Forget Peanut Allergy: Things I'm Loving This Week #1

I'm sure it's premature to say, but I think Fall may be arriving soon here in Northern California  - I tried to wear summer clothes yesterday and was chiiiiiillly!  But, now that I've typed that, we'll no doubt have a hot spell in early October (just like we always do).

Here's something new.  Non peanut allergy related.

Things I'm loving this week:

The BEST Artichoke Soup

Source: Saveur Magazine

Glass Beaches 

Source: Anthology Magazine (via Flickr)

Big Sur

Source: Hiking in Big Sur

Stitches West 2013
Yes, I'm a knitting nerd. Signed up for this today with my best friend and I couldn't be more excited.  

Source: Knitting Universe

Oahu
Another trip planned - cannot wait!

Source: Haleiwa Town

Tom Bihn Bags
I want, no, I NEED this bag.  Anyone got any spare change hanging around for this beauty? The organizational FREAK inside of me lusts after this:

Source: TomBihn.com

Makeshift Society
How cool is this?  I want to join!

Source: Anthology Magazine

Curried Chicken and Coconut Rice
Um, yummmmmm!?

Source: Shutterbean.com

And, last but NOT least, my boyfriend - ain't he cute?  

Danny reading a putt for Angela Stanford in
Alabama yesterday.  They tied for 3rd. (Source: Getty Images) 

How about you?  What are you loving this week?

G

Peanut Allergy: Safe, Homemade Pancake Mix

B loooooooves pancakes.   So much so, that I was going through pancake mix REALLY fast.  


Every morning she gets three big pancakes (sometimes dotted with chocolate chips) , maple syrup, some fruit, her vitamin, and some milk or juice.  I love that she eats a good breakfast every day!


To save time in the morning, especially those days that I have to head in to my office (the rest of the week I work at home), I make things easier by whipping up the pancake batter the night before and keeping it in the fridge.


In the morning, I just heat up a pan, drop in some batter, and in about 3 minutes - voila!  Pancakes!


But back to that mix....I created my own pancake mix using a few easy pantry staples and thought I'd share it with you guys.  My secret ingredient is rolled oats.  Makes them nice and hearty (but not heavy, I promise!).  And this is super budget friendly.


PFM's Pancake Mix


Mix well, in an airtight container:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Bob's Red Mill Rolled oats, pulverized in the food processor
3 T baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 T plus 2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon


To make the batter:
Take 1 cup of the pancake mix and put it in a bowl.  Add 1 egg and 1 cup of milk. Mix well.  Note: Sometimes I add a 1/4 tsp of vanilla (if I remember).


Now you're ready to make your pancakes!  


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Hope you guys enjoy these just as much as B does!

Back to School Peanut Free Lunches

I always chuckle a little when I see lists of ideas like this - a peanut free lunch is _just that_ for me - it doesn't have any peanuts in it - duh.

But I do know that these types of lists help parents of non-allergic kids who can't pack peanut butter anymore because of school bans.

So without further ado, here are some 'peanut free' lunch ideas from Parenting.com.

But the real question is:  would YOUR kid eat any of these?

Adapting Recipes that Include Peanuts for Peanut Allergy Folks

For folks whose children have multiple food allergies, adapting recipes can be a challenge.

Thankfully there are lots of books out there that can help and offer recipes tailored to multiple allergies like this one and this new cookie one from Enjoy Life.

But for those of us avoiding peanuts (and nuts), it isn't TOO hard to make substitutions.

But are there any recipes that you've had trouble adapting because of peanut butter or marzipan for example? I figured out a substitute for ground almonds in cakes a few years back, but beyond that I've just substituted sunbutter for peanut butter (with mixed results) and sunflower seeds for ground peanuts.

I'd love to hear about recipes we can make over together. And while we're at it, what's your favorite allergy cookbook? Comment away!

Awesome Thanksgiving idea

Is this pure genius or what?

Stuffing baked in muffin tins?? How cool is this for kids (who am I kidding - adults too)?!

Act surprised when you see these if you're coming to Thanksgiving at my place this year.

Photographs by Evan Sung for The New York Times

Oldie but a Goodie: Bread without a peanut warning!

A few years ago (about 3 years ago to the week actually) a sensation was started with this No Knead Bread Recipe.

I love it because it's easy (really, there's NO kneading!) and it's cheap.

And best of all?

No allergy warning.

It's made in MY facility (and there's no nuts here). If you have a dutch oven, some flour, some yeast and some salt (oh and water) you'll be able to do it to.

Have you tried it? I'm making a loaf as we speak - it should be warm and out of the overn in time for dinner on Saturday night.

Yum.

PF Mama's Favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

We love us some Chocolate Chip cookies around these parts. Add oatmeal to the mix and we're in heaven!

I don't think I've posted the most awesome chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe in my arsenal (sounds painful, doesn't it)?

I found this recipe online and adjusted it for peanut allergy (meaning I replaced the nuts with coconut and used Enjoy Life Chips). These are so good (but I have a little problem with my addiction to coconut, so be forewarned).

I hope you like them too!

Here's my revised recipe:

QUICK AND EASY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

DRY INGREDIENTS:
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. Enjoy Life chocolate chips
1 c. shredded unsweetened flaked coconut
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

LIQUID INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 med. sized egg
1 tbsp. Half and Half (or milk)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Soften butter at room temperature (or in microwave) until very soft, but not melted.
3. Measure and place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, starting with the dry ingredients and finishing with the liquid ingredients on top.
4. Mix all ingredients thoroughly until dry ingredients are all completely moistened.
5. For easier handling, dough may be chilled for 20 minutes prior to shaping, but this is not necessary.
6. Form into walnut-sized balls (approximately 1 heaping tablespoon).
7. Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes on top rack of oven.
9. Remove immediately from oven and place sheet on wire rack.
10. After 5 minutes, remove cookies from sheet with metal spatula and place directly on wire racks to finish cooling.

Cookies will be very soft when hot. They will break if removed from sheet immediately. Do not bake until firm or they will be hard when cooled.

note: this isn't an ad for Enjoy Life Chips. they didn't ask me to write about or mention them. i just really like the chips - they are a great substitute for other baking chips that aren't safe for B.

Peanut Allergy Recipe Redux: Sweet and Spicy Sunflower Seeds

Last week I posted about some tasty sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds I made from the guts of our jack o' lantern. They were so tasty, I got to thinking about what other peanut safe snack I could make using the same technique.

And like a lightbulb, it came to me: Sweet and Spicy Sunflower Seeds!

But first I needed to have SAFE, peanut free shelled sunflower seeds, which are a total bear to find usually in the store. And I didn't want to mailorder. What to do??

But then again - a lightbulb! GoRaw Foods! Remember them? They are the ones that make the raw bars that I like (and can't afford to often). They are a gluten/wheat free and nut free facility (well, except for coconut) and they have both sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds (pepitos)! I knew where GoRaw was stocked so off I went. And there, on the shelf at Whole Foods, was a large bag of these. They also had the pepitos in stock, but they were $15 a bag, so I wanted to test this recipe out on the cheaper stuff (it's a $5 difference per bag, but still).

So for the recipe, I used a cup of shelled sunflower seeds. Here's the revised recipe. You'll need:

1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
4.5 T sugar (separated into 2.5 T and 2 T)
1/2 T Lawry's Seasoned Salt (I know, it's not the ideal spice because of the MSG and 'natural seasonings' in it, but here's a copycat recipe you can make instead if you prefer. )
1.5 T canola oil

In a medium bowl combine 2.5 tablespoons sugar and seasoned salt and set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add sunflower seeds and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and seeds begin to caramelize, stirring constantly, about 45 to 60 seconds. Be really careful to watch these - they brown really fast!

Transfer to bowl with spice and sugar, and stir well to coat. Let cool. These may be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

The verdict: So tasty - sugary and spicy (but not too spicy). I fear I will gobble these up fast - they'd be great on a salad. Pepitos here I come!

A Tasty Peanut Free Snack: Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

B and I carved a pumpkin* tonight - so much fun! And a great by-product is pumpkin seeds - all toasted and spiced. So dang good! BTW, don't tell B I said dang or I'll get a time out :)

I found a great recipe for sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds on Martha Stewart's site. Basically you take the seeds from your pumpkin (we had a kind of medium, bordering on large one that yielded about 2 cups of seeds but the ratio of sugar and spice to seeds works just fine), dry roast them in the oven and then saute them with sugar and a blend of spices.

Then you eat, like, a cup of them. Wait, did I say that? Ok, the last part I just added in. I'm not sure what's going to happen to me once I digest the cup I ate immediately after they were done, but that might be fodder for another post. D'oh!

So back to the recipe. I go to the cabinets to start getting ingredients. But then I look at the recipe and it had cayenne in. B's not a huge fan of spicy, so instead of the salt, cumin, cinnamon, and ginger, I substitute an equal amount of Lawry's season salt, but follow the rest of the directions to the letter (including the amounts of sugar - jeez it's alot). And then the magic happened.

Holy Schnikees. These were so GOOD!

Have I mentioned how good they were.

The longest part is the dry roasting of the seeds - takes an hour. But beyond that it takes about 5 minutes.

So one hour and 5 minutes later and you'll be set.

And for pete's sake, show some restraint. Unlike me. :)

* No, that photo isn't our pumpkin. Frankly I just don't have that much time on my hands. This image is from the Martha Stewart website. Isn't it gorgeous??

Link Love and a Recipe for you!

Here are a few finds from the web I recently stumbled across:

• Peanuts Anyone?
  
• Lecture from Wesley Burks (Duke) on the peanut allergy immunotherapy research on i tunes (Via Gina Clowes Twitter Feed)
• Interesting (although old - 2007) Comparison of School Food Allergy Emergency Plans to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network’s Standard Plan (PDF)
• School Lunches from around the world. The US versions are pretty awful looking.

And lastly, I'll leave you with an awesome aioli recipe (ok, it's just a fancy mayonnaise - why'd i have to go all french on you?). Technically you make an aioli by emulsifying egg yolks with olive oil and garlic, but I don't have time for that. I used some vegenaise and it worked like a charm! Since I used it, I guess this makes this recipe vegan, gluten free, and (I think) top 7 free, no? It has soy, so we just missed the top 8 mark - darn!

Green(ish) Aioli(ish)
In a blender, combine:

• 1 cup vegenaise
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• the zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves (you could use dill, basil, taragon, chervil...)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• Salt to taste
  

Whiz it all together until you have a smooth creamy mixture that's combined. I took it all the way so there wouldn't be an option to pick any of the green out (isn't that what all little kids try to do?). It turned a lovely light green color. So Pretty!

I made this for our anniversary dinner on Tuesday night (8 years - woo hoo!) and it was a huge success. I was practically licking the bowl (and maybe you might have caught me foraging through the fridge later that night looking for other things to dip in it).

Try this with grilled chicken, gilled veggies, tofu, dip fries in it, cut up raw veggies, pita chips. It's so tasty you might just want to put a dab behind each ear. Enjoy!

You Know What's Better...

...than Sunbutter on a Ritz Cracker?

Sunbutter in a cookie!

There's all sorts of posts across these internets of ours about the infamous (famous) Flourless Peanut Butter Cookie.

Well, we don't keep no stinkin' peanut butter around here. But I'm not missing out on a trend, no way!

I call these my PeaNOT Butter Cookies. Have a go - they're pretty tasty!

Peanut Free Mama's PeaNOT Butter Cookies
Recipe Source: The Kitchn (what? you thought I came up with this recipe? no way, i just substituted and tweaked this one a bit and gave it that new fangled name)
yields 18 cookies

1 cup Sunbutter (I used the creamy kind)
1 cup white sugar (the original recipe called for 3/4 cup, but i added 1/4 cup more to bind the mixture together a bit more and to add a little more sweetness)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
additional sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees°F.

Mix all the ingredients up in a bowl. Roll walnut-sized pieces into balls and roll balls in the additional sugar. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove and let cool before removing from baking sheet.

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Verdict: These were darn tasty. They aren't identical to peanut butter cookies, don't get me wrong. They are darker than regular PB cookies and they have an undertone of sunflower flavor. The first bite is a little weird because your brain thinks it should be tasting peanut butter. But then you aren't. But it's still good. And warm out of the oven, they are mildly addictive. The recipe got a big thumbs up from B. And the hubs (who can't get behind Sunbutter in any other form).

The true test? One of B's friends ate one and the only thing he said was "I don't see the chocolate." I told him he wasn't going to. He proceeded to eat the rest of the cookie - didn't leave a crumb behind. My brother in law even ate 2 (even after he knew what was in them - although I suspect it's because I'm his favorite sister in law - oh, wait it must have been the cookies since I'm his ONLY sister in law).

Anyhoo - they didn't last long. Case in point. This is the only picture I took of them (and I know it's crappy, thanks). It was the last one left in the batch - before it went into my mouth.

Recipe notes: The dough is pretty wet, so keep that in mind (you kind of make a ball of dough and drop it into the sugar and that sort of helps to hold its place- i used a small ice cream scoop and dropped them in that way which seemed to be less messy). My only other piece of advice is to not over bake them. I think these would be especially delicious with a scoop of ice cream in between two of them. Hee hee.

Try them yourself and let me know what you think.

Make This Recipe & Impress Your Friends

Do you remember back in the late 80's and early 90's where you couldn't open a magazine or restaurant menu without seeing a recipe for chicken with 40 cloves of garlic?

You can't?

Well thanks for making me feel really old.

If you DO remember, then boy do I have a recipe for you.

Last week we had my mother in law over for her birthday dinner and made Ina Garten's Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic. It's tasty and only takes about an hour on the stove. Seriously, that includes browning AND cooking. Would I lie to you?

That's right. No roasting in the oven for 6 hours, no trussing chickens, no stuffing anything. And I used a cheap cut - chicken thighs. Oh, and my last hint - buy those prepeeled garlic cloves in a jar in the produce section and avoid the first step of the recipe. I don't have time to boil and peel garlic, do you?

It turned out so tasty, and the garlic wasn't as overpowering as you'd think. Sure it was a little stinky, but the flavor and ease of this recipe was enough for me (and everyone else) to overlook it. Serve it with some rice pilaf and a green salad and you're good to go.

This one's a keeper. And it could definitely be adjusted for various allergies (let me know if you try it).

You're welcome.

You'll thank me for this...

I am going to share a secret with you. The BEST thing to make for a holiday breakfast.
It's my family's stuffed french toast recipe. I don't know where it came from (if you recognize it and know the source - let me know!) but it's been a tradition in our family for years.

Prep this the night before, let it sit in the fridge overnight. The next morning, pop it in the oven to cook while you open presents or recover from turkey and definitely eat it to fortify yourself before you hit the shops (or the slopes).

And no nuts in this recipe, and I suspect it wouldn't be hard to make dairy free or wheat free. I know I have at least one friend who would be able to do it if it can be done.

Here's the recipe:

Stuffed French Toast
12 slices (basically a loaf) texas toast, cubed
8 oz. block of cream cheese, cubed
12 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup maple syrup (don't be cheap - use the good stuff)

Grease a large baking dish. Use a big one, around 12x13. Put a layer of bread cubes (half of what you have) on the bottom of the dish, making sure the bottom of the dish is covered, but not packed - you want it snug, but not crammed together. Now place a layer of the cream cheese over the bread layer, and finish it off with the rest of the bread.

Mix the eggs, milk and maple syrup together. Add a dash or two of cinnamon if you're feeling wild and crazy. Pour over the bread and cream cheese layers - you might have extra liquid depending on how big your eggs are. Cover the dish with plastic wrap (when i do this, I kind of push down on the bread to make sure all the pieces are soaking up the egg mixture). Refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, preheat your oven to 350F. Uncover and bake casserole for 45 minutes to an hour until it's nice and golden brown on top.

Serve with warm maple syrup, a dash of powdered sugar and a few berries.

Oh and it's low calorie, sure it is.

You're welcome :)

Thanks for Nothing Martha

Hey, do any of you remember the whole brouhaha with Martha Stewart and her contest for a new publication?

If you remember correctly, you'll remember that a publication geared towards food allergens won but then they were lame-o-lo and decided to publish a magazine devoted to all things pets (don't get me wrong, I love animals, but a whole publication?).

I digress.

So the food allergy publication got 57% of the votes online, but didn't actually 'win'. Instead Martha said they would be incorporating allergy aware recipes in their publications.

Um. I don't think so. I get MSL and Everyday Food and I haven't seen a thing to show that they've changed their approach to helping this market segment.

I work in publishing and I know that she's had more than enough lead time to incorporate this into her layout. And don't get me started on the cookie recipe I got in my email this week. Chocolate 'Surprise' indeed - surprise!! have an anaphylactic reaction sweetie! I just love it when peanut butter is hidden in foods - what a treat!

Martha, will you keep your word on any of this, please? Would it kill you to list at the beginning of your recipes something like "Contains: Wheat, Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Milk", etc? And while you're at it, does every other dessert recipe of yours have to have nuts in it?

I think you'd win some fans back.

Just sayin'.

Maybe it's just me. Have YOU noticed a difference?

Updated 11/10: THIS is what I think would be great on her site - check out the 'ingredient' list under the recipe name. If Food Network can do it Martha, why can't YOU?

It's Breakfast Tuesday!

We went down to the Monterey Bay Aquarium today for a little day trip with Bella. It was great (crowded, but great). We got back home around 4:15 and went out for some gardening - by the time we got in it was 6:30 - oops maybe we should have some dinner!

I asked Bella what she wanted and she said - "Brefkist!" (Ok so she doesn't really sound like a two year old - she just likes to say this one word incorrectly - it's our inside joke). So I made French Toast and Scrambled eggs with Pancetta. So delicious, especially accompanied by some home made strawberry jam and yummy maple syrup. And OJ of course. Who says that having a peanut allergy means you can't eat well?

Anyhoo, when I was making the French Toast I was reminded of something my mom passed along to me this week. A blurb in Woman's Day the September 2008 Family Circle magazine about eggless french toast. A woman wrote in to ask how to make French Toast for her newly egg allergic 10 year old daughter. Their solution? Dip the bread directly in maple syrup and fry it up in a pan!

I was skeptical, but you know what? It's not half bad!?! Of course we mainly ate the French toast with the eggs, but if I couldn't have eggs then I could live with bread that's crispy and sticky with syrup.

Sound terrible? A quick Google search turned up this recipe, using tofu instead of eggs. Now which one will you try?!?

Surprise!

So most of the folks who've been at this peanut allergy game for even a little while know that peanut butter is hidden in lots of food, including stews (and chili), sauces (like enchilada sauce or thai satay sauce), and baked goods (cookies, fudge, etc.). I wont bore you with a list but you can learn more here and here.

But I've noticed an increasing trend in using nut flours in recipes and the not-so-new trend in using them to create gluten free breads and foods.

I know that lots of products catch my eye in Whole Foods when they have a claim on the label of gluten free - those companies are usually great about their ingredient lists and warning labels. But most of those items are off limits for us because they have nuts.

Now don't get me wrong, those gluten free products are allergen free (wheat's an allergen of course). But just because an item claims to be allergy friendly or gluten free, it doesn't mean it's nut or peanut free (or egg or dairy or top 8 free for that matter) so we need to watch out for them.

And we also need to watch out for those innocent looking foods with a dangerous surprise inside. Look at these, for example:

Cute little tomato burgers, huh? Well, the bun is loaded with almond flour.

This really brings home the reality that you can't tell just by looking at something if it contains nuts. I have to say honestly, that if I saw these on a platter I would probably let Bella have it. I'm so used to interrogating (yes, that's probably the right word) hosts about desserts and foods that are the usual culprits (dips, sauces) that this probably would have slipped right by me (with possibly disastrous results).

And when it comes to seeing a sandwich on white bread, I might do the same and let Bella have it without asking, but I know I need to be more vigilant because that innocent piece of bread may have a nutritional boost from nut flour.

Always remember to ask what's in your food and to read your labels - and just looking for the warning label isn't enough. Many foods still don't have a may contain warning even when your allergen is an ingredient.

Friday Recipe - Sunflower Butter Balls

I read the feed to a craft blog called The Crafty Crow. She highlighted another blog called Happy Things - specifically a recipe for Peanut Butter Balls - which the author had adapted from a sinful recipe from the butter queen herself Paula Deen. The recipe looked so good that I thought I would take my first stab at creating a peanut free treat from a peanut laden one.

The transformation from there to here definitely took a few turns. Paula's original treat has been turned into something a bit healthier and definitely something that a Peanut and Tree Nut free child can partake in.

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup sunflower seed butter (I used Sunbutter Organic Creamy)
1 cup honey
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup quick cook oats (I used McCann's Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal)
3/4 cup wheat germ

To make them:

Place the wheatgerm in a shallow bowl. You'll use this later.

In a separate bowl, combine the sunflower seed butter, honey, milk, and oats and mix until they are evenly incorporated. Roll into small balls about the size, ironically enough, of a walnut (I used my meatball making tool and it worked really well). Roll them in the wheat germ. Place on a plate or tray and refrigerate until set. Once they are set you can transfer them into a covered container or put in the freezer.

Makes Approx. 36 balls.

How are they, you ask? Put it this way, when I tasted one, the first words out of my mouth rhymed with Moly Mitt! I swear I could eat, like, 7 or 10 of these in one sitting. I regretted making only a half a batch. Suffice it to say, these will be made many more times (I'm sure with variations) in our household. These are almost like little soft granola bars - I could see giving Bella a few of these in the morning for a quick breakfast. I also think these are not peanut butter looking enough to confuse a child.

A note about allergens: these don't contain peanuts or tree nuts but they DO contain dairy and wheat, but I bet we could find substitutes. McCann's oatmeal is made on dedicated equipment so I think it's safe for gluten free diets (correct me if I'm wong!). You could use gluten free graham cracker crumbs to coat them and you might be able to find in your area powdered soy milk? I'll leave it to you, my wonderful readers, to suggest a dairy free alternative to powdered milk.

Let me know if you try these, and if you do, how your kids (and you) like them. I can't really take any credit for them, but the experiment was fun and oh so delicious.

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

p.s. You know what? If you wanted to try Paula's recipe and just substitute SunButter, I bet the recipe would turn out fabulous -it would definitely make a sweet treat for the holidays.

The Week In Food

I'm feeling very domestic lately. I just finished planning our meals for the week. Wanna see what we're having? I got a little carried away with all the new stuff I want to try - I blame it on all the cookbooks and magazines I got to read during our recent trip to LA.

Anyhoo - some of these are new recipes to try, so are old standbys (like the dumplings and curry chicken).

Monday
Tandoori Chicken Burgers

Tuesday
Curry Chicken . I make mine with coconut milk so it's low fat (note: sarcasm). I'll probably add some green beans and basil to the pot and serve it over steamed rice. yum.

Wednesday
Homemade Wontons in a soy/ginger broth. I usually make mine with ground pork, ginger, garlic, minced cabbage, sometimes some tofu. These are easy to make and so good. I'll jot the recipe down as I make them and post it here this week.

Thursday
Beef Negimaki (basically it's alot like this recipe, except with beef)

Friday
Grilled pork Chops + Corn Fritters

Saturday
Minestrone or Caldo Verde, haven't decided yet. I know it sounds weird to make soup in July, but I live on the San Francisco Peninsula - it isn't uncommon to wear a heavier coat sometimes when that fog comes rolling in over the hills!

Yes, this is really how we eat in our house. I'm always mixing in new stuff with the old standbys. Eating peanut free doesn't really come into the picture that much or prevent me from making too many kinds of foods.

BTW, I'm also working on some nifty peanut free snack recipes in the coming weeks (I'll see how many other allergens I can eliminate without making them taste like dirty, bland cardboard).

Are you trying anything new this week?

Pulled Pork Recipe

I made this tonight (an amalgamation of a few different recipes) and it was fantastic. It occurred to me when I was cleaning up that this is free of the top 8 allergens too - Bonus! This one is definitely a keeper.

I made it in the slow cooker and served it up with steamed rice, beans, tortillas, sour cream, cheese, guacamole, salsa, shredded cabbage, and pickled red onions (an awesome recipe for another time - email me if you want it now). We had 6 adults and 3 kids (all under 6) and the amount of meat was perfect (just a little left over for quesadillas tomorrow).

Here's what I did:

Pulled Pork for 8 or so
1 - 3(ish) pound boneless pork butt (or shoulder) -mine actually had a 3 inch piece of bone in it.
2.5 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tsp black pepper
1 medium yellow onion
1 - 16.9 oz. bottle of coca-cola

Mix together sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and pepper in a bowl. Put pork in a Ziploc bag and add the sugar mixture, coating the piece of pork evenly. Push all the air out of the bag and seal. Put in the fridge overnight.

Take the pork out about 20 minutes before you start cooking the next day (this will take at least 6 hours to cook, so plan accordingly). While you're waiting for it, slice up a yellow onion into half moons, about a 1/2 inch in width. After 20 minutes is up, put the pork into your slow cooker. Scatter the onions around it. Pour the coca cola around the pork.

Turn on your slow cooker to high. Cook for 6 hours total on high (or about 8 on low), turning the meat halfway.

After cooking is done, the meat will fall apart. Take the meat out (along with the onions if you want to serve them with the meal). Shred the pork using two forks. Save the fatty bits for your Filipino sister-in-law if you have one :) Pour the cooking liquid into a fat separator, and discard the oil. Put the pork back into the slow cooker and add a bit of the cooking liquid to the meat to moisten it (not that you'll need to, but it adds a little more flavor) and keep it warm.

When ready to serve, mound the shredded pork on a platter and scatter the onions around the edges of the meat.

Try not to fight each other to get to the good bits. Wrap in warm tortillas with the aforementioned condiments and Enjoy!

If you make it let me know how it turned out for you! I hope the recipe makes sense - if you have any questions about it let me know. I'm writing it while I'm still in a food coma - I'm still so stuffed I can hardly move.

G

p.s. I know this isn't true 'pulled pork' - if you wanted to go that route, I would take about a cup of the resulting cooking liquid (de-fatted) and put it in a pot on the stove. Add about a tablespoon of brown sugar, a tablespoon or two of cider vinegar, and a few tablespoons (or maybe even a quarter cup) of ketchup and heat it up until it's warm. Then I'd mix it in with the pork until it's nice and moist. Put it on a bun with some fresh coleslaw and you're golden.

The One Where I Come Back and Talk About the Isolation I'm Going Through

Hi Everyone,

First of all, sorry for my absence. Between work, illness, and family, I've just been plain overwhelmed.

Have you guys ever been in one of those funks where you just feel like you're in the movie Groundhog Day? I've been feeling a lot like that lately. I feel like I've been sick forever (I'm at the tail end of it, but yes I am still congested!) and all I do is wake up, get Bella ready for school, go to work, pick up Bella, come home, cook dinner, do chores, run her bath, etc., etc. I don't know how I am going to get out of this funk, but it better be soon.

I'm going a little crazy people :)

My mother's day was ok (not bad, not great), but now Mark is getting a cold and we ALL know how men are with colds (sorry if I am being sexist here). I could cry thinking about all the 'taking care' of him I'm going to have to do. Sigh...

Oh wait, isn't this a peanut allergy blog? Oh yeah.

On the allergy front, two things for today:

1. This week marks the 11th Annual Food Allergy Awareness Week. I'm not suggesting you hold a seminar to educate everyone you know about food allergies, but how about talking to a fellow parent that has a child with a food allergy different than your child's? You can't expect other's to be super vigilant and aware of your child's allergies if you don't make the effort for their situation. Better yet, how about supporting FAAN and their efforts? Even though they are a big organization, they can always use our help.

2. No news about Bella's RAST results. You bet your life that I will be online pronto once I hear from her doctor. I have been trying visualization exercises to imagine what the doctor will say (and what I want him to say). What is it they say about wishful thinking? Maybe all this projecting will come true. Some of you are probably rolling your eyes, but I live in California and used to go to Grateful Dead shows, so I'm bound to get a little hippie-dippie on ya.

Well, off to bed, but I'll be back again soon with better content.

Oh, actually, here's something good: I made this yogurt cake over the weekend and it was spectacular. Sadly, it's not gluten, dairy, or egg free, but by the looks of it, this recipe would work well with substitutions. And if your kids like to cook with you, this is the perfect recipe - you use the empty yogurt tub to measure the rest of the ingredients. So yummy and easy!