Hello all, my name is Laura and together with my daughter Rachael, we are The Food Allergy Divas.
Our story began about 15 years ago when my sweet baby girl was just five years old. She loves, loves, loves pasta, I mean loves it. Is that too many loves? But the pasta wasn’t loving her in return. Every time she would eat pasta, she had a terrible stomach ache and needed to use the bathroom…need I say more. So, I decided to do an elimination diet with her and remove gluten from her daily diet. I did this for two weeks of her eating no gluten. Once the two weeks were over, I gave her a small bowl of noodles with just some butter. And guess what, her stomach hurt and she had to use the bathroom. It was time to see an allergist and find out what was going on with her. Turned out that she was allergic to gluten, dairy, and eggs. That’s when my journey began trying to make food for her that tasted good and that she could enjoy without eating what she’s allergic too.
My daughter has had several food allergies and skin sensitivity for years. Thankfully she has outgrown some of the food allergies but unfortunately, she is anaphylaxis to nuts. We found that out the hard way when she tried cashews for the first time. Just two cashews had her in the ER within an hour. She now carries an EpiPen with her everywhere she goes. So yes, I’m a nervous wreck if we go out to eat, which isn’t that often by the way. So, I decided to share what I’ve learned over the years on how to substitute or just avoid different allergens in recipes.
The nice part about this experience is that Rachael and I learned together. Even though she was young, we worked through it by reading labels together and even cooking and baking different recipes together. She really enjoyed the process and we discovered that we can work around these challenges and still have delicious food that wouldn’t make her sick. Now that she’s older, she enjoys cooking meals for the family on her own with the knowledge she’s gained. And she’s a pretty good cook by the way, so bonus for me!
She also suffers from eczema, which is red, itchy blotches caused by an allergic reaction. She has several environmental allergies also, cats, dogs, grass, trees, dust. So, I try to only use all-natural products for beauty and hair because her skin is so sensitive. It has taken many years and many products to find what works for her. Thankfully the eczema breakouts are under control now that she avoids her allergens and uses more natural products.
Let me be clear, I’m no expert. I have no medical training. I’m just a mom who was concerned for her child and tried everything I could to make life better for her. I’ve done lots of research and have what I think is a wealth of knowledge to share. Our recipes offer alternatives to the eight common food allergens. We hope you enjoy this site and that it’s beneficial to you and your family.
Love-
The Food Allergy Divas