The Divvies Bakery Cookbook No Nuts. No Eggs. No Diary. Just Delicious

I am so excited to share THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK with you! When I found out my son had food allergies, I wanted to find cookbooks that were specific to kids with food allergies that had yummy, easy recipes, and "normal" ingredients. This cookbook is one of of those. I sat down last night, and enjoyed reading through all of the recipes. I loved the personal touches throughout the book; they were practical and encouraging. I thought of my son, smiled, teared up and was inspired to make treats that everyone wants to eat!

When Lori Sandler’s son Benjamin was diagnosed with severe food allergies to dairy and nuts at a young age, she decided to take action. While she wasn’t trained as a pastry chef, she had many fond memories of visiting bakeries as a child and wanted Benjamin to experience those same warm moments and treats. And so after years of testing, tasting, and refining, the Divvies Bakery was born in 2005, a bakeshop dedicated to peanut-free, tree nut-free, milk-free, and egg-free products located in South Salem, New York.

According to Sandler, eating and celebrating should always be an inclusive experience and nobody should be defined by their food allergies. The very name of her company connotes “divvying up” and sharing. In her Introduction, she writes: “In the spirit of Divvies, I have written a book filled with recipes for delicious, safe treats that everyone will want to share, with or without food allergies, as well as tips, shortcuts, and ‘life recipes’ that will help everyone feel included.”

Featuring more than 70 sweet treats that anyone can easily prepare, THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK is divided into sections that focus on the times in our lives when food plays an important role and those with food allergies often feel left out. From birthday parties and family holidays, to schoolroom and travel snacks, the book includes Sandler’s signature recipes, such as: crowd-pleasers like Warm Apple-Apricot Cake, Cinnamon Buns, and Divvies Famous Chocolate Cupcakes; one-of-a-kind treats like Popcorn Snowman, Wafflewiches, and “Brown” Chocolate Bags that you can fill with fruit or sorbet; interactive desserts like her Chocolate Fountain with Dippers; and special sections on sweet beverages, party favors, cake frostings, pie fillings and more!

It’s hard to believe these scrumptious goodies contain no dairy, eggs, and nuts. The ingredients left out are replaced with healthy dollops of natural chocolate, oatmeal, fruit, and molasses. Along with the Divvies recipes, the book imparts Sandler’s handy resources, basics for stocking the kitchen and getting started, and hard-won wisdom for parenting a child with food allergies, with useful advice for communicating with teachers and parents. And the book also features a note from Benjamin, now 11-years-old, in which he shares his personal story and favorite treats.

With the degree of “divviculty” indicated for each recipe, tips for the best birthday parties, perfect picnic baskets, cool cupcake towers, snacks in a cinch, tasty travel treats, and bonus gluten-free recipes, THE DIVVIES BAKERY COOKBOOK is the essential allergen-free cookbook for beginners and kitchen experts alike.

To get a copy of The Divvies Bakery Cookbook go to Amazon, Borders, Barnes and Noble or a bookstore near you!

Want to win a copy? We will be a Divvies Bakery Cookbook away at the FACT meeting on September 7th

FoodAllergyMama.com

This blog and cookbook were recommended by one of our F.A.C.T. members. Don't these cookies look delish? Check out FoodAllergyMama.com!

Turkey Cupcakes

How lame is it that I didn't post this before Thanksgiving? Pretty lame, I know. But they are still too cute not to post!!! They are very easily adaptable to be allergy friendly. Here's the recipe & how to information.

Sweet Potato Balls

This fall, I plan to try Sweet Potato Balls, from Paula Deen's kitchen!!

4 large sweet potatoes
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large marshmallow per potato ball

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, zest and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss the coconut with the sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, creating a 2 to 3-inch diameter ball. Roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.

Bringing Food to Someone with Allergies

I’m convinced that bringing food to someone who needs it is possibly the greatest gift ever. But if that person has dietary restrictions, you might have a challenge on your hands. I am quite well versed in food allergies. However, a recent experience cooking for a family with a different set of allergies reminded me what an overwhelming experience it can be to cook outside your comfort zone. Allergy families understand what a big deal it is for you to bring food. If you have a friend with a new baby, illness, or just in need of a TLC, here are a few tips that would be helpful if you are willing to go the extra mile, as you generously consider bringing to someone with an allergy in the family:

1. Do it Anyway – The thought might enter your mind “This is too difficult. Forget it.” Trust me: Whatever you do will be appreciated. Even if it’s not a glamorous meal, you can come up with something that will work for your friend. One friend brought us a simple basket of fresh fruits/veggies from the farmer’s market, which saved me a grocery trip!
2. Ask Questions – If you cannot conceive of how to cook a meal within your friend’s restrictions, just ask! I sent a list of “safe” recipes & easy substitutions to some friends who requested it. Your friend will be happy to answer questions about how to accommodate their needs.
3. Label – Put the list of ingredients on the box, container, or include the recipe. Although your friend understands that you have gone to extra effort to create their meal, people with allergies are instinctually double-checkers.
4. Bring The Box – If you used anything prepackaged, bring the empty box with you! Even those who are accustomed to cooking this way make mistakes, so it’s comforting for us to read labels for ourselves.
5. Don’t Be Insulted – If you are asked questions about an ingredient or food, please don’t be insulted. We are so grateful for your kindness, but must be sure that the foods we eat are safe.
6. Know that we are Beyond Grateful – Many people are frightened by the thought of bringing us food. So we are so grateful that you’ve done it anyway. We know the extra effort required by your generosity, and it means more than we can explain.

Kinnikinnick Foods

I became the lucky recipient of a package of Gluten-Free pizza crusts from Kinnikinnick Foods, who sponsored a recent FACT meeting. They were delicious!!! Oh Blessed Day. We're not even Gluten-Free, but I loved it! We topped it with homemade tomato sauce, cheese, bacon, ricotta, basil & tomato. My son (peanut/tree nut allergic, outgrowing milk/egg allergies) gobbled his up! Make sure to try out some of their offerings - from cookies, to cake mixes, to waffles and more! Do you have a favorite from Kinnikinnick Foods?

Sweet Potato Oatmeal Bars, from Julie's Kitchen

Adjust ingredients, and this recipe is free from all Top 8 Allergens! Enjoy!

5 medium-large sweet potatoes
2 tbsp cinnamon
2 tbsp extra light olive oil or canola oil (don’t use regular olive oil, flavor is too strong)
2/3 cup maple syrup
¾ cup orange juice
4 cups quick-cooking oats (use Gluten Free oats if needed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes (I cooked mine in the microwave). Scoop out the flesh and put in a large bowl. Add cinnamon, oil, maple syrup, orange juice, and oats. Mix well. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking pan. Pour mixture evenly into pan. Bake for 23 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cut into squares. Can store for up to 3 days in airtight container.

Note: These squares also freeze well. I wrapped them individually, then put them in a large freezer ziplock bag.

Julie's Vegan Blueberry Muffins

These muffins are free of eggs/milk/soy/nut and refined sugar!

1-3/4 cups wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp allspice
3/8 tsp cinnamon
3/8 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2 portions Ener-G egg replacer
1/4 cup olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil
3/4 cup orange juice
1 grated orange, zest of

Combine dry ingredients; toss the blueberries with about 2 tablespoons dry mixture and set aside. Separately, mix egg replacement, oil, orange juice, and orange zest. Make well in dry ingredients and add "egg" mixture; stir gently, and when only partially combined, add blueberries. Fold ingredients together just until moistened (do not over mix). Divide batter into 12 well-greased muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden; cool briefly on wire rack, remove from pan.

Sweetheart Smores

Wouldn't your sweetie love these Sweetheart S'mores, from Enjoy Life Foods? Yum. Let's get cookin.

Contains NO: gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg or soy

1 pkg (10 oz.)Enjoy Life® Snickerdoodle cookies
3 large marshmallows
1 Enjoy Life® boom CHOCO boom chocolate bar (rice milk or dark chocolate)

Directions:
1. Cut the marshmallows in half for a total of 6 pieces, set aside.
2. Break the chocolate bar into four sections. Then break each section in half for a total of eight pieces. Set aside.
3. Slightly flatten two Snickerdoodle cookies. Use a heart shaped cookie cutter or a knife to cut out your "sweetheart cookie". Place one piece of chocolate in center.
4. Slightly flatten a marshmallow piece and place it on top of the chocolate. Cover with remaining cookie. Assemble more s'mores with remaining ingredients.
5. Place s'mores on a microwavable plate. Microwave for 10-20 seconds or until the chocolate starts to melt and the marshmallow softens.
6. Remove and enjoy!

Also, check out these "I'm CHOCO For You Candies", which contains NO: gluten, wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg or soy

Car Birthday Party (& Dairy/Egg-Free!)

Like many little boys, our son is obsessed with cars! So for his 3rd birthday, we went all out with a race car theme. We focused on activities instead of food. Here are a few highlights! We had tons of crafts, including: making license plates (the "DMV") with craft foam & stickers, coloring pictures of cars (the "Body Shop"), painting cutouts of cars ("paint jobs") and a bunch of Ethan's hot wheels in a corner (the "Race Track.")
The party was from 9-11, so we had bagels ("spare tires") & flavored (vegan) cream cheese. And coffee for the adults ("fuel!!") for dessert, we had Vegan Cupcakes.
We had goodie bags filled with fun car-themed gifts from OrientalTrading.com. And my sister-in-law made these adorable vegan sugar cookies with vegan royal icing.Here are a few resources to get your engine started for a fun racing birthday party!

Race-Themed Decorations: Nascar Party Decorations or RaceChex.com or Race Day Parties

Goody Bag Gifts: Mini Race Car Bubbles, Race Car Notepads,, checker flag soaker balls, and tons of other ideas from Oriental Trading Co.

Even More Fun Racing Activities: Race Car Picture Frames, 61 Piece Car Craft Kit

Non-Dairy Flavored Cream Cheese Recipe

I sure do think a bagel is rather bland without some yummy flavored cream cheese on top! So I recently made my own flavors. Delish! Here's how:

Vegan Strawberry Cream Cheese Ingredients: Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, strawberry all-fruit preserves/jelly

Allow cream cheese to soften. Add jelly to cream cheese and mix in by hand. Add more jelly as needed. (If you add too much jelly, the cream cheese starts to become a bit runny, so start light & work your way up.) Add a drop of red food coloring if desired.

Veggie Vegan Cream Cheese Ingredients: Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, cucumber, carrot, red pepper, green onion, garlic salt

Allow cream cheese to soften. Meanwhile, peel cucumber & remove seeds. Finely chop cucumber, red pepper, green onion. Grate Carrot. Add vegetables to taste into the cream cheese & season with garlic salt or other herb. Stir in.

Cocoa Balls - Using Soynut Butter, Tahini or Sunbutter

Lately, I've been trying to use up some soy nut butter and tahini that have been sitting around in my pantry for WAY too long. These cocoa balls turned out to be a great, fun snack that weren't too loaded with sugar! I've renamed the "Chocolate Earth Balls" from Whole Foods' website, and replaced the peanut butter for an easy treat that's easy for little hands to help make! The renaming came with the help of my 3-year old, who refused to help make "Earth Balls" because they were dirty, but would gladly make "Cocoa Balls." So there you have it. I've used both soy butter and tahini in place of the peanut butter (and omitted other nuts from the recipe). I bet Sunbutter would be great too!

Any of you have other good ideas for using Sunbutter, Tahini or Soynut Butter?

I'm in a Cupcake State of Mind

I guess I've been thinking about cupcakes alot lately! I wanted to share a new product with you - Manischewitz Chocolate Frosting! Free of all top 8 allergens except Soy. I saw it last week in the Kosher section of my local Kroger. I had yet to find a storebought chocolate frosting, so I was excited! So I figured I'd do a whole cupcake roundup. Here are some of my favorite products (besides KateeLayne, of course!)

Pillsbury Classic Supreme is dairy-free too! It appears to also be free of all top 8 allergens except soy. Check it out for yourself.And if you are here, then I hope you know about Cherrybrook Kitchen, which has egg/dairy free mixes, as well as a gluten/wheat-free line as well.

And speaking of cupcakes, here is a yummy white cake recipe, and one for chocolate cupcakes. Now I'm getting hungry!

Do you have other cupcake/cake recipes or mixes to share?

Kid-Friendly Proteins

Make it Little. Make it Bite-Sized. I've learned that's one of the best ways to get a little one to eat. For us with allergies, we have a whole new set of challenges on top of the normal picky kid behaviors. Here are some of our favorite finger foods, all with proteins in mind. All nut/dairy/egg/shellfish-free. Check to see if they are free of other allergens that apply to your needs.

Also, I've frozen all of these (except the tofu & salmon). They are all great the second time around!

Salmon Fingers - My Replacements: Check Stuffing for Allergens, Follow Your Heart Grapeseed Oil Vegennaise, and Flax Seed egg Replacement instead of eggs.
Black Bean Burgers - My 3-year old LOVES these. For him, I just make small round meatball-sized 'burgers,' which are easier to eat.
Porcupine Meatballs - I've been looking for a good egg-free meatball. Finally I've found it!
Baked Tofu Sticks - Serve with some marinara dipping sauce, and they look just like french fries! Plus, they are very easy to make & have little hands help with.
Chicken Apple Bites - These are great. And time consuming. That's all I can say.
Chicken, Quinoa & Apple Patties - Okay, I don't love these as much as they chicken apple balls, but it's a nice variation for those who have wheat allergies.

Do you have any favorite protein recipes that your little ones love?