Buckwheat pancakes!

Buckwheat is SO good for you and Gluten/wheat free!!! I make these pancakes for Ash and he loves them. Buckwheat is loaded with fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.  Buckwheat is rich in B vitamins and can lower blood pressure and cholesterol. It also has 8 essential amino acids and can have a relaxing effect due to high magnesium content. Why not make your pancakes healthy??

Here is what you need:
2 cups Buckwheat flour ( I use Hodgson Mill as it has not allergen contamination)
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons sugar  ( I use stevia in the raw to avoid the sugar)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
4 tablespoons oil ( I use olive or grapeseed for added omegas)
2 cups soy milk (I use rice milk)

Mix dry ingredients together with a wire whisk.  Combine wet ingredients and then add to your dry.  MIx with whisk. Don't over mix, a few lumps is okay.  Heat  your griddle or pan and spray with non dairy cooking oil.  Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto heated pan and cook until bubbles start to form on top. Flip and cook until light brown.   ENJOY!  P.S.- these freeze really well!

Please vote!

Please ask your friends and family to vote in honor of children with food allergies! Your votes are needed to win a grant to educate families and offering family support - important pieces to keep children with food allergies safe and healthy. We can't do it without YOUR help in spreading the word! You can vote once a day every day through August 27th. Thanks! Click on the link below. Asher greatly appreciates it!!!  :)

 http://www.vivint.com/givesbackproject/charity/1548

Grocery Cart Reaction :(

Took Ash to Hyvee today to get some of his things from the healthmart. I was so excited because I had coupons for some stuff and any little bit helps as his foods are so expensive.  Also, Asher loves going to the store. He is so friendly :)  I take antibacterial wipes to clean the cart off and I cleaned it good like I always do.  This will be his third grocery cart reaction. It hasn't happened for a while.  We made it through the second isle of the healthmart and he says "itchy mama" :( His little hands were bright red and bumpy and he was rubbing his eyes SO hard.  I looked for hives and didn't see any. But how itchy he was alarmed me enough. I gave him benadryl.  Thank god we didn't need EPI.  He is napping now and I am checking on him every 5 minutes.  Just a reminder that NOWHERE can be assumed safe and residue is everywhere. 

On a happy note, Ash pointed out the eggs from a distance and said "ACKY Mama!"  I said "Very good baby, we don't like eggs"  :)  He is learning!

Coupons!

Enjoy life!

http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/coupon/

 Sunbutter!

https://www1.vtrenz.net/imarkownerfiles/ownerassets/2215/SBcoupon2011.pdf

Thought I'd share :)

Tofu pumpkin cake

Don't let the tofu scare ya! This cake is the bomb! I love pumpkin flavored treats this one I can make with dairy free cream cheese frosting. YUM!  Now, if you aren't avoiding dairy and want to use regular cream cheese you can. It's fun feeding this to people and when they are done telling them it's made with tofu ;)
What you will need:

1/2 cup dairy free shortening ( I use good ol' crisco)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup SILKEN tofu
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I like to use the good stuff)
3 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup soy or rice milk

In a a bowl combine the shortening, sugars, tofu, pumpkin and vanilla on low until creamy.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt with a whisk. Preheat oven to 350 and spray your pan (s) with dairy free baking spray. You can use 2- 9 inch rounds or I have used a large rectangle pan.  Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture, alternating with the milk and beat well.  Pour into prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes. Cool completely and frost with dairy free cream cheese frosting.

Dairy free cream cheese frosting

1/2 cup dairy free margarine ( I use blue bonet light, fleishmans unsalted or earth balance buttery sticks)
3/4 cup dairy free cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Cream together the margarine, cream cheese, salt and vanilla until combined well.  Slowly add the sugar and mix on low for one minute, increase the speed to medium and beat 4-6 minutes until light and fluffy. Chill for about 30 minutes before using.   YUMMY!!! :)

Isolation

Yesterday was not a good day.  I woke feeling very isolated. All alone. Angry. Shut in and anxious. It is so hard not being able to go do things like everyone else. Its hard not being jealous or envying people that have the luxury to go wherever they want without the constant worry and preparation.  It is so hard not being able to go to anyone's house and just hang out.  Sometimes I feel like we are outcasts and I never want my son to feel that way when he is older. It is not a good feeling. We have tried to have "safe" play dates and they have ended in hives and very upset friends.  For a moment, try and imagine not being able to take  your child anywhere that dairy, nuts, peanut butter or eggs or foods made with them have been. This is friends houses, families houses, parks, restaurants, birthday parties, weddings, funeral luncheons (he had a reaction at one), play centers, the childrens museum, any public place really.  Ash begs to go byebye every morning but I simply don't have that many places to take him. I was taking him to the library but they have a vending machine and the last time we went there were 2 kids eating SNICKERS bars in the kid area. It's like really? Do you have to???  SO yesterday we went to my friends house to play in her yard. We don't go in her house at all because there is peanut residue from her father in law who eats peanuts even though she asked him not to.  grrrr.  We are playing and Ash is having a great time. My peanut and tree nut radar must have been on high.  There was a Walnut and Peanut shell in her  yard! Ash didn't touch them but instinctively reached down and picked it up. Then I almost panicked, thinking I am touching something that could kill my baby! ahhhh!  I handed it to my friend and she said she didn't want to touch it :)  We got rid of them and washed our hands.  Now, I know that these were in her yard from squirrels and it wasn't her fault at all, it just really bummed me out.  I was already feeling down. I am just thankful he did not have a reaction and he got to run and play and be a little boy :)   Some days are really bad, and I ask "what kind of a life is this" then other days aren't so bad and I am thankful Ash is healthy otherwise.  As Ash gets older, I hope that I can help him to understand this and that his contact allergies go down. 

Soy trial failed

So we decided to try soymilk to get Ash some more protein.  Rice milk has hardly any protien and he has been tolerating small amounts of foods with soy. Trial FAILED!!!!!  He is still covered in bumps (since yesterday) and saying "itchy mama"  :(  I had high hopes but at least I know now. I might try to pick up some of this rice protein powder at Open Harvest to add to stuff. I hope it is not contaminated with anything. This boy needs more protein. He does not eat meat and can't have nuts or beans.... wish us luck!

On another note, it's funny how "routine" reading labels has become..I find myself reading other peoples food labels at work and they look at me like I am crazy.  Next time you buy groceries, take note of the allergens...most foods are made in the same facility as dairy, eggs and nuts!