Tried & True Reviews -

Some of the items listed below can be found at the

This page chronicles the different products I have tried. I have spent literally hundreds of dollars on allergy-free & "health" foods, many of which have gone straight into the trash.

In addition to shopping online, I frequent supermarkets, specialty & health food stores in search of delicious, allergy-free food my family will enjoy.

Hopefully my reviews will save you some time & money. Drop me a line if there is a review you'd like to see!

I have divided this section into 2 parts: Delights & Duds. I think it is self explanatory :)


Please note: I have included some allergy information for your convenience but please do not solely rely on it. Companies change their ingredient lists all the time or I may have inaccurately listed the presence or absence of an ingredient. Please always read the product labels or contact the company of a product directly prior to purchasing or consuming.



Delights

Breads, Bagels and Breadsticks:

Classic White Rolls by Schar - Gluten Free & Dairy Free. May contain egg & soy.

Jenna could not believe her eyes or her mouth when I served these golden, soft buns. "They look like real bread!" & "Are you sure this has no wheat or milk?" My main issue with these are that they fly off the shelves at my local Wegmans store. Sometimes the top crust separates from the bun so check the package closely before you buy. They are a little pricey (over a $1 a bun) but they make packing her lunch so much easier. Jenna loved rolls and bagels and was most upset by the fact that her allergies prevented her from eating them and that the other alternatives tasted so bad or looked "funny" compared to her classmates'. Hence, I justify the cost. Each 4-pack costs almost $6. Schar has their own online store if you can't find a local retailer (but note that not all their products are dairy free).




Tapioca Rice New York Style Plain Bagels by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Soy Free & Dairy Free. Contains eggs. Produced in a facility that uses sesame & tree nuts.

I can not tell you enough how happy I was to find these bagels! Jenna loves them and it took a while to find a bagel she enjoyed ("Yay! Real bagels!"). They are soft and hold up well without being hard and dense. The insides are "springy" to the touch and taste fresh baked after warming in the microwave. Even though the main ingredient is rice flour, these bagels don't taste like rice flour and thankfully don't have the typical starchy texture of many rice flour products. Jenna enjoys their other varieties as well. Almost $6 for 4 bagels but worth it in our house.


White Rice Pizza Crust by Barkat - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Corn Free. Contains Potato and may have traces of Soy.

I nearly cried when Jenna had her first gluten free pizza thanks to Barkat. She was so happy and could not believe the pizza before her was one that she could enjoy. I was also thrilled that she was finally getting tomato into her diet again - the only form she'll eat is tomato sauce on pizza only. Topped with my version of "mozzarella cheese" (a dairy free bechamel sauce high in protein), it was a nutritious meal as well. These crusts are expensive, a "personal pan" size of 5.3 oz goes for almost $8.

Pasta:

Quinoa Supergrain Pasta Spaghetti by Ancient Harvest - Gluten Free, Soy Free & Dairy Free. Contains Corn

I like this spaghetti because it has iron (9% per serving) and has a good amount of protein as well. It is yellow in color so it doesn't look like regular spaghetti but it's texture is al-dente and holds up well to sauce. Jenna enjoyed its taste and I like it better than most rice varieties. It's made only with 2 ingredients: corn flour and organic quinoa.

Prepared Foods:

Ian's Popcorn Turkey Corn Dogs by Ian's Natural Foods - Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free. Contains Corn.

These bite-sized "batter dipped" Turkey dog bites are OK but I won't be buying them again. They usually cost over $5 a box but I bought 2 boxes at $3 each when they were on sale planning to use them for Jenna's lunchbox. . Each 8 oz box contains about 18 pieces. Jenna will eat them but her sister will not and they are not something Jenna requests. I am not a fan of turkey in general. I haven't tried frying these so I don't know if they would be better that way as I have only made them in our toaster oven. The breading tends to crack and sometimes falls off so I don't put these in Jenna's lunch box but it is a quick dinner fix if I am in a pinch. I do like that they are free of most allergens and I love that this company has tried to make many of children's favorite lunch foods. They also have a nice Superfit Kid program where kids can go online and play and redeem points collected from Ian's boxes. Jenna loves the fish sticks made by the same brand.

Cereals:

EnviroKidz Organic Koala Crisp chocolate rice cereal by Nature's Path Foods- Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free & Egg Free.

Another favorite of both Jenna & Nedda. I like that they are not overpoweringly sweet with just the right amount of chocolate, low in fat & sodium and made with organic ingredients. It also has 15% iron per serving. I buy them for under $3 a box. Each box contains about 11 servings (2/3 cup each). Note: it is produced in a facility that contains nuts & soy.




EnviroKidz Organic Gorilla Munch Cereal by Nature's Path Foods- Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free & Egg Free. May contain peanuts, tree nuts & soy.

Another favorite of both Jenna & Nedda. They love the crunch! They hold up well in "milk" and are great for snack bags on the go. I buy them for under $3 a box



Apple Cinnamon Perky O's cereal by Perky's - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free.

Jenna enjoys this Cheerios alternative but her sister prefers the Cheerios. They taste pretty good, made with mostly whole grain sorghum flour. 100% natural and 20% iron per serving. I buy them for about $4 a box. Each box contains about 7 servings (3/4 cup each). Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing soy & gluten but they routinely test their gluten-free products to prevent cross-contamination



Puffins Honey Rice cereal by
Barbara's Bakery - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. Contains Soy. These large puffed squares make a great crunchy snack when you are on the go. Jenna eats this cereal occasionally for breakfast with rice milk (gets very mushy if left for a few minutes) but usually prefers them as a dry snack. Made with whole grains, all natural ingredients and just a touch of sweetness. I make up baggies of these snacks to have on hand. Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing wheat, tree nuts, soy & dairy.



Cookies:

Ginger Mini Snapz by Pamela's Products - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free & Dairy Free.
Contains Eggs.

Jenna really likes these very crunchy cookies. They are a bit spicy but have just the right balance of sweetness. Nedda does not care for them because of their spiciness but you can't tell they are gluten free (My family & guests never can tell). There are about 32 cookies in each bag and 3 or 4 cookies per serving. Not much nutritional value but they make a nice non-hydrogenated treat. I get them for about $4 a bag (resealable!) Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing nuts, milk, eggs & soy.




KinniKritters Animal Cookies by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. Contains Soy.

Quickly becoming my favorite brand, Kinnikinnic Foods have not disappointed to date. They are a dedicated gluten-free facility. They are also much more affordable than many other alternatives and taste great! They have a huge online store that carries all the goodies and treats a child could wish for (chocolate glazed donuts - yum!), most of which are gluten AND dairy free. Check out their online store!

Jenna loves these animal crackers and cute animal shapes (rams, pigs, camels, elephants, horses and others). She requests them often for her lunchbox. They have a slight chalkiness at the end but it is barely noticeable. Under $3 for an 8 oz box with about 88 cookies. Note: it is produced in a facility that manufactures products containing sesame seeds, soy, eggs & tree nuts.


Soft Baked Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Soy Free.

These cookies are soft but only "chewy" in the sense that you have a mouthful to chew. They are not a favorite of Jenna's but her sister Nedda does like them. I wouldn't compare these to the traditional gluten-laden variety but they are OK in their own right. They are vegan and made mostly with Sorghum flour, a flour I prefer but one others might find a tad strong.

Soft Baked Happy Apple Cookies by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Soy Free.

These cookies are soft and almost cake-like. Jenna and Nedda love gingerbread so this was a hit with both girls. These cookies are vegan and made mostly with Sorghum flour, a flour I prefer but others might find it a little strong.

Soft Baked Happy Apple Cookies by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Nut Free & Soy Free.

These cookies are soft and almost cake-like. Jenna likes these as does her sister Nedda. They are vegan and made mostly with Sorghum flour, a flour I prefer but one others might find a tad strong.

Desserts:

Cinnamon Sugar Donuts (frozen) by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Soy Free. Contains Eggs and may contain traces of sesame seeds or tree nuts.

This a big hit with everyone. I have to remind myself to save them for Jenna! You really can't tell that they are gluten-free at all. They taste like an old-fashioned cake donut. They are also trans-fat free and just the right size for little hands. Each box contains 6 donuts and costs a little over $5 (each donut costs just under a $1). Not much nutritional value but it makes an extra special treat or dessert. I often put one in Jenna's lunchbox if I know her class is celebrating something or I might take one for her dessert when we are going to a dinner party.

Vanilla Glazed Donuts (frozen) by Kinnikinnick Foods - Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Soy Free. Contains Eggs and may contain traces of sesame seeds or tree nuts.

Jenna enjoyed the cinnamon version so much she wanted to try this one. It is definitely another winner in her book and considered an extra special treat.

Decadent Chocolate Cake Mix by Gluten-Free Pantry - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. May contain traces of Soy.

I used this mix to make cupcakes for my daughter. Her class was having a lot of birthday parties one month and she was getting very upset at not being able to have cupcakes with the rest of her class. I made the mix with water and they come out really moist and delicious. I loved the texture - it had a great cake like crumb without being too dense. Jenna loved their shiny tops and said they looked like they came out of the oven "frosted" because of their glazed look. I froze the majority of the dozen on a tray in the freezer until solid and then I stored in a Tupperware container in the freezer. They freeze really well and don't crumble easily when "travelling". The teacher sent a calendar with the dates of planned parties and I'd pop one into her lunchbox and she'd get to enjoy it when the rest of her class was eating their cupcakes.

Snacks:

EnviroKidz Organic Berry Crispy Rice Bar by Nature's Path Foods- Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free. Contains Soy Oil.

A favorite of both Jenna & Nedda. I like that they are not overpoweringly sweet, low in fat and made with organic ingredients. It also has 4% iron per serving. I buy them when they are on sale for about $3.50 a box. Each box contains 6 bars (1 oz each). Note: it is produced in a facility that contains nuts, soy & dairy.


Table Crackers by Schar - Gluten Free , Soy Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free.

These delightful golden crackers have a "buttery" melt in your mouth texture. Another winner! They are also pricey (almost $6 for the 7 oz package - about 21 crackers) so I don't buy them often but Jenna loves these large, golden crackers plain or made into Sunbutter (sunflower seeds butter - great PB alternative) cracker sandwiches.


Gluten Free Pretzel Sticks by Glutino - Gluten Free , Soy Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free

These are a staple at our house. We all love them. They are light and super crunchy and taste delicious. I keep from eating them to keep costs down because they are a bit pricey for an everyday snack. An 8 oz bag is about $5 and I never have enough on hand to meet Jenna's demands for it at school and at home. They look strikingly like the gluten variety and I stopped by the wheat version for Nedda so that Jenna didn't accidentally eat them. We also enjoy the other varieties of pretzels offered by Glutino accept for the sesame ones due to Nedda's allergy.

Apple Cinnamon Quakes Rice Snacks by Quaker - Gluten Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free. Contains Soy lecithin.

This is a huge hit in our family - I love when they go on sale for $0.99 a bag! Each 3.52 oz bag holds about 48 mini rice cakes. It does have a lot of "extra" ingredients and I prefer the store brand variety that is all natural and soy free but we do buy the Quaker snacks often.

Natural Sunbutter by SunGold Foods - Dairy Free, Gluten Free & Peanut Free

Finally! A delicious alternative to peanutbutter. Their 1lb jar makes quite a few sandwhiches so is worth the $5 in my book. I love it because it makes great sandwhiches for school. Jenna & Nedda both love it and it tastes/looks/smells a lot like peanut butter. The texture is a little more runny and can ooze out of the sandwhich if you put too much but this is now a staple in our house. Sunbutter is made from sunflower seeds and has no hydrogenated oils and or transfats. I love that it is packed with Vitamin E, iron (8%), and fiber . It offers the same level of protein that peanut butter does so it is really nutritious.


Duds

Breads, Bagels and Breadsticks:

Cinnamon Raisin Bagels (frozen) by Enjoy Life - Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free & Egg Free.

My family did not enjoy these at all! They are very dense and only look like a bagel. The product itself is very hard and difficult to take a bite out of and chew. The cinnamon was too intense, almost peppery in its spiciness. Unfortunately, these went right into the trash. Jenna used to love eating cinnamon raisin bagels when she could eat wheat and was very disappointed by this version. I couldn't eat them either. Each bag contains 5 small bagels (91 grams each). At more than a $1 a bagel, your money is best spent elsewhere.

Update: I was informed that if you toast these bagels prior to serving them, the texture is enhanced and resembles a regular bagel somewhat better. I had only heated them in the microwave.


Prepared Foods:

Ian's Chicken Nuggets by Ian's Natural Foods - Gluten Free, Soy Free, Nut Free, Egg Free & Dairy Free. Contains Corn.

These are not bite-sized and are actually balls not nugggets. The centers are very dry and unseasoned. We are all disappointed in them. They usually cost over $5 a box but I bought 2 boxes at $3 each when they were on sale planning to use them for Jenna's lunchbox. I still have a box in the freezer because no one will eat them . I haven't tried frying these so I don't know if they would be better that way as I have only made them in our toaster oven or microwave. The breading holds up well, they just don't taste very appetizing. I like that they are free of most allergens and I love that this company has tried to make many of children's favorite lunch foods. They also have a nice Superfit Kid program where kids can go online and play and redeem points collected from Ian's boxes. Jenna loves the fish sticks made by the same brand.

Hummus Dip - Quick, easy & delicious!

I love hummus. Luckily so does my daughter, Jenna. I make a sesame free variety for Nedda using a few spoons of mayonaise or yogurt in plase of the tahini (sesame paste - her version would contain egg or milk).

This is an easy and fast recipe but you need a food processor or blender to make it smooth. If you don't have the ingredients in your pantry, they can be located in most super markets or grocery stores now.

The recipe is dairy free, wheat/gluten free, soy free, egg free and nut free. Contains sesame seeds and legumes.

What you need:

1 can of chick peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed & drained
2 - 4 cloves of garlic, depending on your taste for garlic
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 Tablespoon white or rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (this makes a big difference if ommitted)
salt & pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons tahini paste (sesame paste)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup of water
parsely & paprika for garnish, optional

Dump everything but the water & garnish into your food processor or blender. Puree until smooth, adding small amounts of water as you go until you achieve desired thickness. You may not need all the water or you may need a little more. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

If serving as a dip, garnish the top with chopped parsely, paprika a drizzle of olive oil, if preferred.

If using as a spread on crackers or in a sandwich, you can stir parsley in for a vitamin c boost.

Note: this dip thickens the longer it stays in the fridge. Cover tightly with saran wrap to avoid developing a dry "crust" on the surface".


Variations:

• Roast the garlic for a more robust, sweeter garlic flavor
• Add 1/2 cup roasted red peppers in the food processor for vitamin C and a richer flavor

Note: You can soak and cook a bag of dried garbanzo beans per the package directions. Drain and freeze in 1 or 2 cup portions in freezer bags.

Our Allergic Family

Hi! Welcome to my blog, The Allergic Family!

I am a single working mom and have been blessed with two beautiful children, Jenna & Nedda.

Jenna, my eldest, is almost 4 years old and she suffers from many different allergies. She is allergic to wheat, soy, milk, peanuts, animal feathers, fur and dander, rag weed, pollen and other seasonal allergies. Jenna is very picky so it is hard to please her with recipes I can make or products I can buy. I also suspect she has developed an intolerance to eggs so I have removed them from her diet and will wait a while before reintroducing them to rule them in or out. I can't put her through any more tests right now. Jenna has also battled a bad bout of Asthma for the past 2 years, not uncommon in children with multiple allergies. She is still taking medication to keep her Asthma under control but has thankfully been able to sleep through the night since a short while after I took the wheat out of her diet 3 months ago.

I realized Jenna was allergic to milk at the age of 7 months when she had a violent reaction to a tiny spoon of yogurt. I tested her at the age of 1 to verify it and again at the age of 3. She was always sensitive to soy as a baby and her intolerance heightened as she grew older. She can tolerate small amounts of soy oil or soy lecithin (I only buy the product if either ingredient is listed towards the end) and I have found out how much she can tolerate through trial & error. When she was tested at 3 and 1/2, we found out she was allergic to peanuts and wheat in addition to the milk and soy, soy having the least reaction. That testing also revealed that she was allergic to almost every animal known to man and suffered from seasonal allergies as well. "You have a very allergic child on your hands" the doctor told me. At the time, I found the wheat and peanut allergy odd because she ate bagels and pasta regularly and loved peanut butter sandwiches. When I said so to the doctor, he explained that she could be tolerating them for now but since her body reacted so strongly to the allergens during testing, he suggested to keep an eye on what she eats and how she reacts. A tummy ache after a meal could signal a reaction. He also advised she take a daily antihistamine and told me that she may tolerate wheat/nuts for a period of time and then suddenly not be able to handle it in her system. I took peanuts out of her diet immediately and cut back on the wheat but she still ate bread and pretzels. When I reintroduced peanut butter a couple of weeks later, she complained her stomach bothered her so I have kept her peanut-free since.

One day after eating a piece of raisin toast for breakfast, she had a severe reaction to it. She threw up almost nonstop for half an hour and complained of severe stomach cramps for about 2 hours afterwards. She already had Claritin in her system, too. It took a while for an additional dose of emergency Benedryl to help her feel better. Her memory of this allergic reaction is what keeps her vigilant about staying wheat free. She suffers a similar reaction if she ingests any dairy. I am very fortunate that she understands that certain foods make her sick and that she is cooperative for the most part about keeping those harmful foods out of her diet.

We kept her wheat free for over two weeks and when she begged and cried for pretzels, her favorite snack, I gave her 2 mini sticks. An immediate reaction mirroring the one above proved to both of us that it was the wheat that caused it and she has been wheat free ever since. I felt so guilty for giving in to her and allowing her to get sick but part of me didn't want to believe she couldn't eat wheat. For the most part, I have been keeping her diet gluten free as well but plan to slowly reintroduce grains like oats and barley.

Nedda, my 2 year old, is allergic to sesame seeds and is lactose intolerant. She loves cheese and chocolate milk. Thank God for lactose free varieties! She also suffers from seasonal allergies. I learned she was allergic to sesame when she ate a hummus dip I made for Jenna (high in protein and calcium and a great alternative to dairy based dips). Offering Nedda small amounts of the isolated ingredients later indicated the sesame paste as the culprit. If she eats anything with sesame seeds or sesame oil, she'll break out in hives. Needless to say, I have removed sesame from her diet.

I myself am allergic to soy and have allergic reactions to certain fruits and vegetables. My mother is deathly allergic to almost all fruits and nuts so allergies run in my family.

I decided to write this blog recently in the hopes that my trials and tribulations may lead to some solutions and sanity savers for other moms and families out there. It is hard dealing with different food allergies in your family, especially in the beginning, trying to feed everyone and keep everyone happy without going crazy. Another challenge is going out to eat at a local diner or avoiding the allergy laden fare at other kids' birthday parties. It can be both frustrating & heartbreaking - believe me, I've been there.

I've found or come up with different variations of food Jenna used to love to eat or wants to eat when she sees someone else eating it. I'll also share some of my strategies for eating out. I plan to post all my tips and tricks and learned mistakes. Please feel free to comment, contribute ideas and share your own stories!

I also plan to review the products I have tried so you don't have to waste your money unnecessarily. I call these "tried & true" reviews. I won't post it unless I've tasted it or get a favorable response from my family. If you have a product you'd like me to review, please email me. If you are a company and want an honest review posted, please contact me to learn how to send samples my way.

Please note that I am currently working full time so forgive me if I can't add new posts as often as I'd like but I do promise to read every comment and respond when I get the chance!

I'd appreciate it if you can click on the obvious ads throughout my blog to help support my site. Please note, however, that the majority of links to stores and other websites - with the main exceptions of the Gluten Free Mall and Amazon.com - are listed purely for informational purposes and I have not been compensated for listing them or asked by their companies to post them.

Thanks for reading!

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Jenna's Wheat & Dairy Free Pizza

"Mozzarella cheese" cream base:
1/8 cup olive or canola oil
½ cup white rice flour
¼ cup garbanzo bean flour (can subsitiute another flour)
2 heaping tablespoons tapioca starch
Salt/pepper to taste

homemade or favorite brand tomato sauce

1 baked home made or favorite brand prepared pizza crust

Heat 1/8 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rice & garbanzo flours and tapioca starch and cook for at least 3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Add salt & pepper and spices if depsired. Continue stirring over medium heat. Slowly whisk in rice milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, stopping & stirring after each addition and giving it a chance to thicken. (Note: You may not need all the milk, you may need a little more. It's ok if you have lumps, you can puree it in a blender)

Spoon tomato sauce onto a crust and spread to 1/2" from the edge.

Drizzle the "cheese" while its warm over the tomato sauce on the crust. Bake slightly under broiler on high until "cheese" has puffed slightly and browns a little.

The recipe as written above is dairy free, wheat/gluten free, soy free and nut free. Contains tomato and beans.

Note: I used Barkat White Rice Pizza Crust for the crust. I also used a garden vegetable & basil tomato sauce. Be aware that many prepared sauces use sheeps milk or parmesean cheese as an ingredient - even in the marinara or "tomato & basil" versions. Jenna was very happy with this dish!

Delicious Dairy free variations based on my "cheese" sauce recipe

Variations:

see here for original dairy free "cheese" sauce version in my Mac & "Cheese" recipe

Cream of mushroom:
Substitute 16 oz of mushrooms for the squash. Omit carrot.

Cream of celery
Substitute 16 oz of celery for the squash. Omit carrot. Note: this may need to be strained before combining with the “cream” base.

Mozzarella
Cream base can also be used to simulate mozzarella cheese on pizza by drizzling it warm over a tomato sauce base on a rice crust. Bake slightly under broiler. May daughter raved about her pizza!

Jenna's Macaroni and "Cheese"

Wheat & Milk free Macaroni & “cheese”

Jenna loved this and the “cheese sauce” makes a great soup if you thin it with a little broth or rice milk. See here for great spin offs of this recipe.

The recipe is dairy free, wheat/gluten free, soy free, egg free and nut free.

What you'll need:

1 large yellow squash, cut into chunks
1 vidalia onion, cut into chunks
1 clove of garlic, whole
½ large cauliflower, florets separated into smaller pieces
1 medium or large carrot
1/8 cup olive or canola oil
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 cup of clear broth

Cream base:
1/8 cup olive or canola oil
½ cup white rice flour
¼ cup garbanzo bean flour
2 heaping tablespoons tapioca starch
Salt/pepper to taste
Dash of garlic or onion powder, if desired
1 - 2 cups rice milk
In a food processor, finely chop the 1st 5 ingredients – you made need to do this in batches.

Heat 1/8 cup of the olive oil in a large pot with a wide base on med-high heat. Note: Nonstick works best for me. Do not use a frying pan unless you want a big mess on your stove stop!
Saute minced veggies until tender, about 8 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. You can use white pepper if you don't want black pepper flecks showing off their color. Stir in broth, bring to a boil, cover & simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & let cool.

While the veggies are sauteing, prepare the cream base. Heat 1/8 cup olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the rice & garbanzo flours and tapioca starch and cook for at least 3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Add salt & pepper and spices if desired. Continue stirring over medium heat. Slowly whisk in rice milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, stopping & stirring after each addition and giving it a chance to thicken. (Note: You may not need all the milk, you may need a little more. It's ok if you have lumps, everything will be pureed together in the end.)

Puree vegetable medley & cream base in a blended on high until silky smooth. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. Stir into your favorite wheat free pasta & enjoy!

Note: this acts like the real mac & cheese, the sauce will begin to thicken and congeal so it should be served and eaten immediately but you can bring a cold mac & "cheese" dish back to creamy life by heating gently with a little rice milk or clear broth.

I have tried freezing this but it doesn't look very nice when it's defrosted unless you treat it as above. I use Tinkyada rice pasta and it held up very nicely!

Another note: I puree & freeze the "cheese" sauce seperately from the "cream" base so both are always handy for my variations.

Last note: if you are staying away from legumes, you can subsitute more rice flour or an alternative flour (except potato!) for the garbanzo flour. I used it for the protein content. Millet or Quinoa is a good protein source alternative but have a slightly bitter after taste.

Dinnertime Blues

Trying to please both of my children at meal times was quite a challenge. Jenna couldn't eat most of what Nedda preferred. Also, Jenna would get upset if she had something different than her sister. To make matters more difficult, Nedda did not like the alternatives I offered Jenna so I could not just put one meal on the table. Add to that delightful mix, a working mom's (a single mom, too!) hectic schedule and you can envision what fun I had trying to prepare dinner.

One Friday night, Jenna was eating her plain rice pasta and Nedda was eating Macaroni & cheese. I heard Jenna tell her sister with a sigh, "that must taste really good. I wish I could eat that." It broke my heart and I decided then and there, Jenna too would enjoy her own plate of macaroni & cheese. I would figure out a way to make a milk-free, soy-free, nut-free and wheat-free version that was not taste-free as well.

That night after the girls went to bed, I headed to the kitchen and surveyed the contents of my fridge & pantry. At first I was hesitant, unsure how I was going to start but then I had a Eureka moment and grabbed a cauliflower, carrots and yellow squash from the veggie crisper. I pulled out her rice milk before closing the fridge door and found a large Vidalia onion that would lend its sweetness perfectly to the dish.

Armed with rice elbow pasta, rice flour, garbanzo flour, tapioca flour and spices, I set out to make my baby girl's first dish of mac & cheese ever. Click here for the recipe and let me know how it turned out if you decide to make it. I thought it came out pretty good and looked pretty darned close to the real thing!

I offered it to Jenna for lunch that next day and to see the look of astonishment and excitement on her face was worth all the extra trouble. "Look, Nedda! I have my own mac & cheese, too! It is sooo yummy! Thank you, mommy!"

Not only did I make her something she thought she'd never get to eat but I also gave her a nutritious meal to boot!

Important disclaimer to this story: Although Jenna loved it, Nedda did not. So you can't substitute the allergy free version for real cheese lovers. However, even though it was not a family friendly recipe, everyone was happy because Jenna had her own satisfying altternative to Nedda's meal.

Stay tuned for more real food allergy-free versions and let me know if there is a recipe you'd like to try and make allergy free.

Check out this page for the "tried & true" reviews of Allergy-free food products.

Have a comment? Give us a shout!

Thanks for reading :)