Eating Out

Recently, Linda wrote and asked, "I have a 5 year old who is allergic to dairy and I am very
interested in any dining out tips you may have! I am specifically looking for restaurants that
you frequent and what you order there. Also, Eating out for breakfast seems daunting. What are your 'staples' for eating out or packing to take with you?"

I'm going to divide this subject up into a few categories to make it easier to manage. Disclaimer: This is just what we do for our daughter. I am not a doctor, and your child's allergy may be more severe than Katherine's. Etc., etc..

At Home
When we're home, we don't eat out very much. When we do, we go to places we know well where we've never had any problems. Either Chinese restaurant in town is fine, but of the six or so pizza places, only one has dairy-free crust AND has never cross-contaminated Katherine's pizza with cheese. Interestingly, it is a local, not national, chain restaurant, and the workers are almost all college-age guys. They take great care of us. Katherine's Chinese food staples are sweet and sour chicken and white rice, and her favorite pizza is bacon with sauce--no cheese.
We also like our local Eat n' Park's breakfast buffet, which is a good place to take visiting family or friends. It has several dairy-free items available and has Silk soymilk on the menu. The servers are always happy to get buffet items from the kitchen for Katherine so we know they haven't been cross-contaminated. Katherine usually eats fresh fruit, applesauce, cereal with soymilk, and bacon. If it's the brunch buffet, she'll add fresh vegetables, crackers, and jello to her menu.

Traveling
Before we travel, I go to the websites of the chain restaurants (fast food places) we're going to visit. Each chain is supposed to have nutritional information brochures to hand out upon request, but they are often out or the workers don't know where they are. At McDonald's, Katherine gets the Happy Meal with a plain hamburger, apple dippers (no caramel dipping sauce), and a juice box. At Burger King, the chicken tenders have dairy, but the chicken fries do not. Sometimes I can convince the employees to put chicken fries in her kid's meal instead of the tenders, and sometimes I have to order the chicken fries separately and make a trade. Their french fries are fine and are cooked in a dedicated fryer. Katherine can also eat the apple fries (no caramel dipping sauce) and drink juice. She can eat the Subway kid's meal with raisins or apple slices and a juice box.
For breakfast, bagels with jelly (no butter or margarine) are usually a safe bet, or else we get a box of cereal that she eats dry or with soymilk we packed. I always keep a few granola bars on hand just in case.
If I pack lunches from home for the kids to eat on the road, I include a little prize, like a Hot Wheels car, so they don't feel like they're missing out on fast food fun.

When we eat out at a restaurant I've never been to before, I grill the server about menu items. While it may be a bit embarrassing to Katherine, I make it very clear that my daughter has a severe allergy and that she cannot have any dairy. No one wants an allergic reaction in their restaurant, so usually people are very accommodating. I've had servers bring labels out for me to read, go back and check with the chef, bring the manager out, etc.
Raw fruits and veggies, plain pasta with oil or DF tomato sauce, grilled chicken (cooked in oil)--these are staples we can find just about anywhere. If there is a salad bar, I can usually find lots of things there for Katherine to eat. I usually pack fruit snacks or a cookie for dessert.

Whew! I'm going to stop there for now. Let me know what else you'd like to know, or share tips you have!

The Birds and the Band-Aids

"Eli, we're going to see my doctor today."

"You get lollipop?"

"No. We get lollipops at your doctor."

"Oh. You get band-aid?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You have baby in your tummy?"

"No. No I don't."

"Oh. OK."

I'm Not Nuts

I just finished watching Kevin J. Lindenmuth's new documentary, "I'm Not Nuts": Living With Food Allergies. Am I allowed to make this required viewing for every childcare worker and educator in the country? Because I'd like to. This film clearly and carefully lays out the basics of what it's like to be food allergic and/or to have a food-allergic child. Visual mediums are so powerful--I think this will touch people who don't know much about food allergies in a way that written stories cannot. The videotape footage of a one-year old, egg-allergic girl scratching her hands at her first birthday party because she was allergic to the eggs in the cake made me weep. (Her parents didn't know about her allergy at the time, of course.)

For those who do live with food allergies, the information here is nothing new, or at least not very much of it. But the feeling is one of a support group meeting and allergist's visit right in your own living room. I found myself nodding my head in agreement and talking to the screen. "Yes! This is what it's like."

Full of interviews with the food allergic and their families, as well as interviews with allergy experts such as Terry Furlong, co-founder of FAAN, Scott Sicherer, M.D., researcher in the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai, and Harvey Leo, M.D. and Ben Song, M.D., of Allergy and Immunology Associates of Ann Arbor, MI, I think this documentary is a great resource.


Watch the introduction here:


Kevin Lindenmuth has worked in the video production field for more than 24 years. He is an independent filmmaker who has produced seven documentaries since 1997. You can read more about the documentary here.

Order "I'm Not Nuts": Living With Food Allergies (84 minutes, 2008) at www.lindenmuth.com. The DVD is $29.95, including shipping and handling.

This review was written for Go Dairy Free.

Catching Up

I was Internet-less for most of the day yesterday, but I'm back on now. Whew!

MyBuddyMimi has some exciting yet confusing allergy test news. Any words of wisdom are welcome, I'm sure. Also, Misty is looking for muffin-type recipes for a quick and easy breakfast.

The new Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival (Halloween Edition) goes up at Sure Foods Living today.

Speaking of Halloween, Enjoy Life Foods and Gina Clowes of Allergy Moms have teamed up to make Halloween safer for allergic kids. And you can Trick-or-Treat for Food Allergy with FAAN!

I cannot wait to try this One-Hour French Bread recipe.

Finally, Hellokittiemama gave me my very first blog award. I pass it onto all of you because I love all of your blogs!

Fat Talk Free Week

Do you know Kate Harding? Do you read Shapely Prose? You should. Today she posted about Fat Talk Free Week, which is sponsored by Reflections: Body Image Program. Kate writes:
"What is Fat Talk Free Week? It’s five days of nationwide events during which women are encouraged to quit talking smack about their own bodies and other women’s. ('I need to lose 10 pounds.' 'She’s too fat to be wearing that.' 'My thighs are so huge.' Et frickin’ cetera.) The cumulative effect of those little statements does a number on one’s self-image...."

She continues: "Reflections seeks to supplant the 'thin ideal' with 'the "healthy ideal," which looks different for every woman and focuses on health, not weight or size,' according to the video it has created to kick off Fat Talk Free Week (below). Not only is that a peachy idea for boosting self-esteem, but researchers like Linda Bacon — whose new book, Health at Every Size, details the philosophy of focusing on health without regard to weight — have long argued that it leads to better physical health outcomes."

So please take a moment to watch this clip, for you and your daughters:

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice and Moms

I was waiting to introduce wheat (a family allergen) into Helen's diet when she was nine months old. Helen decided to introduce wheat into her diet today, when she snagged one of her brother's pretzels and ate it all. A prouder, happier baby you have never seen.

Caramel Apple Cake

I haven't tried Maggie's Vegan Caramel Apples yet, but I did make Caramel Apple Cake last night. This is one of those back-of-the-box recipes from Bisquick, altered by me. I was going to photograph the cake, but, um, it's GONE.

1 1/2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup plain soy milk
2 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced (2 cups)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt, to taste
1 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix Bisquick and granulated sugar in medium bowl. Stir in soy milk until blended.
Pour into ungreased square pan, either 9x9 or 8x8. Top with apples; sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon (and salt, if desired); sprinkle over apples. Pour boiling water over apples.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Twitter Tag

Hellokittiemama tagged me with a Twitter meme, which is good because I was out of inspiration today. Also, if you aren't on Twitter, come join us! It's fun!

I'm supposed to share six things no one knows about me, which is hard since I have family members reading this. I'm going to share six things other bloggers don't know about me. Unless I've mentioned them before. I'm boring, dudes.

1. I'm a lefty.
2. I ran cross country for two years in high school.
   
3. I love Diana Gabaldon's books. I was so happy to put down all of my English Lit books and never look back.
4. Right before K. was born, I had Scott take his pet cockatiel to his parents' house so it wouldn't wake our newborn. It's seven years later, and they still have him. Sorry, Sydni.
5. I'm addicted to Bravo's reality shows.
6. I teach a Sunday School class for two- and three-year olds.

I tag:

1. MommyDaisy
2. MimiAllMe
3. SaLy
4. Shannon
5. LoriD
6. Moo

The Rules:
If you’ve been tagged with the meme game from Twitter, you must post 6 things no one knows about you on your blog. Then you tag 6 more people. (don’t forget to let them know they’ve been tagged.) Leave me a message letting me know that you’ve accepted the tag. Let me know when you’ve posted your list. Have fun!!!

Getting to Know You

What do you like, Eli?
John Deahs wif Grandad
Animals
Trucks

What do you like to eat?
Punkin cookies
Chicken and pasta
Nanas
Oatmeal
I like eat wif Katin (Katherine).

What do you like to play?
Ball wif (Gramma) Susie and Grandad
Games wif Susie and Katin: Sorry, Fish
Trucks
Toys wif Baby
Outside

What is your favorite color?
Yoyo

I love you. You know that?
I know dat.

Scenes From a Fall Party

I took Katherine to a fall birthday party at our favorite pumpkin patch on Saturday. Helicopter parent that I am, I stayed the whole time (respectfully in the background, of course). And, the curtain opens....

After the hayride out to the pumpkin patch, two girls needed to use the bathroom. One decided to wait, and one decided to go in the field, with limited success.

While the children were choosing their pumpkins, the farm owner chatted with me about the different varieties of pumpkins planted in the field, such as pie pumpkins, which are good for cooking, and "cow pumpkins," which are good for carving and for feeding the cows. He even cut open a pumpkin with his pocketknife to further illustrate a point, and he gave me some soybean plants from the next field so that I could show them to Katherine. Seeing the soybeans, another girl on the hayride said that she was allergic to milk, too, and her grandmother concurred.

We returned to the picnic area in time for lunch and dessert. I was standing off to the side holding Katherine's dairy-free cupcake, and a girl slid up next to me and said, "You're Katherine's mom."
"Yes, I am! How did you know?"
She raised one eyebrow and pointed to the cupcake. I laughed. "I sit by Katherine every day at lunch and I drink milk every day, but she never touches it or takes a drink of it," she reassured me. "That's good to know," I said.

The other dairy-allergic girl ate cheese pizza and cake made with milk at the party. I said, "Oh, so she just can't drink milk straight, but she can eat it cooked?"
"No, she's not supposed to have dairy at all, but we let her cheat sometimes," the grandmother said.
Okeydoke.

In addition to a pumpkin, each child received a candy apple, made that morning by the farmer's wife. Katherine brought hers home and shared it with her brother.

First Month of School Report

• There have been no allergic reactions in Katherine's class.
• A little boy did fall while carrying a pencil, and it went up his nose. Ouch. (He's fine.)
  
• Her class goes outside a lot, which is great because the school is right next to a park.
• Yesterday, she made it all the way across the monkey bars for the first time.
  
• Katherine's desk and her cafeteria seat are adorned with Mabel's Labels.
• Since she can't participate in buying ice cream on Fridays, I pack a dessert in her lunchbox instead.
• If the cafeteria lunch is something she'd like, I try to pack something comparable. (Dairy-free chicken nuggets on Chicken Nugget Day, for example.)
• Katherine and N., who has a peanut allergy, have become fast friends.
• Katherine is interested in learning more about peanut allergies, to help keep N. safe.
  
• The tables in the Cafegymatorium are built into the walls. K. and N. have special desks that are pulled up to the ends of their class's tables each day at lunch. That way, they can still be with their friends, but their seats won't be cross-contaminated.
• Katherine brings all of her trash home in her lunchbox so she doesn't have to go near the trash can and flying milk cartons.
• We keep cupcakes and cookies in a freezer at school for classroom birthday parties.
• She is learning a lot and especially likes math and reading.
  
• Katherine loves school!
  

A Kinder, Gentler Exercise Routine

The new Living With Food Allergies Carnival is up at The Allergic Kid. I submitted a letter about breast milk ice cream, but the other contributors wrote thought-provoking posts and contributed great recipes, as usual. Vegan Caramel Apples! Mmm....

Since my beloved Denise (SHUT UP!) has been removed from Lifetime, I'm in the market for a new exercise show or DVD. What do you like? Think twice before recommending something hardcore; you're talking to a person still mourning the loss of someone who regularly encouraged her to, "Tone that tushy!"

You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman

We have a new wool-blend area rug in our living room. The color is "Toast," although it looks more like "Whole Wheat Toast." It is lovely and thick and cozy, and it sheds abominably. I have been reassured that this will stop, eventually, and our living room will no longer look as if it is home to daily sheep-shearing contests. In the meantime, Helen spends most of her time crawling around the floor looking for balls of wool I miss with the vacuum that she can delicately pick up with two fingers and push into her mouth. At least two times a day, I hear a choking-on-a-hairball sound. Years from now, she'll be telling her therapist, "I keep having a recurring dream that I'm choking on wool. What does this mean?"

On the way to dance class yesterday, Katherine explained to me how much she likes exercise: gym, recess, swim lessons, dance. "Exercise makes me feel comfortable." I am so proud of her attitude, which she SO did not inherit from me. She is my exercise role model. Speaking of exercise, what's up with Lifetime taking Denise Austin off the air? I know she can be a bit hard to take, but I liked her routines, and the times her shows were on in the morning fit into my schedule perfectly. Dumb move, Lifetime.

When Scott made pie this weekend, he was going to use Butter-Flavored Crisco, which we have used in the past. Now the label says "natural and artificial flavor" instead of just "artificial flavor," so we weren't sure if the Crisco had dairy or not. Scott called the 1-800 number and was told that there was no dairy in the Crisco.

Yesterday I read an article in the September issue of Everyday Food about the label "natural flavor," which said that the FDA defines natural flavors as "any flavoring derived from 'a spice, fruit, or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof.'" Broad definition much?

The article goes on to say, "People who avoid meat, dairy, and fish for any reason should pay mind to products labeled as containing 'natural flavors.' These additives can come from meat, eggs, dairy, seafood, and poultry; yet their source does not have to be disclosed,* except--ironically--when they're included in meat and poultry products, which are regulated by the USDA." When did our food production get so messed up? You know it's bad when we have shows that explain where our food comes from, and even "100% juice" can have "natural flavors" of a questionable origin. (Thanks to Go Dairy Free for the juice link.)

*I put the words in bold.

Birth Weekend

I had a wonderful birthday weekend. On Friday, our local grocery store owner stopped me to tell me that his store now carries: Tofutti ice cream, Tofutti Cuties, Tofutti American Soy-Cheese, and...Tofutti Sour Supreme, a product we have never tried. Also, he has Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese on order. Yay! I don't have to drive out of town to find these items! I don't have to buy them by the case from the natural foods store and then have to figure out where to store them! I can make recipes that call for sour cream! Both of the kids had tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch on Saturday. Such a small, normal thing. It made me so happy.

Scott made birthday apple pie on Saturday. I am one of those rare people who, if given the option, would choose pie over cake every time. Mmm.

The kids were mildly sick on Sunday, so I stayed home from church with various children draped over me. After lunch, I went shopping at the outlet mall by myself where I saw a car with a license plate from my place of birth. Marion, Indiana--Hollah!

We enjoyed spaghetti with homemade sauce and homemade bread for dinner. I'm sorry to let down all of my dairy-free peeps, but after the kids were in bed Scott got me a Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen. Our Dairy Queen is a rarity because it sells only frozen treats, no hot food, and it is open only half of the year. The opening of DQ is a sign of Spring. I was glad to sneak in one last frozen treat before they close for the winter. (We do go as a family, sometimes. Katherine can have the StarKiss Bars and the Arctic Rush.)

What did I get for my birthday? A food dehydrator! And an awesome dried foods cookbook. We can make our own dried fruits! And fruit rolls! And sun-dried tomatoes! And.... (Help me out, Sally.) Best of all, I received a beautiful homemade card made out of an index card. It will fit perfectly in my wallet.

Thanks for all of your birthday wishes.

You Say It's Your Birthday...

...It's my birthday too--yeah.
--The Beatles

In honor of my birthday, Scott has been treating me to quotes from this all day. Enjoy it with me, won't you?

An Open Letter to Ben and Jerry's

September 26, 2008

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, Cofounders
Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc.

Dear Mr. Cohen and Mr. Greenfield,

On behalf of my readers and supporters, I'd like to congratulate you on your balanced response to PETA's suggestion that you replace the cow's milk in your ice cream with breast milk. I think spokesman Sean Greenwood's statement, "We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child," was well said.

I'd like to offer a compromise, if I may. Have you considered making some non-dairy ice cream flavors? I'm not asking you to do away with your cow's milk ice cream. I just think that the company that makes the best dairy ice cream could do a great job with dairy-free ice cream. Soy milk? Rice milk? Coconut milk? The options are many, and none of them involve hooking women up to high-powered breast pumps.

The production of a dairy-free line of frozen desserts--beyond your three excellent sorbets--could broaden your customer base to include people with lactose intolerance, people with dairy allergies, and vegans. This would also be a way to show PETA you are listening. (I was going to say "a way to throw PETA a bone," but they wouldn't appreciate that.)

Thank you for your consideration,

Nowheymama

Two

I am a big brother.
I am a little brother.
I am a big sister.
I am a little sister.
I am a talker.
I am mostly quiet.
I like to sing.
I am big for my age.
I am small for my age.
I like animals.
I like tractors.
I like ballerinas.
I can tell jokes.
I can't always explain what I want.
I like ketchup.
I make a mess, sometimes.
I am learning to share.
I wear diapers.
I am learning to go to the bathroom.
I take naps.
I am a good helper.
I can't always sit still.
I love my pets.
I love my sisters.
I love my brothers.
I love my daddy.
I love my mama.
I am loved.

I am NOT terrible.
I am two.

Caliente

Here is my salsa recipe, created from a combination of recipes I found online and my own personal salsa preferences. It meets these important requirements:

1. It is easy.
2. It used up all of the tomatoes Scott's coworker gave us.
3. It isn't very spicy, so the kids will eat it.
4. It isn't very chunky, so I will eat it.
5. It freezes well.

Nowheymama's Salsa

5 lbs. tomatoes, blanched and peeled
3 cups sweet onion, chopped
3-4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (Seeding them makes them less "picy," as Eli says.)
3 teaspoons canning salt
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/3 cup sugar

Place the tomatoes in a large pot, and either mash them with a potato masher or squeeze them with your hands until they are well... squished. Add the onion, peppers, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Begin with 1/4 cup sugar; you may need to add more depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes. Mix everything together, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for half an hour. Blend with an immersion blender (or blend batches in a regular blender) until it reaches the desired consistency. Cool, and then ladle into freezer containers.

Not As I Do

Milk-Allergic Child: May I try a piece of your gum?

Her Parents: Sure. Here you go.

Milk-Allergic Child: [Makes face.] This gum makes my mouth feel funny.

Her Parents: Ha! Ha ha! That is because it is peppermint flavored.


Or, you know, it could be because of this:



Always, ALWAYS read the label. (Katherine spit out the gum and was fine. Thank goodness.)

Abby the Alley Cat

As I've mentioned before, children's books about allergies--especially dairy allergies--are not very common. Children's books about allergies that my kids actually enjoy reading are even more rare. So I am pleased that they like Abby the Alley Cat: Staying Safe From Dairy! by Myronie and Sam McKee. First-grader Katherine finds the Seuss-esque rhyme scheme and repeating refrain ("Staying safe from dairy is my goal/So I will not touch it with a 10-foot pole!") easy to read, and two-year-old Eli likes the cute drawings by illustrator Adi Rom. I like the positive, upbeat message and the allergy-related information for parents included in the back of the book.

In addition to the book, there is also a video available for purchase. It is done in a Reading Rainbow style; the narrator reads the story while the camera pans in and out over the book's illustrations.

At $12.99 for the book ($11.66 currently on Amazon), the price is steep, but I would recommend Abby the Alley Cat for allergic children, especially those with dairy allergies. The video download is $2.99. And, according to the authors' website, 10% of the profits go towards helping children with food allergies.

This review was written for Go Dairy Free.

Paved With Good Intentions

So, yeah, I went to a Christian Ed meeting at my church last night and basically announced that our lovely church is dying because we aren't making children and young families a priority. This is true. It needed to be said. I wasn't the only one who said it. I know it was the right thing to do. And yet I feel like crap. Being extroverted takes a lot out of an introvert, dudes.

Anyway, let's talk about something else. When is a recipe your recipe? When is it not? I read somewhere that changing one ingredient means you've made a new recipe. But what if all you did was substitute margarine for butter? Soy milk for milk? When can you stop saying you adapted a recipe from someone else's and really call it your own?

When does a recipe enter the public domain? When does it become so well known that it belongs to everyone? If two people have the same idea and write about it, is one automatically plagiarizing the other?

What do you think? How do you handle recipes on your blog?

Vanity Cakes and Gluttony Chips

I made homemade salsa the other day, only to discover that we had no chips of any kind in the house. But we did have tortillas. And pita bread. So Scott and I made our own chips by cutting the breads into triangles, frying them, and salting them. We're just like pioneers, if pioneers had store-bought flatbreads and deep fryers and didn't care about their fried snack teaching a lesson:

"It seems strange that I never learned to make them. I know they were mostly egg and were fried in deep fat as doughnuts are. They were to be eaten hot. Were crunchy, not sweetened and were so light, really a bubble that they seemed almost nothing in one's mouth. They were a golden color when fried. I suppose the egg yolks helped in their coloring. They simply puffed up when fried until they were nothing but a bubble: Vanity cakes."--Laura Ingalls Wilder, as quoted in The Little House Cookbook.

That's great, Laura, but I think we'll stick with our easy, inexpensive, message-free chips. Because at $1.50 for a 12 oz. bag of pita bread off the day-old bread rack, as compared to $2.64 for a 6 oz. bag of ready-made pita chips, that's... (Help me out, math people.) that's a deal is what that is.

He'll Be Here All Week

Eli: Mommyo, somefing in my nose.

Me: There's something in your nose?

Eli: Yeah.

Me: What is it?

Eli: Is my fingah.

Seven Years

Seven years ago, I was a very, very nervous first-time mother who had barely taken her newborn out of the house. Early on the morning of my baby's two-week checkup, my husband and I got up, got ready, and slowly and carefully made the drive to the pediatrician's office for our appointment.

We reached the check-in counter about five minutes before our appointment time, and the receptionist berated me, "Do you see the sign? You are supposed to be here at LEAST fifteen minutes before your appointment. I have the right to cancel your appointment because you are late. Don't let this happen again." Standing in an office I had never visited before, whose policies I did not know, in my milk-stained shirt and holding a newborn in a car seat, I cried.

We sat in the waiting area for a moment, and then were called in to see the doctor. "Did you hear that a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center in New York?" the nurse asked. "No," we said. "Was it a small plane?" "I don't know," she replied, as she deftly checked our little girl and went to get the doctor.

We drove back to our house to find my visiting flight attendant mother sitting on the couch crying as she watched the TV. "A second plane just flew into the towers," she said. Scott had to leave for work, but Mom and I sat glued to the TV all day. Because there were no planes flying and no rental cars to be had, my brother-in-law drove my mother to meet my father halfway between our homes. And I continued to watch the coverage through a haze of hormones and sleep deprivation, holding my baby girl.

Ratatouille

Hey, kids! This is just like what they eat in the movie! Now EAT YOUR VEGETABLES.

Ratatouille (adapted from the well-known cookbook, How I Feed My Family on $16 a Week, published in 1975)

1 small eggplant
4 small zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 tomatoes, cut into eighths
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Peel (optional) and cube eggplant and zucchini and cook for 10 minutes in boiling water. Drain. In a large frying pan, heat the oil and cook the onion until it is golden brown.
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about twenty minutes over low heat, until tender.

This recipe freezes well.

Fall Foods

Thank you so much for your tomato ideas! I ended up making a vat of tomato sauce and freezing most of it. I'll have to try your recipes with the next batch of tomatoes. And I'm wishing more and more for a food dehydrator....

Here are some other great fall recipes:

Swistle posted a dairy-free apple bread recipe.

Beck posted a dairy-free, no-bake peanut butter ball recipe--no powdered milk in sight!

Hannah has a new dairy-free, vegan recipe booklet called Lunchbox Bites for sale at BitterSweet.

Happy eating!

Around the Internets

The new Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival is up at Food Allergy Buzz.

Beck has an interesting food allergy/school lunch conversation going on at her Kitchen Party post, which was prompted in part by this post (and its comments) at Fairly Odd Mother.

Linda Coss posted an article about keeping food-allergic children safe at school.

Jennifer McCann has fruit cozy patterns up at Vegan Lunch Box. No more bruised fruit in bookbags and lunchboxes!

[Edited to add: My vintage apron arrived today! It's so pretty. Thank you, Becky and Lisa!]

Questions for you:
What do you like to pack in your children's lunches?
Got any good tomato recipes?

Dairy-Free Wizard of Oz Birthday

Menu:
Glinda's bubbles (PB & J circle sandwiches)
Tinman's heart cookies
Scarecrow straw (potato sticks and pretzels)
Emerald city green grapes
Munchkin (baby) carrots
Watermelon
Rainbow popsicles
Chocolate cake
Water and apple juice

Games:
Coloring Pages
Eat Apples off the Tree: Remember the trees that throw apples at Dorothy? This game is just like it sounds. No hands! K got the idea from a Clifford Halloween book.


Witch's Broom Relay: I saw this idea on several websites. The kids stand at start with a broom in hand and use the broom to hit a ball up and around a "yellow brick." They come back to start and hand off the broom to the next person in line. We had the older kids play one-handed with their non-dominant hand to even the playing field.


Follow the Yellow Brick Road: I wrote clues on one side of yellow "brick" cards with the names of two or three of the children on the other side. I matched up children who can read with those who can't. The first clue led the first group of kids to the next clue, which was then read by the second group of children, etc. The final card had the birthday girl's name on it, and she found and distributed the goody bags.

Goody bags:
straw wands
bracelets
stickers

First Day of School

Morning Snack:
Kettle corn
Water



Lunch, packed in her Laptop Lunch system:
Daddy's Fried Chicken with honey mustard
Gramma's homemade applesauce
Carrot sticks
Fruit snacks
Water

Dairy-Free Fair Foods

What dairy-free foods can you find at the county fair? Pack your own sandwich and water bottle for dinner, then choose from these items:

French fries (made from fresh potatoes at a stand that sells only french fries--no cross-contamination)
Cotton candy
Roasted peanuts
Kettle corn
Fresh-squeezed lemonade
Candy apples
Italian/Hawaiian/shaved ice

Happy Labor Day!

Thursday

7:45am--Drop children off at neighbor's house.
8--Attend Parent Orientation meeting.
9--Pick up children.
9:15--Babysit neighbor's children.
Bake 2 dozen dairy-free cookies for school freezer.
Bake 2 dozen dairy-free cupcakes for school freezer/family birthday party.
11:30--Lunch.
12--Naptime for middle child.
Pay bills.
12:30--Have neighbor over to watch children again.
12:45--Allergy Action Plan meeting at school. Bring medications, cookies, and cupcakes.
2--Visit with neighbor before she leaves.
3--Wash dishes.
Start dinner.
4--Take children outside to play with friends.
5:45--Babysit other neighbor's child.
6:15--Feed children dinner.
7--In laws call from new house.
7--Other neighbors stop by to visit and bring birthday present.
7:45--Parent and brother of child being babysat come by to pick her up.
8--Children's bedtime.
8:30--Yet another neighbor stops by with our half of our farm share.
8:45--Eat dinner.
9:30--Go to bed.

School Essentials

Laptop Lunches Laptop Lunch System in pink.


Photo courtesy of Laptop Lunches

Mabel's Labels from Christa: Allergy Alerts for medicine/snack containers/outside of lunchbox.


Mabel's Labels photos courtesy of Mabel's Labels
Skinny Minis for everything else--especially one for every component of the lunchbox.



Medical ID bracelet with pink and red hearts. (I might get some of these disposable ones, too.)


Image courtesy of American Medical ID

Monday Musings

Now that H has two teeth, she needs a baby toothbrush. Unfortunately, I can never find one that isn't packaged with baby tooth and gum cleanser. I always throw the baby toothpaste away and use the brush by itself. Why? Look at the ingredients in Gerber Giggles and Grins Tooth and Gum Cleanser:
Glycerin , Xylitol, Sorbitol, Propylene Glycol, Pectin, Xanthan Gum, Colloidal Silicon Dioxide, Natural Apple Flavor, Natural Banana Flavor, Calcium Lactate, Lactoferrin - from Milk, Lysozyme - from Egg, Lactoperoxidase - from Milk

Egg? Milk? In a product labeled "for babies 3 months and older"? Nice, Gerber.

We watched Firewall last night. Three children = three years behind in movies. There's a really disturbing scene where the villain intentionally feeds the peanut-allergic son of the hero a cookie with peanuts in it. On the one hand, while it was hard to watch, I was glad to see a depiction of how serious an allergic reaction can be and to see the parents and sister frantically searching for one of the boy's EpiPens (the villain hid them). On the other hand, the son was supposed to be eight years old, but he let the villain (who was holding them hostage) read the package label to him, and he didn't refuse the cookie or ask to see the label himself. No dramatic scene if he did that, I guess.

Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival

Hey! It's time for the August 21, 2008, edition of the Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival. Come on in!

Timely Topics
It's back-to-school time. Are you looking for a creative alternative to the traditional medical alert bracelet? Jennifer O. presents Comments From the Peanut Free Gallery: tattoos posted at Comments From the Peanut Free Gallery.

Eating well on a budget can be a challenge, especially with a food allergy. Aryn presents Eat Well for Less: Managing Food Allergies and Intolerances posted at Sound Money Matters.

Living With Food Allergies
Christine presents The Things that Fall Away posted at Corn Allergic - What I Reacted To Today. She writes, "Adapting to life with a severe food allergy, there are a range of day-to-day trade offs to be made to stay safe and healthy in a world that is full of allergens. These are the things that fall away."

Fiona Veitch Smith presents Food Intolerances posted at Fiona Veitch Smith where she writes about the differences between an allergy and an intolerance.

In the mood for some fun points of view? Check out these posts:
Jennifer O. presents When a Peanut Allergic to Peanuts is a Filbert posted at Comments From the Peanut Free Gallery.

Christine presents Allergies and Vampires posted at Corn Allergic - What I Reacted To Today. She writes, "What do the very popular vampires of the Twilight series have in common with the food allergic? Read and find out."

Recipes and Food
Maggie presents Apricot-Ginger Cupcakes with Coconut Butter Frosting posted at Dog Hill Kitchen.

Nowheymama presents a simple dairy-free, egg-free summer pasta salad recipe in Is That a Cucumber in Your Pasta? posted at No Whey, Mama.

And Shannon B. presents Vegan Wines Are Also Egg and Dairy Allergy Friendly posted at Zeer Blog. She writes, "A short entry on how vegan wines are also egg and dairy allergy friendly since wines are often fined with Egg & Dairy byproducts. Short, helpful, with a lot of great links!"

Submit your blog article to the next edition of the Living With Food Allergies Carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page. Thanks, everyone!

Jumping Back In

Wow, there's a lot to catch up on! I loved reading about everyone's favorite cookbooks. Jennifer B, I don't know what I'd do without my Fannie Farmer cookbook. Vivian and Charlotte, I'm putting Veganomicon and Elizabeth David on my reading list. And I love old/church/fundraising cookbooks, too! Alisa and I are working on a theory that old cookbooks can be really good resources for dairy-free cooking. Oleo!

Don Mills Diva and her talented sister-in-law are doing a month's worth of gluten-free recipes on Don Mills Diva Recipes and Reviews.

Linda Coss has released her second cookbook, What Else is to Eat? the sequel to What's to Eat?. You can read more about it here.

Finding a Cure for Food Allergies has been nominated as an American Express Members Project. Read more about it here, and consider voting for it here if you are an American Express cardmember.

Now I'm off to help the kids make cards and cake for Daddy.

Estivation

Es-ti-va-tion: 1. The act of spending or passing the summer. 2. Zoology A state of dormancy or torpor during the summer.

Vegging Out

This is the veggie face we submitted to The Great Big Vegetable Challenge's photo contest.

I'm taking a brief break from packing to wish you all a wonderful week. I will be back here next Sunday or Monday after lazing by the lake in New Hampshire.

While I'm gone, how about you tell me what your can't-live-without cookbook is and why? Share recipes, too, if you want! Go crazy!

Early Morning

Does this photo look dark? That's because it's EARLY. Thank goodness for coffee and blueberry banana bread. (Good idea, SouleMama! Although ours is dairy free, of course.)

Time to start making packing lists for vacation. What items help your family get through a 12-hour car ride? Besides a DVD player because that's a no brainer.

Is That a Cucumber in Your Pasta?

Why, yes. Yes it is. I recommend this salad for your next picnic because it:
1. Tastes like refrigerator pickles.
2. Can be made way ahead of time.
3. Makes a lot.
4. Can become a complete meal with the addition of shredded chicken.
5. Has no mayonnaise,
6. And therefore no food poisoning!
7. Is egg free!
8. Could be made gluten free with gluten-free pasta!
9. Uses up one of the cucumbers lurking in your fridge!

Cool Cucumber Pasta (adapted from my friend's mother-in-law's recipe)

16 oz. penne pasta
1 T. olive oil
1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 T. prepared mustard
1 T. fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp. each salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place pasta in a large bowl. Stir in the oil, cucumbers, and onions. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss. Cover and chill for at least four hours--overnight is best. Stir occasionally.

The Depression

There is a sweet man with a lot of troubles who attends our church. Sometimes he is very involved, and sometimes you won't see him for weeks. Those are the times when he says he's "got the depression."

I think I've got the depression. Or the summer melancholy. Or something. Sad things are happening to people I know and love. Happy things are happening, too, but they can make me just as weepy.

I spent Tuesday packing up infant items (bassinet, baby bathtub, baby swing) and replacing them with baby items (pack n' play, bath seat, exersaucer, baby food paraphernalia). I returned the bassinet to our neighbors and then delivered dinner to friends who just had their fourth child, their first boy. As I held him and he spit up on me, I was filled with sadness over the "loss" of my newborn. (Who is a full SIX months old now. Yeah, she'll be leaving for college any day.) Then I started thinking about my baby boy, who is getting bigger every second. (Yes, he's only TWO and is still in diapers and a crib.) But still. It feels as if time is whizzing by. When did all of the back-to-school advertising start? Where did June and July go? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

Later that evening, I took Katherine to see a magician perform in the park, where I watched her be amazed by the simple magic tricks. Then I came home to tuck in Eli. "Maybe you'll dream about trucks," I suggested to my half-asleep boy. "NO! No dream 'bout trucks! Hai dream 'bout John Deah tractras! I see three two one tractras at farm! I see front end lodah!"

So, yes, the babies disappear, but they are replaced by these wonderful children.



Speaking of delivering food (nice segue, Sarah), what's your favorite dish to make for someone who just had a baby, or surgery, or just needs some cheering up?

Whoopie!

Our local grocery store sells wonderful homemade whoopie pies, which are called "bobbs." I have no idea why. Anyway, they are loaded with dairy, and I have never gotten around to developing my own recipe for them. But now I don't have to! Because Hannah Kaminsky has done the work for me, complete with a video demo on Everyday Dish! And hers are vegan! And she has an awesome vegan blog! And she also published a cookbook! And she's nineteen years old! Which, if I were younger, might fill me with jealousy but now just fills me with motherly pride. *sniff*

EDITED TO ADD: Another beautiful Hannah just entered the world today. Congratulations, SaLy!

Oh, all right

FINE. Are you happy now?

Blue

The kids and I went blueberry picking with our neighbors at a U-Pick place yesterday. A dollar fifty a quart! You can't beat that. Two adults and six children picked seven quarts (Helen slept in the sling), with the other families doing more than their fair share. At the end of our time there, Eli's bucket contained a dandelion leaf, three green berries, one blue one, and a twig. Katherine's bucket had some berries, but her stomach had more. "I'm the best blueberry eater," she said. Very true. (We put in extra money for the berries we ate straight off the bush.)

My sister gave me this recipe. She got it from a friend of hers.

Blueberry Graham Muffins

18 graham crackers, either regular or cinnamon, crushed (approximately 3 cups of crumbs)*
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 egg
1 cup soy milk
2/3 cup blueberries
2 T honey, optional (depending on the sweetness of the berries)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tin or put in paper liners. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and baking powder.

Beat the egg and milk together. Add the dry ingredients. Stir until moistened. Gently stir in berries. Fill muffin tin. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

*Graham crackers are a sweet, cookie-ish, cracker made with whole wheat and sweetened with honey and molasses. For those of you who can't find them where you live, is there a type of cookie or biscuit that would be a good substitute? Gingersnaps, maybe? Suggestions? Charlotte?
[Edited to add: Charlotte suggests ginger nuts.]

That takes care of a few of the berries. What's your favorite blueberry recipe?

New

So, have you noticed anything new about the decor around here? I've been messing around with a new banner and have added some other new stuff. Also, I've been asked to be a WellBlogger for Wellsphere because I'm so healthy! Or because I write about food allergies. One of the two. Their new food allergy section should be up soon.

The Allergic Kid is hosting the current Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival. I submitted a rather negative post, but I'm sure everyone else is cheerful and helpful.

Avoiding Milk Protein has a new blog.

And finally, for moo, a photo of my new ring.



What's new with you?

Things That Make Me Happy

1. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Wasn't that awesome? Yay, Joss Whedon!

2. The discovery of these dairy-free, gluten-free Sipahh straws on sale at our local grocery store. Katherine has been fascinated by these straws for months, which she can't have, of course. Are either of these healthy or necessary? No. But sometimes allergic kids deserve junk, too. There you go, Sipahh marketing department. I just wrote your slogan. And bonus points to you for writing on the package, "You can enjoy Sipahh with any type of cold milk or milk alternative, including soy or rice milk."

3. My tenth anniversary present: a silver ring from Scotland with Celtic knotwork. Pretty.

4. WordGirl. Have you seen this? It's on here at 6:30 am. The kids watch it while I feed Helen. It cracks me up.

5. Philippa Gregory--my new guilty pleasure summertime author.

6. Summer produce. Blueberries!

7. Coming up with titles for books I'll never write. Like the mystery series about a crime-fighting nun. The first book: Force of Habit. The sequel, where her nemesis comes after her? Kicking the Habit.

8. Eli climbing into my lap yesterday and telling me, "I love ooh, Mommio."

Pop Quiz, Hotshot

1. You are in charge of a week-long event for children. The snacks have been preplanned, taking the dairy allergy of one of the children into consideration. On the last day, a family informs you that they are ordering pizza for everyone. You say:

a. "Thank you so much, but snacks for the week have already been provided. I'm sure there's another way you could contribute, though, if you'd like."
b. "Thank you, but we have a child with food allergies here. Let's talk to her mom and see if there's something we can order that's safe for her."
c. "Ok."

If you answered "c" to question 1, proceed to question 2. Otherwise, skip to question 3.

2. The mother of the allergic child hears that large quantities of the allergen are arriving for the other children to eat, and her child will not be able to participate. She asks you, the program director, about this. You say,

a. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think about that. What can I do?"
b. "I had nothing to do with it. You'll have to take it up with [family who ordered the food]."

3. The family who ordered the pizza listens to the mother's story and promptly orders a dairy-free pizza with the child's favorite topping because they:

a. are compassionate
b. are nice
c. have a son who had food allergies as a child
d. all of the above

4. You are the father of event participants, but you were not a helper during the week. You come to the snack area for food and see two pepperoni pizzas, 1/2 of a mushroom pizza, 1/2 of a sausage pizza, and a bacon pizza with no cheese. You take a piece of the no-cheese bacon pizza. A mother who is helping points out that that is the dairy-free pizza for people with dietary restrictions, like her child. You:

a. Apologize and eat the other pizzas instead.
b. Apologize and don't take more of the children's pizza.
c. Explain that bacon is your favorite topping and take another slice.

5. You are the mother of the dairy-allergic child. A grown man keeps eating pieces of the dairy-free pizza meant for your child. You:

a. Explain, again, who that pizza is for.
b. Yell at him while beating him about the head with a spatula.
c. Say, "Excuse me," wait for him to move, and stand guard over the pizza for the rest of the evening.

So Tired

I'm helping with our church's VBS is this week from 6-8:30 every evening, which is kicking my tail and making the kids tired and out of sorts. Scott: "Don't you love Jebus?"
But the snacks are all dairy-free, thanks to the lovely woman in charge. She even asked the children if any of them had any food allergies of which she wasn't aware. Little Boy: "I'm allergic to my sister."

My Pay It Forward Prize made it to Mimi All Me--on her birthday! You can see a photo of it and enter her contest here.

I was talking with my dad about beets, and he said, "I like to think of myself as being someone who likes beets."
I feel exactly the same way. We get some in our weekly share of vegetables from our CSA, and I don't know what to do with them. What do you do with beets? I mean, besides bake them in cake.

Killing Me Softly

Dear Food Allergy Researchers/Medical Professionals:

Let me start by saying I appreciate all of the work you do. I don't know where we would be without you. I am so glad you are trying to find cures for food allergies. I try to follow your advice as closely as possible. You're the experts, right? But here's the sad truth: you are killing me.

Oh, I don't mean you are literally killing me. But part of my heart dies a little death each time the advice you give changes or the research you do produces a different result. I know we're all grasping at straws in the dark (or something) here. And I'm willing to take on some of the responsibility. But good lord, could I do with some consistency right now, not to mention a little less mommy guilt. Let's recap.

My thoughts, circa 2002-3, based on your research and advice:
Did I cause or exacerbate my eldest child's dairy allergy by eating large amounts of dairy while I was pregnant? Was her "colic" really a reaction to the dairy I ate while nursing? Did I seal the food allergy deal by feeding her solids too early? How the holy heck am I supposed to introduce one food at a time when so many baby foods are mixed or have fillers like CORNSTARCH*?

My thoughts, circa 2006-7, based on your research and advice:
Will my son have a food allergy too? Is it true that 60% of siblings of a food-allergic child have a food allergy--not necessarily the same one? Ok, I can feed him only breast milk for the first six months of his life if this means he won't have allergies. I'll wait to introduce the family's allergens (wheat, dairy) until he is 9 months old and a year old, respectively. Other common allergens can wait till he's 12-months old, too. Sure, that will be a challenge, but whatever helps him avoid allergies--even though no two experts/resources will give me exactly the same answer--is worth it.

My thoughts, circa 2008:
Well, our self-made allergen-avoidance plan seems to have worked with my son, who is 2 1/2 and appears to be food allergy free. I guess we'll just follow the same plan with his baby sister, who is nearing her six-month bir--WHAT?!

I have to go lie down. Call me when you have this all figured out, and I'll figure out who's to blame.

Sincerely,
Nowheymama

*Corn is a very common allergen.

Non-Recipes

My sincere apologies to those who are fasting for my writing about food, but I want to write these non-recipes down before I forget them.

Slow Cooker Chicken

I'm sure this is not revolutionary to many of you, but it is to me. Take one whole chicken, rinse it and pat it dry, and season it all over with the seasonings of your choice. (I used Aldi's chicken seasoning, Emeril's Original Essence, and salt.) Stick it in your slow cooker with a chopped up onion. Do not add ANY liquid. Cook on low heat 6-7 hours, at which point you will have very tender chicken and flavorful broth.

Now, you can eat the chicken as is, OR you can debone it and shred it and mix it back into the broth that you have thickened with flour, or cornstarch, or arrowroot, or whatever. Serve the chicken/gravy mixture over biscuits or waffles, OR put it in a pie crust (brush the top with egg white if you like) and bake it for 30 minutes at 425 degrees.

Non-Dairy Pesto

I made this the other day and didn't measure a thing, so here are my vague directions. Blend together in your food processor:
1 part basil
2 parts parsley
1 part walnuts (or other nut)
1 clove garlic
salt
pepper
olive oil (enough to make the pesto the consistency you want)

When you put it in a container to refrigerate it or freeze it, drizzle a little more olive oil on the top so it doesn't discolor.

I Want...

...a copy of Charlotte's book, The Great Big Veg Challenge. Congratulations on reaching Z for zucchini, Hume family!

...to see what everyone won in the Pay It Forward contests.

...to win this.

Recap

My Pay It Forward prize is on its way to Mimi All Me! My mom came by for a bit, so I ran out to the P.O. and grocery store ALONE. I was in such a hurry that I didn't photograph the prize OR write a note. Hopefully Mimi will enjoy the prize and pick up my photography slack.

The newest edition of the Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival is up at Go Dairy Free. Go check it out!

We had a nice trip to KY, although it rained a lot. But the family picnic day was sunny, so we were able to swim with all of the cousins. Even me, who left my swimsuit at my in-laws' house by mistake. That's right, children! Mommy chlorine bleached her new navy shorts for YOU. Don't you forget it.

I managed to be strong and turn down almost everything my in-laws offered us (they are in the process of moving to Florida) because I want to overcome the clutter in our house. "No thank you, I don't need clothing, toys, furniture, candles, Christmas decorations, wall hangings, or a TV. A full set of Lenox china?! With eight place settings?!? Well... Ok... to pass on to your grandchildren."

But other than that, I was strong. I said no. Until Scott told me that his mom was getting rid of her entire cookbook and recipe collection, except for one small recipe binder. If you can turn down a box of cookbooks with titles like The Glorious Goober Cookbook by Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, you're a stronger person than I am.

You Could Still Be a Winner!

If you are Mimi from Mimi All Me! Congratulations, you've won a package of dairy-free goodness! Just send me your address, please.

Now I'm off to do all of the laundry from our weekend away.

One of These Things is Not Like the Others, and Neither is the Other One

So much to write about, so much packing to do before our first trip as a family of five! Gack. In this issue you'll find: a cereal review, a contest, and an anniversary note.

But first, have you read about the possible relationship between milk allergies and recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH)? Holy crap. And milk allergies are now the most common food allergy. We're number one--um, whee?

And now it's time for a Go Dairy Free product review!

***

Artisan Inspiration Granola


Photo courtesy of Nutritious Living

Everyone in our family liked this granola, even me with my dislike of raisins and the kids with their dislike of non-uniform cereal. Although the granola is dairy free, vegans and those avoiding wheat and nuts need not apply. It is a fancy, fancy granola filled with dried cherries, raisins, dates, cashews, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, wheat flakes, and other good stuff. I was surprised to see corn syrup listed in the ingredients, but it's not high fructose.

Ingredients: Whole rolled oats, raisins, whole white wheat flakes, whole barley flakes, turbinado brown sugar, sunflower oil, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, mixed fruit juice concentrate (pineapple, pear, apple, peach), dried sweetened cherries (cherries, sugar, sunflower oil), corn syrup, sweetened dates (dates, dextrose), cashews, sesame seeds, dried coconut, pumpkin seeds, honey, maltodextrin, flaxseed, barley malt extract.

Suggested retail price: $4.49/11 oz. box

For more information, visit Nutritious Living.

This review written for Go Dairy Free.

***

Group Effort: Pay It Forward Contest

In case you haven't heard, Swistle suggested starting a bunch of Pay It Forward contests, and many bloggers are following her lead because we want to be just like her when we grow up. And because it's fun.

So, I am going to give away a prize to a randomly chosen person who comments on this post between now and midnight on July 4. I will be out of town when the contest ends and will not name a winner until Tuesday, July 8. The winner must then give away something on her/his blog, and on it goes. If you would like to participate but don't have a blog, you can give something away on mine.

Swistle wrote lots more about the contest rules on her blog, and she is keeping a running list of all of the contests as well.

I haven't chosen all of my giveaway items yet, but the box will include some Artisan Inspiration Granola! How's that for tying it all together? [Edited to add: Unless of course someone in your house has a severe allergy to one of the items in the cereal and you don't want it. I'll just think of some other yummy thing.]

If you want to participate, leave a comment telling me a typical lunch you make for yourself or your kids.

***

And finally, a happy, happy tenth(!) anniversary to Scott. Yay, us.

The Magic Box Wants Me to Buy Things

Nothing like a weekend of severe thunderstorms complete with hail to make a family gather in front of the magic box and be bombarded with commercials. "You need those, Mommy!"

My top and bottom commercial picks:

This commercial for Benadryl Perfect Measure (click on "watch the TV spot") cracks me up every time. For YEARS I carried that very baggie filled with a leaking bottle of Benadryl, a semi-crushed, sticky measuring cup, and tissues and/or paper towels to soak up the drips. I can't tell you how many purses I baptized with Benadryl over the years. I know they are appealing to a very specific audience with this ad, but that audience is ME. And we do love the new perfect measure spoons so, so much. I can take one in my pocket or hand one to another adult who is watching K without getting medicine everywhere. I don't have to buy an entire bottle of Benadryl for each separate location (church, school, Gramma's house, etc.) When she gets a little older, she can keep one in her own pocket. They are AWESOME.

Have you seen the new T-Mobile commercial that makes fun of the Hatfields and the McCoys? I can't find a link to it. I know it's just a stupid commercial, but it kind of ticks me off. I find it interesting that in these days of extreme political correctness it's still Ok to joke around about feuding "hillbillys." Also, it's just weird to see an ad that makes fun of your husband's and children's family--with really, really bad Southern accents, no less. If you ever meet us in person, "Better make sure there aren't any McCoys around! Heh, heh," has been done. To death.

But enough about my weekend of TV viewing! You want to hear about more cereal! And the Pay It Forward contest! And my anniversary! I'm on it.

Cereal?

We eat a lot of cereal at our house. Hot cereal, cold cereal, just right cereal. Our two-year-old son greets me every morning not with "Good morning," but with "Cereal, Mommy-o? Cereal?" So trying out some cereals for Go Dairy Free seemed a natural fit.


Image courtesy of Cinnabon Cereal

Cinnabon Cinnamon Crunch

With its tiny cinnamon roll shape and lots of sweetener, this is what's known as "dessert cereal" in our house. But the sweeteners are turbinado brown sugar, fruit juice concentrates, and honey. Our son enjoyed it, but our daughter said it was "too spicy." It does pack quite a cinnamon punch that may be more suited to adult palates. (Too bad because these little cinnamon rolls are perfect for dairy-free tea parties.) Both Scott and Alisa will tell you that I am a salt addict (true, that), but Scott agreed with me that this cereal's flavor would definitely benefit from some salt.

Be careful: there is also a Cinnabon Caramel Pecan Crunch that does contain dairy and pecans.

Ingredients: Whole oat flour, whole brown rice flour, turbinado brown sugar, fruit juice concentrate (pineapple, pear, apple, peach), wheat flour, wheat starch, Makara (R) cinnamon, honey, canola oil, natural flavors, calcium carbonate.

This product is processed in a facility that uses dairy, soy, wheat, peanuts, and other nuts and seeds.

Suggested retail price: $3.49/12 oz. box.

This review written for Go Dairy Free.

Stay tuned to hear about Artisan Inspiration Granola!

Summer

"Spring turns to summer,
warm, beautiful summer,
and Sally sees the hay cut
in the fields.
She hears the cowbells
in the green pastures.
She smells wild roses.
She touches fat puppies,
and their fur is soft.
She tastes wild strawberries
warm in the sun."
--Tasha Tudor (1915-2008), First Delights: A Book About the Five Senses



Crisp Topping

1/3 cup dairy-free, salted margarine
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cut ingredients together with a pastry cutter. Sprinkle on top of sweetened fruit. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty minutes.

Baby Quilt and Freezer Jam

Here's Helen on her new "banket," as Eli calls it. You could have one, too!



And here's a rather moody photo of the freezer jams I made the other day.

Karen at Avoiding Milk Protein sent me a very nice email mentioning the many dairy-free chocolate sources she lists on her site. She's right, of course. There is a lot of DF chocolate to be found; I just wish more of it was in my local grocery store with easily discernible labels. So I will continue to rant.

Entomology

It's Barbara Kingsolver's Fault

Everyone has given me such lovely post ideas, and what have I been doing? Running around town to the farmer's market, the grocery store, and the hardware store, not to mention signing up for vegetables from our semi-local organic farm. Our porch is filled with vegetable plants that I'm trying not to kill. (Hot tip! Shop ridiculously late in the planting season and all plants are 50% off! Also, 50% dead!)

Yesterday, I actually bought some canning supplies because I could hear our refrigerated produce rotting. (Freezer canning. I'm not totally insane. Yet.) I gripe a lot about our pitiful local grocery store's lack of dairy-free items, but they do have quite a supply of canning materials. (They're right next to the dog food, if you're wondering where to look.)

I guess the children and I will be spending the afternoon planting flowers and vegetables! In the 90-degree heat! Ah, togetherness. (Darn you, Barbara.)