We did it!!!

So, as you know, we have some pretty scary food allergies in our family. We don't go out to eat very often to keep the chance of a reaction low. We (meaning me) are scared to try new foods- the funny thing is that my son (who is the allergic one) is unafraid. Anyway, we joined the kids club at our local food co-op and as part of that you get a free smoothie for completing activities. So, after Bubba's dentist appointment yesterday (yeah, no cavities!), we had to run to the food co-op for a few things.  Phil asked if we were going to get a smoothie. I immediately thought "NO!" since it was a new thing we had never tried. I had talked to one of the workers there last week about how they clean their blenders, what ingredients are typically used, etc... all of the routine questions when dealing with allergies. Yesterday, when my husband mentioned it- I was speechless because I hadn't even thought of doing it then or processed all of it yet (yes, I am slow!).

When we walked into Basics, I had no intention of getting a smoothie- just picking up our vegan cheese and chocolate chips- and then we passed the smoothie bar... I thought, "I can look to see what they offer so I know for when we are ready." The menu looked pretty yummy- some items that were safe for us, some that were not.

The girl behind the counter asked if we wanted something, so I explained that we have food allergies and she said that they have lots of people who have food allergies that get smoothies there.

Hmmmm. (Processing again...)

I asked how they cleaned the blenders (again) and she explained it. I said thanks and we were going to head to the register to pay for our other items when Bubba asked, "Are we going to get a smoothie?"

That shouldn't be a tough question, but it really was.

So, the three of us (Moonie in tow) went back to the smoothie bar and read the menu and picked an item that sounded yummy. We talked it over - for quite a while...

"We would like the orange, strawberry, banana smoothie, please", I said. I couldn't believe I was doing it. What was I thinking????

After paying and going out to the car, I realized I had been holding the smoothie like one might hold a bomb that could go off at any time. I had to look crazy! But we weren't having any until we got to a spot where I was comfortable (the car fit the bill- so I could drive to the ER if I needed to...)

The kids were safely in their car seats and I turned to give Bubba his first little sip- to see if it caused a reaction- and he loved the taste! He had less than a teaspoon- and wanted more immediately. I wouldn't let him for a few minutes until I knew that he wouldn't have a reaction. No sign of a reaction. Several minutes later, another sip. Several minutes after that, another sip. No reaction... He wanted to hold it (and I no longer treated it like it might detonate) so I gave him the cup.

By this time, we were home. He proceeded to finish the smoothie (with a tiny bit of help from Moonie) during lunch and thought it was the best thing ever. And all I could think was that I almost didn't get it. I am grateful that Phil brought it up and that I was just less scared than normal and we tried it. What a great lesson for me! :)

Score:     Allergy- 0 
               Bubba- 1

Sleep? What's that?

So, my elusive friend sleep decided to stand me up again tonight, soooo, I thought what better way to spend my time than blogging?

Today I was really thinking about Bubba's food allergies a lot. We went to lunch with some good family friends to a restaurant (loosely defined) with a play area for the kids. It used to scare me to death the thought if him touching something that had been contaminated with one of his allergens- but I have really tried to overcome my fear (notice I didn't say HIS fear). And you know what? He did great! Next, we went to the whole foods store and picked up some of his special foods and signed the kids up for the kids club. If he completes the coloring activity- he gets a free smoothie. Now, as a mom of someone with severe food allergies, that thought first scared the bejeezes out of me. As I talked with the manager about it, it actually sounded a little less scary. When I talked about it with my husband, it actually sounded do-able. That's right- I actually said we may try it. Thank god for my hubby who is more brave than I- he tends to balance me out when I get nervous about this stuff. Anyway, we may try it (wonder if we pick it up and take it and enjoy it in the ER parking lot just to be safe?...) and my son will be delighted!

So, tonight as I lay here wishing for sleep, all I can think of is Bubba's allergies and wonder what the future holds. Since my crystal ball is being repaired (hahaha), I guess I will just have to know only that today was a great day. I love Bubba no matter what and I admire him for his strength and bravery. I love that my daughter now "reads" labels to see if things are safe for him to eat. All for one and one for all! :-)

So, now that I got all of that out of my head, I wonder if sleep will come. Catch ya later!

PS: we made it to the fair yesterday and Bubba and Moonie both loved the animals! They both got to pet a cow and several goats. They rode a few rides and had a ball!!!

A little behind....

I have found that there are not as many hours in a day as I once thought. I sometimes feel like time flies by so quickly that I blink and I miss hours. I think that this became really apparent to me once we were blessed with kids. The kids are so much fun and have more energy than I ever remember having! They love to go and do things- pretty much anything- farmers market, community garden, grocery shopping, dentist, you name it! Today we are planning on going to the 4 H fair in our city. We have gone to the fair for several years now and my oldest, Bubba, loves to go. He enjoys seeing all of the animals- and marveling at how big they are! Ollie, on the other hand, has been scared of the animals in the past simply because they are so big! :) How unique they are, my little monkeys. I am curious to see how they do! :)

Oh- I almost forgot to share my new recipe! If you are new here, I basically bake vegan due to my son's food allergies. It is funny- I look for vegan recipes all the time (since they don't contain dairy or egg) and then I sometimes add meat for a full meal. I do not do this to offend, it is just how we handle things in our life right now. OK, so back to the recipe- lemon blueberry scones-- perfect for summer when berries are fresh and sooooo yummy! Here goes:

1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer
2 T water
Place above ingredients in mini-food processor or whip by hand until thick and creamy.

2 1/2 C all purpose flour
1/3 C sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Cut in 3/4 C cold vegan margarine until mix resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Add in to the crumbly mixture:
1/2 C soy or coconut milk (unsweetened, plain, vanilla, or vegan "buttermilk" all work well)
1/2-1 tsp lemon flavoring (depending on your taste)
pre-mixed egg replacer from above
Stir all ingredients just until dough holds together. If you stir too much, the scones will be tough.

Add in:
1 C fresh blueberries- fold them in gently.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. After dough is mixed together, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into a circle about 3/4-1" thick. Cut into wedges (like a pizza). Place pieces about 2" apart on a greased (or silicone lined) cookie sheet. Brush the tops with water or milk just to moisten and sprinkle with turbinado/ raw sugar or cinnamon/ sugar mix if desired.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly on the pan, then finish cooling on a rack (if they last that long!). Enjoy! :)

Now that I am done with this, I think I will go have a scone! :)