A guide to recognizing food allergies, for moms (+ FREE egg allergy guide)

As a mother, introducing solid foods to our baby can be quite stressful.

There's literally a bazillion questions we're faced with every single day. When should I start introducing solids? What food should I start with? Why isn't he opening his mouth? Am I giving him too much? Too little? Should he still be drinking milk?

Today, I'll be addressing one question in particular, which happens to be very close to my heart: "How do I know if my child has a food allergy and what should I do?"

I've mentioned quite a few times that my son is allergic to eggs but I don't think I've ever explained exactly how I found out.

Before I get started, I wanted to share a guide I created for you. It explains how to replace eggs in cooking and baking. There's also a section about how to shop for packaged foods with an egg allergy.

Get your FREE egg allergy guide
+ BONUS access to our exclusive resource page
for bloggers and supermoms)

Em was 13 months old when we found out. We were having breakfast at one of our favorite restaurants. I hadn't finished introducing all the different foods so I brought his lunch from home. At restaurants, you have no way of knowing what food has been in contact with. So I didn't want to take any chances. I guess on some level, I must have already known he was allergic to something.

Anyway, I started feeding him the meal I brought from home. Looking around, I saw another mom giving her baby (which was much younger then mine) food from her plate. Meanwhile, my son was sitting there, curious, watching us eat our restaurant food with his big brown eyes. In a moment of weakness, I figured what's the harm? So I gave him some of the things I knew he'd already eaten; fruits, bread, potatoes... Nothing happened. So, I followed with crepes, waffles and muffin. We left none the wiser and headed shopping.

We arrived at the store about 20 minutes after we left the restaurant. Em (that's my son's secret code name) had fallen asleep in the car so my husband decided to let him sleep and stayed in the car with him. I went ahead to buy some clothes.

I hadn't been in the store for 5 minutes that my husband called me in panic: "Something's wrong! Quick! Come back! Come back right now!" My heart literally stopped and imploded. I dropped everything on the floor and ran back to the car.



There was vomit everywhere. Literally. On the back car seat, on the baby seat, on my son, on my husband, on the door, on the ground outside the car. I was amazed at how much food there had been in his little stomach.

Naturally, I undressed him and was about to wipe the car a bit when I noticed rashes and swelling in red patches all over his chest, neck, and .... FACE! I could barely see his eyes anymore.

Then I heard it. That sound no mother wants to hear. Wheezing. The kind you get when you have an asthma attack and you feel like someone is crushing your neck. Thankfully, he was coughing, it means your body is still fighting.

I strapped him into his car seat naked and we rushed to the nearest hospital (note: if this happens to you, call the ambulance, don't take your car). Even though the hospital was about 10 minutes away, it was the longest car ride in my life.

As we approached the hospital, his face was so swollen he was unrecognizable. It wasn't long that he stopped coughing and he was changing color. You should have seen me jump out of the car and rush into the emergency.

I didn't even have to say anything, the guard took him and called resuscitation staff stat. Within 1 minute he had 3 pediatrician around him, a shot of epipen, a dose of benadryl and a puff of ventolin.

It was close. VERY close. But our little baby boy was safe.

That story still gives me goose bumps to this day, and it's not something I wish on anyone. Ever. Which is why I'd like to help you identify food allergies.

So, how do you know if your child has a food allergy?

First, it's important to understand that there are different levels of food allergies. Some are very mild, and others are life threatening in a very scary way. Either way, they should be taken very seriously.

1. Introduce foods one at a time

The easiest way to recognize a food allergy for the first time in babies is to introduce foods one at a time.

The first time you introduce a food, there will be no reaction because the body doesn't know the food and doesn't know how to react.

The second time around (I suggest the next day), if there is an allergic reaction, it will be mild, and you'll notice a rash or swelling on his stomach/chest. This could take anywhere from a few minutes to about 2 hours after he ate the food. It's important to check because it'll give you an indication on what to expect the third time you give the food.

The third time is when you can get a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis, which is life threatening since you can literally stop breathing. If you notice any reaction other than a skin rash, call the emergency. Don't wait!

I suggest introducing the known allergens last, like cow's milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, soy and fish.

2. Learn how to recognize food allergy symptoms

Since your child may not be able to speak to express how he's feeling, I'm only going to give you the symptoms you can see and hear.

• Skin rash
• Swelling of the lips and tongue
• Vomit
• Breathing difficulties, wheezing and coughing
• Loss of consciousness

3. Know what to do in case of an allergic reaction

If an allergic reaction isn't something you're already aware of and have an epipen for, or if you suspect anything, call a health information line (ours in Quebec is 811). On the other hand, if you see a rapid evolution of the symptoms stated above, call the emergency ambulance service (911 in Canada). You will have enough time to recognize the symptoms and call so don't panic, but don't wait either if you're not sure. Minutes count! In either situation, I suggest notifying your child's pediatrician as soon as possible and meet with him to ask all your questions.

Here are some egg free dessert recipes I've shared in the past that I think you might like:
Egg free vanilla cupcake recipe
Egg free apple upside-down cake
Egg free gingerbread cookie recipe
5 minute homemade chocolate pudding (eggless)
Maple buckwheat crepe recipe (no eggs)

Like I mentioned above, I wrote a 4 page guide for you about replacing eggs in cooking and baking. It also includes a list of synonyms of eggs to look out for when shopping packaged foods.

Do you have any questions about food allergies you'd like me to address? Egg in particular? I'd love to help and answer any questions you might have! Have you ever witnessed a severe allergic reaction?

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I am simply a mom sharing her experience. If you have any doubts, please contact your medical professional or 911 in case of an emergency.

Maple buckwheat crepes

Buckwheat is such an interesting and nutritious ingredient. Did you know it's packed with iron? In my books, it's a super food.

When I was little, my grand mother often made us buckwheat crepes. As children, we didn't really care for them so she would drown them in maple syrup. Growing up, I developed a finer taste in things, and so buckwheat has become on of my flours of choice.

You make the buckwheat crepes, add a bit of salty butter, a drizzle of maple syrup, and you've got yourself a little party in your mouth. Maple syrup is just so out-of-this world delicious that I want to spread it over everything I eat. Oh wait, I already do. That's a fact.

Oh, and this crepe recipe is egg free! So if you need to make some for a person with allergies, this is a perfect choice. :)

Do you like maple syrup or are you more of a honey person?

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of buckwheat flour
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup of Oil (I use canola)

This recipe makes about 12 small sized crepes or 6 big ones.

DIRECTIONS

1. I use the my Kitchen Aid blender to mix everything together. I just dump all the ingredients in and blend. I find the mix easy to pour into the pan that way.

2. Before I start making the crepes, I make sure the pan is already hot (heat on medium). I don't know why but when I pour the mix into the pan as it's heating up, my first crepe always ends up sticking to the pan. Annoying. Trust me.

Easy gingerbread cookies (Egg free)

Christmas time is in the air and nothing screams Happy Holidays louder than gingerbread cookies.

Can I just take a minute to say how much fun I had with this photo shoot. I'm getting so much better at styling my photos and using daylight (although challenging with babies) to my advantage.

Oh, and also, I discovered that I have absolutely no self control. I ate every.single.cookie. Every last one of them.

Get your FREE egg allergy cheat sheet
(+ BONUS access to our exclusive resource page
for bloggers and supermoms)

I'm so happy that I finally have an egg free gingerbread cookie recipe... and just in time for our Christmas Tree decorating party!

Do you have any cookie recipe you make every Christmas?



INGREDIENTS:
5 cups Flour
1 cup Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Molasses
1/3 cup Plain Yogurt
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 tsp Ginger
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Cloves

(makes about 75 small cookies)



1. Mix the dry ingredients together.



2. Add the wet ingredients and mix.



3. Roll dough and use cookie cutters to make pretty shapes.



4. Carefully place each cookie on a platter and bake at 350F for 9-10 minutes.



I have to be honest, the gingerbread cookie, in my opinion, is all about the molasses. A brown molasses will make a milder tasting cookie than a darker one.

I ended up making another 2 batches of cookies to serve at a family Christmas event and they were devoured. DE-VOU-RED. They are seriously yum.

Eggless white vanilla cupcake

WE HAVE MOVED!!!!!!

Please save the link below as this post will soon be removed.

Thank you!

http://www.xfallenmoon.com/blog/eggless-white-vanilla-cupcake

Last weekend was my son's 2nd birthday. I have a 2 year old son!!! I'm unbelievably proud to be the mom of such a good and sweet boy. In honor of his birthday, considering his egg allergy, I had to come up with an egg free cake recipe. All of the ones I found on the internet weren't simple enough for me, so I decided to make my own. I have to say I am more than satisfied with my recipe; it's moist, fluffy, and delicious.

Get your FREE egg allergy cheatsheet
(+ BONUS acces to our exclusive resource page
for bloggers and supermoms)

Why do we even use eggs in almost every baking recipe? I know the white acts as a leavening agent and the yellow helps everything stick together, but I always wondered if we could do without. I figured a bit more baking powder and a bit of fruit puree or yogurt would do the trick (minus the protein and nutrients found in the eggs). The good news... it does! This eggless vanilla cake recipe is super yummy.

If you know anyone with an egg allergy, or simply want to make a cake for a baby's first birthday, this recipe is perfect! You can vary the flavor by changing the type of extract you use.

egg free vanilla cupcakes

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Oven temperature: 350F
Portions: 10

Ingredients

1/2 cup Butter (salted)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Plain yogurt
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup Flour
3 tsp Baking powder
3/4 cup Milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven at 350F and prepare molds.
2. Cream butter, sugar and yogurt. Add vanilla extract.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour and baking powder.
4. Mix flour mixture and milk alternatively into butter mixture. Do not over mix.
5. Pour into molds (to about 3/4 of the cup) and bake for 30 minutes.







I have to be honest with you, these are simply amazing. Yes, I'm bragging, but when someone's first reaction is: "Wow, these are better than cupcakes with eggs." You can't help jump with joy. Yay! :)

5 minute homemade chocolate pudding

My son has a severe allergy to eggs, so I've been trying to make as many delicious homemade recipes as possible. It's been quite the adventure, especially with desserts, but I've managed to come up with a few recipes that he can safely eat, like this egg free chocolate pudding.

Get your FREE egg allergy cheat sheet
(+ BONUS access to our exclusive resource page
for bloggers and supermoms)

I've been making this recipe for a while but I usually just kind of randomly put ingredients together. I thought it would be nice to actually figure out the portions I'm using so that others can benefit from this deliciously quick and simple homemade chocolate pudding treat. Quick as in, made and ready in under 5 minutes. 'Cause you know, sometimes you just have to indulge in a quick chocolate fix right now.

chocolate pudding mix

Preparation time: about 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)
1 cup of Corn Starch
1 1/2 cup of Sugar

chocolate pudding

Preparation time: about 2 minutes
Cook time: about 1 minute
Cool time: about 15 minutes (but you can eat it right away if you want)
Portions: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup of Chocolate Pudding Mix (above)
1 1/2 cup of Milk


OPTIONAL:
1/2 tsp of Vanilla essence
1 tbsp of Butter
2 tbsp of Chocolate chips

First, put milk and chocolate pudding mix in saucepan.
Second, heat on medium-high, whisking constantly until it boils and starts to thicken.
Third, remove from heat as soon as it starts to thicken (it will continue thickening as it cools), stir in optional ingredients if you desire.
Fourth, let cool.

There shouldn't be any lumps, but just in case, you can pass the pudding through a fine mesh before cooling.

As the pudding cools, a film will form on top. When you're ready to eat it, simply stir it back into the pudding. If you don't want the film to form, put a piece of plastic wrap directly on it's surface (it has to touch the pudding). When you're ready to eat it, simply remove the wrap and serve.



I'm so very satisfied with how quick, easy and delicious this recipe is. Plus... it's egg free. Yay!

If you want to mix it up I suggest trying different types of sugars (brown sugar, white sugar, cane sugar...) and different types of milk too (whole milk, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk)! The possibilities are endless! You could even add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg, or maybe some peppermint... Deeeelicious!

Sweet dough sticks

Remember this amazing homemade pie recipe I shared with you not too long ago? I had some leftover dough, and I really don't like to waste... so I made a few simple recipes to use it up. This the first.

INGREDIENTS:
Left over dough
Butter
Brown sugar

OPTIONAL:
Cinnamon


FIRST, roll the dough and cut it into sticks.
SECOND, melt the butter and pour on dough sticks with sugar.


THIRD, bake @ 350F for 20 min and enjoy!


As a dip, I used the cream cheese frosting from my chocolate mini cupcake recipe.

Do you have any recipes you make from leftovers?

I've been having an awesome week at work. I'm replacing my team leader who is on vacation and I have never learned so much since I was hired. It's amazing how quickly you learn when you have to figure things out on your own. I got the opportunity to speak with people I had never met, take calls from various clients, research internal procedures... and most importantly, take care of my team... which right now is down to 2/5, but still, we had a lot of fun. (:

Apple almond pie

I love making food on my own instead of buying it premade at the store; it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I also like to know what I eat... have you ever read the list of ingredients on things you buy? Sometimes it's reaaaaally scary; so many scientific words and weird unnecessary ingredients. Anyway, here's my pie recipe, I hope you like it, it's really quick and easy... like most of my recipes.

dough
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Flour
1 cup Shortening
1 cup Water


First, lightly hand mix the flour & shortening.


I want to stress the word "lightly". If you over mix, your cooked dough will be hard as rock. You want it to be like in the picture. Don't worry, when you add the water it will mix more.

Second, add the water & hand mix. It's normal that it starts messy! Again, try not to over mix.


When you're done, the dough will still be a bit sticky, it's normal. The reason you want it that way is so that it doesn't become too dry when you add flour to your rolling surface.

Third, separate & freeze half in a Ziploc bag for later use.


This recipe makes enough dough for 2 & half pies. if you only put dough on the bottom you can make 5!

filling
INGREDIENTS:
6 Apples
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Corn Starch

OPTIONAL:
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 teaspoons Nutmeg
Handful of sliced almonds


This pie tastes great even without the optional ingredients. Also, you don't need a lot of sugar, the 1/2 cup might be too sweet for some people. If you don't like things too sweet, you can use just 1/4 cup of leave it out all together.

First, mix dry ingredients.


I actually added 1 cup of sugar here, because I love sugar, but I found it too sweet, next time I'll go with 1/2 cup.

Second, peel and slice apples, then add them to the dry ingredients.


Third, grease pan, roll half the dough & lay it on the bottom. Add filling.


Fourth, roll & place top dough. Cut extra edges with knife & press sides with fork. Don't forget to makes some holes to allow air to escape while it cooks.


Put leftover dough from edges aside... wouldn't want to waste!

Fifth, bake at 350 Celsius for 50 to 55 minutes. My oven heats a lot so I add an aluminum sheet on the bottom rack to absorb some heat before it reaches the pie.

In case you haven't heard, Dana of Wonderforest created an awesome blogging app; because ya know, the blogger one is no good. It's called Bloggo. With this app you can; create, edit, save, schedule & publish blog posts. You can also keep up with blog subscriptions, approve & delete comments as well as insert photos from your camera roll.

Quick rice pudding

I have a bad habit of never following recipes when cooking so I often end up with a lot of left overs. This is an easy recipe I made with some left over rice I had. Hope you like it.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cooked Rice
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Sugar

OPTIONAL:
2 Cinnamon sticks
Handful of dried fruit & nuts


This isn't an exact recipe, you can vary the amounts according to taste. (:

First, boil all the ingredients until most of the milk has evaporated.


Second, let cool, serve, add seasoning & eat. :)


I usually season with powdered cinnamon or nutmeg. You can eat it warm or cold.

What easy recipes do you make with left-overs?

Strawberries & cream

It doesn't look like much, but let me tell ya... it's d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s !!

INGREDIENTS:
Fresh Strawberries
Sour Cream
Honey


Amounts are subjective.

First, squish the strawberries with a fork.


Second, mix with the cream and honey.


Enjoy! c:

Blueberry chocolate explosion

This is another one of my blueberry recipes. It is really quick to make & turns into an absolutely divine dessert. The blueberries explode in your mouth leaving a delicate, yet sweet mix of melted chocolate & fresh blueberry juice. This recipe is best made with fresh (not frozen) blueberries.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Fresh Blueberries
4 Aero Chocolate Bars


First, on the stove, melt the chocolate on low heat, keep stirring so it doesn't burn at the bottom.


Second, carefully fold in the blueberries.



Third, carefully spoon chunks on a cookie sheet & refrigerate.


Enjoy! (: