Recipe Weekend / Cookbook Review: Cooking Allergy-Free: Simple Inspired Meals for Everyone by Jenna Short

Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this ebook, free of charge, from Taunton Publishing, via Netgalley, for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it

And now something for all the foodies,

who have to deal with allergy issues!

Synopsis:

Jenna Short is on a mission--to help home cooks create meals that are safe--and delicious--for anyone who suffers from food allergies or who follows a special diet. As a caterer who specializes in events suitable for those who choose a gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, or kosher lifestyle, Jenna knows it's not easy to meet these different needs at the same time. In Cooking Allergy-Free, Jenna comes to the rescue, with 150 recipes that are suitable for weeknight cooking as well as entertaining. Each recipe is free of one or more of the most popular food allergens--wheat, milk, eggs, nuts, shellfish, fish, soy and corn--easily identified by colorful icons, and includes substitutions to convert the recipe for other allergens. Icons also indicate recipes appropriate for those who follow a gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan diet.

Jenna's collection of recipes include starters, soups, salads, main dishes, sides, desserts, and breads. Sample the Mustard Raisin Marmalade on Toasted Crostini, Moroccan Stuffed Tomatoes, Rosemary Skillet Chicken with Mushrooms and Potatoes, Sloppy Joes, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Blackened Fish Tacos with Guacamole and Cilantro-Lime Slaw, Blueberry Lemon Crumble Pie, Mini Fudge Brownie Bites, Granola Bars, and more. With Cooking Allergy-Free in hand, you'll discover flavorful, easy-to-make dishes that aren't off limits.

Menu suggestions for setting up a kitchen to be allergen-friendly, and essentials for stocking your pantry will make Cooking Allergy-Free your most trusted source for delicious cooking.

Review:

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! if you've got kids that have allergies, or family members/friends who do, you NEED this book! Simply put!

Having been down the gluten-free road I can tell you it is NOT easy trying to make tasty meals that the entire family loves and that the allergy prone ones can have. Friends are dealing with 4 to 5 allergies PER child, and you can only imagine how creative they have to try to get, and sometimes not with great results! Jenna simplified things down, but still offers recipes that have FLAVOR and TEXTURE, things that tend to go missing in allergy-free cooking!  For example the Coconut Chicken with Raspberry Basil Jam (below) is sure to be a frequent flyer in your household, once everyone gets a taste or two of it!

Plus the recipes are sorted by the TYPE of allergy in the index, making for super quick browsing, when you need a dinner dish for a night or two ahead! 

Plus she has a handy picto-guide of symbols (above), so if you are just browsing the book, you can quickly see at a glance, if the recipe meets your criteria. Plus she offers simple substitutions! See- easy! And speaking of- she offers a simple gluten-free baking mix, and baking substitutions (like bananas for eggs) list, that you may find yourself copying and placing on the fridge for quick reference!

This is a super cookbook, and one that I urge all families with food allergies to check out! It's fun, flavorable and full of favorites the entire family will love! 

Here's a recipe, perfect for the Fall Season from the book:

Iced Pumpkin Scones

Makes 8-10 scones

Ingredients/Scones:

2 cups flour

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground ginger

6 tablespoons cold butter

½ cup pumpkin puree

3 tablespoons almond milk

1 large egg

Ingredients/ Spiced Icing/

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons almond milk

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground nutmeg

1 pinch ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. With the mixer on medium, add the butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly. (Note- you can use a hand mixer, or mix by hand, but it will take longer)

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree, almond milk and an egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined. 

4. Scrape out dough ball and pat onto a lightly floured surface. Form dough into a 1-inch wide rectangle and about 8-inches long. Use a sharp knife to cut a criss cross motion so you end up with 6-8 triangular pieces of dough. 

5. Place scones on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely before moving on to the next step.

6. Make Spiced Icing: Combine ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix together until creamy consistency is achieved. Add additional milk if icing is too thick. Drizzle icing over each scone and top with toased pepitas/ nuts, if desired.

Save Time: Use canned pumpkin if you don’t have time to puree it yourself.

Gluten Free: Substitute flour with a gluten free flour mix, like Bob’s Mill.

Dairy Free: Replace butter with equal parts Earth Balance or other buttery substitute.

Nut Fee: Replace almond milk with soy or regular milk. Be sure not to use rice milk as it will alter the taste and texture. Do not top finished scones with nuts.

Vegan: Replace the egg for 1 tablespoon of additional almond milk and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.

Sugar Free: Replace the sugar with 1/4 cup of no sugar added apple sauce or 1/3 cup of any sugar substitute of your choice.

Nutrition Facts: Servings Per Recipe: 10, Serving Size: 1 serving, Calories 165.6, Total Fat 7.8 g, Cholesterol 37.3 mg, Potassium 40.4 mg, Total Carbohydrate 20.6 g, Dietary Fiber 1.3 g, Sugars 0.5 g, Protein 3.5 g

About the Author:

Jenna Short, owner of Shortbreadnyc.com, formerly worked as a sous chef and graphic designer at Bon Appetit magazine and studied design at the Art Institute of Boston and culinary arts at Lorenzo de Medici in Florence.  Shortbreadnyc.com--a boutique events company that suits challenging palettes by focusing on gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, kosher and sugar-free foods--grew out of Jenna's love of baking and her own dietary needs (she eats dairy-free). She has lived around the world, including New York City, Italy, Sweden, England and Tel Aviv.