A few months ago, we confirmed what I had suspected for about a year. My son is allergic to dairy and eggs. I want to say that I was shocked…but I wasn’t. I knew he was reacting to something…I just didn’t know what food (s) were triggering his reactions. When my Pediatrician confirmed his allergies, I thought that we would just have to work to avoid those foods. I was wrong. In order for my son to have any chance at outgrowing these allergies, we have to completely eliminate them from his diet. And that is proving to be quite the challenge. It’s incredibly difficult to find foods that are egg and casein (milk, dairy) free. My son’s diet basically consists of meat, fruits, veggies, and some breads.
Did you know that approximately 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies? Because many baked and packaged goods contain eggs and/or milk, or are processed in facilities that use eggs and/or milk, consumers with food allergies should be diligent about reading labels. And to be safe, I recommend cooking/baking at home (eating out is virtually impossible with my son’s food allergies). I recognize that while baked goods taste good, they’re not a necessity. So I strive (sometimes in vain) to limit the amount of baked goods we consume on a regular basis. And when we decide to indulge, I try to ensure I do the baking.
Kelly Rudnicki, the Food Allergy Mama, shows families how to enjoy dairy, egg, and nut-free baked goods without sacrificing flavor in her book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book. The book is filled with allergen-free versions of muffins, breads, cookies and more. I particularly like the first section of the book, which includes a list of dairy, egg, and nut-free baking ingredients that you can have on hand. Kelly includes tips on egg and dairy replacements as well as tips to ensure your baked goods turn out right. She also includes a section on how to read product labels to be certain you are truly avoiding allergenic foods.
What I particularly like about Kelly’s recipes is that she uses real foods that you can buy at most conventional grocery stores. I’ve come across a variety of allergen-free recipes that require ingredients that are difficult to find. Her recipes use dairy-free margarine (or shortening) or vegetable oil and she offers the option to use soy or rice milk. The recipes are relatively simple to prepare and typically require the same amount of baking time as conventional recipes. The only thing I’d love to see in a future book is a gluten-free cookbook.
Some of the recipes you’ll find include Zucchini Bread, Chocolate-Chip Pancakes, Cranberry-Orange Scones, and Italian Focaccia Bread. My son really likes scones (which he calls “stones”) and I found a great recipe in her book for Currant Scones:
Dairy and Egg Free Currant Scones
Yield: 12 small scones
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, cut into small pieces
¾-1 cup soy or rice milk
1/3 cup currants
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt using a wire whisk. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in margarine until mixture is crumbly. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour ¾ c. soy milk into the well, stirring with a rubber spatula until dough just comes together. Add more soy milk if needed. Stir in the currants.
Preheat oven to 425ºF, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead about 15 times on a lightly floured surface. Using a pastry cutter, divide dough in half, and shape each half into a flattened ball. Roll each ball out into a 1/2-inch-thick disk. Cut each circle into 6 wedges and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
For more allergen-free baking recipes, check out Kelly’s blog.
If you or someone you know suffers from food allergies, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network serves as a source of education and support for allergy sufferers.
No compensation was received for this post. A copy of the book was provided by the company.
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I am going to pass along this book title to my SIL. My niece is quite allergic to eggs. I have learned to bake things egg free for her, but more recipes would always be nice since these items are more difficult to buy in stores.