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| Author |
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mta
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Cooking for allergies
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Jun 9 13:52 UTC 2002 |
Over the years, whenever I was faced with a new "crisis" my body has decided to
reject yet another food. At first it was just artificial sweeteners. No
problem. Then I developed diabetes, and had to start avoiding refined
carbohydrates of all kinds and most foods with a high glycemic index. A pain,
but after 7 years, I've managed. Now, my body is rejecting casein. No milk or
dairy of any kind. Even goat and sheeps milk cheeses are hard on me. Ick. I
*love* cheese!!!
Then, a few days ago, I got a note from a friend who knows I love to cook and
that I face food restrictions. She has just be diagnosed with allergies to bay
leaf, broccoli, cantaloupe, celery, dairy, cocoa, corn, egg white, egg yolk,
grapefruit, oranges, peas, green peppers, sweet potatoes/yams, cane sugar,
sunflower seed, tomato, walnut, wheat, yeast, high-sugar fruits, and mushrooms.
She's not entirely unhappy -- removing the allergens will resolve a lot of her
low grade poor health -- but this *is* a challenge.
Fortunately, she's an adventurous eater and has been substituting lesser
known grains for wheat and corn as she can find ways to do so ... but there
are some things (bread for instance) that are just really, really hard to
manage on her new diet. Her favorites are Indian, Chinese, and Mexican ...
how does one eat mexican with no tomato, no corn, and no cheese?!?!?!
So, I figured I'd ask here about recipes I cna share with her that contain none
of her allergens. Grexers are some of the most imaginative cooks I know, so
...
Can you help?
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| 15 responses total. |
gracel
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response 1 of 15:
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Jun 9 17:29 UTC 2002 |
Are other grains safe for her, or just unknown? Because barley bread is
traditional in some areas of the world, it just doesn't rise as much as
wheat bread.
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slynne
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response 2 of 15:
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Jun 9 21:16 UTC 2002 |
There are a lot of bakeries that sell spelt bread. I have a friend who
is allergic to wheat and when I have her over to dinner, I buy spelt
noodles and put some kind of tomato based sauce on it. It isnt fancy
but it is pretty yummy especially if you put extra veggies in the sauce
(my favorite is zuccini)
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slynne
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response 3 of 15:
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Jun 9 21:17 UTC 2002 |
But since, she cant have dairy or tomato, I wonder if some kind of
garlic/oil based sauce could be used instead.
I dont envy your friend.
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mta
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response 4 of 15:
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Jun 9 21:38 UTC 2002 |
I don't envy her either ... gads, no tomato!
Spelt and barley bread sound like wonderful solutions. Of course, they may be
difficult since yeast is out, too, but maybe something that uses some other
"rising" agent ...
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i
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response 5 of 15:
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Jun 10 00:30 UTC 2002 |
One of my sisters is on what may be the ultimate nightmare allergy diet.
Her really-messed-up immune system is sensitive to *ALL* foods. (There
is literally NO food that she can freely eat.) She buys all organic, as
close as possible to the producer, due to loads of chemical sensitivities.
(Direct from farmer better than local veggie stand better than local
natural food store better than big-chain natural food store.) She has to
plan & track all her meals based on the biological families of the plants,
noteworthy allergens, etc. in 'em to maximize the lengths of all the time
gaps in which her immune system does not see any given thing (but not get
too much of any thing quickly, either).
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davel
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response 6 of 15:
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Jun 10 01:57 UTC 2002 |
(a "rotary diversified diet plan", in other words)
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jaklumen
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response 7 of 15:
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Jun 10 03:04 UTC 2002 |
resp:3 what about pesto sauce with pine nuts over those spelt
noodles? The pine nuts could be left out if they are a problem..
pesto itself is just delicious.
As for Mexican.. hmmm.. there is rice (that out, too?), refried
beans.. is she vegetarian/vegan? Most meat dishes do not require the
use of tortillas. Don't forget Mexican style seafood.. for example,
what about Spanish paella with no tomatoes? Does green peppers
include chiles, too? Chile dishes include chile relleno (stuffed
chiles) and chile colorado (chiles in red sauce).
I think you could use cabbage, spinach, or even large lettuce leaf
(say, butterleaf) in place of a grain tortilla, and this would likely
work for Chinese-style dishes, too. I remember Greek and Middle
Eastern dishes use this, too.
I didn't see a large list of vegetables mentioned, so perhaps it would
also be helpful to focus on veggies she can eat, either steamed or
stir-fried. I don't *think* stir-fry must include broccoli and baby
pea pods.
I hope this is helpful. Also, if organic is a concern, I think
growing a garden might a consideration. I have been enjoying it so
far.
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mta
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response 8 of 15:
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Jun 10 15:49 UTC 2002 |
Those are truly excellent ideas, Lumen! Thanks!!!
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cmcgee
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response 9 of 15:
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Jun 10 18:53 UTC 2002 |
Steamed shredded cabbage makes an excellent substitute for noodles.
Thick, thin, lasgne size, I use them a lot to stay away from refined
carbohydrates, and, as it appears, mild allergies to wheat, corn, and
rice.
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keesan
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response 10 of 15:
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Jun 11 02:58 UTC 2002 |
I have made flat pancakes from rice or barley flour just poured into a cast
iron pan. Chinese stores sell noodles made from rice flour and other things
(mung bean flour) in various shapes. I don't see potatoes on the list of
foods to avoid. How about the tropical starchy root vegetables (cassava =
tapioca, taro, various other starches that you can make into something called
fufu by mixing with boiling water and cooking a bit longer)? Europeans used
to have to cook without corn, tomatoes, or peppers before 1492. Sorghum,
teff, amaranth, quinoa, millet (we eat lots of that). Rice flour or mung
flour or chickpea flour can be used as thickeners. Try an Indian food store.
What other sour things can be used instead of tomatoes? I can think of lemon
(unless it is a general citrus allergy), tamarind, vinegar, pomegranate syrup
(Middle Eastern food stores).
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jaklumen
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response 11 of 15:
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Jun 11 09:42 UTC 2002 |
resp:8 I hope they work =)
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orinoco
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response 12 of 15:
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Jun 12 03:18 UTC 2002 |
Is she allergic to all kinds of mushrooms, or just button mushrooms?
Does she eat meat?
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mta
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response 13 of 15:
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Jun 12 11:01 UTC 2002 |
As far as I know, it's all mushrooms, but I'll ask. Yes, she's an omnivore...
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jaklumen
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response 14 of 15:
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Jun 12 13:57 UTC 2002 |
that makes things slightly easier.
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gelinas
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response 15 of 15:
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Nov 24 02:50 UTC 2002 |
Potatoes are related to tomatoes and so may be a problem. Buckwheat comes
to mind as yet another grain.
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