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Misc.kids Frequently Asked Questions:
Allergies and Asthma

Book Reviews

Revision 1.1

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This FAQ is intended to answer frequently asked questions on allergies and asthma in the misc.kids newsgroup. Though the comments are geared towards parents of children, there is plenty of information for adults as well. Before reading the FAQ, please read the disclaimer.

To contribute to this collection, please send e-mail to the address given below, and ask me to add your comments to the FAQ file on Allergies and Asthma. Please try to be as concise as possible, as these FAQ files tend to be quite long as it is. And, unless otherwise requested, your name and e-mail address will remain in the file, so that interested readers may follow-up directly for more information/discussion.

This FAQ is posted regularly to news.answers and misc.kids.info.

For a list of other misc.kids FAQ topics, look for the FAQ File Index posted to misc.kids.info or tune in to misc.kids.

Collection maintained by Eileen Kupstas Soo (kupstas@cs.unc.edu)

There are many contributors involved in this FAQ.. many thanks for all the work!

© 1996-2007 Eileen Kupstas Soo

This page (http://www.cs.unc.edu/~kupstas/FAQ_reviews.html) last modified: February 12, 2001

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Topic Index:

0) Disclaimer

1. General Books/Information

2. Food Allergy Books

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General Books/Information

Children with Asthma: A manual for parents

Thomas F. Plaut, M.D with parents, patients, and physicians
1995
paperback ISBN 0-914625-16-0
$10 with multiple purchase discount

One Minute Asthma

Thomas F. Plaut, M.D
1996
paperback ISBN 0-914625-14-4
$5 with multiple purchase discount

Pedipress Asthma Publications
Pedipress, Inc.
125 Red Gate Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
1-800-611-6081 (US)

Both English and Spanish versions are available.

These two books are well-written guides to help parents understand and deal with their children's asthma. The information applies to adults, as well, however, these books do not assume that the asthma patient will be the person monitoring the patient's condition on a day-to-day basis. This is a rather realistic assumption for parents of young children. Other information is available from this company, including a peak flow diary, an asthma signs diary, and a children's story: Winning over Asthma.

One Minute Asthma is a 48 page booklet that contains short, concise information on evaluating an asthmatic's condition, the treatment of asthma, the types of medications used to treat asthma, and sample diaries for tracking an asthmatics condition day-to-day. The language is suitable for a lay person with no prior information on asthma. The example diaries are well-worth looking at (free samples are also available from the publisher; see the Pedipress website for more details). A two page list of resources at the back gives a good starting point for more information.

Children with Asthma: A manual for parents is a longer book (278 pages) with much more detailed information on asthma and it's treatment. The book's tone is definitely geared towards parents, especially helping parents do the most they can to help their child. The book expresses two very good attitudes:

1. a well-informed parent can be a great asset in managing a child's asthma condition. Whether or not the parent is well-informed can make a tremendous difference is how well the child's asthma is managed and how much the asthma affects the child's life.
2. well-managed asthma should not regularly limit a child's activities. Children with asthma should be able to participate in sports, travel, and other interests with minimal interference from their asthma symptoms.

The book gives information on a number of common situations (school, travel, sports, choosing a doctor, support groups) and from a number of viewpoints (parents, family, child with asthma). The book inludes a resource list of organizations, vensors, and publications, a glossary, and Canadian, US, and British drug names. One misc.kids parent says "A must-have for every parent."

Allergies: The Complete Guide to Diagnosis, Treatment, and Daily Management

Stuart H. Young, M.D., Bruce S. Dobozin, M.D., Margaret Miner and
the editors of Consumer Reports Books
1991

Consumers Union put out this edition. This is a slightly better overview than the one listed below.

The Best Guide to Allergy

A.V. Giannini, N.D. Schulz, T.T. Chang, D.C.Wong
1985

Consumers Union put out the edition lying around my house. This is an overview suitable for people who are first having to cope with allergy (whether their own or someone else's). It covers asthma, food, airborne, insects, etc. No recipes, but the basics for planning elimination diets. They also insert some sanity in discussing the pros/cons of various allergy testing methods (don't seem to seriously subscribe to any of them, and generally favor a clinical history approach to diagnosis). Not bad, but I'm sure there are plenty of others that cover similar ground.

The Peoples's Handbook of Allergies and Allergens

Ruth Winter
ISBN 0-8092-5391-7
1984

An encyclopedia of allergy terms, allergens and their sources, and questionnaires to help identify allergies. There is also a listing of information sources and manufacturers of allergy/asthma products. Fairly complete and technically detailed.

The Complete Book of Allergy Control

Laura J. Stevens
ISBN 0-02-614450-6
1983

This book takes a very broad view of what an allergy is. The book may even lean towards alarmist in some respects, but it gives a very thorough list of possible allergies and allergens as well as a detailed set of questions to help pin down allergic reactions. The author's view is not the traditional view, but the book can be a good resource for generating ideas and taking inital steps towards identifying and treating allergies. Some recipes are included for food allergies.

The MA (Mothers of Asthmatics) Report

published by the
Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics, Inc.
1-800-878-4403
$25 per year. General info on childhood asthma.

Asthma Update: A Newsletter for People with Asthma

1-410-267-8329
$10 per year
The latest research on drugs and treatments with doctors' names and addresses for further information.

Is this Your Child? Discovering and Treating Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults.

Rapp, D., 1991.
William Morrow & Co., nc., New York.
ISBN #0-688-11907-7.

This is an EXCELLENT book describing the symptoms and treatments of food allergies/sensitivities and environmental illness, especially when "allergy" is not considered to be the problem. This book is recommended to parents whose child is always sick, hyperactive (labelled ADD or ADHD), cranky, a "slow learner", has chronic ear infections, etc. There are pictures that show what these symptoms really look like. The ideas and treatments in this book basically turned my 6 year old into a different, now healthy and well behaved, child. It also help our family address longstanding problems since some of this can be hereditary.

Tired or Toxic?

Rogers, S., 1990.
Box 3161, 3502 Brewerton Road,
Syracuse, NY.

I found this book in my public library. It is quite technical, but gives a good discussion about environmental illness. It describes methods to use in ridding your home (or trying to discover problems in your home) of allergy provoking substances. If your child is allergic to dust mites, molds/mildew, household chemicals, etc., this book would help greatly. It also describes the importance of magnesium supplementation when anyone is supplementing calcium (especially kids on dairy-free diets). It convinced me to supplement my children with calium citrate and mangesium in a 2:1 ratio.

Food Allergies Made Simple.

Austin, P., Thrash, A., and Thrash, C., 1985.
New Lifestyle Books. 80 pp.
ISBN #0-942658.

I found this book in my university library. It is a very good basic book desribing the sumptoms and treatment of food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities. I would recommend this book to anyone that wants a concise but accurate text on food allergy.

June, 1992 issue of CHEST

...a medical journal for specialists. This issue is totally devoted to asthma diagnosis, treatment and management.

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for Adults:

The Asthma Resource Directory

by Carol Rudoff, President of the American Allergy Assn.
PO Box 640, Menlo Park CA

Lists over 2500 resources and products available nationwide including camps, suppliers, support groups, and research centers.

for Children:

So You have Asthma too!

by Nancy Sander

I'm a Meter Reader

also by Nancy Sander

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2. Food Allergy Books

2.1 General:

The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook

Marilyn Gioannini
Prima Publishing
PO Box 1260BK
Rocklin, CA 95677
ISBN 0-7615-0051-0 hardback
ISBN 0-7615-0961-5 paperback, $16.00

This is a good, general resource for people with multiple food allergies who are are having a hard time figuring out just what to eat. There is information on food allergies in general, alternative grains, substitutions for common allergens, and dealing with one's food allergies in common situtations, such as dining out. The recipes section is well-organized, with recipes given in a basic form then variations, if possible, to suit different allergies.

Each recipe is clearly laid out with information on nutrition given at the end. I found the recipes easy to follow and was usually able to get the ingredients listed. The author uses a wide variety of ingredients, which is great for people with allergies! There is a listing of mail-order sources in the back, so almost everyone should be able to track down the occasional odd ingredient. I found this book to be a help in figuring out what I can do with some more unusual ingredients, such as quinoa and teff.

Though it is a short section, I appreciated the pages on converting old recipes to more allergy-friendly recipes. The information provides a starting place for cooks who already know how to cook but aren't familiar with allergy-free cooking. Three recipes are discussed, giving the cook an idea of how to find a suitable recipe for conversion then how to go about actually converting it. The book also states what all allergy-free cooks have found: you may not get what you expected exactly, but the new recipe will probably be quite good anyway!

Mother Earth Cookery

Margaret Ritchie ("Just Margaret")
PO Box 22150, RPO Wildwood
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7H 5P1
$10 (CAN) including postage, spriralbound paper, 55 pp.; available from author
e-mail skyhawk@sk.sympatico.ca

This is a very interesting collection of recipes which, as the cover states, features "natural foods free of glutens, sugar, yeast, soy, chemicals, dairy, meat and low in fat". Though a few small points are open to debate in this (is ghee really milk-free?), none of my quibbles are show-stoppers. The book is a good source of recipes and ideas. All recipes start with plain, unprocessed ingredients and require some effort on the part of the cook, though no more effort than anyone with allergies will have been putting forth already! The recipes center around rice, beans, fresh vegetables and fruits, making it a good source for those with many allergies or with vegetarian/vegan requirements. Information on homemade egg replacers and milk replacers is given, though some of the other ingredients may not be available in areas with restricted food shopping (all are readily available by mail, though). The author includes a number of good ideas for working with and around allergies, especially suggestions for easing food preparation. The recipes are simple, flexible, and nutritious.

My results with the recipes have been mostly good, though not perfect; everything I made was interesting and edible, even if it didn't turn out exactly as I expected. This may change as I become more familiar with the various ingredients and gain a bit of practice with each recipe. Since this is true for any sort of allergy cooking, it seems, I am more than willing to put forth the effort on these recipes.

Where the book excels, though, is as a springboard for interesting ideas. I can say with absolute truth that I had never thought of some of these ideas, and I consider myself a rather flexible and daring cook! The book is a good supplement to other, more mundane allergy cookbooks, especially for those with lots of food restrictions (many allergies, vegetarian/vegan, macrobiotic,etc.)

A sample recipe is in the Allergy Recipes file.

The Food Allergy Cookbook

The official cookbook of the Allergy Information Associaion
St. Martin's Press
New York, New York 10010
ISBN 0-312-90185-2
Paperback $4.95

I just bought the book (a new printing). Before, I went to the library and copied the recipes that fit my allergies. The author isn't overly optimistic and doesn't over-claim the recipes; they are good work-a-day recipes, not fancy stuff. All the recipes I have tried certainly worked well. The book uses a variety of flours and tells how to make various combinations that work satisfactorily for baking.

Two sample recipes in the Allergy Recipes file: Pumpkin Cookies and Shortbread.

The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook

by M. Jones
Rodale Press Inc.
ISBN 0-87857-505-7
$19.95 Hardback

This book stresses eating a variety of foods. Many of the recipes are fine, no-nonsense recipes for family eating. Most of the ingredients are readily available (for me). I haven't followed the recipes exactly, just borrowed ideas as I saw fit. The book includes a very comprehensive guide to mail-order companies. The book spends some time discussing environmental factors and the rotation diet (which this book recommends).

Updated opinion: As I have worked with my old allergies and added some new ones, I've found the author's information on rotation diets to be of great help. Previously, I had glossed over this section. Now, I find the information on related food groups to be immensely helpful and her suggestions for a rotation diet to be of interest. Though I don't follow a true rotation diet, the information in Jones' book has helped me plan meals that suit my allergies and tolerances.

Allergic People Eat Desserts Too!

Eleanor Bentley Milinusic
ISBN 0-9695464-0-8
Cost: $20 (US) or $30 (Canadian)
S&H: 2.45
Canadians add 7% GST
.
order from:
.
OnTrack Engineering Ltd.
1804 Bay Shore Road SW
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2V 3M1
emilinusic@home.com
403-281-2110

This book has a wonderful selection of desserts. All of these recipes have no gluten, no wheat, no corn, no barley no oats, no rye, no eggs, no dairy, no preservatives, no additives and no colouring. She has included some recipes for baking powders, vanilla, butter substitutes, egg substitutes and various hints (very useful). The "Glazed Fruit Pie" recipe is given in the Allergy Recipes file, and there is also a terrific brownie recipe in the book. The service is very quick. I got my book in less than two weeks.

The Contents include:

• Cakes & Cupcakes
• Frostings & Toppings
• Old Fashioned Baked Desserts
• Cookies
• Pies & tarts
• Puddings & sauces
• Snack foods
• Frozen Treats
• Notes Tips & Substitutes

A sample recipe is in the Allergy Recipes file.

The Allergy Cookbook and Food Buying Guide

Pamela Nonken and S. Roger Hirsch, M.D.
Warner Brothers Books, 1982
ISBN 0-446-37173-4 (USA)
ISBN 0-446-37341-9 (Canada)

This book focuses on six major allergens — corn, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, and yeast. The authors give a listing (by allergen) of general tips and substitutions for each allergen, then give detailed lists of products which may contain the allergen under various names. What is most helpful is the brand name listing of "safe" products, though the edition I have looked at is over ten years old and product composition is likely to have changed. The last half of the book is recipes for dishes that avoid some or all of the listed allergens. For instance, there are 5 biscuit recipes, three of which do not use wheat. (See recipes). There are also recipes for common condiments, such as ketchup, that often contain a number possible allergens when commercially prepared.

Two sample recipes are in the Allergy Recipes page: Gluten free Biscuits and Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies.

The Allergy Gourmet: A Collection of wheat-free, milk-free, soy-free, corn-free, and soy-free recipes

by Carol Rudoff
Allergy Publications
ISBN 0-930048-11-3
$12.95 paperback

I haven't used this book very much. Most of the recipes use barley flour to which I may be allergic. The recipes contain very few ingredients and are likely to be fine for people with many allergies. As soon as I figure out the substitution for barley flour, I will try more of the recipes.

A sample recipe is in the Allergy Recipes file.

Unreviewed Books

The Allergy Cookbook

Ruth R. Shattuck
Signet
ISBN 0-451-16517-9
Paperback $5.99

Allergy-Free Cooking

Eileen Rhude Yoder, Ph.D.
Addison-Wesley Publishing
ISBN 0-201-09797-4
Paperback $11.95

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2.2 Milk/Dairy Free

The Milk-Free Kitchen

Beth Kidder
1991
ISBN: 0-8050-1836-0

Ms. Kidder includes a wide variety of recipes, including baked goods. She does not rely upon milk substitutes (soy/rice milk, etc.) as do some other authors. She assumes the reader is cooking from necessity, and may be inexperienced. There is a small amount on allergy,intolerance, and eating out.

This seems to be the most widely available milk/dairy free cookbook around, which is fortunate, because it is, of the five I've looked at, the best. My sister bought my copy who knows where; I've seen it at mall bookstores. Lots of basic recipes. The only problem I have with it is the baked goods recipes are annoying (she doesn't sift — she sort of stirs her flour, and the measurements are, as a result, difficult to duplicate). I was surprised to discover how well some things survive having the milk removed (pancakes, biscuits, etc.). She does not rely on soy milk as a replacement, either. If you're *really* sensitive to milk products (as in, the whey added to commercial breads causes respiratory difficulty), this book can really be a lifesaver. She even has a couple recipes for eggless cakes.

Eating Well Milk-Free: a Cookbook and Guide

Christine M. Wellington, Dietitian
Relish Press
Redpine Distributors
Box 27, RR #1 Astorville
Ontario POH 1BO Canada
ISBN 0-9699787-0-7, spiralbound paperback that stands up as easel
$23.50

Eating Well Milk-Free: a Cookbook and Guide is a useful collection of information and recipes for those who must avoid milk in all forms. An overview of milk and its nutritional components is given, as well as the various names under which it may be listed in prepared foods. The author gives tips for dining out, shopping, travelling, and feeding milk-sensitive children. She also provides Canadian contact information for food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Small, wallet-sized cards are provided listing the various ways milk may be listed and common foods that contain milk. One small personal nit-pick (recognizable to those who know me :-) is that the author gives information on introducing solids to chidren, starting around 4-6 months of age; some recommend delaying introduction of solids until later, especially in allergy-prone families. This is a very small point, though, and one on which there may be disagreement.

The recipes are clearly presented and logically organized. The main index is in the back of the book, divided by meal category (breakfast, lunch, supper, beverages, sweets). Measurements are listed in imperial and metric. The recipes are for everyday home cooking — this book would be a fine starting point for someone suddenly faced with feeding a family a milk-free meal. The section on milk-free sweets (cookies, cakes, muffins) is particulary strong, with a number of interesting, unfussy recipes. The recipes do not depend upon having a milk substitute available (such as soy milk or DariFree), which is convenient for those without access to these substitutes or those with multiple allergies. Some recipes do depend upon having milk-free bread, margerine or mayonnaise; but, if you are milk-sensitive, these (or substitutes) will have to be found anyway. Many of the lunch and supper recipes use meat and/or eggs, so this is not a book for vegetarians/vegans seeking to avoid milk.

Raising Your Child Without Milk

Jane Zukin
Prima Publishing

This book by the author of Dairy-Free Cookbook discusses raising a child that cannot have cow's milk, with all the issues that entails. The author looks at children's nutritional requirements and how to meet them without milk while still providing interesting dishes. Recipes for dairy-free treats are also included.

Dairy-Free Cookbook

Jane Zukin

This is not as good a basic cookbook as Kidder's, but they complement each other well. She relies a good deal more heavily on milk substitutes. This book contains substantial sections on: the difference between lactose intolerance and milk allergy; foods at franchises which contain milk products (this was an eye-opener); where to obtain various milk-substitutes; calcium supplementation. She also includes information on eating out.

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The other three cookbooks I've seen were not too memorable (I only flipped through them in bookstores). I haven't bought any of the general cooking around allergies books because my problems are specific, and my husband's are atypical (neither of us is sensitive to gluten, for example).

The following aren't specifically to cope with milk allergies; I bought them because I found a lot of recipes in them that happened to not include milk (eggs, etc.).

No Milk Today: How to Live With Lactose Intolerance

Steve Carper, Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1986 ISBN
0-671-60301-0.

I found it at my local library. It's an excellent book for explaining the process, describing hidden sources of lactose (like whey), and tips on eating out.

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2.3 Wheat/Gluten/Grain Free

The Gluten-Free Gourmet: Living Well without Wheat

by Bette Hagman
H. Holt & Co.
ISBN 0-8050-1835-2
$12.95 paperback.

The book is fairly thorough. It relies on a mix of flours that includes potato starch flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum. These are not always easy to find. I have mail order addresses, but the book lists a large number of them in the back. The recipes I have tried haven't floored me, but they certainly are more than adequate. I need to learn more about how these different flours work in baking before I make a final judgement.

The recipes are more "gourmet" than the previous books. Most aren't so complicated, but the emphasis is on recipes that you would feel comfortable serving to company. It certainly is more complicated than my everyday fare.

A sample recipe is in the Allergy Recipes file.

More From the Gluten-Free Gourmet

Hagman, Bette, 1993,
Henry Holt & Co., New York,
ISBN 0-8050-2324-0

Wheatless Cooking

Lynette Coffey
Ten Speed Press
Berkley, CA 94707
ISBN 0-89815-156-2
Paperback 10.95

One net person states: I was given a copy of Lynette Coffey's "Wheatless Cooking" book as a gift several years ago and I would NOT recommend it. I have never used another cookbook where so many of the recipes simply do not work as stated. I have altered some recipes so they at least function (by tripling liquids and halving cooking time, etc.) but most of my results with the recipes "as printed" have been somewhat disappointing. Very few recipes are actually gluten-free (the author's son has a wheat allergy, not celiac disease). Other books on the list, such as Bette Hagman's books, are a much better value!

Unreviewed Books

Going Against the Grain

Phyllis Potts, 1992
ISBN: 0-9630479-0-6
Central Point Publishing
21861 S. Central Point Road
Oregon City, OR 97045

(Two sample recipes are in the Allergy Recipes page. Blueberry Muffins and Pumpkin Bread.)

Diets to Help Coeliacs & Wheat Sensitivity

Greer, Rita, 1982,
Thorsons Publishers Ltd
Wellingborough, Northamptonshire NN8 2RQ, England,
ISBN 0-7225-1705-X

Good Food, Gluten Free

Hilda Cherry Hills
Keats Publishing Inc.
New Canaan, Conn.
ISBN 0-87983-103-0
Paperback $9.95

Good Food, Milk Free, Grain Free

Hilda Cherry Hills
Keats Publishing Inc.
New Canaan, Conn.
ISBN 0-87983-201-0
Paperback $10.95

NOTE: nutritional claims made for diet and mental illness

Gluten Intolerance

Hunter, Beatrice Trum, 1987,
Keats Publishing,
27 Pine Street (Box 876),
New Canaan, CT 06840,
ISBN 0-87983-435-8
[Not a cookbook]

The Joy of Gluten-Free Cooking

Kisslinger, Juanita, 1987,
Kisslinger Publications,
10289 Cleveland Road,
Sidney, British Columbia, V8L 4Y6,
ISBN 0-921019-03-3

The Gluten-Free Diet Book

Rawcliffe, Peter and Ruth Rolph, 1985,
Arco Publishing,
215 Park Avenue,
New York, NY 10003,
ISBN 0-668-05973-7

The "No-Gluten" Solution

Redjou, Pat Cassidy, 1990,
Pat Redjou,
Box 731,
Brush Praire, WA 98606,
ISBN 0-9626052-0-4

The Art of Baking with Rice Flour

Richter, Muriel L., 1989,
LaRice Publishing Co.,
PO Box 366,
Ridgefield, WA 98642

The Practical Gluten-Free Cookbook

Stetzer, Arlene, 1990,
Main Street Systems.
Route 2, Highway 35,
Trempealeau, WI 54661,
(608) 534-6730

The Gluten-free Cookery, The Complete Guide for Gluten-free or Wheat-free Diets

Thompson, Peter, 1995,
Headway Hodder Headline,
Oxon, UK,
ISBN 0-340-62098-6

Coping With the Gluten-Free Diet

Wood, Marion N., 1982,
Charles C. Thomas,
2600 South First Street,
Springfield, IL 62717,
ISBN 0-398-04718-9

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2.4 MSG- Free

In Bad Taste: the MSG Syndrome

George R. Schwartz
1988

I picked this up recently, when someone finally pointed out that I might be getting sick at so many restaurants on account of MSG (my symptoms were headaches, nausea, sleepiness — to the point of feeling like someone had drugged me). I've found that scrupulously avoiding MSG (and all the names it hides under) has greatly reduced my problems (but who knows; maybe I'm just finding better food). Includes recipes for stocks, sauces, etc. of common commercially produced foods that may contain MSG. Lots of anecdotes; several studies referenced. (MSG syndrome, aka Chinese Restaurant Syndrome is *not* an allergy, but can cause allergy like symptoms — including asthma attacks up to 12 hours after consumption. MSG syndrome is an intolerance, which, if sufficient quantities are consumed, everyone will experience some symptoms of.)

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2.5 Other sources

Beard on Bread

James Beard

After flipping through several books on making bread, I was very pleased to find one in which at least half the recipes didn't contain milk (butter, imo, doesn't matter — margerine is an easy sub; milk is harder). This of course is no good for folk allergic to gluten. :-(

The New American Vegetarian Cookbook

Marilyn Diamond

Note: I don't agree with the nutritional claims, but the recipes are fine. Substitutes for a number of dairy products are given. Emphasis on low-fat balanced diet within "American" framework of foods.

A sample recipe is in the Allergy Recipes file.

The Good Food: Pastas, Soups, and Stews

Daniel Halpern and Julie Strand

Possibly everyone else is good at inventing enjoyable soups and stews off the cuff. Having to cook for someone allergic to chicken, turkey, beef, peas, tomatos, onions, and a array of spices, can tax one's imagination. I bought this book as a source of ideas, when I discovered all the cookbooks around the house (Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Fanny Farmer, etc.) contained very little in the way of soups built around lamb and pork. I've only just started experimenting with pasta, so I can't say much about that. (Once I quit using MSG laced bouillons, I discovered I enjoyed soup a whole lot more myself, too.)

Full of Beans

Spicer, Kay, 1993,
Mighton House,
Box 399,
Campbellville, Ontario L0P 1B0
ISBN 0-9695688-1-9

rec.food.veg newsgroup

I also want to put in a plug for rec.food.veg. While neither my husband nor I is vegetarian (some good friends who are Seventh Day Adventists are, however), I nevertheless find this newsgroup very helpful, particularly the vegan recipes (non-ovo, non-lacto means we can both probably eat it). It's also a good source for discussion of food sensitivity, and how to modify traditional recipes for specific needs.

Along the same lines, I've tried using some vegetarian cookbooks, but vegan recipes seem few and far between. The Horn of the Moon cookbook, by Ginny Callan, has a good non-ovo non-lacto cornbread (the one in Kidder uses an egg), and it also has vegan cookies. Unfortunately, my experience with vegetarian cookbooks so far has been that they rely on eggs and milk products for proteins, and, if anything, they're even harder for me to use. So if anyone knows of a good vegan cookbook, with an emphasis on baked goods, let me know.

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