Food Allergy Facts

According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE):

• As many as 15 million Americans have food allergies. 
• An estimated 9 million, or 4%, of U.S. adults have food allergies.
• Nearly 6 million or 8% of children in the U.S. have food allergies with young children affected most.
• Boys appear to develop food allergies more than girls.

 Get a full list of statistics here.

Dole Frozen Banana Dippers

All I can say is, "I love these things!" They come with or without almonds. I prefer the almond. They're like little bon bons without the dairy! I put them in my lunch and pop them in the freezer when I get to work. When it's time to eat, I take them out and by the time I get finished with my lunch they're the perfect consistency. Fresh out of the freezer, they can be a little firm, so you might want to let them hang for a bit before eating them. They are tasty, refreshing, and cheap! They cost about $3 for a box with 6 packs, and each pack has 4 banana slices. You can find them in the frozen fruit section of your grocery.

Go Picnic Hummus & Crackers

www.Gopicnic.com

I have heard about (in fact I've even blogged about), but never actually seen Go Picnic products near me... let alone try them... until recently. I have to admit I was giddy to find these in the Houston airport. Knowing I was going to be traveling for a while, I grabbed one to keep in my bag.

Here's what I like about these snack boxes, they're compact, nutritious, and they list all the possible allergens clearly on the side of the box. I tried the Hummus & Crackers. It comes with individual packets of gluten free Multi-Seed Crackers, Wild Garden Hummus, Power Play (roasted edamame, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon seeds), Baja Blend fruit & nut mix (habanera almonds, sweet & salty peanuts, and mango cranberries), and a piece of dark chocolate with sea salt. 

                          






The crackers are tasty and the hummus was delicious. I shared with my brother and sister during my trip and they were both impressed with the hummus. I had never had watermelon seeds and am not a fan of edamame, so I was skeptical of the Power Play mix. Soy beans just have the tendency to leave a gritty texture in my mouth, but these were toasted nicely and I found them at least tolerable. I was pleasantly surprised by the watermelon seeds. They were like delightful little puffs of toasted goodness. Overall, I preferred the Baja Blend to the Power Play. The habanero almonds were spicy but not overpowering, and the peanuts and cranberries balanced out the heat with some sweet. Now, I'm a huge fan of chocolate and of course I loved the dark chocolate with sea salt. It is a very rich chocolate so I wasn't disappointed that there was only one piece. It was just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

I appreciated GoPicnic's easy to stow packaging, and their products are high quality & worth the $5-$6 price tag. I would have easily spent more buying little bags of comparable components. I will definitely be seeking these out again!

Banana & Peanut Butter "Ice Cream"

I have seen this recipe floating around the interwebs for a while, and it was even recommended to me by a friend not long ago. It just took me this long to break down and give it a try. I really couldn't see how it was going to translate to "ice cream". It was actually really good. I added chopped strawberries to mine & was very pleased with the outcome. It was very creamy and did an excellent job killing that ice cream craving. 

If you're allergic to peanuts try a substitute like Sun Butter. You could probably skip the peanut butter altogether and mix in other ingredients that sound good to you. It's super easy to make!

Here's what I did. 

Ingredients:

2 bananas (over ripe is ok)

1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tsp cocoa powder (optional)

2-3 diced strawberries (optional)

Slice bananas & place in the freezer for a couple of hours. Blend in a good blender or food processor until creamy & smooth. Add peanut butter & cocoa. Mix thoroughly. Add strawberries or other add-ins.  Place in container & return to freezer to firm up.

Mine started to melt on me... It may not look appetizing here, but trust me, it was delicious! 

Chocolate Crack Cookies

I found the recipe for these little beauties somewhere on the interwebs, and I have to say they're amazing! These little gems are DAIRY FREE and FLOUR FREE! I was doubtful they would be any good, and I'm glad I was wrong! I'm not sure what they're really called, but I call them Chocolate Crack Cookies because the surface cracks when you bake them... and they're so good they're like crack!

Ingredients
3 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt

Stuffed Peppers

My apologies for the lack of picture to accompany this recipe.
This recipe came from Foodnetwork.com, and you can find nutritional information for this recipe at Yummly.com.

This is a very traditional stuffed peppers recipe, but it IS free of the top 8 food allergens. It can be changed up by substituting thyme and oregano for cumin and chili powder. Then add corn, black beans, and jalapeno peppers for a Tex-Mex flavor. I have also seen where people have substituted quinoa for rice, or go vegan and take out the meat.


Ingredients
1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 ounces ground beef
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
4 red or green bell peppers

A Rant for the Dietarily Restricted

I hate people's views of gluten free/allergy free eating (especially the media). I don't have dietary restrictions because I'm trying to be trendy or heard it might help me lose weight. I don't do it to be difficult or because I'm a picky eater... I'm anything but. I have to eat this way because if I don't I get sick. Don't believe me, ask my husband. He's seen me doubled over in pain feeling like I wanted to die because the pain in my gut was so severe. He's seen me spend entire evenings in the bathroom over a slice of bread or cheese... ONE slice. He's seen me near tears because my entire body hurt... every joint... at the same time. It sucks. I still crave the same foods I used to eat, but if I want to feel like a normal human being, without joints that make me feel like an 80 year old woman with arthritis, without constant nausea, without severe abdominal pain that can literally last for days, then this is how my life has to be. I'm sorry if you don't understand it. I'm sorry for your ignorance. Just do me a favor & don't assume that you know my motivation behind ordering the way I do, or making the choices I do.

$0 Copay Epipen

If you or someone you love requires an Epi Pen for allergies then it may be worth a few moments of your time to check out Marketing Mama's blog. She gives instructions on how to obtain a $0 copay discount card for Epi Pen. I have not gone through the process as I do not use an Epi Pen, so I don't know for sure if it works, but if you need one it can't hurt to try!

http://marketingmama.com/freeepipen

FRIENDLY FRIDAY: Texas Roadhouse & Logan's Roadhouse

  

I'll admit I'm a fan of the occasional steak dinner, but since the discovery of my food sensitivities, finding a steakhouse that can accommodate my needs isn't easy. Tonight I did a little research into Logan's and the Texas Roadhouse. My first hurdle is that both establishments offer ridiculously yummy-smelling rolls. It's hard to say no when the smell makes your mouth water. So, for me it's either stay away and resist temptation, shove my mouth full of peanuts while I wait for my meal, or give in and pay the consequences. Not fun, but I have found that I do much better when I have done my research before hand and go in with a plan. I was a bit disappointed by my findings this time.

Texas Roadhouse does not offer a gluten free menu or nutritional information for any of their food (according to their own statements on their website). They claim that it is too difficult to give accurate information like some other outfits because other places use prepackaged food and they make their food from scratch. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure there are other "from scratch" restaurants that are doing a decent job of informing customers about allergen and nutritional information. Sounds like a cop out to me. So while I'm fairly certain there are items on their menu that I can eat, the choice is simple for me. At least I know one place to leave off my list.

Logan's does at least offer a gluten free menu. Although it is not available online, you can request a copy from your host. Of course, since Logan's uses a common cooking area they can't guarantee that cross-contamination won't occur, and they do make a statement to that effect. I was unable, however, to find any other allergy information. According to discussion boards, it's hit or miss as to whether the staff is knowledgeable about allergies or even willing to accommodate a diner's needs. Personally, I have been able to eat there without incidence, and the staff have been very accommodating, but when in doubt I follow 2 rules of thumb... ask or avoid!

Falling off the Wagon

This school year has taken hold of me and run me through the ringer! I have done a decent job most of the year eating as I should, but lately I have really fallen off the wagon... and I've been paying for it! In the midst of my aches, pains, and nausea I have come to realize that I did much better when I was blogging. Reading research and seeking out new information kept everything fresh on my mind. So, I am making a promise to myself now to blog as often as I am able and to not ignore the wonderful information sent to me through my email... I admit I am guilty of not even reading most of the mail I subscribe to. I delete it almost immediately. OK, shame on me. I'm turning over a new leaf. Time to get back on track!