Are You Ready for Me to Rock Your Peanut Allergic World?

So when your child is diagnosed with a peanut allergy, like most folks, you clear your house of peanut products. Why take a chance on having it around if your child could die as a result of accidental exposure?

But maybe you've been used to having peanut butter on toast in the morning, all melty and delicious. Or maybe a secret spoonful at night as a treat?

Ah, I remember it well.

And I thought those days were gone.

But guess what? I've reclaimed that glory and I want to share it with you.

I'd like to introduce you to my new crush: Barney Butter.

I know, kind of a funny name (until you learn it's the name of the founder) - Barney reminds me of that big purple dinosaur and I used to shudder a little when I heard it.

But no more.

I've tried all the spreads that claim to be a great substitute for peanut butter: Sunbutter, soy butter, pea butter, other almond butters. But they never came close. Until now.

Barney Butter is peanut free, all natural almond butter. It is so eerily close to peanut butter that you might REALLY fool someone (and let's face it - anyone who says they've fooled someone with Sunbutter is suffering from a case of wishful thinking - it's good, but it's not THAT good). I think my husband may have actually had tears in his eyes when he tasted this - he was never expecting to have anything as good as this in our cupboards to slather on apple slices or soft white processed bread (yeah, I buy it, so what?!?).

Now if you have a tree nut allergy then this has just been a big tease (and for that I apologize). But if you've been given the go ahead from your allergist to incorporate safe tree nut butters then I highly encourage you to try this. The color is spot on, the consistency is identical (no stirring needed!) and, the taste, oh lordy!

This is so good that I've turned other folks on to this who's kids have a peanut allergy (but were told no tree nuts unless they were free from cross contamination) who stash this in their cupboards just for those times when you just need a little taste of the sweet stuff.

I sound like a pusher, huh?

I just want as many folks to try it as possible so it never goes away. Honestly, it's not the cheapest - it's almost $8 at my local high-end grocery, but it's SO worth it. I can't wait to cook with it - I'm sure the results will be phenomenal.

And what about little miss B - what does she think? She wont touch it - too close to the real thing. I don't think they intended to be a safe alternative for peanut allergy sufferers, but they have found a HUGE fan with me. Thanks Barney Butter!!!

OK, enough gushing on my part.

Have any of you tried it??

p.s. The folks at Barney Butter didn't ask me to write this post, haven't sent me this to review - heck, they don't know me from Adam. This post is truly from the heart.

Peanut Allergy Friendly Snacks While Flying: US Airways

When we went to San Diego last month we stopped by to visit my brother and sister-in-law. I LOVE them and wished they lived closer (but that's another post on another blog, huh?)!

While we were there visiting, my little niece freaked out a little. Eyes wide, she asked her mom something I couldn't hear, sounding a little scared....

Why the nerves, you might wonder?

She had eaten some trail mix and got worried because of B's allergy to peanuts.

"Don't worry," her mom said to her, "this doesn't have peanuts or nuts in it. B will be just fine".

Of course I had to take a look. It sure looked like it had nuts in it.

But she was right. It was Sunbutter trail mix! I'd never seen it in the flesh - this was exciting! But why did they have it??

Apparently my brother flew US Airways and in one of their snack boxes (their chicken salad one on this page) for sale they include Sunbutter Snackwave Golden Deluxe Trail Mix. I mean, their peanut policy sucks big time, but isn't this possibly a step in the right direction for US Airways??

Well, needless to say I told Bella it was safe for her and she dug in - and she loved it!

A little background: B has been given some of the 'leading' peanut free brand's trail mix and gave it the supreme two thumbs down. So did I - talk about dirt sandwich - blech. I was expecting the same from this. But again - she loved it! I think the fact that her cousin was snarfing it down helped a bit.

And then I ate some. Tasty! I've ordered a dozen from Peanut Free Planet for something like $6. Totally worth it. These will be great for road trips, lunches, snacks, and field trips. (If you are interested, I also bought some quaker oat granola bars from Canada that are peanut free and some enjoy life chocolate chips - yummy!).

My brother flies alot on US Airways and had another bag that he kindly gave to B. Is he a great Uncle or what?

I can't vouch that the rest of the snack boxes on US Airways are good, or peanut free for that matter, heck the snack box in question's other elements may have nuts, but if you are traveling with a non airborne reactive PA person, this might just be a snack option you can actually eat in flight.

Good job US Airways - it's a great start!

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.

Sunbutter: Drumroll please...

I posted about this over at my Facebook group, but I thought I'd give the rest of you a laugh.

I must really be doing my job and getting through to Bella.

I bought a jar of Sunbutter on Friday. After tasting it myself (and finding it oddly enjoyable after being a peanut free household for a few years now), I excitedly made a sandwich for Bella.

She regarded it with skepticism, took a bite, and immediately spit it out. That's my girl!

I've had it the past two days on an english muffin (which is almost like heaven for me - I miss PB on english muffins SO badly) and she's wanted nothing to do with and regards it with disgust.

I guess all the teaching I've been doing regarding what she can have with a peanut allergy has paid off. Now the question is, do I try to make recipes that use peanut butter and replace it with Sunbutter?