MAXINE GORDON reports on a new recipe book to let children with allergies have their cake and eat it.

WHEN little Isis Dunthorne goes off to a friend's party she always takes a tupperware box full of food to eat. It's not because Mum Kate fears there won't be enough to eat at the party or that the culinary skills of other mothers will be lacking.

It's because three-year-old Isis has a food allergy - eating anything with eggs in it makes her ill.

At a party recently, Isis was very sick after eating a cake which had raw egg white in the icing.

"Within seconds she was complaining that her mouth hurt. Her tongue had swollen and she had blotches all around her mouth," recalls Kate, who had to immediately administer some anti-histamine medicine.

Party food can be a minefield for youngsters with allergies - and their parents. And as the number of children with food allergies is growing, it's an issue more of us need to be aware of.

About one in every 200 children are reckoned to have a nut allergy. Just a trace of a nut in a "nut-free" product could be enough to trigger off an allergic attack, which could be fatal.

Many other children suffer from allergies to milk, eggs, and other dairy products.

If you are hosting a kiddies' party, it's worth checking if any of the little guests have allergies.

Equally, parents of children with allergies must inform their hosts of problem food.

Kate says: "It's impractical to expect the party giver to provide a special menu for your child, but reasonable to ask them not to put out a bowl of peanuts. I think all parties up to the age of five should be nut free."

Kate doesn't know if Isis is allergic to nuts, but is not willing to risk it.

While it is important to keep children safe, Kate says kids must not be made to feel different or left out.

"I batch bake little egg free cakes and freeze them so I can top them with water icing and a few 'safe sweets' which she can take to parties," she says.

Creating 'safe' party treats which are also fun to eat can be a headache for parents of children with allergies.

And that's why Kate and scores of other parents in York have welcomed a new recipe book of party food for children with allergies.

Safe And Happy has been produced by Jayne Dwyer of York Allergy Support, and its profits will be going to the Anaphylaxis Campaign.

The book contains lots of recipes without nuts, dairy products, eggs and some without wheat and soya, most of which Jayne developed herself to cater for her seven-year-old daughter Rosie, who can't eat nuts or dairy produce.

The book has recipes for all occasions, including Hallowe'en, Bonfire Night and Christmas.

Jayne said: "Parties and social occasions are the hardest for children with food allergies. Most social occasions are celebrated with food and it can be really excluding."

Jayne adds: "When you first find out your child has allergies it can be an absolute nightmare. The idea of the book is a positive one: to help you create food which is nice and tasty and looks normal too!

"That's important as children don't want to feel different. If you can create a cake all the children at a party can enjoy they don't need to know it doesn't contain eggs or dairy."

u Copies of Safe And Happy are available by sending an A5-sized SAE with a 50p stamp and a cheque for £2 payable to York Allergy Support to Jayne Dwyer, 11 Campbell Avenue, Holgate, York, YO24 4LA.

Recipes

Here are some spooky Hallowe'en party recipes for you to try at home from the Safe And Happy book. All recipes are nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free, gluten-free and soya-free.

Sticky Legs

Ingredients:

1 tsp grated lime rind.

2 tsp ground mixed spice.

2 tbsp clear honey.

1 tbsp herb vinegar.

1 clove garlic, chopped.

2 tbsp olive oil.

Salt and pepper.

8 chicken drumsticks, skinned.

8 rashers of streaky bacon.

Method:

1 Make the marinade by mixing together all ingredients except chicken and bacon.

2 Put the chicken into a shallow dish and pour marinade over. Spoon mixture over drumsticks to ensure they are well coated and chill in the fridge for one hour.

3 Pre-heart oven to 180C, 350F, gas mark 4.

4 Remove chicken legs from marinade and wrap a piece of bacon around each.

5 Place the Sticky Legs in a roasting tin and cook for 35-40 mins until chicken is cooked thoroughly.

Creepy Knobbled Fingers

Ingredients:

4 small turkey/chicken breasts, (skinned)

100g/4oz cornflakes or rice crisp cereals.

Sunflower oil for shallow frying.

Method:

1 Cut the breasts into 1cm thick slices.

2 Crush the cereal with the back of spoon.

3 Press each turkey slice into the cereal to coat.

4 Heat the oil in a frying pan.

5 Fry each piece for 2-3 mins on each side until golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

Notes: arrange the 'fingers' around a bowl of Gutsy Dip.

Allergy note: Be especially vigilant when cooking with cereals as brands vary regarding nut policies.

Gutsy Dip

Ingredients:

1 onion.

1 tbsp sunflower oil.

1 tin tomatoes.

1 tbsp brown sugar.

1 tbsp mixed herbs.

Salt and pepper.

Method:

1 Finely chop onion and saut in sunflower oil for five minutes.

2 Add tomatoes, brown sugar, herbs, salt and pepper, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes, until moisture has reduced and the sauce is thick.

Notes: Serve thick as a dip, or liquidise to make a 'ketchup'.