Easy Apple Dumplings {Dairy-Free, Egg-Free}

I came across a recipe for these delicious apple dumplings a few months ago here and kept thinking about making them, but put it off....until yesterday. Don't let it fool you. Just because it has apples in it doesn't mean it's healthy - but it is SO YUMMY! I tweaked the recipe a little bit to make it less sugary and also make it allergy-friendly. So, here it is!

Easy Apple Dumplings {Dairy-Free, Egg-Free}

1 can refrigerated Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 apple, washed and cut into 8 slices {skin still on}
1/4 cup Smart Balance Light (melted)
1/4 cup brown sugar
cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Roll out crescent roll dough. Wrap each apple slice in one triangle of dough. Place in a greased pan. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of all the 'dumplings'. Mix melted Smart Balance Light and brown sugar together. Pour over each dumpling. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm alone or with Tofutti brand {dairy-free} Vanilla Ice Cream. YUM! (You can double, triple, etc. this recipe to accommodate your needs.)

Bite-Size Banana Pie {Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free}

One way to make homework seem a little less daunting after school, is to have a spontaneous, fun after-school snack. It's amazing the power food has over us. I try to give my kids fruit most of the time for snacks, and it usually works, but they can get a little tired of plain fruit so every once in awhile I add some variety. If you are not allergic to wheat or soy, Keebler Ready Crust Mini Graham Cracker Crusts are perfect to keep on hand. You can fill them with pudding, fruit, jello, etc. and the kids love them! Today I made these...

Bite-Size Banana Pie {Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free}

Keebler Ready Crust Mini Graham Cracker Crusts
Bananas
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup {the regular one is dairy-free, nut-free}
Colorful Sprinkles
Dairy-Free Whipped Topping {optional}

Fill each crust with sliced bananas, drizzle chocolate syrup over them, top with whipped cream and/or sprinkles. I didn't have coconut milk on hand so I couldn't make my dairy-free whipped topping today, but click for the recipe. Serve immediately!

My kids loved these and it made this cloudy day seem so much more exciting! {Nevermind the fact that they are excited to get to see their Grammy & Papa tomorrow - I'm sure that has nothing to do with their excitement. yeah, right.}

Healthy Living 2012

No, this isn't my new year's resolution. I'm just trying to rethink how my family eats. I need to eat healthier and kick the soda habit...yes, I love Coca Cola. And sweet tea. And it doesn't help that Sonic Happy Hour is right after school gets out and I have to drive past it to get home. But anyway, this isn't just about soda and sweet tea. I think it's all great in moderation, but this is more about changing my family's daily sugar habits. My kids eat pretty healthy already {I don't buy juice, etc. - they drink water.} and they love fruit. So, it makes my life as Mom easier. But, if you're an adult and wanting to eat healthier, I may post some of my daily menus here in the coming days.

Today's Menu:
Breakfast:
1 serving Uncle Sam's High Fiber Cereal {contains wheat}
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 serving strawberries
2 pieces turkey bacon
Hot tea with Raw Stevia

Mid-Morning Snack:
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt {or coconut milk yogurt} mixed with 2T sugar free blackberry jam

Lunch:
Black Bean Chili
{1 can black beans, 1 can HOT Rotel - Heat together in a saucepan until beans are tender. Serve with Tofutti brand sour cream and other veggies you might like in your chili.}

Afternoon Snack:
1 whole apple

Dinner:
Grilled Chicken
Green Salad with lots of raw veggies
Balsamic Vinagrette {balsamic vinegar and olive oil mixed together with garlic salt, onion powder}
Roasted Asparagus {Lay asparagaus on pan, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper; Bake at 400 for 8-10 min}
Serving of fruit for the kids

Holy Stromboli {Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free}

I have been craving some dessert stromboli lately. My mom made this once or twice when I was growing up and I just remember it being so delicious. So, thanks to that craving I made this dairy-, egg-, and peanut-free one.

YUM! The end.

Dessert Stromboli {dairy-, egg-, peanut-free}

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough {I used the thin crust}

Smart Balance LIGHT buttery spread

Cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar {double this if you want a thicker filling!}

1 cup powdered sugar

3 T lemon juice {or more depending on how your drizzle sets up}

Pecans, chopped - {you can either find one that hasn't been around peanuts or leave this out}

Roll out your pizza dough. Spread butter all over the dough - not too thick - and sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar onto one half of the rolled-out dough. Fold the opposite side {with no sugar/cinnamon} over on top of the sugar side. Crimp or pinch the edges together so none of the good stuff leaks out! Bake at 400 degrees until top is golden brown. Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice together to make a nice drizzle {not too runny} and drizzle it over the top of the baked stromboli. Sprinkle pecans on top, if you desire. Cut into thin slices. Serve warm.

Chocolate Muffins in a Rush (Dairy-free, Egg-free, Peanut-free}

I've been gone for a few days celebrating Easter with family out of state, so I haven't posted in almost a week! The Whoopie Pies were a success for my youngest daughter's 3rd birthday party. You would never know they were allergy-free. The cousins loved them! Saturday morning, I was at my sister's house and she was making muffins for breakfast, so I decided to go ahead and whip up some muffins for my allergy girl, too. You can ask my 12 yr old niece how proud I was of myself for doing such a good job...she heard me exclaim several times, "These are great! I can't believe how good these turned out!" My sister doesn't have anyone in her family with food allergies, but you can make these delicious muffins from anyone's pantry! No weird ingredients - all normal, everyday items.

Chocolate Muffins in a Rush {Dairy-, Egg-, & Peanut-Free}

1 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 cup oats

1/3 cup sugar

1T cornstarch {this replaces the egg}

1/2 cup pure cocoa powder

1 cup almond milk {plain for less sugar content}

1/2 cup applesauce {I used a snack sized cinnamon flavored because that's what my sister had}

1/4 cup canola oil

Mix dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Mix liquid ingredients {including applesauce} in a small bowl and then add them to the dry ingredients. Mix until moist. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full and bake @ 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Serve warm with Smart Balance Light {dairy-free buttery spread}. Makes 12 muffins. 1/2 the recipe to make just a small batch of 6. They turned out perfect!

Whoopie Pies {Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free}

Goodbye, Cupcake. Helllloooooo, Whoopie Pies! I recently read in some magazine that whoopie pies are the new cupcake. Well, I just had to try my hand at them and make an allergy-free version {as in dairy-free, egg-free, peanut-free} and let me tell you - these are scrumdiddlyumptious. There's no other word for them. Of course, you wouldn't believe how easy these are, either! I was pleasantly surprised and you will be, too! Because the bottom line is - if it ain't easy, I ain't makin' it. {Yes, I know that isn't proper English, but it conveys the attitude behind the statement.} So, go now. Make these.

Whoopie Pies! {Dairy-, Egg-, Peanut-Free}

2 c. sugar
3/4 c. shortening
1/2 cup unsweetened appelsauce

2 c. almond milk
2 tsp. vanilla
10 tbsp. cocoa

1 tbsp. cornstarch
4 c. flour
2 1/2 tsp. soda
Pinch of salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Combine applesauce, almond milk and vanilla and beat into creamed mixture. Slowly stir sifted dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, and beat on medium speed about 2 minutes. Drop with tablespoon onto greased and floured cookie sheet (enough dough to make a baked cookie about 2 to 2 1/2 inches). Bake at 350 degrees until cookie just springs back when pressed in center with finger {about 10-12 min). Remove to rack and cool completely before filling.

Go here for my dairy-, egg-free Buttercream Frosting to use for filling these lovelies. Spoon a nice heap of frosting on the bottom side of one cookie. Then, top with the other cookie. Then, savor every.single.delicious.bite. {Makes about 2 dozen}

These are perfect for birthdays {like I'm doing for my soon-to-be 3 year old on Friday!}, parties, school treats, snacks, desserts, etc. Try them out and let me know how you like them! The whole family will like these!!

Zucchini Fries {Dairy-free, Egg-Free, Peanut-Free}

It might be a little early in the morning to talk about Zucchini, but I made these last night and thought they were delicious. {I'll be honest and tell you that my kids and hubby were not thrilled with these, but they aren't fans of zucchini, no matter how it's cooked.} I thought they were great! I'm not crazy about mushy zucchini, but I liked this crunchy version. You should at least give it a try. It's something different. I got this recipe from The Kid-Friendly Food Allergy Cookbook by Leslie Hammond and Lynne Marie Rominger. They have a few recipes that I like, but I couldn't find that many in there that were appealing or healthy.

Zucchini Fries {They call them Zucchini Sticks}

1 egg {OR 1 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer with 1 tsp oil. Add to batter}

1 cup milk or water {I used Almond Milk, original}

1/2 cup rice flour {I used all-purpose}

1/2 cup corn starch

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

2 cups zucchini, onions, sweet potato, or any favorite veggie

1. Slice veggies into long, slender pieces.

2. In large pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 325 degrees. {You could use fryer or even bake these for a more healthy option.}

3. In medium bowl, whisk the ingredients together. Dip veggies into batter. With a slotted spoon {or tongs}, lower veggies into oil. Don't crowd them. Remove when golden. Set on a paper towel to drain. Serve! Don't let them sit too long or they will become soggy. Nothing is worse than soggy zucchini.

Zucchini offers valuable antioxidants and is rich in potassium. Good for you and yummy, too!

If you make these, let me know! I'd love to know your thoughts on them.

Mini Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting {Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free}

I can hardly wait for my girl to get home from school today so she can try these homemade cupcakes! They are delicious and the frosting - oh.wow. - you just have to try it!! I adapted this recipe from The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook by Cybele Pascal (p.92). If you are going to make full-size cupcakes, I suggest using her exact recipe. My recipe only works well for the mini-cupcakes because of the ingredients I used. These mini's would be great for a brunch, tea party, after-school snack, dessert, etc.

On second thought, when is a mini cupcake not a good idea?

Mini-Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting {dairy-free, egg-, peanut-free}

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 heaping T cornstarch

1 tsp double-acting baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup almond milk

1 tsp cider vinegar

1/2 cup shortening (I used Crisco Butter-flavored - it's dairy-free)

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp corn syrup

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 recipe Vanilla Frosting (as follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pan. (I didn't have liners on hand, so I just greased the pan. I recommend liners, though!)

2. Whisk together the flour mix, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine almond milk and vinegar. Set aside.

4. In mixer bowl, combine shortening, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in the flour mixture, alternating with almond milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, about 30 seconds.

5. Fill liners 3/4 full with batter. Smooth tops with a butter knife or spatula.

6. Bake in center of oven for about 15 minutes. (This is for the mini's.) Transfer cupcakes to cooling rack and cool completely before frosting.

FROSTING:

1 cup shortening (dairy-, soy-free)

pinch of salt

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup almond milk

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. In the bowl of stand mixer, cream shortening and salt on medium speed for about 1 minute.

2. Add the sugar, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You can either pipe or spread frosting onto the cupcakes.



Update: My daughters LOVED these cupcakes. The consistency (in the mini's) was perfect compared to that of a boxed cake mix where I normally substitute the egg. The boxed mixes do not work nearly as well as this. These were easy and lots of fun to make!

Chocolate Muffins {Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free}

I'm going to go ahead and post this today because I will be busy tomorrow! Saturday mornings at our house means a yummy, not-your-weekday breakfast! Tomorrow, we {the kids, at least} will enjoy these Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins along with a protein like sausage or bacon to start our day. Without further ado...


Chocolate Chip Muffins {Dairy-, Egg- and Peanut Free}

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour {you can use whole wheat flour here, if you choose}

1 cup oats

1/3 cup sugar

1T baking powder

2T ground flax seed

1T cornstarch {this replaces the egg}

1 heaping Tablespoon of pure cocoa powder

1 cup almond milk {plain for less sugar content}

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup vegan chocolate chips



Mix dry ingredients {except choc chips} together in mixing bowl. Mix liquid ingredients in a small bowl and then add them to the dry ingredients. Mix until moist. Fold in vegan chocolate chips. Fill greased muffin tins 3/4 full and bake @ 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Serve warm with Smart Balance Light {dairy-free buttery spread}.



Makes 12 muffins.

No-Bake Chocolate Cookies {dairy-free, nut-free}

Who doesn't absolutely go nuts over love a no-bake chocolate cookie? Well, I don't think I know anyone that doesn't fit that description. If you don't, I don't wanna hear about it. I loved these as a kid, but I absolutely adore these as a mom. They are super easy. Mix a few ingredients, let them chill in the fridge and voila! A little chunk of allergy-free heaven!

Here's the low-down...

Melt 3T butter (I use Smart Balance Light - it's dairy-free) in a 2 quart saucepan.

Add 3/4c sugar, 2 heaping T cocoa powder, 1/4 c almond milk. Mix well.

Stir in 1/2 c crunchy soy butter (or almond butter, sun butter, etc.), 1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips.

Remove from burner and stir in 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats. Let sit a couple minutes until it gets a bit stiff.

Drop in rounded tablespoons onto a wax paper lined pan. Chill approximately 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Pumpkin Cookies {Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free}

When I was searching for a dessert that I could make for Thanksgiving, I had to find something that would be allergy-free for my girl and wanted something that everyone else could enjoy, too. (Of course, there will be plenty of other desserts, too!) Well, it took all of 10 seconds to find this site and this yummy recipe for Pumpkin Cookies. I went through Swagbucks to do a search for allergy-free desserts and came to this site. Scrolled down just a bit to find another that I will definitely be trying in a couple weeks for Christmas - Sugar Cookies!! Yes, the classic sugar cookie that you roll out and cut into shapes. I can't wait to try that one!

These are a perfect soft cookie. The recipe claims that they are chewy, but mine turned out soft. I'm not sure why, but I like them just fine. And while they're still warm, I'm going to let my girl try one out. These might be extra good with a bit of orange frosting and some seasonal sprinkles on them.

Birthday Cake {Dairy-free, Egg-free}

A couple weeks ago, my girl turned 5! She was so excited and as you know, the 5th birthday is quite the milestone. So, I knew I would have to do something special in the cake category. The day before her birthday, I made cupcakes for her K5 class and she would be having cupcakes again for a joint birthday party with her BFF who shares the same birthday. Cupcakes are yummy, but I decided I needed to do a non-cupcake kind of thing for the day of her birthday. So, I went to the store and bought the Duncan Hines Devil's Food Cake Mix {I use Ener-G Egg Replacer instead of the eggs called for in the directions}. It turns out pretty good, but it is a moist cake and that tends to be a bit of a challenge when it comes to holding together. Without eggs, it really wants to crumble. The cupcakes turn out okay, but a sheet cake or anything else would be difficult to do. I began brainstorming and decided I would try to bake individual cakes {bigger than a cupcake, but smaller than a cake pan} in waffle cone bowls. My local Publix has a store brand of waffle cone bowls that have none of my daughter's allergens in them, so I bought them. I made the cake according to the directions, only substituting the eggs. Then, I placed 6 waffle cone bowls into a 9x13 pan and filled each bowl 2/3 full with cake batter. I don't remember how long I baked them, but I know I baked them longer than you would bake a cupcake and possibly as long as a sheet cake, maybe longer. I just baked until I thought they looked right and then inserted a toothpick into one and it came out clean. You'll just have to eyeball it, if you try this. The bowls will take the shape of the pan they are in and mine turned out kind of square. But I thought it looked cute! Once cool, I frosted them with a chocolate icing (store-bought and dairy-free) and then sprinkled the colorful sprinkles on top.

The most important part was that my 5 year old loved it! I never tasted it, but they all got eaten up pretty quickly. I think I will be trying a made-from-scratch allergy-free cake recipe soon to see if it holds up better than a cake mix and if it does, I will let you know!

Chocolate Pudding {Dairy-free, Nut-free, Egg-free}

Today was the last day of VBS {Vacation Bible School} and evidently they saved the best snack for last! Today's yummy sweet treat was Dirt Pudding with Gummy Worms. So, I made plans for Daughter's yummy alternative. I've tried using Jell-O pudding mix (which doesn't include milk ingredients, but you have to add milk to it for it to turn out right) and I have used almond milk instead of cow's milk. However, it doesn't set up right. It's runny and globby. Not smooth and silky like real pudding. And because I love Daughter more than McDonald's $1 Sweet Tea, I wanted her to have the best chocolate pudding she ever laid her lips on. So, I googled dairy-free pudding and found this. All I can say is WOW! It is de-LISH! The ingredients? Well, here they are:

Mix 3T Cornstarch & 2T Cold Water together in a small bowl until dissolved and set aside. Then, in saucepan, mix 1/3 c sugar, 1/4 c cocoa powder, pinch of salt on Medium-Low heat while slowly adding 2 cups of Almond Milk (1/4 c at a time) to this mixture. Constantly mix until smooth. Heat until mixture forms a thin layer on top and steam rises just from the top. (Do NOT boil.) Remove from heat and add 1/3 cup of dairy-free chocolate chips {Whole Foods has their own brand for $2.99}. Let sit for 3 minutes. Then, with wooden spoon, mix the melted chips with the liquid mixture. Put back on Medium-Low heat and slowly add cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until mixture thickens almost to the thickness you prefer. Remove from heat and pour into individual dishes. Let sit 20 minutes and then cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours. This is the point that I put my crushed Oreos on the top. I will have to add a pic of that scrumptious pudding later. It's late and I'm tired. Sorry!

Daughter L-O-V-E-D this! Big hit! Definitely going to make this again....soon!

Monkey Bread {dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free}

So, Daughter has Vacation Bible School this week and that means there are snacks involved! Not just any snacks, but YUMMY snacks. The kids love it and the food always goes with the theme. This year's theme is a jungle theme. Hence, the Monkey Bread. Because I love her more than I could ever express, I want her first experience of VBS to be a good one and I want her to be able to be like all the other kids and eat what they eat....well, at least very similar to what they eat. The sweet lady involved in planning much of VBS, was very kind to send me the list of snacks for the week so that I could plan Daughter's allergy-free snacks. So, here's my version of Monkey Bread....dairy-free, egg-free and peanut-free. I am pretty sure the only allergen it does have is wheat.

MONKEY BREAD

1 tube of Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza Dough (*contains wheat)

cinnamon

brown sugar

Smart Balance Light - buttery spread (*dairy-free, vegan)

Open tube of pizza dough, slice into 1/2 inch thick slices (dough still rolled just like it came out of the can). Take each slice, lay it flat on cutting board and cut into quarters. Grease muffin pan, place 3 cut pieces of dough into each cup. Mix buttery spread, cinnamon, brown sugar and then place a nice dollop of the mixture on top of each dough mound. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Serve warm or let cool and freeze them individually for a ready-made breakfast treat or dessert when you need something quick!

*Do NOT use paper cupcake liners. This doesn't work so well. Believe me, I tried it. If you do use them, take paper liners off immediately after bringing them out of oven so they do not have to be chiseled off this yummy treat!

Stay tuned for more snack ideas!!

Allergy-Free Sweets

My newest project on my never-ending- to-do list is to find a good mix of delectable, yummy-looking, sweet treats for my soon-to-be Kindergartener! This is going to take some major time and research, but I am going to accomplish this. The plan is to make her a little cookbook full of yummy recipes that she can eat so that I can refer back to this constantly as K5 is full of special treats, etc. I know it's hard to believe, but it IS possible to get tired of eating cupcakes. She has proved this theory. It's time for me to get on the ball and find some exciting alternatives. The criteria for these snacks are: 1) they have to be portable 2) easy to eat without having to heat up, etc. 3) they need to look very appealing to a 5 yr old 4) cannot contain ANY dairy, milk or peanut derivatives 5) They need to TASTE really good!!

So, if you've got any good great ideas for me, feel free to share your ideas!! I will do my best to post these recipes along with pictures when I come up with them.

For now, I leave you with some great convenience foods that are allergy-free in case you don't already know about them.

• Cherrybrook Kitchen - I couldn't have survived the beginning months of learning to live allergy-free without these products!! They have dairy-, egg-, peanut-, gluten-, wheat-free products that really do taste yummy! I buy these locally at Whole Foods Market.
• Enjoy Life Foods - I have found their chocolate chips are very yummy and my daughter loves them! You really cannot taste much difference between them and real chocolate chips. The other products, you just have to taste for yourself to decide whether you like them or not. They have coupons on their website, so that is a plus! I also buy these products at Whole Foods Market.
• Divvies - Dairy-free, Nut-free, Egg-free bakery!! They have lots of goodies! I am sad that I missed out on their chocolate easter bunnies that were available for a limited time only, but I will find another one for my girl somewhere! It's my mission!
• Premium Chocolatiers - I FOUND ONE! They have allergy-free chocolates! It doesn't get any better than that, Folks!

I'm sure there are more - I just don't have time to look right now. There are a couple of hungry girls begging for food. Until next time....

Allergy-Free Recipes

Hopefully, in the near future I will be able to share with you some of my family's favorite allergy-free recipes! Believe me, folks, I know how hard it is to find yummy allergy-free recipes for the whole family to enjoy together! When I first learned of my child's allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts I was overwhelmed with the reality that cooking meals that the whole family could enjoy together was not going to be an easy task. And it definitely wasn't easy! After searching for allergy-free cookbooks, recipes online, etc. I still had not come up with many meals that our whole family enjoyed and to be honest, some of the ingredients required things I had just never heard of, let alone can find in a local store. So, I went back to cooking normal meals for the rest of us and a separate dish for my daughter. This is both tiring and expensive. I'm looking forward to sharing with you the meals that have become pretty standard for this household - and what do you know? We all enjoy them! Stay Tuned!

If you have any delicious allergy-free recipes that your family loves, post them here! I'd love to try them!