‘Tis NOT the Season for Food Allergies

Pardon me if I do a little whining in this post. Wednesday we spent 2 hours at our allergist, doing our annual testing and evaluations of my sons’ allergies. My older son has both food allergies to eggs, wheat, and milk, and also suffers from seasonal and mold allergies, and my almost-two-year-old is only allergic to eggs.

I was a bit hopeful that we would be able to cross one of my older son’s food allergens. His reactions to accidental exposure haven’t been so immediate and life-threatening, that I really thought he was close to that point. But seeing those hives raise and expand yesterday dashed that hope. We will get some blood tests to compare the results, to make sure there aren’t any false positives.

It’s been 5 years since the first diagnosis to food allergies. I do count my blessings daily. Both boys’ food allergens are generally the ones that can be outgrown. We don’t battle asthma on a regular basis, which could make things much worse. All the members of my family on both sides are so supportive and keenly sensitive to the special requirements for their allergies. And my sons are both so cooperative and rarely complain. We are at a comfortable routine with our menus and treats that it isn’t something that keeps me awake at night unless a complication arises. And we can go out and eat, which is sometimes impossible for some allergic patients.

I sometimes resent the fact that I have to think about food all the time. I had to do this with my pregnancies, being an insulin-dependent gestational diabetic. We try to eat healthy and be aware of ingredients, but food allergies and diabetes take it another level. The habit about thinking of food all the time continues with food allergies, just a different focus than just carb-counting.

I must read labels, understand how things are cooked to recognized hidden ingredients, be able to understand the strange chemical names of egg, wheat, and dairy derivatives. I have to be aware of what restaurants will have food for my sons, calling ahead if necessary. I have to special request food items everywhere we go. I keep safe food items, including treats, so that we’ll have safe food when we’re out. And I have to ask ahead to family functions what is being served. We usually turn down potluck events except if we just bring our whole meal and not share with anyone. So, while we’re not obsessing about food for our tastebuds, we are obsessing about food in some way. But this our routine, and it usually works fine, no problems. We’ve had wonderful encounters with many helpful people, and this has been a good way to help others on a similar journey.

It is mainly times around holidays and holydays and family celebrations that I get sad. We’re out of routine celebratory food is now front and center. I want to provide those special occasions with special treats for my sons. I found this wonderful quote from ‘Tis the Season To Be Baking: Christmas Reflections and Bread Recipes by Fr. Dominic Garramone, O.S.B., which summarizes how I feel during the holiday seasons of the year:

One of the most common comments I hear about baking is something like this: “I don’t have time to bake bread much anymore–well, except during the holidays, of course.” What an amazing paradox: many people only have time to bake during what is often viewed as the busiest time of the year! But we make time for what is most important to us. What these people are really saying is: “My family’s Christmas baking traditions are so important that I always make time for them.”

Those wonderful traditional Christmas breads, cookies, cakes, and other recipes — we can’t do them. My favorite cookie tradition with speculatius cookies for St. Nicholas doesn’t happen any more. The flour flying in the air causes allergic reaction. I am happily provided little gift bags from family members who did bake, but we can’t all share them with the boys.

One can’t deny that celebrations usually center around food. At first I used to feel guilty for putting so much emphasis on the food of our family celebrations. After all, does it seem like we’re making gods of our taste buds? Shouldn’t we just focus on family and not food? For a long time I was defensive and angry at how our traditions just centered around eating.

Over time I’ve adjusted my thinking. After all, our Catholic Faith is centered around the Mass with the Living Bread. I look at Jesus’ own life and think of how much of his life and key miracles were centered around food, and not just sustenance type of food, but social and ritual type of eating, like the Wedding Feast at Cana, and the Last Supper. Jesus understood the needs of the human nature to not just eat for survival, but together as a social component. And while our human needs for sustenance and social connection are filled, we can also be filling our souls with spiritual food.

While the food is part of our family celebrations and traditions, it becomes the background for the social aspect of the occasion. We are together, enjoying each other’s company. As long as I’m not putting the food first, it’s the perfect combination for a growth in charity for God, our family, and neighbor.

And so, I won’t resent the fact that we’re upon another season of baking that we can’t partake. There are substitutes, and little ways I can provide our family food traditions so they are safe for our boys. It does separate us, and my older son does notice. He doesn’t complain, and I do pray this can be a way he and his brother can learn to use this suffering to grow in grace.

But as their mother, I just can’t help being a little sad that my boys have to carry this cross.

Split Pea Soup

One of the most fulfilling kinds of cooking for my family is cooking a nice soup or stew. It’s so comforting especially in cold weather, usually frugal, fills the house with fragrant aroma, and an indication that my day at least has dinner planned and already on the stove — all very satisfying feelings.

Split Pea Soup is one of the comfort foods I had growing up, although some siblings wouldn’t touch the green liquid. But when I have a leftover ham bone, I have to decide whether it will be red beans and rice or Split Pea Soup. The latter won this week. Yum!

This can be the easiest meal ever. The peas do not need to be soaked, as do dried beans, so after rinsing, put all the ingredients together, bring to a boil, then simmer a few hours and the main portion of your meal is done.

I use Who’s Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux? by Marcelle Bienvenu as a basis for my recipe, although I add some changes. (I didn’t realize there’s a reprint in hardbound version. My paperback is worn and such an awkward size. I have to say replacing would be a temptation.)

Trader Joe’s sells a Mirepoix which saves that step of cutting and dicing the onions, carrots, and celery (the trinity in French cooking). It’s a luxury I’m glad I took since we’re under the weather here. My adapted version is below.

Split Pea Soup (serves 8-10)

1 pound dried split peas
1 ham bone, 2 ham hocks, or 2 cups diced ham (I didn’t have a large ham bone or lots of ham, so in the last step of adding the wine I added chopped kielbasa into the soup.)
3 quarts chicken broth and water (I use Imagine brand, 2 quarts broth, 1 quart water)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon ground thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and black pepper to taste
a few dashes Tabasco sauce
1 cup sherry or dry white wine

Put all ingredients (except wine/sherry) into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Add white wine or sherry (and sausage) and cook for another 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve.

Serve with crusty French bread, Southern biscuits, or cornbread, perhaps a salad to round it all off.

I enjoyed a leftover bowl for lunch. It always seems to be better the next day. My son likes to help in the kitchen, but his question every time we make this is “What happened to the peas?”

This is also what I will serve on Palm Sunday, as this is known as Car-Sunday or Carling Sunday. See the links below for more information.
Pease Porridge
Yellow Split Pea Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Our homeschool group hosted the parish Lenten Soup Supper last night. I volunteered to bring a pot of soup, knowing I could have control over the ingredients and this could be safe for my two sons. The recipe was originally from Paula Deen, but I adapted and tweaked a bit. My sisters raved and asked for the recipe, so I’m sharing it here. It’s a keeper, and will definitely be added to the rotation. The only thing that takes time is the peeling and chopping.

I doubled the recipe and saved some for dinner tonight, too.

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup celery, sliced
1-2 cups carrots, sliced (about 3-6 small)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 medium)
1 cup peas (optional)
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano (undrained)
32 oz. or more Chicken Broth (I use Imagine brand in a box)
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Grated Parmesan, optional

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Salt chicken to taste and add to the pot, cooking for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, (peas,) and chicken broth. Add more chicken broth if more liquid is needed for the soup. Add oregano and basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Top each serving with grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve with salad and bread.

Good Friday Meal

(This is a repost from 2007)

I ran into some friends (a married couple) one Friday this Lent and we started discussing what kinds of meatless meals we served in the family. Usually a Friday meant tuna fish, either tuna salad or tunafish casserole (with rice, not noodles). The husband is Italian, and his family grew up with beans and rice for Friday meals…but not the Louisiana Red Beans and Rice that I love to make, but an Italian version. I pestered for a recipe of sorts and made it this Good Friday.

Italian Rice and Beans

Marinara sauce (I followed Giada’s without the carrots
Cannellini Beans (canned is an option)
Rice

First you make the marinara sauce, let it simmer, then add cannellini or any other beans. If using canned, make sure you drain and rinse the beans well. Add some water or stock and let it simmer up to an hour. Season to taste as you go along. Don’t let it become too thick, add some liquid periodically.

Cook the rice separately (I use short grain), until it is about done, or al dente. Add the rice to the bean and tomato mixture. The rice will absorb the sauce so add near the end, close to serving.

This was so tasty. My only change would be to use dried beans instead of canned…or find another brand. The beans were a bit mealy, and I like them to be a bit firmer. But I know dried would require some extra steps and time.

Dried Beans Tips and Dried Beans 101 are good reference points for understanding beans.

Ash Wednesday Beans

I’m sharing our Ash Wednesday meatless fare. In our family we are meatless on Fridays and Ash Wednesday. I’m striving to add one more day of meatless meals during Lent (and perhaps throughout the year), aiming for a legume meal. Usually we do some kind of fish.

I need to get over my fear of beans. It can be easy to create a delicious meal without eggs, dairy or wheat. Vegan recipes have all sorts of ideas. I do worry of too much fume-producing meals, but once a week is not “too much.”

I found a recipe in Celebrating the Faith: Lent and Easter in the Christian Kitchen by Laurie Navar Gill and Teresa Zepeda. Mrs. Gill’s reasoning behind this dish: “This is a tasty dish, but in my opinion, canned black beans with their purplish liquid are fitting for this day of sackcloth and ashes.” She even slips a tiny teaspoon of ashes from the burned palms after it is all cooked. It doesn’t change the taste, but another Lenten reminder.

I highly recommend this cookbook, especially if you’ve got food allergies and can’t seem to find inspiring meatless meals that don’t incorporate cheese. But the cookbook has more than abstinent menuse. There are also other Lenten ideas, bread recipes, Holy Week and Easter Season recipes.

We found this meal tasty, and even better the next day, and I only made a few changes. The spices and veggies reminded me of tacos, so I served this with taco shells and brown rice. It serves 8, so next time I’ll cut down the portions for my family!

Black Beans and Rice

3 cans black beans
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup picante sauce
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
a few dashes Tabasco sauce
Cooked brown rice

In a family size skillet, heat olive oil and then saute carrots for 3 minutes. Add peppers, onions, garlic, celery, picante sauce, water, and spices, mix together and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse beans, add to skillet, cook 5 more minutes. Serve over rice and/or in taco shells.

Lenten Recipes

As the Christmas season comes to a close this Sunday, I start thinking ahead to Lent. I know there are weeks of Ordinary Time, but Ash Wednesday begins on the 25th of February, not too far away.

I’m always on the lookout for a meatless meal that is free of eggs, milk, and wheat so I can serve it for the whole family. The Washington Post Food Section on January 7 had a recipe that I thought I’d “clip” and try for this Lent:

Quick Brown Rice With Tuna and Green Beans

If you’ve been trying to work more whole grains into your weeknight meals, let Wednesdays be the place to start. Today’s retro-inspired skillet supper is the first of six consecutive recipes that will feature a different, quick-cooking whole grain.

Cookbook author Lorna Sass is sharing three recipes from her latest cookbook plus three whole-grain recipes exclusively for Post readers. She’s done much work in testing new whole-grain products and will provide that insight as well.

Instant brown rice is first up. Sass prefers using (Kraft) Minute brand, because it ends up with a better texture than other brands on the market, she says. Toasting the quick brown rice before steaming it enhances the grains’ flavor.

The recipe can be cut in half, but it’s best to use the same amount of oil (1/4 cup). Serve this surprisingly hearty main dish on its own or with a side salad. Leftovers taste great cold.

Ingredients:
• 12 to 16 ounces frozen cut green beans
• 1 1/2 medium red or yellow onions
• 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 6-ounce cans oil-packed tuna, oil reserved from 1 can
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder (do not use garlic salt)
• 2 cups (uncooked) instant brown rice, preferably Minute brand (see headnote)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups water, plus more as needed
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Place the green beans in a colander and run hot tap water over them to take the chill off and help separate any beans that are frozen together.

Coarsely chop the onions; there should be 1 1/2 to 2 cups. Coarsely chop the sun-dried tomatoes (no need to blot them dry).
Drain the oil from 1 of the cans of tuna into a large skillet; there should be about 1/4 cup total. Reserve the tuna; drain and discard the oil from the second can, reserving the tuna.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat, then add the onions, Italian seasoning blend and garlic powder, stirring to coat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Add the rice and mix to incorporate; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the rice has lightly browned. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook for about 20 seconds, stirring, until it evaporates.

Add the water and let the mixture come to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the defrosted green beans and the sun-dried tomatoes, mixing well, then cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the green beans and the rice are just tender. Uncover to stir occasionally; if the mixture seems dry add a few tablespoons of water as needed.

Add the tuna from both cans, flaking it with a fork as you work. Mix well and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Source:Adapted from Sass’s “Whole Grains for Busy People” (Clarkson Potter, 2009).

I like to buy from Trader Joe’s some frozen brown rice, that only takes 3 minutes to cook in the microwave, and dh and children love it. I also make brown rice cooked in chicken broth regularly. We have leftovers and easily incorporate them into other meals.

Not sure if the green beans will be a hit, but otherwise the recipe works in tuna and brown rice, some of our usual Lenten Friday choices.

Wash Day Dinner — Red Beans and Rice

(This is a repost from April 26, 2006)

My mother’s family came from New Orleans. Since Monday was “laundry day” it was traditional to have red beans and rice cooking on the stove. This is definitely a comfort food. When I have a leftover ham bone I’m always trying to decide what to make with it. The usual choices are split pea soup or red beans and rice. I know there are other recipes and could broaden my horizon, but I usually come back to these two again and again. Today’s not Monday, but it does seem to perpetually be Wash Day!

Serve over rice. Brown rice is our preferred type here. I cook mine in chicken broth, add olive oil and salt. I love the Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth. It’s the tastiest chicken broth on the market…homemade flavor.

Red Beans and Rice

1 meaty ham bone or ham hocks
1 pound dry red kidney beans
1 medium onion, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1/2-1 medium green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
Few dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil (butter if allowed)
8 cups (2 quarts) water
Brown rice (cooked)

Rinse beans, remove all foreign particles, and soak overnight covered with water or the quick soak method. See How to Cook Beans. Drain and rinse the beans and set aside.

In large pot, sauté onion, celery, garlic and green peppers until soft. Add water, ham bone, beans, spices. Simmer for about 3 hours. The beans should become creamy, but most stay whole. Before serving, remove bone and cut meat in bite sized pieces.

Meanwhile, cook rice. Serve with green salad and bread — French bread, Southern biscuits, but our family’s bread of choice is my aunt’s recipe, Cathey’s Corn Bread.

Cathey’s Corn Bread

(This is a repost from 2006. I’m transferring my recipes from my old blog, as I like to be able to have them in one place.)

For favorite comfort meals like red beans and rice and split pea soup, stews, chili, my aunt’s recipe for corn bread is our favorite. I’m posting the original recipe first, then my notes for a “safe” cornbread for my son.

Cathey’s Corn Bread

1 cup corn meal (white or yellow)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/2 stick butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (for glass pan, 450 for others). Grease a 9×9x2 pan or 12 muffin tins. Mix all ingredients except unmelted butter until all lumps are removed. Do not overmix. Pour into greased pan or muffin tins. Bake at 425 degrees about 20-25 minutes. Melt 1/2 stick butter or margarine on top after removing from oven.

Makes 12 muffins. (When doubling only use 6 teaspoons baking powder.)

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I’ve mentioned before that because my son is allergic to wheat, eggs and milk, baking is one of the more difficult areas to find just the right combinations. If you’re used to having breads with your meals, imagine how hard it would be without them.

My son calls it “special bread” and always loves it when I make something he can have. Recently I tried making these Basic Biscuits again. He was so excited…and then so disappointed. They just weren’t any good. He was so polite and just simply said “I don’t like these, Mommy.” I felt so bad that I couldn’t make something tasty for him.

A few days later, he came in to the office. “I’m sorry, I still don’t like them, Mommy.” I had some leftover biscuits in a plastic bag on the counter and he tasted them again. He later told Daddy at the table “I really wanted to like them!”

I was so happy that the next batch of “special bread” I made for him had better success. I have already posted this recipe as a side dish with Red Beans and Rice. The original recipe was from my Aunt Cathey, and a family favorite when I was growing up. I’ve tweaked the flour combinations again and liked this result in the muffins much better. And so did my son!

“Safe” Version of Cathey’s Corn Bread

1 cup corn meal (white or yellow)
1/4 cup corn flour
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup oat flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup melted margarine
1 cup soy milk or rice milk
1 Tbsp Egg Replacer with warm water
1 tsp. xanthum gum
1/2 tsp. soy lecithin
Safe margarine

Preheat oven to 425 degrees (for glass pan, 450 for others). Grease a 9×9x2 pan or 12 muffin tins. Mix all ingredients except unmelted margarine until all lumps are removed. Do not overmix. Pour into greased pan or muffin tins. Bake at 425 degrees about 20-25 minutes. Melt margarine on top after removing from oven.

Makes 12 muffins.

(When doubling only use 6 teaspoons baking powder.)

Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing Balls and Filling Balls

It wasn’t until I married that I was introduced to Stuffing or Filling Balls. I’ve never liked bread stuffing because it is so “mushy” in texture. With stuffing balls there is an element of crunch that has made me for the first time actually ask for “stuffing.” These recipes come from my mother-in-law. I prefer the first recipe.

My dh is from Altoona, Pennsylvania. The grocery stores during this time of year sell bagged cubed bread that has no spices. This is the step saver I use to make these balls. But I have to buy my cubes up in PA when we visit, as down in Virginia I haven’t found these items.

Old Fashioned Bread Stuffing Balls

1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup margarine or butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 cups dry bread cubes (make sure hard and crunchy)
3/4 cup chicken broth or water

Mix together all ingredients except broth. Add broth and form balls. Dry an hour or overnight. (You might want to double the butter and seasonings to make the balls stick together better.)

Bake at 20 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Filling Balls

1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 eggs, beaten
12 slices stale bread (if using premade bread cubes, handful for each slice of bread)

Dice bread, add onion, celery, eggs, butter salt and pepper. Mix baking powder in hot milk, mix with bread mixture. Form into balls, dry an hour or overnight.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Rice Dressing

Because of my son’s food allergies, we can’t use bread stuffing the turkey. Instead we make a Wild Rice dressing for inside the bird, and then I bring stuffing balls. Here’s my paternal grandmother’s Rice Dressing, with a note in the margin “Dad’s favorite for Thanksgiving”. I still can’t use this recipe, because it calls for eggs, but I wanted to make sure I kept it in a “safe place”.

Rice Dressing

2 cups cooked rice
2 large onions chopped fine
3 or 4 stalks celery chopped fine
1 green pepper chopped fine
Liver, gizzard, heart, chopped fine
½ cup butter
1 Tablespoon salt
1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 eggs
1 cup nuts (pecans) chopped
½ cup parsley
(Oysters & mushrooms if desired)

While rice is cooking, sauté onions, celery, pepper, liver, gizzard, heart in butter until cooked. Add seasoning & mix.

Beat eggs until frothy. Remove onion mixture from heat, add rice (here I add some liquid from the cooked giblets) fold in beaten eggs & mix thoroughly. Add nuts & parsley.

Stuff turkey or bake in buttered shallow casserole 30 minutes 350 degrees.