Allergy Woes and a New Recipe

The allergist is still really frustrating me. Got a phone call today that she did her research and I must stop giving him anything containing sunflower oil and also avoid any seed or nut oils. The really frustrating thing is that he has been eating Enjoy Life cookies for about a year without any problems and they contain sunflower oil, and some have flax seeds, which I've also been told we have to avoid. And yet, his formula, Nutramigen, has sunflower oil and she said it would be fine because it would be pure. My problem with her logic is that his formula is made for kids allergic to milk, not sunflower seeds, so it's not necessarily fine. And he does occasionally get a rash with his formula. I narrowly escaped bursting into tears with the nurse the last time we talked. The only thing she offered was to schedule me another appt. with the allergist, but I declined. What's the point?

I am looking forward to making some changes in Evan's diet and praying for big results. We are giving up orange juice, which is what was reccomended by the nutritionist we were sent to because she wanted him to have it for the calcium. However, I have recently learned from a friend that citrus aggravates eczema. And yet, our nutritionist and allergist agreed that it would be best for Evan. Or not. I am still looking for a suitable probiotic to get him started on, and can't wait to see it work (I hope!) And I think we are going to drop the formula sooner than later. The same friend (her daughter also has multiple food allergies) was told by their nutritionist to use a mixture of enriched rice milk and coconut milk. The rice milk is for the nutrients and the coconut milk is for the fat. This afternoon, I researched Evan's calcium requirements (500mg/day) and I could easily get that with those milks. This whole thing is so frustrating, but I feel good about being proactive and doing what's best for my son. Sometimes you just really have to listen to your motherly instinct. That's how Evan ended up getting tested for food allergies in the first place!

Okay, enough venting. On to the recipe!

This recipe is my adaptation of Simply Delicious Spaghetti Squash from Clean Food by Terry Walters. I have previously posted another recipe from this book: Banana Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies.

1 spaghetti squash, baked until soft, and scraped out of the shell to separate the strands
1/4 c. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried parsley (Note: The original recipe calls for 2 Tbsp. of chopped fresh parsley.)

In a skillet, sauté garlic in olive oil until it starts to brown. Add strands of squash and the parsley. Toss to coat. Serve.

It's that simple! And Evan loved it. He said, "Yum.... Oh yum. Mmmmm." So I'd say it's a keeper!