gluten/dairy/egg/cane sugar free baking

My child has been diagnosed as having gluten, dairy, egg and cane sugar allergies. So in addition to my own dietary needs, we now have a bunch more allergies to contend with. So hippy-mama has started baking again. I'm experimenting with some substitutions and so far, so good. Brown rice flour is a bit gritty, but it works, especially when blended with some oatmeal. Xanthan gum included helps with binding, and I found an egg replacement that seems to work ok too. So on the menu this weekend has been banana muffins, and right now in the oven I have a peach-mixed berries crisp. I've substituted palm sugar and agave syrup for the sugar (I will cut down on these too, but baby steps!), and I'm trying some different kinds of flour. For right now the kids are happy with what I've come up with, and that's really all that matters!

We have lots of hummus in the fridge, and some corn chips in the cupboard. I know the chips aren't super healthy, but I don't want an out and out mutiny on my hands. Lots of veggies, and fruit, and Jackson has been enjoying vegan protein shakes for breakfast. Lunches have been the hardest, he can't heat anything up at school and he's not enjoying the gluten-free bread we've been making for sandwiches. He doesn't seem to want salads, but I did make a yummy quinoa salad that he likes. It travels well and is good with some chicken and cut-up veggies. There is a girl with a severe nut allergy in his school, so nuts are out. I'm going to try and sneak in some sunflower butter, but all 3 kids are very suspicious of anything like that. Only since I used to sneak soy nut butter into things when they were younger.

I have always intuitively known that he has food allergies and many of the convenient foods that have been in the house have never sat well with me. But sadly our kids live in the world that disregards good nutrition, and I succumbed to their whining that they wanted all of the same stuff as other kids. Even so, apparently they've have the weirdest school lunches of anyone in their classes. But seeing what's in a lot of lunches in my classroom, I guess I understand how 2 pieces of fruit and cut up veggies would be considered odd. And apparently no other moms are hippy-mama, baking healthy treats.

So the gluten/dairy/egg/cane sugar adventures continue. I haven't convinced anyone to try my non-dairy tapioca cheese yet, but I'm working on them!

Have a wonderful, if cold, Sunday :)