July 2020 | Page 46

This July 4th, we have a ‘berry’ patriotic way to celebrate and get crafty. Easy crafts, just the way I like it (having no craft skills whatsoever!) We use red, white and blue for a fun breakfast waffle, with ingredients that are simple and flexible. And for dessert, there’s graham cracker flags. You can vary them to suit allergies and your family preferences. Little ones can be hands on to decorate their own personal flag creation. This is a great opportunity to review the meaning of the American flag, the colors (why red, white and blue?), the number of red and white stripes, and the number of stars. “Art for Kids Hub” has an extensive video library for many ages and interests from sharks to Star Wars, Dora to Winnie the Pooh, best friends to zombies. If cars are your interest, they show how to draw Corvettes, Mustangs, Bugatti, Ferrari – really cool cars. This is a video for how to draw your own flag, a family does the drawing together, step by step. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ NGecEjMDew A few tips: • There are several brands of allergy reduced, vegan and gluten free waffles and graham crackers available at local stores. • White topping ideas: sliced bananas, yogurt, cream cheese, whipped topping, frosting, peeled apple slices, applesauce (okay, not quite white but kidfriendly). • Blue topping ideas: blueberries, blackberries, a little blue food coloring in cream cheese/frosting/whipped topping. • Red topping ideas: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, berry jam, berry compote, fruit leather. • Video recipe for Sweet Simple Strawberry Sauce https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rAWWQSNyj78 46 WNY Family July 2020 Waffle Flags Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEA- NUTS, TREE NUTS, WHEAT*, FISH, SHELLFISH, and GLUTEN* Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes| Cook Time: 5 minutes 4 square waffles* (allergy/gluten friendly) 2 cups yogurt (dairy and soy free variety) 1 cup blueberries 1 cup strawberries, sliced Gather all of the ingredients. Toast the waffles. Spread yogurt on each waffle. Use the blueberries for the blue left corner of the flag. Arrange the strawberries in a striped pattern. Variation: omit yogurt. Top with strawberry sauce. Arrange banana slices for stripes. Graham Cracker Flags Free of: DAIRY, EGGS, SOY, PEA- NUTS, TREE NUTS, WHEAT*, FISH, SHELLFISH, and GLUTEN* Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes 4 graham crackers* (allergy/gluten friendly) 1 cup whipped topping or frosting (free of your allergens) 1 cup sliced strawberries 1/2 cup blueberries 1 cup mini marshmallows Gather all of the ingredients. Spread whipped topping on each graham cracker. Use the blueberries for the blue left corner of the flag. Arrange the strawberries in a striped pattern, alternating with the mini marshmallows. If you have any questions about our column, e-mail Kathy at [email protected]. For further information about food allergies, contact FARE www. foodallergy.org, or call 1-800-929-4040. Kathy Lundquist is a Western New York parent whose son, now an adult, was born with severe food allergies. Over the last two decades, she has worked tirelessly in a variety of capacities to increase community awareness about food allegies.