Ice Cream Dream Come True

Ice Cream. It is a treat that just about everyone loves in one form or another. Most of us have no problem going to the grocery store or ice cream shop and picking out our favorite flavor . It's not that easy for a person with a dairy allergy. Places like Coldstone and Bruster's are pretty much off limits. Grocery stores are getting better, stocking soy based and coconut milk based desserts, which have definitely helped the food allergy community to enjoy dessert again. The only problem with these treats is the price tag. It costs a little over $5 for a pint of coconut milk based ice cream.  So I decided to try my hand at making some homemade coconut milk based ice cream for Nathan.

I took out my ice cream maker that I got as a wedding present many years ago (thanks Whitney and Jake!) and got to work. I had plenty of coconut milk to replace the cow's milk but most of the recipes I found also called for heavy cream which is a huge no-no in our world. I racked my brain for something I could add as a thickener to give the ice cream a little more substance. I decided to try out xantham gum, a staple ingredient in allergy friendly baking that I keep stocked in the pantry. After doing some research to determine how much I should add to my liquid, I was ready.

This is my recipe for homemade Coconut Milk Ice Cream:

2 cups Coconut Milk (I used So Delicious Original Coconut Milk)
2/3 cup of sugar (I will be experimenting in the future on alternative sugar substitutes (honey, agave)
1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp xantham gum

Whisk the coconut milk and sugar together until they are dissolved. Add vanilla. For the xantham gum, be sure to add a little at a time and whisk it thoroughly. It has a tendency to clump up quickly in liquid.
Add to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions as far as how long to mix it and store it afterwards. Makes 1/2 quart.

Mine thickened up really well and looked so good only after about 15 minutes. After it was done, I put some in a bowl and then the rest went into a freezer safe container and was stored so it could harden a little.

Nate absolutely LOVED it and it made me feel good that I could finally give him a treat that I knew would not harm him in any way. There is something about watching your child eat ice cream for the first time that warms your heart!

 Getting his first taste

 Trying to lick the bowl!

That smile makes it all worth it!

My Inspiration

This is my inspiration for this blog: my son Nathan, AKA Nate. He was diagnosed with multiple food allergies when he was about 8 months old. In this picture, taken prior to his diagnosis, he has a large rash on his face that came from eating products with both wheat and dairy in them. I was also breastfeeding exclusively so he had been ingesting these ingredients, albeit in a more diluted form, since he was born. As you can imagine, I felt extreme Mommy guilt when I found out that I had been giving him the foods that attacked his body without really questioning the constant rash on his face or other symptoms that came and went. I just didn't know what to look for with regards to a food allergy.

After a full week of being up all night with him in early May 2011 and a very scary incident with a half swollen left eye from eating a teething biscuit, I went to my pediatrician. With my spirit broken and sleep deprivation setting in, I cried as I told her what had been going on. She immediately suggested that we see an allergist for some testing because something wasn't right with my baby boy. The allergist ran skin tests on Nate and found out he had multiple severe allergies to wheat and dairy, along with less severe allergies to green peas and green beans. We immediately cut out all of the offending foods from both his diet and mine since I was breastfeeding still. Almost overnight, you could see the change in him, both physically and behaviorally. His rash cleared up on his face for the first time in his entire life and he started sleeping through the night again.

After dealing with the guilt and the "why me" issues I had for awhile, I brushed myself off and realized that this little boy was depending on me to keep him healthy and feeling good while still eating yummy foods. So I started reading labels, researching food allergies and allergy friendly products, and talking to all of my friends. I am still so thankful to all of them who helped me get started because I really did not know what I was doing. They gave me cookbooks and magazines, referred me to helpful websites and shared their recipes with me. I started experimenting in the kitchen, making my own baby food purees and converting some of our favorite recipes into Allergy Free, Nate-Friendly recipes. By doing this, I rediscovered my love for cooking and now get excited about trying new recipes to feed the whole family.

Over the last 11 months or so, Nate has thrived. He is now a healthy, happy 19 month old who loves to pester his 5 year old sister Olivia, wave to every bird and dog he sees or hears and dance in circles. His wheat and dairy allergies are still severe and he has added eggs and peanuts to that list. He also has garlic and apple allergies that are less severe, while green peas and beans have faded. We are hoping and praying that all of these allergies will fade away with time, but until then I will continue to find ways to help Nate experience and enjoy many of the same foods that everyone else does!