Join the Club

     So I recently, finally, went to be allergy tested. I had been experiencing symptoms for a while that were only increasing in intensity and frequency. It was a comprehensive outdoor/indoor/food exam. 130 substances. The result was both encouraging and frustrating. Outdoor allergies are the most easily treatable. I am allergic to 2/3 of everything outside/inside that was on the list...trees, grasses, molds...you name it. (Thankfully, most flowers weren't on the list...)  I'll be receiving immunizations for a bit. Once I'm off them, my system will be good for 10-12 years!

      The food side is a little trickier. I am very blessed to not be allergic to wheat! I know a few people who are, including my amazing mother, and have seen how challenging it can be to avoid it. Thankfully, the market is responding to the growing awareness of these kinds of allergies and is producing good products. As my mom told me, " Having food allergies is just another way to learn to express your creativity. Though somewhat limited in food choices, it opens doors to explore and try new things."

      Evading and substituting...pretty much the rule of thumb for the first six months in letting one's system heal. After that, foods can be added back in the diet, one at a time. Speaking of substitutions, one of the things that I'm allergic to are eggs-both yolk and white. There's a handy product called, incidentally, Egg Replacer. Lately, I've been experimenting with this. I made a birthday cake (gluten-free) for my mom. The trick with Egg Replacer seems to be to use more than the substitutions figured out on the box. Although I don't have a picture of how beautifully light the cake turned out (gluten-free food tends to be dense and heavy) I do have a snapshot of banana bread made the same day. It's made with wheat flour, but I would never have known that it didn't have egg in it if I didn't make it myself. I put a little cinnamon in the dough, added raisins, and then lightly sprinkled a cinnamon-brown sugar mix on the top. I tell you, this is scrumptious! 

  

    
     It should be fun in learning to be creative with how I eat. I'll learn many neat culinary tricks and I'll probably eat better since there are things I will need to avoid. Most cakes and cookies will have to be sidestepped unless I bake them myself. I'm sure there will be more posts as I learn how to cook around allergies-what to do, what not to do. Hmm, there should be a club...