Necessity is the mother of invention
Or in my case, the motivational kick in the butt to get something done.
As we all know, Ben's allergic to peanuts. And while a food allergy isn't something anyone wishes for, it's completely and totally managable with a little effort. And fortunately, in Canada where there is peanut allergy awareness in daycares, preschools, and public schools we have a rapidly growing abundance of peanut-free food products.
Sometimes, however, there aren't a lot of options. Bakeries, for example, are definitely out of the question. As a result I've had to take up baking (especially when Ben had an egg allergy too), and I've becomed an improved baker. Not great, but better.
And today I made pesto. Sure, it's simple, but it's something I probably would never have bothered to make if all premade store-bought pestos were free of trace peanuts. And since I couldn't find pinenuts that were free of trace peanut I toasted some Blue Diamond natural almonds as a substitute. (It turned out very well, if I may say!)
Chocolates are another. Boxed chocolates free of peanuts and/or trace peanuts are near impossible to find, and so I made our own two Christmases ago.
Overall, I think Ben's peanut allergy has forced our family to eat more healthfully, and so I suppose we could see that as a silver lining.
Day-to-day I don't think much about Ben's allergy and we've accepted that his allergy is likely a lifelong thing, and we don't dwell on it because dwelling on it leads to pity and pity is never a good thing. We've always been matter-of-fact about Ben's peanut allergy with him, so hopefully he won't grow up feeling sorry for himself, but rather accept his allergy for what it is.
Ben's next allergy test is the end of April. Nothing can stop the small glimmer of hope I hold every time annual testing approaches. I'll be sure update with the results.
As we all know, Ben's allergic to peanuts. And while a food allergy isn't something anyone wishes for, it's completely and totally managable with a little effort. And fortunately, in Canada where there is peanut allergy awareness in daycares, preschools, and public schools we have a rapidly growing abundance of peanut-free food products.
Sometimes, however, there aren't a lot of options. Bakeries, for example, are definitely out of the question. As a result I've had to take up baking (especially when Ben had an egg allergy too), and I've becomed an improved baker. Not great, but better.
And today I made pesto. Sure, it's simple, but it's something I probably would never have bothered to make if all premade store-bought pestos were free of trace peanuts. And since I couldn't find pinenuts that were free of trace peanut I toasted some Blue Diamond natural almonds as a substitute. (It turned out very well, if I may say!)
Chocolates are another. Boxed chocolates free of peanuts and/or trace peanuts are near impossible to find, and so I made our own two Christmases ago.
Overall, I think Ben's peanut allergy has forced our family to eat more healthfully, and so I suppose we could see that as a silver lining.
Day-to-day I don't think much about Ben's allergy and we've accepted that his allergy is likely a lifelong thing, and we don't dwell on it because dwelling on it leads to pity and pity is never a good thing. We've always been matter-of-fact about Ben's peanut allergy with him, so hopefully he won't grow up feeling sorry for himself, but rather accept his allergy for what it is.
Ben's next allergy test is the end of April. Nothing can stop the small glimmer of hope I hold every time annual testing approaches. I'll be sure update with the results.
posted by Leanne at
1:25 pm
