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Pure Delicious: 150 Allergy-Free Recipes for Everyday and Entertaining: A Cookbook

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2017 James Beard Foundation Book Award nominee

The most beautiful and comprehensive resource available for anyone facing food allergies -- or cooking for someone who does -- with 150 shockingly tasty recipes.

Allergen-free cooking has never been easier or more appealing than in these recipes made entirely without dairy, soy, nuts, peanuts, gluten, seafood, cane sugar, or eggs. Created by a mother (and power blogger) whose young children were diagnosed with severe food allergies and herself has multiple food sensitivities, this collection of family-friendly recipes means no more need to make multiple meals; everyone can enjoy every single dish because all are free of the major allergy triggers. With an 8-week elimination diet to help readers identify allergens and a game plan for transitioning to a cleaner, safer way of eating that is kid-tested and parent-approved, Pure Delicious changes cooking for the family from a minefield to an act of love.

352 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2016

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About the author

Heather Christo

2 books3 followers

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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
194 reviews3 followers
October 8, 2016
This book was sent to me for review by Pam Krauss Books as always, all opinions are my own.

Several years ago I started to develop some rather baffling health problems, so I turned to my doctor for advice, but even after months of testing the team of doctors I'd been working with still couldn't figure out the cause of my severe joint swelling. Not once in all of those visits did any of my doctors suggest that my problem might be food related. In fact, when I suggested it they immediately dismissed the idea even though I had already been diagnosed with food allergies as a child.

Fast forward a few months...

I still didn't have any answers, but I had recently finished a food challenge called October Unprocessed (you can read more about it on Andrew Wilder's blog Eating Rules.) I spent an entire month eliminating processed food from my diet, making smarter decisions about the food I ate, and learning about how many non-food items go in to the foods we eat. You can read all the details here, but to make a long story short, by the end of the month I'd lost nearly 10lbs and my joint swelling was completely gone. It wasn't until I began to add back a few of the foods I had quite eating that I noticed a pattern; my pain seemed to come back any time I ate something containing soy. I finally had an answer to what was causing my problems, but finding a solution was another matter entirely because soy can be found in nearly every item you purchase at the grocery store—even in places you wouldn't expect it (bread, chocolate, and even many brands of vitamins.)

This book is a real game-changer for anyone who has been struggling to manage their food allergies. I wish it had been written years ago when I was first diagnosed, it would have cut down on the frustration that came with making such a huge, sweeping change to my diet. The first few chapters alone provide invaluable information about diagnosis, allergy testing, eliminations diets, hidden sources of common allergens, and setting up an allergen-free kitchen. For that alone I'd recommend it because it covers a lot of ground, but the recipes are also fantastic. There is a lot of variety in this book, plus most of the recipes are written in a way that the average person wouldn't even know they were allergen-free, which I find especially helpful for the times I want to entertain. Anyone who has recently been diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance, who has battled a lifetime with food allergies, or is suffering from multiple food allergies will greatly appreciate this book.

Recipes You Should Try:

Curried Pumpkin, Chicken, and Rice Soup
Spicy Thai Curry Noodle Soup
Hot Spinach, Strawberry, and Bacon Salad
Niçois Salad with Sesame-Crusted Tuna
Smoky Red Pepper Chickpea Dip
Salmon Ceviche
Sweet and Spicy Apricot Chicken Wings
Roast Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney
Shredded Beef Tostadas
Spicy Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
Chocolate Mousse
Pumpkin Layer Cake with Maple Frosting and Salted Caramel Drizzle
Sweet Potato Granola
Profile Image for Marjorie.
566 reviews77 followers
July 28, 2016
This cookbook has over 150 allergen-free recipes, without gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish or cane sugar. I’m not allergic but am trying to go vegan so was interested in these recipes for that reason.

This is much more than a cookbook. It also tells the author’s story of how she transformed her cooking for her family after her daughter’s scary allergy attack. It then goes on to describe in detail what a food elimination diet should be, how to set up your kitchen, how to help children transition, tips on eating out and 8 weeks to a new normal. My favorite substitutes that she suggests are coconut milk for dairy, beet sugar instead of cane sugar, garbanza bean flour as a thickener and pumpkin and sunflower seeds instead of nuts.

It’s a beautifully designed cookbook with gorgeous photos that will spike your appetite. I don’t cook much in the hot summer but I did try the zucchini chickpea fritters with red onion marmalade that was very good. There are quite a few meat recipes and being a vegetarian, I won’t be making use of those. But there are plenty of others that I’ll be trying once the weather cools down. I’m particularly looking forward to the spicy tomato, lentil and rice soup, which I’ll probably make less spicy, sweet corn and yellow tomato soup, quinoa with oven-dried tomatoes and smoky tomato vinaigrette and green onion sweet potato biscuits. There are lots of unique pasta dishes, too. And an awesome chocolate zucchini bundt cake.

All in all, this is a winner!

This book was given to me by the publisher through Blogging for Books in return for an honest review.
567 reviews8 followers
January 7, 2022
This book is built on the assumption that everyone is allergic to some, if not most, of the "big 8". The first fifty(!) pages are a study of the author's own life, as well as information on how to completely gut your kitchen (including scrubbing every cabinet and appliance, lest a stray flour molecule remain in your home) and do an eight-week elimination diet. To the traditional list of allergens she also adds cane sugar, because her daughter is allergic to it. The preaching introduction aside, this book was...fine.
There are a few interesting recipes here and there, and it is pretty to behold, but other than that, it's not terribly useful for those not interested in going all-in on the author's recommended diet.
Interesting substitutions abound, like soy-free vegan butter for, like, every single instance of butter (rather than more natural alternatives, like coconut oil). Also, the use of beet sugar instead of cane sugar makes sense for the author, but I'm not sure how many others will be willing to go this unconventional route - especially since many who prefer to avoid refined sugar choose honey, maple syrup, agave, or other more natural sweeteners instead, or zero-calorie sweeteners like stevia.
Profile Image for Jmay.
749 reviews10 followers
July 20, 2016
I didn't read the title of the book past "Pure Delicious" when I picked it up. . . Some of the recipes were real food and were good, but the rest was just like how to make a roll out of sawdust. I'm not the audience for this. Whoops!
Profile Image for Punk.
1,610 reviews305 followers
February 14, 2018
If you're not a fan of other people's health problems, you'll want to skip the lengthy introduction to the Christo family's food sensitivities and trips to the emergency room. Christo also uses the term "food allergy" even when she means intolerance, which bugs me.

The cookbook, though, is gorgeous, with amazing pictures full of colorful food in pleasing arrangements. Everything looks amazing. I actually paged through all the savory recipes, which I rarely do as I'm mostly interested in the baking sections.

Baking here involves "All-purpose gluten-free flour." In the introduction, the author sings the praises of Bob's Red Mill AP GF baking flour, but never says if that's what she used in formulating her recipes. I am not a fan of vagueness in gluten-free baking. Other ingredients include: oats, chia seeds, beet sugar, xanthan gum, sweet potato puree, aquafaba (the water from canned garbanzo beans), and coconut cream, milk, and oil. Lucky for me, there's coconut milk in nearly every baked good in this book, which means I don't need to worry about vague flours since I can't do coconut.

I'm going to save a few of the savory recipes, instead, also rare for me. Avgolemono—Greek lemon chicken soup—has always appealed to me, though this version's made without the eggs and orzo, of course. There's a shredded carrot salad with a vinaigrette that sounds delicious. Like coleslaw without the cabbage. And the quinoa tabbouleh looks great, too, but I already made up my own recipe for that, which is why I usually just skip straight to the baking. I don't need help with transforming savory recipes.

Anyway. This book is beautiful. Every recipe has head notes. Measurements are in U.S. volume. There's a color photo for most recipes. The index is thorough, though not every page in this book has a page number, which is bizarre. Storage advice is rare, and, oh, there's a set of incomprehensible icons to indicate whether a recipe is vegan, quick, good for kids, handles the freezer, etc. "High in fiber" looks like wheat. "No added sugar" looks like "no cubes" but at least that makes sense. "Make ahead" looks a printer icon. Then, after some thinking, it looked like one loaf of bread stacked on top of an identical, yet slightly larger, loaf of bread. Then, still later, I shouted, "It's an armchair!!" I mean, that's my best guess. It makes more sense than a printer or a stack of bread.
Profile Image for Challis.
626 reviews7 followers
January 15, 2021
A favorite cookbook in my ever-growing collection, I've made so many of the recipes (some multiple times), and I love just sitting in my kitchen and flipping through it for dinner inspiration. I don't really have any allergies to foods this book avoids, but I love to experiment with different varieties of cooking all the time anyway, and it never hurts to know how to adapt something if you're cooking for someone with an allergy!
8 reviews
December 27, 2024
I wanted to love this cookbook so much. I really love Heather Christo's vegetarian and vegan recipes on her blog, but importantly this book was published before her own family went primarily vegan. So this cookbook - while lovely to look at and surely has delicious recipes — includes mostly fish and poultry dishes. I hope that one day she will publish a book of her vegan recipes.
Profile Image for B Zimp.
1,075 reviews5 followers
November 1, 2019
Appreciated the allergy friendly dishes. Most of the plates I made from this were fantastic, but may need some extra salt/spices, depending on taste.
Profile Image for Whitney.
91 reviews3 followers
August 20, 2024
Amazing collection of recipes that help me feed any special dietary restrictions without anyone feeling like they are missing out. The shrimp cakes are on repeat in our house!
Profile Image for Susan Barton.
Author 6 books94 followers
July 7, 2016
When I saw this book I knew I had to get it. The simple, yet elegant book cover photo and text caught my attention. “More than 150 delectable allergen-free recipes” without gluten and other allergens was right up my dietary alley. Living gluten-free for the past few years hasn’t been nearly as difficult as I had at first worried it might be, yet I’m always looking for new recipes to add to my meal planning. This book looked promising and I wasn’t disappointed.

Not only does Pure Delicious include gluten-free recipes, it’s chock full of healthy recipes that cater to just about every imaginable special dietary need. Whether you’re allergic or sensitive to eggs, wheat, dairy, soy, nuts, shellfish or cane sugar, you’ll find a recipe here. Judging from the Introduction and Chapter 1 (Our Story of Transformation) the author has written this book from experience. On pages 16 – 17, Ms. Christo knowledgably discusses the difference between food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities – this is important when it comes to the foods we eat.

The recipes are certainly doable. They include ingredients that most people either already have in their kitchen, or are readily available at any local grocery store. There are no crazy, rare ingredients to run around searching for. The accompanying photos alongside each recipe are gorgeous and mouth-watering.

Pure Delicious contains six comprehensive chapters:

1. Our Story of Transformation
2. The Food Elimination Diet
3. A Kitchen That Supports You
4. Helping Kids Transition
5. Eating Out
6. Eight Weeks To A Normal Life

And ten fantastic recipe categories:

1. Soups and Chilis
2. Salads
3. Appetizers
4. Sides
5. Baked Goods
6. Pizza and Burgers
7. Pasta
8. Mains
9. Desserts
10. Breakfast

There is so much garbage in our food nowadays, but many people still don’t realize this could literally be making us sick. Taking control of the food we eat is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and books like this are a welcome addition to any family cookbook collection.

5 of 5 Stars, Review by Susan Barton, http://ebookreviewgal.com
eBook Review Gal received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Brenda.
602 reviews
September 4, 2016
Wow this author really did her work when it comes to allergies! I found out a few things about myself that I hadn't realized were causing me problems. She rose to the occasion in helping herself and her daughter and then laid out great recipes that almost melt in your mouth right off the pages! The pictures are beautiful and they are very flavorful with some substitutions provided in case you need to change the recipe. I found a couple of recipes that will be made in my kitchen for years to come! I do wish she hadn't included so much coconut oil, milk or flour in her recipes, she has kind of jumped on that band wagon and I'm allergic to that. I will have to experiment with some substitutions for those ingredients, but I'm sure I can work that out. Everyone seems to be using coconut everything these days. It is a common thing these days everyone seems to be turning to coconut these days. It isn't a nut it's a fruit but I'm allergic to it. Wish I wasn't. The very smell of the stuff makes my head hurt. : )

The description as found on Good Reads: As a chef, former caterer, and much-loved food blogger, Heather Christo’s life revolves around food, so when she and her daughters were diagnosed with severe food allergies, she thought her life—and career—were over. With ingredients like gluten, dairy, nuts, and even cane sugar and black pepper permanently off the menu, Heather had to teach herself to cook all over again. Much to her surprise, however, she discovered that taking control of her family’s diet and wellness led to a new sense of empowerment, bringing her family closer together than ever before while permanently banishing the ill health that had been their “normal” for years.

I received this book through "Blogging for Books" in exchange for an honest review.

Profile Image for Mazzou B.
609 reviews23 followers
July 2, 2016
This beautiful hardcover cookbook was a delight to review. The recipes are extremely appealing. There is now an abundance of health-focused cookbooks out there and some are not so inviting. Pure Delicious is full of delicious-looking recipes accented by true-to-life photos of the finished products. This cookbook highlights recipes which are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, tree and peanut-free. Gluten-free eaters will be overjoyed with this book. I personally don't avoid dairy but find this book very helpful. Besides- dairy and eggs are easy to substitute back into recipes if desired! One thing that disappointed me about this book was the inclusion of beet sugar instead of organic cane sugar. I am not certain why the author uses beet sugar as that is less healthy than cane sugar. She also doesn't use honey or stevia, something which I find disappointing but fixable as I attempt the sweet recipes in my own kitchen.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Kim.
9 reviews
September 18, 2016
When I saw this book, I was elated because I have SO many food allergies and intolerances. I am the only one in my family, so I selfishly sometimes feel sorry for myself as they eat things that I can no longer eat. That's when I get cooking/baking, determined to make foods that are just as yummy. I have tried out several of Heather Christo's recipes and wish there was a place we could comment/review each recipe! I agree with another reviewer that the coconut oil is monotonous, but I understand that this book was created with her own family in mind. And, I don't think substitutions for coconut oil will impact the recipes very much. I will continue to try out the recipes and add to this review. For now, the PANCAKES were super flat both times I tried the recipe; I think substituting was not working here. I don't give up easy though, so I will keep working on those. I'm on to the BREAD shortly. Huge kudos to Heather Christo for sharing her story and providing a full gamut of ideas for our meals.
Profile Image for V Luttrell.
159 reviews7 followers
July 29, 2016
As a chef, former caterer, and much-loved food blogger, Heather Christo’s life revolves around food, but what happens when your child is diagnosed with a sickness and the food you always made is no longer an option? This sickness was severe food allergies. The author thought she could never cook again especially be a cater. How could she cook with out gluten, dairy, nuts, and even cane sugar and black pepper to make dishes not only her daughter could enjoy but others who suffered like her. So instead of giving up Heather had to teach herself to cook all over again. Much to her surprise, however, she discovered that taking control of her family’s diet and wellness led to a new sense of empowerment, bringing her family closer together than ever before while permanently banishing the ill health that had been their “normal” for years.
82 reviews
July 15, 2016
While this cookbook isn't really my taste because of it's complicated recipes and my lack of complicated cooking skills I still found it very interesting. It hits all my marks for a good cookbook. Every recipe has a picture attached (always a better way to get me to actually make something). all of the steps and ingredients are clearly laid out and easy to follow. I especially liked that the ingredients lists were separate by sauces and other parts of the recipes. I know many people trying to over haul their eating habits for allergies or lifestyle changes and I think this book would be a great fit for them. I received a copy of this book through the blogging for books for books program in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Jamie.
991 reviews85 followers
August 4, 2016
Reading Heather's food journey along with all the members of her family (2 young girls and 1 husband) was so interesting and educational. Between the 4 of them they have cut all gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, and cane sugar. I know some of my triggers are wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy, and cane sugar, and so it was a real treat to see an entire cookbook + meal planning ideas and good substitutions for ingredients I have loved and cooked with all my life, such as flour, eggs, sugar, and milk.
The introduction to her cookbook is so enlightening and her frequently used list is a must-read for anyone on a whole foods journey.
Cannot wait to get cooking!
Profile Image for Ietrio.
6,948 reviews24 followers
May 22, 2016
I like it when there are books that try something new in the torrent of same old recipes.
Profile Image for Jamie Holloway.
570 reviews27 followers
August 11, 2016
I tried two recipes. Meatloaf and mustard crusted potatoes. Yummy. Read my review on my blog.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

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