Eggnots- Easter "Eggs" Made Safe!

Our Easter Basket filled with eggnots!

Check out my review of eggnots® and see below 

for how to enter to win your own 12 pack!

Eggs. They are a integral part of Easter- from stuffing to hiding to dying- they have become a centerpiece of the holiday.  But what happens if you have an egg allergy?  All of those egg activities become impossible, if not downright dangerous.  But one company, eggnots®, has the perfect solution to keep eggs in the picture and reactions at bay.

Eggnots® are a ceramic dyeable egg alternative.  We got a 12 pack and when we opened them up to dye them my daughter exclaimed, “they look real!”  She is right!

After ogling over the “eggs” in the carton we got down to the business of dying them.  We had the dye kit from eggnots®, but you can use other dyes as well.  Eggnots® includes recipes and links for other dye options.

The dye kit from eggnots® included four colors- blue, green, yellow and red and cute cups to hold each dye.  They were easy to prepare- just add the dye packet to ½ cup of boiling water and 1 tsp of white vinegar.  We had our colors mixed up in no time and were ready to dye our eggnots®.

The eggnots® do float in the dye so you have to either weight them down or keep them moving so you get even color coverage.  The directions suggest keeping the “eggs” in the dye for 3-5 minutes.  On our first round, we pulled the "eggs" out after just one minute and they were very pale.  We dropped them back in, and by the five-minute mark they were vibrant!  We did a few of them for 3 minutes, and while lighter than the ones we colored for five minutes, still had great color.  I didn’t blot the first batch of eggnots® before we dried them so ended up with a darker spot on a few of them, but once I remembered to blot them we got a nice even color.

My girls had a blast dunking and swirling the "eggs".  I used the crate they came in to make a “drying station” which worked great, but in hindsight wish I had left the crate intact to use for storage after Easter.  One of the best parts about these “eggs”, they are non-perishable so I will be able to use them for Easters to come (now I just need to get a new container to store them in!).

We do not have an egg allergy in our family so we can dye eggs each Easter, but the experience of dying the eggnots® was exactly like dying real eggs.  And, now we can put these on display for the entire Easter season- no worries about refrigeration or spoiling.  So, whether you have an egg allergy or are looking for a fun Easter keepsake, eggnots® are a great option for adding a little color and egg dying fun to your holiday!

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GIVEAWAY!!!

Want to win your own 12 pack of eggnots?  Head over to our Facebook Page for a chance to enter and win!  The winner will be announced March 31st!  Good Luck!!!

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Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this review, but eggnots did provide me with products to use for the purpose of this review and giveaway.  The opinions expressed in this post are mine and not influenced by the company.


Learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow her on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.

Review of the Easter Treat Box from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates

When you think of Easter, one of the first things that comes to mind is that chocolate bunny you find in your basket.  I still remember as a little girl searching frantically for my basket, grabbing that bunny, and partaking in a chocolate breakfast I was only allowed on that one special morning.

As a mom now, I delight in prepping my daughters' baskets- knowing they too will have that same memory of a sugary, creamy we-get-to-have-chocolate-for-breakfast experience.  But, when my daughter was first diagnosed with her nut allergy, I was not sure we would have a chocolate bunny that was safe for her.  Bunny after bunny had an allergy warning that they were produced in a facility with nuts.

And then, we discovered the Easter treats from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates.

Thanks to Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, whose products are completely peanut and tree nut free, our Easter.. and other holidays, and quite honestly regular days...are filled with safe nut-free chocolate treats.

One of the many yummy Easter options from Vermont Nut Free Chocolates is the Easter Treat Box.  This box is brimming with yummy treats to make Easter chocolatey, sweet and safe! The box includes one Baby Bunny (1.5 oz), one Bunny Pop (2.5 oz), one bag of Easter Miniatures (3 oz) one Easter Pop (1 oz), and one bag of Jelly Beans (2 oz).

My chocolate loving daughters couldn't wait to get their hands on the treat box.  Although, the wrapping was so cute it was almost a shame to rip into it, until we started eating all of the yummy chocolate- then it was a shame to stop!

The Baby Bunny was my youngest daughter's favorite, while my older daughter liked the colorfully wrapped Easter Miniatures (and she was excited to share one with her friend who also has a nut allergy).  My husband liked the Jelly Beans the best.  The Jelly Beans add a great pop of color and sugary sweetness to the treat box.  My personal favorite was the Bunny Pop.  Who can resist biting the big ears off a chocolate bunny?

From the cute packaging (a real plus if you are traveling for the holiday- no need to pack extra supplies for your basket, it is already perfectly packaged!) to the delicious confections inside, this treat box has all you need for a great Easter gift!  And, if the treat box doesn't have enough chocolate for you check out the other Easter options they offer- you will surely find a safe and tasty option to satisfy your nut free Easter chocolate cravings!

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Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this review, but Vermont Nut Free Chocolates did provide me with a free Easter Treat Box to use for purposes of this review.  The opinions expressed in this post are mine and not influenced by the company.  


Learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow her on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (and Ways to Make it Top 8 Free!)

Lately, I am all about recipes!  Today I am sharing one of my favorite meatless meals.  As a Catholic family, we observe Lent and that means no meat on Fridays.  Here is a recipe I came up with for one of our Friday meals during Lent.

Often times I just throw stuff together and see what happens, and this is exactly how this meatless meal was born!  Check out the recipe below, and if you need to keep your meals Top 8 free check out some great substitutions listed at the end of the recipe.

Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients:
Whole Wheat Spaghetti*
Butter*
1-2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
1 lb Shrimp*
2 cups Frozen Peas (thawed)*
White Wine
Lemon
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Parmesan Cheese- to garnish (optional)
Parsley- to garnish (optional)

Directions
Prepare pasta according to package directions and set aside.

In a large skillet melt 2-3 Tablespoons of butter.  Sauté garlic for 1 min, add shrimp and cook until done.  Add in pasta and peas.  Add another 3 Tablespoons of butter, juice of half a lemon, a few splashes of white wine and toss well to ensure everything is coated.  Season with red pepper, salt and pepper.  Heat over medium heat until pasta is heated through.  Serve immediately- garnish with parmesan cheese and parsley, if desired.

*Need ideas to keep it free of your allergens?  Check out these substitutes:

No Wheat:  Use gluten free pasta

No Dairy: Use a butter alternative and omit the parmesan cheese as a garnish

No Shellfish: Replace shrimp with asparagus

No Peas: Use spinach

Happy Friday and Happy Eating!  Thrive On!


Learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow her on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.

Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers- Top 8 Free, Gluten Free and Delicious!

We have had a few crazy weeks at our house between afterschool activities, work demands and visitors we are rocking!  Despite our busy schedule, I still want us to be eating healthy and most importantly- safe!  To make sure that happens it takes some planning and prep.  Creating a meal plan and prepping things ahead of time has really saved us from being stressed at meal time.  My meal plan helps me to have good, healthy and safe meals ready to keep us going through these busy weeks.

Today, I want to share one of my favorite recipes when we have a busy week.  It is a meal free of the top 8 allergens, one that can be prepped ahead of time, and packed with healthy veggies.  It is my recipe for Deconstructed Stuffed Peppers.  When I was a little girl my mom would make stuffed peppers and I always loved the nights when they were on the table.  My recipe is slightly updated from my childhood favorite, but my version gets rave reviews from my girls- even with all of the veggies!

This recipe calls for ground turkey, but if you are currently celebrating Lent or prefer vegetarian meals you can easily double the veggies and leave out the meat for a great meatless meal option!

I hope your family will enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Ingredients:
Rice
4 Red Peppers
1 lb Ground Turkey
1 Yellow or Orange Pepper, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
1 Yellow Squash, diced
10-15 Mushrooms, diced
1 tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Cayenne Powder
1 14.5 oz can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Prepare rice according to directions.  Keep warm.

Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the “sides” off of the red peppers so you have large pieces.  Brush both sides of pepper with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes, flipping once in the process.

While peppers are roasting brown turkey meat in the skillet.    Remove the meat.  Add a small amount of olive oil to the pan.  Add in onion and pepper.  Sautee for 2 minutes then add squash and mushrooms. Sautee for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Add tomatoes and spices and mix thoroughly, cook for 2 minutes.  Add in the turkey meat.  Let mixture cook on medium low heat until are ingredients are cooked.

Remove peppers from the oven.  Top with meat mixture and serve with rice on the side.

We do not have a dairy allergy so we sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top- but it is delicious without the cheese as well.

Enjoy and Thrive On!

Learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which provides food allergy coaching and training.  You can also follow her on Facebook for tips to Thrive On with food allergies.