Found a pesto without cashews...safe to give to DS?

[IHeartKingThistle]

DS (3) is diagnosed allergic to cashews, peanuts, pistachois, sesame and lentils. I think raw egg too, though undiagnosed as yet. He's never had a severe reaction but does flare up around his mouth if he eats these things, followed by an awful eczema flare-up.

He always reacted instantly to pesto and I stupidly had no idea that most pesto sauces are bulked out with cashews. But I've just found a pesto with pine nuts only - yay!

Question is, how likely is it that he will react to pine nuts? WWYD? Scared to try!

bump?

I think too likely to risk it. I wouldn't

I wouldn't either. Meridian do a nut free pesto.

Damn. The label says nut free so I got excited. Are pine nuts seeds then?

Yes, they are technically seeds, but very common to be allergic to them if you are allergic to nuts I'm afraid.

Your DS has pretty much the same allergies as DS. His worst reaction was to pesto and I assumed it was the pine nut as I also didn't know it was full of cashews. His results came back negative for pine nuts but the dr said we should avoid pine nuts until he's 8, so he can tell us how he's feeling when he tries them. Although from what I gather pine it's aren't tree nuts, they're seeds so I'm not really sure why.
I'm very interested in the nut free pesto though! I love pesto but can't have any nuts at all in the house. I've just googled meridian & it seems to be free from everything other than nuts. Is there another nut free version?

X posts trixy, that'll be the reason then

Can you just leave the pine nuts out then?

I'll check the jar we have, ( in bed just now ), I was positive it is made by meridian, but maybe not.

You can sub sunflower seeds for the pine nuts too.

Make your own, without nuts. It's so easy to make and so much tastier than the stuff in the jars. Probably better for you too. You can thicken it up with pureed chickpeas if you want to.

You can either make it in a food processor or a pestle & mortar. 1/2 or less clove garlic, crushed with sea salt, crushed toasted pine nuts normally but try replacing with the chickpeas, well bashed up basil plant (if using pestle & mortar), handful of finely grated parmesan, lemon juice, pepper, olive oil (mix to desired consistency). It's easier to do ingredient by ingredient in a pestle & mortar. If you have a food processor you just chuck it all in at once and wizz, adding more olive oil as needed.

Oooh! Thank you trixy and bran. I thought pesto was out for good so am so pleased to be told otherwise.

We make our own (just basil, olive oil, lemon juice, pecorino) and bulk out with some butterbeans or chickpeas instead of nuts. I am no domestic goddess and it is very easy.

It does sound very easy! Thanks for the suggestions. I do cook from scratch most nights and I was just really hopeful that I had found something easy that DS could have!

Bagofmashings does your DS have severe reactions? I don't know whether DS's will get worse and I really really hope they don't. Not that I intentionally give him things he reacts to!

So far he's only had moderate reactions which involve lots of hives, being sick and lips swelling slightly. He also gets reactions when he touches cashew. He's only 19 months, according to his consultant it's all about trying to prevent it getting any worse now by avoiding. Although there are so many differing views on it all.
I think you just can't tell if reactions will change. Apparently it's very common to grow out of egg allergies.

Fingers crossed for both of them!