Tried yummy new candy recipe - without my allergens

 The original recipe was Martha Washington Candy, so this is the Allergen free Martha Washington Candy.

Prep time: 30 minutes

Additional time 2 hours 30 minutes 

Total time 3 hours

Ingredients

1/2 cup ghee or coconut oil  (I used the ghee because it doesn't have the two proteins I am allergic to, casein and lactose)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 can (7.4 oz) sweetened condensed coconut milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (I used unsweetened because that is what I had on hand and it seemed sweet enough to me)

1 cup shopped pecans

10 maraschino cherries, drained, blotted dry and chopped.

2 packages of Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious allergen free morsels (I used 1 package of Dark Chocolate to dip half the centers and 1 package of Semi-Sweet chocolate to dip the other half.)

The original recipe called for white melts to drizzle on the top of the finished chocolates, but I skipped this step, because someone (it may have been me) had already used the Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious white morsels in a trail mix.

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  In a large bowl, mix the ghee or coconut oil, powdered sugar, Sweetened condensed coconut milk, and vanilla until combined.

2.  Stir in the coconut, pecans, and chopped cherries.

3. Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (or waxed paper) and set aside.

5. Roll the chilled dough into 1 inch balls and place on the lined baking sheets.

6.  Place the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm.  If you live in a cold place, like I do, you can place the baking sheets in your car to chill.

7.  Melt 1 package of the morsels in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds.  Stir.  If still lumpy, microwave for another 10 seconds and stir.  If still lumpy, you can microwave for another 10 seconds.  When the morsels look smooth, it is ready for dipping your centers.  Remove 1 tray of centers from your refrigerator or other chilling area and use a toothpick, fork, baby spoon or chocolate dipping tool to dip the balls into the melted chocolate.  Tap excess off and place back onto the lined baking sheet.  When you have finished with one baking sheet, place it back in the refrigerator or other cool area and repeat (melting the second package of morsels and dipping the second sheet of centers.

8.When all the centers have been dipped, you can melt the white morsels if you choose, and drizzle on top of the candies.

9.  Allow the chocolate to set.  Serve and enjoy. If you want to give them as gifts, you can use paper candy cups for each chocolate and put them into a gift box, tin, or holiday plate.

Finding some allergen free items at a discounted price online

 I found a great site if you are in their ordering/shipping area for finding close to their date items at a marked down price.  The site is Martie.com and so far the kinds of things I have bought from them have been wheat-free flour, olive oil, ghee, gluten free crackers and snacks, chocolate, salad dressings and other condiments, dried vegetables, raw honey, dried mushrooms and seasoned ready to eat quinoa.  I actually have bought more things, but wanted to give a sampling. 

This is a wonderful way to try out some new brands or get a discount on brands I am already using.  They have been very responsive to questions and to damaged items the few times something arrived in less than pristine shape.

Trying some new holiday recipes - avoiding my allergens

Tried making Eggless Nog and it actually turned out pretty well.

The recipe is pretty simple.  I used almond milk in place of cow's milk. I am allergic to eggs, milk, wheat, soy, and a few more.

Eggless Nog

Ingredients:
1 box vanilla instant pudding
2 cups almond milk (the original flavor)
1/2 cup sugar
1 t pumpkin pie spice (the one with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger, NO cloves)
2 t vanilla extract
3 more cups almond milk

Instructions:

In a pitcher, whisk the 2 cups almond milk, instant pudding mix, sugar, spice, and vanilla extract  until well mixed.  Let stand for 10 minutes in a cool place (refrigerator is good) Then add the rest of the almond milk and whisk until well mixed.  Let the Nog cool in the refrigerator until chilled and somewhat thickened. Then serve!   For those allergic to corn, this recipe won't work as listed due to corn in the pudding mix.  

Trying to solve a reaction mystery

What do you do when you finally have a handle on your daily routine and diet to avoid allergens and then suddenly a skin rash pops up.  That is my situation this week.  Suddenly I  have a skin rash which means, either I got exposed to something I already know I am allergic to, or my immune system has found something new to dislike. 

The usual suspects:  I am carefully re-reading labels for things that I have recently eaten.  Companies are notorious for changing the ingredient list for their products.  I am also examining my recent activities to see if I accidentally exposed myself.  The pollen counts are listed at zero so my airborne pollen allergies shouldn't be triggered.

I have two suspects on my list:

1.  I chaperoned a 4-H project where they did baking.  Wheat is one of my known allergies.  The kids are very energetic and messy when mixing so I could have been exposed to breathing in wheat particles.  Since I know I am allergic I stayed back away from the activity but there could still have been airborne.

2.  I tried a new product that included Quinoa and mango.  It is possible that I have developed an allergy to one of the ingredients in that product.

Now, to avoid all of these things for at least a couple of weeks and do a challenge with one thing at a time (obviously not with wheat which is a known allergen for me.)

Living with allergies is an ongoing ever changing adventure.

Have you ever noticed that when you are allergic other people want to give you health advice without even knowing about your condition?

Recently I had a person try to convince me that all allergies are caused by Epstein Barr.  Since my allergies began at birth that seems unlikely.  Another would be expert stated that all I needed was acupuncture to get rid of all of my allergies.  Yet another told me that I want to have my allergies and that they are all in my head.  Still another told me that allergies are all caused by stress so I need to reduce stress in my life.  The funny thing is that within a few weeks, each of these people had health issues involving allergies that didn't respond to their chosen treatments.  I didn't say anything negative to them because I know that each of us must make our own journey to find what helps us.

Sneak Attack

Some people don't understand allergies.  We have a 'peanut free zone' but one of our guests decided to sneak a bag of snickers bars into the building and eat them, leaving the wrappers stuffed in a bag under a couch.  One of the other guests had a severe allergic reaction and had to head off to the emergency room and we didn't realize why until the guests had all dispersed and I found the hidden stash.  It was easy to tell who did it because of where it was located and because of who had entered the building with a brown bag.

When I talked to the person about it, they were more concerned with justifying how they didn't know and I owed them a second chance, than with how the 'victim' was doing.  This is not the first time this person has broken the health/safety rules and each time he has the same response of making excuses about ignorance and promising that he will never do it again.  It is frustrating and hard to say whether the information sank into his consciousness this time.

At another recent event, I had to help my Mom out the door and into my car when she had a sudden asthma attack.  She had been fine and enjoying the music when a couple arrived wearing a fragrance cloud and suddenly my Mom was coughing hard and unable to catch her breath.  As soon as we were away from the perfumed menace my mother's breathing eased.

For those who think allergies are just an itchy nose and a little inconvenience, it is hard for them to understand how it can be a life threatening thing for some people.

Creative Substitutions

Living with allergies means getting creative about replacing ingredients in recipes.  It is much more than that when a person's allergies include allergies to ingredients added to commonly used hygiene items such as soaps, lotions and even tissues.  When allergies include commonly used additives like aloe vera, even a simple choice of lotion or tissue can result in an 'irritating' experience.  Some brands brag about their additives which make it easier to avoid the allergen.  Other brands hide under generic terms like 'natural flavors' or 'herbs'

It takes a lot of reading, exploring and cautious testing to find usable personal care items in a world that is enchanted about adding aloe vera to everything. 

Because of allergies to aspirin and motrin, I have explored the anti-inflamatory uses of things such as olive oil, mint, and juniper berry.  Because of allergies to numerous antibiotics, I needed to learn about the antibacterial and antiviral properties of various berries and fruits.  

If you have one allergy, it can be an inconvenience.  If you have one allergy to a pervasively used thing such as wheat, soy, milk, or corn, it can be an always present consideration in daily living choices.  For those of us with multiple allergies life is a constant challenge.