The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Claiming my Blog on Technorati

I'm claiming my Blog onTechnorati - here goes:  <a href="http://technorati.com/claim/d6iq5h26ir" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a>  Now...I'm not sure what happens next, but I am following the instructions provided on the Technorati website.  What does this mean?  I don't know, but stay tuned as I'm sure we'll find out eventually!
Love,
Lisa

Teaching Kids to Bake Gluten-Free

I've come along way in the last year in teaching my gluten-free children to bake!!  Luke, my oldest son  who is almost 12, can whip out most of our rolls, danish, and pancakes with relative grace and ease.  It really has become easy for him.  In the last two months Noah, my 9-year-old son, has stepped up to the Gluten-free baking counter and is loving his success!  About two weeks ago he made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, which are also egg-free and dairy-free that were a rousing success.  He was quite pleased with himself and the rest of us were not only proud of him, but happy to taste the delicious cookies.  On Wednesday, Noah decided to make an apple crisp.

Noah's Apple Crisp

Now mind you, he decides to do this while I am busy making a triple batch of gluten-free rolls which I will then cut up and toast to make gluten-free stuffing for Thanksgiving.  So, I had my attention diverted to other important activities.  Noah took out my cookbook, read the directions and then measured out the dry ingredients.  After dinner, he and his father peeled and cut the apples and finished making the apple crisp.  Even I was amazed to see how well he did.  We tasted it on Thanksgiving and it was fabulous! 

I told Noah that I was going to blog about his baking successes and he smiled and instructed me not to forget to include his baking mistake.  Ah, yes...his baking mistake.  That would be his first attempt at chocolate chip cookies where instead of a teaspoon or two of baking soda he put in a whole can of club soda!!!  Yes, it was a mistake that we rescued by adding more flour.  Were the cookies good?  Yes!  Would anyone have known that there had been a mishap in the kitchen?  Definitely not.  Were they as good as the ones he made earlier this month?  No way!

I am letting my children learn by doing and that includes letting them make mistakes.  They are building life skills that they can use for the rest of their lives and having fun in the process.  The thing parents have to be willing to tolerate in addition to the mistakes is the mess that they can make.  My kids all know that we don't have a maid in the kitchen - but sometimes they forget.  They are all learning to clean up after they are done with their kitchen activities.  What are you teaching your kids about baking?  I'd love to hear. 
Love,
Lisa

Teaching Kids to Bake Gluten-Free

I've come along way in the last year in teaching my gluten-free children to bake!!  Luke, my oldest son  who is almost 12, can whip out most of our rolls, danish, and pancakes with relative grace and ease.  It really has become easy for him.  In the last two months Noah, my 9-year-old son, has stepped up to the Gluten-free baking counter and is loving his success!  About two weeks ago he made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, which are also egg-free and dairy-free that were a rousing success.  He was quite pleased with himself and the rest of us were not only proud of him, but happy to taste the delicious cookies.  On Wednesday, Noah decided to make an apple crisp.

Noah's Apple Crisp

Now mind you, he decides to do this while I am busy making a triple batch of gluten-free rolls which I will then cut up and toast to make gluten-free stuffing for Thanksgiving.  So, I had my attention diverted to other important activities.  Noah took out my cookbook, read the directions and then measured out the dry ingredients.  After dinner, he and his father peeled and cut the apples and finished making the apple crisp.  Even I was amazed to see how well he did.  We tasted it on Thanksgiving and it was fabulous! 

I told Noah that I was going to blog about his baking successes and he smiled and instructed me not to forget to include his baking mistake.  Ah, yes...his baking mistake.  That would be his first attempt at chocolate chip cookies where instead of a teaspoon or two of baking soda he put in a whole can of club soda!!!  Yes, it was a mistake that we rescued by adding more flour.  Were the cookies good?  Yes!  Would anyone have known that there had been a mishap in the kitchen?  Definitely not.  Were they as good as the ones he made earlier this month?  No way!

I am letting my children learn by doing and that includes letting them make mistakes.  They are building life skills that they can use for the rest of their lives and having fun in the process.  The thing parents have to be willing to tolerate in addition to the mistakes is the mess that they can make.  My kids all know that we don't have a maid in the kitchen - but sometimes they forget.  They are all learning to clean up after they are done with their kitchen activities.  What are you teaching your kids about baking?  I'd love to hear. 
Love,
Lisa

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free CHILI ON THE GO-GO

This is a FAST and EASY vegetarian chili recipe that could easily be converted to be a hearty meat chili by throwing in some ground meat, poultry or turkey.  I have used canned beans here for speed, however if you have more time you can soak and cook dried beans.  The great thing about this vegetarian chili is that you can use any vegetables that you like or that you have on hand.  The beans are interchangeable for any beans that you have on hand also!  You can eat this plain in a bowl, or over rice or your favorite gluten-free grain.

CHILI ON THE GO-GO
1 Tablespoon oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 red pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into bite-sized chunks
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce tomato sauce
1 15-ounce diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 Tablespoon chili powder
Dash of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of sugar, stevia or other sweetener
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
Optional: Any other vegetables that you like or want to use up!

Saute the onion slices in the oil over medium high heat until soft and carmelized.  Add the red peppers, carrots and any other vegetables you are using.  Saute for 10 minutes over medium heat.  Add the beans that have been rinsed well and drained, the tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and the spices.  Cook over medium low heat for 20 minutes.  This recipe as listed above will make 6-7 cups.  We liked this so well that when I made it again tonight, I doubled the recipe!  Enjoy and eat in good healtlh!

Love,
Lisa

Traveling Across Country and Then Some

The last six weeks have been full of six different trips to Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Orlando, Los Angeles, Northern New Jersey and Penn State University as I attended three medical conferences, one Partnership Explorations Course weekend, did one Montel Williams Infomercial, and met with 3 Penn State University Interns.  In between the trips, my mother-in-law, Sally, visited from Seattle, Washington which pleased us to no end!  And no, I am not left exhausted or weary!  I am full of life and excited about the future I am creating in helping people understand the impact of food on their health.  The three medical conferences were quite educational and I met wonderful physicians and practitioners committed to health and vitality for consumers to boot.  The Montel Williams Infomercial was fun and interesting.  That gave me ideas and some incentive to follow-through on my Internship Program. 

With the creation of my Internship Program with Penn State University, I will probably invite the interns to write "guest blogs" about their experience, what they are learning, or something of that nature.  These are the most delightful interns, and all I can say is THANK GOD I'm not the one in college!!  I had a blast at Penn State.  I learned an enormous amount, but I would never want to go back and be in college again.  I have compassion for how hard it is to be a student - no matter what college you attend!  The bonus of the Internship Program is it gives me a business reason to be in my hometown!  We stayed with my Mom, and just had a fabulous time in every regard!  Lots of clippings and topics to blog about in the coming days.  This gives you a mini catch up as to where I have been.
Where have you been lately?
Love,
Lisa