5 Allergy-free Breakfasts

Breakfast can be a challenging endeavor when you have multiple food allergies.  Most traditional breakfasts include either eggs, toast, or cereal - things my daughter cannot have with her allergies to dairy, eggs, nuts, and wheat.  So, I've had to mix things up in the morning.  Here are 5 allergy-free breakfasts I have served.

Allergy-free Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Again, thanks to Cybele Pascal and her wonderful cookbook, 'The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook,' I discovered a delicious recipe for chocolate sandwich cookies.  They are like old-fashioned whoopie pies - yum!  These would be a great addition to your allergy-free Christmas baking!


Like most cookie recipes, this one starts off with creaming the sugar and shortening:


The Ener-G 'egg,' applesauce and vanilla are then mixed in until the mixture is fluffy:



The dry ingredients are whisked together and stirred into the creamed mixture.  The dough is divided in two, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled in the fridge for 2 hours. Do NOT chill overnight -  because these are gluten-free, that will result in a very dry, crumbly mess.



Once the dough is chilled, simply unwrap, slice into 1/4-inch rounds, and bake on a parchment-covered cookie sheet.


When the cookies are cool, fill them with the cream filling.  These are like soft Oreo cookies.  You can make them festive by adding some peppermint extract to the cream filling or stirring in some crushed candy canes.  They store in a sealed container for a few days, but I guarantee they won't be around that long!


Shared on: Gluten-free Mondays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten-free Fridays

Recipe: (From Cybele Pascal's 'The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook'):



Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

(makes 24 2-inch cookies)

Ingredients
  • 1/2 c plus 1 T dairy-free, soy-free shortening (I use Spectrum)
  • 3/4 c sugar
  • 2 t vanilla extract
  • 3 T unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 1/2 T Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 2 T dairy-free milk
  • 1 1/2 c Gluen-free flour mix (I used Pamela's Artisan mix)
  • 3/4 t xanthan gum (omit if GF mix contains xanthan or guar gum)
  • 1/4 c + 3 T cocoa
  • 3/4 t baking powder
  • 3/4 t baking soda
  • 1/8 t salt
Cream Filling
  • 2 T dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
  • 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
  • 1/2 t vanilla
  • 1 1/2 T hot water
Cooking Directions
  1. For the cookies, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, applesauce, and egg replacer and mix for about 30 seconds.
  2. Whisk together the remaining dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture. Mix until smooth, about 20 seconds.
  3. Lay out 2 sheets of plastic wrap, each about 15 inches long. Divide the dough in half. Place half of the dough on each sheet of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic wrap over the dough, and shape it into a log 6 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Flatten the ends of the log, and wrap the plastic wrap at each end, folding it over tightly. Put the log in the fridge to chill. Repeat with the other half of dough. Let chill for at least 2 hours. It needs to be firm to slice easily.
  4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Remove one log from the fridge. Roll it on the counter to reshape, if necessary. Unwrap, and using a thin, sharp knife, cut into 24 1/4-inch slices. You can do this by cutting the log in half, then into quarters, then cutting each quarter into 6 slices. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart. Bake for 9 minutes, until just set around the edges. Remove from the oven, and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  6. Repeat with the other log of dough.
  7. To make the cream filling, combine all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing on medium speed, until smooth and creamy. If it is not creamy enough to spread easily, add a little more hot water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Spread the filling on one side of a cookie and cover with another cookie.
  8. Store in an airtight container.

Allergy-free Mac and Cheese

Great balls of fire, I found it!  A vegan, nut-free, delicious mac and cheese!  I have to give credit where credit is due - to Cybele Pascal in her new cookbook, 'Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking.' This recipe fits that description perfectly: Allergy-free and easy!



Allergy-free Gingerbread

I'm always so thrilled when a culinary experiment turns out to be a delicious treat.  I was wanting to make some gingerbread for my daughter, and I combined ideas from several recipes to create this allergy-free version.  It is wonderful baked in a traditional 9x9-inch pan, and it even works well as gingerbread mini-muffins - perfect for a Christmas party treat!

Paleo Shrimp Salad

This recipe utilizes the frozen, cooked shrimp you can find in the frozen section at just about any store.  It's full of protein, healthy fats, and veggies - perfect for a healthy paleo lunch!  You can use regular mayonnaise or, for an allergy-free version, try Earth Balance Mindful Mayo instead.


It takes about 5 minutes to throw it all together.  How's that for an easy, healthy meal?

Shared on: Gluten Free Monday, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Gluten Free Fridays

Recipe:



Paleo Shrimp Salad


Ingredients
  • 2 c frozen cooked shrimp, thawed and halved lengthwise
  • 1 c celery, finely diced
  • 1 T onion, finely diced
  • 1 T fresh lime juice
  • 2 T fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 c mayonnaise (or Earth Balance Mindful Mayo)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Directions
  1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
  2. Serve in a bowl or over fresh greens, topped with fresh avocado slices.

Allergy-free Carmelita Bars

Whole Foods Carmelita bars are quite a treat, unless you have food allergies.  So, I decided to create my own allergy-free version.  This recipe uses a dairy-free caramel sauce, which can be found here.  The result is a wonderful, addictive, crunchy, chocolate-y caramel bar. I adapted this recipe from the BrownEyedBaker.com.

Dairy-free Caramel Dip

Caramel sauce is a fall treat those allergic to dairy cannot enjoy - until now.  Thanks to the wide availability of canned coconut milk and cream, this simple dairy-free caramel is not only easy,  but also a delicious, allergy-free treat. It can be used alone as a dip or in other recipes which call for caramel sauce (like my Allergy-free Carmelita Bars).