Cooking and baking for those with severe food allergies intolerances/sensitivities

[mgaretz]

I'm just curious why the eggs were on the list? They have no milk or casein in them. (A common mistake is to lump them together, even by doctors, since they are in the same department in the market and eggs can often be sold by a dairy.) The exception would be commerically prepared scrambled eggs and the occasional omlette, which can have milk mixed in.

[MomOfLittleFoodies]

I've got one child who is currently allergic to milk, and another that fairly recently outgrew a life-threatening egg allergy, so for a while, 90% of the things I cooked or baked for family consumption were egg and milk free.

Let me give you the bad news first... most truly milk free cheeses are truly nasty tasting. They don't taste like cheese, don't melt like cheese, and often have a weird, vaguely fishy aftertaste.

The good news is, she won't have to say good bye to cream based sauces, decent "ice cream" analogs or brownies.

I use unsweetened (not the same as original flavored) soy milk for cream based sauces. My daughter LOVES coconut milk based ice creams and yogurts, and mashed tofu (1/4 cup per egg) makes a great egg substitute in brownies.

[CKatCook]

Tell your friend not to dispair, I was vegan for a number of years in my early 20's and ate really good. You just have to get creative with it. I agree with those on the thread that suggested Asian, Thai, Indian, African, Geesh, there is a whole world of stuff out there that has no eggs or dairy. Silken tofu ran through a food processor with a little salt and seasonings can become very much like ricotta in taste. I use to make a soy milk/ garlic sauce that no one knew was not diary. (if I find the recipe I will post it). I never was a fan of soy cheese, so I never used it, so I cannot say about that, but being vegan is where my real passion for Asian food began. Trust me, you friend will be totally fine...

(1 T. cornstarch, 3 T. water for each egg in a cake recipe, works wonders!)

[Mike Keane]

Hi, I am by no means a skilled cook, nor do I really ever plan to be one.

However, my partner is a huge fan of cakes, she loves them, she will try to pick bits off any cake near her. The only problem, is that she is allergic to cakes and cake mix (her throat will begin to swell after swallowing the cake). The part we find confusing, is that she is perfectly fine with all the ingredients of cake. Just when theyre mixed together, she'll have the reaction.

I am now trying to substitute certain ingredients to narrow down just what is causing the reaction (so that I can always make her cakes for special occasions and such, and so she'll stop nicking other cakes despite knowing the reactions), but so far I have only used some powdered substitute for eggs, with no success (I let her try tiny amounts of the cake, while keeping a drink nearby, and a doctor on the line).

As I said, I'm not a skilled cook, so I dont know if there is some special reaction going on in that cake mix that alters the base ingredients, but this is where I want to ask for some help. Are there any non-conventional recipies for just a basic sponge cake, that might circumvent this issue, while still tasting like a regular sponge? Thanks in advance for any responses.

[Plantes Vertes]

You could substitute margarine for butter (straight swap), almond flour for wheat flour, and/or artificial sweeteners for sugar. However, as those ingredients are very common it sounds unlikely that it could be one of those. If you are using non-organic or premixed ingredients it could be one of the additives, and you will need to find out what to avoid via medical advice.

[Mjx]

On 13/03/2014 at 5:05 PM, Mike Keane said:

. . . . my partner is a huge fan of cakes, she loves them, she will try to pick bits off any cake near her. The only problem, is that she is allergic to cakes and cake mix (her throat will begin to swell after swallowing the cake). The part we find confusing, is that she is perfectly fine with all the ingredients of cake. Just when theyre mixed together, she'll have the reaction.

. . . .

 

The swelling throat thing sounds suspiciously like anaphylaxis, which can be dangerous or fatal, so before experimenting with standard-ingredient substitutions (which may themselves be a problem), it would be a really good idea to get a medical opinion on the source of the problem. Once you know what the culprit is/are, it will not only be safer, but far simpler to track down substitutions. Without any clue, even if you're careful, your search for answers is going to be extremely frustrating.

[Shel_B]

 

The swelling throat thing sounds suspiciously like anaphylaxis, which can be dangerous or fatal, so before experimenting with standard-ingredient substitutions (which may themselves be a problem), it would be a really good idea to get a medical opinion on the source of the problem.

 

100% agreement here ... a cooking forum is not the place for medical advice.

[Shel_B]

You could substitute margarine for butter (straight swap), almond flour for wheat flour, and/or artificial sweeteners for sugar. However, as those ingredients are very common it sounds unlikely that it could be one of those. If you are using non-organic or premixed ingredients it could be one of the additives, and you will need to find out what to avoid via medical advice.

 

And yet, it could very well be one of those common ingredients causing the problem.  We don't know what the ingredients were in the problem cakes.  Suggesting medical advice is good advice.

[natasha1270]

Also, not a medical professional but out of curiosity does this reaction also apply cookies, biscuits or brownies? Another variable could be the brand/formulation of baking powder in the product.

[CatPoet]

I know this so well with my friends, when we are all together all we can eat is  cornstarch, water and rhubarb, doesnt give much  choice. So we tend cook   3 or 4 starters, 2-3 main coarse and 4 desserts.

 

But I have been  where people ignore others allergies or intolerance  because they believe it isnt real., I was at a bar and ask for a regular cola, they gave me a diet  in a glass , I took one sip and knew  and I spent the rest of the evening on the toilet in cramps.

[CatPoet]

OATMEAL  FLOUR is not by default gluten free!!   

 

It has to be   GLUTENFREE  Oatflour.   I have had a few friends who gotten oatcookies with the word it gluten free and it hasnt been that. 

 

Anyway,  Potato starch and corn starch is  great for thickening sauces .  But really with does allergies you can just make a lovely  pulled pork with  veggies and  roasted potatoes and lovely salsa or BBQ sauce ( check the contains)   and for dessert grilled fruit with dark chocolate and  an icecream substitute.

 

Just read on everything before serving,

[GlorifiedRice]

Ming Tsai claims this medical center cured his severely allergic son

 

http://www.foodservicedirector.com/articles/cure-allergies

[quiet1]

I know this so well with my friends, when we are all together all we can eat is  cornstarch, water and rhubarb, doesnt give much  choice. So we tend cook   3 or 4 starters, 2-3 main coarse and 4 desserts.

 

But I have been  where people ignore others allergies or intolerance  because they believe it isnt real., I was at a bar and ask for a regular cola, they gave me a diet  in a glass , I took one sip and knew  and I spent the rest of the evening on the toilet in cramps.

If you are going to think you know better and ignore what someone says about what they can eat (even if you deeply believe they are full of it) then just don't cook for them - everyone will be happier all around. I don't know why some people insist on doing that. (Not the folks in this thread, obviously, or they wouldn't be asking, but in general.)

I also wanted to add - be careful of how much soy is in a diet as replacements for things. If you aren't keeping an eye on it and soy is allowed, you can get very soy heavy (soy milk, soy cheese, soy fake meat, soy who knows what else) and that itself can cause some people problems. (Development of an allergy, or hormone issues, etc.) So better to just be mindful about using it and try to vary your diet. Variety is better for you anyway, particularly when you are quite limited - it maximizes the nutrients you can get from food sources. If you only ever eat the same thing all the time, chances are you will find it is deficient in some useful nutrient or another.

[CatPoet]

Soysauce and beer can be a no go for gluten intolerant people and also wine since it can use  fish  to clear the wine,

[Kerry Beal]

I'm confused - fish to clear wine relates to gluten intolerance?

[FauxPas]

Soysauce and beer can be a no go for gluten intolerant people and also wine since it can use  fish  to clear the wine,

Tamari soy sauce is gluten-free, is it not? And seems to be readily available in the areas I have visited.  

 

I don't have any issues with gluten, but I use Tamari much of the time anyway - I think it tastes better than some regular soy sauces. 

Edited July 23, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[CatPoet]

You who uses  fish sauce and  Anchovies in food, do you tell your guest or do you keep it a  secret?

Why I ask is because a friend ate  beef stew, he is allergic to fish and  ended up in hospital all due to the host not telling about the fish sauce and it was dish that no one normally uses fish sauce.

[CatPoet]

I'm allergic as you know to citrus, but I use tamarind in sauces, curries and other things that ask for  lime as  an acid.  I even made lovely drinks with it.

[cyalexa]

I'm allergic as you know to citrus, but I use tamarind in sauces, curries and other things that ask for  lime as  an acid.  I even made lovely drinks with it.

I would like t try some drinks using tamarind - could you post some recipes/examples? Thanks.

[CatPoet]

Oh I used tamarind juice I got hold of and used instead of lime.  It is rather common substitute for lime .

[CatPoet]

Host's note: this post has been moved from the Dinner 2015 topic, following http://forums.egullet.org/topic/150604-dinner-2015/?p=2007828.

 

 

Patrickamory: the reason for my type  of home cooking is that  I have muscle disease  and stomach disease which means I cant eat like mixes , ready made, fast food  ( I can eat fries, I hate fries)  and I need   food that will give me all I need even in small doses since I cant eat much.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Smithy
Topic alignment (log)

[Kerry Beal]

Belcolade - peanut and tree nut free

 

 

[tralfaz]

8 hours ago, wibago said:

I can't even find a description of exactly what candy melts are.

 

Candy melts are a candy product made with palm kernel oil or other vegetable oils instead of cocoa butter.  They look similar to chocolate but are easier to work with.  They won't taste the same as chocolate and can't be labeled chocolate (or white chocolate).  Basically they are less expensive to produce and less fussy to handle.

[chromedome]

2 hours ago, tralfaz said:

 

Candy melts are a candy product made with palm kernel oil or other vegetable oils instead of cocoa butter.  They look similar to chocolate but are easier to work with.  They won't taste the same as chocolate and can't be labeled chocolate (or white chocolate).  Basically they are less expensive to produce and less fussy to handle.

...and they give you a nice, thin coating if you have to dip things. So what they lack in flavor, they make up in practicality (in some applications).