News

Allergy Friendly kids parties 11/1/2015

The girls were tickled pink today, having been to a frozen birthday party. They were so excited because it was the first time (other than a family occasion) where they were able to eat not only cake, but all of the party food that was on offer. Thankyou very much to Catherine and Arabella for organising such a wonderful allergy friendly spread. It was lovely not to be on edge and let the girls be free to enjoy food, fun and laughter, without me having to worry about a reaction. Complete with egg and nut free labels on all food. We really did have an amazing time thanks again 

Which Recipe will you choose?

Create one meal to suit the whole family.

Each with a colour photo.

Which one will you chose?

Allergy Friendly Family Cooking by Esta De Araugo available Mid December 2014

A taste of things to come

Register your interest now via facebook or our website

http://www.alertband.com.au/pages/contact

https://www.facebook.com/Alertbandaus

How to avoid food treats - 12-10-14

There are so many events throughout the year that involve food treats.

Here are some suggestions for families, grandparents, friends that do not involve giving food as a treat or reward.

We love our kids and so that they don't miss out we can reward them in other ways than by giving them food.

Here are some of the suggestions.

Feel free to add to the list and let us know what you have experienced

My Gluten Free Failure 14/9/14

So my "Neverfail Chocolate Mocha Cupcakes"  can not be converted to Gluten Free.  

Currently, egg free, nut free, dairy Free, soy free. Looking for a gluten free and egg free recipe, does anyone out there have one that they would like to share.

The following video shows that direct conversion does not always work.

Pet Allergies 3/9/14

Our recent skin prick test has shown that our son is now allergic to dog and cat hair.  Here is what we have since learned:

Allergies to pets, particularly domestic household pets such as dogs and cats, are common triggers for asthma and hayfever. The source of cat allergen is in the sebaceous glands in the cats skin. When they lick themselves, the allergen which is sticky, sticks to hair, dust etc. Even after removing the cat, the cat allergen can be present throughout the home for up to 6 months and potentially in the cats bedding for up to 4 years. (Scary thought) This allergen has also been known to be measurable in the homes of non pet owners.

Dogs

The main source of allergen in dogs is saliva and is spread via hair and skin particles that have been shed. So if you are allergic steer clear of slobbery dogs like the one from Turner and Hooch.

Other animals

Although not as common. horses, mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and bird allergies are also just as important. Transmission of these allergens on clothes may trigger hay fever or Asthma.

Pet allergy symptoms generally (but not always) occur quickly after exposure to the animal.

What can I do to control my childs pet allergy?

• Leave the pet outside and not in the house
• when removing a pet from the home, ensure that bedding is removed from the home also
• Do not smoke. Exposure to smoke worsens allergic symptoms. Can also make a number of allergies more likely to develop

The following might be difficult but worth a try

• remove carpet or other reservoirs for allergens in the bedroom
• wash your pet regularly (weekly recommended)
• Keep the pet out of the bedroom of the allergic person
• Keep the pet to one area (easier said than done)
• Use high efficiency air cleaners

Where it is hard to avoid exposure, ongoing anti inflammatory therapy is an option to help control the symptoms.

Things we now need to adapt in our household. 

Low FODMAP research 25/8/2014

Firstly I'd like to apologise for falling off the face of the earth for the last few weeks. We have had a very trying month. With my three kids facing anaphylaxis challenges daily, I have devoted my time to finding ways those with dietary restrictions can enjoy life without feeling that they are missing  out.

As most of you would be aware, I am compiling all my recipes to create a cookbook which i have finally completed. We are now at publishing stage so hopefully we will be ready to have it out there in the not too distant future. It also includes low FODMAP recipes, to cater for people with intolerance's to fructose, wheat, lactose, sorbitol and other FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides And Polyols) . This book will allow those with intolerance's, to cook with confidence, easy, quick, family friendly recipes.

I have many friends following the FODMAP diet and am very grateful to those who have helped me with my endless research and recipe testing and trialing. It is a difficult concept to wrap your head around as every individual is so different and everybody's triggers vary.

Lastly, the kids had their allergy testing (skin prick test shown below) again this week. We were hoping for a more positive outcome than previous tests with a reduction in allergies. Unfortunately we walked away with a further four allergies for our little man. So he now has, Eggs, Almonds, Peanuts, Cashews, Walnut, Pistachio, Hazelnut, dust mites, dust, mold, grass, cat fur and dog hair.  The girls remained the same so that is a positive.  : )

For those of you that are in the same situation, please feel free to contact me. If i can assist in any way, I would be more than happy to help. Even if you need to have a chat. I understand how difficult it is to live with a restricted diet.

Wishing you all good health,

Esta

Allergy Friendly recipes 14/7/14

Its been one of those weekends in my kitchen, developing new allergy friendly recipes for the family.

Having had friends coming over for dinner, i wanted to impress them with my new strawberry layer cheesecake.

Free from dairy, eggs, nuts, gluten and fructose. Why don't you give it a try?

For fructose intolerance's, omit the Jelly and puree a punnet of strawberries and evenly spread over filling.

I was recently asked to create a cake for a little boy who is gluten, dairy and fructose intolerant. Although challenging, i was finally able to adapt this incredibly mouth watering, strawberry cheesecake for his special occasion.

What masterpieces have you created? 

for the recipe please follow the link

www.alertband.com.au/blogs/recipes/14840005-strawberry-layer-cheesecake 

Tricks to help you bake allergy friendly meals 3/7/14

Since starting to write and sample recipes for my allergy friendly cookbook, i have discovered the following tricks to help you bake allergy friendly meals.

Gluten Free :  No one gluten free flour has been found to be as good substitute for wheat flour in all recipes. That's why learning about different flours and combining them effectively is very important to gluten free cooking. I use many substitutes including gluten free buckwheat, soy, cornflour, potato and rice flour.

Egg: Egg replacer is readily available in local supermarkets.  To make cakes fluffy and biscuits lighter, try using extra baking powder or yeast where appropriate. Cornflour works well for custards and sauces, or you can use thick whipped cream or gelatin to set desserts. For glazing try milk, soy or oat milk, cream or oil. Dressings and dips work well with soft silken or firm tofu for that eggy texture.

Nuts: Choose your oils carefully. Vegetable, olive or seed oils if tolerated. Those allergic to peanuts and tree nuts may be able to eat pine nuts or other seeds including pumpkin, sesame, chia or desiccated coconut instead. Crushed rice cakes or corn chips add crunch to a savoury topping. Some people with nut allergies, but not all, can tolerate pine nuts and sesame seeds.

Milk/Dairy: There are so many milk alternatives available, including soy, rice, oat or coconut milk, almond, cashew and potato milk.  

Butter alternatives include, soy, olive oils, vegetable and fat based spreads, lard or other animal fats. 

Cheese alternatives include soy based rice or tofu.

Good luck with your allergy friendly cooking. If you have any other tips you would love to share please let us know.

Deliciously simple food that everyone can enjoy 24/6/14

Deliciously simple food that everyone can enjoy.

Australia has one of the highest allergy prevalence rates in the world. Today 1 in 10 children has a food allergy, while 20% of the population believe they have a food intolerance. 

If you are planning to dine out at a restaurant, it is a good idea to phone in advance. This way you can learn what is on the menu, ask about the ingredients and explain what you cannot eat. If you are not confident about getting an allergy free meal after speaking to the restaurant, it would be wise to go elsewhere. 

Check out my new recipe Prawn and Taramasalata rice paper rolls

Non food products may contain Allergens 15/6/14