Concord Grape Jam

Fall is in full swing in Upstate New York!  One of the amazing, fragrant offerings of this season is the dusty, gorgeous Concord Grape. A hefty amount of grapes arrived in our CSA crate, and I was inspired to try my hand at making and canning Grape Jam.  My kitchen has never smelled so sweetly delectable!  (Can you tell that I'm in love with the smell of Concord Grapes?)

*This recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends! 

Ingredients: Concord grapes (at least 2 quarts), water, sugar

Directions:

First, separate the skins from the pulp.  If you've never peeled Concord Grapes before, you're probably thinking that peeling all these little jewels will take FOREVER.  And while it does take a little time, it's not as hard as one might think.  Concord Grapes are a "slip skin" variety of grape, which means a little squeeze at one end of the grape, sends the pulp right out of the skin!  

Place the skins in one large bowl, and the pulp in another.  The pulp will have seeds, but you'll be separating those out after you've cooked it down, trust me, it's easier that way.

Cook the skins over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, with just enough water to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Cook the pulp down, over medium heat, until it is very soft.

Once the skins have cooked down, I like to use my immersion blender to break them up even more. (You can chop them before cooking them, but I find it to be VERY messy.)

I also use a potato masher to break up the pulp while it's cooking.

Strain the pulp through a mesh sieve (or use a food mill, if you're fancy like that), into the pot with the skins.  I prefer to use a wooden spoon to mash the pulp through, so I'm truly left with only the seeds and really stringy pieces in the sieve.

At this point you may want to stop and wipe the drool off of your chin so it doesn't contaminate the jam.  Oh, and resist the urge to put your face in the pot to smell the goodness...this stuff is hot! (Although, a "Grape Steam Facial" does sound like something you'd pay a lot for at a spa...)

Stir the skins and pulp together and add up to 6 cups of sugar per 2 quarts (starting measurement) of grapes. We prefer our jam to be a little more tart, so I cut the sugar to approximately 4 cups per 2 quarts.

Gradually bring the mixture up to a boil, and continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue stirring while boiling rapidly until the jam reaches the gelling point.  

I test the gelling point by placing a little jam on a cold plate and bringing it to room temperature by cooling it rapidly in the freezer. Once cooled, drag your finger through the middle, and see if the jam holds the separation you've made. 

Ladle into glass jars that have been warmed in a hot water bath. (Hot jam in cold jars = broken glass!!) 

*If you are planning on canning/preserving the jam, leave 1/4 inch headspace and process 15 minutes in a boiling-water canner. 

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

*Photo credits: All photos taken by Aidan Van Horn

Suncups Review

I recently attended the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference, in Las Vegas.  When I arrived to register at the conference, I was greeted with two bags of swag!  Coupons, pens, magnets, magazines, and oh so many samples of allergy friendly products!  Of course, I needed to do my duty to you, my dear readers, and try each sample...um, did I mention there were several varieties of chocolate?  Yum! So, I rolled up my sleeves and dug in. First up? Suncups!

Suncups are a peanut free alternative to the Reese Cup. I tested the Dark Chocolate Variety, and let me tell you, it was heavenly!  Here are my pros and cons:

Pros:  Delicious, great texture, fantastic flavor, nostalgic (As a peanut allergy mom, with no peanut allergy myself, Reese cups were a favorite of mine growing up, but I haven't eaten one in almost 10 years.) Suncups are free of peanuts, tree nuts, corn, soy, eggs, and gluten. 

Cons: Just one: Contains dairy....BUT...after speaking to the Suncups representative at the conference, AND checking out the Suncups website, I am beyond excited to say that Suncups with be launching a DAIRY-FREE version later this year, or early in 2015. 

Bottom Line:  This product is great, as is, for me and my husband, who both sometimes long for a peanut butter cup. When the dairy free version launches, I'll be first in line to buy an obscene amount of these beauties for my children!  

For more information on Suncups: click HERE to 

visit their website!  

Please read all labels when purchasing products for your food allergic family and friends, to ensure that the product meets your allergy needs.  

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Epic Tomato Soup

I am generally not a fan of tomato soup.  I REALLY don't like tomato soup out of can, and I was hesitant to try this next recipe.  BUT!...I knew I needed a few new "go-to" meatless recipes for Lent, and I am always encouraging my children to give the new menu offerings at our house a fair try, so I jumped right in!  I'm thrilled to report that I love this soup and it was a cinch to make!

*This recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Ingredients:

4-5 TBSP bacon fat
4 finely diced onions
6-8 cloves of garlic
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2  28oz. cans San Marzano tomatoes
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup orzo or ditalini pasta
2 TBSP corn starch mixed with 2 TBSP cold flax milk
2 tsp Kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a large Dutch oven, heat the bacon fat.  Add onions and cook
    on medium-low until soft and just golden.  10-15 minutes,
    stirring occasionally.  Add garlic and crushed red pepper flakes,
    and cook for one more minute, just until garlic becomes fragrant.
2. Before adding in San Marzano tomatoes, break them up by hand
    in separate bowl. Then add to the Dutch oven along with the
    chicken stock and salt.
3. Bring the soup to a boil and lower the heat. Simmer for 15
    minutes.
4. While soup is simmering, bring a medium pot of water to a boil 
    and cook pasta for 7 minutes.
5. Drain pasta and add to soup.
6. Cook for 8 more minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Make the slurry of corn starch and flax milk in a small cup.  Stir
    into the soup and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes.

Serve with toast for dipping, or oyster crackers.  Or, if you want to be classic, make a grilled "cheese" sandwich with Follow Your Heart Vegan Mozzarella Cheese!  (use olive oil in place of bacon fat for a vegan soup)

I'm telling you, the balance of the smokiness from the bacon fat, the richness of the San Marzano tomatoes, and the small bit of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes will have you going back for seconds!  Enjoy!
.

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Brownie Stackers - Video tutorial!

Wondering if there's a special sweet treat you can serve for the "big game"?  Here's a tutorial for:

Brownie Stackers - 3 Ways!

 

 

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Crock Pot Stock

For years, I've been making delicious homemade chicken stock in my giant pot.  And, if I need a LOT all at once, I'll still do it that way.  But, recently, I've started making amazingly rich stock while I sleep.  Yep, while I sleep.  This isn't some kind of domestic diva transcendence, I'm just putting that workhorse of the kitchen to good use: the humble slow cooker, a.k.a. the crock pot. I make one or two whole chickens per week in the crock pot.  I use them for chicken salad, sandwiches, for chicken with pasta, to provide tender meat for the babies, etc.  I have done this for a long time, and I always got a little bit of concentrated stock in the bottom of the crock pot.  In the past I would save it, freeze it, and then add it to the "big pot" when making a big batch of stock.  No more, readers, No. More.  Now I have realized I can get a whole crock pot full of that amazing, concentrated stock with very little extra effort!  Here's how:

*This recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, soy-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Crock Pot Stock

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (3 lbs-ish)
1 bay leaf
Kosher Salt
2 peppercorns
2 sprigs of thyme (optional)
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 slow cooker
1/4 cup water

Stock bubbling away - I wish you could smell it! Yum!

Directions:
1. Place the carrots and celery in the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
3. Add bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and water to the slow cooker.
4. Salt liberally with kosher salt.
5. Put the lid on, turn on the slow cooker to low and cook for 4
    hours.
6. Remove just the chicken from slow cooker and strip all the meat
    off the bones. Use this for chicken salad, sandwiches, fajitas, etc.
7. Place all the bones and skin back into the slow cooker and fill
    with water.
8. Cook on low overnight, up to 24 hours.
9. Strain solids out of the stock. 
10. Place stock in a container and refrigerate until the fat coagulates
    on the top.
11. Skim off fat and store it in a mason jar in the fridge for future
    cooking.
12. Now, your stock is ready to use or freeze! ( I usually get
    between 4-6 cups per crockpot)

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

 

"Supermom Cinnamon Rolls", Sunday Mornings Will Never be the Same!

The welcoming smell of cinnamon, the feel of sweet orange icing oozing over fingertips, the decadent warmth of a cinnamon roll on a Sunday morning before the kids get up... Ok. Stop drooling, I'll share my secret to making this blissful scene a reality - without any dairy, eggs, or nuts!  My secret?

Serious Comfort Food Series - Sorbet Fruit Cup

Sorbet Fruit Cups

When I was a little girl, my doctor said that the best thing for a sore throat was ice cream.  My six-year old self loved him for that! But, with several dairy-allergic children, ice cream is not a possibility.  Sure, there are great soy-based alternatives, and even some coconut-based frozen treats, but they are in very tiny, very expensive containers.  I needed something that would be lower cost, safe, and maybe even healthy!  Made with only ½ cup of sugar for the entire batch, this recipe is healthy and packed with goodies like vitamins and antioxidants from the fruit! I came up with these Sorbet Fruit Cups and the kids loved them!!!   


Getting ready to make sorbet!

*This recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, gluten-free, soy-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Serious Comfort Food Series - Cream of Broccoli Soup

In honor of this flu and cold season, I'm going to post a series of comfort food recipes.  Often our favorite comfort foods are easy foods from a can, a box, or the freezer section; mac and cheese, any variety of soup, flavored noodle dishes, or frozen bag meals.  Just as often, these "pre-made" meals contain ingredients that are unfriendly or dangerous for those with food allergies. Make these flavor - packed, comfort food recipes and freeze in individual containers for an easy, safe meal when the "sickies" strike your family!

Let's kick off the "Comfort Food Series" with a personal favorite, Cream of Broccoli Soup.  I am going to give you my basic recipe AND the ingredient substitutions to make a dairy-free version that is just as yummy!

The version pictured here is non-dairy! Doesn't it look yummy and creamy?

*This recipe is peanut-free, tree nut-free, dairy-free (if following substitution list), egg-free, fish-free, and shellfish-free. As always, check this ingredient list and your local products to make sure that this recipe is allergy safe for your family and/or friends!

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Chicken and dumplings...I'm salivating already, pardon me while I wipe the drool off of my keyboard.  I've always shied away from making dumplings because I thought they sounded complicated, or like something a grandma would make, but not a busy mom like myself.  To be honest, most of the recipes for dumplings that I've come across online and in my cookbooks, use either eggs or milk or both.  I found this recipe on an old magazine clipping in my pile of "desk junk", and I gave it a whirl, with a couple alterations! Warm, hearty, comforting, and surprisingly simple, this recipe will prove to be a "go to" dish on a chilly day! 

*This recipe is egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, dairy-free, shellfish-free, fish-free, soy-free.  As always, read your labels and the recipe carefully to determine if it is safe for you and your allergic loved ones!

Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs,
   cut into large pieces

Skim the foam as the soup cooks.

2 onions, chopped4 celery ribs (including leaves), chopped
8 carrots, peeled and chopped in 1 inch chunks
4 quarts chicken stock
Kosher Salt
pepper
fresh parsley for garnish, chopped

Dumplings:
3 cups flour
Kosher salt
4 tbsp. canola oil
2 1/4 cup water

Directions:
- Place chicken pieces, carrots, celery, and onion in a large Dutch oven (or large soup pot)
- Add chicken stock, salt pepper and bring to a boil over high heat.  (Skim off any foam that rises to the top during the cooking process.)
- Reduce the heat to low and cover with snug fitting lid. Simmer for about 50 minutes or until chicken is tender.


You can see my "cuts" are not
uniform, but you'll be surprised
at how fluffy and light this
dough feels as you work with it!

- While the soup is cooking, make the dumplings. Place flour, salt and oil in a large bowl and slowly add the water, stirring, to make a dough. 
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly - DO NOT overwork the dough!
- Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thick, and using a rolling pizza cutter, cut the dough into roughly 1 x 3 inch slices.
- After the soup has cooked for about 50 minutes, carefully slide the dough strips into the pot (still simmering), trying not to crowd them in one big clump. COVER TIGHTLY (you need the steam created for fluffy dumplings), keep heat on low and cook for about 10 minutes. 
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve!

This soup was a big hit in our house, and frankly, it was so easy to make the dumplings, I don't know why I would ever add boxed noodles to my soup again!  So there you have it, dear readers, dumplings aren't just for grandmas!

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Tasty Lunch - Tuna Lettuce Cups

I made one of my favorite tasty lunches today!   Tuna lettuce cups!  This is a great, versatile, kid-friendly cold lunch.  I find it is an easy way to incorporate veggies into a "kid-meal" and every time I make it, it's a little bit different, depending on what is in the fridge!  Here's what I used today:

Ingredients:
approx. 20 oz of canned tuna in water (drained)
Veganaise
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
fresh chopped parsley
fresh chopped dill
1 stalk, plus leaves chopped celery
1 shredded carrot
chopped bell pepper (any color)
crumbled bacon
halved cherry tomatoes
Endive spears for serving
      *Please check the labels when you purchase prepared products, like tuna and Veganaise, to make  
        sure it is a safe choice for your food allergic loved one!

Directions:
Mix tuna, lemon, celery, carrot, chopped parsley and dill, and peppers.  Add as much Veganaise as you like (less for a drier mix, more for a creamier mix).  Spoon tuna salad into endive spears and place two tomato halves on each spear.  Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve! 

These lettuce cups have a fresh, light, spring feel, but they are surprisingly filling!  I usually add some red onion or scallions, but we didn't have any in the fridge!  Sometimes I use different herbs or none at all - which is the beauty of this dish - add what you like/have on hand, and leave out what you don't!  For an extra garnish, you can shred some cheese (dairy or soy) over the top as well! 

As always, from "The Allergy Safe Kitchen", I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

A Love Note about "Enjoy Life" Mini Chips

Finding allergy friendly chocolate is SO difficult!  When Aidan was first diagnosed with food allergies (about 7 years ago), there weren't that many companies that specialized in making allergy friendly food.  When Enjoy Life came on the scene in our local grocery stores, it was right around Easter (several years ago).  I couldn't afford to send away for the expensive "safe" chocolate bunnies, which you have to order WAY in advance, so  I was trying to find creative options for the kids' Easter baskets, and browsing through the tiny organic section in our local chain supermarket. My eyes fell on a new product:  "Enjoy Life Mini Chips".  The other organic chocolate morsels our store had always carried were dairy-free, but they had the dreaded "may contain" statement for peanuts and tree nuts.  But HERE was a beautiful bag of hope in the form of mini chocolate chips!  I read the label 5 times, just to be sure I could trust what I was seeing!  Enjoy Life products are free of all top 8 food allergens!!!  My kids could finally have chocolate in their Easter baskets? I could concoct CHOCOLATE CHIP cookies?  I could put morsels in our rice flour pancakes as a special treat?  My mind went spinning with birthday desert possibilities!  I am not ashamed to say that I cried right there in organic section.  It was like we were being gifted with a small bit of what other families would describe as "normalcy".

An acquaintance from church saw me and I was so excited that when she asked if I was okay, I could only choke out "They can have chocolate!"  I really don't think she knew what to make of the whole situation, but she knew our children had life-threatening food allergies, so she gave me a big hug and said something along the lines of "I'm sure that's wonderful news!"  As anyone on the inside of a food-allergy lifestyle knows, those on the "outside" don't always understand how hope-filled these seemingly small triumphs can be.  I am grateful that this particular acquaintence just "went with the moment" and shared my joy. 

We have used this one ingredient to create countless special treats, birthday desserts, molded chocolates...we used them in the Peppermint Patty recipe featured earlier on this blog! 

So, from my family to the Enjoy Life company:  Thank you.  We love you! 

 As always, from The Allergy Safe Kitchen, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Make Your Own Pizza Night!

Nearly every family has pizza night once or twice a month...or week!  This convenience dinner IS still possible for families dealing with food allergies.  With a little preparation, you can be eating homemade, personalized pizzas in "take-out time". 

First, the dough.   If you are fortunate enough to be able to use a ready made, refrigerated dough, by all means, make your life easier, and use it! If not, here is one of our favorite recipes:

*Egg-free
*Peanut-free
*Tree nut-free
*Dairy-free
*Soy-free
*Shellfish-free
(If you have other food allergies, please read the recipe carefully to determine if it is safe for your needs.) 

For a Basic Pizza Dough -

1. Dissolve 1 Tbsp sugar in 1 1/3 cups of warm water. 
2. Sprinkle 1 packet of dry active yeast on top of the water (1/4 oz packet). 
3. Wait about 10 minutes, until the yeast is foamy and then stir in 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil. 
4. Combine 3 3/4 cups cups of flour and  1 1/2 tsp of salt in a large bowl. 
5. Make a well in the middle and add the wet mixture. 
6. Stir to combine and then turn the dough out onto a floured surface.
7. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the ball is smooth and elastic. 
8. Form into 2 balls, coat each in olive oil, put in bowls and cover the bowls tightly with plastic wrap.
9. Leave the 2 bowls at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours until the dough has doubled in size. 

*At this point, you can roll out, top, and bake the dough OR you can wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to a month!

10.  For a regualr sized pizza bake at 475 for 15-20 minutes - depending on topping load and desired crispiness!  (When we make 'mini-pizzas'  we start checking them at 10 minutes.) 

One of the great things about this dough, is that if you double or triple this recipe and freeze the dough balls, you can have enough fresh, safe pizza dough to have one pizza night a week for the entire month!  This is where one afternoon of preparation can set you up for success for a month!  Use the dough to make calzones, and other dough based treats.  We've even used it to make cinnamon sugar donut holes in the deep fryer!  Food allergy families know just how expensive organic and allergy friendly convenience foods can be.  This dough can offer convenience in the kitchen without breaking the budget!

When you want to have a pizza night, simply take the dough ball out of the freezer in the morning.  Place the frozen dough in a large bowl. Coat the ball of dough lightly with a fresh layer of extra-virgin olive oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or kitchen towel and leave it alone on a counter for 4 to 8 hours. At dinner-time, you'll be all set to go!  You can top it and bake it in as much time as it takes to order take-out!

Here's a list of toppings we like to use:

Follow Your Heat Vegan Gourmet Cheese  (for our dairy-free eaters)
Al Fresco Organic Chicken Sausage  (Slice and saute for pizza topping)
Artichoke hearts
Bell peppers
Mushroms
Mini pepperoni
Carmelized onions
Fresh mozarella (for our dairy eaters)
Homemade marinara sauce (I freeze it in 2 cup containers and defrost in the microwave)

We use these mini pizza pans by "Doughmakers". They are just the right size for children, and they allow each person to make their own SAFE pizza without having to worry about possible cross-contamination of ingredients on their portion.  Children love to eat food that they have created and mini-pizzas are no exception! 

I hope you enjoy your pizza night!  As always, I wish you "Good Cooking, and Safe Eating"!

Peppermint Patties

As I watched the snow finally fall outside, I felt the urge to bake something.  Since we'd all recently had our fill of cookies, I got out a recipe for Peppermint Patties that I had tucked away.  This recipe originally came from Family Fun magazine, and I am sorry we waited so long to try it! These little beauties are scrumptious, and better yet, ALL the kids loved them!  

Welcome!

Hello everyone! Welcome to "The Allergy Safe Kitchen"!  I'm very excited about sharing my recipes and kitchen tips with you.  I have 5 children, and several of them have food allergies.  So many people in my life, especially with newly diagnosed food allergies, have asked me for recipes, tips on substitutions, hints for getting picky eaters to try new things; so I thought I might be able to help them, and others out there, by starting this blog!  Our home is currently egg-free, peanut-free, tree-nut free, and many of the dishes I make are dairy-free.  We spent several years as a gluten-free family, so this blog will include those recipes and tips here and there too.

My eldest son  is 7 years old; he has life-threatening allergies to peanuts and eggs, along with a host of environmental allergies.  When he was first diagnosed, he also had allergies to wheat, soy, dairy, and tree nuts.  Due to the high potential for cross-contamination between peanuts and tree-nuts, we still do not eat tree nuts.  After blood and skin tests suggested it was safe, we have successfully integrated dairy, wheat and soy into his diet. 

My 6 year old daughter, was recently declared "allergy-free" after spending her life up to this point with a dairy allergy.  While she still prefers organic, soy-based products, we are slowly integrating dairy into her diet. 

My soon-to-be-5 year old son, has no confirmed food allergies, although we notice significant behavioral problems when he eats dairy.  When he does not eat dairy, his tantrums are rare and mild.  When he eats dairy, his tantrums are record breaking in length and...shall we say, stubborness?  We strictly limit his dairy intake and err on the side of giving him a nearly dairy-free diet. His blood tests show no evidence of a dairy allergy, but his behavior suggests otherwise.  It's important to remember that allergies can manifest themselves in different ways.

My 3 year old son, is the only child who appears to be completely allergy-free, praise God!  He is also the only child of ours for whom we delayed vaccines until 6 months.  Just an interesting side note to share... 

My 1 year old son, was diagnosed at 3 months with a dairy allergy.  He has not yet undergone any further allergy testing.

We have a range of adventurous and picky eaters at our table and I do my best to make meals that are safe, tasty, and nutritious.  I'm happy to have a forum to share everything I've learned in the past 7+ years of being a food allergy mom.  I remember how daunting it all seemed when we first heard the diagnosis and cleaned out our pantry, and I hope I can help those of you out there who are just starting your journey.  And for the veteran food allergy moms, I hope you can find new recipes, fresh tips, and the comfort of knowing you aren't alone.  Let's all walk this road together!