CNN: Allergic Article

A CNN video producer writes about her son's allergies.

If you're the parent of an allergic child, you'll relate to all of it. A reminder of how we're all in the same boat, facing the same challenges.

Completely Off Topic...But Holiday Related!

Hey there everyone. Just thinking about Christmas shopping. Mark and I have gotten to the point where we pretty much have everything we need/want (oh, except for that lear jet - hee hee), and anything we are really wanting we save for (oh who am I kidding we usually charge it and spend the next month or two paying for it) and buy it ourselves.

Where was I?

This time of year always makes me anxious, as there really isn't anything I want or need. So when folks and family start talking about what we're doing for gifts each year I just get uncomfortable. I know it sounds all hippie dippie, but I really would rather you make a donation in my name to a good cause. Rather than being burdened by something else I don't need (even if it's a nice gift) or something I really don't want, I suggested not giving anything to the adults in the family and just buying for the kids.

This was met with some - ahem- resistance. I guess I am in the minority. But I would rather folks spend $25 to help towards feeding someone, clothing someone, educating someone, or teaching them how to support themselves.

How do you feel?

I found a great list on Work It Mom! today with charity/donation gift ideas. Check it out. There's a charity for just about anyone on the list (and don't forget about local food banks in your area).

So this year, I am going to compromise. Each person will get a small gift from us, but along with it I will make a donation. I think some of my family members will be in for a shock when they get what to them will look like a donation to the Human Fund in their name. Here's hoping they'll feel all warm and fuzzy instead.

disclaimer: don't get me wrong - i like getting presents! i just don't like the feeling of going overboard each year (both receiving and giving).

Slow Week, So Let's Bake!

Just discovered two more yummy looking recipes to try for the holidays:

Ginger-Honey Pumpkin Pie
(note: the image attached to the recipe on the epicurious site is wrong - that's a pie with a walnut streusel topping - it's definitely not nut free - this is the correct photo)
and

4-Ingredient Favorite Coconut Cookies (no photo, sorry)

These, coupled with the chocolate cake recipe from allergic girl will make for one sweet Christmas.

What are you baking this year?

Gobble Gobble

We had a great Thanksgiving - hope you did too!

We're busy around Casa Peanut Free with post-Thanksgiving activities including the SF Auto Show and the local Festival of Lights Parade, mixed in with family time, movies and trips to the park. I haven't done a lick of shopping yet, and I don't plan on it.

Most importantly, we've gone a year plus with no serious peanut reactions. And this spring we found that Bella's tree nut allergy is gone. For this we are TRULY thankful.

Hope your holiday weekend is just as full and happy. Back on Monday with more posts.

p.s. the cheeseball was a big hit! instead of making a ball (for some reason it was too soft), i spread it in a shallow oval dish and sprinkled the bacon over it. mmmm. more surface area meant more bacon. hee hee. try it folks , it's awesome.

Why Didn't I think of that???

When I go by the cheese section in our grocery store, I usually pick up a wedge of affinois or brie. But I wistfully glance at the cheeseballs - you know what I am talking about - the balls of orange cheese covered in nuts. Didn't every American family get issued one of these each holiday season?? Obviously this is a no-no in our family, so I just walk on by...

But lo and behold, in today's Serious Eats there was a link to an article in the Houston Chronicle with a unique twist on the cheeseball: BACON! Why the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks didn't I think of that?!?!

I am SO making this for Thanksgiving this year.

Here's the recipe:

ARTISANAL CHEESE BALL

Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

• 8 ounces fromage blanc or cream cheese
• 1 (4-ounce) package aged Cheddar, finely shredded
• 1 (4-ounce) package crumbled blue cheese
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ teaspoon each: garlic powder, fresh cracked black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 8 slices smoked applewood bacon, or 1 cup finely chopped smoked almonds

Combine the cheeses, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, pepper and salt in a food processor or bowl of a stand mixer; purée or beat with a mixer on low until mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes.

Fold in the green onions; place mixture in a large bowl. Shape into a ball with a large mixing spoon; chill 1 hour.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes; drain on paper towels. Dice; set aside.

Gently remove the cheese ball from bowl. Spread bacon bits (or almonds) on wax paper or cutting board; roll the cheese ball until evenly coated. Serve at room temperature with crackers.

Makes 12 servings, each tablespoon 165 calories (78 percent from fat), 14 grams fat (9 grams saturated), 43 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 372 milligrams sodium and no fiber.

mmmmm. bacon.

Do Your Part to End Hunger

Sometimes I go on and on about how difficult it can be to negotiate the world of food with a peanut allergy, oftentimes forgetting that some folks aren't as lucky as we are. Some folks don't wonder what they will eat, they wonder if they will eat.

Noone should ever be hungry, especially kids, so we donate as much as we can to this local organization. Can you spare a few dollars for some hungry folks in your area? It doesn't take much. Check out how far it goes at Second Harvest. I bet if you Google 'food bank+yourcity' something will pop up. Go ahead, try it.

It's just a few lattes (or burgers or a CD) for you. But it will help calm a little (or big) kid's rumbling belly.

We all need to take care of each other. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Hope yours is safe and happy (and reaction free).

We're Back - Pt. 2

Here's part two of our Maui Guide. Sorry for the delay in getting this up here. Enjoy!

So, last time we spoke, I took you through how we got to Maui and where we stayed. Now for the good part - what we ate and how we played!

Eating
First and foremost, make reservations! Restaurants were really busy each night and it was vital that we asked our concierge for help - she scored us reservations at all sorts of places.
Also think about the timing of your dinner reservations. We managed to get sunset dinner times for a few of these places and it was great. Bella loved watching the sun go down (and so did we - so romantic!).

Second, we mentioned the peanut allergy wherever we went, no matter how big or how small. We were amazed by the warm reception we got and the accommodations that were made for Bella (without affecting other diners - like at the teppan yaki place we went to against my better judgment). We got many comments in the range of "of course we don't use peanut oil anymore - too many people are allergic" and "let me know what you are interested in ordering and we'll make sure that it's safe for you or advise you against it if it isn't".

Ahem, and on to the food.

We avoided the obvious places (ice cream parlors, Vietnamese, and Thai), but here is a sampling of where we went along with a mini review. All are in walking distance from the Sheraton except for Sansei Sushi and Aloha Mixed Plate.

In the hotel:

Keka'a Terrace
This is a mundane, boring place to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Kids under 12 eat free with a paying adult. Standard kid's menu with no PBJ. Breakfast buffet fairly safe. The only items with nuts were on a separate counter (baked goods). All the cereal in the buffet were in the mini boxes too. Pricey though.

Teppan Yaki Dan
So many of you are going to think I am a complete moron, but here goes. This place is one of those Benihana-type cook at your table places. Cross contamination abounds!!! BUT (and there is a big BUT here) everything was fine. I spoke to the host, then the manager, then the chef himself about Bella's allergy. No peanuts on the menu, but their dipping sauces had macadamia nuts. Some of the dishes have a sauce with tree nuts, and some of them have a nutty garnish. We let them know that she could indeed have sesame oil (to which I know they sighed with relief). Since we were seated at a table with 5 other people, you couldn't tell them what to order, but they made it work.

Everyone ordered. Some folks ordered the scallops with a macadamia nut pesto. I guess they usually stick that on the grill, but at our table, they didn't! Everything was cooked without the sauces. Bella had chicken teriyaki so they did hers first, then the subsequent dishes. But beyond that, the folks who got the scallops - not only did they not put the nut garnish on the grill, the chef walked around the table and sprinked the garnish on their dishes to avoid any possible contact near Bella.

All in all, it was a great meal and I would highly recommend it.

Lagoon Bar (poolside)
This is the bar next to the pool that has cocktails as well as a light lunch/dinner menu (think burgers, sandwiches, and nachos). Pricey (do you see a trend here?) but consistent - consistently mediocre, but easier than getting out of the pool, back to the room, dressed, and out the door. You understand me, I know you do.

They serve a snack mix with your cocktail. It's kind of like a really spicy pretzel mix without nuts. I didn't check any labels, but I assumed it was safe for Bella. But she wouldn't eat it since it was so spicy. Crisis averted!

But this place DOES have PBJ on the menu, which was annoying, but that's life. We ended up going with a hot dog each day for Bella. Be advised, though, that all the cooking is done in a makeshift grilling area near the pool. There isn't much in the way of separate cooking areas. I did, however, let the server know about Bella's allergy, so I hope this contributed to the fact that she was reaction free!

Room Service
We only had one instance to eat room service and thankfully we didn't have to pay for it. See my previous post for a description.

Hula Grill (in Whaler's Village)
This place offered by far the best food and best eating experience during our trip. We didn't have reservations, but only had to wait about 20 minutes for a table. They have a couple of areas to eat here: a beach bar (basically an outdoor patio that is over sand - no thanks, don't want a 3 year old under the table the whole time, a bar, and an indoor seating area). This is a nice restaurant inside and a very casual one outside. We opted for a table inside and we weren't disappointed.

We had a very laid back waiter who I swear was Jan Michael Vincent's son, so I was a little nervous about explaining the whole peanut allergy thing, but I needn't have worried. Here's what I said (and actually what I usually say when I eat out with Bella): "So my daughter has a peanut allergy. If you can advise us about any peanuts or nuts in the dishes on your menu I would appreciate it." And he says, "No problem. We are very used to dealing with food allergies here. First I'll double check with the chef on what you are ordering to make sure it's nut free, then when I submit your order, I let them know it should be a nut free table, then when the orders come out, our managers check the order before the food comes to the table". Except he said it in a voice that sounded like Jeff Spiccoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. His name was Cameron, I believe. What a great server (and all around dude). Then he brought me a glass of chardonnay, my husband a glass of merlot, and Bella a big old virgin strawberry daquiri (her drink of choice on maui).

Great kids menu too. Normal food, not just chicken fingers and grilled cheese. Bella had the grilled fish with a beurre blanc sauce and loved it! Kids have palates too and the folks at Hula Grill know it. Bravo! We'll definitely be back again when we head to Maui again.

Leilani's on the Beach (in Whaler's Village)
This is one of those restaurants that has been around forever and is mediocre. It was smooth sailing with Bella's peanut allergy, but the food wasn't good at all. We really just went for the sunset (which was fantastic!). Save your money and go to Hula Grill and sit inside. The food is much better. And it's owned by the same restaurant group (amazingly), so your money is going to the same place.

Nikki's Pizza (Food Court in Whaler's Village)
Great, simple pizza by the slice and salads with no hidden landmines. Good for lunch or dinner.

Maui Tacos
Sometimes you just want a taco. This is the place to go on Maui. No peanuts to speak of anywhere. Messy and delicious. Yum.

Aloha Mixed Plate
This is the place we go right after we land every time we go to Maui. It sits right next to the Old Lahaina Luau (and is part of them in fact). Except instead of having to sit through hulas and fire dancing (not that there's anything wrong with that), you can sit and have your kalua pork, lomi lomi salmon, and poi in a casual environment overlooking the water with the locals. We ate here three times during this trip - we just love it. Totally relaxed, totally casual, and safe for Bella. Heads up though, they DO have a Thai noodle dish on the menu with a peanut sauce, but they were really allergy aware so I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Sansei Sushi (located in the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua compound)
So I hate to say it, but this was the one place that I believe Bella had a reaction. Can I be 100% sure? No. But my gut tells me that cross contamination was the culprit. After eating there, she had some GI issues (down south if you get my drift). This is a 3 year old who eats sushi at home, so it's the only explanation I have. Mark, Bella, and I all ate the same things exactly. Puzzling. We were assured that there was no peanut oil or peanuts in any of the food we ordered. Maybe she was just having a bad day, but GI issues were one thing (along with the hives) that initially tipped us off to her PA in the first place. She never (honestly never) has GI issues. Ah well, if it was a reaction things could have been MUCH worse.

But this was another one of those places where the hype didn't match up with the final product. The sushi was so-so, the ramen was just OK, the tofu alright. Not sure if we're just spoiled by being in the Bay Area with all the sushi places, but I don't know if I would go again. Actually, scratch that, I would go again, but I would sit at the bar and see what the sushi chefs recommend. Maybe we just got a dud waitress? Suffice it to say, we were underwhelmed. Maybe it was a bad sign when the waitress told us that she really didn't like sushi?!? Yikes.

So this post is getting long, so I'll be brief with the next two sections: Playing and Sightseeing.

Playing
Here's a brief list of what we did on Maui:

• swimming - every day at least twice a day. bring two bathing suits.
  
• beaches - but watch out for those currents - someone actually died on the beach outside our hotel while we there!
• snorkeling - so much to see for the mere cost of a snorkel rental. be safe though and swim with a friend and don't go too far out.
  
• inner tubes - get one to just chill in the pool at the hotel
  
• ABC stores - ABC is the store of Hawaii. i put this under playing because at these stores you can have loads of fun buying tacky souveniers for all your friends back home. they are like starbucks - one on every corner.
  

Sightseeing
Of course this isn't ALL we did, but here are some recommendations for Maui.

• Maui ocean center - a great, small aquarium to visit. a good diversion on a particularly hot day.
  
• reef dancer - we didn't get to go on this, but it is a glass bottom boat. the plus is that there is no height requirement unlike the submarine rides.
  
• hula shows - there are a ton of free hula shows in shopping centers and at hotels.
  
• luau - again, these abound everywhere. they had one at the sheraton (which we watched from our balcony), but your concierge can set you up with one of many in the area.
  
• Kaanapali beach hotel - this is worth going to at around 6pm. There is a nightly music show that is right out of the movie Swingers. Except it's Hawaiian music. The entertainment value is off the charts. Plus the drinks are cheap.
  

Final Words

• Maui seemed very peanut aware. There wasn't a single restaurant where they were shocked to hear about a peanut allergy and/or didn't already have peanut precautions in place. What a relief. That being said, going to Maui with tree nut allergies will be challenging for you. Everything is macadamia nut this and macadamia nut crusted that. While Bella didn't knowingly ingest anything with macadamia nuts, the likelihood that there was cross contamination was VERY high. I don't doubt that she was exposed to them inadvertently.
  
• Maui is expensive. Save your pennies before you go. $8 hot dogs and $10 cocktails abound. I warned you.
• Sunscreen and rash guards are a must! Kids don't care what time it is and whether or not it is a 'good time' to go out in the sun. Slather the sunscreen on! Better yet, slather it on AND get your kid (and heck, you) a rash guard with the highest SPF you can. You can get them online or you can buy one there. Trust me, they work and you wont ruin your vacation with 3rd degree sunburn (which actually happened to Mark one time - but that's another story).
• Bring less than you need - you can always buy things there.
  

I hope this little guide helped anyone out there traveling to Maui - with or without a peanut allergy. Just know that folks there are really all about you having a good time, so give it a shot.

It's Coming, I Swear.

I should have Part 2 of my guide to peanut free Maui travel up some time today. Sorry for the delay!

We're Back- Pt. 1!

We made it back from a whirlwind and fun trip to the gorgeous island of Maui! We had so much fun - Bella was just go-go-go and we ended up falling into bed each night exhausted. We can't wait to go back again.

And as promised, here is a mini-guide to traveling to Maui with a peanut allergic child. Some of these are just general tips for Maui too. It's long, but hopefully some information will be useful to you guys. Today I'll talk about getting there (and where to stay). Tomorrow I'll post on eating, playing, etc.

Airport Maneuvers
Definitely bring your own food for your child (and yourself), but be prepared to give it up at security. All airports are different. San Francisco (SFO) didn't blink an eye at us bringing juice and milk through security for Bella, yet you would have thought it was arsenic in Maui (OGG). Go figure - the laid back, hang-loose-bra folks at OGG were all uptight about a sippy cup. It was nice that there were still lots of choices beyond security. A good tip that I got from another traveler was to bring an empty water bottle (like a nalgene one) and fill it on the other side (for free). For snacks, I took on cheerios, goldfish, fruitabus, and a cool little strawberry yogurt/cheese/grahams lunchables snack that seemed like the lesser of evils of the lunchables empire. Bella loved it and it was easy to pack.

Mark and I collectively took two bottles of benadryl, 5 pre-dosed benadryl spoons, and 7 epipens in our carry on. Again, SFO didn't even ask us to take the medication out of our bags after I told them, but OGG went on red alert. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. Neither group questioned the amount of medication we were carrying (which in hindsight after writing it down, seems a bit excessive, no?).

Bella is a lightweight - barely 30 pounds - and slippery quick. We decided that she should sit in her car seat on the plane instead of being free in her seat. I thought I would show you the ingenious device I bought a few years ago. It's a backpack style car seat carrier. I look like a total dork carrying it through the airport, but boy is it handy.

Flying
We flew both there and back on United and things couldn't have been better. The first flight Bella and I sat together in a side with only two seats. After wiping down the window and all surrounding areas, we settled in to our seats. I had already checked to make sure that peanuts weren't on our flight (they weren't), but I wanted to chat with the stewardess (is that what they are called?) about any other hidden landmines. I told her about Bella's allergy, that no she wasn't air sensitive, but could she let me know what kind of snack they were serving and if the lunch boxes contained anything nutty? She was really helpful. On the way to Maui we had a little biscuity type thing - it looked like shortbread. It didn't have a warning on it (even for the wheat and egg) but it didn't contain nuts in the ingredient list. I still didn't give it to Bella though. She was busy with her lunchables thingie.

On United now they sell snack boxes. If you are flying United, the MiniMeal was a nut free option that was pretty good. For only $5. Bella ate almost everything. And then I hoovered up the rest. Gotta be frugal, right :o) ?

On the way back, we had a red eye (we landed at 6:30 am the next day - ugh). It was an easy ride back. Bella slept the whole way (and was asleep before we even took off). The flight was delayed a bit, but overall, we'll continue to fly United - the fact that we didn't have to worry about Bella's safety (as much) by using this airline was great. The only bad thing about the flight back was the mind-numbing, horrific movie that sucked us in like a car wreck and left us feeling humiliated, violated, and ashamed for giving it our attention. But heck, at least it was free.

Staying
While we were in Maui we spent the first 6 days at the Sheraton Maui. This was our third visit to this hotel. If your budget allows for it (I'm still not sure ours did), I would highly recommend it. We ended up splurging on an Ohana (Family) Suite since we used miles for our plane tickets. The suite was awesome - it had a separate bedroom, a huge bathroom, and a little kitchen area which meant we could bring in our own milk, breakfast stuff, etc. The hotel gift shop had all sorts of food, but there is a Safeway in Lahaina (a little bit down the road) so we stocked up there.

This property was so peaceful, the grounds were beautiful, the rooms were, well, roomy, they had an excellent pool for toddlers and the staff was amazing. It's at the end of the beach in a pretty touristy area - being at the end meant that there isn't alot of walk through traffic. The snorkeling is fabulous too - right off the beach you can see all sorts of sea life - even turtles on a good day! They have daily activities by the pool (lei making, hula lessons, etc.) and the cocktails are killer (albeit cough -$10 - cough - each).

Each night at sunset, they have a torch lighting/cliff dive ceremony. Click the link to see what it's all about. It is just one more thing about the property that makes it special.

For the food, check out my post on eating tomorrow.

For an example of how wonderful the staff there was: We went to Sansei Sushi (again check tomorrow for a review) one night and something did not agree with Bella (think south not north if you catch my drift). Anyhoo, the next morning I set off to the gift shop with her to see if they had anything that would settle her stomach a bit so we could get back to our vacation! A woman from guest services happened to be in the store at the same time and asked if we were ok. I mentioned Bella's gastrointestinal distress and she became very concerned, offering to send the doctor on property over to our room. I told her it wasn't necessary, but thanks. She insisted that I tell her our room number (not in a freaky stalker way) so she could send something up from room service. So I said ok, told her the room number, and figured I was in for a big room service bill. About 30 minutes later there is a knock at the door. It's room service with a platter containing two bowls of the most delicious, steaming chicken noodle soup ever, a plate of plain crackers, and large carafe of OJ. On the house. Was that nice or what???? This wonderful, kind act alone was enough for us to come back here again and again.

We spent our last day at the Westin Maui. If you have really small kids I wouldn't recommend it. Why? It's super LOUD (there are tons of waterfalls), the rooms are teeeeeeenie tiny, and there isn't a kiddie pool. That being said, a child who loves to swim and is a bit bigger would LOVE this place. The pool is like a Las Vegas for kids (and adults) - it has a nice big curlie cue water slide, basketball hoops, volleyball nets, and it goes on forever. It's just as expensive as the Sheraton though, the hotel itself is old (even though it has updated amenities), and it's right at Whaler's Village. All of this adds up to you not feeling very relaxed. Was it awful? No. But I wont be staying there again. We realized as we left for the airport that we couldn't even hear the ocean while we were there. And isn't that what being in Maui is all about?

So that's it for getting there and staying there. Now that I look at it, there isn't much peanutty advice in there is there? Not to worry, tomorrow I am covering eating there, so come on back then for some restaurant reviews and tips.

Aloha!

Aloha

Posting will be light the next week or so.

We're off to Maui!

Aloha folks - hopefully I'll come back with a
"How to go to Maui with a PA kid and not have a reaction" post!

Until then, take care ya'll.

Catalogs Carrying Food Warnings?

I was flipping through the latest Red Envelope catalog and came across two interesting things. The first is this awesome gingerbread house! When I was a teenager (a long, long time ago) I used to make gingerbread houses (think Martha Stewart), complete with windows made from melted sugar - the works! So I just love gingerbread houses. But I hate the super kitschy ones (sue me, I'm a gingerbread house snob :>).

But this one blew me away because it's modern! I love it. I am on a bit of a modern kick at home. So much so that I am trying to convince Mark that when we renovate, we do a midcentury style ala atomic ranch.

And what does this have to do with food allergies? Well, that's the second interesting thing I came across. I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see this included in the description:

modern gingerbread house

Every bit as edible as the original, this isn't your grandma's gingerbread house. We gave the classic holiday treat a mid-century makeover, complete with garage and rock garden. An unique gift and sure-fire conversation piece, it comes assembled and ready to enjoy. Once unwrapped, it should be eaten within 30 days. Left as decoration, it will keep for up to 12 months. Candies used for embellishment may contain nuts.

A may contain warning!!! Can you believe it?!?!

I don't recall seeing anything like this in the Harry & David catalog, or Dean & Deluca, or heck, even Williams-Sonoma (can you tell I am a foodie at heart or what?). Maybe this is the start of a great trend?

Even though the rock candy may contain nuts, I still may order this for my mantel. There's no way Bella could get to it there. Maybe I could shellac it?