I’ve gotten one suggestion for an allergy free cookbook and I’m seeking more!  Please comment to add a cookbook that you’ve found particularly helpful with a note on where to get it.  If you’ve test driven some cookbooks and you have feedback, we would love to hear that too!  Of course, continue to post those recipes!

An article by Karen Stein in the November, 2009 issue of the Jounal of the American Dietetic Association addressed this question. Approximately 4-8% of children and 2% of adults have diagnosed food allergies, yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the USA, from 1997-2007, food allergies in children rose 18%. There has been an increase in food allergy diagnosis AND misdiagnosis. Allergy tests confuse matters with false negatives and false positives. These tests are a part of the puzzle to support or exclude the diagnosis of food allergy. Another very important part of this puzzle is the patient history. Because food allergy can be very serious, a diagnosis is important. The burden of food allergy affects family social life, school attendance, attitudes about eating and food, nutritional quality of the diet, and budget. Needless restrictions may increase sensitivity to the food if it is eaten in the future. For these reasons, a diagnosis should reflect a true allergy. Food allergy symptoms are commonly hives or itchy red skin, congested nose, sneezing, coughing, tightening of throat, worsening of asthma symptoms, itchy, watery eyes, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and swelling. To confirm a food allergy, see a board-certified allergist.

The “use by” date on a food package means that the product will keep until that date, but only if unopened. When the package has been opened it means that there is increased risk of growth of bacteria. Listeria is a bacteria that grows well at refrigerator temperatures. Listeria can grow on cold cuts, deli meats, and hot dogs. Once opened, use packaged cold cuts within 3-5 days of opening. Use store-sliced deli meats withing 3-5 days of purchase. Use hot dogs within one week of opening the package. Hard cheeses keep better than soft cheeses like feta, bue cheese, queso blanco, and Brie. These soft cheeses are more susceptible to Listeria and should be used within a week of opening. Milk will keep only 5 days, once opened. Yogurt should be eaten within 2-3 days. Pregnant women, children, the elderly and those with weakened immune systems are most susceptible to Listeria.

Angel Food Ministries is still serving our community and is even easier to use than it has been in the past. Now you can easily go to the website and order the box or boxes of groceries that will fit your needs. Of particular interest to those with food allergies is the Allergen Box which has a variety of meat products that do not contain gluten, seafood, nuts, soy, fish, milk, or eggs. However, my favorite is the Fruit and Vegetable box. The fresh produce is always of excellent quality. Go to the website to easily find the menu for the upcoming month, a pickup location that is convenient to you, and to order online. There is a deadline each month for ordering, and there is only one pickup date each month. Food Stamps are accepted. There are no elgibility requirements: Angel Food is available to everyone. angelfoodministries.com

A reader recently asked about coconut oil as a substitute for butter and margarine. Coconut is the seed of a “drupaceous” fruit. Examples of other “drupes” are peaches, dates, plums, and cherries. Coconut milk, coconut oil, and shredded coconut can be assets to the allergy kitchen.
Coconut oil has a mild flavor and can be used as a substitute for butter in cooking, baking, or at the table. Use the same amount of coconut oil as you would need if you were using butter or another oil. Coconut oil has a higher cooking temperature than vegetable oils. The best brands of coconut oil are unrefined, expeller-pressed, and found in dark containers to keep out the light and lengthen shelf life. Store your coconut oil at room temperature. You will notice that it becomes solid at temperatures below 76 degrees, but repeated cooling and warming will not hurt the quality of the oil.
Coconut milk is a combination of coconut meat and water, making it a great substitute for cream, sour cream, yogurt, or milk. You can use it diluted with one to three parts water in recipes that call for milk, buttermilk, or yogurt, or use it one-for-one to substitute for cream. You can dilute it with water, fruit juice, or broth – whichever makes the most sense in your recipe. Canned coconut milk is very convenient to use and easy to find. Once opened, store coconut milk in the refrigerator, or freeze in ice cube trays to later add to recipes.
Shredded coconut is delicious in sweet dishes or used in place of nuts. Look for unsweetened coconut and store in the refrigerator for a year, or in the freezer for two years. The FDA is now considering coconut to be a tree-nut, so check with your allergist before using coconut with your nut-allergic child.