Blog Resurrection

It looks like after a 3 year gap I am resurrecting this blog.  Our allergy situation at home is unchanged.  The not so Small-n-Grubby is still following a restricted food diet.  We have introduced most of the foods from his original urticaria exclusion diet.  He hasn't had an allergic reaction for 8 years, so unless he has grown out of it, we are doing something right!  He now avoids nuts in any form (including products that may contain traces), sesame, preservatives (benzoates, sulphites, nitries), artificial colours and any other additives we aren't sure about.  I think he will stay on this diet for some time now.  He isn't keen to be tested for allergens and I can't see myself purposefully feeding him sulphur dioxide to see what happens, he just doesn't need to eat that stuff!

His hero product is currently Bakin' Boys Flapjack.

One of the few snack products he can buy off the shelf.

For me it's no wheat, rye, barley or oats.  I am shying away from saying gluten free as it's no longer the best description for me (see previous post).

With Small-n-Grubby being vegetarian by choice and Branston Pickle being a picky eater, not to mention having a typical teenage daughter, I am often found in the kitchen cooking at least 3 different evening meals.  I have found a few recipes where one meal suits all and I will be sharing them here among my rants and raves about all things food related.

** Kate **

Gluten Free Oats - a rant!

Gluten free oats used to be a mysterious and rare substance.  After all oats are gluten free, right?  Well yes they are, but they become contaminated in the milling process (by wheat or rye for example.)  In the last 18 months or so I have seen them become much more readily available and lots of gluten free products now contain them.

This matters not a jot if, like me, you can't eat oats, whether they are gluten free or gold plated they are still oats.  Oats naturally contain a substance called avenin, which for some people will have a similar affect on their digestive system as gluten.  I can vouch for this as I sit here this evening with stomach cramps awaiting other digestive misery!

I've been seriously avoiding gluten for about 12 years.  I tried gluten free oats but they weren't an option for me.  Regrettably, I think I am in the minority as even a mini survey of gluten free friends on twitter hasn't turned up an oat free pal.

Whilst the options for delicious, gluten free convenience foods widen my options are shrinking.  Tesco Free From cookies, that I used to love, now have an improved recipe.
   

They've added gluten free oat flour!

Today I bought and ate a 9bar, as I've done many times before.  Love 9bar, gluten free snacks and here was a new 'breakfast' one in a box at the till that I hadn't tried before.  Labelled gluten free, has the crossed grain symbol.

Quick scan of the allergens in bold, no problems there.

My own fault, I suppose, I should have stood in the store, at the till, with the queue behind me and read every single ingredient as I realise I now must do with every gluten free product I buy in future.  

There is a possibility that the minuscule writing under the crossed grain symbol is the incorrect licence and I will be looking into this further, checking other similar products.  But, in the meantime, I may need to buy a magnifying glass to take shopping with me!

~ Kate ~ 

Benzoic Acid Free Diet

I have had an enquiry about a list for a benzoic acid free diet. This is a copy of the diet sheet we originally had from the hospital. Please remember this was over 3 years ago now. Hope it's readable.

I have added the words pineapple, mango and pears myself as these were specific quirks of my son's diet.

** Kate **

About time too

Food list update :

• Organic cheddar
• Home made olive oil bread
• Runner beans
• Broad beans
• Nectarine
• Cocoa powder
• Peas
• Pineapple
• Kiwi
• Plums
• Satsuma
• Clementines

He really seems to be thriving so we have decided to stick with the 'pure foods' diet at least until the holiday season is over, if not longer. Not sure what other choice we have, choose a product with Sodium Benzoate in it, feed it to him and see if it makes him ill??

** Kate **

New Foods Added

Small-N-Grubby had a huge temperature in the night. Kept looking for spots to appear and arguing about what he had been fed! He is much better this morning and no spots, so far so good. Here's the list of items we have added to his diet since I last updated.

• orange juice
• fresh tomatoes
• apple
• raisins (without any glazing)
• grapes
• green beans
• raspberries

Its going really well but I don't know what to move forward with next. We haven't added anything for a few days, its all been so hectic with end of term things. He asked for pancakes today, but I can make them using things he already eats. Hopefully, lots more fresh fruits will be coming into season soon and we can crack on.

** Kate **

1 Month Hospital Check

Just a quick note to confirm all was well and there had been no need to worry. Test levels were normal and we are on the emergency only list. Which means no more appointments with very long waits (see the rant on my Craft Life blog).

Just continuing with the diet, heading up to hospital if there is a major problem or for allergy testing if any foods give a slight response.

Feels like that should be it now, but reintroducing foods is going to take forever!

** Kate **

Latest Diet Details

Since my last update Small-N-Grubby has eaten :

• strawberries
• pasta
• lemon juice (in a recipe I didn't just force feed him with it!!!)
• cheese (a variety where the only additional ingredient was vegetarian rennet)

He's already chosen orange juice for tomorrow and the frozen orange pops have gone into the freezer tonight.

Haven't really had to experiment with any recipes lately as he is choosing his new foods and they are all very instant. I'll be incorporating the citrus into my baking once he has tried it over the next couple of days.

Off to the hospital on Wednesday (one month since our first visit). A little worried as we should get back the test results for all the real nasties. Fingers crossed though as the chances are very rare and I think he is just too well in himself.

** Kate **

Urticaria Diet Update

We have re-introduced

• Plain white wheat flour
• Banana
• Cherries (not sure if they were banned anyway)
• Cucumber

He's also had no ill effects from his inoculations.

Today he has asked to try strawberries, his dad's going to bring some home for him after work. Fingers crossed as they are one of the known allergens for this sort of rash.

I've run out of homemade sweets so this will be a good opportunity to photograph them in the making for the blog. Cue disastrous mounds of molten sugar and burnt fingers.

One interesting thing that we have noticed is that Small-n-Grubby is MUCH more bouncy and lively on this diet. Not sure if its all the sugar in the homemade stuff or the effect of removing processed foods from his diet. Will be asking the doc about this at the next check up. He's certainly more of a handful than ever!!!!

** Kate **

Sorry I can't eat ........

How many times have you had to say this in restaurants, at friends houses or even to your own family who know you don't eat (insert allergen here) but have temporarily forgotten!

Me, I can't eat wheat, it plays havoc with my digestion. Yet people still say things like "OK no wheat, is pasta alright then?" There are lots of special wheat-free products on the market now but the list of ingredients concern me. I don't want a load of chemicals bonded together to form an imitation custard cream. I just want a nice tasting sweet biscuit that I can dunk in my decaf if I fancy.

Things have really come to a head now that my son has been diagnosed with urticaria (a rash like hives that lasts for days and leaves him looking like boiled water has been spilt on him!).

We don't yet know the cause. My sister has been allergic to eggs since birth but mum says she was 7 when they finally figured out what it was. So with patience and love we are embarking on a, possibly lifelong, journey.

This blog is to share that journey as well as all the info and recipes I gather along the way.

The urticaria diet is salicylate, tartrazine, azo dye and benzoic acid free. This basically means cooking everything from scratch using fresh ingredients (to avoid additives and preservatives) whilst observing a list of 'banned' foods. The banned foods include peas, tomatoes, cucumber, nuts and most fruits. Although pear and melon seem to be allowed.

He has been on the special diet for over 2 weeks so now we can begin to reintroduce new foods one at a time to see if there is any reaction. We started with plain white flour as this meant I could bake a plain sponge to celebrate his 4th birthday. It does feel a bit like he's a little time bomb but as we have always been convinced it was a contact rash I guess we have nothing to lose.

** Kate **