Dairy-free and egg-free weekly menu plan

Friday: sausage, tomato, red pepper risotto, with home made ciabatta

Saturday: family party

Sunday: chicken with mushrooms, sweet potato mash, corn on the cob

Monday: tuna and sweetcorn pizza, salad

Tuesday: chicken fajitas with guacamole

Wednesday (first day of school): spag bol

Thursday: leftover bolognese sauce with jacket potatoes

Savoury scones

Savoury scones without cheese?  Yes, this works really well ... you can use them for sandwiches or to dunk in soup:

Oven at 180 C fan
275g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
100g margarine
30g finely grated carrot
30g finely chopped red pepper
120ml soy milk

Sift dry ingredients, mix, then add margarine until breadcrumb consistency, then add carrot and pepper, then slowly mix in soy milk until the ingredients come together.  Roll out to about 1cm thick.  Makes about 12. Cook for about 15 minutes. 

Allergies are both hereditary and gender-related

This recent piece of research mentioned on the Allergy UK website interested me, and it's definitely the case for us! 

http://www.allergyuk.org/news/latest-news/post/37-new-research-reveals-that-allergies-are-gender-related/

'Lunch' at the Science Museum

Lunch was the low point in an otherwise great visit to the Science Museum.

According to our server at the cafe, the lunch options available to us were:

1) spicy bean and veg soup - although served without bread as the bread 'should be okay but might have a bit of milk in it' ... she checked with the chef for us but even then was unable to provide a definite answer!  Er, no bread then thanks 
2) salad leaves, roasted veggies and couscous ... which looked good though but perhaps not so filling or of special interest to a three year old ... 
3) hot chips, sachets of ketchup and raisins 

Guess which one my three year old chose?

Ugh, yes, the third ... so I have just cooked him supper chock full of veggies and protein to compensate.

The rest of the food looked so good, it was pricey but well worth it I'm sure ... really attractive-looking pizzas, sandwiches, salads, cakes, muffins ... it just all had egg and milk in it.  

Allergy-friendly verdict: could do better! 

(Photos taken on 'phone in artificial light ... so rubbish quality).  

Summer BBQ for the four of us

Ah, the yin of the sausages and white bread nicely balanced with the yang of a shed-load of salad ... went down a treat with the boys ... 'Mummy, please can we have this again?' ... 

Treat of the week

So many recipes for jam tarts seem to contain an egg, or at least an egg yolk in the pastry which of course is a no-go for us.  However, a quick check in the ever-reliable Be-Ro cookbook, available online here, came up with an egg-free pastry recipe for jam tarts ... which were very much appreciated by two boys ... 

Dairy-free and egg-free weekly menu plan

Our evening meals this week will be: 

Friday - salmon fish cakes, carrots and green beans  (didn't get around to making these last week) 

Saturday - leftover salmon fish cakes, corn on the cob, sweet potato wedges 

Sunday - bacon, butternut and pea risotto, home made focaccia 

Monday - marinated pork fillet, sweet potato mash, broccoli, baby corn, carrots and gravy 

Tuesday - tuna, courgette and basil pasta (make double quantity, reserving half for ...) 

Wednesday - tuna, courgette and basil pizza, with potato wedges and salad 

Thursday - sausage and noodle stir fry ... replacing the egg noodles for rice noodles  

Home made focaccia

The warm weather has given me cause to reach for an old copy of Delia Smith's 'Summer Collection'.  I don't think I've looked at it since we had the children, let alone since I've been trying to cook for allergies.  I gave it a quick scan to find what might be lurking that was allergy-friendly and found one or two recipes that I'll be giving a whirl over the next few weeks.

The first one I tried was Mini Focaccia Bread ... really easy and very tasty, I'll definitely make them again.  I used rosemary from the garden, so saved a few pennies too.  

Chicken and chorizo paella

Another use for leftover roast chicken ... I think I only had 200g or so left but once mixed with the chorizo and the veggies it didn't seem like a small amount.  I added some extra smoked paprika which gave the dish a great flavour that the little ones seemed to like.  

NB: dairy-free chorizo from Unearthed ... available from Ocado and Waitrose.  

Quick lunch with leftover roast chicken

An easy lunch: shop-bought wraps filled with cold leftover roast chicken, avocado, cucumber, pepper and sweetcorn ... 

A restaurant doesn't want us!

I've been feeling so positive about dealing with allergies lately.  We have even eaten out for goodness sake ... that's what normal people do.  

But ... we are off to a wedding at the end of September, the meal part of which will be held at an Italian restaurant.  We have just heard that the venue can't accommodate our allergies - they feel unable to guarantee that contamination of The Allergic One's food will not occur.  Fair enough I suppose ... and certainly preferable that they state this in advance than we run into trouble and have to dash to A&E on the day of the wedding.  It still feels like a kick in the teeth mind; they don't want our business damn them!  

The venue have said that they don't mind if we bring his food with us (ah, too kind! as if I'd let him sit there without food while the rest of us were chowing down) so at least he can sit and eat with the other children there, albeit partaking of a different menu.  I can't help feeling sad though when I think of how he might feel when he realises that the contents of his plate are different to their plates.   I'll have to find out what the other kids will be eating and try to replicate.  

The rational me knows that allergies are not the worst ailment from which a child can suffer.  But in this instance I am allowing myself to feel sad about it ... just for a little bit.  I'll be right again tomorrow. 

I like this article ... I admire Giorgio and Plaxy Locatelli ... it's good to read how other parents of allergic children cope and interesting to hear how a chef and restaurateur's perspective has been altered by his daughter's predicament ... the revelation in paragraph 11 of how Giorgio thinks that restaurants can treat those with allergies makes me think it's a good idea to be taking our own food ... 

Treat of the week

Raspberry truffle brownies ... although ... I actually used frozen blueberries. 

Recipe from:  http://www.theppk.com/2012/01/raspberry-truffle-brownies/

(Such an amazing website) 

Served here with Swedish Glace Neapolitan ... 

I made the apple purée with an apple from our own tree ... pictured in today's late summer sunshine: 

Dairy-free and egg-free weekly menu plan

Friday - chicken and chorizo paella 

Saturday - sausages on the BBQ, with salads and home made bread rolls

Sunday - beef and lentil spag bol with home made garlic bread

Monday - leftover spag bol 

Tuesday - bacon and spinach pizza, salad 

Wednesday - salmon fishcakes, corn on the cob, peas

Thursday - tuna, courgette and basil pasta 

Praise for Plamil and their egg-free mayo

The 'on test' article in Good Food magazine's September edition focusses on free-from foods.  The review for Plamil Organic Egg Free Mayonnaise is awarded high praise, apparently having 'a very near to authentic taste'.

An entry in the Guardian's 'What I like' column on 27 July caught my eye, also having positive things to say about a different type of Plamil mayo: 'I'd never contemplated egg-free mayonnaise until a friend recommended Plamil's egg-free garlic mayo.  All I can say is it tastes amazing, and well worth a try whether you're vegan, have an allergy or are just plain curious'.

We have tried the Egg Free Mayo from Plamil, it certainly has a consistency similar to regular Egg Mayo, especially when compared to other egg-free mayos, e.g. Life Free From, Granovita or Tiger Tiger, which have a thinner texture and, to me, a more vinegary taste.  

So, I think I'll be investigating other parts of the the Plamil range.  It looks as if goodnessdirect.co.uk sells their mayo and chocolate.  

Super-quick and healthy

Baked potato, five-a-day salad, prawns and egg-free mayo ... 

Back home

So good to be back home, cooking in my own kitchen.

Tonight I made sweet potato cottage pie and a little treat ... orange chocolate chunk cupcakes which tasted similar to jaffa cakes and were very well received.  

Recipe from Go Dairy Free cookbook.

Learning lessons

We returned to eat at the pub where we dined last week.

The boys ate the same main course as they did previously but this time we bought our own dairy-free bread, already spread with our dairy-free margarine.  The Allergic One loved it.  It was so worth making the effort in order he didn't feel left out as he did last time when he'd had to sit and watch the other kids all eating the bread he wasn't able to as it contained butter.  

Next time we plan to eat out I'm going to quiz the venue in advance about i) bread, ii) starters and iii) desserts ... unlike this time when I only asked about the main course.  It might be a bit ambitious but I feel it's worth aiming high so that our little ones don't miss out.  

Treat of the week

Newsflash: Co-op jam doughnuts are dairy-free and egg-free!


Although the boys didn't like them ... I think because of the jam, which tasted most unpleasant.  


I'm going to try to make my own version soon ... without the jam.  

Dairy-free and egg-free weekly menu plan

We are coming back home this week, back to reality, back to nutritious food!


Friday - eating out


Saturday - eating out


Sunday - tuna, courgette, tomato and basil pasta


Monday - sweet potato cottage pie


Tuesday - leftover sweet potato cottage pie


Wednesday - roast chicken and all the trimmings


Thursday - leftover chicken, jacket potatoes, salad 

The perils of eating out

As must be obvious, we now feel like old hands with our approach to eating out with allergies.  However, new pitfalls presented themselves at a birthday celebration this week.  The day before our planned meal we visited the pub in the village in which we are staying and explained our food constraints.  The chef was there and confidently nodded when we asked if he could accommodate us.  I was reassured to see a note at the foot of their menu, 'please inform us of any serious food allergies'.


On the evening itself we took our seats and gave the waitress our orders from the menu.  Then, unfortunately, the waitress returned with baskets of bread and butter, one of which she set down in front of The Allergic One.  I swiftly removed the butter and asked her to check the ingredients in the bread.  She returned in a panic informing us that the bread contained butter.  We quickly shoved the bread basket to the other end of the table.  The Allergic One had by this time already picked up a piece of bread and set it on his side plate.  He was not best pleased when I asked him to wait.  He was even less pleased when I explained he would not be able to eat it.  The waitress kindly bought us a plate of home made oatcakes but these did not cut the mustard with The Boy sadly.  I thought they were delicious, even without butter.  Perhaps I should have taken a tub of vegan margarine with me?!   

However, the evening was redeemed in the eyes of The Allergic One as his main course arrived; sausages, chips and ketchup ... again, no vegetables or nutrition present sadly.

The only non-dairy and non-egg dessert menu item was a bowl of strawberries.  The other children with whom we were eating would be tucking into a combination of chocolate cake, ice cream, meringues and cheesecake so we made a decision to return to our holiday house for our equivalent sweet treat - soy ice cream in a dairy-free and egg-free cone with sugar sprinkles ... again.  


So, the moral of the story is ... a restaurant might be able to accommodate our dietary requirements for a main course but sadly not with the bread or the desserts.  But ... I still think it's worth it and a week ago I would have been glad to be eating out as often as we have done this holiday.  

We ate out three days in a row!

Yes, this is getting a little repetitive!  Although this post contains a novelty in that it actually features a plate with greenery, albeit some very limp leaves which had seen better days.  


We stopped at a cafe attached to a tourist information/visitor centre for a coffee.  I had a picnic ready and waiting to go in the car so we were planning on lunching later but the cafe was light, bright and featured a corner of the room devoted to kids toys and books so we figured it might be a place where the husband and I could enjoy a coffee in peace whilst the boys played.  I asked the waitress about children's lunches just out of interest after our two previous days success with eating out.  I explained our allergies and she went off to chat to the chef.  She returned to tell us that they could help us so we seized the day and ordered sandwiches for our boys.  I'm not sure I would have eaten it, dry-ish bread, no marg, a slice of processed ham, aforementioned 'old' salad ... and yes, the boys didn't eat it.  I can't blame them.  

We ate out again!

Definitely feeling braver about this now!  Over breakfast in our hotel that would normally have been eaten in our hotel room (and would likely have featured cereal and soy milk I'd brought with me from home) ... I asked the waitress about the ingredients in the bread and the bacon they were serving with their cooked breakfasts ... which smelled pretty tempting.  She went off to check and returned confirming that the food would be okay for us.  The Allergic One added oodles of tomato ketchup to his sandwich and proceeded to eat the lot.  

We ate out!

Wow, yes,  I had heard on the allergy-grapevine that some Burger King kids' meals are dairy-free and egg-free.  

Armed with this information and plenty of nerves we ventured in to uncharted territory - the land inhabited by normal families who eat out.  I checked with the lady who served us,who I think thought we were mystery shoppers with all the detailed questioning, and was incredibly helpful.  But it all worked out great, we are now paid up members of the junk food club, the boys loved it, of course, I think preferring the toy to the actual food.  They also liked the novelty of return journeys to the counter to pick up extra sachets of sauce.   So here is the money shot below ... our first family meal out, not classy, not healthy (BK don't even bother with a cursory lettuce leaf or tomato slice on their kids' burgers) but an amazing experience all the same!  

Treat of the week

I absolutely love the 'Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book' ... I can't recommend it enough.  Many of the recipes from this book are also on her excellent website.


I've adapted her recipe for 'Farmer's Market Cherry Cake' and switched the fruit to apples ... we had several to use up ... I prepared the apples by cutting them into cherry-sized chunks.


Don't be scared by the addition of the silken tofu ... it gives the cake a squidgy texture similar to that which eggs would do for the non-allergic.  


I also left out both the salt and the lemon juice ... 


http://www.foodallergymama.com/2010/08/04/dairy-egg-and-nut-free-farmers-market-cherry-cake/


Serve with Alpro custard!  Yum.  

Dairy-free and egg-free weekly menu plan

We are still away, enjoying the Highland summer, so here is next week's easy, quick menu plan:  

Friday – sausages and roasted vegetables 

Saturday – tuna, tomato, courgette and basil pasta

Sunday – fish, chips and peas

Monday – chicken burgers, wedges, salad

Tuesday – butternut, bacon, sage risotto

Wednesday – chicken, jacket potatoes, salad

Thursday – spag bol (from freezer)

Portable picnic snacks - more of

Chocolate flapjacks ... based on a Nigella recipe, will add link later!  

Portable picnic snacks

Pizza snails:

1.  Roll out puff pastry until about 3mm thick

2. Cover pastry in a tablespoon of salsa and a tablespoon of sun-dried tomato purée

3.  Add torn ham, soy cheese and fresh basil

4.  Roll up and cut into 16 equal sized circles

5.  Cook for 15 mins in a 200 degree oven ... taking care not to singe the basil as I did!