tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49485809926160533552010-01-05T20:19:57.308-08:00Raising a nut-free kid in a nutty worldJennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.comBlogger271125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-18718980400992712282010-01-04T11:20:00.000-08:002010-01-04T11:50:38.145-08:00

We're in the height of cold and flu season so what better time to tell you about a great brand of allergy-free, gluten-free vitamins that I just found out about? One of my regular readers, (another Jenny from Illinois!) had asked me recently about safe, allergy-free kid's vitamins. It's true that vitamins can contain many food allergens such as fish, milk or casein and of course, peanuts or tree

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-28925320799623835842010-01-01T15:12:00.000-08:002010-01-01T15:22:32.362-08:00

I've been light on the blogging over the holidays but I wanted to be sure to say Happy New Year to all of you, my loyal readers and those who've just discovered my blog recently. I hope that my blog has been helpful and that you keep your questions and comments coming. I learn a lot from all of you!Also, as some of you may know, this is the 2-year anniversary of The Nut-Free Mom Blog. I can't

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-76840428213322079122009-12-29T09:42:00.000-08:002009-12-29T10:01:07.810-08:00

I hope everyone had a safe, nut-free holiday season so far. New Year's is next so please keep on being cautious if you're attending parties and gatherings with nut-allergic family members.I recently received a great question from a blog reader and since many of you may be in the same boat, I wanted to share it. This reader wanted to know what to do about an Easy Bake Oven that her daughter had

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-71796108448224880442009-12-23T13:54:00.000-08:002009-12-23T14:07:53.325-08:00

I thought now would be a good time to provide a link to a holiday party tips post that I offered on the blog last year at this time. Please take a look before you go to another Christmas party! When you know what to look out for, it's a lot more fun to attend.Also, I wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas! When you're dealing with nut allergies, it can sometimes seem like the holidays are

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-72374029513061161102009-12-21T08:24:00.000-08:002009-12-21T08:55:46.554-08:00

I realize that I just posted a Christmas cookie recipe, but I've got sweets and desserts on the brain since this is my big "baking from scratch week" of the year. Also, after attending some holiday events this past weekend, I have a few pointers on keeping nut-free desserts "safe" once they leave your kitchen.It doesn't make sense to spend time baking and cooking a special nut-free dessert, only

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-55024038834752252882009-12-18T08:43:00.000-08:002009-12-18T10:52:22.470-08:00

Here's my all-time favorite Christmas cookie recipe, "Snowballs." I came up with this recipe to replace the powdered-sugar coated pecan cookies that my grandmother used to make at Christmas time. My recipe is based on a Greek butter cookie called "Kourambiethes", a cookie that has the same shape and powdered sugar finish as my grandma's pecan cookies--except without the nuts. It's very unusual

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-38095148103442689632009-12-15T08:38:00.000-08:002009-12-16T07:57:26.247-08:00

Recently I asked my readers about the biggest concerns they have with regard to caring for a child with nut allergies. Not surprisingly, many people expressed anxiety about dining out at restaurants and for good reason. Eating at a restaurant is a leap of faith for the food allergic because you have to trust someone else to A) understand your allergy in the first place and how to avoid a reaction

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-73181447287422688022009-12-14T07:15:00.000-08:002009-12-14T07:37:29.572-08:00

Like most food allergy moms, I cook at home A LOT and so that means I am always on the lookout for ways to jazz up my repertoire. I like to use olive oil for both taste and health reasons. I've found that flavored or enhanced olive oils that are also nut-free are tough to find, which is a shame because these can add a lot to say, a basic pasta dish.So imagine my delight when I was recently

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-57198486518619762572009-12-11T08:18:00.000-08:002009-12-11T08:45:27.799-08:00

Whew! It's been a busy week around here with work, holiday prep and all the other stuff that goes along with the holiday season. With all of the holiday magic I'm trying to create, it occured to me that many of you may be wondering where to find safe, nut-free sweets and treats for the holiday season. If you're new to nut allergies, the holidays can be an especially confusing time. What is safe

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-37456446466441029092009-12-07T08:55:00.000-08:002009-12-07T12:45:25.450-08:00

Five years ago when I discovered that my oldest daughter had a life-threatening nut allergy, I wasn't fully aware of the impact that this diagnosis would have on the holidays. But I should have been. Let's face it — a big part of any holiday is the food. Add nut allergies to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for a stressful situation. It seems to me that the world becomes increasingly more

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-2570430392339519892009-12-04T09:04:00.000-08:002009-12-04T09:15:38.768-08:00

If you're looking for something sweet and allergy-friendly for the holidays, you've gotta try HomeFree treats. Many of you are already fans of this great company, but I've just received word that they now offer cookie gift baskets that are perfect for holiday gift-giving.Click this link to check it out!The Home Free Cookie Gift Box contains 2 boxes of mini chocolate chip cookies (my absolute

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-82683482207667016512009-12-02T08:14:00.000-08:002009-12-02T09:27:31.725-08:00

Recently I had the pleasure of receiving some samples of Enjoy Life Foods products including two varieties of nut-free granola and two breakfast cereals: Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice and Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax. Both of the cereals are 100% natural and sweetened with fruit juice and honey. The Crunchy Flax also has whole grain, Omega-3s and lots of good fiber.When my daughters tried the Very Berry

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-46750793735658016252009-11-30T08:54:00.000-08:002009-11-30T09:02:25.574-08:00

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving! Now that it's over, I'm wondering how all of you did with this food-filled holiday. I cooked for my relatives this year for the first time in a long time, so although I was hoppin' in the kitchen all day, I didn't have to face my usual worries about food cooked by others for my severely allergic child.In past years, I've had some cooperation

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-83435052256335174222009-11-25T07:56:00.000-08:002009-11-25T08:06:13.062-08:00

Just in time for Thanksgiving--a sweet potato recipe that tastes great and is so easy to make. Plus, unlike so many of the sweet potato recipes floating around during the holidays, this one has no pecans, walnuts or marshmallows. I like my sweet potatoes "clean tasting" so this is perfect for me besides being safe for many food allergies. And you can make it in your microwave. What could be

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-16583172250697950972009-11-23T08:53:00.000-08:002009-11-23T09:11:13.435-08:00

I realized after talking with a few friends about Thanksgiving that I'm surrounded by "cooks" in my own family and not used to attending family gatherings with the "non-cooks" of this world.It's difficult enough to try to make sure your child has a safe meal at a dinner party if the hosts are cooking the food. But what about people who choose to cater the entire meal? Obviously that's the best

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-61511284330275959112009-11-20T08:50:00.001-08:002009-11-20T09:21:01.967-08:00

Recently I was contacted by Ian's Natural Foods, a food manufacturer that specializes in organic, gluten-free and allergy-free foods.I received two sample packs of their Fruit-a-Bits crispy fruit snacks to try. In size and shape, they reminded me of the candy "Nerds" but they had a crispy, fruity flavor that wasn't overly sweet.My kids were each handed a bag when they got home from school and the

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-70639703470095412372009-11-18T09:16:00.001-08:002009-11-19T08:34:42.888-08:00

Well, a lot of us suspected it, but it looks like the number of U.S. children with a food allergy is bigger than previously thought. A study that will come out in December in the journal Pediatrics reports that 4% of U.S. children have a food allergy. That adds up to about 3.2 million U.S. kids. Peanut and tree nut allergies are one of the top food allergies in children.Previous estimates stated

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-12866034729713462812009-11-16T08:35:00.000-08:002009-11-16T08:52:40.440-08:00

One of my blogger/writer buddies, Wendy, from the wonderful blog Celiacs in the House, sent me an alert about a gluten-free pasta that contains an ingredient called "lupin." Some of you may have heard of a product in gluten-free pasta brands that can cause an allergic reaction in people allergic to nuts--lupin is that ingredient. It contains proteins that are similar to the ones that cause an

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-13335656434220012032009-11-11T09:55:00.000-08:002009-11-11T10:00:29.306-08:00

As we approach the end of the year (and the second year of this blog) I am curious to know what nut allergy questions are still floating around out there. I know I've addressed many of them, but certainly not all of them.! And new questions will always arise.If you're new to nut allergies, what are your biggest concerns? And if you've been dealing with them for awhile, what are the areas that are

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-23239846284874310522009-11-10T11:46:00.000-08:002009-11-10T11:57:06.407-08:00

Just wanted to give a shout out to one of my favorite companies, Enjoy Life Foods. They have a brand-new blog and I look forward to reading it.Enjoy Life Foods also has the added bonus of being available in many grocery stories nationwide, so not only are they a tasty allergen-free choice, but they are also a convenient one.Also, The Nut-Free Mom Blog appears on their blog roll. I just found out

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-66974694070337292432009-11-09T08:22:00.001-08:002009-11-20T08:43:26.477-08:00

The days are getting crisper, the leaves are falling in Chicago and every magazine I flip through seem to feature recipes like these: pecan pie, pine nut turkey stuffing and pumpkin nut bread. That can only mean one thing: Thanksgiving is just around the corner. And so is a nut allergy minefield if you're not prepared.Don't get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving--it revolves around feeling thankful,

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-30591472843765117232009-11-06T08:47:00.001-08:002009-11-06T09:09:21.611-08:00

My daughter LOVES everything Nancy Drew. She is a fan of the books, from the vintage hardcovers that belonged to my Mom, to modern Nancy series available at bookstores today.She is also a huge fan of the games from Her Interactive. These award-winning games are a blast even for adults like me who love mysteries and still think Nancy is pretty cool. They always involve educational elements like

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-61160801482833898642009-11-04T08:27:00.001-08:002009-11-06T08:46:59.058-08:00

My kids have always loved famed chef and TV star Emeril Lagasse--maybe because he talks directly to the camera (as kids shows tend to do) or maybe because he made a Sesame Street cooking video several years ago--one of their favorite videos back in the preschool days.Either way, he helped get them interested in food and cooking which turned out to be a good thing once we discovered my oldest

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-32110644037702513412009-11-02T08:21:00.000-08:002009-11-02T08:30:50.472-08:00

Granola bars are a great, quick and healthy snack--unless you have nut allergies. These bars are usually loaded with nuts or at the very least have come into contact with nuts during the manufacturing process.I always enjoyed granola bars as a snack and have wished my children could enjoy them as well. They are so easy to pack in a backpack or lunchbox.The good news is that there are more and

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4948580992616053355.post-75850399590579323852009-10-30T09:05:00.000-07:002009-10-30T09:20:53.913-07:00

When my daughter was first diagnosed with life-threatening peanut and tree nut allergies, we considered not doing the whole trick-or-treating thing. It just seemed counterproductive and potentially harmful emotionally. Why be handed lots of candy that you can't eat? We thought about doing other Halloween activities, like attending Halloween-themed events at the zoo and Chicago museums, but

Jennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09257784551296505299noreply@blogger.com10