It’s the morning-rush question, and here’s a fresh answer: a pre-packed lunch alternative, reviewed as a healthy Lunchables alternative at The Family Kitchen blog.

The AquaMunch variety from Go Picnic includes a packet of SunButter®, along with:

• Strawberry jam from Bonne Maman
• Organic crackers by Late July
• Sweet Perry Orchards unsweetened natural applesauce
• Cheddar multigrain mini-crisps from Sensible Portions Cinnamon pastry twist from Barry’s Bakery.

The entire lunch is OU Kosher certified and has no egg, fish or shellfish ingredients.

‘Sounds like lunch is packed.

Don’t forget a little note to ease your little bugs through the day (you’ll miss them more than they miss you, of course).

We’d love to hear your SunButter® reviews. What variety works for you and your family? What fits in your lunches?

Leah and Inna talk about all SunButter varieties and give snack and recipe tips, too. Have a look and listen!

SunButter® makes school lunch fun again
It’s back-to-school time and like every other mother of an elementary school child, I’m asking myself what to pack for lunch. And since I’m the mother of a child with severe peanut and tree nut allergies, I’ve had to be creative at lunchtime. This isn’t always easy with a busy schedule. While I’ve done my best to offer non-peanut butter lunch alternatives (all kinds of deli products for sandwiches, pasta salad, veggies and yogurt dip, etc.), sometimes I’ve found myself wishing I could turn to peanut butter. Of course, that’s not an option for us.

Nut-free lunches
After my oldest daughter’s life-threatening reaction to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when she was four years old, I removed peanut butter and tree nuts from our home to lower the risk of allergic reactions. I soon found that it became a challenge to find a non-perishable, non-peanut butter lunch for say, a field trip that requires outdoor activities on a hot day or a disposable “brown bag lunch” that didn’t permit me to include my usual cold pack. Lunch was sometimes stressful for me to create, and sometimes it seemed like a drag. Even after-school snack time was restricted. Ants on a log were out, as were peanut butter cookies, and anything that I was used to eating when I was a kid.

SunButter® snacks, meals and desserts
Enter SunButter®! My entire family has been thrilled to discover this wonderful product. All of a sudden, we have tasty lunch and after-school snack possibilities that didn’t exist for us before. Before her nut allergy diagnosis, my daughter loved sunflower seeds as a snack and hadn’t been able to enjoy them for years because of the allergy warnings. Now, with SunButter®, the taste of roasted sunflower seeds is back in her life. In fact, my daughter’s favorite Crunchy Natural SunButter® has become a favorite go-to sandwich. Rolled up in a tortilla, stuffed into whole wheat bread or eaten alongside sliced apples or as a topper to celery, SunButter® offers both of my kids a safe, delicious and even healthier snack than peanut butter. My oldest also has gotten creative and occasionally creates a hazelnut-chocolate spread substitute by adding some cocoa powder and sugar to her SunButter. We also use SunButter in cookie recipes. Delicious!

SunButter® for all
Best of all, since we are a peanut and tree nut-free home, my youngest daughter, my husband and myself have all had the chance to find a peanut butter alternative that we find we enjoy even more than peanut butter. We’ve recommended SunButter® to relatives, teachers, friends and classmates, making their homes and our schools safer for kids with peanut and tree nut allergies.

“SunButter® is safe for my sister”
It’s especially rewarding to see my youngest daughter (who doesn’t have any nut allergies) enjoy this peanut butter substitute so much. One reason she told me she enjoys it? “It’s safe for my sister.” So bring on the school lunches and snacks because now I’ve got SunButter® by my side!

Are you a parent or caregiver of a child with allergies? What’s your story? What works for you? We’d love to hear about your journey. Comment here or on our Facebook page.

That’s typically not big news, especially in the summer when there’s often quite a few “extras” at our house. But this time, our 11-year-old, Katie, finally hosted a school friend, Megan, who was on her very first sleepover.

See, Megan has food allergies, including nuts, eggs and dairy. And dog allergies. Like most moms, Megan’s mom is careful about her child’s activities. Unlike other moms, she is extra vigilant to keep Megan safe. Understandably, sleepovers were out of the question.

Until now.
It was a long process, beginning four years ago. That’s when Megan moved here. Megan loves to tell the story that Katie was the first classmate to talk with her, the first to ask if she could join her at the “nut-free” lunchroom table (where our daughter often brings SunButter® and jelly sandwiches), the first to partner with her at a school field trip.

That’s when I first met her, since I chaperoned that trip. She’s a gorgeous little girl with huge blue eyes, a shy smile and quiet but wicked sense of humor. I liked her right away. I also liked her mom, who I met at a school event. Her mom told me Megan wanted Katie to come over for a play date, but it would require some preparation from me.

Nut-free play date
I made sure Katie didn’t eat peanut butter then washed and dried her clothes carefully to remove dog hair. They had a great afternoon at Megan’s house, the first of many.

Two years ago, Megan spent her first afternoon at our house. Her mom coached me on what to keep away from her and how to identify if she was having a reaction. She brought her epipen and Megan taught me how to use it. Thankfully, we didn’t have to. These get-togethers continued, too, until Katie and Megan really wanted a sleepover at our home.

I was 11 once. I know the magic of sleepovers, the whispers, wonders and looking through teen magazines. The junk food and no sleep.

SunButter® snack recipe

So I worked with Megan’s mom to make it happen. Again, she guided me through preparations. I also checked out some online resources, including:
Forum on Allergic Living
Forum on Food Allergy Support

The day Megan’s mom dropped her off, her mom admitted she was nervous. I admitted I was, too, but I was also confident and prepared. Megan arrived for dinner, and we had chicken, corn on the cob, pasta with SunButter® and market-fresh watermelon.

The girls took our dog, a hypoallergenic labradoodle, for a long walk through the woods. They had a good laugh since our Katie’s pollen allergies acted up, and Megan was the one we were all worried about with allergic reactions. They didn’t stop laughing all night. They curled up with magazines and a movie. I brought them apples, Ezekial cereal and SunButter® for Raw Crunchers, lemonade and animal crackers (I learned most don’t have eggs or milk).

SunButter breakfast
I’m not sure when they went to sleep. I do know they woke up at 6:10 a.m., still laughing about something and “so hungry, mom!” I made them berries and pancakes, made with a special recipe from Megan’s mom that includes rice milk and no eggs. They piled more SunButter® on the pancakes. The girls made an interesting coffee, SunButter® and rice milk drink in the blender. I’m pretty sure there are still drops of it on our ceiling since they neglected to put the blender cover on. More laughs…

Megan’s mom picked her up just before lunch, and I’ll forever remember what Megan whispered in my ear when I hugged her. She said: “Thanks for making me feel normal.”

Katie’s birthday is next week, and I’m already having fun planning the party sleepover for a gaggle of girls, including Megan—and of course SunButter®.

We’d love to hear about how SunButter® fits in your nut-free recipes. What works for you?

Adapting recipes is one of my hobbies. The other day, it was too hot to turn on the oven, yet I needed a cool dessert for an office potluck lunch. Enter: SunButter®, in the Frozen SunButter Pie recipe. I also wanted to gather my colleagues’ impressions of the flavors and textures.

This dessert was quick and easy to make, affordable and got rave reviews. Best of all, it was simple to adapt.

Layering the whipped topping into a graham cracker crust
Adaptations: Those sensitive to possible allergens in the graham crust could do this without the crust in a pie dish or in 6 – 8 individual dishes (great for kids, who would each get their own serving). The layers turn out pretty in a clear glass sundae dish.

Spreading on the jam
Adaptation: I used raspberry because fresh raspberries are now in season. You could use any jam or jelly that you and your family prefer. What sweet berry flavor doesn’t go with the slightly salty flavor of sunflower seeds? One colleague noticed the texture of the raspberry seeds didn’t quite jive with the sunflower seeds sprinkled on top. Next time, I’ll try jelly or a fruit spread without seeds.

Blending the SunButter® and cold milk, then instant pudding mix and whipped topping
Adaptations: I used vanilla pudding mix, but was tempted by the cheesecake flavor.

Some pudding mixes and whipped toppings do contain milk, so if that’s an allergy concern, look for mixes or whipped toppings that are milk-free.

Filling the SunButter® pie
Adaptations: We did eat this frozen, so it was refreshing. It would also be good as a cream pie after an hour or so in the refrigerator. I topped it with fresh raspberries and sunflower seeds. You could drizzle on other flavored syrups as well. Careful to read the allergen labels. It would be pretty with a sprig of mint or candied cranberries, depending on the season and occasion.

Taste testing SunButter Frozen Pie

“It’s good.”

“I don’t like SunButter plain, but this is tasty.”

“Mmmmmmmm.”

“It’s very different but delicious.”

“Not too light; not too heavy.”

Affordable nut-free dessert
I spent $17.80 on ingredients for the SunButter® Frozen Pie. I still have nearly-full jars of the jam, SunButter® and sunflower seeds. (I ate the rest of the fresh raspberries while the pie chilled.) To me, that’s a fair value. And I have happy office-mates who were good sports putting up with me adapting yet another recipe.

We’d love to hear your SunButter® recipes. How do you adapt recipes? What have you created lately?

I love SunButter. I love the smell of it, the taste of it, cooking with it, and the smile that it produces on my children’s faces. I love the feeling of normalcy that it gives, knowing that my family can taste something very similar to a treat that we used to love. It was quite a journey to find it, but well worth it.

A little background

Before my first child, I never knew the frustration or fear of living with a severe food allergy. When my son was two months old, he had severe eczema on his face. We are talking about the kind that bleeds and crusts over. We saw several family practice doctors, and not one correctly diagnosed his problem. One physician we saw prescribed a medicated dandruff shampoo to put on his poor little face, over the wounds. Who was I to argue with a doctor?

Well, we were in the ER that evening with a spiked temperature because Scottie’s poor little face was badly infected. We switched to a pediatrician, who immediately recognized that he had an infected, poorly treated outbreak of eczema. Scottie was given oral and topical antibiotics and a steroid cream. We were told that when a child his age has such severe skin problems, it meant he would quite possibly also have food allergies and asthma. We gave him eggs at the recommended age of 18 months, and he was fine. We were told to wait until he was 2 to try the peanut butter.

First taste of peanut butter

I had my second son when Scottie was 25 months old, and soon after decided that was the time to try peanut butter. I gave him half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. After just two bites, he started coughing and wheezing, broke out into hives, got red eyes, a rash around his mouth, and started crying. After a quick dose of Benadryl and a trip to the doctor, we knew we had encountered an allergic reaction.

After much testing, we discovered he also had allergies to several other things, including grasses, molds, some animals, dust, and all tree nuts. He also has asthma.

Treats now poisons

Those first few months were heartbreaking and filled with worry. What was safe for my son to eat? What if others around him didn’t have the same level of concern for him that I did? We learned to diligently read every label, every time, whether we had eaten that item previously or not, because you never know when the processes or equipment change. Things we had previously loved were no longer treats, but poisons in our home. We removed all traces of any nuts or nut products, and the small daycare that I operate in my home became a peanut/tree nut free facility.

I love to cook and to bake. I guess that is a good thing because we learned that I would need to make many of his foods. We can’t go to Chinese restaurants now, so I make homemade Chinese food. We avoid all supermarket bakeries and usually volunteer to bring a safe snack or treat to baseball games, church functions, and family events.

First taste of SunButter

As we began our search for safe things to bake with, we discovered which brands were safe…which chocolate chips, which cake mixes, which crackers would be safe to serve in my daycare. I really wanted to make peanut butter cookies and no bake cookies, which were always a favorite in my family. We discovered several products, including pea butter and soy nut butter. My son was okay with those, but not crazy about them. I just plain didn’t care for them. And then, we discovered SunButter. It was sitting right there on the supermarket shelf. I was so excited. I read the label, and quickly noted that it was manufactured in a peanut free and tree nut free facility. I brought it home to try, figuring I had nothing to lose if we didn’t care for it.

Eating childhood favorites again

I fell in love! SunButter is so amazing. I started baking cookies, energy bars, muffins, and other goods with the taste of peanut butter. It became a fun challenge to see which recipes would work. We were eating it on apples and celery, between slices of bananas, with jelly or marshmallow fluff on sandwiches.

We now eat it on toast, between crackers, and a family favorite…on top of warm chocolate chip pancakes. Yummmmmy! I used it as a filling in homemade chocolates for my boys’ stockings at Christmastime, and I made my mother’s peanut butter fudge recipe using the SunButter as a substitute. What a treat to be able to eat those childhood favorites with my own kids. The best part of SunButter, is it is actually a healthier alternative than peanut butter. I think it actually tastes better than peanut butter, and I was ecstatic when I discovered it could be purchased in 5 lb. tubs.

‘Secret’ ingredient

My favorite thing to do is to give samples of each recipe that I make with SunButter to family members and friends for them to try. The “wow” looks on their faces when they discover how yummy it is makes me smile. I feel like I have a secret that no one else knows about. And now, we have family members without allergies who buy SunButter for baking as well.

I am so thankful to the makers of SunButter for this fantastic product and for all of the varieties that we have found. I continually find myself having conversations about it and look forward to many more baking adventures and discoveries with SunButter.

Are you a parent or caregiver of a child with allergies? What’s your story? What works for you? We’d love to hear about your journey. Comment here or on our Facebook page.

Watch baby Jenny’s first impression of SunButter®

We think she approves!

Inspired by baby Jenny’s special moment, we are sponsoring a video contest featuring children’s impressions of the good-for-you, peanut-free spread and ingredient: SunButter®. Many allergists and nutritionists recommend that kids under age two (some even say age three) avoid peanuts in case allergies exist. Allergies to sunflower seeds are very, very rare.

Parents, grandparents, guardians: It’s time to capture your little ones’ moments with SunButter® on video. We would love to see and hear their reactions – whether it’s their first or 100^th tasting experience!

First place winner receives a $100 savings bond and a free case of SunButter®, for more enjoyable eating moments.

Starting Sunday, August 1, through Friday, September 3, upload your contest video here. For a complete list of rules, please visit the SunButter® Facebook page.

click “Like” and add a note to share it with your Facebook friends!

It’s a long-standing tradition to grill lunch on Fridays for our employees and clients.

Here’s something we’d never grilled before: Pizza. And not just pizza: SunButter® Pizza. On a wood pellet-fired WoodMaster grill.

NOTE: When using a WoodMaster pellet grill

1. • Place 4 aluminum cans (usually pop cans) on the grill and then place the pizza on a cookie sheet.
   • Put pizza crust on a cookie sheet and balance the cookie sheet on the cans. I used Boboli® crust, but you can make your own crust as well. See the instructions below.
   • Close the lid and grill for approximately 20 minutes. It may take a little longer, but it’s well worth the wait! The wood pellets give the pizza amazing flavor!

Watch SunButter® Pizza grilling and taste-test reactions

The SunButter menu:

• SunButter® BBQ Chicken Pizza
• SunButter® and Pepperoni Pizza
• Chocolate SunButter® Pizza

See all SunButter® recipes

From our Grillmaster

How to make grilled pizza

1. Slice and saute any veggies you need before you start working with the dough
2. Preheat your gas grill on high for 10-15 minutes
   • For wood grill, heat it to high
3. Using a pastry brush or your hands, spread olive oil over the dough. Flip over and brush the other side.
4. Bring everything to the grill.
5. Pour yourself a nice beverage to enjoy.
6. I like to put my dough on a big piece of foil. That way, it stays in one piece when you transfer it to the grill.
7. With one quick motion, flip the dough upside down on the grill and peel off the foil.
8. Close the lid and grill for approximately 3-4 minutes. Make sure it doesn’t burn. You want those nice grill marks on the bottom!
9. Transfer to cutting board, grilled side up and add sauce, toppings, cheese and sprinkle with seasonings.
10. Turn one of the two grill burners off. Place pizza back on the grill, cover and grill for another 10 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and bottom is browned and cooked through. If the bottom starts to cook faster than you expected, turn the pizza around or move it to another spot.
11. Remove to cutting board, slice and serve with a bit more of your favorite beverage!
12. Serves two of us, but should serve four!

We’d love to hear your SunButter® recipes. What have you created lately?

Last spring I challenged people around the office try SunButter® recipes and share their creations with the office. It seemed like a constant SunButter® feast for a while, but then we went through a little dry spell—until now.

My co-worker, Mandy, took a jar of SunButter® home and came back the next morning with these rich, moist and gooey SunButter® brownies. The recipe called for peanut butter but she substituted SunButter. They were very creamy, which made them very rich. Perfect with a cup of joe and perfectly acceptable for breakfast, right—especially if you add the optional ingredient at the end of the recipe.

I slipped a tablet nearby the plate of SunButter® brownies and collected comments. Here are just a few:

• “Great flavor—texture is different, but I like it.”
• “Mmmmmm. Very soft and moist.”
• “Would rather have peanut butter, but this is good. I think I could do this.”
• “Delicious. The SunButter® doesn’t over-power the brownie. It’s just enough flavor.”
• “Very moist and good flavor, but the color is odd.”
• “Great flavor and texture but I’m concerned by the greenness.”

I didn’t notice the greenness myself. But as soon as I saw at least two comments about it, I remembered reading this statement about green cookies on the SunButter® website.

The chlorogenic acid (chlorophyll) in sunflower seeds reacts with the baking soda/powder when baked causing the green color as the product cools.

So here’s the culprit. And the fix.  Something to keep in mind when [substituting SunButter® for recipes with peanut butter.

When substituting SunButter® in your existing recipe, you may have to reduce the baking soda/powder by approx. 1/3 to start. Depending on the recipe, even a splash of lemon juice could help.

Here’s the recipe:

Chocolate Chip SunButter® Brownies

Oven: 350 degrees

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup margarine

1 cup SunButter®(Mandy used creamy)

4 eggs

2 cup flour

2 tsp baking soda (reduce to approx 1 1/3 tsp to avoid the green)

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1 package chocolate chips (make sure to check the package for allergy information)

Optional ingredient:  add oatmeal.

Cream the sugar, brown sugar and margarine. Add the SunButter® and whip until fluffy. Add the eggs and blend well. Next add the dry ingredients. Last add the vanilla and chocolate chips. Spread into a 9 x 13 pan (does not need to be greased). Bake at 350 for 35-40 mins (suggest checking at 30 mins). DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Give them a try or check out our website for more ideas. Stop back here, too. In just another day or so we’ll be posting a video from last Friday when we made SunButter® pizzas on the grill along with a really good dessert.

That’s my barbell strength class instructors’ parting orders. So as I put my equipment away, I contemplate “something good with protein.” Something different than the familiar whey protein shake re-fuel.

The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) puts one food source on its list of protein sources and fat sources, saying:

Eat after your workout

To help your muscles recover and to replace their glycogen stores, eat a meal that contains both protein and carbohydrates within two hours of your exercise session if possible. Women, in particular, may need protein after resistance training.

Protein and fats: Important, but not your body’s top fuel choice
Protein isn’t your body’s food of choice for fueling exercise, but it does play a role in muscle repair and growth. Most people can easily get the protein they need from food sources and don’t need additional protein supplements. Good protein sources include:

• Meat
• Dairy
• Nuts

Fat is an important, although smaller, part of your diet. Fats, as well as carbohydrates, can provide fuel for your muscles during exercise. Try to get most of your fat from unsaturated sources such as vegetable oils, fatty fish and nuts.

See? Nuts made both lists!

Like peanuts, sunflower seeds are high in “good fat” that helps prevent heart disease. Sunflower seeds are also rich in phytosterols, believed to reduce cholesterol. And they give you antioxidant power in Vitamin E and magnesium for stronger bones. SunButter® has the same amount of fat, sugar and cholesterol as peanut butter. SunButter® has a tad less sodium. Key stat: Both have 7 g of protein in a 2 Tbsp. serving.

Cross eat while you cross train

I’m not a nutritionist or personal trainer, but I know that changing up protein sources is like changing up workouts. A little peanut butter, a little cardio; a little SunButter®, a little strength work.

Peanut-free protein sources

Some ideas from my nut-free barbell classmates to balance your protein sources:

• SunButter® shake: Yogurt (frozen or vanilla fat-free), skim milk, SunButter® and a banana is my concoction of choice. Compared to peanut butter, the SunButter® takes a bit longer to blend and the shake doesn’t end up as thick
• SunButter® on toast, banana on the side
• SunButter® on crackers with big glass of milk

Sounds like “good with protein” to me.

We’d love to hear what you eat after a strength workout. What’s your protein source?