I think I am going to call duck eggs a successful add in at this point. I am super excited to have an egg that I can use in baking, as well as breakfast staples like scrambled eggs. The littlest monster ate the duck eggs baked into banana muffins for 3 days straight and then he had them for breakfast scrambled for another 3 days with no reactions that I could see. I used an egg last night in our dinner as well. I made cabbage rolls and he ate them well and still nothing. That means no GI upset or change in bowel patterns and no rashes which are his hallmark reaction to chicken eggs.
Now I need to set up another pick up from the local farm to get some more duck eggs. So that's another food win over here. Just wanted to put that out there! Just because you or your child reacts to a food that is considered a staple food, like chicken eggs, doesn't mean there aren't other options out there for you to try. Do your research and see if there is another same type food that you can use as a substitute!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A Better, All Natural, DIY Baby Wipe
I have previously posted directions for making your own homemade baby wipes. And though I loved them I have come to realize that I didn't like some of the ingredients that I was using in them. For one thing I have come to realize that I don't want to use baby oil on anyone in our house anymore. Just google it and you will see why. I also didn't like having to hunt all over God's green earth for a baby wash that didn't contain soy or corn products and wasn't chocked full of chemicals I can't pronounce. So I've changed up my recipe and have to say I love it even more now.
I used Costco's Kirkland brand paper towels.
I used Costco's Kirkland brand paper towels.
- Cut a roll of paper towels in half with a sharp knife. The sharper the better since you don't want a lot of frayed edges.
- Find a container with a tight sealing lid that will fit the half roll of paper towels.
- Fill container with 2 1/2 C of hot water.
- Mix in 2 Tbls of Coconut Oil. I used the organic one from Trader Joe's. Love the scent.
- Add a few drops of Dr. Bronners Magic Castille Soap.
- Stir all wet ingredients together until all the coconut oil is melted.
- Place you half roll of paper towels, cut side down, into the container.
- Snap on your lid and turn upside down so all the solution will soak throughout the entire roll.
- Wait about 15-20 mins and set back up right. Pull out the cardboard tube and pull up the center wipe.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Duck Eggs, eh???
I decided to do a food trial with the youngest little monster roaming around these parts. Hes been off chicken eggs for months now, and though I've gotten pretty food at baking without eggs, it's hard and I don't need hard! It's hard enough coming up with food that fits all the different food restrictions we have between the 3 kids.
I joined a group on Facebook for people locally who garden and have small farms to buys, sell, and trade, homegrown food, plants, seeds, and knowledge. A local gal on there posted the other day that she had fresh duck eggs for sale. I was intrigued. Duck eggs you say? Hmmmm, so I got to googling and seeing if duck eggs were a suitable substitute for chicken eggs for folks that are allergic, since IgE allergies are my standard against what subs we can and should try though none of the kids have any true IgE allergies at this point. It seems that it is done and usually well tolerated to substitute duck eggs, and even goose and quail eggs, for chicken eggs. Score!
So I messaged the gal who had posted about the eggs and grilled her about what she feeds the ducks. Because I have heard from numerous people that they are sensitive to what the animals they are eating are eating. Makes sense, in a way. She was kind enough to find the website for the feed she is giving the ducks and one chicken she has. Darn it all! First two ingredients were corn and soy! She said she has been considering switching the animals to organic and sent me the link to the new feed she is considering. While the corn and soy weren't the first two ingredients they were still in there.
After hours spent googling trying to find a feed that didn't contain those things I came up empty handed. Boooo! So I figured that the kids eat conventional meat that are more than likely feed corn and soy as the bulk of their diets everyday and seem to be fine with meat so maybe the littlest one won't react to what the animal is eating in its diet.
So I thought it over, slept on it, and talked it over with my wonderful momma friends of reactive kids and decided to give it a try. So I let the gal know that I would like to buy a half dozen eggs and headed over to pick them up. She also happens to have dwarf goats a goose and a horse. The littlest monster was in heaven! He got to pet a baby goat! The whole way home he was telling me that he wants some goats. I don't think we are zoned to have goats where we live. Maybe we could get some and milk them? Though I have no idea if the kids can tolerate goat milk. Hmmmmm.......
So we collected our half dozen duck eggs and brought them home. I let the gal know that if the food trial worked out we'd be bugging her a lot for eggs. She seemed happy to supply us and for about the price of a dozen organic chicken eggs in the grocery store it wouldn't put to much stress on our food budget.
I came home and put them in the refrigerator and it took me about 3 days to work up the nerve to actually start the food trial. I had to re-talk myself into it. We had survived the last chicken egg food trial, but it wasn't pretty that's for sure! So I figured we could do this! Yes we can! So I baked up some banana muffins, the littlest one loves banana bread so I figured he'd eat these no problem. Sometimes the hardest part of a food trial is finding a way to get them to actually ingest the food.
I made mini muffins so his first day would be a small amount and he wouldn't feel jipped by only being able to have a bite or two of something bigger and then having it taken away. He ate it no problem as his dessert after dinner last night. This morning, there has been no rash I've picked up on and so far no complaint of stomach pain, his first two symptoms usually. I let him eat two mini muffins at breakfast and he stole a couple I was eating at mid-morning snack. His bowel movement seemed fine, though he didn't tell me he had gone because he was to busy playing with new found toys while we were cleaning out the toy room for our BIG spring cleaning project while the older boys were away with dad for the day. So he sat in it for a while, and because I couldn't smell it, he sat in it longer than he normally would.
When his secret was discovered I changed him and he did have some diaper rash, but nothing like what he gets when he is reacting to a food. His poop was formed, no mucus, and no smell. So far so good. A little Desitin and his rash is already looking much better. So we will continue with the muffins for another 2 days, increasing the amount he eats everyday and watch for reactions. If nothing shows up we will attempt scrambled duck eggs as his "true" test to see if he tolerates them.
Wish us luck! I would love to have eggs again!
I joined a group on Facebook for people locally who garden and have small farms to buys, sell, and trade, homegrown food, plants, seeds, and knowledge. A local gal on there posted the other day that she had fresh duck eggs for sale. I was intrigued. Duck eggs you say? Hmmmm, so I got to googling and seeing if duck eggs were a suitable substitute for chicken eggs for folks that are allergic, since IgE allergies are my standard against what subs we can and should try though none of the kids have any true IgE allergies at this point. It seems that it is done and usually well tolerated to substitute duck eggs, and even goose and quail eggs, for chicken eggs. Score!
So I messaged the gal who had posted about the eggs and grilled her about what she feeds the ducks. Because I have heard from numerous people that they are sensitive to what the animals they are eating are eating. Makes sense, in a way. She was kind enough to find the website for the feed she is giving the ducks and one chicken she has. Darn it all! First two ingredients were corn and soy! She said she has been considering switching the animals to organic and sent me the link to the new feed she is considering. While the corn and soy weren't the first two ingredients they were still in there.
After hours spent googling trying to find a feed that didn't contain those things I came up empty handed. Boooo! So I figured that the kids eat conventional meat that are more than likely feed corn and soy as the bulk of their diets everyday and seem to be fine with meat so maybe the littlest one won't react to what the animal is eating in its diet.
So I thought it over, slept on it, and talked it over with my wonderful momma friends of reactive kids and decided to give it a try. So I let the gal know that I would like to buy a half dozen eggs and headed over to pick them up. She also happens to have dwarf goats a goose and a horse. The littlest monster was in heaven! He got to pet a baby goat! The whole way home he was telling me that he wants some goats. I don't think we are zoned to have goats where we live. Maybe we could get some and milk them? Though I have no idea if the kids can tolerate goat milk. Hmmmmm.......
So we collected our half dozen duck eggs and brought them home. I let the gal know that if the food trial worked out we'd be bugging her a lot for eggs. She seemed happy to supply us and for about the price of a dozen organic chicken eggs in the grocery store it wouldn't put to much stress on our food budget.
I came home and put them in the refrigerator and it took me about 3 days to work up the nerve to actually start the food trial. I had to re-talk myself into it. We had survived the last chicken egg food trial, but it wasn't pretty that's for sure! So I figured we could do this! Yes we can! So I baked up some banana muffins, the littlest one loves banana bread so I figured he'd eat these no problem. Sometimes the hardest part of a food trial is finding a way to get them to actually ingest the food.
I made mini muffins so his first day would be a small amount and he wouldn't feel jipped by only being able to have a bite or two of something bigger and then having it taken away. He ate it no problem as his dessert after dinner last night. This morning, there has been no rash I've picked up on and so far no complaint of stomach pain, his first two symptoms usually. I let him eat two mini muffins at breakfast and he stole a couple I was eating at mid-morning snack. His bowel movement seemed fine, though he didn't tell me he had gone because he was to busy playing with new found toys while we were cleaning out the toy room for our BIG spring cleaning project while the older boys were away with dad for the day. So he sat in it for a while, and because I couldn't smell it, he sat in it longer than he normally would.
When his secret was discovered I changed him and he did have some diaper rash, but nothing like what he gets when he is reacting to a food. His poop was formed, no mucus, and no smell. So far so good. A little Desitin and his rash is already looking much better. So we will continue with the muffins for another 2 days, increasing the amount he eats everyday and watch for reactions. If nothing shows up we will attempt scrambled duck eggs as his "true" test to see if he tolerates them.
Wish us luck! I would love to have eggs again!
Friday, April 5, 2013
Spinach Chicken Burgers
I've made these burgers a few times now and they always get gobbled up and are very much enjoyed by all members of the family. Hubby even said he wanted them added into the regular rotation of dinners, so you know they are good, allergen friendly food, when the hubby asks for them! Reminder: he has no food allergies or intolerance's and eats whatever he wants!
Spinach Chicken Burgers
Ingredients:
About 1 1/4 lbs of ground chicken (buy in store or grind your own)
2 ozs fresh or frozen spinach (if using frozen thaw and drain well)
1/4 med onion finely chopped
1 small clove garlic minced (I use jarred)
2 tsp dried parsley
3 ozs shredded Daiya cheese (I use mozzarella)
1 tsp lemon juice (can be left out, I have)
2 tsp Coconut Aminos* (great soy sauce sub!)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 C bread crumbs (I use the organic ones from Trader Joe's)
If using fresh spinach, wilt it by pouring boiling water over it while in a colander in the sink. If using frozen thaw in a bowl with a paper towel or tea towel under it. After thawed wrap in a tea towel and squeeze out all the water. Keep squeezing til you think you can't squeeze anymore, then squeeze it again! You'll be surprised at the amount of water you get out of it! You want it almost dry.
In a food processor place onion garlic, parsley, and spinach, pulse until its fine, but not pureed.
Remove from processor and then use your processor to "grind" up your chicken if your not using pre-ground chicken. Cut thawed, raw chicken breast into pieces and pulse away with your food processor til it has a paste like appearance.
Combine chicken and remaining ingredients together adding enough bread crumbs until it all sticks together, but not to much to your hands.
Roll into balls that are about 1 1/2 in around (or larger depending on what size burger patty you want), place on a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, flatten out to make patties. Cover with plastic wrap or Press N Seal and place in refrigerator for about 1 hour to set up.( At this point you can also freeze them on the cookie sheet until frozen and then place into a zip top baggie for long term-ish storage.)
Place in oven on broil for about 7-9 minutes on each side. Or they reach 165*.
Serve on your homemade hamburger buns (recipe and how to coming soon!)
*** I cook with ingredients that are safe for my family. Everyone with food allergies and intolerance's are different in their level of sensitivity. Please make sure you are using ingredients that are safe for your level of sensitivity to a food. What works for one family or person may be life threatening to another. ***
Spinach Chicken Burgers
Ingredients:
About 1 1/4 lbs of ground chicken (buy in store or grind your own)
2 ozs fresh or frozen spinach (if using frozen thaw and drain well)
1/4 med onion finely chopped
1 small clove garlic minced (I use jarred)
2 tsp dried parsley
3 ozs shredded Daiya cheese (I use mozzarella)
1 tsp lemon juice (can be left out, I have)
2 tsp Coconut Aminos* (great soy sauce sub!)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 C bread crumbs (I use the organic ones from Trader Joe's)
If using fresh spinach, wilt it by pouring boiling water over it while in a colander in the sink. If using frozen thaw in a bowl with a paper towel or tea towel under it. After thawed wrap in a tea towel and squeeze out all the water. Keep squeezing til you think you can't squeeze anymore, then squeeze it again! You'll be surprised at the amount of water you get out of it! You want it almost dry.
In a food processor place onion garlic, parsley, and spinach, pulse until its fine, but not pureed.
Remove from processor and then use your processor to "grind" up your chicken if your not using pre-ground chicken. Cut thawed, raw chicken breast into pieces and pulse away with your food processor til it has a paste like appearance.
Combine chicken and remaining ingredients together adding enough bread crumbs until it all sticks together, but not to much to your hands.
Roll into balls that are about 1 1/2 in around (or larger depending on what size burger patty you want), place on a foil lined cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray, flatten out to make patties. Cover with plastic wrap or Press N Seal and place in refrigerator for about 1 hour to set up.( At this point you can also freeze them on the cookie sheet until frozen and then place into a zip top baggie for long term-ish storage.)
Place in oven on broil for about 7-9 minutes on each side. Or they reach 165*.
Serve on your homemade hamburger buns (recipe and how to coming soon!)
* You can find coconut aminos at most health food stores or online. They are usually kept with the liquid aminos and vinegar. I've started to use them in any recipe that calls for soy sauce. It really makes my marinade for Tri Tip!
*** I cook with ingredients that are safe for my family. Everyone with food allergies and intolerance's are different in their level of sensitivity. Please make sure you are using ingredients that are safe for your level of sensitivity to a food. What works for one family or person may be life threatening to another. ***
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