Nov
28

Allergy Free Christmas Goodies

Posted under Christmas allergies by Audrey Lynn

It is really sad that people with food allergies are not given much thought in any Christmas parties. It is pretty much up to them to abstain from food they cannot eat. The usual Christmas spread does not leave much choice for some one with nut, dairy, wheat and egg allergies, for example. It is especially heart breaking to see children with food allergies cannot join their friends in enjoying the tempting Christmas goodies.

Few people take the extra effort to cater to the special needs of people with food allergies when they host Christmas parties. If you are hosting a Christmas dinner or party, it would mean a great deal to those with allergies if you take the trouble to find out your guests’ food sensitivities and make preparations accordingly so that no one is left out.

However, with so many different types of food allergies, it would be quite a challenge to prepare allergy free dishes and desserts. The rule of thumb is find out what the person is sensitive to and find a safer alternative. Here are some tips you can use:

1) For an egg-free recipe, replace eggs with egg replacer Some egg replacer are made of wheat gluten, which is another potential allergen. If you are allergic to wheat gluten, use one without wheat such as this.

2) If you are sensitive to wheat and gluten, spelt is a good alternative. Spelt flour is a versatile flour and offers some of the same baking characteristics of common wheat flours. Spelt can be substituted for whole wheat in breads, cookies, crackers, and cakes as well as muffins, pancakes and waffles. If you need more ideas on what you can do with spelt, here is a wonderful book just for that, The Spelt Cookbook. Other non wheat flour you can use is rice flour, corn starch, tapioca flour, glutinous rice flour and soy flour.

3) For a dairy free recipe, you can replace dairy milk with fresh unsweetened soy milk. For those who are allergic to soy, then rice milk is another great alternative. Also, instead of using butter, replace it with dairy-free margarine.

4) It is best to replace refine sugar with less allergy prone sucanat or organic cane sugar

Here are some great tasting allergy free Christmas recipes you can try:
(All recipes below are courtesy of www.foodyoucaneat.com)

(1) Moist and Yummy Chocolate Cake
( Wheat-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free )

Ingredients:
-1 3/4 c. sucanat or organic cane sugar
-2 c. white spelt flour
-1 c. cocoa powder
-1 1/2 t. baking powder*
-1 1/2 t. baking soda
-1 t. salt
-1 T. Egg Replacer plus 4 T. warm water
-1 c. unsweetened soy milk or rice milk
-1/2 c. canola or safflower oil
-2 t. vanilla extract*
-1 c. boiling water

*Corn-allergic people need to substitute for these ingredients (double the baking soda, use homemade vanilla sugar for part of the sugar or find non-grain vanilla extract).

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan(s) with soy or canola margarine.
2. Mix sucanat/sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add egg replacer+water, milk, oil, and vanilla.
4. Beat at medium speed for 2 mins. with hand or stand mixer.
5. Mix in boiling water.
6. Pour into pan(s).
7. For two 9-in. round cakes: bake for 25-30 min. or for one 13 X 9 X 2 pan, bake for 30-35 min. until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Frosting Recipe

1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 tablespoons water
Mix until smooth.

2)Absolutely the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Dairy, nut, egg free cookies)

Ingredients:
1 cup organic vegetable shortening
3/4 cup organic white sugar
3/4 cup organic brown sugar
powder ‘egg replacer’ for 2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (wheat works best)
2 tablespoon organic ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees Celcius). Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg replacer, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, flax seed, baking soda and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 (for chewy) to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light brown. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

3)Allergen-Free Pie Crust

This is a basic pie crust recipe that you can modify to suit your allergy needs.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour (wheat OR a Non-Wheat flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons fat (butter OR non dairy margarine equivalent)
3 or 4 tablespoons water

Directions:Sift all the dry ingredients together. This is important to give some lift to the flour. Cut fat in using two forks or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles clumps about the size of small peas. Add cold water, a little at a time, distributing the water evenly throughout the whole of the mixture. When the mixture sticks together, but is not doughy, roll out onto a table or pie mat dusted with flour. Roll until the dough is of sufficient size to fit into a 9 inch pie pan. Line the pie pan with dough. Bake at 425 F for 10 - 15 minutes. Fill with a cream filling. Makes one 9 in pie crust. This can be frozen and used like a commercial pie crust if desired.

Variation: This crust can be made gluten free by using a gluten free flour like organic millet , organic brown rice or organic quinoa or a blend of those flours. Bean flours would taste excellent if the crust was to be used for a meat or vegetable pie rather than a dessert.

4)Wheat Free Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup melted butter (or oil, I’ve been using organic flaxseed oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs beaten (or use egg replacer)
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup milk or soy milk or rice milk (if lactose intollerant)
1 1/2 cups banana (mashed) approx. 3 bananas
1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions:Mix butter and sugar. Add eggs/egg replacer. Add dry ingredients and milk and bananas. Bake in buttered bread dish in 350 degree oven for 50-60 mins. Makes 1 loaf.

Yummy!! I hope these simple but delicious recipes has given you plenty of ideas that it is possible for one with multiple food allergies to enjoy cookies, chocolate cakes and bread just like everyone else. Now you and your child can enjoy Christmas goodies just like everyone else!

[tags]christmas allergies,allergy free cookies,allergy free chocolate cookies,egg-free recipes,egg free cookies,egg free chocolate cake[/tags]