Sweethearts Candy Blog's

As summer winds down (and forced indoors by stifling heat and other bad weather), we've been running out of activities around here. Then, recently, my daughters dug up their Easy Bake Oven and are having a blast making treats.

The baking mixes that come with Easy Bake and other kid ovens normally carry peanut and tree nut allergy warnings, so we have been unable to use those. Luckily, we found a self-published book online that featured "homemade" recipes for "little oven" treats. Besides being nut allergy-friendly, making your own recipes offers your kid without all the chemicals and they're much more affordable, too.

Here is one of my kids favorite recipes--we tweaked it a little from the original and it works great. Store the mix in a cool, dry place and note the yellow cake variation.

Nut-Free Easy Bake Oven Cake Mix
1 1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Hershey's or Vermont Nut-Free www.vermontnutfree.com)
1 tsp. salt
2 1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight bag or container

To make a cake: Mix 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cake mix with 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine and 1/2 a beaten egg (you can also use egg subsitute like Egg Beaters)

Pour into Easy Bake baking pan that's been greased and floured

Bake in mini oven for about 15 minutes.

Use this same basic recipe to make yellow cake mix as well--just leave out the cocoa. I'd add a little vanilla with the wet ingredients for better flavor.

I was interviewed for the current issue of Special Parent magazine, a spin-off of Chicago Parent magazine. The story focused on Chicago-area businesses and restaurants that accommodate various food allergies and intolerances. The story also discussed the difficulties that parents have in managing food allergies with their children and how the new crop of businesses are beginning to make it easier.

Now, it's your turn. Can we have your input on allergy-friendly stores, restaurants or other establishments in your area?

Every little step does make it easier, especially when dining out with food allergies. I am encouraged by the article and am hopeful that more establishments will crop up to address our needs. We are definitely loyal customers once we trust a place, so the success of allergy-friendly establishments should be assured.

OK, let us hear from you!

I just came from my local Borders where I was thrilled to find the latest issue of "Living Without" magazine. This has not been available in most bookstores, until now, despite the fact that it has been published for more than 10 years!

If the magazine isn't sold at a bookstore near you, ask them to order it. It's so validating to see someone devote an entire magazine to food allergy issues.

Also, as a freelance writer, I'm busy developing article ideas about living with food allergies. If anyone would be willing to be interviewed as a source in the future, please e-mail me at nutfreemom@sbcglobal.net. I am always looking for quotes on the topic of parenting with food allergies. If you are an adult living with food allergies, I'd love to hear from you as well.

Thanks!