Easy Peppermint Bark

In keeping with our new tradition of holiday treats that don't include nuts or eggs from the get go, here's a super simple but sublime addition to our cookie tray this year.

Peppermint Bark
adapted from Food Network Magazine, December 2012

1 10-ounce bag good quality bittersweet chocolate chips
12 ounces good quality white chocolate
2 tsp peppermint extract
3-4 candy canes, crushed

1. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with foil, shiny side facing up. Place the bittersweet chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 20 second intervals, stirring between each cycle until about 2/3 of the chips have melted. Stir the chocolate gently until completely melted. Stir in 1 tsp peppermint extract. Pour the bittersweet chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and spread to an even thickness. Allow the bittersweet chocolate to cool until it's almost set, about 10-12 minutes.
2. Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and place in a microwave safe bowl. Heat as you did the bittersweet chocolate, taking extra care not to scald the white chocolate. (All chocolate can be temperamental but I find white chocolate to be particularly so. Take your time and don't rush the melting process!) Stir the white chocolate until completely melted. Stir in remaining 1 tsp peppermint extract. Pour the white chocolate on top of the almost set bittersweet chocolate and smooth to an even thickness. Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes, gently pressing the larger pieces into the chocolate. Allow to cool to room temperature for an hour or more.
3. Once completely set, use the foil to lift the peppermint bark from the pan. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks - or better yet, wrap some up to give as a festive holiday gift.

Allergy-Friendly Apple Marmalade Cake

Can you smell that cinnamon wafting through your screen? The crust crackles under your teeth and just wait until those warm, gooey apples start melting on your tongue. Grab a cup of tea and a fork. Fall gets no cozier. Trust me on this.

Cupcakes and cake pops are great but when the occasion calls for something slightly more elegant yet still unfussy, this apple marmalade cake is the way to go. It's incredibly allergy-friendly with no nuts, no eggs, no dairy, and no soy but don't worry. You'll never miss them.

I've given this cake as a gift, made it for birthday parties, potlucks, brunches, dessert, Thanksgiving, and yes, we've eaten it for breakfast. Versatility is key. 

To date I've not met a cynic who after trying a single bite, hasn't bought in to my personal philosophy that nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, whatever-free can't be incredibly, decadently, soul-achingly delicious.

Allergy-Friendly Apple Marmalade Cake
adapted from The Divvies Bakery Cookbook

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 & 1/2 cups canola oil
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup pear puree or applesauce (jarred baby food works)
1/3 cup orange marmalade
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced small
1 tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the oil and sugar, starting at low speed and slowly increasing to high speed for a total time of about 3 minutes. Add the applesauce and marmalade. Beat one minute more.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until well combined. You'll notice the batter start to clump together, almost like dough. Fold in the diced apples.
5. Pour batter into the sprayed bundt pan and bake for 60-75 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow cake to sit for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. When cool, dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Serves 12. Or 3 if I'm invited.

Halloween Treats that Won't Rot Teeth

An enormous tarantula is spinning a web on our front porch and a gang of menacing pumpkins is eying my every move but things are about to get a lot scarier once Thing 1, Thing 2, and a miniature Santa Claus return with sacks full of sugar balls and chocolate next week.

I like candy as much as the next kid. Kit Kat, Snickers, Twix, I'm game. Consider this my butt's official thank you note to nut allergies for making a Halloween sized bag of Butterfinger off limits in our house. When Halloween time rolls around, we could all benefit from a little restraint and a wholesome treat.

A few weeks ago, Rhodes contacted me about trying their frozen bread products. As much as I enjoy the scent of my own fresh homemade bread baking in the oven, it's definitely not a regular menu item here at Casa Kid Cultivation. So, after taking care of the compulsory allergy check, I was more than ready to give Rhodes a try.

By the way, the Rhodes White Dinner Rolls that we used are egg-free, as are many Rhodes products and recipes, and better still, Rhodes doesn't use any peanuts, tree nuts, meat, fish or shellfish in their products!

No eggs, peanuts, or tree nuts in here!

I was already on board with the idea of easy, egg-free, nut-free, dinner rolls. What I didn't anticipate, was all of the fun things we could do with the dough. Typically, once I've taking the time to rise, knead, rise again, with my own dough, I don't have the heart to hand over a hunk of my beloved dough to the kids and say go crazy, make whatever you want. Rhodes frozen dough solved that dilemma for me and the kids had a blast watching the dough rise for our first batch of plain rolls...

then making this Apple Pull-Apart Cake

and finally, making these festive Halloween Dippin' Ghosts, pumpkins, caterpillars, and worms.

We skipped an egg wash due to Roo's allergy. Instead I dabbed a little milk on our ghosts, worms, and pumpkins before baking. For the pumpkins and caterpillars, I also added a sprinkling of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano over the milk, which I highly recommend. Last we made a party platter complete with warm marinara and apple butter for dipping.

Looly's homework time snack

The rolls are tasty on their own but even tastier with a slather of Balsamic Strawberry Jam with Cracked Pepper, and get this. Roo ate that whole ghost. My bread-loathing boy likes Rhodes. At this rate, keep the holidays coming and I'll make him any shape he wants. Just keep chewing, little bub. 

Last but not least, I am no artist, as evidenced by my slightly owl-ish ghosts, so I stuck with the most basic of shapes but you should know that Rhodes offers instructions for several other fun Halloween recipes. I'm thinking these hilarious Halloweiners might be able to compete with all those Tootsie Pops and Smarties when Wednesday night rolls around.

25 Kid-Friendly Nut-free Lunchbox Sandwiches

School is in full swing which means I'm spending my evenings packing up bento boxes and washing out Snack Taxi bags. 3 kids times 170 school days equals 510 lunches. That's just this year! But hold onto your whole wheat, people, my kids are finally embracing the sandwich. This opens up an entirely new realm of possibilities for us. And I admit it. Placing a neatly wrapped sandwich in a lunchbox like a normal parent, knowing that in all likelihood it will be (partially) eaten by one of my children, by their own free will, is nothing short of spectacular.

By now you're probably more familiar than you ever wanted to be with our nut-allergy issues, but like it or not, we're not the only ones going peanut and/or completely nut-free at school this year. If you're in need of some nut-free sandwich spread ideas, look no further than my list here. Or if you're staring aimlessly into the fridge wondering what to pack your brood for lunch tomorrow, read on.

#2 Sunbutter and apple on a cinnamon raisin Bagel Thin

First, let's talk bread. There's a whole wide world out there beyond whole wheat. Sometimes jazzing up a boring old turkey and cheese sandwich requires nothing more than a toasted cinnamon raisin Bagel Thin and a few apple slices. How about any one of these?

• Whole wheat "white" bread, sourdough, Italian bread, multigrain, or rye
• Potato bread
• English muffin
• Pita bread
• Bagel, Bagel Thin, or Mini-bagel
• Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Bread
• Pepperidge Farm Party Bread
• Flat bread
• Naan
• Roti
• Croissant
• Baguette
• Buttermilk biscuit
• Graham crackers
• Raisin bread
• Tortillas (flour or corn)
• Matzo
• Foccacia
• Sliced and toasted banana bread, pumpkin bread, blueberry bread, or zucchini bread 
• Or lose the bread entirely and go with lettuce wraps

#1 Cream cheese, strawberry jam, and fresh, sliced strawberries

25 Kid-Friendly Nut-Free Lunchbox Sandwiches

1. Cream cheese, strawberry jam, and fresh sliced strawberries
2. Sunbutter and sliced apple (or for a dessert version, use Biscoff Spread)
3. Sunbutter and banana
4. Roasted Pepita Honey Butter and jelly 
5. Roasted Pepita Honey Butter and pear slices
6. Ham, pineapple slices, and cream cheese
7. Chocolate SoyNut Butter and fresh raspberries (try it on a toasted croissant)
8. Hummus, cucumber, and feta cheese
9. Turkey, goat cheese, and cucumber slaw
10. Turkey, cheese, and apple slices (nice on a cinnamon raisin bagel)
11. Ham, Swiss cheese, and honey mustard
12. Turkey, hummus, feta, and sprouts
13. Tomato, basil, and fresh mozzarella
14. Brie, pear slices, and honey
15. Edamame hummus, Havarti, and thinly sliced carrots
16. Turkey, mashed sweet potatoes, and a sprinkle of pepitas
17. Apple butter and cheddar cheese (yummy on raisin bread)
18. Smashed black beans, avocado slices, and Monterey Jack (or keep the black beans intact and mash the avocado)
19. Smoked salmon, cream cheese, and cucumber slices
20. Sliced hard boiled egg, cheddar cheese, and sliced tomato
21. Shredded chicken, Sunbutter mixed with honey and soy sauce, and shredded carrots
22. Pumpkin butter, Sunbutter, and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds for crunch
23. Chocolate cream cheese, banana, and shredded coconut
24. Sliced chicken, avocado, shredded lettuce and queso fresco
25. Turkey bacon, lettuce, and tomato with guacamole spread

I'm using this list as a jumping off point but the combinations are really endless. Mix, match, and experiment and let me know when you hit on a winner. I'd love to keep broadening our sandwich repertoire.

#8 Turkey, goat cheese, and cucumber slaw

Back to School Cupcakes

Looly started first grade yesterday. First Grade! Since Bean and Roo still have a week of summer vacation to go, the three of us made her a special treat while she was away at school.

Yes, I totally ripped this off of Pinterest. The idea is straight from FamilyFun Magazine, but we modified it a bit according to what we had on hand.

First we made egg-free, nut-free chocolate cupcakes from our trusty Divvies Cookbook.

Then we licked the beaters - one of the best benefits of egg-free baking!

While the cupcakes cooled we made a quick trip to the grocery store for chocolate covered graham crackers. Keebler Deluxe Grahams are nut-free, egg-free and the perfect size for little cupcake blackboards.

Then the real fun began. Bean and Roo used strawberry and green apple Laffy Taffy to roll tiny red and green apples with stems while I piped school-related messages in white frosting onto the chocolate covered graham crackers. Then we frosted the cupcakes in bright blue and school bus yellow.

Together we placed the blackboards and apples on the frosted cupcakes and topped them off with a tiny piped line of white chalk.

Many of you know that artistry is not my strong suit but these were well within even my shaky abilities. Looly loved her cupcakes and asked for them again next year. I said sure but warned her that next year, the math problems are going to get harder.

Egg-free Sunbutter Cookies

Among the joys I lament Roo missing out on due to his allergies, a tray of peanut butter cookies cooling on the counter ranks near the top, right behind family vacation to Thailand.

It's not just the infatuating aroma of nutty goodness wafting through the fall leaves as he steps off the school bus or the crumbly hunger quelling first bite after swimming lessons, it's the process. I have such fond memories of hovering over a tray while my mom rolled neat balls, poised with my fork, ready to press in the telltale crisscross pattern that proclaims, stop what you're doing, there are homemade peanut butter cookies over here!

We've been using peanut butter substitutes for years on sandwiches, in sauces, on crackers, apples, and much more. To be fair we've all grown quite fond of Sunbutter as a worthy substitute. But, we've already lost eggs in our baking due to, you guessed it, Roo's allergies, and I get nervous when we start over-substituting. Up until now I've avoided making Sunbutter cookies all together for fear of their shortcomings without peanut butter or eggs.

Sometimes someone should shake me. I made these and maybe it's been too long since I tasted real peanut butter, but I could not tell the difference. I kid you not, these are the real deal.

Egg-Free Sunbutter Cookies
adapted from Food.com

1/2 cup sunflower butter (we use Sunbutter)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla
1 & 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the sunflower butter, both sugars, butter and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour, salt, baking powder and soda and mix again until combined. Stir in chocolate chips, if using.
2. With clean hands, roll the dough into balls, about 1/2-inch diameter. Place on a cookie sheet. Enlist your favorite child or children to gently mark each cookie with a fork in a crisscross pattern.
3. Bake 8-10 minutes until light golden brown. Allow tray to sit for a few minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Divvies Egg-free Banana Muffins

It was a bleak and pitiable day a few years ago when Roo received his initial eosinophilic esophagitis diagnosis (EoE). Our GI team assumed that dairy was largely to blame and we eliminated it cold turkey. Just like that, one half hour doctors appointment and no more pizza, ice cream, Goldfish crackers, Parmesan on pasta, you get the idea. Shortly afterward, a skin prick test revealed Roo was also IgE allergic to peanuts and eggs. That's the scary anaphylaxis-causing kind of allergic, as opposed to IgG mediated allergies which cause his EoE. Then he lost all the tree nuts. Then peaches. Beef. And apples.

Suddenly very alone and flailing in a sea of Earth Balance, Veganaise, and Enfagrow Soy Formula with Christmas approaching, I was pulling out all the stops to come up with something remotely palatable to bake that we could all enjoy. It was not going well.

Just as I was about to call off the reindeer and torch the stockings, I discovered Divvies, nut-, dairy-, and egg-free cookies, popcorn, and candy. Thanks to Lori Sandler, Christmas came after all.

Even with dairy and apples back in play for Roo, Divvies is still without a doubt one of my favorite sources for baked goods. The cookies are top notch, not top-notch for allergy-free cookies, but rather, someone please take these things away from me before I eat the whole plate good. The Sandler family's attitude is proactive, inclusive, and upbeat. And though she might not know it, I credit Lori Sandler with single handedly pulling me out of the little pity party I was having for myself when Roo was diagnosed.

So, when Divvies came out with a cookbook, can you guess who was first in line? The Warm Apple-Apricot Cake on page 19 is ridiculous even though we modify it a bit. Apples are ok for Roo now but apricots are still a little too close for comfort to peaches, so I use orange marmalade instead of apricot preserves. The chocolate cupcakes are the best I've ever tasted from a home kitchen. The fudge is decadent and well, super fudgy, but the recipe we end up making more than any other in the book, is the banana bread.

My girls adore quick breads and this banana bread is their favorite of the bunch. Roo, a relative latecomer to the world of breads, will eat this over most any other. Throw some of the batter into mini muffin tins and you have one of our favorite lunchbox treats.

Egg-Free Banana Muffins (or Loaves)
adapted slightly from The Divvies Bakery Cookbook

3 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
5 ripe bananas
1 cup baby food pears (or pear puree)
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
2 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Alternatively, spray loaf pans
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Set aside.
3. Peel the bananas and place in a separate mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until pureed. Add the pear puree, oil, water, and sugar and beat until all elements are well-combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat at medium speed until well combined, remembering to scrape down sides of the bowl.
5. Bake full-sized loaves for 65-80 minutes, mini-loaves for 45-60 minutes, muffins for 25-27 minutes, and mini-muffins for 12-15 minutes, testing with a toothpick for doneness.
6. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack (muffins 10 minutes, loaves 20 minutes) then remove from pan and allow to cool completely.

Makes three 9x5-inch full sized loaves, six 5x3-inch mini-loaves, 12 muffins, or 36 mini-muffins

Roasted Pepita Honey Butter and 25 Nut-Free Alternatives to Peanut Butter

Looly loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which is a problem because, in case you missed the memo, Roo is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. So, sadly, no almond butter or Nutella for us either. For years we've relied on Sunbutter for sandwiches, cookies, and pretty much everything else peanut butter-inspired. Huge props to Sunbutter. I don't know what we would do without you, my friend, and seriously, it is pretty freaking good. We're not tossing our jar of Sunbutter but with the school year looming and roughly 540 lunches to pack (that's 180 days times 3 kids!) perhaps it's time to expand our nut-free horizons.

Yup, that's a a smothering of homemade roasted pepita honey butter, baby. Chunky, salty, sweet, crunchy, nut-free yet nutty in flavor, and loaded with good stuff like amino acids, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Pepitas, by the way, are pumpkin seeds, but "pepitas" is a much snappier way of putting it, am I right?

Bean worked the blender and helped taste test. After giving up one too many spoons to her constant lick stealing, I finally gave her a bowl and a spoon. Roo was intrigued but not ready to actually sample quite yet. And Looly, my usual holdout, she gobbled up half a pepita butter and jelly sandwich then wolfed down another thick slice of bread slathered in pepita butter. Yeah. That was after her lunch.

Roasted Pepita Honey Butter

2 cups pepitas, roasted and salted (I bought our pepitas already roasted and salted but you could easily roast your own pumpkin seeds instead).
3 tbsp. honey
1/4 cup canola oil
salt

Combine pepitas and honey in a food processor or powerful blender and pulse. Slowly drizzle in oil through top of lid and process until you have reached your desired consistency. I left ours just a little chunky and the extra crunch is awesome. Taste and adjust salt and honey to suit your mood.

And just in case you aren't swayed by my recipe, here are 25 more nut-free sandwich spreads to help get you through the school year.

25 Nut-free Sandwich Spreads

1. Sunbutter
2. Wowbutter (soy butter)
3. Nonuts Golden Peabutter
4. Biscoff Spread
5. Guacamole
6. Simple Foods Organic Chocolate Soy Butter
7. Mashed banana
8. Hummus
9. Edamame Hummus
10. Black Bean Hummus
11. Baba Ganoush
12. Roasted Vegetable Spread
13. Lemon Curd
14. Triple Berry Curd
15. Apple Butter
16. Vanilla Pear Butter
17. Pumpkin Butter
18. Mascarpone cheese
19. Goat cheese
20. Ricotta cheese
21. Schuler's Cheese Spread
22. Whipped honey
23. Marshmallow Fluff
24. Nut-free Kale Pesto 
25. Olive Tapenade
26. And of course, Roasted Pepita Honey Butter

Peanut-Free or Not to Be?

This peanut thing is tricky. For one reason or another, peanuts in schools seem to be getting a lot of folks all worked up these days on both sides of the lunchroom. As mom to a peanut and tree-nut allergic kid, I'm oddly bipartisan on this front.

Obviously it would be safer to rid Roo's world of all traces of nuts starting with his school lunch table. On the other hand, singling out peanuts doesn't really help us much since a stray walnut or trace of almond butter are just as dangerous for him, if not more. 

I also understand the frustration of parents who can't send an easy, reliable, standby sandwich to school with their child. My kids are not always great eaters and if someone tried to tell me I couldn't send chicken to school with Roo, I'd be a little peeved. Then again, if that chicken was going to endanger another student's life, I'm pretty sure Roo could manage with carrot sticks and turkey roll-ups. I'm not messing around with kids dying.

The other aspect of my peanut-free ambivalence is perhaps more controversial. See, I don't trust other parents. I can't. It has taken years of reading labels, calling manufacturers and restaurants, reviewing RAST results, reading allergy studies and meeting with specialists to gain a firm understanding of how to keep my own son safe. That still doesn't qualify me to keep another child, one with different allergies and a different level of severity absolutely safe.

At four years old Roo is pretty well-versed and won't accept anything to eat unless he's verified its safety with an adult. But quite honestly, that's not their job. I don't expect another parent, camp counselor, or teacher to scour labels for filberts or albumin (yup, he's egg-allergic too) and call manufacturers when there's any doubt. It's just not realistic. I will mention, however, we've been very lucky to have a superstar teacher at Bean and Roo's preschool who goes way above and beyond in terms of understanding and accommodating Roo's unique needs.

To me going "peanut-free" at school doesn't mean much. There is still no way to guarantee that Timmy's mom didn't sneak him a peanut butter sandwich, just this once, or that Karen's grandpa didn't realize that the Kitchen Sink cookies from the local bakery contain peanuts. Roo needs to know that unless something has been deemed safe by me, his dad, or another trustworthy adult who has read, reread, and understood his entire allergy protocol, it is not safe. On some level isn't it more dangerous to instill a false sense of security at school when that's not how the rest of the world works? I don't want him thinking that just because he's at the peanut-free table, everything's copacetic.

Now, don't get me wrong. You have no idea the tear it brings to my eye when someone takes the time to find out what works for Roo, then opts for birthday fruit kebabs over cupcakes because they are safe for the whole class. I sincerely appreciate the efforts that so many of our dear friends and family have made over the years...from the first batch of vegan, nut-free sugar cookies my sister sent a few Christmases ago, to the strategically planned family anniversary party at a restaurant that would accommodate Roo's needs. My gratitude is immense.

Clearly food allergies are real and sadly, they're not going away any time soon. I don't know what the right solution is but as we're figuring it out one thing is clear. We're going to need to work together. Allergic kids and their parents deserve an environment in which they're empowered to protect themselves. Epi-pens in every classroom would be a good start, in my opinion. If we can manage defibrillators in public places, a few strategic epi-pen jr. packs placed throughout schools should be doable. Parents of non-allergic kids need to be able to ask questions and feed their families without being attacked and accused.

No matter your stance, many of us are looking at nut-free lunches this coming school year. Be on the lookout soon for posts highlighting the many delicious and varied alternatives to PB and J and peanut butter cookies that our family has grown to know and love.

Our Allergy-Friendly Restaurants

If you or someone you dine with has food allergies, trust me when I say I know how frustrating and downright dangerous it can be to go out for a meal. I could regale you for hours with stories of Roo's uncomfortable, but thankfully not lethal, restaurant adventures. Too many hives, tears, and fist-clenching tummy aches to count. And the vomit. So very much vomit I've taken to carrying a Tupperware container and washcloth in my purse. You think I'm kidding.

This is the list I wish I had three years ago. It's definitely not exhaustive, but I hope it might give someone out there a starting point for traversing the restaurant scene with food allergies.

Roo's current allergies include eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, peaches, and beef. I do not claim that the restaurants listed below have menu options suited to every person with food allergies because there are just too many variables to consider. In our personal experience, however, these standouts have gone above and beyond in helping our family enjoy a safe meal time after time. Perhaps more importantly than what's on the menu is the restaurant's attitude about food allergies in general.

All-stars:

California Pizza Kitchen
Our personal experience here has never been bad, dating back to the days when Roo was off all dairy and apple (in addition to the eggs, nuts, beef, and peaches). The waitstaff has always been willing to check labels, ask questions in the kitchen, and use foil under pizzas in the oven to avoid cross contamination. They've allowed us to dress our own pasta at the table, which sounds so small but when you're presented with a plate of glistening noodles in a bowl, how can you really be sure that's olive oil and not butter? Better still, here's a link to their allergy information.

Chipotle
Chipotle is our safety net. Did you know that Chipotle is a nut-free establishment? It took me long enough to figure that out. Did you know they have kids meals that include a cheese quesadilla (or taco or whatever), a side of rice, beans, and a small bag of tortilla chips? They make their allergy information readily available and are always willing to put on clean gloves or grab a fresh tub of beans to avoid the potential of cross contamination. Perhaps the best part about Chipotle is that they are ubiquitous. We can almost always find one in a time of need. One word of caution, however, if you suffer from a soy allergy, Chipotle is not your savior. There is soy in almost everything.

Seasons 52
Interestingly, owned by the same parent company as Bahama Breeze, but SO much better equipped to handle allergies. 

Steak n' Shake
Health food it is not, but the service and attention to allergies we get here is fairly awesome for a fast food joint. Managers routinely let us read any and all labels, deliver food personally, and make sure everyone is breathing and smiling. Read the labels because everything is not transparent (for instance there is egg in the milkshake base), but I love the attitude toward allergy disclosure at Steak n' Shake.

Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants
How freaking awesome is it that all the Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, and there are a lot, have allergy info available and a responsible protocol in place for dealing with allergies? Many offer a gluten-free menu too! The downside is that Lettuce restaurants are not everywhere. We are lucky here in Chi-town that we can choose from a vast array of cuisines and varying levels of fanciness within the Lettuce Entertain You family. But, unless you're in Chicago, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, or Washington DC, you're out of luck.

Honorable Mentions

Noodles and Company
Tasty pastas and noodles, allergy info is available online and behind the counter (just ask for the allergy menu) but be careful of cross contamination. Remind them to use a clean pan or clean the griddle and watch out for the nuts.

Red Robin
They talk a big game about allergy sensitivity and they have allergy menus available but they probably shouldn't need to run up to the office to print them out and then act uncomfortable when we choose to order something.

Cracker Barrel 
Not the most consistent in handling allergies, but we always seem to be able to find something suitable and safe.

The Not-So-Good

Buffets scare the crap out of me. There is just way too much potential for cross contamination.
Five Guys (in case the peanut shells on the floor weren't a clue)
TGI Fridays
Sbarro
Bahama Breeze - Yikes! Read about our Bahama Breeze fiasco here.

And no, that doesn't mean that these are terrible restaurants and that no one should ever go there. It's just that in terms of allergies, we personally have had one or more sub-par experiences there.

Crowd-Pleasing Middle Eastern Salad

Ok, y'all. In case you haven't noticed, it's Food Allergy Awareness Week. Also in case you haven't noticed, food allergies, or more accurately, cooking delicious meals for those with food allergies, is kind of my wheelhouse. And that, my friends, is why I love this salad.

Peanut-free, tree nut-free, egg-free, easily dairy-free (just skip the feta), soy-free, fish-free, shellfish-free, and wheat-free (without the pita), this Middle Eastern Salad is a bright, tangy, colorful crowd pleaser of a side.  

Middle Eastern Salad

1 English cucumber
20 grape tomatoes, halved
3 green onions, sliced, white and light green parts only
1 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pickled beets, chopped
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
1/4 tsp. ground sumac, or smoked paprika, to sprinkle on top

1. Combine cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, parsley and beets. Squeeze lemon juice over veggies and drizzle on olive oil. Toss to coat.
2. Portion onto plates and top (or not, depending on dairy tolerance) with feta cheese. Sprinkle a little sumac or paprika on top. Serve with pita triangles or rice crackers, as appropriate.

And as always, read your labels. I used Rick's Picks Phat Beets which state they are manufactured in a facility that handles wheat, soy, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts. For us, that's a risk I'm willing to take. But if you're not sure about the severity of the allergies of the crowd you're cooking for, the best thing you can do is keep all of your labels handy.

Nut-Free (and easily dairy-free) Granola

It's funny, though not in the ha ha sense, what a wreck I was back in 2009 when Roo received his first peanut and tree nut allergy diagnosis. No more hazelnut latte? No peanut butter cookies? No mid-afternoon hand full of chocolate covered almonds? What about Pad Thai? How about my favorite breakfast, granola?!

Today our nut avoidance is par for the course, and at this point it's so ingrained in our daily routine that I don't devote much energy to it. And you know what? With recipes like this, what's to miss?

Nut-Free Granola

Cooking spray or flavorless oil of your choice
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp. butter (or dairy free margarine, such as Fleischmann's Unsalted Margarine)
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 and 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
2 cups puffed corn cereal (or puffed rice, if you prefer)
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup dried mango, chopped
1/4 cup dried pineapple, chopped
2 tbsp. pepitas
2 tbsp. sunflower seeds
1 hand full of fresh berries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or grease with your oil of choice.

2. Place honey, butter, and brown sugar in a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 25 seconds and stir until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved, and honey is runny.

3. Toss rolled oats and puffed corn with honey-butter mixture. Spread on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes, stirring often to promote even browning. Remove oat mixture from oven and cool completely.

4. Gently stir together oat mixture, dried cherries, dried mango, dried pineapple, pepitas, and sunflower seeds. Serve over yogurt, milk, or munch on its own as trail mix. For a dairy-free version, serve over soy milk or yogurt, rice milk, coconut milk yogurt, hemp milk, or anything else you like. Top with a few fresh berries or other seasonal fresh fruit.