Rating: 
Summary: As long as you don't have a nut allergy...
Review: ...(or any seriously life-threatening allergies), this is a great resource, especially for those with multiple food sensitivities, like me.
It was the first book I got after the shocking diagnosis of multiple food sensitivities. It got me started with creative ideas, and has been an important part of my dietary tool-kit.
I'm off corn, milk, and gluten. I highly recommend this book if you have a combination of food sensitivities that are not life-threatening and that are not nut-related.
Rating: 
Summary: Most recipes contain nuts, seafood, or grains
Review: Although this is a very useful book for anyone with an uncommon food allergy, those who are allergic to peanuts, nuts, and shellfish (and those who are gluten-intolerant) would not find this book as useful. Most of the recipes feature nuts or peanuts as main ingredients, and there's no real help given as to how to make a substitution. As the most common allergies (and the most serious, sometimes even leading to death) are to nuts and peanuts, I'm surprised that these ingredients are featured so prominently in a supposed allergy cookbook. The same could be said with respect to the seafood recipes and the many recipes featuring grains that contain or (as is the case with oats) may be contaminated with other grains that contain gluten. Even a trace of gluten can bring grief to someone with celiac sprue. I did not find this book very useful. However, those with allergies to rarer items or whose 'allergies' are merely intolerances (ie. no hives, throat swelling, cardiac arrest, etc.) might find this book useful. I can't recommend it to the average food allergy sufferer, though.
Rating:
Summary: Covers most allergies but nuts?! Seems strange...
Review: as nuts, especially peanuts, can be deadly for people like my son. She relies a lot on nut products (oils, flours, butters, etc.)so this cookbook wasn't as helpful as I had hoped but it still had some good ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Covers most allergies but nuts?! Seems strange...
Review: as nuts, especially peanuts, can be deadly for people like my son. She relies a lot on nut products (oils, flours, butters, etc.)so this cookbook wasn't as helpful as I had hoped but it still had some good ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for Dairy and Wheat free diets
Review: For someone with wheat and dairy allergies this is an excellent cookbook. The recipes are quick and easy to follow with all products readily available at any organic or health food store. Her review of alternative flours and list of 'food families' are useful information for establishing safe foods.
Rating:
Summary: I can eat again!
Review: I found out a year ago that I'm allergic to all grains, tomatoes, beef, and on and on. My diet was getting monotonous and I was having trouble getting enough carbohydrates without grains. I also really missed some of the sauces and breads I used to eat. In the Allergy Self-Help Cookbook, Marjorie Hurt-Jones gives wonderful, cleverly designed recipes such as her Tomato-free Spaghetti Sauce using pumpkin and vitamin C. And her grain-free breads (pancakes & muffins) are a God-send. I also like her Quick Skillet Bread for a quick carbo without grain. Thanks for putting so many foods back into my meals, Marjorie!
Rating:
Summary: Great if you are not truly allergic to things
Review: I have rheumatoid arthritis and my arthritis is affected by gluten, dairy, and eggs. I used to cook all of the time and I was at a loss as to what I could eat after my elimination diet phase.
This book gives a lot of good information on rotating foods, and alternative grains. Make sure you read CAREFULLY because occasionally the author will use a couple of flours that actually do contain gluten. Many of them, however, are tolerated by people who cannot eat wheat gluten. Still, it's worth mentioning.
Celiacs may want to check this one out. There are instructions on making your own baking powder (without corn) and egg substitutes made with flax seeds. I have tried a few of the grains (buckwheat, which is not related to wheat) and I am confident I'll actually be able to cook and eat food for myself again!
Also many recipes contain nuts, but they can be omitted in about half of them.
Rating:
Summary: I'm going to pass it along
Review: I needed a book to give me some ideas for new foods that I wasn't getting after I was diagnosed with food allergies.
For that reason, I am very pleased with the number of alternatives for each recipe. It expanded my mind for what i could eat. It also inspired me to take all the food on my table (I arranged all the foods in the house that I could eat (with the exception of perishables, of course) on my kitchen table and arranged them by food group. That way I could look at all the ingredients and put together a healthful meal by making sure I get something from each of the food groups.)
This book has so many suggestions, it just opened up my mind to new dishes.
I plan to get one for my mother and my sister-in-law. They often cook when my husband and I come visit. They have been very concerned that I would have to bring all my food because they would have nothing I could eat.
While I do plan to take some of my own stuff, I think the ideas in this book will give them both ways to make minor modifications in what they already cook. Don't worry about us - Thanksgiving and Christmas will still feature eating a lot of food! :)
Shari
Rating: 
Summary: This book has a few redeeming qualities but...
Review: If you've been recently diagnosed with food allergies, you will want to buy this book because the author has many suggestions about foods you can eat in place of all of those you can't. She goes into great detail about various different types of flour to cook with and gives hope to those of us wondering, "What can I eat?" That said, the recipies really fall flat. As one reviewer stated, she tends to rely heavily on nut ingredients and many of the "alternative flours" that she uses are rye, spelt, oats etc. So if you have serious grain allergies like I do, that's hard. Also she rels heavily on fish and seafood for protien, again, if you have seafood allergies, you'll have to ignore this portion of the book. Lastly, of the three recipies that I tried, one was OK (buckwheat pancakes), one didn't work out (pork chops in rice with apples and celery) because the rice didn't cook (at all) but I've decided I could modify this to make it better, and one tasted AWFUL! (Ginger Gems Cookies) I'd like to say that this book has enough redeeming qualities to make it a "good buy", but if you have numerous food allergies you may want to get it at your local library before investing the money.
Rating:
Summary: This book has a few redeeming qualities but...
Review: If you've been recently diagnosed with food allergies, you will want to buy this book because the author has many suggestions about foods you can eat in place of all of those you can't. She goes into great detail about various different types of flour to cook with and gives hope to those of us wondering, "What can I eat?" That said, the recipies really fall flat. As one reviewer stated, she tends to rely heavily on nut ingredients and many of the "alternative flours" that she uses are rye, spelt, oats etc. So if you have serious grain allergies like I do, that's hard. Also she rels heavily on fish and seafood for protien, again, if you have seafood allergies, you'll have to ignore this portion of the book. Lastly, of the three recipies that I tried, one was OK (buckwheat pancakes), one didn't work out (pork chops in rice with apples and celery) because the rice didn't cook (at all) but I've decided I could modify this to make it better, and one tasted AWFUL! (Ginger Gems Cookies) I'd like to say that this book has enough redeeming qualities to make it a "good buy", but if you have numerous food allergies you may want to get it at your local library before investing the money.
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