Have you just learned that your child has a food allergy? Here are some practical tips to adapt your common recipes according to allergies!
Your perception of food will never be the same again. The only solution that currently exists to prevent your child from having an allergic reaction is to avoid the food that causes the allergy.
Some information
That said, on your next trip to the grocery store, when you read the labels, you will quickly find that many pre-made foods are contaminated with allergens that may concern you. In some cases, it might become completely impossible to buy pre-made foods. So you'll want to learn how to create the recipes your family loves.
Milk, egg and peanut allergies are the most common allergies in young children. But among the most well-known allergens, we also find soy, nuts, sesame, wheat, gluten, fish, molluscs and crustaceans. Some people are also allergic to corn, sulphites, certain preservatives, food colorings and so on.
Basic Tips
Nut and/or peanut allergy
Of course, I couldn't summarize in one article how to adapt all your recipes, and this, depending on each allergy, but here are some tips you might find useful. If your child has a nut and/or peanut allergy, but is not allergic to soy, here are some great ways to modify your recipes. Whether in your recipes for banana bread, muffins, peanut crisp, cookies, cakes or any dessert that normally contains nuts or peanuts, replace them with soybeans, sunflower or soy butter. The taste and texture are very reminiscent of peanuts.
Dairy AllergyFor those who need to replace dairy products, here are some replacements. Dairy-free margarine is a good substitute for butter. The cream can be replaced with soft, fine-textured tofu. You can also use soy cream for your sauces, but be careful, you have to remove it quickly from the heat. The cheese can be replaced with firm tofu. Milk can be replaced with soy beverage, rice beverage or coconut milk. Yogurt can be replaced with mashed banana. See, the solutions aren't that weird!
Egg allergy
To replace the egg, I often used a banana or compote apples for mycakes, cookies or muffins. But in recipes where the egg has another function, I recommend the recipe book developed by Marie-Josée Bettez and Éric Théroux whose contact details you will find at the end of the article. You will find a we alth of information there.
Soy allergyTo replace soy sauce, you can use molasses and balsamic vinegar in combination.
Most recipes can be modified to suit the specific diet of the allergy sufferer in your family. You have to search a little and don't be afraid to try.
Slice of life
I've always loved cooking, but I'm one of those people who skim over recipes. I like to close the recipe book and do my interpretation of several recipes. On the other hand, after having failed with a few desserts at a young age, I quickly said that desserts were not my thing! But when you find yourself unable to buy desserts at the market and you have three children, you think otherwise. So I started following recipes for cookies, muffins, cakes and experimenting, much to the delight of my children.
Tools are the solution
If you don't know enough about food allergies or your cooking skills are pretty average, go get yourself some tools. Buy yourself some good cookbooks. Participate in discussion groups and seek information from existing associations.
I offer youhere are some references that will be very useful to you and I wish you good appetite!
Association
Quebec Food Allergy Association
