Allerbling – fun name, first of all. And secondly, highly practical. My friend, Emily, sent me a link to their website a couple years ago and I bought a bracelet for Bryce immediately. He was 3-years old, recently diagnosed with a dairy and egg allergy added to his nut allergy, and we were looking ahead to situations such as a week at Maranatha, where he would be supervised by college students and fed snacks daily. He was a little young to trust to communicate his allergy or to evaluate if something was safe, and just writing down or telling the person at check-in seemed inadequate. So we trained him to show the child care workers his bracelet (which he loved and was so happy to wear! made him feel special I think) when it was snack-time, so they could remember about his allergies and confirm the snack was safe. I also checked in ahead of time to see what was being served, read the ingredients, and make contact with someone in the room familiar with food allergies and label-reading, but this was a good double-check. He still chooses to bring it to school, kept primarily in his backpack, but he’ll slip it on occasionally too. There are so many things he can’t have that others can that I kinda like when there is something he has that others don’t, even if it’s a bright orange rubber bracelet.

Some friends and I carved pumpkins Saturday night:

We saved the seeds and I roasted them up:

1. Sort seeds from pulp; strain.

2. Boil in heavily salted water for about 20 min (until they turn gray).

3. Preheat oven to 300F.

4. Oil baking sheet or dish (one with a lip all around if you don’t want to start a fire and/or lose all your seeds).

5. Toss seeds in oil and spread so they are pretty much in a single layer.

6. Roast 40 minutes, stirring every 10-15.

I did one batch with olive oil and sea salt and the other with butter and cinnamon sugar. I loved them both and it occurred to me they are allergy-friendly and actually pack some hard-to-get-in-your-average-diet nutrients (e.g., manganese, magnesium, iron), so bonus! Here’s an article from Whole Foods on their merit, in case it will sway you:  Pumpkin Seeds Are Healthy

The seeds actually make it worth the mess and bother of carving. I was going to have the boys paint their pumpkins this year to avoid the whole carving thing but this weekend changed my mind. I wanna get in there and get some more seeds!

Two ingredients – now that’s what I call an easy recipe. Boxed cake mix (I’ve tried yellow and chocolate and hear that spice works great) + 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (aka Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin). That’s it. Forget the eggs, the oil, the water that the mix calls for – pumpkin will magically take the place of them all!

Now for a disclaimer – there are two variations of optional additions: Add pumpkin pie seasonings if you like those flavors (e.g., 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg – or the even easier “pumpkin pie seasoning”). Another option is to add is 1 cup chocolate chips, which can be allergy-friendly (e.g., Enjoy Life brand). I added both the spices and the chocolate to the boys’ version I made Saturday. My gluten-free ones were [gasp] without chocolate chips. I forgot initially and then thought it would help to tell them apart.

Mix ingredients together thoroughly, spoon into muffin tins sprayed with Pam, and bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Try to let cool long enough to not burn your mouth devouring them! My boys beg for another and another all day long! They disappear fast around here, but ~theoretically~ they freeze (and more importantly – thaw) well too.

And as long as you read labels and choose appropriately, they are easily dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and even gluten-free. And completely season-appropriate!

Yes, four and a half layers. Stephanie added a layer of chocolate curls and I changed its name. But the reason why I’m posting has nothing to do with the fact that she made this amazing gluten-free version for me (among others) to enjoy Saturday night. Well, it has a little bit to do with it because she sent the remaining two rows of luscious yumminess home with me to enjoy. Fast-forward to the next evening when I pull it out of the fridge and find a mere square left! I mean, sure, that’s a serving size, but not for a pregnant lady! So I bring the pan to Jas and ask him, in a way that I can now see wasn’t so wise (acting like the second part of Prov. 14:1 instead of the first – ugh), “Seriously? This is all you left me?!?” So, we had a little “discussion” for the next 10 minutes or so about gluten-free dessert-eating etiquette in our home. The climax of the conversation went something like this:

J: Just make more. It’s not that hard.

L: It’s not that easy!

J: Get me the recipe and buy the ingredients and I’ll make it tomorrow.

L: That’s part of the “not easy.” YOU get the recipe and ingredients! (not my finest moment)

J: Fine, I will.

Now, later that evening I had to ask forgiveness for being too self-focused and “fleshy” (Gal 5) and let Jason off the hook for making the dessert, insisting he not waste his time in an already jam-packed week. He had already acquired the recipe, however, and was determined to make it, and, figuring I’d argued enough the night before, I didn’t argue with him. I just enjoyed the fruit of his labor. And by fruit I mean creamy, chocolaty, graham-cracker goodness! I LOVE that there are gluten-free graham crackers and that they make this dessert sooooo good!

Made by Jason

4-1/2 Layer Dessert RECIPE:

I recently hopped on the pinterest bandwagon and have had fun getting new ideas and inspiration. One such repin was the Snickers Salad. What a great gluten-free way to have some apple dessert this fall!

(not a remotely safe option for Bryce, however)