Learning to live with your nut allergy

A guide to what you can have when you can't have nuts.

EpiPen Advice

Nut Free Recipes

What is an Allergy?

Allergic Reactions

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Contents

What is a Food Allergy?........................................................... 4Allergy Symptoms .................................................................. 5Nut Allergies ..................................................................... 6-7Living with a Nut Allergy .................................................... 8-9Recipes ........................................................................... 10-37Savoury

Pesto Alternatives ............................................................ 14-15Halloumi Curry ............................................................... 16-17Cheese Ramekins............................................................. 17-18Cream Cheese Pastry......................................................... 18-19Mince Samosas ............................................................... 20-21Notes…………………….......…………..........................….. 22-23Sweet

Banoffee Pie .................................................................... 28-29WaffleBerryPudding.......................................................30-31Christmas Cake................................................................. 32-33Bakewell Tart .................................................................. 34-35Notes .............................................................................. 36-37

Thisleafletcontainsahostofdifferentinformation,fromlearn-ing what an allergy is to how to make a delicious almond-free Christmas cake.

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What is a Food Allergy?What is an allergy?You have an allergy when your body responds negatively to asubstance.Commonfoodallergiesincludenuts,wheat,gluten and dairy. These foods are not normally harmful to people,butpeoplewhohaveanallergyhaveanallergicreaction when they come into contact with them.

Allergic ReactionsAn allergic reaction is what happens when someone who is allergic to something comes in contact with it. Reactions are different for every person as everyone has different tolerance level – one person might be able to sit next to someone eat-ingapeanut,butsomeoneelsemighthavea reaction from encountering someone who had peanuts a few hours ago but still has traces on their hand.

It’s also important to note that an allergic reaction can be different for the same person every time they have one – you might have eaten peanuts your whole life and then one day have an allergic reaction. It’s important to avoid a substance onceyouhavehadanallergicreactiontoit,asitislikelytobe worse next time.

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What is a Food Allergy?There are some general signs that someone is having an allergic reac-tion,anditisgoodtobeabletorecognisethem.Symptomsofamildto moderate allergic reaction include (but are not limited to):

- Itching- Swelling (particularly of the lips and tongue if the substance is digested)- Vomiting- Abdominal Pain- Hives (red raised sore patches on the surface of the skin)

A severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock) is likely to result in:

- Loss of consciousness - Severe swelling all over the body- Blue Lips- Blue Face-Difficultybreathing

If you believe someone is having a severe allergic reaction, it is cru-cial to phone an ambulance immediately. Anaphylactic shock can be life threatening if left untreated.

Allergy Symptoms

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Nut AllergiesWhat is a Nut Allergy?A nut allergy is different for every person. Some people cannotbeinthesameroomasnuts,whereassomepeople just have to avoid eating certain nuts. Aller-gic reactions to nuts range from mild vomiting and swelling to an anaphylactic shock. Your test results should show which nuts you are allergic to and your doctor will be able to tell you how to avoid them.

What should you do about your nut allergy?Thereisn’tanythingyoucandotocureanutallergy.However,byavoidingcontactwiththenut(s)youareallergicto,youcanpreventa reaction from happening.

What should you look out for?AsofDecember2014,manufacturershavetoputthetop14al-lergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) in bold. These allergens(accordingtotheEUFoodallergenlabellingRegulation,No.1169/2011,2014)are:1. Cereals containing gluten 2. Crustaceans and products thereof3. Egg and products thereof4. Fish and products thereof5. Peanuts and products thereof6. Soybeans and products thereof7. Milk and products thereof8.Nuts,namelyalmond,hazelnut,walnut,cashew,pecannut,Brazilnut,pistachionutandMacadamianut.

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9. Celery and products thereof10. Mustard and products thereof11. Sesame seeds and products thereof12. Lupin and products thereof13. Molluscs and products thereof14. Sulphur dioxide

Alwayschecktheingredientslistonaproduct,evenifitisaproductyou have bought before – ingredients change over time. Some ready mealsmaybecookedusingnutoil,somecakescontainalmondextract – things you might not naturally associate with nuts can still have nuts in somewhere.

Inaddition,manyproductsthatdon’thaveanynutsintheingredi-entsstillhave‘maycontainnuttraces’printedonthelabel,whichcan seem a little confusing. It is possible that the product was made onamanufacturinglinewherenutsareused,orthattheproducthasat some point been in an area where nuts were recently handled. It is important to look out for this as there is a small chance these prod-ucts could cause a reaction.

However,itcanseemdifficulttofindaproductwithoutthesewarn-ings,asveryfewbrandsarepreparedtoguaranteenutfree(Kinnertonchocolatedoguaranteenutfree,andcan be bought in major supermarkets). Allergy UK saythat‘maycontainisadifficultissueascom-panies are more than able to use this however it is not as helpful to allergy sufferers and used more as a precaution against possible law suits’. Thereiscurrentlynospecificadviceonhowtoworkaroundthewarnings,andlittleguidelinesforcompaniestogoby.Atpresent,itisbesttobeascarefulas possible and use personal judgement about which brands to buy.

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Eating out:Itcanseemdifficulttoeatoutwithanutallergy.Therearelotsofprod-uctsyoumaynotrealisecontainnuts,suchaspestoandoils.Somerestaurantswillmarktheirproductsthatcontainnuts,butitalwaysbestto check with the restaurant that they can prepare your food separately to anythatcontainsnuts.Itwillbedifficultforthemtoguaranteenutfreeingredients,soitisbesttobecautious.

Here are some stories of people who live with or are affected by a nut allergy everyday:

Living with a Nut Allergy

Frances, a university student, was only diag-nosed with her nut allergy at 18, after having a severe allergic reaction to loaf of bread with nuts in. ‘Peanut butter and banana sandwiches were my

favourite meal (no matter what time of day!) when I wasyounger,somyallergycameassomewhatofa

surprise! Ifounditquitedifficultatfirsttoadapttotakingnutsoutofmy diet as I am also a vegetarian. It has forced my cooking – particularly my dessert cooking – to become much more imaginative. If I see nuts inarecipeIdon’twriteoffusingit,butinsteadthinkabouthowIcouldwork round it.

My advice to someone with an allergy would be...to remember to get a doctor’s note to take an epipen on a plane. I’ve had some awkward con-versations in other languages trying to explain what it is!’

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Judith, mother of Matthew and Jonathon, who have a severe nut allergy, had to change the way she cooked and bought food.WhenIfirstfoundoutthatmytwoboyshadanutallergy,itwasveryfrightening.WhenIwent

shopping,Iwouldscanthelistofingredientstocheckforanynuttraces.However,ifIhadavoidedall

productsthatstatedtheremaybetracesofnuts,wewouldn’thaveeatenmuch!IdecidedtouseproductsthatIhadboughtpreviously,andthatIknewwereokayforthemtoeat.Istilltendtodothatnow,12yearslater.However,thisdoesnotalwaysguaranteethatthefoodsaresafetoeat–we have had problems with Cadbury’s chocolate making my younger son unwell.

My advice to someone with an child with an allergy would be...To cook homemademealswheneverpossible.Ifreezealotofleftoverssothere’salways something there.

Gary, a secondary school student, has been al-lergic to nuts for as long as he can remember.I’ve always had a nut allergy so I have no idea what I am missing out on! It is annoying hav-ingtotakeanEpipeneverywherewithme,butI can remember by first allergic reaction and it’s not something I would like to relive. I’m always especially careful when I am trying a new restaurant as you just never know.

My advice to someone with an allergy would be...to always take your medicine with you. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

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Savoury

Pesto Alternatives............................................................................14-15Halloumi Curry...............................................................................16-17Cheese Ramekins............................................................................17-18Cream Cheese Pastry........................................................................18-19Mince Samosas................................................................................20-21Notes...............................................................................................21-22

Sweet

Banoffee Pie....................................................................................28-29WaffleBerryPudding.......................................................................30-31Christmas Cake................................................................................32-33Bakewell Tart...................................................................................34-35Notes...............................................................................................36-37

RecipesHaving an allergy doesn’t mean you have to eat boring food. You can make really tasty food without any nuts at all! The next section in this leafletwillshowyousomeideasofwhatyoucando.

http://www.delightdulce.com/2011/11/cheese-souffle.html

SAVOURY

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Pesto Alternatives

1 tablespoon crushed garlic1 teaspoon sea salt60gbasilleaves,tornintopieces45g coarsely grated plum tomatoes50ml olive oil110gfinelygratedMimolette

Inalargemortar,poundthegarlicwiththesalttoapaste.Onceground,addthebasilinslowly,grindingthemagainstthemortaruntilpracticallysmooth.

Onceallthebasilhasallbeenadded,mixinthetomatoes,thengradual-lystirintheoliveoil.Whenallingredientshaveblendedtogether,stirinthecheese.Serveimmediately,orstoreinthefridgeuntilreadytouse.

Pestomightnotbeyourfirstthoughtwhenavoidingnuts,butmostshopbought and restaurant served pesto contains pine nut. The two best waysaroundthisistousesunflowerseedpesto,orpistou, which is a traditional French dressing very similar to pesto.

Pistou

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70grawshelledsunflowerseeds1 small garlic clove120g arugula leaves60g fresh basil leaves50ml extra-virgin olive oil2 teaspoons honey1teaspoongratedlemonzest1 tablespoon lemon juicePinch of sea salt

Rinsesunflowerseedsthoroughlyandplaceintoasmallbowl.Addinenough cold water to cover the seeds by an inch. Cover and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.

Oncesoaked,drainandrinsetheseeds.Inablender,puréesunflowerseeds,garlic,arugula,basil,oil,honey,andlemonzestandjuiceuntilsmooth.Seasontotastewithsalt.Ifitistoothick,addalittlewater,but be careful to add in slowly as it becomes thin very quickly.

Sunflower Seed Pesto

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Serves: 2

Althoughbestservedwithbasmatirice,thisisn’tatraditionalcurry.Its gentle spice can be increased by adding a little chilli powder when addingintheonions,butitisnotessential.

Oliveoil1 tsp madras paste1redonion,roughlychopped225ghalloumi,cutinto2cmcubes400g chopped tomato2 tsp garam masalaGround peppercorns100gfrozenpeas

Inafryingpan,heatasplashofoilwiththemadraspaste.Addintheonion,andoncesoftened,addinhalloumi.Turnhalloumioveroftento prevent it burning.

Oncethehalloumihasbrownedallover,addinthechoppedtoma-toes.Stirin,sprinklinginthegarammasalaandgroundpeppercorns.Pourinthefrozenpeas,andallowtosimmerfor5minutestoallowthe peas to cook. Serve immediately with basmati rice.

Halloumi Curry

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Cheese Ramekins

Preheatovento220°C/GasMark8.Onalowheat,gentlybringthemilktothe boil in a small saucepan. Be careful to remove the milk as soon as it has reachedtheboil,soasnottoburnit.Next,sprinklethebreadcrumbsinashallow bowl

Slowly pour the boiled milk over the breadcrumbs a little at a time. Using thebackofaspoon,mixandpressthemilkandbreadcrumbstogetheruntiltheyhavebecomeapaste.Leavetosoakforfiveminutes.

AddthehardcheeseandCheshirecheeseandmixtothepaste.Oncemixed,addthebutterandeggyolk,pressingandmixinguntilasmallpaste.Seasonto taste and add nutmeg.

Inaseparatebowl,whiskthewhiteoftheegguntilslightlyfrothy.Pourslowlyintothepaste.Mix,thenspoonthemixtureevenlyintotwosmallramekins – around 8cm in diameter and 6cm deep. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes,oruntilgoldenbrownontop.Serveimmediatelyintheramekins.

20ml milk 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs30gparmesanorItalianhardcheese,grated30gCheshirecheese,grated30g butterpinch of nutmeg1egg,separatedintoyolkandwhiteSalt and pepper to taste

Serves: 2

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Thisisaquickandeasymeal,greatforasummerlunchtimeorlightdinner.Servewithboilednewpotatoes,saladandasquirtofsaladcream on the side.

Oliveoil2leeks,choppedinto5mmslices125g asparagus tips1/2redonion,finelychopped175g soft cheese375g puff pastryGround peppercorns to taste

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Heat a splash of olive oil in afryingpan,andgentlyfrytheleeksuntiltheyarejuststartingtosoften.Turnofftheheatandsettooneside.Inasaucepan,blanchtheasparagus for one minute. Drain and set aside.

Inaseparatebowl,mixtogethertheonionandsoftcheeseuntilen-tirely blended.

Prepareaflatbakingsheetwithgreaseproofpaper.Sprinklealittleflourandrolloutthepuffpastryuntil3-4mmthickandplaceontobaking sheet. Spread the soft cheese mixture roughly over the pastry. It is not essential that it is spread evenly – a little variety adds texture. Grind a little pepper over the top to taste.

Placeasparagustipsontopofthesoftcheese,followedbytheleeks.Cookinovenfor15-20minutes,oruntilbrownedallover.Bestserved hot but also delicious cold!

Serves: 4-6

Cream Cheese Pastry

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Mince Samosas

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NotesNotes.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Notes

SWEET

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Grease a loose bottom 15cm cake tin.

Inabowl,crushthebiscuitsuntilcrumbled.Onalowheatinasmallsaucepan,slowlymeltthebutter.Oncemelted,sprinkleinthedigestivecrumbstothepan,stirringallthetime.Onceallthebutterhasbeenabsorbedandallthecrumbsused,spoonthemixtureintothecaketin.Press down until compact and even. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Oncecooled,pourovercaramel.Spreaduntilevenontop,thenrefriger-ate for an hour to allow it to set.

Inaseparatebowl,whipcreamuntilreasonablystiff.Spoonoverthecaramel. Chop bananas roughly into slices and place on top of the cream until the top of the cream is entirely covered by banana slices.

Remove from cake tin and serve immediately.

275g digestive biscuits100g butter1 can of caramel (around 400g)200ml whipping cream2 ripe bananas

Banoffee Pie

Waffle Berry Pudding

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Preheatovento200°/GasMark6.Cutwafflesintoroughly2.5cmpieces.Coarselychopwhitechocolate.Placehalfthewafflesinadeepovendish,andsprinkleoverhalfthewhitechocolateandhalfofthe raspberries. Repeat.

Combinesugarandflourinabowl.Whisktogethercremefraîche,eggsandvanilla.Spoonoverthewafflemixture.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set in the centre. Allowtocoolforfiveminutes.Sprinklewithicingsugarandserve.

250gwaffles75g white chocolate 150gfrozenraspberries25g caster sugar1/2tbspplainflour250mlcremefraîche1 egg1/2 tsp vanilla essence 1 tbsp icing sugar

This is great for a big party my mum always used to make this for our birthdayswhenwewereyoung.Bestservedassoonasit’scooked,thismoist,fruitypuddingisaguaranteedwinner.

Waffle Berry Pudding

Serves 6

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Christmas CakeThismakesanenormouscake,butitgreatifyou’reseeingalotofpeo-ple.WealwaysusedtotakeitroundwhenwewentvisitingatChristmas,because you can almost guarantee that anyone else’s will have almonds in. It keeps for ages too – we’re sometimes still eating it in February!

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Bakewell Tart

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Notes