Last month, Lucie went through allergy testing, and braved the prick test with minimal hysterics. The results weren’t too surprising. She’s very allergic to peanuts and eggs as well as all tree nuts. However, her soy allergy was surprising since she’s eaten edame and soy sauce covered foods many times without getting hives, her eyes puffing up, or throwing up (her usual three reactions). She’s had soy milk a few times, but didn’t care for it. (Nathan loves it.) Still, I think it prudent to avoid soy whenever possible.

Unfortunately, soy is in EVERYTHING these days. However, after consulting the FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis) website on soy, I see that soy oil isn’t usually a problem for people with sensitivity to soy. I’ve seen the same about soy lecithin as well, which is used as a preservative in many, many foods. So that’s a relief and makes my life a little easier.

Still the egg allergy, which I was hoping she was growing out of, is still present. Thus my search for eggless meatloaf. With all the ground deer and antelope we have in the freezer (Paul hunts) meatloaf is an easy way to use it up.

Firehouse Meatloaf
From the Rapid City Journal

Ingredients:

1. 3 pounds hamburger, not extra lean
2. 1 large can evaporated milk
3. 1 package (2 envelopes) dry onion soup mix
4. Tomato sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix together well with hands. Mixture will be sticky.
2. Pat into two round loaves. Wet hands and smooth surface of loaves.
3. Bake on broiler pan so grease drops below. (Water could be placed in lower pan to prevent smoking grease.)
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours.
5. A small can of tomato sauce can be poured over loaves before baking, if desired.

Polish Meatloaf
From the Polish American Journal

This recipe hails from World War II-era Poland when eggs were in very short supply. Today it may be a boon to weight- and cholesterol-watchers.

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 c. plain dry bread crumbs
2. 3/4 c. skim milk or water
3. 1 1/2 lb ground pork, veal or the pork-veal-beef meatloaf mixture available in many supermarkets
4. 1 to 2 grated onions
5. 1 medium sized peeled, grated, raw potato
6. Salt, pepper and marjoram to taste
7. 1 minced garlic clove or a dash of garlic powder (optional)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix bread crumbs and skim milk or water.
2. Add ground meat, onions, and potato. (The grated potato replaces the egg as a binder.) Mix well by hand until thoroughly blended.
3. Season to taste with salt, pepper, a pinch of marjoram. Add garlic if desired. Mix well.
4. Shape into a loaf and place at the center of a cake pan greased with oil. (Polish meatloaf is not normally made in a loaf pan!)
5. Add 1 cup of water to pan and bake about 1 hour in preheated 350 degrees F oven.

Eggless Meatloaf
Ingredients:

1. 2 pounds ground beef (or 1 pound each ground turkey and ground beef)
2. 2-3/4 cups fresh bread cubes (about 3 slices)
3. 1/2 cup chopped onion
4. 2 tablespoons parsley or Morton’s Nature’s Seasoning spice blend
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 1/4 teaspoon basil
7. 1/4 teaspoon pepper
8. 1/4 cup milk
9. 1 can vegetarian vegetable soup, mashed

Swiss cheese Topping:

1. Swiss cheese in cube or bar form
2. 1/4 cup ketchup
3. 2 tablespoon mustard
4. 1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Mix together all meatloaf ingredients except cheese.
2. Shape into eight to 10 balls or a loaf. I used a loaf pan on my first try, but will try to make a freestanding loaf next time. I’m thinking of placing it on a small rack inside a pan, so the fat and grease can drip off during baking.
3. Cut a cube of Swiss cheese (about 3/4 inch square) for the meatballs, and press into the center of each one. If you’re making a loaf, cut a long 1 inch square “bar” of cheese approximately the length of the loaf to press into the center. (You can use several pieces of cheese to do this.) The idea is that when you cut into the meatball or loaf, there is melted Swiss cheese in the middle.
4. Bake loaves at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
5. Then, mix together topping ingredients and put over the top of loaves and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer.
6. Let loaf sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Note: Unbaked loaves freeze well.

Cookbooks for people with multiple food allergies:

• Great Foods Without Worry
• What’s to Eat? The Milk-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook

Books for kids with allergies:

• Cody the Allergic Cow: A Children’s Story of Milk Allergies – For ages four to eight, this book helps young children understand milk and food allergies.
• Allie the Allergic Elephant: A Children’s Story of Peanut Allergies – For ages four to eight, the story helps children learn about food allergies and how to be a good friend when you can’t share snacks. The text explains peanut allergies in a way that parents, teachers, and children themselves can talk about allergies and understand them better.
• The Peanut Butter Jam – For ages nine to 12 is a  life-like account of what happens during an anaphylactic reaction to peanut and how well-prepared schools should respond. The story promotes understanding, tolerance and sensitivity to the seriousness of allergies.
• Taking Food Allergies to School – For children ages four to eight, this book is also an important tool for teachers, parents, school nurses, caregivers, and classmates on the special needs of children with food allergies. Topics covered include sharing lunches, special parties and events,and appropriate snacks. Not only can teachers read this book aloud in the classroom, but a quiz for kids is included along with Ten Tips for Teachers and an allergy-free pizza recipe.
• The Peanut-free Cafe – For ages four to eight, a new student comes to school who is allergic to peanut butter and can’t sit near anyone eating it. Should the principal forbid peanut butter in the cafeteria? The school forms a peanut-free café! It will be a fun place to eat and watch movies, where the only admission is a peanut-free lunch. Most students don’t mind except for one who can’t give up the food he loves the most.

Check out the allergy awareness t-shirts, patches, and stickers at Jeeto.com, too.

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