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.

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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.

Sweet coconut lemonade

This sweet coconut lemonade is your new best friend. Click to tweet.

Ok so, it isn't summer yet, but we've had a few warm days and I just couldn't wait to have this drink again.

Remember about our trip to Mexico? During our stay in Acapulco, we took a day trip to La Roqueta beach. It took about an hour to get there from the Mayan Palace (car + boat ride), and it was so worth it. It's on a tiny little secluded island and you have an amazing view of Acapulco. A lot of locals go there to chill and hang out.

We were sitting with my in-laws at the beach restaurant when my husband asked: "Would you like a coconut with lemon and sugar?". I gave him a silly look thinking it was a joke. Lemon? Coconut? Say what? Turns out he was serious so I figured why not. Oh-my-god guys, it's seriously delicious. To top it off, it's super easy, thirst quenching and nutritious!

Lemon juice and coconut water are jam packed with vitamins and minerals; vitamin C, calcium, fiber, folates, the list goes on. It's perfect for a daily immune system boost, or even for a little more energy during a workout. You could also just do like me and sip it at your desk during work, or while relaxing by the pool.


Make sure to pin it for the summer, you'll be glad you did on those hot and humid days! What kind of unusual drinks do you like to drink in the summer?

Make a natural and healthy Gatorade alternative with these 3 simple ingredients. Click to tweet.

INGREDIENTS

Coconut water
1/2 Lemon
1-2 Tbsp Sugar

RECIPE

1. Start by squeezing the juice of half a lemon into your glass and stir in the sugar.
2. Fill the rest of the glass with coconut water.




The recipe is actually pretty subjective; you can add more lemon juice or sugar, it's all up to you. On a really hot day you can even add a few ice cubes to make it even more refreshing. Seriously though, doesn't it just look delicious? I'm salivating just looking at the pictures. I know it's still spring but um, bring on the summer!

The flavors of Mexico

Before leaving on our trip to Mexico, I asked on Facebook what kind of posts you guys would like to see about it. A lot of you wanted to see food!

Being married to a Mexican, I usually travel as a local rather than a tourist, which gives me a unique perspective. I find that most of the basic food items are similar to what I would make at home, the main differences are the spices, and the corn flour (as opposed to wheat).

The picture above is coconut with Valentina. Although having a coconut on the beach is not something unusual, to me, the sauce is. Before meeting my husband, I never would have thought of putting spicy sauce on coconut. It's actually pretty good.

In the first picture below is something pretty typical. Re-fried beans with a corn tortilla and rice. The brown part is chicken with mole rojo. Looks gross right? But what if I told you it's chocolate based? Yup, it's a mild spicy pepper and chocolate sauce. It's as delicious as it sounds. 

The following picture is a container of spicy chocolate chunks. You use it to make Mexican hot chocolate. My mother-in-law also uses it to make the mole rojo amongst other things.

Last but not least, the end picture is tamales. Tama-what? This is a delicious breakfast made with a corn-based starchy dough that is steamed in a corn leaf. They're filled with different things from fruit to meat. I'm pretty sure anything goes, even cheese.

There's a lot of other things, but those are the ones I was able to take pictures of. If any of you are interested, I could ask my husband to help me write up some Mexican recipes so you can try them. What do you think?

Have you ever tried any of these?

Easy + healthy spinach cream

There's nothing quite like warm soup after a fun day playing in the snow. Need I say more?

Not too long ago, my in-laws cam e to visit us from Mexico. My mother-in-law made this delicious meal called Mole Verde. Essentially, it's a sauce made with greens and seeds. You serve it on top of meat, usually bird. I also like it on rice!

Anyway, we had a whole bunch of spinach and broccoli trunks left over so I thought it would be a good time to use up some of my homemade chicken broth to make a new and delicious soup for the upcoming winter months.

I just got around to taking pictures of it to share with you, hope you like it!

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach (a handful)
1 small potato
Cream
Chicken broth
Water (as needed)



OPTIONAL:
1 small onion
2 tbsp butter
Salt + pepper
Leftover greens



You want about a handful of spinach per 2 cups of liquid. Enough so that the broth covers all your greens so they can cook evenly. If you don't have broth, you can just use water, it'll just taste a bit different but still good, just add a bit more spices! As for the cream, just add as much as you like for the desired consistency, you could also use milk. If a lot of liquid evaporates, don't forget to add a bit of water!

1. Chop the vegetables.



2. Boil everything.



3. Blend and add cream (or milk!). At this point you can also season with spices and butter.



I like to sprinkles a bit of grated cheese on top for added flavor, the I serve it with crackers. Enjoy!

What kind of soups do you like to make at home?

Basic homemade hot chocolate mix

Dear winter, thank you for forcing me to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life.

With the increasingly cold weather keeping me inside, I've been taking every opportunity to cozy up with my kids in front of the fire place with some hot chocolate. I've never really been a big fan of winter, I prefer heat (beaches!!!), but I have to admit that since having kids, winter is a lot more fun; snow angels, snowmen, sliding, skiing... and most importantly, cuddling up on the couch! I also love the slower beat of things.

This year, for our Christmas tree decorating party, I wanted to give out Christmas themed party favors. That obviously meant gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate. I prefer things being personal and we all know I love making my own recipes. So I spent a bit of time trying to figure out the exact ingredients to my basic homemade hot chocolate mix. This is another one of those things where I usually just randomly dump ingredients together and just like magic, out comes deliciousness (that's a word right?). 

It turned out quite delicious and smooth. If you want it sweeter, you can always add a bit more sugar, but I find it just right this way. I have every intention of making tons of variations of this basic recipe so stay tuned!

hot chocolate mix

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cup cocoa powder (pure, unsweetened)
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn starch



To make the mix is very simple. Just pour all the above ingredients into a container and shake. If you want to make sure it's homogeneous, you can mix the ingredients in a bowl first.



When you're ready to have some hot chocolate, all you have to do is add 2 tablespoons of the mix to 1 cup of cold milk and bring to a boil on med-high, stirring constantly (it shouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes). You could also microwave it, but I prefer the stove.

And if you want to give this as a gift, don't forget to make a pretty label with the instructions!

single serving

If you don't want to make a big batch and prefer just making a cup as you go, you can use the recipe below.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup milk
1 tbsp cocoa powder (pure, unsweetened)
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp corn starch

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
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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.

Hearty taco rice

I love quick and easy meals. Who doesn't right? Personally, there's a hundred other things I'd rather be doing (unless it's baking - 'cause I just can't get enough sweets).

I've been playing around with rice lately. I just adore how versatile it is. You can have it warm or cold. You can have it as a meal or as a dessert. You can have it on its own or mixed with other ingredients. It's seriously one of the most fun ingredient to play with.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Rice (cooked)
1/2 can of Corn
1/2 can of Red kidney beans



To be honest, I've never really calculated the portions. I kind of just mix everything in to my liking. You might like it with more rice or more veggies, with more oil or more salt. It's totally up to you, play around with it!

OPTIONAL:
1 or 2 tomatoes (diced)
Hand full of chives
Olive oil, salt & pepper (to taste)



1. Mix the rice, corn and beans.



2. If you're going to add the optional ingredients, cut them and add them to your rice.



That's it. Pretty easy no? The whole thing takes about 10 minutes to prepare. That's about how long it takes for your rice to cook. While it's cooking, you can wash and dice your other ingredients. Once the rice is ready, just dump everything in and mix. It seriously can't get any quicker than this. Oh, and did I mention it's deliciously tasty?

Do you have any quick and easy go-to lunch recipes?

Cucumber cream cheese bites

I'm all about fast, delicious and healthy bites when it comes to party food. For M's second birthday I wanted to make a veggie platter, but it was just too boring for me. So I decided to turn the veggies into simple and original bites sized snacks! Meet the cucumber cream cheese bites. c:

The best thing though is that you don't even have to prepare them ahead of time. All you have to do is slice up some cucumber and put everything in a platter with a knife to spread the cream cheese and let your guests make their own! You could even get creative and offer different toppings. It's almost like a cracker bar but with cucumbers instead. (:

INGREDIENTS
Cucumber
Cream cheese
Dried cranberries


Seriously though, these are delicious. Do you have any quick snacks that you prepare for guests at special events?



On another note, I started to think about Christmas gifts. I know, kind of early, but I'm always late, and this year I promised myself I'd be early! As I was writing this post, I found out that Blurb is offering Canadians an exclusive 25% off photo books until October 31 (using code CANADA25). So I thought I'd turn my recipes into a book and give them away as presents. Good idea no?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Blurb. All opinions are my own.

Maple banana nut breakfast lentils

A few days ago, I decided to try my luck at making lentils and you know what? They're ridiculously easy to make. Seriously. Just dump about 1/2 cup in a pot, add water about an inch over the lentils and boil until soft (you may need to add water as it's cooking). Adding a bit of salt as they're cooking adds flavor so I strongly suggest it, although not necessary.

So anyway, here I am, serving my lentils to my family, when my husband asks: "Hey sweety, are there any bananas left?" And I'm like: "Say-waaaaa? Bananas? In your lentils? Really?" He goes on to saying that's how he ate lentils at home, back in Mexico. So I figure, why not?

As I'm sure you've all guessed, I found it delicious; unusual, but delicious. The next morning, I decided to mix it up. I'm usually more of a toast person, boring I know, but quick and reliable! The only problem with toast is that it's not really long lasting energy and I always end up hungry 1 hour later. So you can guess what happened next... I decided to turn the left over lentils from the previous night's dinner into my protein packed breakfast. I wanted this to be a well balanced meal so with the fruit, I added some yogurt and sweetened it with some maple syrup. Oh goodness, what a treat it turned out to be.

INGREDIENTS
Lentils (cooked)
Plain yogurt
Maple syrup (to taste)
Banana
Nuts (get creative)


Just mix all the ingredients together and serve; warm or cold, it's just as good! Let me know what you think if you try it!

Do you have any unusual breakfast treats?