Pumpkin Soup

I'm continuing my pumpkin junkie posts with another pumpkin recipe, this one for a spicy, savory Pumpkin Soup! Most pumpkin soups are sweet, but this one isn't, which is great if you don't want sweet for your main course. Adjust the amount of hot sauce and chili powder depending on how much you can take the heat!

Pumpkin Soup with Chili Cran-Apple Relish
Contains dairy

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning (or 2 tsp ground thyme)
• 1-2 Tbsp allergy-friendly hot sauce
• 6 cups allergy-friendly chicken broth
• 4 cups pumpkin puree (or 29oz can)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Relish Ingredients:

• 1 green apple, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries, chopped
• 1-2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add oil, butter, bay leaf, celery, onion, salt, and pepper.

Cook 6-7 minutes, until tender.

Add cornstarch and poultry seasoning; cook for one minute.

Mix together a little chicken broth and hot sauce, and whisk into pot. Add remaining chicken broth; bring liquid to a bubble.

Whisk in pumpkin in large spoonfuls, incorporating it into the broth. Simmer 10 minutes to thicken a bit. Add cream and nutmeg.

Lower heat; keep warm until ready to serve.

While soup simmers, combine all relish ingredients.

Serve in bowls with a few spoonfuls of relish on top.

This is very scrumptious and really hits the spot on a cold day, not to mention it's great for pumpkin season! And I love that it only contains one of the big 8 allergens!

I hope you are enjoying Pumpkin Season as much as I am!

Linking up at Allergy Free Wednesdays and Gluten Free Fridays

(This recipe was originally posted on 1/5/15.)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

I believe I've mentioned before that I love pumpkins. Growing them, carving them, eating them! Oh, this time of year and pumpkins!

Whether you like to carve pumpkins or cook their flesh into puree, you wind up with a lot of pumpkin seeds. You can save some to plant, but otherwise you're mostly throwing them away--unless yo have a good Roasted Pumpkin Seed recipe. Well, if you don't have one already, here's a foolproof way to roast some tasty seeds for your family to enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Top 8 Free!

Ingredients

• Pumpkin(s)
• Oil/cooking spray of your choice (I use olive oil spray)
• Seasonings* of your choice

Directions

Extract seeds from your pumpkins

(Carve your pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanters :D or prepare them for baking to turn them into puree using this recipe here)

Separate and discard pulp

Thoroughly wash your seeds in warm water

Spread seeds out in a single layer on a cookie sheet

Place seeds in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes

Remove seeds from oven. Spray them with oil or a cooking spray of your choice and then sprinkle generously with salt or other seasoning

Return to oven for another 5 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK SEASONINGS, THEY WILL BURN!

Remove from oven, allow to cool somewhat, and crack one open. If they are dry all the way through, they're done.

Allow to cool fully and serve!

*Seasoning Ideas

Plain old salt works fine, but if you like a little more flavor, try some of these:

These are the seasonings I used

• Taco seasoning
• Cajun seasoning
• Garlic salt
• Lemon Pepper
• Dry onion soup mix
• Your favorite shake or rub

Enjoy your Pumpkin Seeds!

Linking up at Allergy Free Wednesdays and Gluten Free Fridays

Halloween Candy Buy Back Program

I just wanted to share a quick note about my favorite way to get rid of unsafe Halloween candy!

After trick-or-treating for the last three years, hubby and I sort the kids' candy into safe and unsafe piles. We keep some of the unsafe stuff for our own consumption, but what to do with the rest of it? I'm not a fan of throwing out perfectly good food, so we needed to find something else to do with it.

Enter the Halloween Candy BuyBack Program!
http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/

Originally designed to cut back on sugar and tooth decay, the Halloween Candy Buy Back Program lets kids take their unwanted candy to participating dentist's offices and get paid $1 for every pound of it. Then the dentists send the candy to deployed troops overseas through Operation Gratitude. So your kids get rid of unsafe/unwanted candy, they make some money, and our troops get a care package. Win-win-win!

Check out the link and use their search to find a participating dentist near you! There's still time to participate!

No silly, we've discussed this already. This is the candy
you can't/won't eat

Hee hee!

Pouring out the candy to weigh it

It came in at 1 1/2 pounds. That's $1.50, or $0.75 each
for him and his brother

Special thanks to Sloanside Dental of Edgewater for being
a participating office!

Feeding Tubes and Food Allergies

A few weeks ago, my husband's grandmother got a permanent feeding tube. At 95 years old, this was only one in a line of medical interventions addressing her declining health for the last several months.

Despite her various health issues, she has not taken this transition well. And who can blame her? Food is tied to so many of life's rituals and pleasures. Food itself gives us pleasure and no matter how limited our diet, we take pleasure from some of the foods that we can eat. It is part of our survival. We enjoy food so that we will eat so that we will live.

Her socializing is someone crippled at the moment anyway with hospital stays, but I keep thinking of how much this will impact nearly all of our interactions with her. This is a woman who loves food. A woman who is renowned in her circles for her crab salad and pear pie. A woman for whom Christmas would not be complete if she couldn't give family members homemade fudge and pecan tarts (the latter of which I, of course, have never tasted.)

This is also a woman who long ago admitted that she doesn't need more stuff, and to whom we have mostly given consumable gifts as well. Wine, Kahlua, and other alcohol; our own homemade cookies; and meals to help her out. What sort of gifts do you give a person who doesn't want more things and now cannot eat?

Not eating is even slowing her recovery. During a previous stay at a rehab center, she had 3 long walks every day on her way to and from the dining hall for meals. If she was unwilling to do any other physical therapy, she got that much exercise, at least. Now she doesn't even get that, plus she's missing out on the social time of meals.

She does get to drink a little water and try eating some easy-to-swallow foods when a speech therapist comes by, but that's all. (And by the way, the liquid nutrition prescribed to her contains dairy and soy. Just an allergy side note.)

During this time, I can't help but think about the parallels between her current situation and the lives of people with food allergies. As we all know, food allergies limit us in social situations that involve food. Getting a feeding tube just exacerbates these situations. It's like all-of-a-sudden being allergic to everything, but without the cross contact risk.

Something else I've been thinking about is that this situation just goes to show that while food allergies aren't fun (in fact food allergies can often suck) there are still many other and worse things that can happen to us. I'm grateful that our family can still eat out as long as we are careful of ingredients. I'm grateful that we have fun food rituals and can enjoy our favorite meals and desserts. I'm glad that we are all healthy so long as we avoid our triggers. I'm glad that food allergy living forces us to cook more from scratch and so we are eating healthier, more wholesome food most of the time. And I'm glad that we are learning so much about nutrition and can teach our children healthy eating habits, so that hopefully we can all remain healthy long into our twilight years.

My husband's grandmother has made miraculous recoveries in the past, so we are all hoping that she can regain her throat strength and her overall strength, and begin feeding herself again. Because no matter how allergy-friendly you slice it, food is a very important part of our lives.

Auvi-Q Recall

Troubling news just in: ALL Auvi-Q autoinjectors currently issued are being voluntarily recalled by Sanofi because of potentially inaccurate dosing. Allergic individuals who have Auvi-Qs should still use them until a replacement can be obtained, but you should contact your doctor for a prescription for a different auto-injector as soon as possible.

"The recall involves all Auvi‑Q currently on the market and includes both the 0.15 mg and 0.3 mg strengths for hospitals, retailers and consumers. This includes lot number 2299596 through 3037230, which expire March 2016 through December 2016."

Sanofi has received 26 reports of suspected device malfunctions. No deaths are associated with these malfunctions. Sanofi is is arranging for return and reimbursement of all recalled products.

"Customers with questions regarding this recall can go to www.Auvi‑Q.com and call1‑866‑726‑6340 Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET for information about how to return their Auvi‑Q devices. Customers may also email cs@sanofi.com. Sanofi US will provide reimbursement for out of pocket costs incurred for the purchase of new epinephrine auto‑injectors with proof of purchase."

Update: Please call EITHER 1-877-319-8963 OR 1-866-726-6340. Sanofi US previously noted that, due to the high volume of calls, callers may have received a message that the line is down. They are asking consumers to please call back and try both numbers if this happens. 

This sucks on all sorts of levels, folks. Sorry to have to report. Take care of yourselves!

"Sanofi US Issues Voluntary Nationwide Recall of Auvi‑Q® Due to Potential Inaccurate Dosage Delivery

Sanofi US is voluntarily recalling all Auvi‑Q® (epinephrine injection, USP). The recall involves all Auvi‑Q currently on the market and includes both the 0.15 mg and 0.3 mg strengths for hospitals, retailers and consumers. This includes lot number 2299596 through 3037230, which expire March 2016 through December 2016. The products have been found to potentially have inaccurate dosage delivery.

If a patient experiencing a serious allergic reaction (i.e., anaphylaxis) did not receive the intended dose, there could be significant health consequences, including death because anaphylaxis is a potentially life‑threatening condition. As of October 26, 2015, Sanofi has received 26 reports of suspected device malfunctions in the US and Canada. None of these device malfunction reports have been confirmed. In these reports, patients have described symptoms of the underlying hypersensitivity reaction. No fatal outcomes have been reported among these cases.

Auvi‑Q (epinephrine injection, USP) is used to treat life‑threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in people who are at risk for or have a history of these reactions. Auvi‑Q is packaged with two active devices and one trainer device in a corrugate box. Auvi‑Q was distributed throughout the United States via wholesalers, pharmacies and hospitals. All Auvi‑Q is being recalled.

Sanofi US is notifying its distributors and customers who include doctors, pharmacies, wholesalers and other customers in the supply chain by letter, fax, email and phone calls and is arranging for return and reimbursement of all recalled products.

Customers with questions regarding this recall can go towww.Auvi‑Q.com and call1‑866‑726‑6340 Monday throughFriday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET for information about how to return their Auvi‑Q devices. Customers may also emailcs@sanofi.com. Sanofi US will provide reimbursement for out of pocket costs incurred for the purchase of new epinephrine auto‑injectors with proof of purchase.

Customers should immediately contact their healthcare provider (HCP) for a prescription for an alternate epinephrine auto‑injector. In the event of a life‑threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), patients should only use their Auvi‑Q device if another epinephrine auto‑injector is not available, and then call 911 or local medical emergency services. Customers should contact their physician or HCP if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this drug product.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.

Complete and submit the report Online:www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm or by Regular Mail or Fax: Download form www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm or call1‑800‑332‑1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre‑addressed form, or submit by fax to 1‑800‑FDA‑0178

This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Sanofi US is committed to patient safety and the quality of Auvi‑Q, and will continue to work closely with customers and regulatory authorities to resolve this issue in a timely manner."

More Details from auvi-q.com

Additional Information

What is the potential or theoretical risk if the recalled product is administered to patients?

The current manufacturing issues are not related to the drug epinephrine. However, the products have been found to potentially have inaccurate dosage delivery. If a patient experiencing a serious allergic reaction (i.e. anaphylaxis) did not receive the intended dose, there could be significant health consequences, including death because anaphylaxis is a potentially life‑threatening condition.

You say this is a voluntary recall, but did the FDA advise you to recall Auvi‑Q?

We discovered these issues as part of our routine manufacturer quality review and reported our findings to U.S. FDA. As a precautionary measure and in cooperation with the FDA, we are voluntarily recalling all Auvi‑Q currently in the market.

What should U.S. consumers do if they have this product?

People with an Auvi‑Q device are being asked to call 1‑866‑726‑6340, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET for information about how to return Auvi‑Q. They may also email cs@sanofi.com. They should also immediately contact their healthcare providers for prescriptions for alternate epinephrine auto‑injectors. Details about reimbursement will be available on www.Auvi‑Q.com as soon as they are available.

Will patients have to pay for their replacement medication?

Initially, patients will need to pay for their replacement device. Sanofi US will reimburse patients for the full out‑of‑pocket cost when they receive a new epinephrine auto‑injector.

Have you alerted healthcare professionals?

Yes, we have actively been in contact with healthcare professionals.

What drug can be substituted as the replacement for Auvi‑Q?

Auvi‑Q is one of three epinephrine auto‑injectors available in the U.S. The other two are EpiPen® and Adrenaclick®.

What should a patient do if the Auvi‑Q product they have fails to work?

Please immediately call 911 or local medical emergency services for emergency medical attention. Any adverse event that may be related to the use of this product should be reported either to Sanofi US or to FDA's MedWatch Program.

Do you expect to ultimately reintroduce this product in the U.S.? If so, when?

Our focus right now is on patient safety and resolving the issues. Once our investigation is complete and we have corrected any related issues, we will announce our future plans at a later date.

Teal Pumpkin Cake Behind-the-Scenes

In case you missed it, I did a guest blog post for Kids with Food Allergies on October 22nd. Follow this link to see the tasty recipe!

I thought I'd post a few behind-the-scenes pictures of that cake, in case anyone is interested in more details.

I didn't put any ingredient pictures on my guest post, so if you're wondering what brands I used, here they are:

Lillabee Gluten Free Flour

Kroger Granulated Sugar (in the big bin)

Kroger Apple Cider Vinegar

Kroger Baking Soda

Morton Sea Salt

Mexican Vanilla

Mostly Kroger Spices (the Spice Islands Cinnamon was given to me by someone)

The Aquafaba is in the small rubbermaid bin, it's from Kuner's No Salt Added Garbanzo Beans

My Pumpkin Puree is in the larger rubbermaid bin. It's homemade

Other successful flours included:

All-purpose wheat flour. If it doesn't need to be gluten free, it works well with the regular stuff

Pamela’s All-Purpose Flour

Deby’s Gluten-Free Food All-Purpose Flour Blend

UNSUCCESSFUL flours included:

Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour

Kathy P’s Brown Rice Flour Mix

Bella Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Mix - sort of worked, not perfect but not horrible

It's funny taking pictures for a blog post, especially a guest blog post. I spent a good deal of time making my house look Martha Stewart-worthy, but only about six square feet of it. I thought it was funny to capture some of the kitchen mess and the random toys my son left on the floor near where I was working. (My house is actually much messier than you can see here, but there weren't many good angles to capture the table and the mess.)

Here's one of the bundt cakes fresh from the oven. You can really see the texture well in this photo.

My frosting ingredients. I was trying to make this corn-free too, but I don't know exactly where corn can hide, so it may still be in the Earth Balance or the Rice Dream.

Teal food coloring. I got this tube at Hobby Lobby. (This does have corn in it.) I try to limit food dyes in most of our food, but when it comes to cakes they're just too much fun. I'm sure you can get a pretty color that is close to teal using some of the natural food colorings that are starting to become available.

Quick! Get a picture of the cake before adding the frosting, just in case I totally screw it up!

Partway through frosting it. In the back, you can see a spot where I screwed up the frosting and scraped it off before starting again. The final coat of frosting covered what was left of the aborted attempt.

Me piping KFA's Teal Pumpkin face on the cake

Kal watched me make this all day long--the day I finally did the decorating he was off from preschool. After being gently asked and sternly told to leave the kitchen several times, I couldn't say "no" to a sweet picture with him in it!

Blueberry Oatmeal Doughnuts

I'm taking another break from the blog today and letting Dean provide another post and recipe for you. He's the one who makes special breakfasts around here, most of the time. I just sit back and let it happen!


Hello, Dean is back for a guest post and time for part 2 of my Mother's Day Brunch doughnut extravaganza. If you missed part 1 with my chocolate chocolate chip doughnut recipe fear not. It can be found here.

This is the reason I wanted a doughnut pan in the first place. It was one of the first eggless doughnut recipes I found on Pinterest. Now it's not my recipe, I modified it only slightly due to what ingredients I had on hand. The original can be found at the Bear and Lion website.

(What is it about photos needing to be shot at an angle like this?)

Free From:  Egg, Peanut, Tree Nut, Soy, Fish, Shellfish (still happy about those last two). It could be modified to be top 8 free.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats (To be honest I didn't know what rolled oats were and didn't want to take the few minutes to Google it. I was on a time crunch after all. I used what I had: quick oats.)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk (All I had was 1% milk, not as flavorful, but healthier.)
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup frozen blueberries (I really like blueberries so I added a full cup.)

Glaze: (optional)

• 1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray doughnut pan with nonstick cooking spray or grease it however you like.

Mix oats and milk in a medium-sized bowl. I pulverized the oats with our magic bullet blender into a fine powder. I wasn't sure how our kids would react to oatmeal in it. The powder blended in nicely.

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients, making a well in the center. 

Melt the butter. Add in the liquid ingredients, the oatmeal mixture and the blueberries.

Mix until just combined. Now these blueberries seemed big to me and I didn't want to have some sections/bites to not have a blueberry, so I used a spoon and smashed them up a bit. 

Be careful not to over mix!

Fill doughnut pan to the top. 

Bake for 16-18 minutes until golden brown.

Be careful not over bake!

Let them cool on a wire rack and enjoy!  Makes a dozen doughnuts.

The original recipe didn't call for a glaze, this is more like a doughnut shaped muffin. I thought it could use a little extra something, it was for Mother's Day after all! So I used the glaze recipe from the fried doughnut recipe here.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the milk and mix well. Dip each doughnut in the glaze and coat it well. Place back on the cooling rack to allow excess glaze to drip off.

Once again I didn't get a final picture with the glaze on. Just a zoomed in image of one on a mother's plate. Next time, remember? I promise.

These were well received, but not as much as the cream cheese frosted, chocolate chocolate chip doughnuts. Surprised? The boys didn't like these that much, but I thought it was a good tasting doughnut that is a little bit more healthy. Until my next blog post, don't forget how super you are!

Do you have a favorite doughnut recipe you found on Pinterest?

Linking up at Allergy Free Wednesdays