Pumpkin Cookies {egg-free, dairy-free}

When I was searching for a dessert that I could make for Thanksgiving, I had to find something that would be allergy-free for my girl and wanted something that everyone else could enjoy, too.  (Of course, there will be plenty of other desserts, too!) Well, it took all of 10 seconds to find this site and this yummy recipe for Pumpkin Cookies. I went through Swagbucks to do a search for allergy-free desserts and came to this site. Scrolled down just a bit to find another that I will definitely be trying in a couple weeks for Christmas – Sugar Cookies!! Yes, the classic sugar cookie that you roll out and cut into shapes. I can’t wait to try that one!

These are a perfect soft cookie. The recipe claims that they are chewy, but mine turned out soft. I’m not sure why, but I like them just fine.  And while they’re still warm, I’m going to let my girl try one out. These might be extra good with a bit of orange frosting and some seasonal sprinkles on them.

Reading Labels

If you are new to the allergy scene, you know how overwhelming it can be to read EVERY label on EVERY item before you put it in your grocery cart. The good news: it gets much easier over time. The bad news: sometimes routine causes us to assume or overlook familiar items. For instance, just this past week as I was shopping for my backup supply of Halloween candy for my girl who can’t have most of what is handed out on Halloween, I noticed that one of her favorite candies now has an egg allergy warning on it. I was so surprised! I am not sure if this is a temporary thing due to mass production of candy at this time of year or if this is now a permanent thing, but this just reiterates the fact that we MUST read every label – even on familiar items. Production rules change, ingredients change, some manufacturers do things differently than others, etc. Let this serve as a reminder to you not to let your guard down.

Speaking of reading labels, my new favorite store, Trader Joe’s is awesome! I’m just a little sad, though, that most of their products (canned, boxed) have been processed on shared equipment with allergens. So, finding things there for my girl is proving to be quite difficult. They have an egg-free mayonnaise, but it has been processed on equipment with products containing eggs. Bummer! {Thanks to my sis-in-law, I know Whole Foods has a yummy Vegannaise that I can get for her.} Also, I was looking for crackers for something I wanted to make for my girl and there was not one box of crackers at Trader Joe’s that she could eat because of processing issues. Bummer! So, be sure to read the fine print that can usually be found somewhere underneath the ingredient list.

Keep those eyes peeled!