Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Gluten-Free/Allergy-Free Cooking Classes or Lessons

It's been a while since I've posted a new recipe, as we have been experimenting lately with the kids and trying potentially allergic foods in small amounts. My daughter is now 4 (previously her cheeks turned red and broke out in a rash with avocado, cinnamon, soy, and nuts). Now, she has been able to eat avocado/grapefruit salad, guacamole, small amounts of cinnamon in cookies/oatmeal, some soy sauce in stir-fry and Vietnamese peanut sauce. In reintroducing these past-allergic foods, I have tried to introduce them a little at a time while avoiding over-processed foods.

Some would think that this should be an exciting development; that we can go back to eating anything we want, whenever we want. Yes, it is easier (especially traveling or at parties), but I don't want to go back to the way things were before. We have been cooking allergy-free/gluten-free/refined flour & sugar-free for over 3 years now, and it has become a part of our life. I find my kids do much better eating whole-grains, natural sweeteners and avoiding refined sugar and flour. I don't think we can ever "go back."

One reason for this post: I want to update my readers. There will be more posts coming! We are experimenting more than ever and I want to get back into updating my blog.

But there is also another reason. Has anyone ever taken any gluten-free or allergy-free cooking classes or lessons? Would you be interested in classes if someone were to offer them? I've been thinking about branching out to my community in the Boston area and offering some cooking classes that would incorporate gluten-free/allergy-free/refined sugar & flour-free lessons. Also lessons that incorporate kids cooking, because for us, this has made all the difference for our kids. So, please comment, let me know your thoughts!