Список из самых популярных хештегов по теме #ALLERGYKIDEATS

Eesa’s snack: watermelon, blueberries, cheddar cheese. He had 3X the watermelon and seconds of blueberries. This is what was left. #allergykideats #eesaeats #toddlermeals #blessed

Eesa’s breakfast: gluten free multigrain Cheerios and a kashi gluten free waffle. Mashallah. Eesa ate all his breakfast. #allergykideats #eesaeats #toddlermeals #blessed

Birthday breakfast was a pile of donuts this morning, with a candle and a song because I couldn’t deviate from tradition completely. It’s Sunday and there would be lots of donuts at church today for a special treat to celebrate the church’s 50th anniversary. Knowing we’d have to at no to donuts, our family preemptively enjoyed an allergy friendly version at home. We’ve gotten used to ignoring our feelings about these sorts of situations, clinging to Christ’s words that life is about more than food, and not to worry about what we eat. But friends, while life is about so much more than food, food is central to so many of life’s celebrations, and it’s hard to be left out. Imagine our delight we walked in to church this morning and spotted boxes of Enjoy Life cookies ready to be enjoyed by all the food allergy families like ours. I may have cried. You better believe we wove our way through the crowd to thank the one responsible for stocking the counter with those cookies. I had talked to her about my heart for food allergy kids not two weeks ago, and she listened. She squeezed me tight and she said we weren’t the only ones happy to see the safe treat. Four years ago I had no idea this boy would make me as brave as I’ve become. Food allergies are no picnic, and I wish we didn’t have them in our family, but lately I think of them as a gift, much like this boy here.

It’s Friday, so good things are happening in my kitchen. Usually it’s a pan of my easy olive oil biscuit crust for Friday night pizza, but today it’s gooey cocoa crispy treats. We like the plain crispy rice treats around here, but did you know that national brand that snaps and crackles isn’t gluten free? Pity that this chocolate alternative IS gluten free, isn’t it? (BTW: it’s Mom’s Best. Nope, not a sponsored post.) Yes, there are other brands that are plain, but it’s Friday, and more snow is coming tomorrow, and we’re going to the cousins’ house for dinner, and my brother just moved to town, and Emery turns four in two days—so we’re celebrating with the chocolate variety. (Any excuse for chocolate.) {Search for the recipe on love-scratch.com}

It’s summer, so the Goobies have been clamoring for ice cream. But dairy free ice cream is expensive and full of all sorts of additives I’d rather not feed the Goobies, and cross contamination with nuts is always a worry for our food allergy family, so devising an easy version of this classic mainstay of summer was high on my list of priorities these past few months. I’m happy to share it with you tonight. Sheesh—there’s still time to churn a batch for dessert! Fellow food allergy mamas: be warned that this recipe contains eggs because the yolks help the finished product stay scoopable straight from the freezer. If your family is allergic or averse to eggs, just leave them out. The ice cream will still come out delicious as ever, but you’ll just need to plan ahead and take the container out of the freezer 15-20 minutes before you want to serve it. Ingredients: 3 cans full fat coconut milk 3/4 + 2 Tablespoons super fine sugar 2 Tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 egg yolks 1/16 tsp sea salt First, let’s talk about the sugar. Super fine sugar dissolves quicker in the coconut milk, which in my opinion yields a smoother finished product. Turn regular old sugar into super fine sugar by blending about a cup of it. After whirling it, measure 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons and set it aside. If you don’t have a blender, no worries—just use regular old sugar. Next, whisk together the egg yolks, superfine sugar, vanilla and salt. Then, shake the cans of coconut milk well to make sure the liquid isn’t separated. Then, open the cans and whisk the milk into the egg yolk & sugar mixture one can at a time, blending thoroughly before moving on to the next can. When all the coconut milk has been added and combined, pour the mixture into a prepared ice cream maker and click it on. Leave it alone for 30 minutes while it does the hard work for you. When the ice cream has turned to soft serve, turn the machine off and scoop the ice cream into a plastic container, cover it, and pop it in the freezer to firm up a bit more—I find it’s perfectly scoopable after about an hour. (But then again, I dig soft serve, so sometimes I make myself a dish of it immediately. Your call.)

School starts tomorrow and I’m thrilled and heartbroken at the same time. There’s so much I wish I could’ve done differently, but I bet the Goobies would say it was the best ever (because I dressed up like a superhero princess on occasion, which scored major mom points). But everyday wasn’t like this. Some days I shouted, others I cried, and others I threw my hands up and declared I was giving myself a time out. But time didn’t stop and here we are at the beginning of a new school year. Hallelujah and oh no! (Also, BLT pasta salad is on my rotation for quick, cooling summer side salads. Dairy free, gluten free, can-be-all-the-things-free too. Check out love-scratch.com for my back-to-school confessions and the recipe. The link is also in my profile.)

We’re off to see a new allergist today. The Goobies are all scared stiff about it, even Addie who hounds me about whether the other two will get shots today or not. This food allergy life is harder on her little heart than I ever imagined. • I say the same things over and over again, telling them all I don’t really know what will happen today, but I highly doubt shots are part of the plan on this visit, and I put on my bravest face as I rally them together to believe with me for three things: 1) For a doctor who is both advocate and ally as we explore and pursue therapies to help these kids’ bodies kick their allergies to the curb 2) Sound information, clear communication, and a better understanding about where the Goobies are, and where they will be able to go 3) Peace and confidence as we begin to take steps in a new direction. • Food allergies are our foe, true, but there is something deeper than that at play. I believe with everything in me that food allergies are evidence of a broken world, and that Jesus is the only one who ultimately can save. • While I wait for that day, fear puts up a fight, unwilling to yield its grip on me, spewing ugly words meant to destroy me. But in the midst of the worst it can throw at me, I choose to keep my eyes locked on the one whose perfect love casts that fear away. • And so, today we go. Because fear isn’t the boss of us and we choose to pursue a life more abundant than fear can offer. Perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18), and we’re clinging to that love—the love of Jesus—on this hard, good day.

A dozen bags of @enjoylifefoods chocolate chips just arrived at my doorstep I snagged a deal on amazon for a box of a dozen bags for just over $3.30 a bag. Paying over $40 for chocolate chips with one quick click felt impulsive and indulgent at first—but friends, holy moly that’s a steal, so I let my good sense take over. (And for you #foodallergymoms curious if the deal is still going on—,yep, sure is! Go let your good sense take over too!)

Crispy Baked Tacos are one of Addies absolute favorite dinners, and I love how she sighs with delight when she catches a whiff of them baking. She’s been really bugging me lately (all the Goobies have!) because summer is long, and we’ve gotten more than our fill of each other. Today on the blog: how I somehow managed to set aside selfishness and put love in action even when I wanted to hide, and my recipe for these super easy Crispy Baked Tacos (#top8allergenfree!) Link in profile.