Blogger Blurb: AllergyAwesomeness

By: Morrgan Zmolek

AllergyAwesomeness is showing why allergen-free food is— well, awesome.

It was in fall 2015 that Megan Lavin started her blog, AllergyAwesomeness. The blog showcases the recipes she creates, all of them free from the eight most common allergens. She began AllergyAwesomeness to catalog what recipes worked for her family, as her son was diagnosed at a young age with a rare allergic condition called eosinophilic esophagitis. This diagnosis came with many food allergies. Lavin said she hoped the things she had learned during this journey would help other moms who have children with allergies.

“I used to tear up at the grocery store wandering the aisles wondering what I could safely feed my son,” she said. “I wanted to be able to save any other allergy parent from those feelings. Having a child, or yourself, with food allergies can feel very scary, since it’s life threatening, and very isolating because food is so central to our culture.”

She said it can be difficult to create recipes because of disappointment when it doesn’t work out. Recipe creation can also be an expensive venture. She said allergen ingredients can not only be 3-4 times more expensive than regular ingredients, but they are also difficult to find. Lavin said she sometimes goes to three or four stores to get the ingredients she needs. However, it is because of these reasons that Lavin decides to share her recipes.

“It can save so much heartache for others if we share our journey,” she said. “It really stinks to be excited to eat something, and then be left with a sink full of dishes and nothing to show for all your effort.” Lavin said when people are accommodating of people with allergies, it can make them feel seen. “It’s an incredible burden they have to carry and they have to be so responsible and have so much restraint,” she said. “It’s not like an intolerance where they can cheat and deal with an upset stomach or other irritations, but where they could literally die.”

“Think about a time you’ve been dieting or trying to eat better,” she said. “Even as an adult, it’s hard to see others eating something that smells or looks delicious. Now imagine being a kid and having to do that and not even being able to cheat or have ‘just a bite.’”

The most rewarding aspect for Lavin is the reaction she gets when she makes a recipe her boys like. “That’s why I do what I do at the end of the day,” she said. “It’s wonderful to be able to help others outside of my family, but at the end of the day if my boys are happy, then I am happy.”

To get a copy of Megan’s cookbook, you can find it by searching: “An Allergy Mom’s Lifesaving Instant Pot Cookbook” on Amazon. Discover Megan’s allergen-free recipes and learn more about her story on her Instagram: @allergy_awesomeness. Megan’s favorite recipe – her chocolate cupcakes!

Ingredients:

For cupcakes

1 cup water, 1 ½ sticks vegan butter (12 tablespoons), ⅓ cup cacao powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cups gluten-free flour, 1 ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon xanthan, 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax seeds mixed with 5 tablespoons of water), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ cup applesauce or dairy-free sour cream

For frosting

3 Tablespoons dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening, 3 Tablespoons coconut oil, 2 and 2/3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/3 cup vanilla rice milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt

Instructions:

For cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously grease your pan with non-stick cooking spray, (if doing a 13x9). Or, line your cupcake tin with cupcake liners (makes 12). In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake’s dry ingredients, except for the cocoa. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt your vegan butter. Add your water, cocoa powder, and dairy-free sour cream/applesauce and stir to incorporate. Take off the heat and add your flax eggs, vanilla, and then whisk in your dry ingredients. Stir until smooth. Pour the batter into your pan or cupcake tin. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes for cupcakes, and 20-25 minutes for the cake. Or, until the middle of the cake springs back when you touch it, and it’s slightly pulling away from the edges. Allow the cake to cool. While it’s cooling, make the frosting. Spread or pipe the frosting onto the cooled cake. Keep covered at room temperature, to keep the frosting from drying out.

For frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the oil and shortening with the paddle attachment. Once combined, add the cocoa. Incorporate completely. You’ll find the cocoa really adheres to the bottom of the bowl, so use a spatula and make sure everything is scraped and incorporated before moving on. Then, add the vanilla and salt. Mix. Then, alternate the rice milk and powdered sugar until you’ve used them all. Feel free to add more powdered sugar if you need it stiff, or a bit more rice milk if you want it thinner. I find this frosts 12 cupcakes great, but if you want to frost a double layer cake, I’d make one and a half batches. Keeps well in the fridge, covered.

https://allergyawesomeness.com/the-best-allergy-friendly-chocolate-birthday-cupcakes-glutendairy-egg-peanut-vegan/