The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook: Over 350 Natural Foods Recipes, Free of All Common Food Allergens: wheat-free, milk-free, egg-free, corn-free, sugar-free, yeast-free

This book has really been a great resource for me. My son (who is 3) has multiple food allergies (wheat, rye, corn, eggs, soy, dairy, chicken, foods in the night-shade family like potatoes, tomatoes, bell pepper....the list continues). It has been quite a nightmare to know what to get for him. And he also started developing sensitivities to the food that he ate all the time (oats, pork).

When I got this book, I learnt about the rotation diet, about how one could get sensitive to foods if exposed to them for an extended period of time. It provided me with alternative foods, information about food groups (which is essential when planning a rotation diet), lots of alternative things to use instead of sugar (agave nectar, maple or date sugar), how to use alternative flours (amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, teff) which have all been so much help.

I have been using the breakfast and better breads section extensively, and also the snack and dessert sections. With the range of allergies that my son has, those have been the hardest types of food to prepare. The main course sections have some good suggestions as well.

I would highly recommend this book if you need to deal with multiple allergies and are at a loss as to where to start. I found the recipes in this book much better to use than the recipes from the Food Allergy Network, which is rather strange. The recipes from the FAN mostly had wheat flour in them, and provided no information on rotation diets, food groups or alternative flours. Some of the other books that I have bought are also not very strong in these areas. This book is particularly good if you have the type of allergies that I listed earlier. If you only have one or two of these allergies, perhaps you might find the recipes too esoteric and it might be unnecessary to go to such lengths as I have had to, to find the right food.


I can eat again!   February 3, 2003
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

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!


Great if you are not truly allergic to things   February 18, 2005
Susan Bridges (Los Angeles, CA)
13 out of 16 found this review helpful

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.


Excellent, very useful, recommended   June 19, 2006
JHW (Los Angeles, CA United States)
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

I recently discovered I have multiple food allergies. This cookbook has been extremely useful. I have tried about a dozen recipes in the past 3 weeks. All recipes have turned out well, and have been very tasty. I would recommend this cookbook to other allergy sufferers. I found the sections on the different flours and how to rotate my diet very useful.


Excellent for Dairy and Wheat free diets   February 24, 2002
Ania (Edmonton, AB Canada)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

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.