Changing Seasons

It's beginning to look like pool weather is behind us and fall has finally arrived...... now this is North Florida so we could be back at 92 tomorrow, but for now there is a chill in the air that we haven't felt in what seems like an eternity.

I get excited thinking about all the fun that comes with this time of year

the pumpkin patch

bonfires in the backyard

going on a bike ride without feeling like you are going to melt

I have been excitedly awaiting ditching the shorts for another winter and getting back into my comfy blue jeans.  But with the first drop of the temperature i got a knot in my stomach.

The anxiety creeping back in.

School parties, fall festivals, bake sales, CHRISTMAS!!!!

I think about traditions.... 

a tradition we had growing up was homemade cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning,

 or hot chocolate by the fire

eggnog

We will be making new traditions hopefully with some yummy safe food options 

and maybe more that just don't involve food.

On October 25 we will be traveling to Orlando to meet Dr. Franciosi at the new Nemours Clinic.

He is one of the top Dr's in the country when it comes to Eosinophilic Esophagitis

we are so excited to finally see someone who really knows what they are talking about!

It comes every fall.....

November 2010

Very thin baby Roe right before his first scope and the diagnosis

November 2011

Big boy one year later going in for his second scope

October 2012

looking good!

but i guess when seeing this new guy a scope will be inevitable?!?

I just realized i hate fall

kind of kidding

Gluten free, Dairy free turkey meatballs

I have been meaning to share this recipe for some time now,  We love these meatballs and can be changed easily to accomidate almost any allergy diet

Top 8 free turkey meatballs

so simple and so good

‎1 lb gr turkey

1 onion minced

 2 tbs garlic

 1/4 c gf  red wine or water

 1/4 c gf cereal crushed ( i used gf rice krispies)

 salt and pepper.

 mix all ingredients and shape into golf ball shaped meatballs bake 400 for 22 min.

 They were sooooooo good! the kids ate with marinara we did BBQ sauce and corn on the cob and green beans."

2 years later

They say that time heals a broken heart and I have to admit it has taken some time to get to where I am today.  For those of you who have followed this journey since it began, you have seen my heart in most every entry.  I don't feel like I have held back airing my frustrations. There is sometimes a hopelessness when you feel like you are so alone in the world, but i know there are hundreds of other moms out there right now feeling this exact same way.

I realized last night as I perused Facebook that I no longer feel like punching someone in the face

 resentment and anger when I see other parents' posts of their children eating their 1st birthday smash cake, spaghetti, Cheerios, etc. etc. etc.

It's silly and definitely my own issue, who would think you could feel so ANGRY looking at an adorable picture of a chubby kiddo with colorful icing all over their face....

GUILTY

I'm talking MAD folks.

I guess any one out there in the same situation knows what i am talking about.

The anger when I go to the birthday party at one of my closest friends home or even family and every child is covered in that nasty bright orange Cheetos cheese and there are orange fingerprints on every surface.

Enough to make my head spin.

I finally feel like after two years that I have control of each day.

Honestly, it has taken me two years to finally stop feeling sorry for myself. 

I have always said, "It could be worse..... we are so blessed" and we are.

but i have been feeling sorry for myself 

and for some reason, not realizing why everyone around me has not had to change their lifestyle when I have so drastically had to change mine.

There will always be frustration and resentment. 

especially with that parent who leaves the post on face book

Just had to run to Target to pick up sugar free, not threatening, hypoallergenic, peanut free non fun Easter Egg fillers for H's school

Nice huh...

This is a true FB post on one of my friends walls.  I know he meant nothing personal to me by it. But I took it personal....... you think, so much so I was able to go back and find it on his wall from Easter 2011.

Jerk.

That I may never be able to get past.

But the rest of it.

I am growing up

Like a boy scout I am always prepared.

I think God had to let me grow up through my journey so I would know how to help others dealing with these same issues.

Happier post next I promise :)

DF, GF, Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip Deliciousness

It's been a long time, it's not that I don't have any news or anything going on, maybe just a little to much going on.

We had another allergy test and the results were not great but also not really a big deal. 

His numbers for beef and pork doubled which makes me more cautious that the beef and pork allergies may be more likely to be an anaphalactic reaction and less likely and EE or just allergic reaction.

I did make these cookies........... or should i say perfected these cookies since i actually have made them or a variation of them probably 12 times in the past 3-4 months.

As you all know i have been horrified to introduce peanut or peanut butter to Roe and after the recent allergy test i was encouraged by the doctor that it would be safe and a good source of calories. 

The addition of peanut butter to the cookies are really what made them PERFECT!!!!

even TA loves them and if they pass the TA test they should pass any taste test.

I do feel like if you cannot do peanut butter it could probably be subbed out for any nut butter.

Peanut, chocolate chip, oatmeal cookies

1/2 c coconut oil

3/4 c brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 cup oat flour**

** i made this by putting GF oats in the food processor and mixing until a flour like consistency

1 1/2c GF oats

1/2 c peanut butter ( or favorite nut butter)\

1/2 cup enjoy life chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350

2.Cream coconut oil and brown sugar in large bowl for 4-5 minutes

3. Add egg and vanilla and mix well

4. In separate bowl combine baking soda, salt, flour and cinnamon, gradually add dry ingredients to wet until mixed well

5.Mix in oats, peanut butter and chocolate chips.

6. Spoon mixture onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 tbsp each.

7. Bake 15 minutes.

8. Allow cookies to cool completely before removing from cookie sheet.

Food Facts

I don't usually endorse anything..... unless that is, they send me yummy free samples,

OR 

if I just feel like everyone out there must know about a particular product.

I have told you guys about Food facts once (or twice) before but once again I am super impressed with this site.

I have been a huge fan of the Foodfacts.com website for a couple of years now. 

What I like is that you can plug in all of the foods that you are trying to avoid and then look up anything and it will say if the food is safe or not.

For those of us dealing with severe life threatening food allergies, label reading is always important..... but as we all know we check, double check triple check EVERYTHING!

(and as we also know we will never trust anything or anyone when it comes to the safety of our babies.

  So keep checking!)

That being said, I think you guys are going to love this,

For my birthday a few weeks ago i got my first smart phone.... and not just any smart phone but an

 I-PHONE  

Of course being the dork I am I immediately looked up food allergy apps.

And there was the foodfacts app.

sweet

There are so many wonderful things about the foodfacts.com app

The first being

It was free!

At least i am almost positive it was free because i am not supposed to get any apps that actually cost $$$$ 

haha

You plug in the ingredients you are trying to avoid

the list is extensive including certain vitamins, trans-fat, sulfites, MSG, nightshades, Iron, flavorings, preservatives and more

Then you can look through the different categories to see what may fit into your diet.

I haven't even gotten to the best part...

next, there is this little button

Scan

So, you're walking around in the grocery store and you wonder

"hmmmm can my little guy eat these granola bars?"

Let's scan and find out

It gives you a list of ingredients, 

with all the controversial ingredients highlighted.

Also a health score

These granola bars got a 56

According to the foodfacts website

Red foods (0-25) should be avoided

Yellow foods (26-49) proceed with caution

White foods (50-75)  have a moderate amount of nutritional value

and

Green foods (76-100) would be your healthiest choices

There is also the button that you push that tells you what allergens are in that particular product

Genius if you ask me!

I think that the foodfacts site is something that would be helpful to anyone who is dealing with food restrictions or just wanting to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Question:

Do you have a favorite food allergy app?