Kids With Food Allergies Community

We came across this wonderful organization quite a while ago and wanted to share it with all of you. 

KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES FOUNDATION

They “keep children with food allergies safe and healthy by educating their families.”

Don’t forget to participate in their Food Allergy Forums: 

POFAK Main Forum

Anaphylaxis Support

Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers

School Age Kids, 'Tweens, Teens

Breastfeeding with Food Allergies

Formula and Special Medical Foods

Living with No Foods or Few Foods

Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders

Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis

Asthma, Eczema, Reflux

Food & Cooking Support

Celebrations & Birthdays

Safe Eats Recipes Comments

News and Research

Guess what? Today just happens to be this organization's 8th birthday and here's a the link to see their yummy looking allergy-free chocolate layer cake recipe that was just posted.

http://community.kidswithfoodallergies.org/displaycontent/content/allergy-friendly-chocolate-layer-cake-recipe

Allergy-Free Caramel Popcorn

This recipe is free of common food allergens and contains no dairy, soy, nuts, or peanuts. It is simple to make if you have a candy thermometer.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 6 1-cup servings

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of popcorn (popped)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Pour popcorn into a large mixing bowl.

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring to mix.

When the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring. Gently wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals that have formed.

Continue to boil until mixture reaches 320 degrees, the caramel stage. Use an instant-read candy thermometer.

Remove from heat and pour over popcorn, stirring with a large spoon. Allow to cool slightly, then dump out popcorn onto waxed paper to continue cooling.

To make popcorn balls: Work quickly before popcorn has cooled. Use greased hands (ouch) or a mold to shape popcorn into balls. Press popcorn together tightly, and set on waxed paper to cool.

From Jeanette Bradley, former About.com Guide

You can purchase any of our designs (above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com

Gay/Lesbian Sensitive Messages on your clothing just for YOU!!

Got 2 Moms? We got the T-shirts, Sweatshirts, onsies, etc… with the best messages:

http://www.sensitivitees.com/designs/category/Two%20Moms

Also good for 2 Dads!

http://www.sensitivitees.com/designs/category/Two%20Dads

Gay/Lesbian Marriage!

http://www.sensitivitees.com/designs/category/Gay%20Lesbian%20Marriage

You can purchase any of our designs (above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com

Specialty T-Shirts with Sensitive messages; Gluten-Free, Food Allergies, Gay Marriages, Adoption, Breast Cancer Awarenes

With SensitiviTees™ you can make sure that other people are sensitive to your child’s needs—with a little bit of lighthearted fun mixed in! 

SensitiviTees™ is a unique line of clothing for babies, toddlers, children, and adults that convey something special about the wearer that can be very helpful for others to know about. 

Through whimsical artwork and colorful “be sensitive” messages, the SensitiviTees™ apparel line broadcasts your message and helps others be more understanding about potentially sensitive situations—from food allergies to new adoptions to same-sex relationships. 

A look at our website, www.SensitiviTees.com, will show you why SensitiviTees™ is “the sharing caring clothing company.”

SensitiviTees™ grew out of our experiences dealing with our son’s food allergies, and our concerns about how to deal with this issue as he entered school; we were very nervous about a teacher or teacher’s aide not remembering about our son’s allergies since even our own family members forget! We understand from our own first-hand experience how hard it can be sometimes for parents to get the word out about a particular issue and hope that everyone around your children understands as well. As moms who care deeply about helping other people become more sensitive to our son’s allergies, we wanted to do everything possible to help him. Out of this concern came our solution and in July 2010, the SensitiviTees™ line of graphic apparel was born.

After developing our line of allergy-related sensitivity messages, we soon realized that the "be sensitive" message was applicable to other areas of life, such as adoption and same-sex parenting, so we added those designs to our SensitiviTees™ brand. In 2012 we added gluten-free to our line. Feel free to contact us at sensitivitees@gmail.com with your suggestion for other messages for our graphic shirts, dresses, and infant clothing and accessories.

You can purchase any of our designs (above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com 

RECIPE for Dairy-Free Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Please let us know how you feel about this terrific recipe...we simply love it! Contact us via email: sensitivitees@gmail.com

Ingredients
3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water
3 cups all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1-1/4 cups organic granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons lemon zest (from the 3 lemons you use for the juice below)2 tablespoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can coconut milk
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
3/4 cup canola oil or melted dairy-free margarine, such as Earth Balance
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Lightly oil 12 to 16 muffin cups.
In a blender or food processor or in a bowl using an electric hand mixer, whip the flaxseed and water together, until you have a thick and creamy consistency. The result should be rather gooey. This can all be done by hand, but a food processor/hand mixer does a better job in about 1 minute.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, poppy seeds, and salt.

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, then add the flax eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice, oil, and vanilla extract, and stir mix until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups (about 2 tablespoons each). If you’ve already oiled all of the cups of the muffin tin but don’t fill all of the cups with batter, add a small amount of water to each cup that doesn’t contain batter. Baking an empty, greased cup makes for hard cleanup!

Bake the muffins for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

(Recipe by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, from The 30 Day Vegan Challenge)

You can purchase any of our designs (above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com

Who is SensitiviTees?

SensitiviTees grew out of our experiences dealing with our son’s food allergies, and our concerns about how to deal with this issue as he entered school. When he started school we were very nervous about a teacher or teacher’s aide not remembering about our son’s allergies—after all, even our own family members forget! As moms we certainly care about our own son’s welfare; and we understand from our own first-hand experience how hard it can be sometimes for parents to get the word out and hope that everyone around your children understands as well. 

We decided there must be a solution to this dilemma—we knew we were not alone in this! Many concerned parents face this problem every day. We put our heads together and in July 2010 SensitiviTees was born.

As moms who care deeply about helping other people become more sensitive to our son’s allergies, we wanted to do everything possible to help him. With SensitiviTees we can also make sure that other people are sensitive to your child’s needs—with a little bit of lighthearted fun mixed in. 

After developing our line of allergy-related sensitivity messages, we soon realized that the "be sensitive" message was applicable to other areas of life, such as adoption and same-sex parenting, so we’ve added those designs to our SensitiviTee brand. 

We're excited and growing!  

We’d love to hear about your great ideas for our shirts, dresses, and infant clothing and accessories so contact us at sensitivitees@gmail.com with your suggestions. We are always looking for topics to help others be sensitive to anyone who has something special about them to share.

Gluten-Free Eating Is Getting Easier—and More Delicious!

Originally Posted on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 3:39pm

The growing availability of gluten-free foods and resources about gluten-free diets is evidence that more people are taking this protein out of their diets.

Gluten is the protein found in wheat*, rye, and barley that is the culprit behind celiac disease, a genetic autoimmune disease triggered by the ingestion of gluten. In celiac sufferers, estimated to be 1% of the population, the gluten attacks and flattens the villi—the tiny hair-like projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food. This in turn causes various symptoms and leads to serious health conditions if left untreated.

Symptoms of celiac may include headaches, acid reflux, digestive problems, joint pain, skin lesions or eczema, and constant fatigue. Malabsorption of food can lead to weight loss, anemia, and assorted autoimmune disorders (Celiac Disease Foundation, http://www.celiac.org). It is important to get a professional diagnosis from a gastroenterologist if you suspect celiac.

For people with celiac, it is imperative that they avoid even trace amounts of gluten in order to manage their disease and heal from its effects. When dining out, it is not enough that a restaurant offers gluten-free dishes; those meals must be prepared with separate utensils and cookware to avoid cross-contamination with foods that contain gluten.

Other people are opting to avoid gluten for a variety of other reasons: a gluten sensitivity that upsets their stomachs or makes them feel fatigued; an allergy to wheat, rye, or barley; and other health conditions/diseases that could be aggravated by gluten or are related in some way to celiac.

Lucky for all of these people that there are many gluten-free alternatives, if you know what to look for or cook with.

Gluten-free whole grains (and flours) include amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, certified gluten-free oats (if you can tolerate them), quinoa, rice, sorghum, and wild rice. Gluten-free flours can also be made out of dried beans and nuts. Whole shelves and freezer cases in supermarkets are now devoted to a wide range of gluten-free cereals, breads, flours, pizzas, dough, cookies, and snacks. There are countless numbers of cookbooks and websites devoted to gluten-free cooking and baking with thousands of recipes for gluten-free dishes. Blend a little research with some dietary flexibility, add a good portion of adventure, and you can be cooking and baking delicious gluten-free meals for you and your family!

Do you have a favorite gluten-free recipe, product, or resource you’d like to share with our readers? Leave your suggestions in the comment box for others to read.

*This includes spelt, kamut, farro and durum varieties; bulgur, semolina

You can purchase any of our designs(above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com 

Recognizing The Civil Rights Of Gays And Lesbians To Marry

Originally Posted on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 2:59pm

At SensitiviTees, we celebrate with our friends in Maine, Maryland, and Washington where voters approved the right for citizens to marry their same-sex partners in the November 2012 election. They join other happy couples in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts (the first state to legalize same-sex marriage), New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, and the District of Columbia. 

Did you know that two Native American tribes—the Coquille and Suquamish tribes—have also legalized and offer same-sex marriages? It’s heartening to know that some of the First Nations of our continent are also among the first groups to recognize the civil rights of gays and lesbians to marry.

There are a few other states that have created legal unions and civil unions that confer some, but not all, of the benefits and protections of married status. In New Jersey, where we are based, the organization Garden State Equality works tirelessly to support and promote marriage equality (it is also the single largest civil rights organization in the whole state!). We look forward to the day when the remaining 41 give up their bans and restrictions and follow suit with the nine that currently uphold full marriage equality for everyone.

If you know a couple who’s getting ready to celebrate their wedding, civil union, or commitment ceremony, we have fun designs for men and women to proclaim their happy occasion or status as a committed couple. They make great bridal shower or bachelor party favors for friends and family as well!

For many committed couples, it might not be long before starting a family becomes the next big step, so be sure to check out our “got dads” and “got moms” styles for the parents or their children.

You can purchase any of our designs (above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com

Enjoying Holiday Parties When You Have Food Allergies

Originally Posted on Tue, 12/11/2012 - 1:54pm

There’s nothing like walking into an office party, holiday dinner, or visiting friends during the December holidays and being unable to eat a lot of what’s being served. If you suffer from an allergy to dairy, nuts, eggs, or wheat, these can surely be trying times.

However, it’s not impossible to enjoy the holiday festivities and foods when you suffer from a food allergy. Some targeted questions and careful planning can help you avoid undue disasters and enjoy the season without too much fuss.

Choose vegan. 
Any true vegan recipe will not contain dairy, eggs, or honey – anything that comes from an animal is omitted. Many vegan recipes are quite satisfying and are based on nuts or legumes, great sources of protein, to provide texture and substance. (If you have a nut allergy, ask about ingredients ahead of time). Vegan dishes also imply vegetables and fruits so a vegan diet is a great way to make sure you eat plenty of these important parts of the food pyramid.

Go for the crudité and salads. 
Fresh vegetables are highly nutritious and avoid common food allergens. For people who need a gluten-free diet, try salads and side dishes—especially fruit, vegetable, and grain salads. You can enjoy dishes made with quinoa, oats, millet, buckwheat, rice, or corn; potato salads (depending on its ingredients and your restrictions) and vegetable dishes. Sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squashes make excellent, versatile bases for delicious cold-weather casseroles and soups everyone can enjoy with a little forethought.

Tree nuts or peanuts? 
Tree nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews grow on trees in shells; peanuts are actually legumes that grow in the ground on vines, just as beans do. However, both are common allergens (although people who are allergic to one type are not necessarily allergic to the other). If your nut allergy is severe, don’t hesitate to reveal this to your host or the restaurant and ask about menu ingredients to determine what is safe for you to eat. Bear in mind that many international foods are prepared with peanuts or other nuts in the sauces or as ingredients. Ask to read the labels of packaged foods as protection. Depending on what’s being served, you might want to eat at home first and then show up for worry-free fun with friends and family.

Avoid the egg nog. 
Egg nog contains eggs (obvious) and dairy. Drink water, juice, soft drinks, sparkling cider if eggs and dairy are allergens for you. Or ask about or bring a dairy-free variety made with soy or nut milk (if you can eat the eggs).

Whether you eat at home ahead of time, bring an all-in-one dish to the potluck, or call ahead to ask about what’s being served, the SensitiviTees family wishes you an enjoyable (and filling) holiday season!

November Is National Adoption Month

Originally Posted on Fri, 11/16/2012 - 2:54pm

There are many ways to form a family, whether by birth, by marriage or civil union, foster care, or by adoption. For people who choose to bring a child into their lives through adoption, many would undoubtedly say that adopting a child is one of life’s most loving and nurturing acts. To create a loving, safe home for a newborn, a toddler, or older child who needs one can be one of life’s great rewards—for both the parents the children.

To help raise awareness of the need for adoptive families and encourage citizens to become involved in the lives of children and youth in foster care, the President of the United States (as well as many state governors) issues a proclamation to announce National Adoption Month every year in November. National Adoption Day this year is November 17.

The road to adoption can take many routes—domestic or international, open or closed, by marriage or union, interracial or same race, and more. It can be a lengthy, time-consuming process and somewhat daunting so it’s important to have a strong support network and a trusted adoption attorney to help. Most people work through adoption facilitators, attorneys, and adoption agencies that will help match prospective parents with children, expedite paperwork, and help navigate the process.

SensitiviTees has some designs to celebrate adoptive families as well as some valuable information below to help families begin the adoption process.

Domestic adoption

The website www.adoption.com is chock full of resources, articles, links, and information about all topics related to adoption. Here are some resources listed there:

• AdoptionNetworking.com - powerful adoption networking tool for hopeful adoptive parents that lets you easily enlist the assistance of your friends and family to help you find and adoption opportunity.
• ParentProfiles.com, a service of Adoption Profiles, LLC, the world's most effective registry of hopeful adoptive parents.
• AdoptionRisks.org - a free online evaluation of the risks in your adoption.
• AdoptionSecrets.com - secrets for adoption success for members of ParentProfiles.com.

International adoption

In addition to meeting certain U.S. government requirements, individuals and couples wishing to adopt internationally must meet specific criteria of each particular country. Requirements about age, gender, income, number of children already in the home, and marital status are generally shared among nations but some have unique and somewhat unusual stipulations, including long-term residencies in country, strict age limits, or restrictions for single parents. Be sure to consult an expert in international adoption.

We will share more information about other adoption issues in future posts. In the meantime, you can explore the adoption.com site or go to

http://www.childwelfare.gov/index.cfm (from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). For anyone embarking on this journey of love, we wish you well!

You can purchase any of our designs (above) by logging on to our website: www.SensitiviTees.com