The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: 200 Gourmet & Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family

Reviews and Excerpts

READER COMMENTS

I want to say that this cookbook is the BEST cookbook I own. I have a child with multiple food allergies and I have searched for 4 years to find recipes that tasted like "normal" food. This cookbook exceeds all of my expectations. The recipes are easy to prepare and the food turns out fantastic. I feel as though I am a pretty darn good "chef" now!
Please thank Mrs. Pascal for me. I am so happy to have found this book and I truly hope she is working on another one.....

Sincerely,

Dana Trent

Library Journal Review for
The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: 200 Gourmet and Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family

• - means that it is a starred review
  

*PASCAL, CYBELE. The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: 200 Gourmet and Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family. Vital Health Publishing. 2006. c.267p. bibliog. index. ISBN 1-890612-45-6. pap.
$18.95. COOKERY

A lifelong enthusiastic cook, Pascal had to change how she thought about food completely when her four-month-old son was diagnosed with severe food allergies. This book is the result, containing more than 200 recipes that are free of the eight most common allergenic ingredients: dairy, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nut, fish, and shellfish. Anyone following a vegan diet will also find this a valuable resource for baked goods since all of the breads, cookies, and cakes are dairy- and egg-free. It is not a specifically vegetarian cookbook, though, as it contains recipes for comfort foods like Chicken Potpie and Lamb Stew. There are recipes for every occasion, whether it's for Chocolate Layer Cake or Homemade Granola Bars. Most important, the author understands how real families shop, cook, and eat and offers suggestions on how to adapt to the food-allergic lifestyle. Of particular value are the lists of foods to keep on hand, what to buy at the grocery store, and a list of great mail and Internet resources. Highly recommended for public libraries.-Wendy Bethel, Southwest Public Libs., Grove City, OH

Recipe Excerpt:

ROLLED MAPLE SUGAR COOKIES

Rolled cookies are a tasty treat that's fun to make with kids (or anyone, for that matter).
Use cookie cutters to cut out any shapes you like, and decorate accordingly.

MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN COOKIES
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (read all labels carefully; Spectrum makes the only brand I could find without dairy or soy, and it has the added bonus of being free of trans-fats)
3/4 cup maple sugar
11/2 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer, mixed with
2 Tbsp. enriched rice or oat milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. rice or oat milk
3/4 cup oat flour
3/4 cup barley flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
raisins, maple sugar mixed with cinnamon,
dairy-free chocolate or carob chips*, coconut for decoration (optional)

*Dairy-free Chocolate or Carob Chips—some brands contain soy lecithin, which can be eaten by most soy-allergic individuals, but double check with your allergist


Cream shortening with maple sugar (note that maple sugar doesn't really cream, it blends). Beat in egg replacer and vanilla extract. Add 1 Tbsp. rice/oat milk. Combine oat flour, barley flour, salt, and baking powder. Add to bowl and combine thoroughly (it will be a bit stiff, but that's okay—use hands to combine if necessary). Mold into a ball, wrap in aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove dough from fridge. If it still seems too dry, sprinkle a few drops of water on it and work them in. Roll out dough with a floured rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness, and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Decorate with raisins, maple sugar mixed with cinnamon, dairy-free chocolate chips, coconut, or whatever else you fancy. Arrange on a lightly greased cookie tray, and bake about 8 minutes. Let cool on tray before removing with a spatula or they'll break. How many you make depends on what shape and size cookie cutters you are using.

Note: For basic maple sugar cookies, reduce both oat and barley flour by 2 Tbsp. each and skip the 1 hour of chilling.
Just drop by teaspoons onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake about 8 minutes.


Article from "Dining Today with Pat Tanner"