Got Food Allergies?

Andy tested positive for cow's milk and egg white allergies and Nathan has always seemed to have some issues with cow's milk and soy, so we are doing (at least) a month of dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free eating. We've been easing into it for awhile with Nathan and me, but now we've gone hard-core. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed as I look at ingredients lists of everything and realize that there is so much that we can't eat/cook with right now. I so admire moms who do this all the time and have to juggle even more allergens!! I know that it will get easier and become second nature to me pretty soon. I'm not sure right now if I'm hoping that their symptoms improve in the next 3-4 weeks, meaning that we've got it figured out and we're getting them better but we're stuck with this food allergy label, or if I want to see no improvement and know that it's not food related. I guess time will tell.

So far of 2 recipes that I had to tweak, the mashed potatoes were a hit with everyone--the boys included! Well, okay, anything Nathan puts in his mouth that we don't take out is a hit (he thinks playdoh is its own food group, 'nuff said!). The fact that Andy gobbled them up once I got him to try them was awesome. :) And the fact that Dave went back for seconds of my almondmilk mashers made my heart smile... he's doing this dairy-free thing with us! The taters were pretty simple--smart balance light spread instead of butter and almondmilk instead of cow's milk. The brownies on the other hand, well, not so much. I used my normal recipe that calls for 3/4 c butter and 3 eggs and did some substituting with oil, applesauce, flaxseed, and water. They didn't set up until they were way overcooked, so they were goopy on top but I may need a jackhammer to chip them out of the pan. I found a new recipe and method to try today! :) I wouldn't be so insistent, but I haven't found vegan chocolate yet and we need a little something for potty treats (and for Mommy's sanity).