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Delicious allergy-friendly recipes for you and your family
Feb/Mar 2011
Features
Sweet Benefits
Much of our collective sugar buzz is driven by processed sweet stuff - high fructose corn syrup, refined white sugar, glucose, dextrose - that's pumped into everything from soda and candy to salad dressing, ketchup, bread, cereal and yogurt. In response, health experts increasingly extol the virtues of a diet that limits sugar consumption and suggest satisfying our urge for sweets with natural alternatives, used in moderation.
Gluten Attack: Ataxia
Gluten ataxia is a neurologic condition characterized by the loss of balance and coordination. However it can also affect fingers, hands, arms, legs, speech and even eye movements. Typical symptoms include difficulty walking or walking with a wide gait, frequent falls, difficulty judging distances or position, visual disturbances and tremor.
Allergic to Corn
Subscribers OnlyAlthough corn products are widely consumed, there is a general lack of understanding when it comes to corn’s role as a food allergy or sensitivity.
Departments
Life Story
Food Allergy Musician
Kyle Dine is “just fine living without,” exemplifying the lyrics he sings to crowds of young fans. The 27-year-old Canadian musician follows a whirlwind schedule, writing his own songs, performing concerts, and appearing at fairs and school assemblies across North America. He also runs web business Allergy Translation, works with nonprofit Anaphylaxis Canada to support food-allergic teens and undertakes special projects for the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) and other organizations.
So Good
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Macaroni & Cheese
I hadn’t tasted macaroni and cheese in over 20 years. Gluten-free versions aren’t on restaurant menus and making it from scratch—well, let’s just say, it seemed like a lot of work. But this year as winter lingered outside, I gave into craving and headed to the kitchen to develop a gluten-free, dairy-free version of this universal favorite.
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Romantic Desserts
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Desserts in my family seem to come with the seasons. Deep-dish cakes and cookies during the winter holidays. Fried pastry cookies and wedding cannoli in the summer. Sweet egg breads and frosted biscotti for Easter in the spring.
Allergy-Friendly One-Pot Meals
These fresh, flavorful casseroles are allergy friendly and brimming with healthy nutrients. Prepared with little effort and minimal cost, one-pot meals are a simple, convenient way to satisfy special dietary needs while satiating hefty appetites. Less-expensive cuts of meat become tender and delicious when cooked over low heat for stew or pot roast. Economical beans and lentils transform into hearty protein powerhouses.
House Call
Pediatric Allergies Q & A - Herbal Therapy, Coughing and Asthma, School Safety
Chinese herbal remedies have long been touted as an effective treatment for a variety of problems, including food allergies. Recently, researchers sought to discover whether there’s any truth to these claims and they used an herbal formula on food-allergic mice—with promising results.
Research Roundup: Eating Eggs, Food Allergy & Asthma, Celiac Disease on the Rise
Parents concerned about egg allergy in infants may want to offer eggs sooner rather than later, say researchers in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Guidelines have traditionally advised parents to withhold eggs until 12 months of age or later. But in a study of more than 2,500 Australian infants recruited from the general population, researchers found that infants given eggs after 12 months of age were three times more likely to have challenge-proven egg allergy at 14 to 18 months than those introduced at 4 to 6 months of age.
A Good Soak
Subscribers OnlyToo busy for your bathtub? A leisurely soak is more than just old-fashioned indulgence. It can be a therapeutically effective way to relieve stress, soothe muscles and even treat insomnia.
Try it
Living Without's Favorites: O-Baby!
Here's an allergy-friendly finger food for your toddler. Organic Puffs from Happy Baby are mild-flavored, crispy “O’s” that melt in baby’s mouth. They’re made with whole grains, sweetened with 100 percent fruit juice and fortified with iron, calcium and vitamins D and B-complex.
Living Without's Favorites: A Sweet Start
Hungry for a special breakfast treat? Something that’s homemade but quick and easy? Celiac Maniac's teff scones will make your morning. This dry mix, which contains whole-grain flours(teff, sorghum, brown rice) and evaporated cane juice, is produced in a dedicated gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free facility.
Living Without's Favorites: Noodle-icious
It’s always nice to discover a new line of gluten-free pastas—more choices, right?—but this find is thrilling. Announcing brown rice pasta from Jovial Foods. Made with organic brown rice flour and water (that’s it), Jovial pasta comes in a variety of shapes and sizes—capellini, casereccoe, fusilli, penne rigate, spaghetti.
Living Without's Favorites: Gee Whiz
We Can’t Say It’s Cheese, a cream cheese-like spread made with whole-grain oatmeal, plus sesame, nutritional yeast, evaporated cane juice and other natural ingredients. Certified gluten free by GIG, We Can’t Say It’s Cheese has no dairy, soy or egg.
Read it
Living Without's Favorite Books: Dig In!
No gluten? No dairy? No eggs? If you must avoid these ingredients, you know that preparing favorite goodies without them is downright difficult. Help is here. Celiac author Jules Shepard turns her culinary expertise to safe substituting and deliciously recreates recipes for popular standards in Free For All Cooking, 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy
Living Without's Favorite Books: Gluten-Free Gorgeous
Karen Morgan, proprietor of Blackbird Bakery in Austin, Texas, and diva of divine desserts, has authored a beautiful hardcover cookbook—Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free (Chronicle Books). This book is a feast for the eyes, as well as the palate. Luscious full-color photos bring gluten-free recipes to life.
Living Without's Favorite Books: Advice You Can Eat
This is a book about making excellent choices. The 200 SuperFoods That Will Save Your Life (McGraw Hill) by Deborah Klein, MS, RD, is your guide to eating your way to a healthier metabolism, a bolstered immune system and perhaps a longer life. With an eye toward overall nutritional balance, Klein digs into the facts about the best good-for-you foods out there, presenting fascinating dietary info in a way that makes healthy dining a lifestyle, not a restrictive diet.
Living Without's Favorite Books: A Great Beginning
Newbie celiacs, you’re not alone. Complete Gluten-Free Diet & Nutrition Guide (Robert Rose) will walk you through the basics of celiac disease, from cause and diagnosis to successfully managing your condition. That means overcoming nutritional challenges and enjoying your new life. Authors Alexandra Anca, RD, and Theresa Santandrea-Cull don’t leave you hungry.
Make it
Gluten-Free Heart’s Delight
This gluten-free, dairy-free version of a classic dessert will steal the heart of any sweetheart. Serve in pre-made dessert shells and top with fresh raspberries for an elegant presentation. For variation, sprinkle with grated orange rind or chocolate shavings. For best results, do not replace egg yolks with an egg substitute.
Food for Thought
Do You Want Fries with That?
Subscribers OnlyI annoy lots of people, especially the young people who are just trying to make a buck flipping burgers part time. “Are those fries gluten free?,” I ask. A shrug of the shoulders is the typical response. But I continue asking. I do so not only in the hopes I’ll find gluten-free fries but also to help educate people. When the shrug turns into a question—“What’s gluten?”—I know I’ve helped someone think differently.