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Feeding a Gluten Free & Dairy Free Baby

8/28/2014

If you have a food allergy, chances are your kids might already have or will develop one too.

Dang genetics.

So, what can be done you ask...?
One of the best things you can do as a parent is to actually keep them off of those highly allergenic foods for the first 3 years of their life. This gives them a better start and a better chance at overcoming food allergies in the future. It's not a guarantee, but it's something significant that YOU can do.

With that said, and my OWN history of food allergies, I keep my little ones off wheat (gluten) and dairy for as long as possible. My method of madness is really quite simple though it might seem overwhelming for some of you. Hence this next post.

Just like we do with our every day meals, we like to make our baby food from scratch. It's the best way to know exactly what our baby is eating. It's also cheaper!

Making your own baby food might be overwhelming to say the least. There's a whole lot of combinations that you can do. Just take a glance down the baby food aisle and you'll see my point. When you're making your own, it's good to keep this in mind: Keep it SIMPLE. Trust me. Often times we think something like "oh my baby will think this is so plain..." Keep in mind your little one has been drinking the same thing every day for every meal for the past 9+ months... So I keep my combinations to 1-2 foods usually. (See a list below for info.)

For example, I'll cook up a batch of organic green beans and puree it with the water I cooked them in. (I puree for beginner eaters and puree it with chunks for later on.) Then I freeze the puree in individual ice cube trays. Once frozen, I place those in freezer bags labeled "organic green beans." I do this with other organic fruits, vegetables, beans, and even meats. (I do tend to mix my meat with rice, quinoa or lentils fyi. Babies don't need that large of proportions of meat and it keeps down the cost.)

Then, when it's time to feed my baby, I usually pull out from my freezer something like 1 meat, 2 veggies, and 1 fruit ice cube and thaw them up for a well-balanced meal. For example, for lunch my baby might have sweet potatoes, green beans, applesauce, and ground turkey with rice. Then for dinner I'll pull out carrots, black beans, pears, and beef with quinoa.

Keeping the foods separate allows me to eliminate a food quickly if I notice a harmful effect on my baby's body (ie a rash, constipation, or diarrhea). It also allows me to make all sorts of combinations throughout the day without doubling up too much on one food item.

As your baby gets older and opportunities arrive, you may even be able to simply grind up what you had for dinner.

If we are traveling I typically resort to the organic baby food pouches for sake of time and lack of resources like a kitchen and freezer. ;)

No matter how you go about it, try to keep it simple. Stick to gluten free whole foods with an assortment of healthy organic fruits, vegetables, meats, legumes, and grains. Don't forget to incorporate fresh foods into your baby's meals as well (especially those foods that don't freeze as well such as avocados, bananas, etc.)

Observe your baby's bowel movements and skin. If he/she starts a rash, begin to eliminate foods until you discover the cause. Also pay close attention if your child develops diarrhea or constipation. They both can be a sign of an allergy or inability to digest something. (Constipation can also be caused by not enough liquids in the diet so assess accordingly.) Also, as you transition into chunkier foods- watch your baby's stool to make sure it is getting digested. If not, go back to pureeing until your baby's system can handle digestion better.

Good luck! You can do it.

**Remember, always consult with your pediatrician regarding introducing solid foods to your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.

What I have in my freezer currently (all pureed or mashed):

Meat

Veggies

Fruit

Other

chicken & rice
beef & quinoa
turkey & rice

potatoes & spinach
brocoli
carrots
peas & corn
beets
green beans
sweet potatoes

peaches & quinoa
quinoa, blueberry & apples
butternut squash & peaches
pears

great northern beans
lentils
black beans
brown rice
white rice

Just a side note:
Why most babies spit up...

Did you know my nursing babies don't usually ever spit up? Crazy huh. But it's not just luck. I know that if they do spit up, it's because I've eaten something their tummy doesn't agree with. With both of my kids so far, anytime I consumed anything WITH dairy, I was sure to have a spit-up mishap. (With my first child, it was more like a evacuation of everything she just ate!)

What's surprising is how many nursing mothers don't correlate what THEY are eating with their baby's reactions. (But I guess I'm not too surprised because technically most of America is like that.) We (as a nation) tend to forget that WHAT we put into our body actually affects it. I'm talking about all sorts of health problems- diabetes, cancer, heart attacks. It can all be linked back to WHAT we eat. Yes, exercise and "lifestyle" can definitely play a role too but the main culprit is FOOD.

So the next time your baby spits up and you're a nursing mom, try to look for a pattern of what you've been eating to have caused it. The biggest culprit is usually dairy. (PS- I suggested that to a mom once and she said she "tried going off dairy but it didn't work." Come to find she went off a lot of dairy items but not ALL dairy. She was still eating yogurt which she explain had probiotics so it helped the baby digest it... Hopefully you see the error there... So if you're going to truly eliminate an allergen from your diet, give it 100%. Be sure to read labels and avoid it COMPLETELY. If your baby was spitting up from dairy, you WILL see a difference.

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Thick Gluten Free Pizza Crust

8/19/2014

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I have to be honest, when I go out to a gluten free pizza place and they serve me my pizza on a gluten free flat crust- I'm less than impressed. Don't get me wrong, I like flat crusts but if you really want to wow me- serve me a thick gluten free crust!

This recipe came about by accident and luck! We were out of town and all I had was one of my soft dinner roll dry mixes. We were craving pizza though so I made some adaptions and walla: Thick Gluten Free Pizza Crust. This crust is similar to a deep-dish style pizza. It bakes up crispy on the outside and soft and like a dinner roll on the inside.

This dough would make great breadsticks as well. Enjoy!

Thick Gluten Free Pizza Crust

(PS- Shown is our no cheese version)

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Created by jalene but inspired from my soft dinner roll recipe

Makes 2 (13 inch pizzas)
Ingredients:

2 Tbsp yeast
2 Tbsp + tsp sugar (I use evaporated cane juice sugar)
2 cups warm water (about 100 F)
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup sweet white rice flour (I grind my own from calrose rice) (see note below)
1 cup brown rice flour
¾ cup potato starch (not flour)
½ cup tapioca starch
3 tsp xanthan gum
1 & ½ tsp salt
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Tear off 2 square sheets (15x15 inch) of parchment paper. Set aside.
In a 4 cup measuring cup add the yeast, sugar, and warm water. Mix until combined. Add the olive oil on top. Cover and allow to double in size.
Meanwhile, combine all of your dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl: sweet white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, salt, and baking powder.
Once the yeast is ready, add it to the flours along with the eggs and apple cider vinegar. Mix on low for 30 seconds then on medium speed for 2 & 1/2 minutes.
Spread the dough out with a spatula onto the prepared parchment paper about 13 inches big. Leave a raised edge. (See picture.)
Bake for 5-7 minutes then top with desired ingredients and return to oven until pizza crust is golden brown.

Spread out 1/2 of the dough with a spatula leaving the edge slightly raised compared to the middle.

Into making your own dry mixes?

The dry ingredients in this mix can be used to make soft dinner rolls as well!

Simply follow the recipe on this link: Gluten Free Soft Dinner Rolls

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Gluten Free Hot Dog Rolls and Grateful to be a Mom...

8/12/2014

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Can I just tell you something that has been really bugging me lately...? About a week ago on Facebook an acquaintance wrote something like the following post: “I love my kids, but I hate being a mom.” That post has seriously bothered me all week!

I think what made it worse is someone commented under her post and said something along the lines of “You should feel blessed! What about all the women that can't have children?” where this poster replied, “Ya, they're called Aunts.” Wow. Completely heartless. I don't care if she was trying to be funny. It wasn't.

I've taught elementary school for 7 years, I'm an aunt, and a sister but you know what...there is NOTHING like being a mom.

When my husband and I got married we choose not to do any sort of birth control. Kids could come as they would. As time went on, and I didn't get pregnant, I started to get a little worried. Let me tell you, the threat of not being able to have kids makes you even more grateful when they finally do come. (Ironically, going off wheat helped my body be able to get pregnant but that's a different story for another time.)

So, I've thought a lot about this facebooker's statement: “hate being a mom” all week and it's done something to me (besides ticking me off). It's made me so sincerely GRATEFUL that I AM A MOM. AND it's actually helped me see things in a different light. And maybe I share this story with you in hopes that it might help you be a little more grateful too.

Is being a mom hard? Yes, totally. It's a job that you can't clock out of. There's times where you wish you could have slept in a little more or you wish someone else would make dinner or do the laundry etc. There's times that you get angry when your kids won't listen to you or frustrated when they leave their toys out... And don't even get me started on delivering a baby.

Aside from all the negative you could ever brainstorm, the reality is nothing beats being a mom. Nothing beats a giant smile from your 1 year old or a “anaconda squeeze” from your 3 year old. Nothing beats the sound of your child saying the word “Mom.”

And all the little things I used to get so annoyed with before this week have turned into something to smile about. Because you know what, my kids won't be kids forever. These times are treasured memories in the making. Being a mom is one of my greatest blessings in life besides being married to my husband. It is truly a gift from God.

So to this mom's post- I say to her I hope you were just having a bad day and realize what a treasure you really do possess (and that you'll think before posting and trying to get a simple laugh or comment on facebook.) ;) Be thankful. Be grateful. God has blessed you with so much.

And remember this: "Perhaps the most significant of all classrooms is the classroom of the home. It is in the home that we form our attitudes, our deep held beliefs. It is in the home that hope is fostered or destroyed. Our homes are the laboratories of our lives. What we do there determines the course of our lives when we leave home." Your kids are learning from you even when you're not teaching them. So, let's try our best not to screw that up. ;)

Whew. Thank you, for letting me vent a little. I feel better. With that said, here's a great recipe for your little ones. (Psst- Are hot dogs the healthiest? No, so we don't eat them very often but when we do, this is a fun recipe my daughter LOVES. And that's the power I have as a mom- I can help brighten her day.)

If you haven't tried my Gluten Free Quick Rolls you really should! They are fast, easy, and taste super good just fresh out of the oven. They're very versatile as well. I make hamburger buns, a loaf in the bread machine, and hot dog buns. One of my readers even uses them for bread-sticks too!

Making hot dog buns is a little more tedious than making rolls because I don't have a scooper that makes that perfect hot dog shape. So, I usually have to wet my fingers and shape it out. Rolls on the other hand are quick and easy with an ice cream scooper! Scoop and wha-bam. Done. So, I wanted to create a fun little meal for my daughter that was as tasty as a hot dog but quicker for me to assemble. The result is this next recipe:

Gluten Free Hot Dog Rolls

(Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Created by jalene

Yields about 20 rolls (1/4 cup size)
Ingredients:

3 to 5 nitrate free hot dogs
2 Tbsp yeast
1 & 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)
6 Tbsp grapeseed oil *see note
1/4 cup sugar (I use evaporated cane juice sugar)
2 cups brown rice flour
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp potato starch
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
1 & 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp sea salt
2 large eggs
extra grapeseed oil for top of rolls
(optional: sesame seeds for the tops)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Whisk together the yeast and warm water. Add in the grapeseed oil and sugar. Cover with a towel and allow to double in size while you measure out your dry ingredients.
In a mixer combine the brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, xanthan, and salt. When the yeast mixture is ready, add it and the eggs to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds then turn up the speed to medium and continue mixing for 2 & 1/2 more minutes. Allow the dough to sit in the bowl for 5 minutes.
While the dough is sitting cut the hot dogs into 1/2 inch circular segments.
(This next step can be easily done with a ice cream scooper but if you don't have one- a 1/4 measuring cup will do fine.) Place 3 to 5 little hot dog rounds into your scooper and then fill up the rest with dough. Place onto your prepared pan about 1-2 inches apart. (Ps- You don't have to make all the rolls with hot dogs in them but just know the cooking time for them will be shorter if you don't.)
Bake at least 10-15 minutes or until rolls are golden brown on top.

Serve warm. Goes great with ketchup and mustard.

Note from jalene: Grapeseed Oil has a higher cooking temperature than Olive Oil so it is highly recommended for this recipe. It also has a very minimal flavor so it will not affect the taste of your rolls. It is healthier than Canola Oil or other alternatives so we highly recommend only using Grapeseed Oil for this recipe.

If you like this recipe you may like my Gluten Free Corndog Muffins too!
Here is the recipe for my Gluten Free Quick Rolls.

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Gluten Free Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

8/5/2014

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Sometimes I'm craving a good ol' baked good that I can just sink my sweet-tooth teeth into... Let's just say this next recipe hit the spot! I even managed to make it dairy free as well. NBD. (PS, that means "No. Big. Deal." for those not familiar with the abbreviated lingo...) ;)

For those of you that CAN handle the milk from the cow- regular cream cheese will work just fine too.

So enjoy! But...not too much. Because seriously, something this good could not be good for you! And if you follow my blog because I post healthy gluten free options, please ignore this post. Ha ha. Sorry.

Gluten Free Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

(Gluten Free, Can be Dairy Free)
Created by jalene

Cheesecake Ingredients:

8 oz Cream Cheese (for dairy free use "Toffuti's Better Than Cream Cheese"
1/3 cup sugar (I used evaporated cane juice sugar)
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
1 large egg

Brownie Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1 cup sugar (I used evaporated cane juice sugar)
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted (You can use melted earth balance or coconut oil to make it dairy free)
1/4 cup cocoa powder + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp xanthan gum

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8 by 8 pan with coconut oil or non-hydrogenated shortening or line with parchment paper.
For the cheesecake filling: In a mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese for about a minute until smooth and creamy. Beat in the 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until very smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Set cheesecake mixture aside.
For the brownies: In a small bowl add all of the dry brownie ingredients: the cocoa powder, brown rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum and combine well. Set aside.
In another bowl, beat the 2 eggs briefly, then add the sugar, butter, and vanilla. Stir until combined well.

5. Then stir the brownie dry ingredients into the wet brownie ingredients. Spoon 1/2 the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Pour the entire Cheesecake mixture evenly over the 1/2 brownie layer. Drop the remaining 1/2 of the brownie mixture over the cheesecake layer in large dollops.
6. Using a knife cut through the 2 batters to create a swirled effect. (See attached picture- my 3 year old helped me with that one!)
Bake about 35 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean and the top should be set.

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Feeding a Gluten Free & Dairy Free Baby

What I have in my freezer currently (all pureed or mashed):

Meat

Veggies

Fruit

Other

Just a side note:
Why most babies spit up...

Thick Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Thick Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Into making your own dry mixes?

Gluten Free Hot Dog Rolls and Grateful to be a Mom...

Gluten Free Hot Dog Rolls

If you like this recipe you may like my Gluten Free Corndog Muffins too!
Here is the recipe for my Gluten Free Quick Rolls.

Gluten Free Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

Gluten Free Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

jalene

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What I have in my freezer currently (all pureed or mashed):

Meat

Veggies

Fruit

Other

Just a side note:Why most babies spit up...

Thick Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Into making your own dry mixes?

Gluten Free Hot Dog Rolls

If you like this recipe you may like my Gluten Free Corndog Muffins too!Here is the recipe for my Gluten Free Quick Rolls.

Gluten Free Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

jalene

Wanna know when we post new recipes? ​

Recipe Categories:

Search our Website:

Archives

& MORE

Just a side note:
Why most babies spit up...

If you like this recipe you may like my Gluten Free Corndog Muffins too!
Here is the recipe for my Gluten Free Quick Rolls.

Wanna know when we post new recipes?