Book review ‘Everyone’s Welcome’

Everyone’s Welcome by Amanda Orlando makes cooking with food allergies totally accessible! And that folks is why I love it. 

Cooking and baking for someone with a food allergy can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. I genuinely believe that it is easy to accommodate someone with multiple food allergies. We do it all the time in my family as my dad also has numerous food allergies that do not all overlap with mine. It takes a little more effort, but you can always find a solution. If you feel like you need some guidance, Everyone’s Welcome comes perfectly into play!

In Everyone’s Welcome, Amanda does a beautiful job of breaking down how to cook for food allergies. From what you need to know when buying ingredients to the emotions that allergy folks may experience, and why eating a meal can feel super hard for us (so even if you did it all right we may still feel nervous and decide to sip on a tea instead – it’s not you, we promise).

This book is empowering and inspires those who don’t know what it is like to live with food allergies to empathise with some of our ‘quirks’.

A look inside Everyone’s Welcome

The first part of the book is an excellent read for a newly diagnosed family/person. It is a  comprehensible resource to help family and friends learn how to help you manage food allergies. Honestly, I think this book can be used as a conversation starter. I mean, it’s a gorgeous looking book, so strategically placing it on a counter or coffee table for someone to open may be a sly way to start talking about food allergies. 

Flipping past the intro, you get into the recipes! Amanda has put together a collection of simple recipes that don’t require any crazy ingredients or equipment. These are perfect recipes for someone new to cooking who wants to start getting their footing in the kitchen.

The recipes are also great for teens and young adults who are going to need to hone their cooking skills. Start off cooking a few things with them, and they will be prepared to rock it when they leave home.  

Testing Everyone’s Welcome’s recipes

There is a balance of healthy and decadent treats in the book. So far, I have gone for the decadent side of things. I made the pancakes, which came together in minutes. I even messed up the recipe by using some frozen raspberries, which made the dough freeze and get all weird. Nonetheless, the pancakes were fluffy and a great balance of sweetness. I couldn’t eat them all and stored them in my fridge. A few days later, they still taste great. 

The other recipe I made was the Cocoa Zucchini Loaf. Again I had a little oops moment. I didn’t have any parchment paper at home, so I made the loaf into cupcakes/muffins. The recipe was clear, easy to follow and didn’t require any special ingredients to make them allergy-friendly. I froze half of the cupcakes and have since been enjoying one now and again – so I would suggest batch baking these babies and having them on hand for a surprise treat.

Yes these recipes are fool proof because I obviously did not have enough coffee on the days I made both and they turned out great!

I have not yet tackled any of the savoury recipes, but want to try the Lemon and Dill Wheat Bulgur or the Slow-Roasted Lamb with Cranberry Sauce. There are also a bunch of veggie recipes if you are looking to add more colour to your plate. For instance, the Italian-Style Roasted Peppers would be perfect on an antipasti platter or in a wrap.

I am so happy to have this book parked beside Ottolenghi and to see that cooking for allergies can be just as delicious and beautiful! 

Since the holiday season is around the corner… I know and I bet you know that Everyone’s Welcome would make a fantastic present from anyone! 

---

More Great Food Allergy Books

*This post contains affiliate links