TAXES: Did you get your allergen-free deductions?

The Scoop

Tax day is 10 days away, and I'm hearing that many allergen-free folks are not aware that there is a tax deduction available for gluten-free and other allergen-free foods.  But of course, the IRS has some rules.  Speak to your accountant and find out if you can add these deductions to your itemized medical expenses for 2010.  And start keeping track of your food in 2011, it could pay off, especially if your medical expenses are already on the high side.  For more specific information, ask your accountatnt and go to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness web site.  Its a great resourse. 

The Short List

1. A Doctor's Note that confirms that you have either celiac disease, or a food allergy that will be with you for life.  Attach the letter from your doctor to your tax return.
   
   
2. This is a medical deduction, so use Schedule 1040A.  Find out from your accountant if you qualify and if this receipt gathering exercise is worth the work.  You may need to meet a minimum prior to being able to claim the deduction. 
   
   
3. Claim only the extra cost for the allergen-free food that you purchase as a replacement food.  This means that you can deduct the difference between, for instance a normal loaf of bread costs and a gluten-free loaf. You will have to do some comparison shopping and calculating.  Be sure to include all of the flours, milks, and stuff marked "gluten-, dairy-, nut- . . . free", etc.
4. Claim full cost of things like Xanthum Gum, an item that is only used in allergen-free cooking.
5. Mileage, postage and shipping costs can also be deducted if it is a special trip to the health food store, so keep track!

If you need to refer to IRS documentation for your accountant or agent, here is the appropriate citation:

• IRS Publication 502
• Revenue Rulings: 55-261, 76-80, 2002-19 and 67 TC 481
• Cohen 38 TC 387
• Flemming TC MEMO 1980 583
• Van Kalb TC MEMO 1978 366

Get Organized

Keep copies of every note, document and receipt.  The best way to keep track is to scan your receipts so the ink doesn't wear off.  There are some really cool receipt scanners out there right now.  Neatco.com has a Neat Receipt and Neat Document scanner one of which will be on my "to-purchase" list next month.

RECIPE: Spring Flu? Try Ginger Lime Tea.

The Recipe

Got a spring cold or flu?  I can empathize as I just got over a doozy.  I am also watching gads of my Facebook friends drop to their knees from spring ailments.  If you are one of those poor bloaks, try this soothing 5-step tea. Its one of my favorites and I don't just drink it when under the weather.

1.  Grate 1/4c. of fresh, well-washed ginger (you don't need to peel it since you aren't eating it directly).  Use a box grater for 1/4 c.  You can also use a zester, and in this case you would need only about 2 TBS and you will want to peel the ginger.*

2.  Throw it into a tea pot and pour 4 c. of boiling water over it.

3.  Steep for 4-5 minutes & strain into a mug.

4.  Add a good squeeze of fresh lime or lemon.  I like lime, but lemon has wonderful anti-microbial properties.

5.  Add a little honey or agave to taste.

When my herb garden is in bloom, I like to add a little fresh mint or fresh tarragon for a little extra somethin' somethin'.

 Chef's Tip:  If you use ginger in recipes where you actually eat the ginger, peel it.  The young root with a thin skin is what you find in most grocery stores.  Use a knife to cut the tough little knobs, but use a spoon to peel the skin.  A knife cuts to deeply into the flesh and wastes the ginger, whiile a spoon gently and easily scrapes off just the skin.

Ginger's Health Benefits

Ginger contains the following nutrients:

• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Vitamin B6

Ginger is a root with anti-inflammatory properties.  It soothes your throat and is also very healing to your digestive tract.    Though especially nice served as a tea while recovering from the flu, the health benefits of ginger are as long as Michael Jordan's arm (you know, like a really tall basketball player).  Ginger has been used in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine for centuries as a cure for and prevention of a variety of ailments.  Since 2006, the University of Michigan has been studying ginger for its ability to help cure and prevent ovarian cancer.  The University of Minnesota has been studying the effects of ginger on colon cancer cells and its ability to decrease tumor size. 

Other health benefits are:

• Decreases nausea
• Helps reduce the symptoms of motion sickness and morning sickness
• Decreases gastro-intestinal distress (gas/bloating)
• Reduces pain and swelling from arthritis (being studied)
• Helps you sweat - sweating detoxifies your bod, but German scientists are also finding that sweat itself has a potent germ-fighting agent that helps reduce infections. 

And for those with food allergies, the soothing, anti-inflammatory properties of ginger is very helpful to your digestive tract.  75 % of your immune system is there, so its good to take care of it.

Note:  if you are on medications, especially blood thinning medications, please discuss the use of ginger or any herb with your doctor.  This post is for informational purposes only and does not intend to be or replace proper medical advice.

Storing Ginger

Store your fresh ginger root with the peel on.  Break off what you need, and store the rest in an open glass container.  Do not store in plastic or plastic wrap and do not cover it.   Be forewarned, if you cover it and it ages, you will have a smell you will never forget.  Keeping it uncovered and well aired.  If it attracts mold, throw it out.  Keeping it well aired and dry will help the ginger last longer, and it will simply dry up (rather than give off a 5 alarm smell) when it ages.

Recipe: Candied Orange Peels

The Story

When looking for candies that would complement my dairy-free Simply Coconut Chocolate Truffles, I came across this recipe from The Food Network Kitchens.  I found the recipe a few years ago, but it immediately brought back the memory of family trips to Florida to visit my Grandparents.  They had wintered and later retired there and for many years, rented a house with a Kumquat tree in their back yard.  There was a lemon tree, a grapefruit tree and an orange tree, as well.  But my first taste of the tart, tangy, sweet kumquat was so memorable, that I still have a picture of that moment imprinted in my mind.  I think I was six or seven years old, and when I asked how one might peel such a tiny thing, my Grandfather said, "Just eat it all at once - peel and all."  I was rather pleased to have permission to partake in a substance that was here-to-fore forbidden.  (The peel.)  And it was good.

This recipe isn't on Food Network's web site anymore, but it is still a favorite of mine.  I make this and an array of truffles every Thanksgiving.  I love the brightness and color that the orange brings to the table.  I also recently made this for a Power Chicks Brainstorming Party this winter and those sweet, tangy peels still reminded me of warm breezes, kumquats and my Grandfather's extraordinary talent of wiggling his ears without moving any other muscle on his face.  He taught me that trick, too, and I think I can still pull it off. 

So in honor of Grandpa Veltman (hello Grandpa, wherever you are :)), I hope you enjoy these beautiful and unusual treats.

Timing

Prep Time:  30 minutes

Inactive Prep:  4 Hours

Cook Time:  1 Hour 13 Minutes

Yield:  about 4 cups of peel (depends on your orange size)

The Ingredients

9 thick-skinned Valencia or navel oranges (try to find organic, since you are using the peel)

6-3/4 cups of sugar, plus an extra cup for rolling

2-1/4 cups of water

Do a Little Orange Surgery

Cut the tops and bottoms from the oranges.  Then score each orange into quarters.  Cut down into the peel without cutting the fruit (do your best).  Peel the skin and the pith from the orange - it will come off in a large piece.  Set the orange aside and use for another recipe.  Cut the large sections of peel into 1/4-inch wide slices - the long way. 

Boil the Peels

Put the orange peels in a large saucepan with cold water to cover.  Bring the water to boil over a high heat.  As soon as the water boils, remove the pan from the heat and pour off the water.  Repeat this one more time.  (If you would like them softer, you can do it a 3rd time, but this makes the peels a little mushy for my taste).  Remove the orange peels from the pan and set aside.

Give the Peels a Sugar Bath

In the same pan, whisk the 6-3/4 cups of sugar with 2-1/4 cups of water.  Put it back on the stove, bring up to a boil, then reduce the temperature so that the peels simmer and cook for 8 or 9 minutes.  The sugar mixture temperature should be at the soft thread stage, 230-234 degrees F after 8 or 9 minutes.  Add the peels to the sugar mixture and simmer gently for about 45 minutes.  You will be tempted to stir the peels - do not do this or you may introduce sugar crystals into the syrup.  You can swirl the pan to get the floaters to sink down into the sugar if you need to. 

Drain the peels and save the syrup for another recipe.  There is a good 8 or more cups of simple syrup left over, and I'm still looking to find the perfect way to use such a copious amount of syrup.  It can be used in iced tea, drink recipes, cakes and other candies.

Roll & Dress the Peels

Roll the peels in sugar and dry on a rack for 4 or 5 hours.  Store the peels in a litte of the left over sugar, and store the rest.   You will have a little orange flavored sugar for another recipe.

The peels can be dipped in melted bittersweet chocolate.  I like to do a mixture of both plain peels and chocolate dipped peels. Yum.

Many thanks to the Food Network for introducing me to a recipe that has inspired such great memories.

Food Allergy News Recap (March, 2011)

Here's what's been happening in food allergy news in the last few weeks:

New Treatments?

• Doctors Testing "Peanut Patch" as Cure for Peanut Allergies
• Chinese Herb Remedy - FAHF - being studied as Cure for Food Allergies

Medical Research?

• Nebraska University Professor Awarded for Food Allergy Research
• NPR:  Diet May Help ADHD Kids More than Drugs
• Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Food Allergies
• Scientists may soon unravel the mystery of seafood allergies
• Food Allergies More Common in Older Siblings
• Doctors Recommeding Kid's to Carry More than One Epipen
• Dr. Oz Discusses the Gluten-free Diet (Video in 3 parts)
• U of Georgia Study:  Organic Chicken Carries Significantly Lower Salmonella Risk

Products?

• New Gluten-free Hamburger Buns from Rudi's
• West Michigan Co-Op Network for Farmers & Restaurants

Lifestyle?

• Food Allergy Training for Restaurants
• Santa Cruz - a Great Place for People with Food Allergies to Dine
• Food Allergy Conference in April
• How Western Diets are Making Us Sick (NPR)

Celebrities?

• Country Star Trace Atkins Honored for Work with Food Allergies

Activism?

• Food Democracy Now Presents Petition to Stop Proliferation of GMOs in Organic Crops
• Environmentalists, Food Safety Activists Sue over GMO Alfalfa

Recipe: Simply Coconut Truffles

Yes, Coconut is Good For You

Coconut had long been considered a decadent delight, consumed only by those purporting a devil-may-care attitude about their cholesterol levels.   How untrue that has turned out to be.  This misinformation (that coconut is bad) was proliferated throughout the marketplace because scientists and docs didn't yet understand the importance of -- and differences in fats.  Coconut is still a delight, but it is now considered an ultimate health food (and one of my favorite dessert ingredients).  Coconut is said to have anti-microbial properties (watch out you little bacterial and viral invaders).  It is also very high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.  Coconut even contains those rare medium-chain fatty acids that absorb easily and directly into our human bodies.  Well, these truffles are, of course, candy, but with coconut coupled with a the heart-healthy flavenoids of bittersweet chocolate - how could we feel guilty about such a tiny & tasty dessert? 

Simply Coconut Truffle Recipe

Makes about 24 or so truffles.

Prep time:  10 minutes

Inactive prep time: 20-30 minutes

Roll time:  watch your favorite TV show and it will go more quickly.

Ingredients

1/2 pound of dairy-free bittersweet chocolate (recommended brand, Barry Callebaut)

2 tsp.  coconut extract

1-1/2 cups of angel flake coconut

1/2 can (13.66 oz can) of organic coconut milk (recommended brand:  Thai Kitchen Organic Coconut Milk)

Chop the chocolate into teeny tiny little pieces and place in a heat safe glass bowl.  Bring the coconut milk to a boil and quickly remove, then pour over the chocolate.  Shake the bowl so it is evenly distributed and cover quickly with a plate to seal in the heat. 

Let the coconut milk melt the chocolate for about 5 minutes.  Then uncover and whisk by hand until the chocolate is smooth and shiny.  You now have chocolate ganache.

Whisk in the coconut exract.  This will help bring out the flavor of the chocolate as well as enhance the coconut flavor.  Stir in a 1/2 cup of coconut.  Then place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or until the chocolate is firm (but not hard). 

With a small melon baller, scoop out the chocolate and roll into truffle balls.  Roll each truffle into a bowl of coconut so that it has a nice little coconut coat.  Place in a container - preferebly with coconut flakes as a bed (this will help keep the truffles from sticking together) and place in the refrigerator. 

Serve cold and with confidence. 

Serve These With . . .

Candied Orange Peels

Almond Cognac Truffles

If you want to mix it up with a few different bite-sized morsels of yumminess, try these recipes, too. 

What is a Coconut?

According to the Library of Congress:

Botanically speaking, a coconut is a fibrous one-seeded drupe, also known as a dry drupe.  However, when using loose definitions, the coconut can be all three:  a fruit, a nut, and a seed . . .

Coconuts are classified as a fibrous one-seeded drupe. A drupe is a fruit with a hard stony covering enclosing the seed (like a peach or olive) and comes from the word drupa meaning overripe olive. A coconut, and all drupes, have three layers:  the exocarp (outer layer), the mesocarp (fleshy middle layer), and the endocarp (hard, woody layer that surrounds the seed).

Allergen Note

Some folks who are allergic to tree nuts are also allergic to coconut.  Coconuts are required by the FDA to be labled "contains tree nuts", but not everyone reacts to coconuts in the same way.  So if you have a nut allergy, ask your doctor if  coconut is something you should consume or be tested for before trying this recipe.

This blog does not offer, assume or intend to be medical advice.  Please consult your doctor and manage your unique health and wellness concerns responsibly.