The excellent food allergy mom orders the yummy holiday treats for her food allergic children. The even better mom orders up for their family while including herself occasionally. Us moms need to remember to take care of ourselves and indulge a little too. Why wait for Valentine’s Day or Easter to eat our kid’s leftovers?
I used to save and protect every morsel of safe treats for my kids, but to be honest, 17 years ago, the choices were slim! For some crazy reason, I keep ordering their special items and acting as if I can’t have any! Or I would order chocolate and then hide it in my closet.
In 2018, I have turned over a new peanut and tree nut leaf and am enjoying food allergen safe treats openly and freely. Thankfully, Vermont Nut Free Chocolates was magically in sync with my New Year commitment and sent a few samples to sample.
Munching away on homemade orange chocolate chip pancakes, I asked a Mark Elvidge, co-founder of Vermont Nut Free Chocolate about what happened to the cute little boy who inspired one of the first conscious nut-free businesses. Surely, he is a grown man by now? Elvidge proudly shared, “Our son, Tanner, has since moved to Boston and graduated from Northeastern University.”
There is nothing more beautiful than hearing about our food allergic youth joining the workforce and living healthy and happy lives! He explained that growing up in a small business inspired Tanner to, “support small businesses on their growth journeys. He is currently working in Boston pursuing this passion and volunteers his time to mentor and coach students starting their own businesses”. I was happy to hear about kindness spread.
FABULOUSLY EASY AND TASTY RECIPE ALERT: How to make the pancakes above and look like a culinary rockstar when the recipe is ridiculously easy!
Orange Chocolate chip pancakes:
- Buy Bisquick Original Pancake and Baking Mix and hide in your pantry (of course, call the manufacturer to confirm allergen safety for your family)
- Follow the recipe on the box for The Ultimate Pancake with two exceptions…
- Replace milk with orange juice (pulp, no pulp or fresh squeezed)
- Add in 1 cup Vermont Nut Free chocolate chips
- Prepare according to directions
- Dish up on a fancy plate (I love to buy the odd loose ends department stores when on sale)
- Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of pancakes and drizzle with a lovely maple pancake syrup
- Look like a culinary genius
NOTE: you can use your own favorite mix or recipe, the key is swapping out milk for orange juice and adding the chocolate chips in the batter and on top.
Reflecting back, I can’t believe Vermont Nut Free Chocolates opened their doors to business the year my college sophomore son was born! I also recall the first time my son and daughter were able to enjoy a traditional heart-shaped box of Valentine’s Day Chocolates! It was pure excitement, joy, and bliss in the Moassessi household that day.
Elvidge shared, “Hearing such amazing feedback from our customers reminds us of why we started the business in the first place.” I can’t begin even imagine the satisfaction Elvidge and his wife must feel when customers gush with gratitude and joy!
I am happy and grateful that Vermont Nut Free Chocolates never gave up on this community and continues to introduce new, exciting and tasty nut-free treats for us kids of all ages!
Disclaimer: The kind folk at Vermont Nut Free Chocolates did not ask me to write nice, mean, or meh things about them! they just shared some amazing chocolate with me, most likely knowing I’d fall into a chocolatey bliss in my kitchen.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..