Preparing for the Holidays

The Grandmas have been Princess Becca's best advocates through our various food trials. Gizmo Grandma (they're all named for their pets in Becca's language) made an entire gluten-free, casein-free Thanksgiving meal based on recipes from Feeding Isaiah. We had moon pies, sweet potato casserole, the most amazing turkey, cranberry chutney, mashed potatoes, and gravy.

Now the Kitty Grandma is prepping Christmas treats with wonderful results. We're putting up some pictures to tempt your tastebuds. First is a picture of our first attempt at a GFCF pumpkin roll. The filling is made from Mimicream whipped up and mixed with some dairy-free store bought vanilla frosting. It had to be frozen right away, and sliced before thawing, but we are very proud of it overall. After that is our home version of iced animal crackers (these are not caseine-free). PB put all the sprinkles on herself. Making goodies was such an integral part of my childhood Christmases that I am getting all sentimental as we form our own holiday traditions.

We hope you are having your own good times as we get ready for all the parties and gatherings of the season. Merry Christmas to our great family of readers!

PB and Mommy

Loving "Living Without"

After no fewer than five people had recommended it to us, we finally purchased an issue of Living Without, the magazine specifically for those living a gluten-free lifestyle. I am so sad it took us this long to pick one up! Our first one just happened to be the Thanksgiving issue for 2010, and I am as much of a raving fan of their gluten-free and casein-free recipes as any of my friends who are also readers.

As great as the GFCF recipes are, I like their resource sections even better! For many of the articles and recipes, they provide links to companies who produce the ingredients. For instance...cream of mushroom soup. Many times my mother and I have lamented the loss of some of our favorite comfort foods due to the gluten content of this standby pantry item. However...the magazine has given us multiple options for obtaining it in a gluten free form so we can let Princess Becca try her own green bean casserole this holiday season.** That one tip alone is well worth the purchase price of the magazine.

Needless to say, we now have a subscription. We're already fighting over which household gets to read the issues first (grandma's house or mommy's house?) I'm sure the information from future issues will occasionally--or frequently--be inspiring more posts here on Feeding Becca.

**for those who are wondering about the casein content of cream of mushroom soup, the answer is that we will occasionally allow PB to consume small amounts of dairy without adverse affect, and holidays and special occasions are the mostly likely sources of dairy. If you are looking for a recipe for making your own gluten-free AND casein-free cream of mushroom soup, I've been meaning to try this one and would love to hear your feedback: http://wholelivingdaily.wholeliving.com/2010/06/allergen-free-cream-of-mushroom-soup-no-dairy-eggs-gluten-or-soy-food-allergy-recipe-challenge-6.html

Kids, Food Allergies and Bullying

Yesterday our local news station published a story on their website about bullying of children with food allergies. The newest report is showing 1 in 4 of our kids with allergies are bullied by their peers (and sometimes even teachers).

The sad thing is, I'm not at all shocked by this statistic. I'm not even shocked to hear that kids have gone so far as to taunt or chase children with their allergens, trying to force a contact. With three food-allergic children in our home, with all having different allergies, I have seen first hand how cruel the siblings can be to one another. So the problem is not, as one reader commented, a lack of education and understanding. It's a problem of children  needing firm and immediate consequences when they are selfish and hurtful to other people.

What did shock me about the article is the attitudes of the readers who have commented so far. The extent of the ignorance was appalling. Comments ranged from the need to keep food allergic children at home in their glass bubbles, to the idea that food allergies are the creation of parents who are craving attention for themselves. If these are the opinions of the adults, it's no wonder so many children are expressing the same harsh attitudes.

The article and the reaction of the readers underscore my latest debate...what to do about Becca's celiac disease and peanut allergy as she moves into elementary school. The preschool she is in doesn't cook any food on site, so we aren't experiencing flour or other gluten ingredients being dispersed in the air. But kindergarten is unlikely to bring a similar reprieve. I am undertaking a search of city resources to see how we can prepare for this transition. I am hoping that there will be an alternative to home-schooling her, as she really seems to enjoy the school experience. But PB's safety cannot take a back seat as we plan for her future.

Desperate for Dairy Free Gluten Free Mac and Cheese

As the title states, my daughter misses nothing as badly as she misses her standby favorite--mac and cheese. Princess Becca (PB) has bravely tried more variations than I can count. And the latest attempt was the worst yet! It was so bad that it has become somewhat of a family joke that won't die. All I can say is that gluten-free tamari (soy) sauce and a little nutritional yeast do not combine to taste anything like cheddar.

We've come up with a few more ideas for a GFCF macaroni and cheese dish, but the attempts have reached a level of desperation. A friend on facebook has suggested a combination of applesauce and dairy-free cheddar popcorn flavoring. We'll try it and let you all know. Keep your fingers crossed, and please forward any other ideas!

Taking Care of Mommy (and Daddy)

This past week sent me several little reminders that the adults need someone watching out for their health, too! Being the parents of children with celiac, food allergies, or other intolerances is more than a full-time job. It can consume your life.

After a full week of almost non-existent sleep, I caved in today and brought the girls to my parents'. Becca has been having nighttime leg and foot pain again, the baby is teething, and I am on my last ounce of stamina. So I went back to bed at 10am and didn't get up until after 2pm. I'm still dragging! But at least I can type in a fairly coherent manner (I'm hoping).

With accidental exposures, doctors visits, and random various symptoms of gluten intolerance/celiac disease being such a potential source of daily stress, please be kind to yourself. Our kids need us to be the healthiest, most optimistic and attentive parents that we can! That means getting a good support network, taking time to de-stress, and making sure our own diets are healthy, too.

God bless all GFCF moms and dads, and grant them a little extra sleep tonight.