Friday 7 September 2012

Dairy Free Dilemma

It's been just over 3 years now since Toots was diagnosed as being dairy intolerant.  Some days I feel like I've got a handle on it.  Others I'm convinced I haven't!

She was originally diagnosed after endless visits to the health visitor by me trying to find a reason for her, lets say, extremely regular poo cycle!  'Toddler diarrhoea' was always the response.  But as she was almost 3.5 and it had never changed, I began to suspect that couldn't be the case - particularly as she was often having accidents despite being potty trained from age 2.

Anyway, around the same time, my mum dramatically lost 2 stone.  We all thought the worst (except my mum, funnily enough) until, after about six months of testing, they discovered she was coeliac (or celiac if you're in the US).  The minute that word was mentioned within earshot of a health professional, Toots was rushed in to the Sick Kids for a battery of tests to rule it out.

The blood test (which was awful - screaming, almost passing out, turning three shades of grey - and that was just me!) revealed possible dairy, egg and peanut allergies.  After the allergy tests - a much calmer 'spot on the skin' testing experience - we discovered that she was intolerant and not allergic (phew!) to all three.  I remain totally unconvinced about peanuts (she'd eaten most of the entire bag she was to feed to the squirrels at the Botanics two days before being tested and was neither up nor down - however...).

As soon as milk was excluded from her diet there was a dramatic improvement.  But that said, we often have days when she'll have an upset stomach and we can't figure out why.  We have managed to re-introduce eggs but, given that she's 6, it's not looking like she is going to grow out of her dairy intolerance (apparently).

Fortunately, I love cooking, so have taken to experimenting with a few family favourites with mixed success.  Macaroni Cheese made with soya milk and Sheese just isn't any comparison to the real thing for the rest of us (although Toots loves it!).  Similarly, I haven't managed to make a fish pie that we're all happy with.  Toots has forgotten what dairy tastes like - we have not!

However, I have come up with lots of recipes that do work, mainly of the cake variety (as a big complaint of hers is a lack of 'treats' for dairy free kids!) and I'll be sharing some of them on here. And, of course, if you've any that you'd like to share back, I'd love to hear them!

Monday 3 September 2012

Hello Meal Planning Monday!

I have been very remiss in doing much in the way of blogging recently and have and endless stream if excuses (work, school run, camping trips, and on and on and on) but the one thing I have managed to do is Mrs M's Meal Planning Monday linky - mainly because I meal plan every week in an attempt to save cash (thrifty and all that) so here's this week's meal plan:

Monday
Breaded Haddock, Mushy Peas and Chips - bit of a Friday meal on a Monday but I just fancied it ( because that's the way I roll - hah!)

Tuesday
Veggie Spaghetti Bolognese - made with Quorn mince, garlic, tinned tomatoes, grated courgette and carrot (disguised from the cherubs) bit of oregano all bubbled up together until thickened and served with whole meal spaghetti. Yum!

Wednesday
Tuna Nicoise - new potatoes, boiled eggs, tinned tuna, green beans and salad leaves with olive oil and balsamic. Easy peasy (especially on hockey, Rainbows, Cubs night!)

Thursday
Chorizo, pepper and chickpea salad - we LOVE chorizo in our house (you may have noticed) so here it is yet again, sliced, griddles and served up with chickpeas, roast pepper (from a jar) and salad leaves drizzled in lemon juice and olive oil. Just as well my kids eat salad!

Friday
Oriental Trout and Broccoli Traybake - straight from Good Food but with trout instead of salmon as CB hates salmon. Trout fillets, broccoli florets, spring onions, olive oil and soya sauce - bang it in the oven for 20 mins and Bob's your uncle! (Actually I don't have an uncle Bob so have never really 'got' that expression but hey ho, you catch my drift?)

Saturday
Roast chicken - I love roast chicken. Nuff said. I shall be serving this with some of my apple, rhubarb and raspberry crumble (or whatever fruit we have) which I tart up a bit with the inclusion of mixed nuts and Demerara sugar in the topping mix (which I usually buy from Tesco as it's dairy free and makes life easy!)