I developed Allergy Friendly Recipes Everyone Loves in response to the words Multiple Food Allergies.
In February, 2014, I heard the words Multiple Food Allergies for the first time. I was floored by the thought that all those years of healthy cooking had given me pain in my lower back and signaled that I would need knee replacement in five years or less.
I love to cook! How could this happen to me? How can I ever cook all those special things that my Mom taught me to cook when I had to sit on a stool to reach the kitchen counter? For a few days, I thought that my life was over. Now, five years later, I have created a set of allergy friendly recipes everyone loves.
My first attempts to address my food allergies (intolerances) were pretty pathetic. I believed that my new world would be limited to broiled or baked meat with a vegetable (no sauce). When I have company for dinner now, I don’t even bother to tell people that they are eating allergy friendly. It is my secret and I know by their reaction that I have developed allergy friendly recipes everyone loves.
Wheat, Barley, Milk, Eggs and Peanuts—oh no!
I was fairly certain that I could never produce a meal truly worth having company over for. I would be limited to taking food that I couldn’t eat to potlucks at church and at work.
With these recipes, I can have company over anytime and church potlucks are a cinch. Everyone asks for the recipes
Wheat as a food allergy is hard to address because it appears that wheat is in almost all packaged food or the food is prepared in a factory that processes wheat (even if it isn’t an ingredient). I was helped out by the gluten-free trend. However, gluten-free, prepared and packaged food usually adds eggs and dairy to cover up the fact that it is gluten-free. One issue with the gluten free trend is that many gluten free recipes and packaged foods don’t taste very good. Actually, in many cases, I would rather try chewing on cardboard or eating sawdust. Allergy friendly doesn’t mean NO FLAVOR.
Wheat Substitutions
After mixing up my own gluten free flour blend for 3 years, I copped out and started trying Bob’s Red Mill One for One and King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour blends. I actually have analyzed which gluten free blend is best in each recipe. I find that Bob’s Red Mill One for One gluten free blend is gritty in a good way and works best for crackers and breading meats. King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour blend is smoother and lighter. It is perfect for pie crusts and baking.
Milk Substitutions
Day to day, I use Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk. I occasionally use soy condensed milk that I can buy at the supermarket. I also like coconut cream as a sub for heavy cream and Nutpods brand of shelf stable creamer for light cream.
Egg Substitutions
I am pretty lazy! I use powdered egg replacer. Yup, I have tried applesauce and it is perfect for some applications. However, it is just too fruity in most cases. I have also tried flax seed and it too works—however, it is pretty expensive and tends to spoil before I use it up. So, I use ENERG Egg Replacer.
Barley Substitutions
I like to use quinoa, millet and whole sorghum to replace barley. The quinoa makes a dynamite hot breakfast cereal and shows up in salads and side dishes. Millet is the perfect replacement for couscous and any type of tiny pasta. Whole sorghum is the hardest to prepare as it take time, time and more time to cook it. It is probably the best sub in for barley. Sorghum berries can all be popped like popcorn–fun!
Almond Flour and Oat Flour
I can’t say enough how much almond flour has changed my baking life. It adds a chew and a perfect texture that is addictive. Gluten free baked goods have never had it so good! Oat flour is my latest craze in baking. I discovered it while researching and developing gluten free crackers. Now, I am adding it to other baked goods and it improves the texture immensely.
Note to those of you who don’t suffer the same allergies that I do: You can sub in dairy or eggs to any of my recipes. If you want to make the recipe with gluten, you will need to look at the notes at the bottom of each recipe to convert it back to a gluten friendly recipe.
More Allergy Friendly Recipes Everyone Loves
- Thumbprint cookies – gluten, egg and dairy free. You won’t miss a thing—they are better than the original
- Gingerbread people – gluten free, egg free chewy and delicious—coming soon!
- Cheesy crackers – gluten, egg and dairy free. This is a conglomeration of many gluten free recipes along with my own touch
- Apple dumplings – gluten free spicy sweet autumn goodness—coming soon!
- Apple muffins with caramel sauce — adapted from a 90’s Southern Living recipe to be gluten, egg and dairy-free—coming soon!
- Orange slice cookies – gluten free, egg free Christmas tradition—coming soon!
- New Mexico Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas – gluten and dairy free version of old family recipe
- New Mexico Green Chile Stew – gluten free version of old family recipe—coming soon!
- Swiss Steak – 1970’s Betty Crocker recipe adapted to be gluten free—coming soon!
- Steak Smothered in Mushroom Gravy – gluten and dairy free version of old family recipe—coming soon!
- Quinoa and Avocado Salad with Oranges – adaptation of fabulous recipe from Fine Cooking—coming soon!
- Current Scones – gluten, egg and dairy free adaptation of King Arthur recipe favorite—coming soon!
- Oatmeal Raisin Quick Bread – gluten, egg and dairy free with updated spices to an old favorite—coming soon!