(Most of) Our Family Loves SunButter

My husband and I are big fans of SunButter. We think it’s delicious, and I like the fact that it’s got plenty of Vitamin E, iron, protein, and fibre. 

Our nut-allergic son was so excited about eating it when we first bought it that he wanted to eat it in the car. I told him that he had to wait until we got home, and he chanted “I love it, I love it, I love it!” from his car seat in excited anticipation of trying a new treat. Once in the kitchen, I spread a thin layer on his favourite kind of cracker. He ate it, small bite by small bite while whispering “I love it, I love it, I love it” more and more quietly. When he’d eaten the whole thing, I asked him if he wanted some more, and he said, “No… I love it …. I love it.” I said, “You don’t like it, do you? It’s okay if you don’t.” “No, I don’t like it,” he replied. He still mumbled “I love it” under his breath a couple more times as if he was desperately trying to convince himself he did. 

So, he doesn’t like it. I’ve heard the same thing from other parents of peanut-allergic children — many of these children do not like peanut butter substitutes. Maybe it’s a natural defense mechanism. I think SunButter is so much like peanut butter that I would have believed it was if I didn’t have the jar in front of me. So maybe it would be confusing to our son to know that SunButter is safe for him to eat, whereas something that appears to be identical to it could make him very sick.

Nevertheless, we are happy to have SunButter in our house so those who like it can partake while our son remains safe if he comes in contact with it. 

Sunbutter Cookies

If you have not had the chance to try Sunbutter I strongly urge you to try it. It tastes so close to peanutbutter it’s unreal. There is a slight ‘green’ taste (like you might expect when eating sunflower seeds) that gives it a bit of a unique taste but the roasting of the sunflower seeds gives it an uncanny resemblance to peanut butter.

The below recipe is one of  many available on the web and in some cases people will put lemon juice in the mix to keep the cookies from coming out green. This happens due to the clorophyll in the sunflower seeds. When cooked it turns green!  (please note, I have not tried the below recipe yet. If you do let us know how you like it!)

Sunbutter Cookies

This recipe for Sunbutter cookies was adapted from a classic peanut butter cookie recipe. If you have a peanut allergy and haven’t tried Sunbutter yet you’re missing out! The taste and texture is very similar (it even tastes great by the spoonful right out of the jar!) This was my first try baking with it and I think it works very well. I hope you think so, too!

Ingredients:

1/3 c. “safe” margarine

1/2 c. Sunbutter

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer + 2 T. warm water, mixed together

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/4 c. wheat-free all-purpose flour mix

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/4 c. granulated sugar

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2) With an electric mixer, cream together the margarine, Sunbutter and sugars. Mix in the vanilla and egg replacer mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda, baking powder, flour and xanthan gum. Add to the Sunbutter mixture and mix well. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

3) Put sugar in a bowl. Roll chilled dough into balls (about 1″ in diameter) and roll in sugar. Place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using a fork, flatten the balls making a criss-cross pattern. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-9 minutes. Let cool slightly on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

via Sunbutter Cookies From Eating with Food Allergies.

Family Opens Daycare For Children With Allergies

This sounds like a good idea, but to me, having our son in a daycare that is not centered around children with food allergies made him understand that his situation is special and not the norm. The children in the below story are well taken care of, I’m sure, but do you think that this could change the way they see other children?

(NEWS CENTER) — Food allergies affect more than three million children in this country. While it’s a condition that’s very common in kids, protecting them from reactions can often be very isolating.

One family in Bath decided to create their own safe place for their son to learn. At nine months old Charlie Strickland did what a lot of babies do. He grabbed a piece of cheese and put it to his mouth. But for his mother it turned into a scary moment.

“He blew up into hives, his face swelled, his eyes swelled, he got red itchy hives all over his face,” said Linda Strickland.

Charlie, it turned out was allergic to dairy, eggs and peanuts. His mother eliminated anything that contained these items from his diet. As her son got older, the biggest challenge became going to public places.

“If he touches a surface that maybe yogurt was spilt on and not cleaned up, he’ll get hives on his hand. but if he puts his hand in his mouth there is a possibility he could into shock,” said Strickland.

That’s because Charlie suffers from Anaphylaxis. A serious allergic reaction that can result in death. For Charlie even the smallest amount of exposure can be fatal. The toddler wears a pouch containing medication called an ‘Epipen’ which is key to helping him survive a reaction.

The three year old wears gloves when he visits children’s museums, parks or even the library to prevent any exposure to his skin. When the family eats in public, his mom wipes down the surfaces, uses a tablecloth and placemat.

Strickland didn’t believe she could find a pre-school where Charlie would be completely safe, so she started one in the basement of this church. No food is allowed at the pre-school. The children and parents avoid eating foods charlie is allergic to. They also wash and disinfect their hands. Nellie Clifford’s son Evan attends the pre-school.

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Avoiding Milk Protein Blog: Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Act

This came to my attention from Karen’s blog at Avoiding Milk Protein Blog. If you are in the US please read this! This act, even though it is in the US could add leverage to get similar acts passed in other countries.

Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Act

This E-mail reminder came from A Anderson Authour of Flourishing with Food Allergies

If you care about a child with food allergies will you take a few minutes to help The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2009 get passed by Congress this year and to ask for more food allergy research funding?

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Risk-Reducing Policies Would Provide the Extra Bit of Protection Food Allergic Air Travellers Need

I try not to get discouraged about the “food allergy backlash.” I find such opinions — suggesting that people with food allergies, in their self-important desire to assert that they have a “special status,” are exaggerating the dangers posed by their allergies at the expense of the rights of others — sad and disturbing. In the past four years since our son was diagnosed with his nut allergies, I’ve found that most people have been as understanding and helpful to my son, and to me in my efforts to keep him safe from his allergens, as I could have ever hoped them to be.

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Food Allergy Labeling Not Always Accurate

This is quite allarming and why we need to know what companies we can trust. This is also the reason we need to push our governments for stronger labeling laws.

MONDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) — A small number of food products with a “may contain” label actually do contain an allergen, while about 2 percent of foods products without such a claim also contain allergens, new research shows.

 
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What next for the beloved, beleaguered peanut?

I’ll admit it. I love peanuts. Before my son was diagnosed with a nut/peanut allergy I regularly had peanut butter and jam, peanut butter and banana and even peanut butter and sweet pickle (don’t knock it! I used sweet-mixed) sandwiches. When his diagnosis came in 4 years ago I  have not touched one since. I feel bad for the farmers out there that have to weather this storm but on the other hand I know that people out  there with this allergy have to be very careful. March is Peanut month in the US, and like many other foods are celebrated with festivals (Right here in Ontario we have a garlic festival!) and events like what was done in Atlanta. Good for them. I just hope that when someone refused their free bag of nuts there was no animosity. 
People have to protect themselves and I hope the peanut will live on amicably with those who can not eat it.

One Sunday afternoon earlier this month, an unusual scene played out at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton – partisans of a particular product waded into the crowd, distributing tiny sacks of snacks.

By day’s end, they had handed out 64,000 bags of skinless, roasted Georgia peanuts.

It was Peanut Farmer Appreciation Day at the racetrack. And these days, appreciation for the peanut can be hard to come by.

“It’s been upsetting to be classified as a high risk,” says Tim Burch, who farms 500 acres of peanuts in Newton.

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Candy Melts Make Easter Fun

I have been a fan of Vermont Nut Free ever since my son was diagnosed with allergies to peanuts and tree nuts four years ago. Their high-quality chocolates are now a staple in our household for pretty much all the holidays. And, with Easter around the corner, I’m putting together an order for their delicious chocolate bunnies. We’ll also be making some of our own Easter chocolates, which will be equally delicious, thanks to Vermont Nut Free.
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How to Deal with Increasingly Prevalent Food Allergies – QSR Magazine

This is good news and more companies should take advantage of training thier employees this way. This should include all restaurant and any food-related industries, not just the processors.

[2009-03-19]   The Food Allergy Research and Resource Program (FARRP) at the University of Nebraska (UNL) Department of Food Science and Technology has launched a free training Webinar for food processors and handlers entitled, “Food Allergy and Safe Nut Processing.”

 
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Black male children are four times more likely to have food allergies: study

Black male children are at an especially high risk for developing food allergies, according to a new study presented Tuesday in Washington, DC, at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

They’re about four times as likely to be food allergic as the rest of the population, says Dr. Andrew Liu, a co-author of the study, which he says was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
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Food Allergies Limit Where And How Families Vacation

This is an interesting article that I am sure most of us are fimilar with. It is interesting to see the percentages below with regards to what precautions are taken as well as to see what geographical locations are avoided.

Families with food allergic individuals make significant lifestyle alterations when it comes to vacation planning, according to a study presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).

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The Canadian Press: Mixed reaction from parents on peanut allergy advance; many remain dubious

I think that anyone who has peanut allergy, or has someone in the family with peanut allergy would jump on this study. In my own family I thought that YES, finally, a move forward, lets get on it! My wife, on the other hand wanted to know much more. Side effects, how many kids dropped out, reactions versus no reactions… All they tell you in the press releases is the good in these studies and not the bad.  For parents and individuals to feel comfortable the full scope of the study needs to be made available.

I’ll continue to try to locate the results but please exercise caution and ask many questions before jumping into this kind of study. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. The doctors and researchers are using very measured doses and processes to do this study. This could be dangerous if not fatal to attempt this on your own.

CONCORD, N.H. — One mom says she’d be first in line for a promising treatment that exposes children with peanut allergies to tiny amounts of peanut flour. Another remains fearful, with the painful image of her son’s face blown up beyond recognition still fresh in her mind.

While some parents of children with life-threatening peanut allergies see a glimmer of hope in a recent study suggesting a possible cure, others remain dubious that it will ever change their children’s lives.
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Hilton Soy Foods Announces SoyButter – Peanut Butter Alternative

It’s always great to hear of another peanut butter alternative. As a member of a family that has someone with an allergy to peanuts and nuts, and not being allergic myself, I sometimes have a yearning for the old stuff. I never partake mind you, but after finding Sunbutter and now knowing there is this, the options are growing!.

Manufacturers now have a ’same taste’ one to one substitute they can use to replace both peanuts and peanut butter in virtually any kind of product. Never before has there been a product that tastes, smells, and looks just like peanut butter—until now, from Hilton Soy Foods.

There is a twofold crisis now occurring in millions of homes, schools and factories across the country. Due to the growing prevalence of kids with severe allergic reactions to peanuts, schools are now banning our kids from bringing any peanut or peanut butter products to school. In addition, everyone now has tremendous food safety quality concerns and negative perceptions resulting from the recent peanut salmonella problems. Hilton’s innovative peanut butter-like, Omega3 SoyButter can now solve both crises.

After four years of development, Hilton Soy Foods has created a safe and healthy solution for manufacturers who want to help keep kids and schools safe and free of peanut allergies.  In addition, with Hilton’s Omega3 SoyButter and the various granulations of Toasted Soy Ingredients available, manufacturers can now make a variety of innovative products with a p-nutty taste that everyone can feel safe in enjoying.

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List of allergy-aware companies

The folks at http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com  have a fantastic list of companies who are allergy aware.

http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/otherallergies.htm

I encourage everyone to have a look as these companies will ship to either Canada or the USA or both.  Have a look at the website as well as they don’t only deal with milk allergies, but with all others.  LOTS of great information.

Sample:

4everfree	Gluten, Dairy and Nut free baked goods New Zealand
Abby Fundraising	Always nut free fundraising cookie dough
Allerenergy bars	No Peanuts, Gluten ,Eggs and Milk, Dairy, Soy, Tree Nuts, Shellfish, and no Corn
Alpro Soya	Dairy Free alternatives to milk, yougurt and deserts (UK) dairy free gluten free mostly wheat free nut free enviroment
Amanda’s Own	Dairy-free, tree nut-free, peanut-free, egg-free and gluten free Candies and Chocolates
American Chocolate	Turn cholate in to art, print designs onto gourmet chocolates

ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED WALNUTS IN BRIGHTON BEACH GOLDEN CHOCOLATE CANDY

ALLERGY ALERT

UNDECLARED WALNUTS IN BRIGHTON BEACH GOLDEN CHOCOLATE CANDY

OTTAWA, March 16, 2009 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people with allergies to walnuts not to consume the Brighton Beach Golden Chocolate Candy described below. The affected product contains walnuts which are not declared on the label.

The affected product, Brighton Beach Golden Chocolate Candy, product of U.S.A., comes in individually wrapped pieces and does not have UPC or any lot code. This product was sold from bulk from the following retail stores in Ontario:

Aurora Deli, 15408 Yonge Street, Aurora, ON

Center Deli (Quality Deli & Gourmet), 783 Steeles Ave. W., North York, ON

Elena Deli, 12977 Yonge St., Oak Ridges, ON

Knish Deli (Knish N Co & Deli), 1102 Centre St., Thornhill, ON

Tania’s Deli, 2116 Bloor St. W, Toronto, ON

Ukranian Store, 96 King St. W, Dundas, ON

Vatra Cheese & Deli, 1092 Islington Ave., Toronto, ON

There have been no reported illnesses in Canada associated with the consumption of this product.

Consumption of this product may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in persons with allergies to walnuts.

The importer, InterCanada OGS, Aurora, ON is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For the allergy alert including the product label, issued by the U.S. manufacturer, Golden Chocolate International Inc., Brooklyn, NY, please visit the following web site:  http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/goldenchocolate03_09.html

For more information consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on Tree Nuts, one of the nine most common food allergens, visit the Food Allergens web page at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/nutnoie.shtml

For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.

via ALLERGY ALERT – UNDECLARED WALNUTS IN BRIGHTON BEACH GOLDEN CHOCOLATE CANDY.