Food glorious food for the allergic/fussy child.... I cannot do any more stew.....really, no more stew

[BlueBumedFly]

Have been posting tonight and decided to open up my own question.

DD is 21 months and si intolerant to pasta and noodles or anything 100% wheat based as it gives her terrible eczema. She is also intol to eggs. She does not seem to like any cream based sauces or cheese, does not eat potatoes either. Cannot give nuts until 3 years when she has been tested as her half sister is allergic.

So, what I am actually left with is really healthy I know. All veggies, all meats and rice. However, I am going out of my mind cooking the same old chilli con carne, bolognaise with rice, chicken risotto, moussaka mince with rice and beef stew. I had a look at the toddler meals in the recipe section and they are pretty much all based around pasta and/or cheese.

Please can anyone give me some good ideas on meals that I can premake and freeze please?

Can you not try the gluten free pastas? They're not too bad. What about rice noodles?

What about gluten free sausage casserole,
Butternut squash risotto, meatballs with gluten free spaghetti?

for things she doesn't like (as opposed to can't have) I would keep offering. that way she is more likely to open up and try them

so, you could do things like shepherd's pie or fish pie

you could use gluten-free pasta to make pasta dishes

lentil and chestnut roast

you could make your own fishfingers, sausages, burgers and freeze them. serve with fresh veg.

mmm yeh rice noodles are really yummy. so stir fry is in!

Chicken casserole, fish pie with a gluten free pastry topping.

Homemade burgers, fish fingers. You say she won't eat potatoes, but have you tried, homemade chips or potato wedges.

x-posts!!

Chicken pie made with wheat free pastry. Salmon steaks or chivken/ pork strips with rice noodles, soy sauce and veggies.
The best pastry recipe I found when gluten-free was Healthy Gluten free Eating by Darina Allen. The best thing is you can make family meals and don't have to cook separately for her.

OK, cool. Can I cook then freeze rice noodles? We do use rice pasta but it is a bit gloopy to be honest.

Trix - I do like the idea of sausage casserole, I might even be able to hide some small potato chunks in there.

Thisis - cannot do shepherds or fish pie as she won't eat potato but do agree about keeping on with what she does eat.

I do give fishfingers which she loves, also my mum makes lamb burgers for her which are very popular. It seems like a texture thing. She never ate mush as a baby so i did baby led weaning. Hence no mash no soup etc. At Nursery they always do great roast dinners every other day but I cannot do that at home due to life's hectic pattern!

I work full time and have 2 other step-dds to look after so always need to make big batches of stuff so I can make sure she eats good home cooked food.

I lke the tru free pasta, my DH can't tell the difference between it and normal pasta.

I don't think rice noodles would freeze, but they take about 2 minutes to cook, so you could freeze the rest of the stir fry and chuck the rice noodels in at the end when you are re-heating.

Trixy - I have tried chipped potatoes, mashed, baked, fried, roasted, wedges and rosti! She just does not like them.

I go back to the texture thing as she does not eat cereal or porridge either. She will eat dry cereal like oat cheerios so we compromise of those.

She sounds really fussy! Poor pickle! She had bad reflux from birth till 14 months, I think being sick each and every day really took its toll on her eating outlook.

YoToxic - I would LOVE to do family meals, my DH is vegetarian, DD2 is a real meat eater (also does not eat carbs to speak of) and is allergic to nuts and soya, DD1 is going into hospital this week for 2 spinal operations (SOB!) and I need to get my act together and stop feeling sorry for myself I think !

Trix - I do like the idea of egg noodles then, going to buy some this week and give them a go, thanks.

i would still make pies with potato topping and give her a bit of the potato each time.,

children sometimes just take a while to get used to things. she won't get used to it if you never offer it. keep on putting it on the plate... one dy she might surprise you!

Thisis - you are right, I am being a bit prescriptive with her. As she refused food for so long (She only gained 6lbs from November 2007 till Nov 2008) that I am so pleased now she is eating perhaps I am not being brave enough. She can still go off food if she has a cold which can bring the reflux back and it then takes a few weeks to get food back on the agenda.

I will be braver! See, this is why I love MN, it helps you to clear your perspective! Many thanks.

Shepherd's pie with cheese on top and browned might break her resistance. Don't want to be patronising - it sounds like you've got loads on your plate but family meals are a key element in getting one's act together.
What protein does your DH eat? I'm thinking you could somehow replace the meat or fish element of the meal for him (veggie sausages or stir-fried cashew nuts) but still give everyone the same basic thing. I can't make links with this machine, but Darina Allen's book is on Amazon and is really worth a look.

I am going to look at Darina Allen's book thanks. I am at work from 9-5 with the two girls in school and the little one at nursery. DH works in advertising and never home till after bed. It sounds like I am making excuses but we would never get round a table together in the week.

i do like the idea of substituting the meat/veggie. It would be great if we could all have veggie sausages/mince etc as I would do Quorn everyhing but as DD2 is allergic to soya that is out too. DH eats no meat/fish at all and hasn't for 30 years. He does have veggie alternatives which I have too but DDs is allergic.

Sounds like it's beans for you lot then. You can make 'good shepherd's pie' with aduki beans - and you could do a stew with haricots and do pork chops or sausages for you, then leave the quorn saussies for when DH gets in.

Pasta with pesto and pine nuts for him, extra cheese for the rest of you.

Even if you only manage two or three meals aweek like this, it will make things a bit easier for yourself.

Repeat this mantra: I am not running a cafe. I will do my best to feed everyone tasty, nutritious food but not at the expense of my sanity.

LOL YeToxic, I do announce regularly that 'THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED!'

Beans on toast for me with cheese, an extra egg on top for DH, no butter or cheese for DD2 or DD3 and double cheese for DD1 as she is going to be going through a lot over the next year and needs the calcium.

Bugger, DD3 spat beans out at lunch!

I do agree, I need to get more group meals or I will run myself ragged. Never thought of doing a good bean/veggie stew then adding meat or vegsausages. Good plan there! Thanks x

Quorn is mycoprotein, which is a type of fungus (mmm yummy). it's not soya based. It does have egg in though.

Veggie sausage casserole is nice.

I love veggie sausage casserole. I had not thought of mycoprotein, we are going to have that this week, I think you can get mince and burgers.

Veggie toad in the hole made with gluten free batter, onion gravy and veg.

Just remembered, we got DS1 to eat spuds by piling up bangers and mash Beano style- a mound of mash with halved sausages sticking out - we got him to dip the sausage in the mash and eat them together. Somewhat regretted it when he was wearing clothes two years ahead of his age due to rotund girth!

hee hee, I love that Beano style! Dd is very slim, she is commonly known as the no-bum-wonder!

Thanks for your ideas, I am going to try her on toad in the hole, just need to check out good quality sausages that she will eat, might try to find some small one she can pick up.