Product Review - Tinkyada Pasta

Hello,

Tinkyada Pasta is the best gluten/wheat free pasta we have found. It is the best at keeping its shape and not getting slimy, hard or falling apart. It is also the best when re-heated, so it will still be nice and al dente if you decide to cook it at home and then re-heat it at an event or restaurant. You will probably not want to do this with plain pasta, but it is great if you mix it with spaghetti sauce, a gravy, or even an Italian dressing (for a cold pasta salad).

Product Review - Salad Dressing - Good Seasons Italian All Natural Salad Dressing

Hello,

This is a very simple way to make a delicious Italian Dressing for a green or pasta salad. I like the mix because it is very flavorful and you can use your own oil. So, if you are allergic to soy (which is used in many commercial salad dressings), vegetable, olive, or canola oil, you can substitute an oil you can tolerate like safflower or corn oil.

We have used this dressing on green salads, to marinate chicken for grilling, and on rice pasta for a salad which tastes very similar to the Suddenly Salad mix. I hope you enjoy it too.

Product Review - Ice Cream Storage Containers

Hello,

I was so happy to find these little containers. They are just the perfect size for freezing individual size portions of ice cream or sorbet for my daughter to take to birthday parties, ice cream sunday making parties, or travel. (I am going to attempt to transport ice cream this weekend. I will let you know how it goes.) I am also trying to keep a few of these on hand in case the Ice Cream Truck ever ventures into this neighborhood. There is nothing more disheartening than having to tell a child no when it is because of a dairy allergy. I found these at Wegmans for less than $10.00, so don't buy them from Amazon. Their price is outrageous!

Product Review - So Delicious by Turtle Mountain

Hello,

For those who are able to eat soy (They also make coconut ice cream.), this is a delicious ice cream. You should always check the label, and this label mentions that it uses safe procedures to ensure it does not have cross contamination with several different allergens. In a moment of desperation and rare courage I decided to allow my daughter to try this ice cream. She is usually scared to try new things, but she wanted to eat ice cream so much that she decided to try this one. She did not have a severe reaction, but she did break out. She was fine with that, she said she didn't mind the itching because she got to eat ice cream, but I did. I just didn't feel safe. I don't know if the breakout was from traces of something she is allergic to or if it was just from soy. We later found out that even though her numbers were low and the doctor said she could eat it, every time she tried soy she broke out. So, we are avoiding soy again. I am just glad that we finally found the ice cream recipes from Vance's (which I have posted here) and the ones from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. They have helped us give our daughter ice cream and we are very thankful.

Here is the link if you would like to learn more about So Delicious Soy Ice Cream or Turtle Mountain http://www.turtlemountain.com/products/products.html. I just noticed that they have started making an ice cream that contains peanuts/peanut butter. Please be careful, call, ask questions, and then if you feel comfortable start with something small like 1/8 tsp. of the product every 15 minutes for a number of days until you are sure your child will not react.

Recipe Review - Strawberry Sorbet from The Super Allergry Girl Cookbook

Hello,

I am reviewing the Strawberry Sorbet recipe from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. In short, it is amazing, so sweet and tangy on the tongue and so easy to make. I highly recommend making this sorbet. Everyone loved it, and we all wondered how they could call that frozen stuff at the store sorbet. We have been spoiled by the real thing and will never go back!

I cannot wait to make strawberry sorbet ice pops for my kids. They are going to be so much better than the apple juice pops we have been making. Doesn't the picture just remind you of summer? I can't wait to surprise the children with these pops!

For now, I have the sorbet in little plastic containers similar to the ones above. I found them at Wegman's in the fruit preserve section. I believe they were less than $10.00. They freeze well and will be so good for transporting ice cream to birthday parties!

Recipe Review - Rice or Soy Ice Cream (Vanilla or Chocolate) from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

Recently I have been trying to find a way to make the best ice cream for my daughter. When she could eat soy (for about 9 months of her life) we loved So Delicious Soy Ice Cream, but I noticed that even though her numbers had gone down and the doctor said she could eat it, that she would break out and eventually we also linked it to severe stomach cramps that she would get hours later. Enough of that, let's get to a recipe that she can eat. I like this recipe because I do not have to worry about cross contamination, I do not have to pay high prices at the supermarket, and I do not have to worry about what type of oil they may have used in the ice cream.

The recipe for Rice or Soy Ice Cream is so easy that my daughter could make it all by herself. She was so delighted to be able to so. The main ingredient is the rice or soy milk that you are already drinking. I really liked the quickness of this recipe and the fact that I did not have to heat up anything (which means less time waiting for it to cool down), and that I could just mix everything in the blender and then move it to the refrigerator. It was not quite as good as the Vance's recipe I have already posted, but it was still great and very similar to the Rice Ice Cream you can buy at the store.

We also tried the chocolate version, but it ended up being somewhat like a Wendy's Frosty. That is mostly because I tried to make it right after we had made vanilla ice cream and the ice cream bowl was not as frozen as it should have been. It was still delicious and the kids loved it.

Product Review - Freezer Safe Glass Storage Containers

Hello,

I was very happy to find these freezer-safe glass containers. I have heard about so many problems with storing or heating your food in plastic bags or containers, but I did not know of an alternative. When my daughter was having severe stomach pain, we did some testing that revealed (in addition to some other things) that she had evidence of plastics in her system. It made the plastic hazards much more real to me. When I found these containers I decided to start heating all of our food in them, and I am now starting to use them for freezing as well. I hope they will help someone else as well.

Recipe Review - Cherrybrook Kitchen Yellow Cake and White Icing

Hello,

Here are some of the mixes that I use from Cherrybrook Kitchens. Well, I have never used the pre-made icing, but I posted it here in case you might be more likely to use prepared icing rather than making your own. These cupcakes are so easy to make, but very hard to find. At this point I can only get them through the Cherrybrook Kitchen site or Whole Foods. Amazon does not carry them yet and although I have tried to get Wegmans to carry them that hasn't happened yet either.

My daughter prefers the white or yellow cupcake to the chocolate cupcake, and honestly they are much less messy. The chocolate cupcake is very crumbly and leaves her with chocolate crumbs all over her teeth. Not very pretty at a birthday party. So, while the chocolate cupcake tastes great and is easy to find, I am now trying to pack the less messy version when we go to birthday parties. I hope you will enjoy it as well.

http://www.cherrybrookkitchens.com/

http://www.amazon.com/ - Look up Cherrybrook Kitchens.

Recipe Review - White Bread from 125 Best Gluten Free Recipes

Hello,

This is a review of the White Bread recipe from the 125 Best Gluten Free Recipe book by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt. This bread is the best we have ever tried or tasted. When it first came out of the oven, it almost tasted like regular bread. It was soft on the inside and crusty on the outside. By the second day you could tell that it was made from rice flour, but it was still soft and good, especially with jelly. By day three it was still nice enough to enjoy as a sandwich. This is going to be the bread recipe that we make several times a week. It is wonderful. This review is based on the oven baked loaf. We are going to try the bread machine loaf this evening.

Note: The recipe you will find in the book lists both dairy and egg ingredients. We used DariFree powder (a potato based product) and Ener-G Egg Replacer instead. The recipe calls for 2 eggs and 2 egg whites. You must use 1 1/2 tsp of Ener-G Egg Replacer per egg with 2 tbs. of water. The box states that if a recipe calls for egg yolks you should stir in 1 1/2 tsp and 1 tbs. of water for each egg. So, I used 2 tbs Egg Replacer and 6 tbs of water to replace the eggs in the recipe. The batter will seem wet, but the bread will be great.

Allergy Recipe - Chocolate Frosting from Lisa A. Lundy author of The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

I just posted about Lisa A. Lundy's Texas Sheet Cake or Brownie Cake recipe that she has posted on her blog. It is not available in her cookbook. Below the cake recipe she has posted a frosting recipe which is great for icing cupcakes as well. I like this version better than the one I have been using, so I am going to make a batch, freeze it and have it ready for cupcakes when the next impromptu party comes up.

Please check out her blog http://http//llundy.wordpress.com/. Currently the Texas Sheet Cake and Chocolate Frosting recipes are on her most recent blog.

Chocolate Frosting
From Lisa A. Lundy, author of The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

1 stick of acceptable margarine or shortening (DF - Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine or DFSF - Spectrum Organic Shortening)
4 tbs. cocoa
4-5 tbs. of water or non-dairy milk substitute (Rice Milk)
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Allergy Recipe - Texas Sheet Cake or Brownie Cake by Lisa Lundy author The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

While looking for a gluten-free cake or dessert that I could take to a potluck dinner, I came across this recipe from Lisa A. Lundy author of the Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. This recipe is only posted on her website. Here is the link - http://llundy.wordpress.com/.

My only advice is to go ahead and have everything pre-measured so you can stay on top of things once it is at a "rolling boil".

Texas Sheet Cake or Brownie Cake
From Lisa A. Lundy The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Preheat oven to 350º F. This recipe uses a special sized pan and that is important. Use a jelly roll type pan which would measure approximately 15" x 10" x 1 1/2" OR 15" x 10 1/2" x 1". Grease and flour your pan.

In a large mixing bowl, combine and then set aside:

2 cups Gluten-free flour (see note below)
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum

In a medium saucepan, combine and bring to a rolling boil and then set aside:

2 sticks of acceptable margarine or shortening (DF - Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine or DFSF - Spectrum Organic Shortening)
1 cup water
4 tbs. cocoa

Once you have completed the above two steps, mix together:

1/4 cup water combined with 1 tbsp. Ener-G egg replacer

Then Add:

1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup non-dairy milk substitute (Rice Milk)
1 tbs. vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix well. Add the second two mixtures to the first flour mixture and combine until smooth. Pour into your prepared shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350º F oven for 20-23 minutes or until done. Watch so it does not over bake. Frost the cake while it is warm. This cake freezes well.

Chocolate Frosting (I use this on regular cupcakes as well. Wonderful and so easy!)

1 stick of acceptable margarine or other shortening (See substitute above.)
4 tbs. cocoa
4-5 tbs. of water or non-dairy milk substitute (Rice Milk)
1 lb (16 oz) acceptable powdered or Confectioner's Sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Allergy Recipe - Blueberry Muffins

Hello,

I believe I found the original recipe for these Blueberry Muffins in Family Fun magazine. I altered the recipe to make it free of wheat, gluten, butter, eggs, and milk. I will post the original recipe along with my substitutions so you can pick the ingredients which fit your particular allergies.

Blueberry Muffins

Batter:

1/4 cup butter, room temperature (DF - Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine, DFSF - Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs (1 tbls. EnerG Egg Replacer + 4 tbls. water)
1/2 cup milk (Rice Milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour, or Combine: 1 cup rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch or potato starch)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups blueberries, stemmed and rinsed

Topping:

1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour, or Combine: 1/4 cup rice flour, 1/8 cup tapioca starch flour, 1/8 cup cornstarch or potato starch)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon (We omit.)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature (DF - Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine or DFSF - Spectrum Organic All Vegetable Shortening)

1) Heat the oven to 350º F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with baking cups.
2) If you are planning to make this recipe gluten free and are not using Bob's Red Mill GF flour, it might be helpful to go ahead and measure out the flour combination above or make a big batch to use in any recipe that calls for 1 cup of all-purpose flour.
3) In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter (or alternative) and sugar. Beat in the eggs, then the milk and vanilla extract.
4) Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-size mixing bowl.
5) Pour the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and stir well, being careful not to over mix the batter.
6) Use a spatula to fold in the berries.
7) Spoon the batter into the muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
8) To make the crumb topping, stir together the sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over each muffin.
9) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are lightly brown (unless you are using GF flours which will not really brown) and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15-30 minutes before serving. Makes 12.

Product Review / Company Review - Gluten Free Pantry

Hello,

I want to mention this company because many of you will probably be able to use their mixes. At this point we do not use anything that could have any trace of dairy (like a D or DE for dairy equipment) on the label. I have seen some of the Gluten Free Pantry mixes that do not have dairy ingredients listed on the label, but I have yet to contact them or research the possibility of trying any of their products. Here is the website information if you are interested in learning more about their products. http://www.glutino.com/content/view/86/116/

Product Review / Company Review - Glutino Gluten Free Pretzels

Hello,

There is another company that you may want to look into. Glutino is a predominantly gluten-free company, but it does have some products that are also dairy, egg, and nut free. One of our favorite products is the Glutino Gluten Free Pretzels. They are listed as dairy, egg, nut and gluten free. You can learn more about these pretzels at http://www.glutino.com/content/view/80/114/.

If you are only avoiding gluten and wheat, Glutino has a lot of nice crackers, breakfast bars, cookies, bread sticks, candy bars, pretzels, and bread products. We have not tried a lot of their products because of my daughter's other allergens, but I'd love to hear if anyone else with a severe dairy allergy has ever tried any of their other products. Here is a link to a complete list of Glutino and Gluten Free Pantry products. http://www.glutino.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=53&Itemid=62

Product Review / Company Review - Food for Life

Hello,

Another company that you may want to check out is Food for Life. They have various wheat free, wheat and gluten free, and yeast free breads that you may be able to eat. They also have rice tortillas and corn tortillas. This is also the company that makes the sprouted grain Ezekiel bread, but we have never tried any of these.

I am basing this review on the frozen version of the Food for Life Brown Rice Bread. You can find Food for Life bread in the allergy or gluten free freezer isle, the cereal isle or bread isle. It is excellent for making bread crumbs because you store it in the freezer until you need the crumbs. It is o.k. as jelly toast or jelly bread. It is not as good for sandwich bread, because its texture is somewhat like a bagel and it is pretty dry. We have only tried the bread from the freezer section, because that is all that was available when my daughter was first diagnosed with her allergies. I tried heating it slightly in the microwave or toasting it, but my daughter really didn't like it. If you are looking for a soft sandwich bread, this is really not it. Now to be honest, I haven't tried the more recent version which is on the shelf. It is possible that it will be softer and better for sandwich making. Also, if your child has problems with texture or only wants to eat soft things, this is a little harder to chew. You could try toasting it or putting it in the microwave for a few seconds.

So, basically at this point I use this bread for bread crumbs when I am making Roasted Stuffed Pork Tenderloin or any kind of meatballs.

Recipe Review - Roast Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Hello,

I was looking for a more flavorful recipe for pork that my daughter could eat and the rest of the family and any company would enjoy. The recipe for Roast Stuffed Pork Tenderloin from 125 Best Gluten-Free Recipes was a perfect fit. We had already tried stuffing our pork tenderloin with broccoli and bread crumbs, but the additional ingredients that Donna Washburn and Heather Butt used for creating a slightly tangy sauce to pour over the tenderloin were a perfect match for putting this recipe over the top as something we would be proud to serve company.

This recipe serves 4, so we used a 2 lb pork tenderloin, sliced it lengthwise down the side, doubled the recipe for all of the other ingredients (except the nuts, of course!), and tied it together with string. Since we were cooking a larger piece of meat we used the meat timer to determine when it was done. It was moist and delicious.

This cookbook is mainly a gluten free cookbook, so there are recipes which contain eggs, dairy, soy, nuts and other allergens. You may want to check this book out of the library first to make sure there are enough recipes that you will be able to use with your limited diet. I for one would recommend buying it for the White Bread recipe alone. It is the best we have ever tasted and we now make it at least once a week!

Recipe - Ham, Egg and Rice

Hello,

Many of you may not be able to eat this dish, but it is easy and for those children who can eat eggs, it is a great source of protein not to mention a quick and easy hot meal. Please see my note below on how I make it allergy free for my daughter.

1 ham steak

4-6 eggs

4 cups cooked rice

It is best to start the rice first. Fresh, hot, moist rice is best for this dish. Fry the ham steak in a pan with little or no oil. When the ham steak is cooked, take it out and cut it into small bite-sized pieces. (Check allergy-free note below.) I usually cook the eggs in a separate pan, because they may turn very brown from the ham juice and then my children will not eat them. After the eggs have been fully or almost completely scrambled, you can add the rice to the pan in which you cooked the ham, mixing it around until it picks up the ham juices. Then add the eggs and ham pieces to the dish. Kids seem to love this.

Ham and Rice (for those with food allergies)

After the ham is cooked, I cut it into bite-sized pieces and place it pretty far away from where I am working. When I am done making her portion, I then start scrambling the eggs. I wash my hands, add some white rice to the allergy portion, put the rest of the rice into the pan, then add the eggs and ham.

Product Review / Company Review - Enjoy Life!

Hello,

You have got to check out this wonderful company. Enjoy Life! has gluten free allergy foods that are actually soft and tasty. Some of the cookies have a bit too much cinnamon, but you cannot beat the convenience of being able to buy a box of pre-made cookies. (Check out the coupons on their website. I had no idea they were there! There are different coupons on different pages of their site.) Our Wegmans does not carry everything on the Enjoy Life website http://www.enjoylife.com/, but we have had a chance to taste the following snacks and they have been safe for my daughter who is anaphylactic to even traces of dairy, egg, peanut, and pea, and who also reacts to tree nuts, wheat, soy, etc. Please follow your doctor's orders and first test small bites over several hours, or call the Enjoy Life company and ask about any of your concerns.

Here are a few of the products we have tried and would recommend. We are looking forward to trying more as the opportunity presents itself. (Also check out Enjoy Life's Cookbook on Amazon.com. See link below.)

Cookies - no oats "oatmeal" cookies and snickerdoodle cookies
Snack Bars - Cocoa Loco (We did not enjoy sunbutter.)
Baking - Dairy, Nut and Soy free Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - (Awesome.)

The granolas were too sour for my children, but I see they are now new and improved.

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/
www.enjoylifefoods.com/enjoying_life/recipes.php - I haven't tried any of these yet, but I am looking forward to doing so!
Enjoy Life's Cookbook - http://www.amazon.com/Enjoy-Lifes-Cookies-Everyone-Sensitivities/dp/1592333699/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1242836008&sr=8-1

Recipe Review - Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

I was so happy to find this recipe for Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are the best cookies we have found so far! They were definitely soft and chewy (although I will admit you have to trust the timer because the cookies do not really brown like we are used to and they get harder without getting browner). There are some unique ingredients in these cookies like gluten-free baby rice cereal. I will just mention that we found Beech-Nut to be free of soy, but please check the label for yourself. Again, we use Enjoy Life! Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips. Everyone loved these cookies and we even took them to a party where many children thought the were delicious. You will too.

Recipe Review - Molassas Cookies from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

If you are looking for a gluten-free Molasses Cookie recipe you may want to check out the recipe in The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. We had gads of molasses left over from failed attempts at other recipes and I was hoping that maybe my children would love this cookie. But alas, we came up against the ginger problem again (even though I 1/2ed the amount) so even though my daughters numbers have gone down and the doctor says she can eat it, she still cannot stomach the taste of it.

I will let you know that I was very pleasantly surprised at how amazingly soft and chewy these cookies were. My little guy loved them and was thrilled that they were still soft 4-5 days after we had baked them. You can't say that for most allergy free cookies!

Recipe Review - Allergy-Free Chocolate Brownies from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

When it comes to brownies, the recipe we like best is Allergy-Free Chocolate Brownies from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. The recipe was great for me because we have not found a baking chocolate that we feel is 100% dairy free and this recipe calls for baking chocolate or cocoa powder (which we have found is safe for our daughter). We tried two different flour combinations in this recipes. I found Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour to be a bit sour so I added around a cup of Enjoy Life! Semi-sweet chocolate chips. It worked very well. I also tried a combination of 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/4 cup corn or potato starch, and 1/4 cup tapioca flour (per cup in the recipe) in addition to the chocolate chips and it was much sweeter, but I did notice a more gritty texture. My children said they liked the brownies either way, and their friends agreed. These brownies do take a bit of time and effort to make, but they are very worth it. They also freeze very well and are great to take out for a party, play date, lunch box or trip. I would highly recommend buying The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook for the brownie and chocolate chip cookie recipes alone. They are so much better than anything else we have found.

Product Review - Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten Free Brownies

Hello,

I want to mention Cherrybrook Kitchen's Gluten Free Brownies. They are about as close to regular brownies as you are going to get when you are baking gluten, wheat, dairy, egg, and nut free. The best thing about these mixes is that they are manufactured in an allergy free environment. Research for yourself and see if you feel comfortable trying these mixes with your children. The brownies do contain Soy Lecithin and it seemed like it could be making our daughter break out, so we made the occasionally as she begged for them and kept looking for a mix or recipe we could make ourselves without any traces of soy. So, if your child can tolerate Soy Lecithin I would highly recommend these brownies. If not, you may want to try making the Allergy-Free Chocolate Brownie recipe from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook.

Recipe Review - Peach Salsa from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

We recently tried the Peach Salsa recipe from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. I was hoping to find an easy answer to what to do with plain cooked chicken. The children seemed to like the salsa cold, but when I heated it up they liked it even more. Again, we cut the ginger in 1/2 and the next time we may eliminate it altogether. My children haven't quite gotten used to the taste of ginger.

Recipe Review - Pineapple Salsa from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

I was so excited to find a recipe for Pineapple Salsa. We had a fresh, sweet pineapple in the kitchen and I was anxious to see if I could actually bake plain chicken in the oven, add this to the plate and actually have something the kids would be excited about eating. Well, they were very excited about trying both the Pineapple and Peach Salsa, but I got mixed reviews on which was the favorite. Again, we had to cut the ginger recommended to 1/2 of what was stated and it was still a bit much for my children. We are going to try it again sometime with even less ginger. Ginger used to be one of my daughter's allergens and even though her numbers have dropped and she is safe to eat it, this was our first attempt to add it to something that was not baked. We all enjoyed trying the new taste, but I think the kids may prefer to just eat the pineapple fresh and plain.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_20?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+super+allergy+girl+cookbook&sprefix=The+super+allergy+gi

Recipe Review - German Potato Salad from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

I tried this recipe mostly for myself, although I was hoping to open up my children's palate to something that I enjoyed as a child. German Potato Salad was such a huge part of my growing up years. I remember helping my Mom make huge batches of it to take to family reunions or just making it for the family and eating it for a week. I have only made it a few times since my daughter was diagnosed with an egg allergy because I could never find a safe mayonnaise that eliminated all of her allergens and I did not need to eat all that potato salad by myself!

The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook's German Potato Salad is based on a classic German recipe and although it does not taste anything like the potato salad I had growing up I recognize and appreciate the classic flavors, and I think you will too. The one tip I might add is to use Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. It is amazing and so much better than any other brand. My mouth is watering just remembering the flavor of this potato salad.

Any good potato salad takes a while to make, and since my children did not love the final product, it will probably be a while before I try this recipe again. My daughter hasn't quite gotten into foods that contain vinegar yet, so I am hoping to try this again once we have successfully added more foods to her diet. Don't let her opinion sway you. This is definitely worth checking out.

Recipe Review - Chicken Fillets from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

You are going to be seeing a lot of recipe reviews from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. My daughter was diagnosed with 49 food allergies when she was 14 months old. For seven years we were not able to add any new foods to her diet, but now that she has turned 10, and thanks in part, I believe, to liquid Zinc (which seems to have broadened her palate) we have been able to add a few spices to help even out her plain chicken, beef, etc. You will see a lot of recipes from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook, because it is the only cookbook I have found that eliminates most of my daughter's allergies while still containing recipes that you can successfully make at home and that your family will enjoy.

I recently tried the Chicken Fillets from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook. I was longing for something easy to bake or fry which would add some FLAVOR to our diet. This chicken fillets (nuggets or strips) certainly fit the bill. Because my children are new to spices and because they had never tried paprika before, I lowered the paprika to a heaping 1/4 tsp. I made one batch of chicken and the fillets flew off the plate so quickly that I had to get up and make a second batch all of which was eaten as well. What a great recipe success.

Now my main allergy eater, the one who has not been able to eat spices until now fluctuated between loving and not liking them even as she ate them. I think it is going to take a while for her to get used to eating food that has a flavor other than just the natural flavor of the meat. My other two children have asked me to make this recipe again and again.

I believe you could make this recipe even without the paprika if your child happens to be allergic to that spice. Enjoy!

Recipe Review - Randy's Turkey Meatloaf from The Super Allergy Girl Cookbook

Hello,

I am always trying new recipes, and one of our family's new favorites is Randy's Turkey Meatloaf. I chose to try it because we do not have very many recipes that include turkey as my daughter was allergic to chicken, turkey and beef until she was five. Now that she can eat turkey I am still put off by the huge turkeys I would have to deal with should I choose to cook one for our family. So, when I found this recipe that called for ground turkey and turkey bacon I thought I would give it a try.

First of all, having grown up eating way too much meatloaf over my lifespan I promised my husband I would never, ever make meatloaf as long as I lived. When I saw this recipe, however, I decided that it was worth a try (especially since it is made out turkey). I'm so glad I did as this has become a family favorite. It is moist, it has lots of flavor, and it even has rice! My kids love rice. We make the meatloaf, steam lots of different colored veggies, and even make more rice for the kids to eat with their meatloaf. Try it sometime.

Product Review - Let's Do GF Ice Cream Cones

Hello,

My little girls eyes lit up when she saw this box of Gluten Free Ice Cream Cones. Not only are they gluten free, but the are dairy, egg and nut free as well. (As always check the label every time you buy just to make sure.) They look exactly like regular cake cones you would buy at the store or at an ice cream parlor. My children were so thrilled to try them and they received three thumbs up! I can't wait to use these at our next ice cream parlor field trip or birthday party. It always feels wonderful when your child can have something that looks exactly like what everyone else is having, but is free of all allergens!

We have seen these Ice Cream Cones at Wegmans, Bloom, Safeway and Amazon.com. Try them for yourself. Your children will be so glad you did!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002O1EESM/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?ie=UTF8&cloe_id=6d45ed97-41b0-466c-88f6-d582748df707&attrMsgId=LPWidget-A2&pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000F4ISFA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0A16X2C6F5Q4D8CEM7ZF

Product Notification - Schar Pre-made GF Breads, Rolls, Pizza Crust, Bread Crumbs, etc.

Hello,

I am including a link for a wonderful company named Schar. They make pre-made gluten free breads, rolls, pizza crust, bread crumbs, etc. The items are pricey, but if you have ever tried to make gluten free anything and after an hour or two of work only came up with something that looked good but tasted dry, hard and basically awful, you will find these pre-made goodies a life saver. You may even find that you can serve them to your gluten eating friends.

http://www.schaer.com/en/gluten-free-products/bread/

Product Review - Schar GF Classic White Bread Mix

Hello,

We have had a hard time finding a gluten free bread that actually bakes well and tastes good. Currently my daughter's favorite bread mix is Schar Gluten Free Classic White Bread Mix. I agree, it is the best mix we have tried so far. All you need to add is lukewarm water, an acceptable oil, and salt. Everything else is provided for you. The bread is incredibly simple to make. It rises and bakes well, smells great and is a perfect texture for jelly bread or even sandwiches. You will need an air-tight container if you want the bread to stay soft for more than 2 days.

The only disadvantage to using this bread is the price. Wegman's sells it for $6.99 a box (and Amazon.com sells it in bulk for approximately $5.90 a box), and each box makes only 1 loaf which lasts for only 2-3 days. This is really too expensive for us to use as an everyday bread, but it is great if we need bread in a hurry or if we are going to be traveling and need something to take with us or to bake while on vacation. You need so few ingredients and it makes such little mess that it is a great bread for baking while on vacation or at a relative's home.

Relevant Links:

http://www.schaer.com/en/gluten-free-products/bread/

http://www.amazon.com/Schar-Naturally-Gluten-Free-Classic-19-Ounce/dp/B001FA1LF2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1275619464&sr=8-1