Customer Reviews

Allergy Free for the Family Cookbook: Over 100 recipes without milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish, shellfish and many gluten free recipes.

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Allergy Free Cookbook for the Family by Brianna Monson is a charming little book that delivers what it advertises: family-friendly food that is free of allergens. The recipes in this book are simple, quick and budget-conscious. They are foods that are likely to appeal to children. The author is a mother of a child with life-threatening food allergies, and her personal experience with this challenge is apparent throughout the book. Each recipe has a little note about it being her childhood favourite to bake with her grandmother, a dish she serves to her inlaws, or a weekly meal at her house. I like this little personal touch that lets you know these are enjoyed so much by her family.

Some of the recipes that most interested me included:
* Breakfast burritos
* Country hash browns
* Sugar cookies
* Pie crust
* Apple crisp
* Graham crackers
* Raspberry pie
* Meatballs
* White sauce
* Honey ham
* Croutons
* Ham and bean soup
* Kale soup

The ingredients are not whole-foods conscious, which is the usual fare at our house. There is plenty of refined sugar, corn starch and corn syrup throughout the book. I simply made the recipes with replacements such as natural cane sugar or agave, tapioca or arrowroot flour, and rice syrup. For most people just venturing into the world of allergies, the ingredients in the book are likely familiar to them and easily obtainable. I also found that the baking recipes call for way more sugar than we usually use. For instance, the banana bread and muffins call for 3/4 cup of sugar, where my recipe (using the same amount of flour) calls for 1/8 cup. But in spite of this, I still like this book and have enjoyed several recipes from it, applying changes as needed for our lifestyle.

This book uses rice flour, potato flour and tapioca starch for most recipes that include starch, with the occasional recipe requesting oat flour or cornstarch. Ener-G egg replacer is recommended as a substitute for eggs. Dairy-free margarine is used frequently, and sometimes shortening is used as well. A few of the recipes call for oats, oat flour, and soy-based cream cheese; we do not use these due to an allergy, so I avoided those recipes. The book advertises that "most" recipes are free of milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish and shellfish. As far as I can tell, the recipes are all free of those ingredients, with the recipes containing oats specifically listed as not being gluten-free unless gluten-free oats are used. Some recipes do contain soy and corn.

Great to have on hand for special occasions. We needed a milk and egg-free birthday cake for my neice and nephew. We made the chocolate version (there is also a vanilla) and it was delicious. The kids liked making the ice cream as much as they did eating it! Can't wait to try more recipes! <3 <3 <3

Finally, I have found an allergy free cookbook that everything tastes GOOD! All of the allergy free cookbooks I have purchased before do not taste like normal food, and no one will eat them. These recipes are awesome and everyone has loved them, even the family members that are VERY sceptical of even tasting allergy free foods. Now we can have birthday parties with ice cream and birthday cake that EVERYONE in the family can enjoy. And one of my favorite recipes is the Cut-Out Cookies. We haven't been able to have cut-out cookies at holidays like most families and now we can, because these are DELICIOUS! Also, the Yummy Meatloaf is the best meatloaf we have ever eaten! I could go on and on! I am sooooo excited about this book and recommend this book to everyone with a family member or friend that has food allergies!

I love this cookbook! The recipes in other allergy-free cookbooks I've used actually taste allergy free, but the ones in this book just taste good! I'd recommend starting with the salsa!

I felt bad giving this cookbook only 2 stars. But for me, I have not used one recipe yet. Unfortunately, the recipes rely on soy which my son is allergic to, along with dairy, wheat, eggs, and wheat. I apparently assumed that it was soy free which is my own fault. It would be a fine little cookbook for you if you are not allergic to soy. I was purchasing this cookbook for some new ideas and unfortunately got none. This is not the cookbooks fault. I already have 3 allergy free cookbooks. Plus, I like a few photos if possible, which there is none. If this is your first cookbook, you will probably be fine. And I may try to do my own substitutions if there is a recipe that I haven't seen before. I just feel that there are a few better kid friendly allergy cookbooks out there.

I really wish I read the bad reviews before purchasing this book. It's title is extremely deceiving. When it says "allergy-free" it doesn't include soy-free. I'm allergic to nearly everything and nothing is more of a problem than soy. So when I actually buy a recipe book instead of just Googling, I actually want easy completely allergy free recipes. True she does suggest substitutes for most of her soy based ingredients, but for example the cream cheese frosting uses "dairy-free cream cheese" with no substitute suggestions. Now I don't know if you've ever looked at the ingredients on any dairy-free cheese product but it ALL includes soy. If I already found a dairy-free, soy-free cream cheese, I wouldn't need this recipe book on how to make the frosting.

I LOVE these recipes! I've bought lots of allergy free cookbooks to try and most of the recipes just don't taste right. I bought this one to try because of the beautiful pictures, it was hardback and it was spiral bound so it was very user friendly. I have been extremely happy with all the recipes I have tried! I first wanted to try the Sugar Cookies because it is very hard to find one that rolls out and tastes good and these roll out sooooo nice and taste soooo good too! I make them for family dinners and holidays and nobody knows they are allergy free. The Chocolate Cake was my second recipe to try and it is so easy and delicious too! I am always asked to make the cakes or cupcakes now because everyone loves them. Both of those recipes alone made me so happy I bought the cookbook! I love that the author put her own little remarks about each recipe she included, it really makes it seem like she put her love into each recipe. Also, I like that if you don't have an allergy to some of her ingredients she has put in a section for substitutions. That way anyone without an allergy can use this cookbook too. If you aren't gluten intolerant or allergic to wheat you can substitute any kind of flour for the flours she states. The "Ingredient Hints" section she included is also very helpful. The Yummy Meatloaf recipe is another of my families favorites along with the Caramel Corn, Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies, Dessert Pizza, Cookie Bars, Raspberry Pie, Pumpkin Bars, Orange Slush, Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Porcupine Meatballs, Round Steak Dish, Apricot Chicken, Cabbage Casserole, Italian Chicken, Oven Potatoes, Fruit Dip, Kale Soup, Salsa, Banana Muffins, Biscuits, Cornbread, and Pancakes. All the other recipes that I have tried are also all very good but those were my families very favorites. All the recipes are recipes that everyone in the whole family can enjoy! I would highly recommend this beautiful Allergy Free Cookbook to everyone!

This book has a lot of recipes in it that uses items you will have in your house already if you cook at all using allergen-free foods and it offers a recipe for almost anything special (think sugar cookies at Christmas and a lot more). I have tried a few of the recipes already and they have turned out amazing. Simple, basic, wonderful book that anyone living with food allergies should add to their collection. It is beautifully done and very easy to follow.

The pictures in this book are BEAUTIFUL! Jenne Kissell, is a very talented photographer. [...] Also, Brianna's creation of these recipes was for her own family to eat and use everyday because of having a son with food allergies. So she knows what's she's doing and the recipes are important to her personally. I gave this book as a gift to a friend whose 2 children both have severe food allergies and she has really enjoyed the recipes and the pictures so she knows what she is making is how she's supposed to make it. A great find for families who want a practical, affordable, and delicious solution to cooking allergy-free!

A good starter book, although very simple in its approach. Those in my family with major food allergies can always add spices and herbs to her basic recipes, such as cumin, curry, thyme, basil etc. I understand the child diet may wish to be more bland. And my relatives & friends who cannot have gluten but don't have the other food allergies can use dairy products where she calls for the soy ones so this will be helpful as gifts for many in my family/circle of friends.