Living with Food Allergies

It’s always a great thing to get work as a food and lifestyle blogger. Having the opportunity to turn my passion into real experiences with great brands is a blessing. That said, I make a point to only work with brands I believe in.  I’ve declined opportunities with companies that don’t fit with who I am.  I think (and hope) that many of the readers here respect I don’t work with every last company that comes along.

So when Food Allergy Canada approached me to help create and share some special recipes and raise awareness to food allergies, I quickly said “yes!”

You might not know this, but I suffer from food allergies.  Living on the West Coast and being allergic to shellfish should be considered torture, but there are lots of alternatives available.  So I’m hear to say: stop feeling sorry for me or anyone else with food allergies. Yes, it does it make it more difficult to cook or dine out. That said, there are so many other food items out there we can eat that “FOMO” isn’t necessary when it comes to food allergies. Don’t believe me? See below.

Having food allergies doesn’t have to be scary, you just have to be careful on what to eat, what products to buy, how to cook in a safe environment, and how to manage food allergies if you are dining out. Fortunately, you don’t have to figure that out alone.

With support from my friends at Food Allergy Canada, I set out to create 6 delicious recipes that don’t contain a single top allergen.

Here are the most common food allergies:

Eggs

Seafood 

Wheat

Soy

Sulphites

Mustard (yes.. I said mustard)

Tree Nuts

Dairy

Peanuts

Sesame

To be honest, as a chef, cooking without any of the above ingredients didn’t sound easy. What a great challenge – I couldn’t wait to get started.   And what I started out thinking would be nearly impossible,  ended up being very possible and also very delicious.

As important, my eyes were opened to how many products contain the above allergens and how careful you have to be when choosing what to buy when you, or someone you know, has a food allergy.

Joining forces with Alex Tagliani, a Canadian race car driver who suffers from a serious nut allergy and is the spokesperson raising awareness nationwide about food allergies, we shared the delicious recipes below for everyone to  enjoy.

Check out 3 of the recipes already now! These are delicious and free of the top allergens above.  Click the link to download and go to FoodAllergyCanada.ca to learn more about Food Allergies and how to stay safe in the kitchen!

Smoothie Bowl 

Sushi

Chicken Tacos with Mango Salsa and Chickpea Avocado Crema