When I realised that Samuel was allergic to dairy and eggs at one-year-old (where the allergy can be life-threatening), I was at a lost of what to do. What can I feed him? What must I avoid?

With the only advice I had from his paediatrician to be extra careful with the foods I introduce to Samuel, I must now scrutinize every ingredient on the packages in the supermarkets and also ask every food stall owner on the ingredients that they use for their foods before feeding to Samuel. Introducing foods to Samuel has never been an exciting one – it’s either the usual safe oat with soymilk, dairy-free egg-free bread, the usual porridge or stewed meat.

Being allergic to dairy and eggs meant that there were a lot of foods Samuel will have to avoid – from cakes to simple stir-fry tofu or yellow noodles sold in the coffee shops may contain traces of eggs and dairy.

Below is a short list of allergy-free recipes I’ve either tried or stumbled across.

If you are interested to get safe allergy-free recipe books, you can look up the following books that are highly rated on Amazon.

• The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook: How to bake without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree nuts, and Sesame by Cybele Pascal
• Allergy-free desserts: Gluten-free, dairy-free, Egg-free, Soy-free, and Nut-free Delights by Elizabeth Gordon
• The Complete Allergy-Free Comfort Foods Cookbook: Every Recipe Is Free of Gluten, Dairy, Soy, Nuts, and Eggs by Elizabeth Gordon

NOTE: Regardless of the allergy-free recipes you choose to cook, always check the labels and ingredients of all products to make sure they are truly allergen-free.

1. Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting (Makes 12 cupcakes)

Extracted from ‘The Complete Allergy-Free Comfort Foods Cookbook’ by Elizabeth Gordon

This recipe has been a lifesaver for Samuel’s first birthday! Though he could not enjoy the buffet spread at his party, he was able to enjoy his very own birthday cake!

You can get most of the allergen-free ingredients such as brown rice flour, xanthan gum, rice milk and dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening from the Brown Rice Paradise. Other ingredients can be easily obtained from your nearby NTUC fairprice extra or Phoon Huat & Co. Pte Ltd. The photo attached is the actual cupcakes that I’ve baked using this very recipe for Samuel’s first birthday last year! And they taste super yummy too!

Related post: Where to Buy Allergen Free Food For Kids in Singapore

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix (recipe follows)
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rice milk
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• ½ cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon Ener-G egg replacer mixed with
• ¼ cup rice milk
• 1½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 recipe Vanilla Frosting (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with 12 liners.

2. Whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine the rice milk and cider vinegar. Set aside.

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the shortening, sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Sift in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the rice milk, and beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowls as necessary, about 30 seconds.

5. Fill the liners three-fourths full with batter. Smooth the tops with a butter knife or frosting spatula.

6. Bake in the center of the oven for about 22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until golden and a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack and let cool completely before frosting and decorating as you wish.

Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix (makes 6 cups):

Ingredients:

• 4 cups superfine brown rice flour
• 1 1/3 cups potato starch (not potato flour)
• 2/3 cup tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch)

Directions:

1. To measure flour, use a large spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife or straightedge. Do not use the measuring cup itself to scoop your flour when measuring! It will compact the flour and you will wind up with too much for the recipe.

2. Combine all ingredients in a gallon-size zipper-top bag. Shake until well blended. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Vanilla Frosting (Makes enough for 12 cupcakes (or 2 8-inch cakes):

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ cup rice milk (You may only need to add a small portion of rice milk if your mixture looks thick enough as the frosting I made turned out too ‘wet’ after I added the whole ¼ cup into the mixture)
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the shortening and salt on medium speed for about 1 minute.

2. Add the confectioners’ sugar, rice milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. You can either pipe the frosting or spread it with a butter knife or frosting spatula, creating pretty swirls.

2. Orange Cranberry Muffins (Makes 12 muffins)

Extracted from ‘The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook’ by Cybele Pascal

This is another life-saving recipe from my dear friend. Whenever Samuel is hungry at her place, this would be safely offered to him as a snack and he loves it very much!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling (optional)
• 1 tablespoon Ener-G egg replacer mixed with
• ¼ cup rice milk
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 teaspoon orange zest
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 cups Basic gluten-free flour mix
• ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
• 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups of the sugar and the egg replacer, mixing on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the orange juice, orange zest, and canola oil. Mix for about 30 seconds.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

6. Turn off the mixer and fold in the cranberries.

7. Fill the liners to the rim with batter. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the remaining 2 teaspoons of sugar.

8. Bake in the center of the oven 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Bake until lovely golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. You may need to gently run a butter knife under the edges of the muffin tops to loosen them slightly.

3. Spring Risotto

Extracted from ‘The Complete Allergy-Free Comfort Foods Cookbook‘ by Elizabeth Gordon

Although this recipe is loaded with green spring vegetables, you can also re-create the dish with additions of any other vegetables or ingredients, which are safe for you or your child. You can use this recipe as a basic starting point and then add whatever vegetables you have in your refrigerator, sautéed. Or, omit all the vegetables and just add a handful of herbs and a little lemon zest. If you are not vegetarian, you could also make this recipe with some leeks and a handful of crisp bacon sprinkled on top. With one recipe and a little imagination, you can easily make a month’s worth of simple dinners.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups vegetables stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 very small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white cooking wine
• 3/4 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess moisture
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 tablespoon soy-and dairy-free margarine

Directions:

1. In a large skillet brown the turkey over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you cook it. When the turkey is crumbled and cooked through, drain off the excess fat and remove it to a platter. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions and cook until they are soft and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add the arborio rice and stir to coat it with the olive oil. Let the rice cook in the hot oil for about 30 seconds to open the grains. Pour in the wine, stir the rice, and let it cook for another 30 seconds to cook off the alcohol. Turn the heat down the medium.

4. Add 2 cups of the warmed stock and stir the rice until the stock is completely absorbed. Add the remaining stock a half cup at a time, stirring after each addition until all of the stock is absorbed and the rice is soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in the marjoram, salt, vegetables, and margarine and serve. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

4. Weeknight Turkey Chilli (makes 8-1 cup servings)

Extracted from ‘The Complete Allergy-Free Comfort Foods Cookbook’ by Elizabeth Gordon

Elizabeth Gordon provides an allergy-free chilli recipe that is filled with lots of healthy vegetables, protein, and high-fiber beans. You can also use the leftovers to make nachos or another dinner later in the week!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onions (about ¾ large)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup diced zucchini (about 1 small)
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper (about 1 small), seeds and ribs removed
• 2 ½ teaspoons of sale
• 2 tablespoons chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-ounced can black beans, rinsed and drained
• White rice for serving
• 1 avocado, seeded and cubed (optional)
• 1 bunch scallions, dark green parts only, chopped (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet brown the turkey over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you cook it. When the turkey is crumbled and cooked through, drain off the excess fat and remove it to a platter. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm; set aside.

2. Wipe out the inside of the skillet and add the olive oil. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until they soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and diced peppers and sauté until they are soft, about 8 minutes.

3. Stir in the salt, chilli powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, basil, and sugar. Add the diced tomatoes and beans; bring the chilli just to a simmer. Fold in the turkey and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until the turkey is heated through.

4. Remove the chilli from the heat and serve on top of the rice. Garnish with avocado, scallions, or the toppings of your choice. Leftovers may be stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or completely cooled chilli may be frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

5. Turkey Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms (Makes 24)

Egg-free, corn-free and gluten-free

Recipes adapted from Terry Traub’s Food to Some, Poison to Others, a cookbook featuring 175 allergen-free recipes.

Ingredients:

• 24 crimini or button mushrooms, stems removed
• 2 links mild Italian turkey sausage (organic preferred), skin removed, meat broken up
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup crushed rice thins
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2/3 cup shredded Gouda cheese (If your child is allergic to dairy products like mine, you can choose to opt the cheese out of the recipe)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place mushrooms in greased 9×13-inch baking dish.

2. In a medium-sized skillet over high heat, brown sausage. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.

3. Place oil in skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic in skillet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add rice thins, parsley, and 1/3 cup cheese. Mix in sausage until all ingredients are well-combined.

4. Stuff mushrooms with mixture and top with remaining cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off oven and remove foil, leaving mushrooms in the oven for 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.

By Yvonne Chee.

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