed cake mix??!!!

So when it came time for Matthew's 3rd birthday, I was determined to let him eat the SAME cake that everyone else had. All I can say is "THANK YOU DUNCAN HINES AND PILLSBURY!!!"

This will not work for a severe wheat allergy--but great for those who are allergic to dairy and eggs. Although Matthew does have a wheat allergy, he does well with wheat items--so it works for us.

Take a box of DUNCAN HINES BOXED CAKE MIX.... and (wait for it.....)
ADD a can of soda. You can even use diet, although we stay away from artificial sweeteners. Use a light colored soda for light colored cakes, dark for dark colors like chocolate. Mix well and then pour in to a cake pan or cupcake containers.

FROSTING:
Pillbury makes a shelf stable spray can of frosting that is out of this world!!! What I love the best is that:
a) it doesn't have any wheat, egg or dairy

b) doesn't have to be refrigerated--so use what you need then throw it back in the pantry. This is especially useful at daycare centers since they can use it and add to thawed cupcakes that you've provided for special celebrations (using the cake mix idea from this post).

We served these cupcakes (and frosting) at his birthday party and no one knew....well, until now. Surprise! Hey--who needs the extra fat and calories anyways, right?!???

Were the tests wrong???

It's been a while since I posted--sorry about that. Back in April while getting some other blood tests done for Matthew, I asked his pediatrician to get blood drawn so we could check on his allergies--they gladly did.

We were ecstatic to find out that according to the tests he was no longer allergic to eggs and peanuts! And his wheat and dairy allergy were extremely low on the charts. How amazing, we thought--- in just over a year it had changed so much!

Well, after giving him eggs for the first time we definitely saw quite a rash around his mouth--just as he'd gotten before. Whenever he would consume dairy he would get hives and the one time he had a peanut it appeared that he was starting to become anaphylactic--started coughing and vomited quite a bit (doc is assuming his throat was beginning to close).

Luckily for us, Benadryl came to the rescue for all of the above. But it got me wondering--could the tests have been wrong??? When I asked his pediatrician she said that they were probably right but that allergies can also be on a cellular level, which wouldn't necessarily show up on a test. I obviously have A LOT more to learn.....

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies----wheat and egg free!!

Man, I'm really bad at updating this blog---I know....BUT here is a great recipe for Wheat-free, egg-free oatmeal raisin cookies. I have to say--you would NEVER know they were free of these allergens.

As you know, most recipes on here are not my originals---so here is the link to the recipe itself below. I followed it as-is. What is great is that the ingredients were actually in the order you needed them--quite helpful!

One note: If you are following a gluten free diet, oats are not necessarily gluten free unless marked as so.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4733421_eggfree-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html