8 (ALLERGY-FREE) GUILTY PLEASURES

I actually do not have any food allergies - like none, whatsoever. I love EVERY kind of food - which is why it was so tragic when we learned baby Bentleigh had a food allergy. After a choking reflux episode that landed us in the ER at 2 weeks old, I was desperate to help her feel better. My pedi suggested the typical dairy-free diet for 3 weeks. If that didn't work then wheat-free for 3 weeks, then nut-free... and so on. I was not about to sit around for 3-15 weeks and play the allergy game. So I cut it all out. Dairy, soy, wheat, eggs, nuts, and seafood. It was the most depressing thing I've ever (voluntarily) done.

My plan was to make her feel better NOW and to slowly add back in the least likely allergens. After pouting for a week, I decided to haul myself to our local Whole Foods and Trader Joes to figure out some "fun" foods for me to eat.

If you know me at all you know I am a huge proponent of real food (breads, cheeses, pastas, beef, and fatty oils - if it's real, quality ingredients - bring it on!). While ideally I would dine soley on lean meat + veggies for all my meals - I just felt deprived. And to be honest, I just really wanted what I couldn't have.

I gave it all up that night in the ER. The trickiest part of it has been all the tiny "hidden" ingredients that seem so small but can make a huge difference in a little baby. This took a little more time and research than a first time mom hopes to be doing 2 weeks post partum - so enjoy! 

Here are 8 guilty pleasures (without  dairy, soy, wheat, eggs, nuts, or seafood) that have literally saved my life (okay, my sanity) for the past 3 months:

1. Kettle Chips, Original - BOOM. Not good for you. But totally only 2 ingredients in these bad boys: potatoes and sunflower oil

2. Applegate Farms Chicken Nuggets - This is the closest we can get to healthy-ish, allergen-free fast food. Stir some honey in with brown spicy mustard (most sauces contain dairy/gluten) and viola - Chickfila!

3. Whole Foods (brand) frozen french fries - Every brand at my local grocery store and Trader Joe's makes their frozen foods with soybean oil, but the Whole Foods line of frozen fries/tots uses sunflower or olive oil.

4. Sunflower Seed Butter - No peanuts, no problem. Sunflower seed butter is an allergy chicks best friend. High in protein - and tastes amazing on everything.

5. Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels - My own version of Puppy Chow! Get Rice Chex (or healthier equivalent), Enjoy Life morsels, and (above) Sunbutter. Melt the chocolate and Sunbutter together (1:4 ratio). Mix in the Chex, and dust with powdered sugar. You.are.welcome.

6. Popcorn (homemade!) - kernels in a brown paper bag, drizzle a little oil and salt in the bag and microwave

7. Udi's Bread - wheat, soy, dairy, nut free. Helllllllo tasty sandwiches. If you have a Costco membership, they have the cheapest loaf of this bread!

8. Coconut Milk Creamer by So Delicious. - it's snowing outside and I insist on have iced coffee with this creamer because it tastes like a milkshake. It is indeed, So Delicious.

Well, there ya go. I hope this list is a helpful start for all my fellow allergen-free (junk) foodies!