July 2022 Special Needs Living Akron/Canton

Eating to Live: Coping With Food Allergies

A professional chef’s thoughts on navigating food allergies safely and effectively

Written by Daniel Anschutz, aka “Chef Daniel”

We all know someone who has a food allergy. The most common food allergies are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. You might think that you could easily avoid these things if you needed to, right? Sadly, it’s not as easy as it might seem.

In this day and age, many of the quick and easy items for anyone to fix for a meal are also overly processed and have a shelf life longer than you might realize. Most of these items will also contain wheat which can be detrimental to anyone with Celiac disease. They may also be processed in the same place that processes nuts, dairy, soybeans, and other allergens. Because of the possibility of cross-contamination (one item coming into contact with another that generally wouldn’t), you see warnings like “may contain peanuts” on a bag of chocolates. You will also see a dairy warning as well as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) requires all of the major allergens to be noted on all packages.

Being a 25-year veteran of the food service industry, I have witnessed a significant increase in the number of people needing a restrictive diet. In addition to the average American eating out six days a week! In the industry, we do our best to have separate pans and utensils to cook for you and ensure no cross-contamination. However, we work in a shared kitchen. That means we prep all of the items in the same space. So, while rare, some things could contaminate others. A prime example would be finishing a seared chicken breast in the oven that you also used earlier in the day to make croutons. If someone has a severe wheat allergy, this can cause a complex and potentially life-threatening situation. This is an extreme case, but one that I have seen happen.

Many individuals who have an allergy as severe as previously mentioned have reserved only to eat food they have prepared as they have complete control over the cooking environment and ingredients. This is no small undertaking, as busy as many of us are, but in many cases, a necessity so we can be at and feel our best day today. Food is medicine is a familiar concept; in other words, you get out what you put in.

To help those with any of the above allergies, this recipe has none of the major allergens and is a quick and simple addition to your cookouts this year. A Grilled Green Bean Salad is a light, fresh and pleasant surprise for your palate. This dish also cooks what is in season in mid-spring through summer. Cooking in season helps you use the freshest ingredients available. Your taste buds will thank you, as will your body if you have significant allergies.

GRILLED GREEN BEAN SALAD (VEGAN, DF, GF)

Ingredients

• Green Beans: 1 LB, Fresh

• Tomatoes: 1 PT Grape or Cherry

• Balsamic Vinegar: ¼ Cup

• Red Onion: ½ Julienne, Optional

• Olive Oil: 3 TBSP

Directions 1. Snip or snap the ends off your green beans and discard. Toss the green beans in 2 tbsp olive oil. Place directly on the grill or in a perforated grilling pan. Season with salt and pepper and grill until al dente. 2. Toss your tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper and either grill or blister in a hot sauté pan. If your tomatoes are more significant than bite-size, you may want to cut them in half. 3. Julienne half of a red onion (optional) and toss with the beans, tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Can be chilled if desired before serving.