9.17.2010

Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free - There's Still "Something to Eat!"

   I have been developing and diagnosing allergies over the past few years. I have been allergic to dairy since I was a baby, but didn't know it throughout my growing up years. Just since I was about 16, I have also become allergic to wheat, eggs, and pinto beans. Cooking has become a whole different story for me! I am the only one in my family that has these allergies, so I mainly cook for myself alongside my Mom cooking for the rest of the family. 

   With food allergies come lots of experiments... First, I had to figure out what I was allergic to. 
I have actually tried two very similar ways:
1. Eat only raw foods for one week and see if you feel any better. At the end of that week, eat your suspected food and see if your symptoms reoccur.
2. Eat everything except for your suspected food for at least one week and see if you feel any better.
If so, add that certain food back into your diet and see how it goes!

I would like to have allergy tests done someday, but since we can't afford it right now this is what works best for me. 

    Lots of recipes that I find may not have one of these ingredients, but will still include the others such as a gluten-free recipe still including eggs. I am in the process of adapting these recipes so that they taste good without any of those allergy causing  ingredients. I hope that if you are allergic to wheat/gluten, eggs, dairy, or pinto beans my blog will be helpful to you. I am trying lots of new experiments, and plan to share them (at least the successful ones;) here.