Could You Please Stop Being So Sensitive? (+ 2 Recipes)

My beautiful baby boy is sensitive. I knew he would be before he was even born because a soothsayer at the San Diego Zoo told me so.  Zac and I were happily walking and waddling, respectively, toward the panda bear exhibit when a strange woman began keeping pace with us about a yard and a half to our left. This was our encounter:

"Hey little momma! When you gonna let that little baby out so the world can see 'em?"

 "In about three weeks," I replied, choosing to be my smiling and happy pregnant self.

"Keep on walkin' momma, it comes faster than you think." She picked up her pace now, moving ahead of us.

"Ok," I said quietly, thinking she had lost interest in us.

I was wrong.

She used her lead to make a u-turn and stop right in front of us. Then she held her hand out to my belly, looked at my face, and finally placed her outstretched hand on my bump, and proceeded to make small rubbing motions.

"Thank you for not being offended. Let's see...." she began, "are we having a girl?"

"A boy," I said-- my smile felt much tighter now.

"Oh," she said with a gasp. "Then he is going to be very sensitive. You be careful with his heart, ok?"

"Ok, I will."

Then she turned and started walking back up the hill.

"Um...thank you." I called.

"Mhmmm," she called back, "and keep walking, momma.  It's coming sooner than you think!"

She was right about his sensitivity, but it's not his heart I need to worry about. Henry is very sensitive to cow's milk products. It took eleven weeks of a crying, miserable baby to figure this out, so the transition to no dairy was totally worth it...but the rewards don't make it easy. Think about it: No cheese. No ice cream. No cream cheese. I went from the thrilling freedom of being able to eat whatever I wanted, to a diet far more restricted than my pregnant one had been. To make matters worse I learned a few weeks in to the dairy-free lifestyle that Henry is also sensitive to nuts. But, this is not the complain-a-lot blog--it's the live happy thoughts blog, so that is what we are going to do.
Here are two dairy free recipes among many that have made my eating life happy without dairy or nuts.

The first is a delectable pie that incorporates the ingredients of s'mores. If you like s'mores you will love this pie, and if you don't like s'mores you might still love it--it's that good!

Sensational S'mores Pie 

Meringue crust:
2 egg whites
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 C sugar
Pie Filling:
1/2 C margarine/butter
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 oz dark chocolate, melted
2 eggs
You will also need:
1 package of graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 1/2 C miniature marshmallows
Make the magic:
Heat oven to 275. Generously grease pie tin with margarine or butter. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add in sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Beat until stiff and glossy. Spoon mixture onto pie tine, pressing against bottom and sides. Bake for 45 minutes in pre-heated oven. Then turn off the heat, and leave in oven with door closed for another 45 minutes. Cool away from draft.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer cream the margarine/butter with sugar. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beat for five minutes after each. Pour chocolate filling into tin with meringue crust and chill for at least two hours.

Once pie is chilled spread graham cracker crumbs over the top, and then top with mini marshmallows. To melt the marshmallows use a torch or the frying pan method (heat up an empty frying pan on high heat. Remove from heat, and throw in marshmallows. Immediately begin shaking vigorously, continue shaking pan for 30-60 seconds before pouring onto pie).

Printable Recipe


And now, for ice cream...well, it is actually frozen custard. I got my inspiration from a recipe on this cute little blog: wholefoodsforwholefamilies Unfortunately, I struggle with embracing the strong coconut flavor, so I adapted the recipe a bit.

When I finally got it right, it was so delicious, I wept for joy. 

Chocolate Frozen Custard

3 cups canned full-fat coconut milk (about 2 cans)
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup honey
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows (optional)
 
In a large saucepan, heat coconut milk over medium heat until it just starts to simmer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, cocoa powder and honey vigorously. Ladle a small amount of warm coconut milk into the egg mixture and whisk to combine to temper the egg yolks. Continue doing this until about 1/3rd of the coconut milk has been added to the yolks. Pour the remaining coconut milk in with the egg yolks, whisk to combine. 

 Pour the entire mixture back into the large saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until it reaches about 170 to 175 degrees. The mixture will be thick and easily coat the back of a spoon.
Transfer the custard base to a large bowl and for about an hour. Add vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Refrigerate overnight (at least 6 hours). Pour into your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions. When the custard is almost set add in the marshmallows and any other mix-ins.

Printable Recipe

I love dairy, but I love my son more. He is sensitive, but I can't say I wasn't warned. So, thank you, Zoo Lady whose sense of appropriate boundaries was a bit different than mine, for your surprisingly relevant warning. And thank you, Internet, for inspiring me to create and adapt recipes that allow me to eat my feelings without making my baby sick. Give them a try, and happy eating to all of us!