We have had quite a time with allergies lately. Beginning back before Christmas, the allergy season kicked in full force for most of the family. Louisa has had it the hardest though. Some medicine changes have helped but not to the extent we would like. Thus it leaves me back here. Food. What can we change? What can we not change? Are we missing something? Why the tummy aches again, often, after so much time without them?
I don't know what our answer is going to be but I do know that my first response is food. Food. Ugh. We all love food and we are doing really well managing the allergens but it is next to impossible to stay away completely.
Soy, for example. In Everything! And I do mean everything. Even lunchmeats can have soy in them. Luckily this is her lowest level allergen but...with everything else flaring we need to cut it out. I haven't figured out how. If only I knew. That might make a difference.
Milk is another. There are a million and a half names for milk products. Again, it is in everything except fresh fruit and veggies, it seems. And this seems to be an allergen that affects her quickly and easily. So hard to avoid.
Potatoes, eggs, peanuts, beef, pork and tomotoes are not a big hassle to avoid, as long as we eat at home. Now if there is something special at church, that is another story. We have several folks at church that try to bring something that she can eat. They are so thoughtful! But, as a 5 year old, she misses getting to go birthday parties without worrying about the cake or ice cream or pizza. And, she really misses eating out. We do go to Sonic or McDonalds some but have noticed her body not accepting these foods as easily lately. (BTW - These two places, last I checked, do not have milk products in their chicken strips or nuggets. And they offer apples instead of fries. Thus the reason we go there.)
How do you answer a 5 year old who sincerely cries "I just want to be normal again."? I don't know and my heart is breaking. Her sisters are super with her and can help her get over this but her mama is not doing so well.
This is not necessarily a helpful post but one I needed to get out there. Just for me. The positive will come back but for now, this is where I am. Searching each day for more answers and remembering, above all, that today belongs to God and His will. I was reminded this morning of something Becky Blackmon says: Give God today, every day, or satan will take it. May I always remember that and give God each day, every day.
Blessings!
Showing posts with label pork allergy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pork allergy. Show all posts
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Brownies...not!
"I like brownies." That is what I heard all through dinner tonight. The problem? It was most definitely not brownies. DD3, age 2, was referring to the turkey sausage crumbles in the spaghetti we had. I have no idea where brownies came from but she was not giving up that name.
Normally, when 2 out of 3 kids like what is for dinner, I am thrilled. Now, however, when the one who doesn't like it is DD2 with all the food allergies, it is not something I am happy with. I loved the dinner, though. And the other two girls ate like crazy! I guess we will just have to give this one another try because it was a hit with everyone else. So, here's the recipe that I used for spaghetti.
Spaghetti (for those with food allergies):
In a separate skillet, heat the oil and margarine. I like the flavor you get when combining the two. Put in the veggies that take the longest to cook and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the rest of the veggies, depending on how long they take, and the sausage crumbles. My order was onions, saute for a few minutes; carrots, saute for a minute or two; squash, saute for a couple of minutes; mushrooms, only leaving in for a minute or two so they don't get mushy.
After getting all the veggies in, add the cooking water from the pasta and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the top of all this and then stir it in good to let it thicken a bit. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place a serving of noodles on a plate and top with the veggie and sausage mixture. If you want you can sprinkle a tad of parmesan cheese over the top.
I really enjoyed this. I felt like the flavor ended up very rich and full without too much stuff in it. My 2 year old couldn't get enough of this. She ate until she found the bottom of her plate and I gave her too much. She was cleaning up everything around her to get more of this dish. I hope your family likes it just as much.
Normally, when 2 out of 3 kids like what is for dinner, I am thrilled. Now, however, when the one who doesn't like it is DD2 with all the food allergies, it is not something I am happy with. I loved the dinner, though. And the other two girls ate like crazy! I guess we will just have to give this one another try because it was a hit with everyone else. So, here's the recipe that I used for spaghetti.
Spaghetti (for those with food allergies):
- 1 box spaghetti noodles (I used whole-wheat and it was a 13.5 ounce box)
- lots of veggies: use whatever you have; I had 1 yellow summer squash, 2 carrots, 1/2 onion, and 5 decent sized mushrooms
- 6 - 8 ounces precooked turkey sausage crumbles (you can use whatever you prefer but we have a pork allergy in our house and so we use turkey)
- 1-2 T oil (I used canola)
- 1-2 T margarine
- 2 large ladles of the cooking water from the pasta
- 2 T cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
- parmesan cheese, optional
In a separate skillet, heat the oil and margarine. I like the flavor you get when combining the two. Put in the veggies that take the longest to cook and saute for a couple of minutes. Add in the rest of the veggies, depending on how long they take, and the sausage crumbles. My order was onions, saute for a few minutes; carrots, saute for a minute or two; squash, saute for a couple of minutes; mushrooms, only leaving in for a minute or two so they don't get mushy.
After getting all the veggies in, add the cooking water from the pasta and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the top of all this and then stir it in good to let it thicken a bit. Salt and pepper to taste.
Place a serving of noodles on a plate and top with the veggie and sausage mixture. If you want you can sprinkle a tad of parmesan cheese over the top.
I really enjoyed this. I felt like the flavor ended up very rich and full without too much stuff in it. My 2 year old couldn't get enough of this. She ate until she found the bottom of her plate and I gave her too much. She was cleaning up everything around her to get more of this dish. I hope your family likes it just as much.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
It's hot! No baking!
I don't know about you all but we are baking. In the heat outside! With our high temps over 100 every day, I just cannot stand to think about turning on the oven. So, out comes the slow cooker.
Now, whatever you want to call it, a slow cooker or a crockpot, they work the same. I have a slow cooker. One benefit of that is it can be used on the burner to jump start the cooking or to thicken juices at the end or any number of other things.
I like to make Sunday lunch in the slow cooker since it will be mostly finished when we get home from church. I made a yummy chicken this time. Super easy!! And, with no allergy foods involved.
Slow Cooker Chicken:
Cook at high for about 2 hours, medium for 3-4 hours, or slow for 6-8 hours, depending on your day and when you can turn it on. Enjoy!
We have always loved a good roast at our house. That was one of DD2's favorite meals and one of the things she will list when talking about what she misses now that she has identified allergies. Being allergic to beef and pork took both of the roasts we like off of the table. DD2 mentioned that it was like having a roast.
All in all, a great replacement. Happy slow cooking!
Now, whatever you want to call it, a slow cooker or a crockpot, they work the same. I have a slow cooker. One benefit of that is it can be used on the burner to jump start the cooking or to thicken juices at the end or any number of other things.
I like to make Sunday lunch in the slow cooker since it will be mostly finished when we get home from church. I made a yummy chicken this time. Super easy!! And, with no allergy foods involved.
- chicken - I used 8 pieces of chicken tenders but you can use however much of whatever kind you want for your family
- 1 large onion - peeled and sliced into rings
- 6-8 large carrots - washed and scrubbed and cut into pieces about 4 inches long (if you use small carrots or cut them small, they will fall apart while cooking)
- 1/2 cup of water
Cook at high for about 2 hours, medium for 3-4 hours, or slow for 6-8 hours, depending on your day and when you can turn it on. Enjoy!
We have always loved a good roast at our house. That was one of DD2's favorite meals and one of the things she will list when talking about what she misses now that she has identified allergies. Being allergic to beef and pork took both of the roasts we like off of the table. DD2 mentioned that it was like having a roast.
All in all, a great replacement. Happy slow cooking!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Baked Beans Recipe
I learned to cook from my mother. She was, and is, a wonderful teacher. She taught me well. By the time I was a teenager, I could cook (and clean up) an entire meal. When I was able to drive, I could go do the shopping by myself, too. So, why in the world am I finding it so difficult to cook for my family now? One word: staples.
No, not the metal kind. The keep-the-pantry-full, go-to-meal kind of staples. Hamburger meat, potatoes, tomatoes, rice, tomato sauce, pasta, frozen veggies, etc. I have always stocked my pantry with those things and many more and relied on them for cooking. Due to the food allergy diagnosis, much of that has flown out the window so I have to reconfigure this. One day at a time.
Today, that looks like baked beans. We need a good source of protein. Our go-tos were milk, cheese or peanut butter. Now, I don't know what it will be but beans are pretty good. Baked beans, though, was a new one for me. It was a hit. Most recipes call for canned pork and beans as the basis of the recipe or included bacon. Due to a pork allergy, those were not great for us. So I created my own. Here is what I did instead.
BAKED BEANS:
1 lb bag of dry pinto beans
2 T mustard*
3-5 T Worchestershire sauce*
1/2 - 3/4 C brown sugar*
Prepare your beans according to the package directions, omitting any salt. (I did the quick soak method - boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat and soak for 2 hours, simmer until tender.)
Place your beans in a large pot and add the mustard, W sauce, and brown sugar. Start with just a little of the brown sugar, mix it up really good, and taste. You may want more, you may not. I was probably a bit shy of the 1/2 C mark but I know some folks like their baked beans nice and sweet. Bake them next. Put them in the oven at 375 for about 25 or 30 minutes, just to let the flavors blend. I skipped baking them because I didn't want to heat up the house and wasn't going to use them for almost another 24 hours. I decided the flavors would blend well enough and they did. Serve these hot or cold. This makes a ton! We have a couple of containers in the freezer but all 3 of my children loved these beans.
*I just guessed at these amounts but like the results that I came up with. Feel free to adjust them to whatever suits your tastes.
If you try this, please let me know how it turns out. I welcome feedback. Things that I put down are trials that worked out (or maybe not) for me. Every recipe is open to interpretation and substitution. That is how something good becomes better. Enjoy!
No, not the metal kind. The keep-the-pantry-full, go-to-meal kind of staples. Hamburger meat, potatoes, tomatoes, rice, tomato sauce, pasta, frozen veggies, etc. I have always stocked my pantry with those things and many more and relied on them for cooking. Due to the food allergy diagnosis, much of that has flown out the window so I have to reconfigure this. One day at a time.
Today, that looks like baked beans. We need a good source of protein. Our go-tos were milk, cheese or peanut butter. Now, I don't know what it will be but beans are pretty good. Baked beans, though, was a new one for me. It was a hit. Most recipes call for canned pork and beans as the basis of the recipe or included bacon. Due to a pork allergy, those were not great for us. So I created my own. Here is what I did instead.
BAKED BEANS:
1 lb bag of dry pinto beans
2 T mustard*
3-5 T Worchestershire sauce*
1/2 - 3/4 C brown sugar*
Prepare your beans according to the package directions, omitting any salt. (I did the quick soak method - boil for 5 minutes, turn off heat and soak for 2 hours, simmer until tender.)
Place your beans in a large pot and add the mustard, W sauce, and brown sugar. Start with just a little of the brown sugar, mix it up really good, and taste. You may want more, you may not. I was probably a bit shy of the 1/2 C mark but I know some folks like their baked beans nice and sweet. Bake them next. Put them in the oven at 375 for about 25 or 30 minutes, just to let the flavors blend. I skipped baking them because I didn't want to heat up the house and wasn't going to use them for almost another 24 hours. I decided the flavors would blend well enough and they did. Serve these hot or cold. This makes a ton! We have a couple of containers in the freezer but all 3 of my children loved these beans.
*I just guessed at these amounts but like the results that I came up with. Feel free to adjust them to whatever suits your tastes.
If you try this, please let me know how it turns out. I welcome feedback. Things that I put down are trials that worked out (or maybe not) for me. Every recipe is open to interpretation and substitution. That is how something good becomes better. Enjoy!
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