‘Twas The Day Before An Allergy Friendly Christmas’

‘Twas the day before an allergy friendly Christmas and all through the house, my boys have been itching for todays great excitement…the imminent arrival of my brother, sister-in-law and nephews arrive! My boys are ‘over the moon’ excited!

‘The stockings have been hung by the chimney with care…in the hopes that their cousins would soon be here!’

Estimated time of arrival…before lunch! I better get busy…there is still the prepping of the Dairy, Egg, Beef and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Stuffing for our grand farm fresh turkey, baking Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Banana Bundt Cake and the ‘piece de resistance’ for our Chrismas Day dessert…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log.

The boys have had ‘visions of Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men and Sugar Cookies dancing in their heads.’

Good thing all my allergen friendly christmas cookie baking is complete.

‘When out from Michael’s room I hear a faint hoarse whisper…I sprang to his room to see what was the matter.’

‘Away to the walk-in doctor’s we flew in a flash (7 more patients and they were closing)…Sat there for 3 hours, a chest infection the cause.’

‘Now Nana, now Matthew, now Andy and me…to the grocery store, empty the recycling, pick up the turkey, get the house cleaned and start a batch of  Homemade Chicken Soup.’

‘Now dash away…dash away…dash away all!’

“As I spring to the kitchen, to set the timer to whistle!…I exclaim…as I start with my next recipe…’A Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.’”

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from our family to yours this holiday season!

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Sugar Cookies Are A Hit!

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Sugar Cookies represented Matthew’s Scottish heritage…my father’s side of the family…for his contribution to his geography class’s Cultural.

Packaged in an old St. Michael’s Scottish Shortbread tin…they were a huge hit!

Matthew and I spent an evening ‘painting’ melted Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips on half of the Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Sugar Cookies. Click here for the recipe.

While we waited for the chocolate to dry…Matthew helped me bake the other half of the Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Sugar Cookie dough into his favourite Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Chip Snowballs!

Rolling them in icing sugar while they are still warm…they cooled alongside the drying chocolate.

Tomorrow is all about Gingerbread Men… Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread dough is all made and resting in the fridge ready to be rolled, cut out and baked into various holiday treats! Click here for the recipe.

How is your allergy free holiday baking coming along?

Busy Baking For An Allergy Friendly 2012 Christmas

As much as I am enjoying adapting and baking along with The Toronto Star’s 2012 Cookie Calendar Countdown…it is time I started baking and stocking up on some of my family’s most requested allergy friendly baking for Christmas.

Michael has long finished his favourite…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men and just the other week, Matthew put in his two cents worth of hinting, “I think it is time for Chocolate Chip Snowball Cookies.”…he is right.

Today I will be busy baking up some Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Sugar Cookies for Matthew’s Geography class…each student is to bring in a food representing a part of their culture…a shortbread cookie represents Matthew’s Scottish heritage on my father’s side. (The teacher has requested that all food be peanut/tree nut free…however, due to cross-contamination issues, Matthew does not feel comfortable eating any of the treats his friends will be bringing in for the lunch. He will be bringing his own lunch.)

I will use half the batter to bake the Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Sugar Cookie cut outs dipped in chocolate (melted Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips)…while the other half will have Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips added to the batter to be baked into Matthew’s favourite cookie…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Chip Snowballs.

Next on my list of baking…the over ripened bananas. Perfect for everyone’s favourite Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Banana Bundt Cake and Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Banana Bran Muffins . Both will satisfy all the hungry eaters I will have over the Christmas holidays. (Muffins can be frozen and then reheated in the microwave for a quick snack or addition to breakfast.)

I am hosting our family’s Allergy Friendly Christmas Dinner this year…although it is a lot of prep and work…I relish the thought of doing it all in my own kitchen, with my own kitchen supplies, and minus the travelling.

I hope to bake my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log for our Christmas dessert…if time runs out, I can always pick up a frozen Guardian Angel Chocolate Yule Log at my local Metro which is free of peanut/tree nuts, dairy and eggs.

I hope to post photos along the way…stay tuned!

How are your plans for an allergy free holidays going this season?

Merry Christmas!

The Toronto Star 2012 Cookie Calendar Countdown: Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Shortbread Cookies

The Toronto Star’s 2012 Day 16 Cookie for the Cookie Calendar Countdown is no ordinary Shortbread Cookie…this recipe has a heritage.

Not only was Cathy Kehoe’s grandmother, Mary Ethyl Hare, creator of this Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie but she was also the Private Secretary to R.S. McLaughlan, founder of General Motors. As I live in a neighbouring city of General Motors Canada…I felt it was fitting to whip up a batch. Click here for the original recipe at The Toronto Star.

Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Shortbread Cookies

I enjoyed the caramel taste the brown sugar lends to the cookie. I also prefer my shortbread to be a little more browned than most…just like my mom…so I made sure to bake some a little longer.

I adapted the recipe to be dairy free by replacing the butter with Earth Balance Buttery Vegan Sticks (for a soy free recipe use Earth Balance Soy Free Natural Buttery Spread). I cut the recipe in half and found that I needed to up the temperature to 350 F in order to bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes…depending on the size of the cut out and the thickness of the dough.  (Not sure if it was a misprint to preheat the oven and bake the cookies at 300 F)

I hope you are all enjoying my adaptations…any favourites so far?

The Toronto Star’s Day 12 Cookie Calendar Countdown: Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free ‘Sugar Plum Oat Fairy Cookies’

I was sooo excited to see The Toronto Star’s Day 12 Cookie Calendar Countdown Cookie…Jae Steele’s Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies…a cookie that was already dairy and egg free!

Love the name…’Sugar Plum Fairy Cookies’…plum jam is one of my favourites!

I knew this was a cookie I definitely wanted to try. Click here for the original recipe from The Toronto Star.

Unfortunately, I had forgotten how hard it would be to find brown rice flour let alone find one that was free of my son’s allergens…dairy, egg, sesame and peanut/tree nuts. I had no such luck…so I opted for oat flour.

Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free ‘Sugar Plum Oat Fairy Cookies’

Combining three of my favourite flavours…cinnamon, oats and plum jam…I loved them!

In the end, I did need to adapt Jae’s recipe…I needed to increase the oat flour to 2 1/2 cups…it was still a bit wet and sticky but much more easily manageable. I also switched the nutmeg to ground ginger as a personal preference. I baked the cookies for 10 minutes, then indented them with my thumb and added the 1/2 tsp of plum jam and baked them for a further 6-8 minutes. I baked half the recipe at 350 F in the same manner as the above with similar results.

Who does not love the combination of cinnamon, oats and chocolate!

Try sprinkling in Enjoy Life’s Chocolate Chips for a kid friendly option!

Tip 1: For those that can tolerate wheat free oats…I found Chateau Cream Hill Estates product, Lara’s Whole Grain Oat Flour. Right on the front of the package it reads, “FREE OF: Wheat, Barley, Rye Triticale, Spelt and Kamut.” On the side panel, is an advisory stating that “Current scientific literature suggests that the majority of people with celiac disease can tolerate eating limited amounts of pure and uncontaminated oat flour…” ending with “Please check with your doctor and/or dietician before introducing oats into your diet.” Click here for a link to their website to read more about their products.

Tip 2: One can always make their own oat flour by processing whole oats in a food processor until a fine ground.

Tip 2: Incidentally, finding the Greaves Plum Jam was not hard for me to find…MacMillans Orchards in Ajax sells many varieties of Greaves products. My personal favourite plum jam, as well as my mother’s, is Mirabelle Plum by St. Dalfour. Their no sugar added jams are only sweetened with concentrated grape juice and are gluten-free.

I made some specifically for my mother to enjoy over the holiday season using St. Dalfour’s Mirabelle Plum Jam.

I will have to tuck them away to keep me from eating them!

P.S. Have you been following along with Jennifer Bain’s Cookie Calendar Countdown in The Toronto Star? Have you tried any of the cookies? What types of cookies entice you to bring out the bakeware? Would you consider adapting a recipe to suit your food allergens or do you prefer to buy prepackaged allergen friendly baked goods? Would love to hear from you!

My Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men Are Legendary

While I wait to work out the kinks in my blog…this will be a link less and picture less post…I thought I would recount a conversation I had with Michael yesterday after school. It pertains to my previous post…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men.

Apparently, my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men are legendary!

For the past few days, Michael has been bringing in a few Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men  to school to enjoy at lunch. I had made a batch this past weekend to bring to a Christmas Party…I packaged a few for the children of our hostess.

Michael’s Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men were spied by his fellow grade school friends…they were deemed legendary!

Michael’s grade school friends all grew up on my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men…I baked them in all kinds of shapes for all kinds of occasions throughout their grade school years.

How sweet to think that my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men were so coveted!

One friend, in particular, waited patiently for Michael to bring the cookies out of his lunch bag in anticipation that Michael would share…he did.

As I looked in to the cookie container sitting on the counter, I noticed there were only two small Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men left…I mentioned this to Michael.

Michael peered up at me…with his boyish grin, that would melt any girl’s heart, made a request…”Do you think you could make another batch?”

Guess I know what I will be doing this weekend!

How about you…will you be busy with some holiday baking? What are the favourites in your household?

P.S. Even my friend, Anne, that was just here visiting, requested the recipe for my Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men…they truly are loved by all that try them!

The Toronto Star’s 2012 Cookie Calendar Countdown: Day 1: Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Diwali Chai Snickerdoodle

So excited…Jennifer Bain, Toronto Star Food Editor’s 2012 Cookie Calendar Countdown has begun. Click here to learn more.

Day 1 was Ajitha Cyriac’s ‘chai inspired cookies’ she adapted from a Snickerdoodle recipe to please her four kids. Click here for her original adapted recipe in the Toronto Star.

I further adapted her adaptation to please my own boys’ food allergies.

Dairy, Egg, and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Diwali Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies

I replaced the butter with Earth Balance Vegan Sticks, (for a soy free version use Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread) replaced the eggs with 1/2 tsp of baking soda added to the dry ingredients and 2 tbsp of water added along with the pure vanilla and omitted the pistachios.

The timing was perfect…I had a houseful of hungry boys still around from Matthew’s birthday sleepover party…eager to try cookies.

After a lunch of leftover pizza…the boys tried one. Matthew liked them…Michael made a face after the first bite…Carson thought they had a nice buttery aftertaste and William thought they would be more suited to adults as they were not very sweet.

That evening, Andy and I had the pleasure of attending a Christmas party at our friends house. Our hostess has two boys who are also not too fond of ‘Indian sweets’ as Ajitha was quoted in the Toronto Star.

I packaged up the Dairy, Egg, and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Diwali Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies to bring as part of my hostess gift.

She was thrilled to receive her special hostess gifts.

In addition to the Dairy, Egg, and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Diwali Chai Snickerdoodle Cookies, I decided to bake some kid friendly cookies that I know both my boys love at Christmas time…Dairy, Egg, Soy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Gingerbread Men.

One can never go wrong with Gingerbread Men…they are irresistible.

Therefore, I made up 4 packages as there was another family attending the party with their two girls. Their mother was pleasantly surprised!

I am looking forward to adapting more of Jennifer Bain’s Cookie Calendar Treats as the month continues. Stay tuned!

Have you started your holiday baking? What are your favourite family go-to holiday cookies? Are you following along with The Toronto Star’s Cookie Calendar Countdown?

Dairy, Egg, and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log with Chocolate Bark

A Christmas tradition, I am so happy to be able to recreate, is serving a Yule Log for dessert on Christmas Day.

Dairy, Egg, and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log with Chocolate Bark

Last year, was my first year attempting to put one together. The idea was sparked by Guardian Angel’s Allergen Free Yule Logs.

I believe, it was in my Allergic Living magazine, that I first spied Guardian Angel’s advertisement for their Allergen Free Chocolate Christmas Log.

I was so excited…even more excited when I was able to purchase one for our Christmas dinner. Located in the freezer section at Metro.

Our first store-bought cake…I kept it as a surprise…I came out with it on a platter still in the protective wrapping.

Oh, the look on my boys’ faces when they realized what was being presented for dessert.

It was a very exciting moment…in the boys’ words…”Cool!”

As much as they loved the idea of a cake from outside of our kitchen and the fact it tasted good…they informed me that they liked my cakes better…in particular, my icing.

In Matthew’s word: “I like yours better…I’m not just saying that…”

I was determined to create our own Allergen Free Christmas Yule Log.

Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log with Chocolate Bark

Half the recipe for Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Birthday Cake.
Line a 1″ deep jelly roll pan (approximately 9 by 13″) with parchment paper and spray with canola oil.
Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.

Bake 350 F for  12-15 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Turn cake out on an icing sugar lined tea towel.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and roll cake up carefully from the long end.
Let cool on  rack.

Make half the recipe of Dairy Free Vanilla Icing and Chocolate Icing. I added a bit more water to each of the icings so it was easier to spread on the cake.

Unroll cake when cooled. (Do not fret if the cake cracks.)

Spread the cake with Dairy Free Vanilla Icing…pushing together the cracked edges and spreading icing to cover. See…no problem!

Carefully roll up cake and wrap snuggly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Unwrap plastic wrap from cake and spread with Dairy Free Chocolate Icing.

Last year, I spread the cake with the Dairy Free Chocolate Icing to look rough like bark, sprinkled it with icing sugar and decorated it with a Santa and Christmas tree.

This year, I couldn’t resist trying something different…chocolate bark!

Chocolate Bark

The idea for covering the Yule Log with chocolate bark came from a recipe from the Canadian Living Special Cookbook Edition, Fall 2011. When I saw the picture with the log covered in chocolate bark…I had to try it. So glad I did! Easy to do and it looks terrific!

In a bowl over a saucepan of hot water, melt 1 cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips.
Spread the melted chocolate to a thickness of 3 mm on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Break the chocolate into 3 by 1″ pieces, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.

Press the broken pieces of chocolate on to the iced cake and dust with icing sugar.

                                                              Ta Da!

Not quite sure how well the cake will cut with all the broken chocolate on it. Will update after Christmas.

Update: Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log was scrumpdillicious! Is that a word? It is now!

Slicing the Yule Log wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined…just make sure the cake is kept cool for slicing…I used a bread knife.

Everyone loved the chocolate bark! A very tasty addition.

Inviting the neighbourhood kids in this afternoon, to share what’s left of the Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Chocolate Yule Log, after the boys have a game of road hockey.

Tip: For a Soy Free Icing use Earth Balance Soy Free Vegan Spread.

P.S. I am putting together an Allergen Friendly Christmas Dinner for Michael to take to my in-laws: Roast Turkey with Dairy Free Gravy and Stuffing and Dairy Free Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I made the Dairy Free Stuffing the day before so it was ready to stuff the turkey early in the morning.

Can you believe, I was able to pick fresh parsley from my garden for the stuffing!

I will also be bringing a Dairy and Peanut/Tree Nut Free French Stick for everyone to enjoy. Will be bringing a cutting board and bread knife.

P.P.S. Do you have a favourite recipe you have adapted for your Christmas dessert or dessert in general? Have you tried the Guardian Angel Christmas Logs?

Merry Christmas!

Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

The Toronto Star’s Cookie Calendar, Day 17 cookie, caught my eye…I knew my boys would go gaga over them…so I adapted them to meet their allergen needs.

Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch.

They taste as good as they look. Crispy on the outside, minty and fudgey in the middle with an extra dose of chocolate and peppermint crunch on top…pure decadence!

Truly, they should be renamed, Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Triple Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies!

I adapted the original recipe (click here) to be dairy, egg and peanut/tree nut free. Replace the butter with Earth Balance and use Enjoy Life chocolate chips. Replace the egg with 1/2 tsp of baking soda and 2 tbsp of water. For a soy free version, replace the butter with Earth Balance’s Soy Free Vegan Spread.

I baked these fudgy delights in the morning and had the boys help with the decorating after school.

Matthew crushed the candy canes in a sealed plastic ziplock back with a rolling pin.

Michael drizzled the warmed up chocolate over the cookies while Matthew followed with the sprinkling of the crushed candy canes.

Picture perfect!

Enjoy!

The Peppermint Organic Candy Canes are made by TruSweets. I like them because they  are made in Canada with all natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors and are corn syrup free.

It does state on the packaging: Produced on dedicated nut-free and gluten-free equipment in a segregated area of a facility that also processes dairy, eggs, peanuts, soy, tree nuts and wheat.

Depending on your level of comfort, these Candy Canes are a great option for those looking for an allergen free alternative, free of artificial ingredients.

In the Christmas Spirit… I just couldn’t help but want to share these delectable Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Double (Triple) Chocolate Peppermint Crunch cookies with the boys’ friends and neighbours.

Let’s not forget Matthew’s teacher…goes perfect with a Tim’s card!

P.S. Don’t worry boys, I saved youl some Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.

Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Speculaas Cookies

I have been following Jennifer Bain’s Cookie Calendar Countdown to Christmas in the Toronto Star’s Living section throughout the month of December. Posting my adaptions, on Facebook, to make each cookie recipe dairy, egg and peanut/tree nut free.

I have been eager to put one of her recipes to the test. I adapted her Speculaas recipe (click here for recipe)… Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Speculaas Cookies.

Speculaas cookies have always intrigued me…they are a traditional dutch cookie that are not too sweet and compliment a cup of tea or coffee with their touch of spicy simplicity.

Typically, a carved wooden mold was used to create images on the Speculaas such as a windmill. This is such a mold I picked up while travelling in Europe in my youth.

My mother and I set out in search of a similar mold. My mother suggested European Imports/The Dutch Market. Inside, the shop was filled with an assortment of Dutch products: baked goods, a deli, specialty food items, chocolates, tea towels, and wooden clogs. I couldn’t resist purchasing the beautiful windmill tea towel!

Alas, we did not find a windmill mold. So we improvised…and went to Michael’s…and purchased a fancy mold for stamping the Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Speculaas.

Although the stamp is not specifically made for pressing into sticky dough, it worked out pretty well. Make sure you keep flouring the stamp between pressings.

For my dairy free version, I replaced the butter with Earth Balance. For a soy free version, use Earth Balance’s Soy Free Vegan Spread. I omitted the ground cloves, nutmeg, mace (my kids prefer less spice) and almonds. If you like a spicier cookie, I would increase the ginger and cinnamon.

The dough was rather sticky. I thought I had made the cookies thin enough, however, I would have liked them thinner for a crispier cookie. My husband, on the other hand, loves softer cookies and felt these were perfect in texture and spice. I loved the touch of lemon!

Enjoy!

 Tip: Packaged up, Dairy,Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Speculaas make a great little something to give to family friends to thank them for all they do for, in my case, my mother.

When you live a distance from a loved one…nice to know there are people that you can count on to be there for the ones you love. Thank you.

P.S. The Cookie Calendar, Day 17 adapted version: Dairy, Egg and Peanut/Tree Nut Free Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies, will be posted on Friday.

Matthew’s verdict…tasty with crunch. Michael’s verdict… very good. My verdict…amazing…a minty, fudgey decadence!