About two months ago, while we were on holidays in Ireland, I took my 3 1/2 yr old with me to the grocery store. He got very excited when he saw a picture of jam cookies on a packaged box and was mad about getting them. I explained that they had wheat, and that we couldn’t get them. He just pointed his finger at me and said exuberantly, “But YOU could MAKE them!” (more…)

When I heard there was a new choice in frozen treats for those of us who don’t eat/drink dairy products, boy was I excited. After all, this is National Ice Cream Month. I already make my own coconut milk frozen yogurt, but to be able to purchase already made coconut milk ice cream is a terrific option, and it’s even made with an alternative sugar — agave nectar. Pure Decadence is not rich — a characteristic you’ll either find “light and refreshing” or you may wish it were richer and creamier.

Our family celebrated National Ice Cream day by running a mini taste test on the new line of Pure Decadence non-dairy coconut ice creams. We looked at four flavors over two days: Coconut, Cookie Dough, Vanilla, and Chocolate. If you haven’t yet tried this brand, you may want to, it is a good alternative to soy and rice creams. (more…)

I waited until the last minute to get together something for my son’s Mother’s Day Tea Party. Wanting to make these cookies as healthy as possible by avoiding all sugars, even maple syrup, I decided to check out Pecanbread.com, a website devoted to helping folks following a Specific Carbohydrate Diet. There I found a handful of recipes. One in particular peaked my interest because I had all the ingredients for it on hand. This was my first attempt to bake cookies without any flour or sugar and I was very surprised at the results. The kids loved them, and for anyone not familiar with the SCD diet, as it is often referred as, this recipe is gluten-free, corn-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and Feingold approved. Oh, and one last thing I forgot to mention–delicious! (more…)

We like to make oatmeal once a week, now that we’ve been gluten-free for a year. There is a lot of controversy on the use of oats in a gluten-free diet, but several new studies have proved that as long as the oats are Elisa batch tested and are certifiably free from cross-contamination they are perfectly fine for celiacs.

Today there are several companies offering gluten-free oats in both Canada and the States, so do check out whether or not your local grocer would be willing to carry one or more brands for you. This dish is great for a weeknight. Yes, you heard me right. I said weeknight. Just simply dump all the ingredients into a 2 quart slow cooker just before you go to bed; set it on low and in the morning your breakfast is ready. This is the favorite breakfast dish in our house.

Our version is naturally corn-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. (more…)

If you’re avoiding dairy it’s not too hard to find a substitute since there are so many fine choices out there — various nut milks, soy milks, as well as rice milks. Most people gravitate toward nut milks and soy milks when they need to substitute for whole milk or cream in a recipe. But what do you do if you’re avoiding soy? The thickest of the milk substitutes, soy is a handy go to for the dairy-free baker. It’s the staple product in nearly all non-dairy frozen goodies. Let’s face it, no soy means no Tofutti Cuties! (more…)

Potato Leek soup seemed like a good idea when I saw leeks on sale this morning at the store. I’ve never attempted it before but we’re in the middle of a cold spell with more snow planned. I knew I wanted a nice hot soup after the boots, hats and mittens come off. I loosely modeled this leek soup after Emeril’s version. It is spicy, but I completely left out the dairy and instead added more of everything else. In the end I had a 2 quart slow cooker brimming with a delicious soup that took only 1/2 hour to throw together and about 3 hours to simmer. The kids loved it, and so I thought I would add this one to the collection. It is gluten, corn, soy, egg, and dairy-free.

(more…)

This is an easy Dutch oven dish for the busy cook, I promise you. But it does need time to simmer, so it is better suited for a day when you are not pinched for time. Thanks to the folks at Eden Foods, this version of everyone’s family favorite is suitable for corn-allergy sufferers as the signature sauce does not contain citric acid.

Our Cacciatore takes only 10 minutes to prepare and about 2 1/2 hours to simmer on the stove top. It can be placed in a crockpot too if you want more freedom to pop out and go shopping after it is prepared. This Cacciatore is a flavorful meal that is gluten, corn, and dairy-free. (more…)

Here’s another family recipe that is perfect for the holidays. This is a simple recipe that takes 10 minutes to prepare and cooks for 2 1/2 hours in the crockpot on high. It is so easy that your kids can help you with it, and once it is in the pot and cooking you don’t need to worry about a thing, there is no need to watch it or stir. Allergy sufferers need not worry either, because this dish is naturally gluten-free, corn and dairy-free. Made with apples, our Crockpot Cranberry Sauce is a bit sweeter than most, making it a favorite for little eaters. (more…)

Before we found our household on a restricted diet one of our favorite things to do was go out to Sunday breakfast. This recipe is almost as good for the busy allergy-friendly cook who almost never gets time away from the kitchen. The dish can actually be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator. Who ever is the first one up in the morning just takes it out and preheats the oven.

This dish is gluten and corn-free, Feingold friendly, and casein-free. Serves 6. (more…)

Meatloaves are great when you have a young family with little kids. They are a quick and easy way to get your tots to eat meat without coddling or coaxing them to bite, chew, and swallow. This meatloaf is firm, yet tender. It stays together nicely when sliced (without having to use a wheat or oat flour filler) and is also quite tasty. Your kids will love it, and they won’t be reaching for the ketchup bottle, either. This recipe is gluten-free, corn-free, and Dairy-free. Serves six. (more…)