10 Cookbooks That Respect Your Allergies
Allergic to everything? That’s fine. Browse through these cookbooks created by the experts-chefs, moms and pediatricians-to create mouth-watering recipes to keep kids safe and parents sane.
From sleepovers and playdates, to after-school snacks and lunch boxes, looking for delicious recipes that are allergy-aware can be restrictive. Are you apprehensive about substituting ingredients like milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans to ensure an allergy-free meal? Look no further, stock your book shelves and bookmark these cookbooks.
Cookbooks with a Sense of Humor
Bake Sales Are My B*tch by April Peveteaux
A totally hilarious food allergy cookbook, this one not only has a sense of humor but also 60 recipes that will help you win the food allergy wars! From kid parties to bake sales, this one tackles everyday foods for those on a restrictive diet. With a healthy dose of pragmatic tips and enough humor to keep it from getting overwhelming, chapter titles like My Kid is Sick, Best Responses to Jerks and So is My Kid Just Supposed to Eat Air?, really set the tone for many parents who find whipping up a simple snack as difficult as navigating a hostage situation. The author also lists allergy-safe restaurants, brands, helpful magazines and tips on how to deal with those who take your child’s allergies lightly. And of course, party foods that’ll be a huge hit and crowd pleaser!
Pediatrician-approved Picky Eating
The Pediatrician’s Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers by Anthony Porto M.D. and Dina DiMaggio M.D.
If you’re looking for practical answers to your questions on allergies, picky eating, and starting solids, these medical experts have created this must read guide for parents. Since feeding babies and toddlers during the crucial first years of life is always accompanied by a whole bunch of questions, this comprehensive manual takes the guesstimates and approximations out of feeding. With the expertise of a team of pediatric medical and nutritional experts, this guide provides practical, easy-to-follow advice like how much to feed at once, how many days to feed the same food, how to introduce allergenic foods, when to switch to the next stage, and the list of food that can’t be given to infants. With this book you’ll be able to navigate nutrition issues and medical conditions that accompany feeding.
Recipes for Survival by Dads (for Nursing Moms and Infants)
Taste of Allergies by Matthew Farnell and Mariya Farnell
When this dad’s two-month-old son developed extreme food allergies with severe eczema reactions, he knew he had to create recipes for both — his infant son and his nursing wife. This cookbook is a collection of hypoallergenic recipes he developed for those who ‘can’t eat anything.’ The author embarked upon a Total Elimination Diet (TED) of only five basic foods (pears, zucchini, yellow squash, wild rice, and salmon) for both mom and baby boy, thus making the recipes dairy-free, grain-free (except rice), nut-free, coconut-free, basically, *almost* everything-free. With helpful grocery shopping hints, tips for using kitchen appliances and a ‘How To’ section to help you to create pizza crust, rice flour, bone broth and egg-free gelatin eggs, this book will help you learn how to cook outside the box and from scratch. The recipes are divided into chapters — and dishes like Leek Tortillas, Burritos, Kombucha and Pink Marshmallows can be found under sections like ‘Bread and Breakfasts’, ‘Putting It All Together’, ‘Condiments and Beverages’ and ‘Desserts’, respectively.
By Moms Who Wear Baby Food-Splattered Clothes
The Allergy-Free Baby & Toddler Cookbook by Fiona Heggie and Ellie Lux
If you’re looking to wean your baby and nourish your toddler with 100 wholesome recipes free from all 14 major allergens (dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, crustaceans, fish, molluscs, soya, celery, mustard, lupin, gluten and sulphites), this is a book for you. Written by UK-based authors who have ‘been there, done that’ and have had the experience of dealing with toddlers and babies with multiple food allergies, this book is a practical guide for moms who are weaning. From first purees to puddings, these recipes will cover your baby’s first solid food, right up to mini-meals. Using ingredients commonly found in supermarkets, along with nutritional expertise, this book is packed with advice, along with fun menu planners and ideas for first birthday parties. Endorsed by Allergy UK and has tips on cross contamination, different stages of weaning and measurements for mini-portions.
For Schooling Grandparents
Food Allergies & Grandchildren: Pocket Guide for Grandparents by Julie Trone
Since grandparents tend to show love through food, a food allergy would leave them confused and heart-broken. While this is not a recipe book, it is ideal for grandparents to acquaint themselves with allergies and anaphylaxis. This Pocket Guide for Grandparents contains useful stories, anecdotes, pro-tips and resources to help them learn how to be safe — while cooking, cleaning or shopping. The pocket book also guides them on how to choose a restaurant and includes non-food, kid-approved activities to make a visit more enjoyable. Dedicated in memory of her mother-in-law, who truly loved being with her grandchildren, it’s for grandparents who want to take an initiative to learn how to take care of their grandchildren with allergies by learning to read labels, proper cleaning, safe storing and serving food. This pocketbook will help any grandparent feel more confident in caring for their grandchild and explains the serious nature of these allergies with straightforward, practical tips and guidance. And yes, it is easy-to-read with large text!
Recipes That are the Chef’s Special
Fearless Food: Allergy-Free Recipes for Kids by Chef Katrina Jorgenson
Authored by Chef Katrina Jorgenson, this graduate from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, has created recipes that avoid the Big-8 food allergens. The recipes are easy to follow and have very clear ‘Allergen Alerts’ for when swaps need to be made. For instance, if the recipe uses butter and you’re allergic to dairy, the allergen alert will tell you what to skip and use instead. There are also ‘Chef’s Tips’ at the bottom of some pages that mention interesting toppings and other tips and tricks. From Cherry Pie Breakfast Bars and Banana-Chocolate Creme Pancakes, to Pumpkin Seed Pesto Pasta and Creamy Mac and Cheese, this chef’s 100 allergy-free recipes are split up across chapters titled ‘Breakfasts’, ‘Snacks’, ‘Sides’, ‘Main Dishes’ and ‘Desserts’.
By those Wielding Influence — a Food Allergy Influencer and Power Blogger
The Autoimmune Protocol Comfort Food Cookbook by Michelle Hoover
Revisit all of your comfort foods as every recipe is autoimmune protocol (AIP) compliant, which means it’s free of refined sugars, nightshades, gluten, eggs, grains, dairy, legumes and seeds. From ‘AIP basics’ like bone broths and nightshade free ketchup, to ‘Breakfast in Bed’ favorites like grain-free Blueberry Waffles, the recipes are nutritious and filling. The ‘Appetizers, Dips, and Snacks’ section has finger-licking, finger-food favorites like Queso Blanco, Scallops with Bacon Jam and Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce, while ‘Soups, Salads, and Sides’ have wholesome, rich soups like Pork Belly Ramen with a bone broth base or a dairy-free Broccoli Cheese Soup, which uses coconut milk, and coconut cream (no cheese!) instead. The hearty and ‘Craveable Mains’ boasts of inviting dinners with variations of classic dishes like Zucchini Lasagna, while the ‘Holiday Favorites’ sections will teach you how to swap your traditional turkey stuffing with Cauliflower Stuffing. The final chapter, ‘Decadent Desserts & Drinks’ has drool-worthy Mint Chip Brownies and Cranberry Cheesecake Bars. Not only will the beautiful photographs of the dishes be a feast on your eyes, the recipes will change your mind about restrictive diets.
Allergy-free Staples to Stock your Pantry
The Allergy-Free Pantry by Colette Martin
An important step in creating allergy-free recipes, involves making sure your pantry is stocked with allergy-free staples. Instead of reading ‘may contain’ food labels with a magnifying glass, parents have taken matters into their own hands and begun creating classic treats and pantry staples like baking mixes, jams, crackers, cookies, egg replacers, condiments and dressings. This is the author’s second release after her first successful book titled ‘Learning to Bake Allergen-Free’. By following the simple instructions, and admiring the full-color photographs of every recipe, you’ll be able to refill every nook and cranny of your cupboard with safe ingredients so you and your kids can breathe easy! You can take the guesswork out and freely stock your pantry with homemade Cherry Vanilla Jam, Figgy Pear Jam, Honey Blueberry Zest Jam by browsing through recipes in the ‘Butters and Jams’ section. Flavorful dressings like Flaxseed Mayonnaise, Chipotle Mayonnaise, Simple Vinaigrette, Mock Caesar Dressing, Dairy Free Ranch Dressing in the ‘Condiments and Dressings’ section will refresh your salads like never before. Bakers will love the ‘Flour Blends and Baking Mixes’, ‘Non-Dairy Milk’ and ‘Egg Replacers’, sections where you will learn to make staples like Bread Flour Blend, Pastry Flour Blend, Rice Milk, Oat Milk, Hemp Milk, Sunflower Seed Milk, and Flaxseed Eggs, Chia Seeds Eggs and AppleSauce. Once you ace these staples, you’ll be stress-free and can safely create Hamburger Buns, Toaster Tarts, Croutons, Snickerdoodles, Fruit Roll Ups, Fig-filled Cookies, Animal Crackers, Strawberry Thumbprints and Chocolate Sandwich Cookies.
Recipes Kids Will Love to Cook AND Eat
Kids Eat Free by Stephanie Policar
With 50 allergy-friendly recipes, this book is meant to empower kids to feel a bit more free and relaxed in the world of food allergies and restrictions. With easy-peasy recipes to encourage kids to get comfortable in the kitchen, the idea that ‘kids eat what they make’, is the thought behind this book. Every one of these 50 recipes, contains a legend that indicates whether or not an allergen is included in the ingredients. Sections like ‘Super Sensational Snacks’ that contain kid-friendly items like Campfire Delight, Superfood Guacamole, Stoplight Popcorn, Our Favorite Energy Bars and Super Chocolate Energy Balls will get kids reaching out for their aprons. A perfect vacation activity, kids can get hands-on experience preparing smoothies like Berry Good Morning Smoothie and Tropical Fun in the Sun Smoothie. Budding chefs can try their hands at the ‘Let’s Do Lunch’ section with Tea Party Sandwiches or the ‘What’s For Dinner’ section with Simple Salmon and Zoodles with Pesto.
For those with a Global Palate
An Allergy Mom’s Lifesaving Instant Pot Cookbook by Megan Lavin
Dedicated to the allergy family that likes to entertain, this book is centered around dinner — the hardest meal of the day. Also known as the dinner bible, it’s a useful guide for the veteran allergy mom. With 60 recipes broken up into 25 main dishes, 15 side dishes, 15 soups and 5 desserts, these recipes are all Instant One Pot and made in an electric pressure cooker. Why, you ask? Because why would you want a roast to take 6–8 hours, when it can be done in one? The sections ‘Get a Move On Mains’, ‘Stress-Free Sides’, ‘Snappy Soups’ and ‘Speedy Sweets’ cover a range of cuisines that are usually no-no for those (like her son) suffering from allergies and eosinophilic esophagitis (a chronic immune system disease). From Greek, Mexican, Indian, Italian and good ol’ South East Asian and Chinese cuisines, there are delicious recipes from across the globe. For those who enjoy Mexican, the must try dishes are Chili Lime Chicken Tacos, Salsa Mexican Rice, Tomatillo Pork Tacos, while spicy Indian foodies can dig into the No-Butter Indian ‘Butter’ Chicken. Asian food includes Healthier-for-you Orange Chicken, Honey Garlic Chicken and Broccoli, Thai Coconut Soup, and Greek food enthusiasts can indulge in Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes, Sun-Dried Tomato and Greek Herbed Roast. Of course, one can’t bring out a cookbook without including the gastronomy capital of the world, Italy’s Bread Crumb and Egg-Free Italian Meatballs and Spaghetti or Creamy Italian Chicken Pasta. And the best course of all, Desserts like Raspberry Orange Rice Pudding and Dairy-Free Chocolate Fondue will take your palate on a whirlwind tour of the most flavorful countries of the world.
Originally published at https://asthmanc.com.
