Taking A Break From Multiple Food Allergies…The Plan

As busy parents of two teenage boys with multiple food allergies (dairy, eggs, beef, lamb, sesame, peanut/tree nuts, fish, shellfish, mustard and raspberries)…my husband and I look forward to our Victoria Weekend Getaway…a time to recharge, reconnect and to be honest… take a break from food allergies.

Re-connecting as a couple is very important to me. I tend to get lost in my roles of housewife, mother, and caregiver of two boys with multiple food allergies…sometimes, the relationship that started it all gets pushed to the side….forgotten.

Food allergies and cross-contamination issues are a main focus in our house. Getting away…gives my husband and I the chance to focus on…just us!

Before my husband and I headed off on our trip…there were a few things to take care of:

1)  Making sure Nana had the weekend free to spend time with her grandsons. My mother has also been trained to use the new auto-injector, Allerject, the boys now carry.
2)  Set an allergy free menu for the weekend…my mother is also aware of the ’safe pots and pans’ to use for cooking the boys’ meals…as are the boys themselves.
3)  Grocery shop for allergen free foods to stock the house…bake any allergy free treats…fresh fruit for snacks and dessert. The boys could, if need be, walk to the grocery store for anything I have forgotten or they need.

Luckily, Nana was available for this years Victoria Weekend Getaway. As Nana loves to golf…Saturday they all went for a round of 9 holes. The boys spent the rest of the beautiful long weekend outside playing road hockey or basketball with their neighbourhood friends while Nana attacked all my overgrown bushes and vines in the garden. Thanks Mom!

  Menu Plan

-  Friday Dinner:  Homemade Pizza

Friday night dinners in our house are well-known…homemade pizza. Our family has been making these for years now…so the boys have learned how to make their own pizzas…much to the delight of my mother, as homemade pizza is not in her repertoire.

I left the dough to come on in the bread machine, the homemade sauce was left to thaw, the boys are able to retrieve their own pizza stones and mozzarella cheese, Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds, mushrooms, onions, bacon and ham were all available for their favourite topping combinations. Click here for my post on pizza night.

-  Saturday Dinner:  Ribs, Rice and Corn

Saturday night dinners are also routine…the boys love their Saturday Night Ribs, Rice and Corn. My mom is well versed in cooking the ribs on the stove (it’s her recipe)…while Michael has perfected his barbecuing skills. Click here for my post on our ribs.

The ribs were left to thaw…while the rice and sauce are staples in our house.

-  Sunday Dinner:  Rotisserie Chicken, Rice and Broccoli

Sunday night’s dinner was one of the boys’ favourite quick dinners…rotisserie chicken from our local grocery store. With some rice and steamed broccoli…it makes for an easy meal for Nana and the boys to put together for themselves.
Note: some grocery stores have allergy alert warnings for their rotisserie chicken…make sure you enquire about the grocery stores specific spices that they use (mustard allergy) and any cross-contamination issues with food allergens before you purchase.

-  Monday Dinner:  Thick Pork Chops, Rice and Peas

Nana picked up some lovely thick pork chops for the boys. Andy and I were home in time to treat Nana to Monday’s dinner. The boys enjoyed their dinner while Andy pulled out some shrimp from the freezer to marinade in his homemade spicy garlic, cilantro and lime marinade, while I made a pasta dish with extra-virgin olive oil, fresh chives and oregano from the garden and steamed asparagus. Nana was able to put up her feet and relax with a glass of Niagara wine and cheeses. Thanks Mom!

Even though I try to leave the house well-stocked with allergy friendly food for the boys…they still managed to eat me out of house and home! Especially, the batch of Dairy, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Rice Krispie Squares! It has been a week of catching up after being away…hence, the lack of posts this week.

Our Victoria Weekend Getaway

Andy and I enjoyed a beautiful Victoria Weekend Getaway in beautiful Niagara-On-The-Lake… biking along the Welland Canal .

There is a great path that follows the canal from Lock 1 to Lock 7, to Thorald. Yes, we rode it right to the end!  On our way to Port Dalhousie for lunch…Andy’s tire literally blew up! Thank goodness for Canadian Tire…Andy had it changed in no time.

The next day we rode the beautiful scenic ride along the Niagara Parkway to Niagara Falls.

Along the Niagara Parkway route, we love to stop at Brock Monument and of course…Niagara Parks Floral Clock.

But it is Niagara Falls itself that really takes one’s breath away!

Niagara Falls never ceases to amaze me!

How do you keep your relationship in check when food allergies take centre stage? How do you find a balance?

P.S. Would you believe…the next day, the very same tire went flat for Andy…thankfully, at the end of our road trip! Makes for a great story!

Empowering Our Youth With Food Allergies

Powerful words…

Tip # 4:  “Sometimes we make mistakes but please don’t lose trust in us.  Encourage us and have faith in that we will learn from our mistakes.”

Tip # 12:   ”Give us knowledge to empower us for tomorrow.”

I have really been taking Anaphylaxis Canada’s Youth Advisory Council’s 31 Tips for parents with allergic youth to heart…I have two boys in their teens with multiple food allergies.

I can’t stop thinking that my eldest son, Michael, in Grade 11, with multiple food allergies…dairy, egg, beef, lamb, sesame, peanut/tree nuts, fish, shellfish, mustard and raspberries…will be leaving home soon to start his own journey in life with food allergies.

Every day I read a new tip…each day I wonder…have I prepared him to be independent…have I taught him to be his own advocate…does he feel empowered?

Questions all parents ask of themselves when their children reach that certain age…however, having multiple food allergies adds another element of responsibility on the part of the parents and their children.

How does a parent with a child/children with multiple food allergies successfully pass the torch…teach their children to be advocates for themselves…empower them?

Life is all about choices…as parents, we make all the choices for our children but as they grow and mature, there are always opportunities to give our children the chance to take some risks and make some choices.

Isn’t that what growing up is all about…taking risks and learning from them?

Living with multiple food allergies adds another dimension to the risk taking that tends to immobilize us as parents…we understand full well the stakes are much higher when confronted with multiple food allergies.

How, as parents, do we rationalize this reality…while at the same time give our children the opportunity to learn from their mistakes?

I am not an expert…just a parent of two teenagers with multiple food allergies…looking for answers just as much as the next parent with children with food allergies.

I know as a parent with children with multiple food allergies, eczema and asthma issues…my husband and I have made our fair share of mistakes. I have a very large back-pack of guilt that topples me over from time to time.  I have to constantly remind myself…there is no use going back…only forward.

My husband and my mistakes are the templates from which we learn and teach our children with food allergies from…I am forever telling my boys…

“I may not always like the choices that you make but I will always love you.”

I am currently trying to put together all my thoughts, tips, words of wisdom, adapted recipes and experiences as a parent of children with food allergies together. I am hoping to create something that my boys and youth with food allergies can take away with them on the day they head off into the big wide world.

What types of questions cross your mind?

What do the allergic youth of today need in order for them to feel empowered as they leave home for the first time?

I would greatly appreciate your input as parents of children with food allergies, youth with food allergies and parents and youth with food allergies that have already been through these experiences.

Youth with food allergies are uniting…let’s join them!

Please leave a comment or email me at my new address: susan@thefoodallergychronicles.com

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Mini Lemon Bread

Growing up, Lemon Bread was another one of my favourite desserts my mother would bake for my brother and I. Up until now…I have tried to adapt her recipe to re-create this lemony treat to no avail.

I haven’t enjoyed a slice of Lemon Bread in years…my eldest son has a dairy and egg allergy…I really, really could not get Lemon Bread off my mind. I was determined to figure this one out for Mother’s Day.

I decided to take my own advice…I listened to the words I repeat to my boys over and over again…”Use what you know to figure out that which you do not know.”…and by jove, it worked!

I know Michael loves my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Vanilla Cupcakes…(click here for my original post) so, I just added the zest from a lemon to the batter…brushed it with a lemon sugar glaze while still warm from the oven…then drizzled it with a lemon icing.

Et voila…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Mini Lemon Bread

A decadent lemony treat…topped with a lemon sugar glaze and lemon icing!

The boys were ‘head over heels’ in love with this recipe…all the adults loved it too. My mother-in-law even had a second piece…so I sent her home with her very own loaf!

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Mini Lemon Bread

Ingredients for 2 Mini Loaves, 12 cupcakes or 24 mini cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup Natur-a Rice Beverage or Natur-a Soy Beverage
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 tbsp. water
zest from one lemon

Sugar Glaze
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp. lemon juice

Lemon Icing
Add enough icing sugar to leftover lemon juice to form an icing to drizzle over the top.

Directions
Spray 2 mini loaf pans with canola oil and dust with unbleached all -purpose flour.
In a large bowl, measure all the dry ingredients, including the lemon zest.
In another bowl, measure all the wet ingredients.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.
Divide batter evenly between the 2 mini loaf pans.
Bake 375 F for 30-35 minutes or until tester comes out clean in centre of the loaf.
Poke holes in loaves while still in their pans and brush some of the sugar glaze over top of the 2 loaves. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Remove loaves from pans on to cooling rack and brush remaining sugar glaze over the 2 loaves. Let cool completely.
Once cooled, drizzle lemon icing over the top of each loaf.
Slice and serve.

Enjoy!

The combination of a slice of Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Lemon Bread with a side of fresh strawberries…heavenly!

Just like my mom used to bake…priceless!

Comforting childhood favourite food memories is what I hope to incorporate in my boys’ lives…despite their food allergies.

Re-creating my childhood favourites has become my obsession. I am slowly baking my way through them…I have yet to tackle cheesecake, lemon meringue pie and coffee cake…and yet to share my adapted recipe for Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Butter Tarts.

P.S. For Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Lemon Cupcakes…fill 12 paper-lined or silicone lined muffin tins with batter and bake 20-25 minutes…poke holes in the tops of the cupcakes and brush with Sugar Glaze, when cooled, drizzle with Lemon Icing.  Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Mini Lemon Cupcakes take 12 minutes…follow directions as above for the sugar Glaze and Lemon Icing.

P.P.S. To keep the loaves fresh…I like to wrap my loaves in wax paper then in foil. Sliced Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Lemon Bread could be sliced and frozen for another time…if there is any left!

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Apricot Oatmeal Muffins

The muffin for today’s Allergy Friendly Muffin Monday was chosen especially for my Mother’s Day breakfast.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Apricot Oatmeal Muffins

Full of oats, bran and plump apricots…perfect with a cup of tea!

I have been holding on to this recipe for awhile…waiting for the perfect time to give them a try…Mother’s Day breakfast was ideal. This recipe is from the June 2002 issue of Canadian Living Magazine. Click here for the original recipe.

Adaptions:

1)  I replaced the buttermilk with 1 cup of Natur-a Rice Beverage or Natur-a Soy Beverage mixed with 1 tbsp. white vinegar left to set while I measured the rest of my ingredients.
2) I replaced the egg with a flax egg…1 tbsp. of flax meal mixed with 3 tbsp. water and left in the refrigerator over night or until it thickens.
Update:  3) I added 1 tsp pure vanilla to the wet ingredients.

Thanks to a reminder from Candace…I baked the Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Apricot Oatmeal Muffins in my silicone muffin cups instead of paper. The muffins popped out perfectly.

Enjoy!

I think next time…a touch of ginger would be a nice addition. In the meantime, a drizzle of local honey was the finishing touch.

I packaged up a few Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Apricot Oatmeal Muffins for my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day…she was quite pleased.

Don’t worry mom…I have popped a few in the freezer for your next visit.

P.S. Go Leafs Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free ‘Scream/Dream Bars’

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month in Canada and Sunday is Mother’s Day…this post aims to honour them both.

As a mother with two teenaged boys with multiple food allergies…Anaphylaxis Canada’s Youth Advisory Panel’s (YAP) 31 Tips for Parents - From Teens (click here) has encouraged me to learn more about what allergic youth of today need. To do so,  I have been visiting their site…Why Risk It?…Where Real Life And Allergies Collide.

Why Risk It? is a great site for allergic youth to learn more about how their peers with food allergies are living/coping/dealing with their food allergies through real life stories of their own.

With two teenaged boys with multiple food allergies in the house…forever on the look-out for something tasty to eat…I was curious to check out the recipes on the Why Risk It? Blog.

I must say…I was a bit disappointed to find only 3 recipes. Out of the 3 recipes, only one stood out…I love a recipe with a good story.

The post was written by Arianne. Due to Arianne’s peanut/tree nut allergies and her brother’s egg allergies…Halloween treats were off limits at her house. Lucky for Arianne and her brother, her mother learned to make special allergen friendly Halloween treats, such as Scream Bars, for her and her brother to enjoy so they would not feel left out.

Arianne states, “To this day, I still use her recipes and praise her every second that I get for helping me and my brother to truly feel the Halloween spirit.”

Click here for the original story and recipe.

I have adapted Arianne’s, already egg and peanut/tree nut free recipe, to be dairy free to accommodate my eldest son’s dairy allergy.

Adaptions and Recommendations:

1) Replace the 1/2 cup butter with Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread for a soy free version.
2) Cream the room temperature Earth Balance before adding the brown sugar…cream them together before adding the flour.
3)  Measure all the dry ingredients, excluding the coconut and rice krispies, in a large bowl.
4)  I used Adrianne’s 2 egg replacement: I measured 4 tbsp. of warm water in a little dish…just before I was to add it to the mixed dry ingredients, I added the 1 tbsp. of baking powder. I stirred it all together while it fizzed then quickly added it to the dry ingredients to combine. I then added the coconut and rice krispies.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Dream Bars

A sweet, crunchy, decadent treat!

Matthew found them…“Nice and crunchy with a powerful chocolatey taste.”

As Mother’s Day is this Sunday…I would like to take the time to thank my mother for encouraging me to help in the kitchen…she gave me the skills I needed to be creative in the kitchen, instilled in me a love for good ‘real’ food, and sent me off into the world with a pleather of great recipes…many of which I have adapted to share with my family today.

As a mother myself…I hope I can do the same for my boys.

On that note, I would like to wish all the mother’s out there with children, family members and/or friends with food allergies…here’s to you and all that you do…

HAPPY MOTHER”S DAY!

May Is Food Allergy Awareness Month In Canada

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month in Canada.

Anaphylaxis Canada is encouraging us all to “get involved and make a difference in your community.” Click here for a link to their website for a list of this month’s events.

I recently received an email from Anaphylaxis Canada with a link to a very important public service announcement for anyone with children…especially teenagers.

Anaphylaxis Canada encourages us all to ‘spread the word’ through email or social media…without further ado, click here to view “The First Kiss”.

As a mother of two boys in their teens…I very much appreciated this video as an ice-breaker.

Another email from Anaphylaxis Canada brought to my attention Anaphylaxis Canada’s Youth Advisory Panel (YAP)…a group of youths with food allergies. Throughout Food Allergy Awareness Month, the youth members will share their tips for parents of allergic youth.

The list of 31 tips encourages parents with children with food allergies to…“prepare them to become responsible for their own allergies.”

What I love the most about this list of 31 tips is all 31 tips were written by youths with food allergies. Photos of youths holding up their tips will be posted daily on Anaphylaxis Canada’s Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest accounts or click here to view the list at Why Risk It?

Real tips from real youth…love it!

Here is my favourite youth tip so far from Day 5: 

     “We can only be empowered…IF you give us the power
to manage our allergies on our own.”

Great advice…I am a work in progress.

I plan to sit down with my boys every day of Food Allergy Awareness Month to discuss the ‘Youth Tip of the Day’…I am hoping that by exposing my boys to tips from other youths with food allergies…my boys will come up with a few of their own.

I am extremely impressed with Anaphylaxis Canada’s Youth Advisory Panel’s venture…giving allergic youth a voice. I hope it helps parents of allergic youth open their eyes and ears…take notice and listen.

It worked for me.

Click here for a link to Why Risk It…a site for Canadian youth at risk for Anaphylaxis for more information.

How will you contribute to Food Allergy Awareness Month in Canada?

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Muffins

Todays Allergy Friendly Muffin Monday is an attempt to entice my boys to try one of my healthier muffins, scaled down…whole-wheat/bran muffins filled with fibre do not tempt them.

Hence, this weeks muffin is a reconfiguration of last Monday’s Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Lemon Raspberry  Mini Muffins. Click here for the link.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Muffins

Andy loved them…Matthew liked them…I preferred the heartier version of the whole-wheat flour and oatmeal combo…MIchael has yet to try them…it’s the oats that is putting him off.

It can be such a hard balance…trying to please each of their individual palates, yet, at the same time, creating a healthy snack.

I kept the ingredients simple…unbleached all-purpose flour, quick oats, brown sugar, rice milk, egg replacement…to highlight the star of these muffins…frozen wild blueberries.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Wild Blueberry Muffins

Dry Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup quick oats
1 cup demerrera sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Wet Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Natur-a Rice Beverage or Natur-a Soy Beverage mixed with 1 tbsp. white vinegar…let rest while measuring ingredients.
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/3 cup canola oil

Add In
1 cup frozen wild blueberries

Topping
whole oats and frozen wild blueberries

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
In another bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
Gently stir in the frozen blueberries into the dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to dry and continue to gently stir until just combined.
Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups.
Top with a sprinkling of whole oats and 3 frozen blueberries on top of each muffin.
Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are golden on the edges.
Let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning out to continue to cool.

Enjoy!

Just look at all those yummy wild blueberries!

Variations:
For a lemon blueberry version…add 1 tbsp. of lemon zest to the dry ingredients.
For a cinnamon blueberry version…add 1 tsp of cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
For a gluten-free version…replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free oats.

How do you manage to create healthy allergen friendly options to please your individual family members?

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bars

My neighbour and friend, Leslie, is one busy mom…with two of her children in competitive swimming, one of them in rep soccer and a third child in karate….her schedule is all over the place.

Leslie was happy to share with me a recipe that her children enjoy as a snack to tide them over between meals when they are on the run. She hoped it might be something my boys would enjoy too.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bars

Oats, whole-wheat, wheat-germ, topped with a rich chocolate coating…one hardly notices these are full of fibre! Matthew loved them!

This recipe was passed on to Leslie from a long-time friend whose children love them. Surprisingly, her friend named these Brownies…an odd choice as they are nothing like Brownies.

I hand delivered samples of my version of Leslie’s Oatmeal Bars…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Oatmeal Bars…to Leslie’s house. Her children were very excited to try them…their expert opinion…“Just like yours mom.”

A trip up the street to my other friend, Linda’s house where more samples of Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bars were delivered. I am happy to report they were deemed…‘delicious’.

I am always pleased when I can adapt a recipe to be allergy friendly for my boys and at the same time be enjoyed by both adults and children without food allergies.

In my eyes…that is what I call a success!

This recipe was easy to adapt…I switched the butter/margarine to Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or for a soy-free version use Earth Balance Soy Free Natural Buttery Spread, the egg to 1/2 tsp baking soda and 2 tbsp. water and I used Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bars

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ or natural bran (I used wheat germ)
1 cup quick oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup demerera sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks or Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp pure vanilla

Topping

1/2-3/4 cups Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips or Chocolate Chunks

In a large bowl, cream the sugar and Earth Balance of your choice.
Add the water and vanilla.
In another bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
Combine the dry with the creamed ingredient mixture.
Pat into a 9 by 13 greased pan.
Bake at 375 F for 15-20 minutes or until the edges are golden.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top and let sit for 5 minutes.
Spread the melted chocolate to cover the top of the oatmeal bars.
Let cool completely…will crumble if you cut it while still warm.

Enjoy!

Tip 1:  Leslie’s daughter enjoys her Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bar warmed up in the microwave…her son Alex offers it up for dessert with a scoop of ice cream…while Evan, I believe he eats it anyway he can!

Tip 2:  I like to ‘tweak’ recipes…Here is my updated even healthier version of Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Covered Oatmeal Bars…Oatmeal and Chocolate with a touch of cinnamon…yummy!

1)  Use an equal amount of canola oil for the Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks.
2)  Use a flax egg (1 tbsp. flax meal mixed with 3 tbsp. water and let rest in the refrigerator while you put together the rest of the ingredients) and add to the oil and sugar mixture.
3) Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
4) Reduce baking soda to 1/2 tsp and omit the 2 tbsp. water.

I dropped off samples at Leslie’s house…what would her children make of the change?  They loved them both!

If you are looking for an Oatmeal Bar…bake the original version. For more of an Oatmeal Cookie…bake the updated version.

I happen to prefer the cookie version better…which would you prefer?

Asparagus With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Spring is in the air…that means asparagus season in Ontario is just around the corner.

I planted a line of asparagus crowns in our vegetable garden last season…so exciting to see some of it survived!

Here is a recipe to have on hand when your local asparagus arrives.

Asparagus With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Beautiful in colour, texture and taste.

My mother reminded me of this recipe when I was visiting her this past weekend. She was invited to her friends for Sunday dinner…the vegetable and dessert were her contribution.

Saturday, she made the roasted red pepper sauce…Sunday she simply needed to cook the asparagus and serve with the re-heated roasted red pepper sauce. A simple fresh fruit salad marinated in 2 capfuls of Cointreau was easy to assemble, transport and enjoy at the end of the meal. How decadent!

This recipe comes from Canadian Cookbook Author, Anne Lindsay’s Smart Cooking Cookbook. I have Anne Lindsay’s cookbook, Anne Lindsay’s Light Kitchen.

On the back cover it states, “Anne Lindsay’s first cookbook, Smart Cooking, changed the way we thought about eating:  suddenly, healthy food was fun to make, delicious to eat and easy on the budget! Canadian families have never looked back.”

I have to agree…I have enjoyed many a recipe from Anne Lindsay’s cookbooks…this recipe being one of them.

Asparagus With Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

2 large red peppers
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp crushed dried thyme leaves
Freshly ground pepper
2 lb asparagus (I used one bunch)

Roast red peppers on a baking sheet at 375 F for 18 minutes.
Turn over and roast a further 18-20 minutes…or until the peppers are blistered and soft. Let cool.
Peel outer skin…it should slip off easily…discarding seeds and any liquid.
Combine roasted peppers, oil, thyme and pepper in a food processor and puree.
Set aside. (may be stored in the refrigerator and re-heated at a later time)
Wash asparagus and break off the tough ends.
Bring a pot of water to the boil…add asparagus and simmer 5-8 minutes or until asparagus is tender/crisp…drain. (I steamed mine)
Arrange asparagus on a plate and drizzle with heated Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Tip: Any leftover Roasted Red Pepper Sauce may be stored in the refrigerator.

I enjoyed some of the reserved sauce over my steamed green beans tonight with my rainbow trout and quinoa.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Lemon Raspberry Mini Muffins

This Sunday morning I had the pleasure of baking my Allergy Friendly Monday Muffins at my mother’s house.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Lemon Raspberry Mini Muffins

My mother and I love the flavour combination of lemons and raspberries…combined with whole-wheat and oatmeal in a mini muffin…yes please!

While out grocery shopping for our evening meal on Saturday…my mother spied a mini muffin tin…the inspiration for the mini muffin version.

Mini muffins make the perfect mini snack…especially for my mother who watches her carbohydrate intake due to her being a Type 1 Diabetic.

This recipe was adapted from the March 2000 edition of Canadian Living Magazine.

Adaptions for this recipe include:

1)  Replace 1 1/4 cups of buttermilk with 1 1/4 cups Natur-a Rice Beverage or Natur-a Soy Beverage mixed with 1 tbsp. white vinegar…let rest while you measure the ingredients.
2)  Replace the 2 eggs with 1 tbsp. flaxmeal mixed with 3 tbsp. water…let rest over night in the refrigerator (or in the refrigerator as you measure the rest of the ingredients), increase baking soda to 1 1/2 tsp (add to dry ingredients) and add 2 tbsp. of water to the wet ingredients.
3)  I replaced the all-purpose flour to whole-wheat flour to increase the fibre.
4)  I sprinkled the tops with large flake oats and topped each with a fresh raspberry.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Lemon Raspberry Mini Muffins

Dry Ingredients

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup packed Demerara Sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup quick oats
1 tbsp. lemon zest

Wet Ingredients

1 1/4 cups Natur-a Rice Beverage or Natur-a Soy Beverage mixed with 1 tbsp. of white vinegar…let rest
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tbsp. flaxmeal mixed with 3 tbsp. of water (refrigerate overnight or until it thickens)
2 tbsp. water
1 tsp pure vanilla
3/4 cup frozen raspberries

Topping

24 fresh raspberries plus more for any regular muffins
whole oats

In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, mix together all the wet ingredients…excluding frozen raspberries.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to just combine…gently stir in the frozen raspberries.
Spoon batter into mini muffin tin…sprinkle with whole oats and top with a fresh raspberry.

Tip: I was able to bake 24 mini muffins and 5 regular sized muffins. (bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes)

Bake at 375 F for 10-15 minutes.
Let cool on cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning out on cooling rack.

Enjoy!

P.S. On my drive home from my visit to my mom…I stopped in to see Carla @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily. I thought her daughter’s would enjoy a basket of my freshly baked Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Oatmeal Lemon Raspberry Mini Muffins.

P.P.S. Carla @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily’s posted a draw (click here for the story) to support the Brain Tumour  Foundation of Canada in support of Joanna @ That Thing I Made‘s friend, Jen, who has a brain tumour.  

The winner of the draw wanted Jen to have the beautiful tote bag that Carla made, along with a book, so I have brought it home to give to Joanna to pass on to Jen.