new products, new ideas

I've tried a few new products:
Mr. Krisper's rice crackers-- we use salt and pepper which can be a little spicy, but can't use the sour cream or bbq flavors-- but delicious and no gluten or wheat.
Vegetarian refried beans: Oy, I forget the company... will update later-- it's NOT Amy's since they use the same lines as other allergens.
Orgran Quick Bread mix-- easy easy easy and no eggs-- just water and margarine
Enjoy Life Bagels-- yummy . They're frozen, and they defrost well in a lunch pack (or an a plane ride!) and they warm up well. We don't have a toaster... don't ask... so wouldn't know about that, but really good. I know that Whole Foods carries them.

As for new ideas: Pasta primavera is a lovely summer dish esp in this heat. I use Tinkyada
Ok funny name, but delicious rice pasta-- cooks al dente, hold it's flavor and shape (use a healthy dose of salt) and is tasty. From an Italian, that's a rave.
I julienne carrotts, rough chop steamed broccolli(or asparagus) into small pieces, thin red or yellow pepper strips, chop garlic, julienne sweet onion, grape tomatoes halved (if you can have them) and frozen peas too. lots of chopped basil or parsely or both.
Drain the pasta, throw in all the veggies and about three tablespoons of olive oil for every pound of pasta, Toss, cover with a plate for a few minutes and then toss again and serve.
You want the tomatoes and onions to wilt, but not get too mushy. salt and a little fresh pepper good here too!
(I have been known to toss in julienne cooked chicken breast as well) We don't include cheese in our house, but a little grated pecorino romano would taste good on it as well.

cross country and a shout out

Well, off he goes-- to a program on the other coast, excited, ready, going to be doing some interesting thinking -- and eating I hope.

The school has residential clusters for whom there is a food service which automatically makes vegan and veggie entrees-- and he can ask for anything anytime to be cooked his way, and they already have his box of Cheerios in the office for his use only.... sounds great, so am hoping that it works that way.

And anyway, my kid's ready to make do if he has to-- program attracted him not for the food service!

but enough about separation anxiety! that's a story we all know --whether it's the first time they stay at a birthday party alone or their first overnight trip with school or their first camp summer. the reaction is always YIKES! how'd that happen so fast.

Shout Out: B.R. Guest restaurants In NY there are about five of them-- and one of the principals spoke at the FAAN conference about their kitchens' allergy procedures-- and it was really impressive without being over the top or condescending.

AND-- my thousand -foods-allergic son went for lunch and had the exact experience described at the conference--right down to the little "flag" toothpick that said "allergies" stuck in his hamburger. BRAVO!!!

will keep you posted (bad pun) on progress et al.

cruise was great

Cruise was great-- not only fun, but really a true vacation for me since I do not have to cook or even think about food (except on excursion days, and that's really easy too if you take a Ziploc bag or two)

there's salad all day-- which means lettuce and kidney beans and olives and celery-- and there's burgers and fries and taco chips too. and dinner was a plate of crudite --different every night mind you-- of broccoli, peppers, carrots, olives... then salad, soup and some delicious meat, like lamb chops or pork loin, and steamed veggies and potatoes! My kid ate like a king and I didn't have to lift a finger (except to bend an elbow!). verrry relaxing and SAFE SAFE SAFE,

He even got sorbet for dessert.

Now i'm starting to pack for summer program... sounds like a great group at this university-- they've been attentive and get it! ("oh we'll get separate Cheerios since won't do to have them in the tubes we use for other cereals...." that's getting it)

so wish me luck, hope I don't forget anything crucial... I'll make those lists and ship it out. (...Rawhide is echoing in my mind, gotta stop now)

food on a cruise

End of school and summer weather. going on a cruise where whole family can be carefree-- one chat with the head of dining and viola, meals are cooked to perfection with choices and carrotts cut into shapes!
also so many choices of kinds of food: always burgers( made on separate grills from cheeseburgers!) and chips and soda and Jello and hot food and salad salad salad--which can be carried up to the room for knoshing before dinner! hey I have a teenager-- always hungry.
PLUS he can get it all himself-- no fuss no muss no worries-- for seven days all the same strict standards of preparation and presentation--that is, the sunflower seeds stay in their own closed containers on the salad bar and the dressings are at a different table.
that's a vacation! (Use Holland America cruise line, which on a trip to Alaska had the chef come chat with my son to see what/how his food --on a train!!!-- could be handled--also great medical services, should we ever need them) happy trails.

Packable, Easy to Find Individual Items

I'm going to list :

Minute Rice "ready to Serve" rice (2 pack; microwaveable)

Motts Applesauces

Jello cups

Raisins

Cranberry (in raisin like packages)

Enjoy Life cookie packs (2 little cookies each, but eminently packable for lunch)

Cereals in a cup: Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops-- many 7-11s have them (convenience store in NE)

Instant cereals: Oatmeal and Grits-- makes for a great snack and most hotels have coffee pots that one can use for making hot water

Baby Food in jars-- don't laugh, they are terrific for older kids as well-- lots of nutrients and easy to carry around

Rice Dream in individual "juice" boxes-- protein in a box, plus a drink

Rice cakes

Enjoy Life Protein bars

Oh-- and I recently went "shopping" at a chain drugstore that has some food items: We can't eat yogurt, but they had, in their refrigerator section:

• fresh salads in containers
• individual containers for cut up vegetables
• containers of cold Jello cubes
• deli meats in packages

I did very nicely!

School Trip preparations

yup-- my kid's off to Shelter Island for some rest and relaxation in the form of kayaking and hiking and cleaning up a camp for summer use--Class Trip!

These juniors could use the time off, but the kitchen--although extremely cooperative--cannot feed my son, so I am sitting here thinking of what I can make and pack and put into ZipLocs and label--stuff that won't taste gross after two days, and stuff that at least approximates dinner and lunch. They'll all be too sleepy to care at breakfast.

So I figure lunch on the bus is easy; then steak strips with some sort of cooked veggie and those individual RICE CUPS by Minute Rice--BTW Delicious and EASY and PACKABLE!!

Protein bars (Enjoy Life-- although more like dessert than protein bar) rice cakes, fruit leathers, individual applesauces (thank you Motts)

and .... ask me tomorrow when I finish cooking.

headlines!!!!

headline on the front page of the NewYork Times yesterday(5/12)--
"Doubt Cast of Many Reports of Food Allergies"
I'm REALLY frustrated.
In that one headline, years of hard work getting people to believe that food allergies exist--Zip-- out the door.
No matter that the article says the doubt is cast on SELF-REPORTS, not diagnoses. Nope, most people glancing at the paper will say: "see, all those people complaining about peanuts are really just overreacting, like I thought..."
even though:

• Not one researcher connected with any of the major food allergy medical institutes: Jaffe Center in New York, Duke University, Johns Hopkins... was quoted or even spoken to
• title of original JAMA piece was called "Diagnosing and Managing Common Food Allergies"
• Recent study from PEDIATRICS citing increase in food allergies was never mentioned
• CDC studies which demonstrate statistically signifigant increases in food allergies in children never cited

oh so frustrating!!!