Egg and Nut Free Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Cream Frosting

The next person up on our birthday list was my dad. I knew that pumpkin was one of his favorite flavors, so even though it is February, I still decided to go with a pumpkin cake. I made a pumpkin cake for my husband's birthday, but I improved the recipe a bit so I didn't have to use cake flour because I wasn't able to find an egg free cake flour. I think the last time I made the pumpkin cake, I combined flour and cornstarch to make my own "cake" flour, but I figured adding that much cornstarch to a recipe couldn't possibly be a good thing. So, here it is...a new (and improved) pumpkin cake!

Egg and Nut Free Pumpkin Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 cup organic unrefined sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp.cloves
1/2 cup buttermilk (make your own by combining 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 Tbsp. vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Add applesauce and mix well. Add pumpkin and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternatively beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Pour into the two separate pans and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cinnamon Cream Frosting
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3-4 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Beat cream and sugar until the cream is whipped.  Add cinnamon and nutmeg and beat until spices are mixed in. Chill until ready to frost the cake.

Egg-Free Lasagna Skillet

I need to apologize. I totally forgot to take a picture of this meal I am about to share with you. It slipped my mind, but I still wanted to post the recipe because it is a great quick and easy meal that is safe for egg allergies. Typically lasagna is in the danger zone for those with egg allergies, but there is no need for egg in this skillet recipe. The other thing to watch out for is often times lasagna noodles will either be made with egg or have that fun little label (that I am starting to despise) "made on shared equipment with egg".  With this recipe you can choose any noodle you want, usually whole wheat noodles are safe with no egg. My husband's been out of town for part of the week, so this meal has kept me and the little one going for a couple days with no need to cook a new meal. We've missed him, but not having to cook too much has been nice :)

Egg Free Lasagna Skillet
1 lb. ground beef
28 oz jar spaghetti sauce (a garlic-basil marina tastes great)
5 cups cooked noodles
1 cup cottage cheese (we use the regular, not low fat)
8-oz pkg of shredded mozzarella cheese (or cut up chunks of mozz cheese)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp. dry minced onion
Italian seasonings to taste

Brown beef and drain. Stir in sauce, garlic powder, dry minced onion and desired seasonings and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese and noodles and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yes, it is that simple!

A Birthday Treat: Egg and Nut Free Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake!

C and I decided to start something new. For each family member's birthday, we are going to make them an egg and nut free cake (or dessert of their choosing). First up was his aunt Melanie. She said that strawberry was one of her favorite dessert flavors, so after some thought, we decided to try out a chocolate covered strawberry cake. It's a vanilla cake with strawberries folded in, covered in a "real" chocolate whipped cream frosting and chocolate covered strawberries on top. I used frozen strawberries that had been left out to thaw for the cake and fresh strawberries for the topping and decorations.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

Cake:
3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup organic raw cane sugar (unrefined)
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vinegar
4 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
2 cups cold water

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour. Set aside. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl with a wire whisk. Set aside. Combine the vinegar, vanilla, oil and water in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Fold in the strawberries. Pour batter into the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow cake to cool before frosting.

Frosting:
3 cups heavy whipping cream
3-4 Tbsp. organic raw cane sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine heavy whipping cream and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until cream is whipped (until it looks like whipped cream....this will take a few minutes). Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat a minute longer until mixed.

When you are ready to frost, flip one cake over onto a serving dish (if it doesn't come out at first, slide a knife around the edges). Leave flat side up.

 Frost the top of this cake generously.

Flip the second cake on top of the first cake (with the flat side down) and then finish frosting the whole cake.

Top with chocolate covered strawberries and place strawberry halves around the edge.

Ta Da!

Yes, it was as good as it looks. 

Happy Birthday Aunt Mel!

Dad, you're next!

Egg and Nut Free Baked Blueberry Doughnut Holes

I have 2 distinct memories when I hear the word "doughnut". The first one is my grandpa because he used to buy us Dunkin' Donut Munchkins whenever he came to visit. The second one is ice skating lessons because I used to stop by Dunkin' Donuts on my way to skating every Saturday morning.  I used to get 2 doughnuts and a powerade....breakfast of champions!

Doughnuts are definitely on the very long list of "no no's" for egg and nut allergies. Although this recipe doesn't taste or look exactly like what you'd get from Dunkin' Donuts, it comes sort of close and is pretty delicious. You can fry these if you want to, but I didn't because there's nothing safe about a hot pan of oil when you have a toddler running around! I chose to make doughnut holes because I don't have a doughnut pan and I (unsuccessfully) tried to shape these into doughnuts. They expand....a lot. Plus, the doughnut holes are the perfect size for a toddler munchie!

Egg and Nut Free Baked Blueberry Doughnut Holes
2 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
7/8-1 cup milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp.baking soda
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Add the milk, syrup, butter and vanilla and stir until combined. (Start with 7/8 cup milk, and add extra milk if needed to mix). Mix vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl and fold into batter. Fold in blueberries. Combine sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon in a bowl.  Form batter into small balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

You can make these as big or small as you want. I recommend starting small because they do expand while baking. You should be able to get about 24 small doughnut holes. Bake 15 minutes and enjoy!

Egg Free Spaghetti and Meatballs

Here's another easy egg free dinner! It's great for Mom's with little ones because you can quickly put it together in the afternoon while your tot is napping and then heat it up and make the pasta right before you're ready to eat.  A couple notes: If you do have an egg allergy, make sure you buy pasta that is egg free. Also, make sure you don't buy meat that is too lean. I used grass-fed organic ground beef that was 85/15 and it held together really well without egg. If you don't want to use red meat and opt for turkey instead, make sure it is the dark meat turkey. Meat with too little fat on it won't hold together without the egg binding it. There are many significant health benefits to choosing grass-fed beef. Here's a good site that explains what you will be missing out on/gaining in return when you buy grass-fed: http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html.

 Egg Free Meatballs
For the sauce:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup spinach
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tsp. dried basil
3/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper

For the meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef (or dark turkey if you prefer)
3/4 cup panko crumbs
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the meatball ingredients until mixed together. Roll into balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes or until no longer pink.

Combine spinach and 15 oz. can sauce in a food processor. Process until spinach is mostly chopped. Place the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté until tender. Add the garlic and spices and heat for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce mixture and simmer for 15 minutes.

Once the meatballs are done cooking, remove them from the oven and place on a plate covered with paper towel to blot off grease. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

If you are making this ahead of time, at this point you can remove the pot from the burner, allow to cool and then place in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat. Once it's dinnertime, just reheat the sauce over low heat on the stove and serve over pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Homemade Nut-Free Granola Bars

If there's one thing I've missed since we began our allergy journey, it's granola bars. It was always a great healthy snack to fall back on and I've seriously been trying to come up with a recipe since last spring. I am pleased to share with you that I have FINALLY came up with one! I searched and searched for nut free granola bar recipes online, but if they were nut free then they had some sort of seed in them (which we can't have either). So after many tries, I have finally come up with one that stays together like a granola bar should and is pretty delicious as well. You can also substitute chocolate chips for the dried fruit if you'd like.

Nut Free Granola Bars

4 cups oats

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup organic raw sugar

1 cup mixture of raisins and cranberries

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 325. Combine 1st 5 ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix. together until fully coated. Place granola mixture in a greased 13x9 inch glass baking pan and spread evenly.

                         

Bake 40 minutes. Cool for 15-20 minutes and then cut into bars. Store in a tupperware dish.

Egg Free Vanilla ("Nilla") Wafers

Prior to our son's allergies, our favorite snack was the "Nilla". It was not uncommon to have an open box of Nilla Wafers on our kitchen table in the evening, grabbing a handful whenever we passed by.  Shortly after we found out about the allergies, I came across a devastating discovery on a trip to the grocery store.

Ingredients: UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, WHEY (FROM MILK), EGGS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), EMULSIFIERS (MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, SOY LECITHIN). CONTAINS: WHEAT, MILK, EGG, SOY.

No more nillas!!!!!

Sad.

That is, until last night when I finally came up with a worthy egg free vanilla wafer.

Delicious. While I had the opportunity to make an egg free version, I also took it upon myself to make them healthier than the original nilla. Whole wheat flour and just honey to sweeten, you'd never know they were better for you! We now have an open tupperware container of these homemade vanilla wafers sitting on our counter. They probably won't last long, so it's a good thing they're easy to make!

Egg Free Vanilla Wafers

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Place 1st 3 ingredients in a bowl and combine.

Place butter in a stand mixer and beat until creamy.

Add vanilla, applesauce and honey and mix for another minute or until combined. 

It won't be completely homogeneous because of the applesauce, but will end up looking something like this.

Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes or longer. Preheat oven to 350. Roll 1 tsp. of dough into a ball and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten each ball into a disk and bake for 15 minutes. 

Cool and serve

With a glass of milk.