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misc.kids FAQ on Allergies and Asthma (part 1/4)
Archive-name: misc-kids/allergy+asthma/part1
Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-Modified: 2000/06/04 Version: 1.5 -------------------------------------------------- This FAQ is also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.cs.unc.edu/~kupstas/FAQ.html -------------------------------------------------- Misc.kids Frequently Asked Questions -- Allergies and Asthma General Information -- part 1/2 Revision 1.4 This FAQ is intended to answer frequently asked questions on allergies and asthma in the misc.kids newsgroup. Though the comments are geared towards parents of children, there is plenty of information for adults as well. The information in this FAQ is the collected "net wisdom" of a number of folk. It is not intended to replace medical advice. None of the contributors are medical professionals. Most of us either have allergies/asthma or have relatives/children with asthma/allergies, so this collection represents the experiences and prejudices of individuals. This is not a substitute for consulting your physician. To contribute to this collection, please send e-mail to the address given below, and ask me to add your comments to the FAQ file on Allergies and Asthma. Please try to be as concise as possible, as these FAQ files tend to be quite long as it is. And, unless otherwise requested, your name and e-mail address will remain in the file, so that interested readers may follow-up directly for more information/discussion. This FAQ is posted regularly to news.answers and misc.kids.info. For a list of other misc.kids FAQ topics, look for the FAQ File Index posted to misc.kids.info or tune in to misc.kids. Collection maintained by: Eileen Kupstas Soo ) This page last modified: April 8, 1997 Copyright 1996-7, Eileen Kupstas Soo. Use and copying of this information are permitted as long as (1) no fees or compensation are charged for use, copies or access to this information, and (2) this copyright notice is included intact. FAQ Overview: General Information Part 1/2 -- this page General Information Part 2/2 Allergy and Asthma Resources Allergy and Asthma Book Reviews Allergy Recipes New material is marked by the | symbol. new information on rashes, hives, and eczema new allergy cookbook review Topic Index: 0) Disclaimer 1) What to look for to suspect allergies 1.1 foods 1.2 inhalants (hayfever) 1.3 asthma 1.4 rashes, hives, and eczema 1.5 insect stings 1.6 children vs. adults -- INCOMPLETE 1.7 views of allergies 2) Allergy treatment 2.1 doctors 2.1.1 why to see an allergist 2.1.2 becoming your own (or your kid's) doctor - TBD 2.2 testing 2.2.1 blood 2.2.2 "scratch test" 2.2.3 elimination diet 2.3 medications 2.4 desensitization (injections) 2.5 avoidance and environmental changes 2.6 children vs. adults - INCOMPLETE 3) Foods 3.1 in general 3.2 milk 3.3 gluten (wheat and other grains) -- INCOMPLETE 3.4 allergy cookbooks 3.5 unknown food allergies 3.6 anaphylactic reactions -- when to call 911 immediately the following topics are in General Information Part 2/2 4) Insect sting allergies 5) Inhalant allergies 6) Contact allergies (contact dermatitis) and chemical sensitivities 7) Asthma 8) Specific advice on allergies and asthma in children 9) Allergies in relation to ADD and autism 10) Personal stories Other files: FAQ Home Page General Information Part 2/2 Allergy and Asthma Resources Allergy Recipes Contributors (in no particular order): Amy Uhrbach ) Rebecca Crowley Curt McNamara Eileen Kupstas Soo Kate Gregory Pete TerMaat Susan Fiedler Tom O. Barron Aiko Pinkoski Donna Kannemann Andrea Kwiatkowski Lynn Short Don Wiss Tammy Schmidt Deanne Carp Lindsay Schachinger Charlotte Noll Lisa S Lewis Tanya Heikkinen (Please let me know if I missed anyone!) 0) Disclaimer The information in this FAQ is the collected "net wisdom" of a number of folk. It is not intended to replace medical advice. None of the contributors are medical professionals. Most of us either have allergies/asthma or have relatives/children with asthma/allergies, so this collection represents the experiences and prejudices of individuals. This is not a substitute for consulting your physician. 1) What to look for to suspect allergies Contributors: Amy Uhrbach ) Eileen Kupstas Soo ) 1.1 What to look for - food allergies Food allergies range from very mild to life-threatening. The mildest symptoms are vague itchiness in the mouth and throat. Other mild to moderate symptoms: - general itchiness - hives or rash, sometimes all over body - runny/itchy nose and eyes - recurrent earaches - nausea and vomiting - diarrhea Some foods can cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. The mouth, throat, and bronchial tubes swell enough to impede breathing. The person may wheeze or faint. Often there are generalized hives and/or swollen face. This is an emergency!! As anyone would, call your doctor or 911! For breathing trouble or loss of consciousness, call 911 immediately. See also the sections on insect stings and anaphylatic reactions. One severe allergic reaction to food puts you at risk for more. Discuss with your doctor what to do for repeat reactions. Common food allergens: - peanuts: This is often life-threatening. Call a doctor for ANY reactions to peanut products! (Peanuts can be a hidden ingredient in a number of foods.) - soy -- again can be a hidden ingredient in a number of foods. - fish and/or shellfish; in some people, these reactions can be severe, ranging from extreme nausea to breathing difficulties. Watch carefully and call 911 for any breathing problems. - berries - peppers - milk proteins (less common than you'd think - most people are intolerant not allergic). - wheat (and gluten), as well as some other grains (corn, rye) - eggs - many reactions have unknown cause! Interestingly, some common food proteins are similar enough to ragweed to cause reactions in sensitive people. These include bananas and melons. Allergic reactions may progress from mild to severe, so keep track of any reactions. Food allergies may be amount-sensitive. That is, you don't feel the reaction until you've ingested a certain amount; however, severe reactions may occur with ANY tiny amount of allergen. This is especially true of peanut allergies. 1.2 Inhalants The most common inhaled allergen is dust! More precisely, dust mites and their wastes (every house has them, no matter how clean). Other: - mold - pollen (ie. hayfever) - animal dander (especially cats) - chemicals - perfumes Most common symptoms: - CLEAR runny nose and sneezing - itchy or stuffed nose - itchy, runny eyes - lethargy - asthma Symptoms are generally worst in the early morning, for 2 reasons: 1. pollen counts are highest 2. you've been sleeping for hours in a room filled with dust and/or mold 1.3 Asthma On asthma: Not all people with asthma have allergies. Roughly 5% of the population lives with asthma. A generally accepted definition of asthma is that it is a disease that is charaterized by increased responsiveness of the trachea (windpipe) and bronchi (main airway) to sometype of trigger that causes widespread narrowing of the airways that changes in severity either as a result of treatment, or spontaneously. Acute asthma is what we generally refer to as an asthma attack. The bronchial tubes suddenly narrow, and the person is acutely short of breath, and (sometimes) wheezes. An acute attack may require medical stabalization in a hospital setting; unless special equipment, medication, and help is available in the home. Chronic asthma produces symptoms on a frequent basis, in some cases almost constantly. It is characterized by frequent symptoms, ranging from very mild symptoms to full-blown acute attacks. Chronic asthma generally requires daily medication, and may require the use of oral steroids, in addition to other medications. On doctor's: Allergists are not the only physicians who treat asthma. Pulmonologists are also medically specialized physicians who treat many people who have asthma. Not all asthma is triggered by allergies. Not all allergies cause or develop into asthma. One main asthma trigger in children is illness. Typically a child has his first attack 1-2 days after the onset of a respiratory illness. Symptoms: -wheezing (no wheeze may mean WORSE asthma, sometimes) -elevated breathing rate (normal under 25 breaths per minute; over 40 is cause for calling doctor. Test your child's normal rate when well, so you can tell when breathing is elevated. Remember: These numbers are just ballpark! -coughing, especially early morning -longer expiration than inspiration -retraction Asthma and reflux often co-occur, although it's not known what the relationship is. Attacks may build over days (as with illness-induced) or hit within seconds. Generally, the more triggers present, the worse the attack. In little kids, asthma is often misdiagnosed. Many little kids with recurrent bronchial illness really have asthma. Of particular note is "cough variant" asthma, in which the main symptom is coughing, especially early morning. My allergist's rule is "If ventolin [an asthma medication] helps, it's asthma," no matter what it's called. | New 1.4 Rashes, hives, and eczema Allergies can show themselves through various skin reactions. The main reactions are rashes (small bumps or larger red patches), hives (also called urticaria; itchy, red raised patches on the skin), or eczema (also called atopic dermatitis; an itchy, weeping rash). These symptoms can have various causes. Most often it is allergies, but some people get hives from heat, cold or sun exposure. Contact allergies/dermatitis is defined as a skin rash caused by direct contact with a substance to which the skin is sensitive. Symptoms include a red rash, swelling, and itching. In more severe cases, blisters can form. Many substances can cause allergic contact dermatitis: poison ivy and other plants (such as tomato plants), wool, perfumes and dyes (in soaps, detergents, lotions, etc.), metals (in jewelry, hair clips, etc.), locally applied medicinal ointments such as antibiotic creams, and latex (often used in latex gloves). These can occur at any age and can appear at any time. It can take years for a sensitivity to a particular substance to develop, so "I've used this for years" isn't a reason to exclude anything from the possible allergen list. Symptoms may appear as soon as 7 to 10 days from first contact. Once a sensitivity develops, however, the reaction can occur in 24-48 hours. Treatment of contact dermatitis generally consists of avoiding the allergen. To determine whether or not something is the cause, patch tests (a small amount of the substance applied to the skin, then covered and left for 24 hours) can often show whether or not that substance causes the reaction. Other allergies can cause rashes, too. Some find that citrus fruits cause small raised bumps when ingested. Eczema is often caused by a food allergy, though there may be other causes. Cow's milk is a particularly common allergen for those with eczema. Avoiding allergens provides long-term relief, while short-term relief can be had by using moisturizers on the skin and taking antihistamines. Some find that using all cotton clothing and bedding makes a difference. Hives can be caused by a number of factors, not just allergies. Hives occur suddenly and may end suddenly, though there are chronic cases where hives are present for a month or more. Other causes of hives are sun exposure, heat and cold. Again, avoidance is the primary treatment. 1.5 Insect stings Various insects can cause allergic reactions. Wasps, honey bees, hornets, yellow jackets and ants are the insects most likely to cause strong allergic reactions. Some biting insects (mosquitoes, flies, lice, kissing bugs and fleas) can cause allergies as well because they inject saliva to thin the blood when they bite. Finally, some caterpillars are covered with hairs that contain a substance irritating to human skin and this can sometimes cause allergic reactions. In general there are three kinds of reactions to insect stings. The first kind, normal reactions, involve pain, redness, swelling, itching, and warmth at the site of the sting. The second kind, toxic reactions, are the result of multiple stings. Five hundred stings within a short time are considered likely to kill because of the quantity of venom involved. As few as ten stings within a short time can cause serious illness. Symptoms of toxic reactions include muscle cramps, headache, fever, and drowsiness. Allergic reactions are the third type. They may involve some of the same symptoms as toxic reactions, but may be triggered by a single sting or a minute amount of venom. Any non-local reaction to a single sting should be considered allergic until proven otherwise. Allergic reactions may be local or systemic. An allergic reaction is considered local if it involves only the stung limb, regardless of the amount of swelling. A slight systemic reaction may involve hives and itching on areas of the body distant from the sting site as well as feelings of anxiety and being run down. A moderate systemic reaction may include any of the above plus at least two of edema (swelling), sneezing, chest constriction, abdominal pain, dizziness, and nausea. A severe systemic reaction has the symptoms already described plus at least two of difficulty in swallowing, labored breathing, hoarseness, thickened speech, weakness, confusion, and feelings of impending disaster. The most serious symptoms are the closing of airways and shock (anaphylaxis) since they can be fatal if not treated quickly and effectively. Allergic reactions may begin within ten to twenty minutes after the sting or they may be delayed. Usually, the sooner the reaction starts, the more severe it will be. 1.6 Children vs. adults -- differences Allergies can show themselves in a number of ways -- runny noses, ear infections, digestive disorders, irritability, hyper- and hypo- activity, and such. Adults are often more sensitive to "not feeling right" than children are, so look for indicators such as changes in behavior or chronic/repeated sickness the corelates to exposure to various substances (foods, air-borne particles, chemicals, etc.). Recurrent stomach aches, never-ending ear infections, or changes in bowel habits may indicate that an allergy is present. In infants, colic, formula intolerance, frequent spitting up, and low-grade fevers can be signs of allergies. Note that allergic reactions will not occur on first exposure to the allergen; they require that initial "priming." Some may occur on second exposure, while others may take repeated exposure to develop. For infants, breastmilk is the safest food, in terms of allergies. Some children are allergic to or intolerant of cow's milk, soy formulas, and such. The best advice is to experiment until you find what works for your child. (Some mothers report that the mother's consumption of cow's milk will cause a reaction in a breastfed child; this has been confirmed by medical experts, so you may need to check this if your child is breastfed. References to this and other infant issues are given at the end of section 8. ) When a child is born, the intestinal track is not fully developed. Some foods may cause a reaction in babies that will be outgrown as the child matures. The safest course is to introduce new foods one at a time over an extended period (say, one food per week) and see if the child has an allergic reaction. Postponing the introduction of common allergens (wheat, cow's milk, corn, eggs) and favoring the introduction of almost-always-safe foods (rice, apples, bananas) is one sensible approach. For older children, allergies can have any of the symptoms above. If a child is extremely reluctant to eat a particular food, there may be an allergy problem that shows up as a stomach ache (common in milk intolerance) or other non-visible way. On the other hand, while most children will avoid foods which make them really sick, some may NOT make the connections when the allergy is mild. So parents need to listen to the child and use common sense and detective abilities to help determine the problem. Children may outgrow some allergies, or at least become less sensitive to some allergens. Parents may want to retry foods after a long period. NOTE: if the allergy is a severe one, do NOT retest the food on your own! Do this only under the supervision of your doctor! For less severe allergies, you can first test the allergen by rubbing a bit on the child's wrist (inside) and see if a skin reaction occurs. If no reaction occurs, let the child try a very small amount of the food. Again, if no reaction occurs, let the child try a slightly larger amount. The child may never be able to eat a lot of the food but may be able to tolerate small amounts after a "rest" period away from the allergen. 1.7 Views of allergies There are a number of views about allergies. Most doctors agree that not all allergies are "all or none"; you may be able to tolerate a certain amount of an allergen without reacting. Once you exceed a certain amount, your body reacts. NOTE: this is not true of all allergens, especially peanuts and shellfish, which may cause quick, life threatening reactions. For some allergens, any amount is too much! Your doctor may use various metaphors when discussing allergies. Most have to do with some threshold amount of allergens that a person can tolerate. Once this amount is exceeded, allergic symptoms appear. ( One common term is "glass of resistance" -- once the glass is full, you react). The amount of allergens tolerated can depend on a number of things: stress levels, the particular allergen, the combination of allergens, illness, etc. As time goes on, an allergy sufferer can determine just how much, if any, of what is ok. For food allergies, some recommend a rotation diet in which various foods are eaten in rotation so that no one food is ever eaten more than once in a three-to-five day period. (The food juggling gets very complicated, but some find that the rotation diet helps them. The best thing to do is read about it [see references section] and decide for yourself.) 2) Allergy treatment Contributors: Amy Uhrbach ) Eileen Kupstas Soo ) 2.1 Doctors: see an allergist! For both asthma and allergies, a doctor in general practice may not recognize allergies. Some doctors do recognize and treat allergies while others do not. An allergist (sometimes listed as "Allergies and Immunology") specializes in this particular area and are up-to-date (we hope!) on treatments. As with any doctor, it is good to get recommendations from your doctor, friends, or professional orgnizations. If you are not comfortable with one allergist, try another. For children, there are allergists who specialize in pediatric allergies or advertise that they treat children. Though any allergist can treat adults or children, it sometimes helps to have one who definitely *likes* children and respects the differences between adults and children. ASTHMA: Pediatricians seem reluctant to use the term asthma. This bugs my allergist (and me), because he feels it precludes proper treatment sometimes. If you see any asthma symptoms and are poo-pooed by the pediatrician, see an allergist! This seems most often the case with an allergic kid who coughs every morning. I've heard MANY stories of pediatricians who, at most, tell parents to use an antihistamine (worse, cold medicine; worst, don't worry). Then the child ends up in acute distress in the hospital! Allergists are most up to date on asthma treatment, which really matters. Allergists can often pinpoint particular allergens to avoid, from testing or only history! Allergists will tell you which environmental changes to make. 2.2 Tests Blood tests can be done to look for elevated white blood cell counts, level of particular antibodies, or for reactions with allergen extracts. Blood tests are not 100% reliable and, to get good results, must be done by highly trained lab technicians. Some doctors use these tests, while others prefer not to. The patient will need to have blood drawn for this, which may be a drawback for testing children. "Scratch" test involves scratching the skin, then dropping liquid allergen on the scratch. It's done on the arm or (for very small children) the back. It seems to hurt a little, but may be scary to little ones. [Ed. - it doesn't hurt much; it's just annoying.] Each slate has up to 6 tests, plus positive (histamine) and negative controls. Bumps/weals for a reaction appear immediately or several minutes later. The patient must remain in the office in case of severe reaction (rare). A positive reaction is reliable, but a negative reaction may not be; that is, you may be allergic but not react. Skin tests are more reliable for airborne allergies than for foods. Elimination diets are the only guaranteed way to determine food allergies. The patient goes on a *very* restricted diet, composed only of foods that rarely cause allergy problems. A new food is added each week. If the patient does not have any allergic symptoms to the new food during that week, then it is not considered an allergen. A new food can be added the next week. If the patient has a reaction to the food, the food is considered an allergen and removed from the diet. The patient then goes back to the previous diet until all symptoms are gone for three days; then a new food can be added. This is a very slow way to build up much of a varied diet, but it is certain. In adding foods, you must be careful that it is only one food that is being added. This means no processed foods (may have additives), no pre-packaged foods (may have additives), no seasonings (except salt), etc. This can be very difficult to follow if you eat out for any meals. Generally safe, non-allergenic foods usually include apricots, peaches, pears, beets, sweet potato, rice, distilled or spring water, cane sugar, salt, tapioca, olive oil, lamb and chicken. (Not very exciting..) Your doctor may give a different list, based on your personal situation. It is fairly easy to put a young baby on an elimination diet, but it gets harder as the child gets older. For very young children, this should only be done under a doctor's supervision (unless the child is exclusively breastfed) to insure a balanced diet. If the original allergic reaction was moderate or worse, you must challenge test when adding a suspected new food. That is, you start with a pea-sized piece. If no reaction, on day 2 try a 3-pea-sized piece. No reaction, day 3 try a 9-pea-sized piece. Discuss this with your doctor. ALWAYS get instructions beforehand (and medicine, if necessary) on what to do for a severe reaction. If the original reaction was severe, your doctor will want to do this at his office or at the hospital. 2.3 Medications OTC antihistamines - most are sedating but may overexcite kids or cause hallucinations (in me, some do). For example, benadryl, brompheniramine. Benadryl is the drug of choice for an acute allergic attack because it is effective within 20 minutes, reaches maximum effectiveness at an hour, and wears off in 6 hours. OTC decongestants - only help stuffy nose. May excite. Other antihistamines such as seldane (12 hour) and hismanol (24 hour) - for adults only! May or may not work. May have severe side effects - talk to your doctor. Some, such as Guaifed, are available in dosages for children; your doctor will have to decide whether these are appropriate. Sodium cromolyn (nasalcrom nosespray for allergies, intal by nebulizer or in- haler for asthma). Prevents mast cells from reacting, preventing allergic reactions. Takes at least a week for enough to build up in body, so needs to be taken regularly as preventative. Not useful for current symptoms. No known side effects. Won't work for some people. Steroid nasal sprays [beconase, rhinocort] also prevent and reduce inflammation, but need several days of use before they are fully effective. They must be used daily in order to remain effective. Great preventative! Often works better than nasalcrom in adults. Antihistamine eyedrops (optcon-a, vasocon-a) - immediate relief for 8 hours. Works, but stings. Bronchodilators [Ventolin, Bricanyl] - to open bronchial tubes for immediate relief from attack. Nebulizer most effective in acute attacks, then turbuhaler [not yet available in the US], then metred-dose inahlers and dischalers/rotohalers. Oral preparations [syrups, tablets] are least effective, requiring higher dosages to achieve the same effect as mDIs, and having generally significant side effects [because of the oral route]. These can makes kids hyper, grumpy; they make me shake. Great for occasional use. Most often used to treat acture asthma flare-ups, although some asthmatics must take them daily in addition to other medications. If you need to use bronchodilators more than twice a week , discuss with your doctor the use of an anti-inflammatory medication or other appropriate medication (Ex. intal, steroid, or theophyline). Epipen/AnaKit (epinephrine autoinjector) - an autoinjection (shot) most commonly given for anaphylactic reactions. Carry this with you at all times if you've ever had this severe a reaction! Nebulizer vs. inhaler (puffer, MDI) for intal and ventolin: Some individuals have poor reactions to [including having asthma attacks triggered by] the propellants in MDIs and cannot use them. Also, most children can't manage them until age 5, though some can manage at a younger age (some as early as 3). Children should use them with a spacer. The nebulizer is a machine which drives air through liquid medication to make mist for a patient to breathe. Treatment takes 10-20 minutes. This is the most effective delivery system. Adults use a mouthpiece. Kids use a mask; if they refuse, you can blow the mist at them by mouthpiece. Other alternatives to MDIs include rothalers and dischalers, which are powder inhalers, and a turbuhaler [not yet available in the USA], which is a breath-activated inhaler containing a very fine powder form of the drug. Turbuhalers contain ONLY the pure drug; there are no propellants, preservatives or other compounds present. Turbuhalers are more effective than MDIs, and some Paediatric ERs have switched to using Turbuhalers in the place of mask treatments for non-severe attacks. Turbuhalers should be available in the US within the next year; both inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators are available in turbuhaler form [e.g. Bricanyl and Pulmicort]. 2.4 Desensitization (injections) One treatment for inhalant allergies is desensitization. This is not available for food allergies. In desentization treatment, the patient is injected with small, dilute extracts of the inhalant allergens. The dosage is gradually built up, until the body is less sensitive to the allergen. This is a slow process, involving months to years for a complete treatment, though there is benefit even after a few months for many. Initially, the patient receives two shots per week. This is reduced to one shot a week, then one every other week over time. The initial treatment, however, involves visits to the doctor (or a medical place that will do the injections) rather regularly. The actual time to get the injection is about 20 minutes -- the injection is quick, but the patient is usually asked to wait in the office for about 20 minutes to see if a reaction develops. These reactions occur in a small percentage of patients but they need to be treated promptly. Desentization can also be used for insect sting allergies. Your doctor will know whether this is an appropriate treatment in your particular case. 2.5 Avoidance and environmental changes For most allergies and asthma, the best treatment is to avoid the allergen. This is easier for foods and more difficult for inhalant allergens. For food allergies, a number of books have been written with recipes and advice. The list of resources below give some ideas. Altering the diet to exclude certain foods can be easy if the food is relatively uncommon or is easy to spot. For example, shellfish, melons, citrus, and bell peppers are usually easy to spot and avoid. Foods like eggs, wheat, corn, peanuts and milk are harder to spot as they may be hidden ingredients in a number of foods. Many recipes are available that are easy, tasty, and avoid the allergen. Although some change in diet is inevitable, it is not a death sentence; most people do not have to cut out social events or change their lives radically. For inhalant allergies, avoidance requires more work. For seasonal allergens (pollens), try to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid going out during peak pollen times ( usually early mornings). Filter masks are available to prevent breathing in allergens if you must be out. For year-round and household allergens (mold, dust, dander), the best approach is minimizing places for the stuff to gather. Patients are usually advised to remove curtains, carpets, and unnecessary clutter. If anything is left :-), make sure it is easily washable and wash it frequently. Vacuum often; once a day is recommended by some. Make sure allergy-prone people (especially asthma sufferers) are out of the house before any painting, waxing, or other heavy-duty fume- producing activity occurs. Air filtering systems are available for individual rooms and as whole-house systems. (See resources section). Furry pets are a big source of dander, so it is best not to have pets or, next best, keep them outside. Absolutely keep pets out of bedrooms at all times. Tobacco smoke is irritating to many allergic people, so this should also be eliminated or kept outside. 2.5.1) From: Susan Fiedler ) My son and I have asthma and allergies, these ideas have helped us tremendously. ===================== Cleaning the Home Environment: Invest in an electrostatic filter (plastic frame $27.00, metal frame $60.00 up to $100.00) if you have a heating system that accepts changeable filters. It saves on the throwaway filters, trips to the doctor, allergy medications and misery for several months a year. But you MUST wash it out once a month to clean the pollen and keep your pump working at top efficiency. It may pay to have your air circulation ducts professionally cleaned, to get out old dirt, pollen, pet dander. Use the phone book, call heating/cooling specialists for recommendations. This may be especially useful if you are moving into a used house. If you take prescription allergy medications like Seldane (.92 each pill) take that when you need to be awake, but take a cheaper, over the counter medicine at night (if it has the effect of making you drowsy, not irritable). Suggested by my pharmacist. Suggested by my doctor: During the allergy season buy one bottle of nasal saline spray and then make the refill solution yourself. By spraying the nasal passages, you rinse out the irritating pollens. This can cut down on the need for medication and overall discomfort. But you must remember to do it after every time you go outside. The refill is just one teaspoon of salt into 1-2 ounces of water, stirred until dissolved. If you have forced air vents, put cheesecloth or air conditioner filter in each one. Keeps dirt from the vents and air system from entering the house. ===================== Health Insurance: If a Health Insurance provider with whom you have a prescription payment plan excludes a medication, challenge them. I have done this 3 times and each time won (over $200.00) for some time on the phone using their 800 number. On two occasions the data entry person just hit the wrong key. On the other my pharmacist spoke with them and proved that my four year old could not take the over the counter equivalent they said he should be getting. (Wrong dosage for his size, not chewable). Just remember to stay calm and polite and have all the facts and policy numbers at hand when you call. ===================== Sources for Products of Interest Allergy Control Products Inc. 96 Danbury Road Ridgefield CT 06877 1-800-422-DUST Provide free (with orders?) pamphlets on Cat Dander, House Dust/Mites, Understanding Vacuum Cleaners Vacuum Exhaust and Allergen Containment, Mold Spore Allergy. Products include: special mattress/pillow covers, blankets (Vellux), room cleaners (filter room air), face masks, vacuum filters (don't let the dust/dirt back out of vacuum), high filtration vacuum cleaner bags, Miele canister Vacuum cleaner, filters for A/C, and central heating systems, Allergy Control Solution (neutralizes dust mite and their feces, a primary allergen for many people). I have used their vacuum filters, Allergy Control Solution and mask. All very good and extremely helpful. ===================== Information on Food Allergies The Food Allergy Network 10400 Eaton Place Suite 107 Fairfax, VA 22030-5647 703-691-3179 800-929-4040 fax 703-691-2713 Non-profit organization that puts out a newsletter ($24.00 US 6 issues/year) on food allergies, that covers allergy-related subjects such as eczema, allergen-free recipes, drug updates, news updates, a dietician's column. They also sell a number of reasonably priced booklets and cards to help you cope with schools, information on anaphylaxis (potentially lethal allergic reactions), how to read food labels so as to avoid allergens (ex. soy products go by many names in packaging). Sample newsletter and information sent on request. ===================== Sources of Food Products for Special Diets, Allergen Free (or Substitute) Products Ener-G Foods P.O. Box 84487 Seattle, WA 98124-5788 206-767-6660 800-331-5222 in Washington State 800-325-9788 Fax 206-764-3398 You can call them for their free Allergy packet of information. They manufacture and sell baking mixes, ready-made baked items, recipes (sorted by 45 dietary criteria) and specialize in products for those on gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, corn-free, soy-free, milk-free or low protein diets. The order form groups products by what they DON'T have (ex. wheat, eggs) and tells you the ingredients for each item. Sold by single package or by the case. Some of their products can be found in good health food stores. But if you want to buy it in bulk and save a decent amount of money, try one package from either a store or the manufacturer to see if you like it, and then place a bulk order with Ener-G. They also sell products for people with renal failure and malabsorption syndrome (Celiac-Sprue). 2.6 Children vs. adults - TBD 3) Foods Contributors: Rebecca Leann Smit Crowley ) Eileen Kupstas Soo ) Andrea Kwiatkowski ) Tammy Schmidt ) 3.1 Overview Allergies are an immune system reaction to substances that don't harm most people. This can include pollens, dust, foods, cosmetics, and such. The body produces antibodies to neutralize the foreign substance, which triggers the release of histamine, which produces what we see as allergies or asthma. Treatment can work on any part of the process: avoiding the allergen, reducing the production of histamines, etc. Allergies should be taken seriously; most allergic reactions are merely annoying but some can be life threatening. A number of people find that the most likely food to cause a problem is one that you eat the most frequently. In fact, some people report that they have an almost addictive craving for that food.The craving may be more intense if you have had the food in the past day or so. The more of it you have, the more intense the craving becomes. This can be a clue as to the foods to suspect in your initial search for allergens. Common foods to think about are milk (and milk products), wheat (and wheat products), corn (and corn products), and eggs. These are common foods in Western diets to which many people are allergic. 3.2 Adverse Reactions to Milk When the term allergy was coined, it referred to a broad category of adverse reactions to substances. Today, allergy specifically refers to an immunologic interaction between an allergen and an antibody. Other adverse reactions are now typically referred to as intolerances. Extreme food allergy leading to anaphylaxis or asthma requires special treatment; otherwise, for both intolerances and "true allergy", the only real solution is avoidance (with a couple exceptions). This section of the FAQ deals specifically with milk sensitivity, whether lactose intolerance or milk allergy. LACTOSE INTOLERANCE Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose, found in animal milk (including human milk, which, in fact, has about twice has much lactose as cow's milk). An enzyme called lactase is required to digest lactose. When this enzyme is missing, the following symptoms may occur: abdominal cramps, diarrhea, gas, a feeling of bloatedness. Symptoms may occur within an hour, or up to several days later. The intensity of symptoms varies widely. DIAGNOSIS Lactose intolerance can be self-diagnosed by eliminating milk and dairy products from your diet for two weeks, then reintroducing milk (a glass or two), and seeing what happens. Your doctor can administer a couple of tests to confirm lactose intolerance (basically involves drinking a sweet drink containing a lot of lactose on an empty stomach and monitoring blood levels of glucose -- no rise in glucose means the lactose is not being absorbed; the other involves checking breath levels of hydrogen). TREATMENT If you are diagnosed with lactose intolerance, you have a variety of options. Lactase is available by prescription (Lactaid), and can be added to milk (drops) or taken with food containing dairy products (tablets). Some people may have adverse reactions to this medication, however (in tablet form -- the reaction is believed to be allergic. Drops seem to be ok.). Lactose reduced milk and cheeses are available in some areas. Aged cheeses, yogurt and sour cream may be tolerable (most of the lactose has already been converted). You can find your level of lactose tolerance by either cutting out dairy products entirely and slowing working them back into your diet, or you can slowly eliminate them until you stop having difficulties. Tables indicating lactose content for milk and milk products are available (see Zukin below). Some believe that lactose intolerance is, in fact, the human (and mammalian) norm, rather than an aberration, citing in support statistics that indicate most of the world's population is lactose intolerant (Europeans and those of European descent being the exceptions), and the tendency to lactose intolerance with increased age. MILK ALLERGY Milk allergy, on the other hand, involves an allergic reaction to one or more of the proteins in milk (casein, lactalbumin, lactoglobulins). An allergic reaction to milk may include: eczema, rash, mucous buildup, wheezing, asthma, rhinitis, pneumonia, anaphylaxis. The type and severity of symptoms varies widely. Because a true milk allergy may involve mast cells in the mouth and throat, it is possible to have an allergic reaction to milk or milk products before they are digested. It is possible to be both lactose intolerant AND allergic to milk. DIAGNOSIS The bad news is, diagnostic tests for milk allergy -- for food allergy in general -- are hit or miss. One source I have claims that a negative is accurate, but false positives are common. Another states that the extracts used in allergy tests tend to lose potency quickly so you might test negative on a test and STILL be allergic. Elimination diets are the best test you have available to you. If you suspect milk allergy, eliminate milk and milk products for two or more weeks, and see what happens. If you can convince your physician to conduct a double-blind test on you, you may be able to confirm the diagnosis. TREATMENT The worse news is, no cure is available -- avoidance, and symptom control via antihistamines, etc. are the best you can do. (For now, at least, this is true of all food allergy, at least according to the conservative medical community -- but research is ongoing. I have a reference to a study by the National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver which claims successful desensitization to peanuts in people who had a life history of allergic reaction to them. There's a dim hope, at least.) [The National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine in Denver has prepared a report about successful desensitization to peanuts in patients with a life history of allergic reaction to them. The address for that group is: National Jewish Center for Immunology and Respiratory Medicine Public Affairs Department 1400 Jackson Street Denver, CO 80206 303-398-1079, 800-222-LUNG (5864)] NUTRITIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF A DAIRY-FREE DIET That enough? No? The primary source of calcium for most Americans is milk or milk derived. If you discover you are unable to consume milk or milk products -- whether because of lactose intolerance or milk allergy -- you should seriously consider calcium supplementation. Unfortunately, you may discover (as many do) that these, too, cause intestinal distress (read: pain). If so, experiment with different types of calcium (calcium citrate was the least distressing of all the ones I tried). If you discover none of them work well, you may want to cut down your meat consumption; some studies suggest that too high levels of dietary iron may be a more important factor in osteoporosis than lack of dietary calcium (mechanism speculative -- this also implies not supplementing iron unless you have an actual deficiency. Talk to your doctor about all supplementation, of course). You may also need to supplement vitamin D. You may need/want to check with a dietician or nutritionist about your or your child's diet. One suggestion is choose a calcium supplement with a 2:1 ratio of calcium and magnesium. S. Rogers, Tired or Toxic?, considers this ratio VERY IMPORTANT. Other nutritionists have also backed this ratio. WHERE TO FIND HELP If you are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk and choose to stay on a no-dairy diet, there are cookbooks out there to help you. The most readily available seems to be: The Milk-Free Kitchen: Living Well without Dairy Products by Beth Kidder (1991, ISBN: 0-8050-1836-0 ) Dairy-Free Cookbook by Jane Zukin |New Raising Your Child Without Milk by Jane Zukin While Ms. Kidder devotes some pages to discussion of allergy, intolerance, and eating out, Ms. Zukin's commentary extends to 70 pages, and is very informative. Many of the recipes included call for "milk substitute" -- but, to be fair, you're also told where to find rice and soy milk, among other things. The two cookbooks are complementary. Vegan cookbooks can also be very useful, if you can find one. If you have Usenet access (and it seems likely, if you're reading this!), you might consider hanging out on rec.food.veg or rec.food.veg.cooking a fair number of vegan recipes are posted. Also, vegetarians typically have some good advice on coping with a non-standard diet. (See the essays AARS essays and guides page , especially AARS cooking, food, and nutrition page and The Recipes Folder on the Web.) There is now a mailing list for people following a milk/casein/lactose-free diet. Both Zukin and Kidder emphasize that eating out -- whether at restaurants or at the homes of friends or relatives -- can be difficult, and provide information and suggestions to help you cope. They also emphasize the need to read the labels on everything you buy or eat -- milk derivatives are found in the most unexpected places (e.g. the batter on fried chicken), masquerading under bizarre names (e.g. sodium caseinate). While the lactose intolerant may be able to cope, the results for the milk allergic can be severe. So while you may not have any difficulty digesting milk, if someone asks you whether a food item contains milk or milk products and you are not certain, please, please, please answer honestly. Some people react very strongly to very small exposures. This is not a preference. When a person declines to eat a certain dish on the grounds of allergy, don't waste your time or their patience with arguments about how good it is, or how little (insert allergen here) is contained within. They know their problems best; it is no insult to you. 3.3 Gluten (wheat) and grain allergies Allergies to grain products can be hard to pin down. Grain products are ubiquitous. Most allergic reactions are quite mild, but some can be quite severe. Usually the symptoms are a runny nose, red eyes, and such, but grain allergies can also cause digestive troubles. A common allergy is to gluten, a mixture of proteins found in wheat and other grains (rye, oats, barley etc.). Gluten is the portion of flour that gives a porous, spongy texture to bread. It is also used as a base in cosmetic powders and creams. Reactions range from runny nose and itchy eyes to upset stomach to severe gas. In children (and adults!), personality changes can be a symptom -- inability to concentrate, irritableness, crankiness, difficulties with mental alertness and memory. Some research indicates there may be a connection between attention deficit disorders and undiagnosed gluten allergies. Gluten allergies can also cause dermatitis herpetiformis (D.H.), a chronic benign, skin disorder characterized by an intense burning and itching rash. A new unscratched lesion is red, raised, and usually less than 1 cm in diameter with a tiny blister at the center. However, if scratched, crusting appears on the surface. The "burning" or "stinging" sensation is different from a "regular" itch, and can often occur 8-12 hours before a lesion appears. The most common areas are the elbows, knees, back of the neck and scalp, upper back, and the buttocks. Facial and hair-line lesions are not uncommon; the inside of the mouth is rarely affected. The rash has symmetric distribution. Medications are available to treat the problem, but elimination of gluten is a long-term answer. Severe reactions to wheat occur in the condition known as Celiac-Sprue [note: this may not be a true allergy, but I will include it here.] For people with this condition, the intestine reacts strongly to gluten products. The small cilia on the intestinal wall gradually flatten, reducing the ability of the intestines to absorb nutrients. This is a serious condition leading to malnutrition. The treatment consists of avoiding wheat and gluten in any form. In Western cultures, this can be VERY difficult. Remember that other grains such as rye and oats can cause problems, since they contain small amounts of gluten. It is unknown whether a child will outgrow this condition, but the current safe opinion is that gluten must be avoided for life. More information is available from several support organizations. (See resources list for a mailing list .) It can be difficult to avoid gluten in processed foods. It's used as a starch, binder, bulking agent, formulation aid, stabilizer, shaper, thickener, emulsific filler and as a glaze. Some foods labeled "wheat free" may still contain gluten. Even things like lip gloss, make-up, shampoo and hand cream can contain gluten. It is possible to have good food without eating a wheat based diet. You will have to investigate the various options and see which suits your situation best. A number of cuisines are not based on wheat and provide alternatives around which to center your diet. Chinese, Indian, and other Asian countries often center the diet around rice. Some Eastern European countries use other grains such as millet, barley and buckwheat. A number of substitutes for wheat in baking are available. If you can tolerate some gluten, rye and oats can be used. These do not make a baked product exactly like wheat, but do make an acceptable one. For gluten free baked products, a mixture of rice flour, potato starch flour, and tapioca flour can be used. (Recipes given below.) Any baking done without wheat will take practice; you have to learn a whole new way of doing it. The products are not exactly like wheat products but are tasty and satisfying. Most are as easy to make as the wheat version (after a few initial failures while learning). For many cookies and cakes, the results are very good. For breads, the results are better termed satisfactory but still quite good in their own way. Corn is another potential allergen, distinct from gluten allergies. As with wheat, corn products are found in any number of products. Corn starch is used as a thickener for many foods, as a base for cosmetics, and to prevent sticking. Corn sugar is used as an ingredient in many sodas, bottled fruit drinks, baking mixes, and such. It is also used in the glue for envelopes and stamps, in cosmetics, as a pill coating, in processed foods, and spice mixes. Symptoms range from skin rashes, runny nose and itchy eyes, to asthma. 3.4 Allergy Cookbooks This is a partial, somewhat selective list -- descriptions, along with other books, are listed in a separate file, Allergy and Asthma Book Reviews . Feel free to send reviews /opinions /books-to-be-considered, etc. _The Food Allergy Cookbook_ The official cookbook of the Allergy Information Association St. Martin's Press New York, New York 10010 ISBN 0-312-90185-2 Paperback $4.95 _The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook_ by M. Jones Rodale Press Inc. ISBN 0-87857-505-7 $19.95 Hardback |New _The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook_ by Marilyn Gioannini Prima Publishing PO Box 1260BK Rocklin, CA 95677 ISBN 0-7615-0051-0 _The Gluten-Free Gourmet" Living Well without Wheat_ by Bette Hagman H. Holt & Co. ISBN 0-8050-1835-2 $12.95 paperback. There are two more gluten-free books by the same author that many people also recommend. 3.5 Unknown food allergies Some food allergies are very hard to pin down. An elimination diet (described above) is the only sure-fire way to determine the specific cause. Some items to consider when trying to track allergies down a wheat milk seafoods peanuts eggs corn (includes corn syrup and corn starch) citrus fruits yeast molds (includes cheeses, etc) mint tomatoes green peppers also look out for: preservatives food colors additives Remember that almost anything can be a potential allergen to somebody. A number of other illnesses can be related to the diet or the environment. Various claims have been made about yeast, sugar, and other foods as causes of various illnesses. This has not been accepted by some physicians, but the ideas can be kept in mind if untreatable, chronic symptoms occur. Some air borne compounds affect some people more than others. Again, this can be kept in mind if untreatable, chronic symptoms occur. DISCLAIMER: Any treatment should be under the direction of a physician! 3.6 anaphylactic reactions -- when to call 911 immediately Anaphylactic reactions are general, dramatic reactions that can result in collapse and possibly death. It is caused by a sudden release of histamines and other chemicals that overwhelm the body. The onset is usually quite rapid and symptoms occur within minutes. Death can potentially occur immediately or within two hours. The first sign may be swelling and redness of the skin or may be a non-visible internal reaction such as swelling of the airway, a drop in blood pressure, shock, or nausea. The allergic person may also have a feeling of great anxiety. Immediate action is needed. Persons who know they are prone to these reactions (allergies to peanuts, shellfish, and insect stings can be of this type), should consult with their doctor about a small emergency kit to carry with them. For this type of reaction, call for medical help immediately. Minutes are vital. Standard treatments used to control the reaction are epinephrine, oxygen, and intravenous fluids. Antihistamines and corticosteroids can also be used. The person needs to be under medical supervision until the reaction is under control. |
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Archive-name: misc-kids/allergy+asthma/part3
Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-Modified: 2000/06/04 Version: 1.5 -------------------------------------------------- This FAQ is also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.cs.unc.edu/~kupstas/FAQ.html -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Misc.kids Frequently Asked Questions -- Allergies and Asthma Recipes Revision 1.5 This FAQ is intended to answer frequently asked questions on allergies and asthma in the misc.kids newsgroup. Though the comments are geared towards parents of children, there is plenty of information for adults as well. The information in this FAQ is the collected "net wisdom" of a number of folk. It is not intended to replace medical advice. None of the contributors are medical professionals. Most of us either have allergies/asthma or have relatives/children with asthma/allergies, so this collection represents the experiences and prejudices of individuals. This is not a substitute for consulting your physician. To contribute to this collection, please send e-mail to the address given below, and ask me to add your comments to the FAQ file on Allergies and Asthma. Please try to be as concise as possible, as these FAQ files tend to be quite long as it is. And, unless otherwise requested, your name and e-mail address will remain in the file, so that interested readers may follow-up directly for more information/discussion. This FAQ is posted regularly to news.answers and misc.kids.info. For a list of other misc.kids FAQ topics, look for the FAQ File Index posted to misc.kids.info or tune in to misc.kids. Collection maintained by: Eileen Kupstas Soo ) This page last modified: June 4, 1997 Copyright 1997, Eileen Kupstas Soo. Use and copying of this information are permitted as long as (1) no fees or compensation are charged for use, copies or access to this information, and (2) this copyright notice is included intact. ------------------------------------------------------------- FAQ Overview: General Information Part 1/2 General Information Part 2/2 Allergy and Asthma Resources and Reviews Allergy Recipes -- this file ------------------------------------------------------------- New material is marked by the NEW symbol. Recipe Index: Wheat/Gluten Free Bread, Muffins, and Pancakes Baking Powder Biscuits #2 Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Bread Blueberry Muffins Breakfast Oatmeal Bars -- not gluten free, but is wheat free Chick Pea Flour Pancakes ("Crepes") Cornbread Pumpkin Bread Rice Flour Pancakes 1 NEW Rice Flour Pancakes 2 NEW Rice/Potato Donuts NEW Terrific Belgian Waffles Cakes, Cookies, and Other Desserts Chestnut Torte Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies -- not gluten free, but is wheat free Chocolate Torte -- Suggestions from other sources Glazed Fruit Pie Golden Cake Hot Fudge Cake Melt-in-your-Mouth Shortbread Passover Brownies Peanut Butter Cookies 1 -- not gluten free, but is wheat free Peanut Butter Cookies 2 Pie Crusts -- wheat free Pumpkin Cookies 1 Pumpkin Cookies 2 Rice or Potato Flour Sponge Cake Toll House Cookies Milk/Egg Free Milk Substitutes Coconut Milk Nut Milk Rice Milk Ricotta Cheese Substitute Cakes, Cookies, and Other Desserts Banana "Cream" Pie Chocolate Pie Egg-Free Linzer Torte Bars "Five minute" Chocolate Cake Frozen Fruit Tofulatu MFK Fisher's War Cake MFK Fisher's Tomato Soup Cake Lemon Pie Pumpkin Pie Raisin Snack Cake See also: Passover Brownies Peanut Butter Cookies Pumpkin Cookies 1 Terrific Belgian Waffles Measurement Conversion Information for non-US folk ------------------------------------------------------------- Baking Powder Biscuits #2 [adapted from The Allergy Cookbook and Food Buying Guide by Pamela Nonken and S. Roger Hirsch, M.D.] 5/8 cup potato-starch flour 2 teaspoons baking powder (corn free, if required) 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons butter* 1/4 cup milk *Butter is best, since most of the taste comes from it, but you can substitute margarine if necessary. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together potato-starch flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until all butter is evenly combined with flour. Stir in milk to make a soft dough [start a little under the required amount, then add as needed --ek]. Ro und up on lightly floured (with potato-starch flour) board. Knead lightly. Roll out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in 500 (F) [yes, five hundred] oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown. I like these better at the lighter stage of brown than darker brown. Serve hot, but these will keep for a day or so. About 8 biscuits. ------------------------------------------------------------- Wheat/Gluten Free Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Bread From: Kate Gregory Everyone who is allergic to wheat or gluten should own a copy of The Gluten-Free Gourmet: Living Well without Wheat My copy was $18 Canadian. This book has over 200 wheat free recipes for bread, cookies, pizza, chicken pot pie, you name it. It is also full of advice about adapting existing recipes and where to get substitutes. The bread recipe in this book is great but the dough is too sticky to be kneaded by hand. So my husband adapted her recipe to work in a breadmaker. We have made this in our Pansonic many times; it tastes like bread, it is nice and soft. It toasts beautifully but unlike many rice breads is edible untoasted. 2 cups GF flour (see below) 3 tbsp sugar 2 tsp xanthan gum (see below) 1 cup milk, warmed for 1 min in microwave (use lactose treated if you need to) 1 tsp salt 1.5 tsp yeast 2 tbsp oil (or use butter, just barely melted in the microwave) 2 eggs 1 tsp vinegar Put these ingredients into your breadmaker in whatever order it requires them and bake like any other white loaf. The GF flour is a flour substitute Hagman recommends. You make it like this: 2 parts white rice flour 2/3 part potato starch flour (NOT potato flour) 1/3 part tapioca flour I make up 3 cups of this into a canister, 2 cups goes for the bread and the other cup stays in the canister for next time. As for the xanthan gum, she talks about this more in the book but it's a way to get the stretchiness that gluten provides. She gives several mail order sources for it in the States; here in Canada my inlaws simply asked their local health food store to get them some and eventually it arrived. My MIL has been gluten-intolerant for years and has been buying rice bread, corn pasta and the like all that time; now that she has this book she says she feels like a real person again. So many foods she thought she'd never eat again are opened up to her. She writes in the margin when she tries a recipe and every annotation says "good" or "very good"; she has yet to be disappointed. She's also gained weight which her doctor is very pleased about. I can't recommned the book highly enough. ------------------------------------------------------------- Blueberry Muffins [adapted from Going Against the Grain]by Phyllis Potts contributed by: Tammy Schmidt 2/3 c banana 1 egg 1 cup milk or water 1/3 c oil or shortening 1 tsp soda 3 tsp baking powder 2/3 c rice flour 2/3 c bean flour 2 tsp xanthan gum 2/3 c potato flour or mashed potato 1 c blueberries Mix the first 4 ingredients, sift dry ingredients and add to the flour mixture. Add blueberries and mix. Fill prepared muffin tins 3/4 full. Bake at 300F for 40 min. Makes one dozen. ------------------------------------------------------------- Oatmeal Breakfast Bars 2 cups rolled oats, uncooked 1 - 1/2 cups oat flour* 1 cup (packed) currants, raisins, chopped prunes, or other dried fruit** 1 cup apple juice, or variations below 1/4 cup white or brown sugar (can be omitted, see variations below) 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, more or less to taste 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup sesame seeds or small nut pieces Preheat oven to 375 (F). Grease a 9 inch by 13 inch pan, or two 8 inch by 8 inch pans. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. It should be moist enough to form a ball, without extra liquid. Put mixture in prepared pan(s) and spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into squares while still hot. Wait until the bars cool before trying to remove them from the pan. Variations: Replace apple juice with 1) orange juice 2) a mixture of 1/4 cup molasses and 3/4 cup water 3) 1/4 cup molasses, 2 tablespoons dark rum or flavoring, enough water to make one cup. If you want to up the molasses a bit, you can omit the sugar in the recipe. *You can make oat flour by putting rolled oats into a blender or food processor and pulverizing them. **if the fruit is hard, soak it with a bit of water before adding to the mixture. The fruit doesn't soften much in baking. With variation 3, you can use a bit of rum or other flavoring in the soaking water. ------------------------------------------------------------- Chick Pea Flour Pancakes ("Crepes") [adapted from _Madhur Jaffrey's Vegetarian World of the East_ by Madhur Jaffrey Alfred A. Knopf 1981, ISBN 0-394-40271-5 or ISBN 0-394-74867-0] This will produce a thinner "eggy" textured pancake much like a crepe. I prefer a savory treatment, with scallions or other flavoring, but sweet is okay, too. Chutneys and relishes can be used to fill these, or a dipping sauce can be made. Use a nonstick skillet approximately 8 inches in diameter. Bigger or smaller is ok, but yo u will have to adjust the amount of batter you use to correspond. I prefer a 4 inch pancake for snacking. In making these, you need to move deliberately and quickly. The first few you make may be a little weird, until you get the hang of it. 1 cup chickpea flour (garbonzo bean flour), firmly packed 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional) 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) about 1/4 cup vegetable oil Sift the chickpea flour into a bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of water , two tablespoons or so at a time. Stir well after each addition of water, breaking up the lumps of flour. Once this is smooth, add ano ther 1/2 cup of water to the mixture, and all of the spices. Stir to mix. Measure out the oil and place in a small cup near where you will be cooking; place a pastry brush, a teaspoon , and a 1/2 cup* measuring cup there, too. (*The size of the cup depends upon the size of the pancake you will be making. Experiment to find out what produces the size you want.) Have a plate for the finished pancakes ready. Each pancake takes between 5 and 8 minutes to cook. If you have two suitable skillets that will make the process much faster. Brush the skillet with approximately 1 teaspoon of oil. Let the skillet heat on a medium l ow setting until it is hot. Stir the batter and remove approx. 1/2 cup (or whatever your desired measure turns out to be). Pour this into the skillet. Turn and tilt the skillet to spread the batter to the very edges of the pan* (*If you are making a smaller pancake, you can let it move as far as needed to get a thin cake.) Keep doing this until the batter is evenly distributed and has set. Dribble approximately 1 teaspoon of oil around t he edges of the pancake and another teaspoon on top. (Use less if you are making a smaller pancake.) Cover the skillet and let cook for 5 to 8 minutes; it should be slightly crisp at the edges and bottom. Carefully ease a plastic spatula under the pancake, lift it and place on a plate. These are best eaten immediately, but you can cover the plate of pancakes with an inverted plate and do the remaining pancakes in order to serve them all at once. Serve with any chutney, dipping sauce, or condiment that strikes you. Variation: While pancake is cooking place a small amount of chopped green onion on top. ------------------------------------------------------------- Cornbread contributed by Meg Fortino 2 tablespoons bacon grease 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 2 cups self-rising cornmeal (this is corn meal with the proper proportions of baking soda, baking powder, and salt already added; you can use regular cornmeal and add the required other ingredients) Turn the oven to 425 (F). Put the bacon grease in a 10" iron skillet. Put the skillet into the oven. Meanwhile, combine the eggs and buttermilk. Put the cornmeal into a large bowl. When the bacon grease is melted, pour the grease into the eggs and buttermilk while mixing. Stir the egg/buttermilk/grease mixture into the cornmeal. Pour the cornmeal into the hot skillet and spread it quickly. Put the skillet into the oven and bake 25 minutes. Immediately remove from the oven and upturn it onto a serving plate. (If you leave it in the skillet, the good crust gets soggy. I guess if you like gentler cornbread, you can leave it in the skillet. But if you want gentler cornbread, you'll have to put flour in the mix. This is hale-and-hearty cornbread.) Serve with turnip greens with lots of pot likker and cold buttermilk. ------------------------------------------------------------- Golden Cake contributed by JoAnne McCleeary I use only Bob's Red Mill Stone Ground White Rice Flour, from Natural Food, Inc. Milwaukie, Oregon 97222. It is the only one that I have been able to get decent results in adapting wheat recipes to rice. 1 cup white rice flour 3/4 cup sugar 3 tsp Rumford baking powder 1 egg 1/4 cup of softened butter, margarine OK but the butter overcomes the flavor of the rice better than margarine. 1/2 cup of milk 1-2 tsp of vanilla extract 1 tsp of real cider vinegar (be sure you don't use distilled vinegar because it may be from a grain that you don't want) Sift dry ingredients together. Drop in butter, 1/4 cup of milk, vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the milk and eggs. Beat 2 minutes more. Turn into a greased 9 or 10 inch round layer cake pan. Bake for about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool and turn out on a plate and frost. Makes 1 layer. Stays very moist. Will taste wonderful if you haven't had cake in a long time. My family can't tell this one is made from rice. ------------------------------------------------------------- Hot Fudge Cake contributed by JoAnne McCleeary (adapted from Taste of Home Magazine) I use only Bob's Red Mill Stone Ground White Rice Flour, from Natural Food, Inc. Milwaukie, Oregon 97222. It is the only one that I have been able to get decent results in adapting wheat recipes to rice. 1 cup rice flour 3/4 cup white sugar 5 Tbsp baking cocoa, divided in half 4 tsp Rumford baking powder 1/4 tsp salt, Don't try this without the salt 1/2 cup milk 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1-2 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup packed brown sugar 1-3/4 cup hot water Whipped Cream or ice cream, optional, but wonderful In a medium bowl, combine flour, white sugar, 1/2 of the cocoa powder, and the salt. Stir in the milk, oil and vanilla until smooth. Spread in an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Combine brown sugar and the other half of the cocoa and sprinkle this over the top of the batter in the cake pan. Pour hot water over all and DO NOT stir. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm. Top with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Yield: 9 servings. This one is impossible to tell that it's made from rice. I have served it to company with great results. ------------------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin Bread [adapted from Going Against the Grain]by Phyllis Potts contributed by: Tammy Schmidt 1.5 c bean flour 1.5 c rice flour 1.5 tsp salt 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg 2 tsp baking soda 3 tsp xanthan gum 2 c pureed cooked or canned pumpkin 1 c honey 1 c corn oil (or other vegetable oil) 1/2 c water 4 eggs Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and spices. Stir together pumpkin, corn oil and water, add eggs one at a time. Make a well in center of flour mixture, add pumpkin mixture and stir. Pour into prepared pans and bake for 1 hour at 325F ------------------------------------------------------------- Rice Flour Pancakes 1 from Eileen Kupstas Soo ) [Adapted from _The Joy of Cooking_, c. 1967] Mix then sift: 2 cups rice flour 4 1/2 tsp. double acting baking powder 2 tsp. maple sugar or other sweetener 2 tsp. salt Beat the mixture while adding: 2 cups milk or milk substitute Add and barely blend: 1 beaten egg or egg substitute (though be careful -- a good binder is needed) 1 tbls. melted butter or margerine Proceed as for standard pancakes. You may need to be generous when greasing the pan. ------------------------------------------------------------- NEW Rice Flour Pancakes 2 contributed by JoAnn McCleeary 1 cup of rice flour 1 tsp of Rumford Baking Powder 1 whole egg 1 Tbls oil 1/2 cup milk 1 Tbls vinegar Heat electric griddle to about 400 degrees (hot). Mix batter well. Bake on one side til bubbly and then flip. These are very moist and stay fresh in the refrigerator for a week or so. They make great sandwiches, pizza crusts, or breakfasts. ------------------------------------------------------------- NEW Rice/Potato Donuts contributed by JoAnn McCleeary 1 c. cold mashed potatoes 3 c. rice flour (white, regular grind which is finer than the brown rice flour found in health food stores) 1/2 c. cornstarch or soy milk powder (not soy bean powder) 1 c. sugar 5 1/2 tsp. Rumford Baking Powder 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1 1/2 c. milk (or milk substitute) 3 eggs Beat all this together or mix will by hand. This should be slightly stiffer than cake batter. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Fry 1/4 cup or smaller spoonfuls of batter in hot oil, a few at a time until they are good and brown. Check one for doneness by breaking open the first donut to see if it is completely done. Rice flour products are very yucky flavored when they are not completely done, but get too dry if overdone. Drain well and roll in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar or dip in vanilla or chocolate powdered sugar glaze. This make a large batch, but they freeze very well and make a ready snack for someone hungry for a really good donut. ------------------------------------------------------------- NEW Terrific Belgian Waffles [adapted from Mother Earth Cookery by Margaret Ritchie ("Just Margaret") )] 1 cup crabapple juice (or substitute) 1 cup leftover vegetable broth 1 cup cooked beans (or sweet potato; see variations) 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour 1/2 cup white rice flour 1/2 cup potato starch 2 Tbl. baking powder dash of sea salt (or small amount of regular salt) optional: nuts, such as pecans Place all ingredients in blender, including the nuts if desired. Heat waffle maker and place batter on hot waffle maker (you can use an ice cream scoop as a measure). The batter will overflow if there is too much, but the waffle will be too dry if you have too little. Do a test run to see how much you will need. Cook the first waffle about 5 minutes; the others should be checked by about 4 minutes. Makes about 8 waffles. Serve with fresh fruit or dried fruit puree; the author recommends a combination of pumpkin seed butter and rice syrup. The leftovers freeze well and make excellent sandwiches. Variations: Use part buckwheat flour; use chickpeas and part chickpea flour; use sweet potato in place of beans. ------------------------------------------------------------- Chestnut Torte from Eileen Kupstas Soo ) [From _The I Hate to Cook Almanac_, Peg Bracken c. 197?] Torte: 3/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 4 eggs, whites and yolks separated 1 tbls. rum 2 cups chestnuts (shelled, cooked until tender, then ground fine) 1/4 cup grated almonds, plus 1 tablespoon for preparing pan 1 cup whipping cream Frosting: 1/2 lb. bitter chocolate 1/2 cup butter more almonds for decoration Preheat oven to 350 (F); prepare two 9 inch cake pans by greasing well and sprinkle the tablespoon of ground almonds on this. Cream butter then gradually add sugar. Beat then add egg yolks. Add rum. Beat egg whites until stiff. Add chestnuts and almonds to butter mixture, beat thoroughly, then fold in egg whites. Pour into two cake pans. Bake 45 minutes at 350(F), then cool. Whip the whipping cream with a tablespoon or two of sugar (this shouldn't be very sweet. Spread this on bottom layer of cake and place second layer on top. Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler. Beat until thick enough to spread. Cover cake with this and decorate with almonds. ------------------------------------------------------------- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies [adapted from The Allergy Cookbook and Food Buying Guide by Pamela Nonken and S. Roger Hirsch, M.D.] These cookies rated highly with both my husband and my 5 year old niece (who enjoyed making them under supervision) 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate 1/2 cup crunchy natural peanut butter* 2/3 cup sugar, or less to taste 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (safflower oil is listed in original recipe) 1 cup rolled oats, uncooked 3/4 cup raisins 1/2 cup non-roasted nuts, chopped ** *you can use commercial peanut butter if allergies permit **you can use another 1/2 cup raisins instead of the nuts Melt chocolate and peanut butter together with oil, stirring occasionally. This can be done on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. When well blended, stir in the remaining ingredients. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. You may need to use your hand to shape them if the cookies refuse to stick together; this won't matter in the final product. Chill until firm. These should be stored in the refrigerator. About 2 dozen cookies. ------------------------------------------------------------- Chocolate Torte -- Suggestions from other sources 1: This is a pointer to a great chocolate torte. It contains only chocolate, butter, and eggs. It is technically a very easy torte to make, it is just "fastidious" (as my husband says). The directions are simple; you just need to follow them precisely. The torte is very rich and keeps well. Serve with very lightly sweetened whipped cream, or with rasberry puree, or with nothing at all. Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte, from _The Cake Bible_ by Rose Levy Beranbaum (William Morrow and Company, New York. c. 1988. ISBN 0-688-04402-6) This is probably in your local library. 2: _Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts_ (by Maida Heatter, pub. Alfred A. Knopf, NY 1992. ISBN 0-394-50391-0) has three recipes with no flour. They do contain eggs, nuts, and chocolate. They are Torte Souffle au Chocolat, Torta di Cioccolata, and Sept. 7 Cake. ------------------------------------------------------------- Glazed Fruit Pie [from Allergic People Eat Desserts Too!] by Eleanor Bentley Milinusic contributed by: Tammy Schmidt Pastry: use one that is suitable for your diet. There are several listed in the book. Filling - 3 cups of sliced fruit Glaze: 2 cups fruit 3/4 c water 1/3 c honey 3 T arrowroot Make a chosen pastry. Glaze: Crush 2 cups of fruit and place in a pan with water and honey. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Pass through a food strainer. Press down well. (I used a food grinder with good results). Add arrowroot mixed with 1/8 cup of water to the strained mixture. Cook over low heat until thickened (this thickens quickly). Arrange sliced fruit in pastry. Pour glaze over sliced fruit and chill. May be garnished with frozen drops of soy or nut whipped topping. I found that there was a lot of glaze left over from this recipe and it makes wonderful jam for my daughter who cannot eat sugar. I made strawberry/banana pie with strawberry glaze. It will work for just about any fruit. You could make a the pies with one type of berry in the pie and a different berry for the glaze. There is also a terrific brownie recipe in the book. ------------------------------------------------------------- Melt-in-your-Mouth Shortbread [adapted from The Food Allergy Cookbook] 1/2 cup cornstarch 1/2 cup icing [confectioner's] sugar 1 cup rice flour 3/4 cup butter Sift cornstarch, sugar and rice flour together. Add butter. Mix with hands until soft dough forms. Refrigerate one hour. Shape dough into 1" balls. Place about 1-1/4 inches apart on greased cookie sheet; flatten with lightly floured fork. Bake at 300 (F) [150 (C)] for 20-25 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Variations: Form balls as above. Roll in finely crushed corn flakes or crushed nuts. Press top of ball with thumb. Add a dab of jelly. Mix in 2 tbls. finely chopped peel and/or 2 tbls. finely chopped nuts. Flatten with lightly floured fork. ------------------------------------------------------------- Passover Brownies From _Jewish Cooking in America_ by Joan Nathan Alfred A. Knopf, 1994 [ISBN 0-394-58405-8] 3/4 sticks ( = 3/4 cup) unsalted butter or margerine 3/4 cup sugar 5 eggs, separated 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate 6 oz. finely ground almonds or almond flour pinch of salt 1) Cream butter and sugar, then mix in egg yolks 2) Melt chocolate over double boiler; cool and add to butter mixture. Add almonds. 3) Beat egg whtes until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Pour into a 9 inch by 9 inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 350 (F) oven for 45 minutes. Cool and cut. ------------------------------------------------------------- Peanut Butter Cookies 1 Adapted from _Of These Ye May Freely Eat_ by JoAnn Rachor 1/4 cup honey 2/3 cup peanut butter 1 3/4 cup oat flour* 1/4 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt Stir the honey and peanut butter together, then add water and salt. Add oat flour and stir well. Shape into small balls about one inch in diameter. Place on a greased cookie sheet and flatten to about 1/4 inch with a fork, making criss-cross patterns on the cookie. Bake at 350 (F) for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown. *You can make oat flour by putting rolled oats into a blender or food processor and pulverizing them. ------------------------------------------------------------- Peanut Butter Cookies 2 Contributed by JoAnn McCleeary This is the greatest peanut butter cookie recipe that I got from a daycare that needed to use up some government peanut butter. Even my non-gluten-free friends rave! 1 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy 1 cup sugar 1 egg Mix well. Place on ungreased cookie sheet as for cookies, flattening slightly. Place sheet in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Makes about 1 dozen or so. ------------------------------------------------------------- Pie Crusts -- wheat free This is a collection of various recipes from various sources Meringue Shell 3 egg whites, at room temperature 1/8 tsp salt 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar /4 cup finely chopped nuts (optional) Preheat oven to 275 (F). Grease 9 inch pie plate well; make sure you cover the bottom and sides. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and salt until just frothy. Continue to beat while adding the sugar a bit at a time. COntinue beating until the egg whites turn stiff and glossy. Stir in nuts quickly, with minimum stirring, and pour meringue into pie shell. Smooth to form a proper pie shell. Bake for one to 1 - 1/2 hours, or until light brown and crisp throughout. Cool to room temperature, then fill. This is best made and filled just prior to eating. Nut Crust 1 - 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 tablespoons butter or margerine, at room temperature Preheat the over to 400 (F). Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Press the mixture in a 9 inch pie plate or baking pan; you shoudl have enough to cover the bottom and some of the sides of the pan. Place crust in oven and bake about 5 minutes, or until the crust is slightly browned. Cool then fill. Crumb Crust 1- 1/2 cups crumbs (wheatfree cookies make good crumbs) 6 tablespoons butter or margerine, at room temperature Mix the crumbs and butter or margerine in a small bowl. Make sure the crumbs are evenly coated. Press the mixture into a pie plate, making the crust as even as possible. Bake five minutes or until slightly borwned. Or, chill until firm instead of baking. ------------------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin Cookies from Eileen Kupstas Soo ) [adapted from The Food Allergy Cookbook] 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup pumpkin 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. salt (more or less) 1 cup rice flour 3/4 cup potato flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup nuts (optional) Cream sugar and shortening; add pumpkin, vanilla, and salt. Sift flours, soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. Fold in raisins and nuts. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 (F) [180 (C)] until done, about 10 minutes. ------------------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin Cookies 2 From The Allergy Gourmet by Carol Rudoff 1/2 cup margerine, softened (can use less) 1/4 cup sugar (can use less) 1/4 cup brown sugar Substitute for 1 egg (I used E-ner-G egg replacer) 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup barley flour (I used 1/2 oat + 1/2 rye flours, but others should work.) (If you use wheat flour, try low gluten flour such as cake flour.) 1-1/4 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1/8 tsp. ginger 1/2 cup raisins (optional) Cream margerine and sugars. Add egg substitute, pumpkin, and vanilla; beat in well. Stir in remaining ingredients until well-blended. Drop by teaspoonful, about 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet. These do not spread, so you may want to flatten slightly. It probably doesn't matter, other than aesthetically. Bake 350 (F) for 15 to 18 minutes or until center is set. (These will still look wet in the middle; just make sure they are set.) Makes 40 cookies or so. ------------------------------------------------------------- Rice or Potato Flour Sponge Cake from Eileen Kupstas Soo ) [From _The Joy of Cooking_, c. 1967] Preheat oven to 350 (oF); flour a 9 inch tube pan (angel food cake pan) Sift 3 times or mo 3/4 cup potato flour or rice flour 1/2 cup sugar Beat until light and creamy: 8 egg yolks Stir these into flour mixture. Beat until stiff but not dry: 9 egg whites Fold the egg whites into the flour mixture by hand, gently but rapidly. Bake about 45 minutes (or until done). Cool upside down, as for angel food cake. ------------------------------------------------------------- Toll House Cookies [adapted from The Food Allergy Cookbook] 3/4 cup soy flour 1/4 cup potato starch flour 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup margerine 6 tbls sugar 6 tbls brown sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp water 1 egg Chocolate pieces 1/2 cup chopped nuts Sift together flours, salt and baking soda. Blend margerine, sugars, vanilla, and water. Beat in egg. Add flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts. Drop by well-rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 375 (F) [190 (C)]. ------------------------------------------------------------- Milk or Egg Free ------------------------------------------------------------- Coconut Milk This is hardly a recipe; just an idea that works. Canned coconut milk water Thin the coconut milk until you get the consistency you need. About equal water will get a reasonable milk substitute. The coconut taste isn't very strong after cooking, surprisingly enough. ------------------------------------------------------------- Nut Milk Yield: 2 cups This can be used to replace milk in recipes that taste odd when made with commercial soy or rice milks. I use this for custards and puddings, since soy milk can take on a nutty taste when used in these. It is fine to drink, also. The fat content depends upon the type and quantity of nuts used. More nuts in proportion to water gives a richer milk. This is somewhere between whole milk and half-and-half in richness. 1 cup + approx. two tabls. almonds (blanched*) or raw cashews ------- use less for a less rich milk (1/2 cup = skim milk?) 2 1/2 cups water Put nuts and water in a blender. Blend approximately 2 minutes (more or less, depends on your blender. The nuts should be pulverized.) Strain the resulting stuff to remove the nut chunks. (I use a mesh coffee filter [ex. Melitta gold filter] and a rubber spatula to force the liquid through. Paper coffee filters are too fine, and kitchen seives are too coarse.) This makes 2 cups, approximately. *blanching the almonds (dipping in hot water for 30 seconds then removing the brown skins) results in a much prettier milk. The little brown flecks don't filter out so well. ------------------------------------------------------------- Rice Milk contributed by Mary 2 cups rice 4 cups water Rinse rice to clean. Pour 4 cups boiling water over rice & let soak for 1 to 2 hours. Blend 1 cup soaked rice with 2 1/2 cups water (can be cold water). Blend rice to a slurry (not a smooth liquid);pour into a pot & repeat with rest of rice. Bring to a boil & then reduce heat & simmer for 20 minutes. Line colander with nylon tricot or a few layers of cheesecloth. Put bowl under colander and pour rice mix in colander. Another 1 cup of water (or less or more) can be poured over the rice to get out more milk. Press with the back of a spoon, then twist nylon & squeeze out as much milk as possible This milk is very plain and can be flavored with oil, vanilla, salt, etc. ------------------------------------------------------------- Ricotta Cheese Substitute From _The New American Vegetarian Cookbook_ by Marilyn Diamond. This can be used to replace ricotta cheesse or other soft cheeses in lasagna, etc. 1 pound firm tofu 1/3 cup olive oil 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp seasoned salt or rock salt Combine 3/4 of the tofu with everything else and mash smooth, or use a food processor. Mash in remaining tofu with a spoon to give the right texture. ------------------------------------------------------------- Banana "Cream" Pie from Eileen Kupstas Soo ) This can be varied by adding other things -- coconut, etc. 1/2 cup sugar 6 tbls. cornstarch (or substitute other thickner) 1/4 tsp. salt 4 cups nut milk (see recipe above ) OR coconut milk, thinned with water a bit 2 well-beaten eggs or egg substitute in equivalent amount** 1 tsp. vanilla 3 very ripe bananas Optional: pie shell, cooked and ready to go Mix the sugar, salt, and cornstarch in the top of a double boiler* until the cornstarch lumps are gone. Slowly add the nut milk, stirring constantly. Stir constantly for 8 to 12 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Cover and cook 10 more minutes. Take about one cup of the milk mixture and slowly add to the beaten eggs; you want to avoid cooking the eggs. Now add the egg-milk mixture back into the rest of the milk mixture. Cook 2 more minutes, stirring often. Do not overcook. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Cool slightly then stir to release steam. Add vanilla and stir in well. Let cool until warm to the touch. If you are making a pie, get out a cooked pie shell. If you are using a bowl, get that out. Alternate layers of sliced bananas and warm mixture, making sure each banana slice is coated. If the bananas aren't coated they turn a yucky purple-gray, but still taste okay. If the bananas are added while the mixture is too hot, they turn tough. If the mixture is too cool, the banana essence doesn't permeate the custard. *You can substitute a heat-proof bowl over a pot of hot water for the double boiler; you just need to have a lid that fits for later. The custard will stick if you do not use a double boiler. ** you can use egg substitute here (ex. Ener-G egg replacer) with adequate results, but the pie won't be quite the same. ------------------------------------------------------------- Chocolate Pie Adapted from a recipe on the Mori Nu Tofu container One pie crust (9 inch) 1-1/2 packages silken tofu (firm or extra firm); this is about 29 ounces 1/2 cup honey, adjust to taste 6 ounces chocolate chips* (a little more than a cup), adjust to taste --- I happen to like more, say, 8 ounces 1/4 cup milk substitute (soy milk or nut milk) Put tofu, milk, and honey in blender and blend until smooth -- this may take be a minute or so. Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips in double boiler or in microwave. Add melted chocolate to tofu mixture in small additions, blending well before adding more. Pour into pie shell and bake at 325 (F) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until set. * you can use 1/3 cup powdered unsweetened cocoa plus sugar to taste if you can't get dairy free chocolate chips. The taste will be much more cocoa-like (obviously), which I find I don't care for. I imagine baking chocolate and sugar to taste would work fine, too. ------------------------------------------------------------- Egg-Free Linzer Torte Bars Contributed by Kathy Czopek 1 cup flour 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup ground walnuts 1/2 cup margarine or butter, soft 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2/3 cup red raspberry (or other) preserves Heat oven to 375 (F) degrees. Mix all ingredients except preserves til crumbly. Press 2/3 of mixture int ungreased square pan, 9x9x2 inches. Spread with preserves. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Press gently into preserves. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or til light golden brown. Cool completely; cut into 48 bars. ------------------------------------------------------------- "Five minute" Chocolate Cake contributed by: Phoebe Nilsen 1 c. sugar 1 1/2 c. unsifted flour 1/2 t. salt 1/4 c. cocoa 1 t. baking soda 1 T. lemon juice (or 1 tsp. vinegar) 1/3 c. oil 1 t. vanilla 1 c. cold water Mix ingredients in order given. Pour into ungreased square 8 inch cake pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Frost or serve plain with ice cream. A double recipe is about right for a bundt pan, for a more festive looking cake. ------------------------------------------------------------- Frozen Fruit Tofulatu contributed by: Mike Dulin 2 1/2 t Unflavored gelatin 1/8 t Salt 1/2 c Sugar 1 1/4 c Frozen fruit and/or berry juice concentrate, thawed 10 ea (oz) soft tofu or silken tofu, drained 1/4 c Safflower oil 3 T Fresh lemon juice 1/2 t Vanilla extract Sprinkle gelatin over 3/4 cup water (in saucepan) and allow to sit 3 minutes. Cook over very low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Mix in salt and sugar and cook, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. In blender, or processor, combine juice, tofu, oil, lemon juice, vanilla, 3/4 cup water and process until very smooth. Add gelatin mixture. Freeze in ice cream machine, according to manufacturers, instructions, or freeze in ice cube trays and follow manual instruction as noted above. Makes 2 pints. ------------------------------------------------------------- MFK Fisher's War Cake [adapted from _How to Cook a Wolf_ by MFK Fisher] 2 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoons baking powder Sift these together. 1/2 cup shortening 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon other spices (cloves, mace, ginger..) 1 cup chopped raisins or other dried fruit (prunes, figs, etc.) 1 cup sugar, white or brown 1 cup water (note: you can substitute coffee for part of the water) Put these ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook five minutes. Cool thoroughly. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Bake 45 minutes or until done in a greased loaf pan in a 325 to 350 (F) oven. ------------------------------------------------------------- MFK Fisher's Tomato Soup Cake [adapted from _How to Cook a Wolf_ by MFK Fisher] 3 tablespoons butter or shortening 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 can tomato soup ( about 15 ounces?) 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg, ginger, cloves mixed 1 1/2 cup raisins, nuts, chopped figs, what you will Cream butter, add the sugar, and blend thoroughly, Add the baking soda to the soup, stirring well, and add this alternately to the first mixture with the flour and spices sifted together. Stir well, and bake in a pan or loaf tin at 325 (F) ------------------------------------------------------------- Lemon Pie [from the Ener-G Egg Replacer box] 1/4 cup Ener-G Egg replacer* or equivalent of two eggs 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 - 1/2 cups hot water 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons grated lemon rind 1 baked 9 inch pie shell In double boiler, combine egg replacer, sugar and salt. Stir with until thoroughly blended. Add water, lemon juice and lemon rind. Continue stirring until smooth and thick. When dropped from spatula, pie filling should mound. Remove from heat. Stir for 5 minutes to cool. Pour into pie shell. Let cool thoroughly. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. *This is a product made of potato starch and calcium carbonate, mainly. You can probably substitute corn starch or arrow root starch in quantity to equal two eggs. ------------------------------------------------------------- Pumpkin Pie contributed by: Eileen Kupstas Soo ) Note: This is an acceptable substitute for pie filling. I like it fine. My husband likes it ok, but says it tastes "nuttier" than the regular pumpkin pie. I haven't tried it on anyone outside the family :-) I'm working on the recipe still -- I'll update this if I have a real breakthrough! pie crust for 9 inch pie 1 can pumpkin for pie (about 16 ounces) 1 package silken tofu (about 20 ounces) 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon allspice* 1 teaspoon nutmeg* 2 teaspoons cinnamon* 1 teaspoon ginger* * or your favorite pie spices; use a bit more than you normally would since the tofu is bland. Unflavored gelatin powder or other jelling agent (agar agar, etc.) -- enough to gel 1 cup of liquid by the instructions 1/4 cup hot water Optional: 1/2 cup rich cashew milk or other cream substitute Preheat oven to 350 (F). Put pumpkin and tofu in a blender and blend until no little tofu lumps remain. You may need to do this in two batches. Move mixture to large bowl and mix in vanilla, honey, sugar, salt, and spices. Dissolve gelling agent in hot water. Mix in approximately one cup of the pumpkin mixture. Make sure you mix in well. Add this back into the rest of the pumpkin mixture, again mixing well. If you are using the optional cashew milk, add this to the pumpkin mixture now. Place this in pie shell or bake as custard in a greased baking dish. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean (more or less; just not liquidy). It will solidify some upon cooling. ------------------------------------------------------------- Raisin Snack Cake [adapted from _The I Hate to Cook Book_ by Peg Bracken] 1 cup raisins 2 cups water 1/2 cup margerine 1-3/4 cups flour (See note) 1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (or more) 1/2 tsp. nutmeg (or more) Optional: 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. ginger (or more) Chopped nuts Using a saucepan big enough to be the mixing bowl, boil the raisins in the water for 10 minutes. Let cool. Add everything else (no need to sift). Bake in 10x10 pan for 35 min. at 350 (F). If you use a loaf pan, bake 55 minutes, same temp. Note: I make this with rye flour, due to allergies, and it works fine, too. The texture is a bit crumblier, but the taste is unaffected. ------------------------------------------------------------- Measurement Conversion Information for non-US folk These are the bare basics to get you rolling. For more detailed information see rec.food.cooking FAQ -- US site or rec.food.cooking FAQ -- UK site Liquid Measures 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 250 ml. 1 tablespoon = 1/2 fluid ounce = 16 ml. 1 teaspoon = 1/6 fluid ounce = 5-1/3 ml. (though nothing here is so precise that 5 ml. won 't do) 16 tablespoons = 1 cup 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon Dry Measures -- Very Approximate Whole grain flour 1 cup = 170 grams White wheat flour 1 cup = 140 grams Baking powder , 1 tablespoon = 15 grams Baking soda, 1 tablespoon = 15 grams Vanilla, 1 tablespoon = 12 grams Salt, 1 teaspoon = 7 grams Rolled oats 1 cup = 90 grams Sugar white granulated 1 cup = 200 grams Sugar brown 1 cup packed = 200 grams Raisins one cup = 150 grams Sesame seeds one cup = 135 grams Chopped nuts one cup = 160 grams Egg sizes -- Large is the US standard for cooking Egg (US, graded size "large") = 1.5 fluid ounces = 1.75 ounces without shell = 50 grams w ithout shell Egg whites (US, graded size "large" ) = 1 egg white = 2 tablespoons = 32ml = 30 grams Egg yolks (US, graded size "large") = 1 egg yolk = 1 tablespoon = 16ml = 20 grams Solid fats (butter, cheese, shortening, margerine, lard) 8 tablespoons = 4 ounces = 1/4 pound = 115 grams Butter 1 stick = 8 tablespoons = 4 ounces = 1/4 pound = 115 grams Temperatures: 250 (F) = 120 (C) = very slow 200 (F) = 150 (C) = slow 325 (F) = 165 (C) = moderately slow 350 (F) = 180 (C) = moderate 375 (F) = 190 (C) = moderately hot 400 (F) = 200 (C) = hot 450 (F) = 230 (C) = very hot 500 (F) = 260 (C) ------------------------------------------------------------- |
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Archive-name: misc-kids/allergy+asthma/part4
Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-Modified: 1998/10/06 Version: 1.5 -------------------------------------------------- This FAQ is also available on the World Wide Web at http://www.cs.unc.edu/~kupstas/FAQ.html -------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------- Misc.kids Frequently Asked Questions -- Allergies and Asthma Resources Revision 1.5 This FAQ is intended to answer frequently asked questions on allergies and asthma in the misc.kids newsgroup. Though the comments are geared towards parents of children, there is plenty of information for adults as well. The information in this FAQ is the collected "net wisdom" of a number of folk. It is not intended to replace medical advice. None of the contributors are medical professionals. Most of us either have allergies/asthma or have relatives/children with asthma/allergies, so this collection represents the experiences and prejudices of individuals. This is not a substitute for consulting your physician. To contribute to this collection, please send e-mail to the address given below, and ask me to add your comments to the FAQ file on Allergies and Asthma. Please try to be as concise as possible, as these FAQ files tend to be quite long as it is. And, unless otherwise requested, your name and e-mail address will remain in the file, so that interested readers may follow-up directly for more information/discussion. This FAQ is posted regularly to news.answers and misc.kids.info. For a list of other misc.kids FAQ topics, look for the FAQ File Index posted to misc.kids.info or tune in to misc.kids. Collection maintained by: Eileen Kupstas Soo ) Last modified: June 4, 1997 Copyright 1997, Eileen Kupstas Soo. Use and copying of this information are permitted as long as (1) no fees or compensation are charged for use, copies or access to this information, and (2) this copyright notice is included intact. ------------------------------------------------------------- FAQ Overview: General Information Part 1/2 General Information Part 2/2 Allergy and Asthma Resources and Reviews-- this file Allergy Recipes ------------------------------------------------------------- New info on information on Human Ecology Action League NO-MILK mailing list for people avoiding milk/casein/lactose mailing list for people with chemical sensitivities yeast, dairy, egg free bread mix updated info on The Food Allergy Network Clothes General Books/Information and Food Allergy Books Topic Index: 1. Support Groups 2. Pamphlets & Periodicals 3. Food Allergy Food Sources 4. Environmental Allergy Information 5. Allergy/Asthma Products 6. Net and Web Resources ------------------------------------------------------------- There are many contributors involved in this FAQ.. many thanks for all the work! ------------------------------------------------------------- Support Groups American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) 611 East Wells St. Milwaukie, WI 53202 (414) 272-6071 (800) 822-ASMA (2762) Professional association of allergists; provides information booklets and referrals to specialists in your area. The American Academy of Environmental Physicians (913) 642-6062 Maintains list of physicians who work with chemical sensitivities. American Allergy Association PO Box 7273 Menlo Park, CA 94026 An association of people suffering from allergies, as well as interested physicians and medical personnel. The association distributes a newsletter, book reviews, professional articles, and recipes. They have many publications, including _Allergies in Infants_. American Celiac Society & Dietary Support Coalition Annette Bentley 58 Musano Court West Orange, NJ 07052-4114 201/325-8837 in New Jersey $25 US, as of this revision Celiac Disease Foundation ($35/yr, starter info free) Elaine Monarch 13251 Ventura Blvd. Suite 3 Studio City, CA 91604-1838 818-990-Celiac (818-990-2354) Celiac Sprue Association/USA ($20/yr - $24 first year for new members) Leon Rottman PO Box 31700 Omaha, NE 68131-0700 402/558-0600 in Nebraska. American College of Allergy and Immunology 800 E. Northwest Highway, Ste. 1080 Palatine, IL. 60067 (708) 359-2800 or 1-800-842-7777 American Lung Assocication of Contra Costa (510) 935-0472 American Lung Association of Santa Clara (408) 998-5864 Has pamphlets on lung disease, smoking and offers asthma summer camps for children Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America 1125 15th. Street N.W., Ste. 502 Washington, D.C. 20005 (800) 624-0044 or (800) 7-ASTHMA [(800) 727-8462] Offers referrals to affliated support groups and specialized medical services througout the country and a newsletter. Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc 3554 Chain Bridge Road, Ste. 200 Fairfax, VA. 22030 (703) 385-4403 (800) 878-4403 Publishes a monthly newsletter with practical information for patients and families. Also has books, videos and other educational material available Canadian Celiac Association (Diet for Life Handbook $17.95 + $3) 6519B Mississauga Road (member $ vary, use credit card) Mississauga, Ontario L5N 1A6 905-567-7195 (800-363-7296 in Canada) E.L.A.S.T.I.C. (Education for Latex Allergy / Support-Team and Information-Coalition) |
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