Don’t let your food and/or environmental allergies sabotage your Easter fun. Instead, create new Easter traditions, take your allergy medication and enjoy some delicious, allergen-free recipes.

What makes a perfect Easter?

It’s not chocolate treats, marshmallow chicks or colored eggs. Rather, it’s being with friends and family. You can enjoy their company without all the traditional trappings of Easter.

Take your allergy medication early

Puxatony Phil really blew the early spring forecast this year. Still, chances are allergy season will arrive by Easter weekend. Don’t be caught at an outdoor Easter egg hunt or other activity without having taken your allergy medication..

Be in charge of the menu for Easter

Look on the internet for recipes for allergen-free Easter foods and treats. Here are some to get your started:

Crunchy carob sunbutter cups

•¾ cup sunbutter
•¾ cup crumbs made from gluten-free graham crackers
•dash of powdered stevia
•1 cup nondairy carob chips melted with ¼ cup dairy beverage (soy, rice, hemp or nut milk)

Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners. Soften sunbutter and add crumbs, and sweetener. Remove from heat and divide evenly among muffin cups, about 2 T. per treat.
In another saucepan, melt carob chips, combined with dairy beverage. Stir until smooth.
Spoon carob mixture evenly over sunbutter in muffin cups. Top with seeds or nuts if desired. Refrigerate until firm. Store them in a container in the fridge until ready to serve.

Blueberry-Beet Ice Cream

•1 medium beet, peeled and steamed until soft
•1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, cooked until soft
•1 can full-fat coconut milk

In a food processor, blend ingredients until smooth. Pour into an ice cream freezer and follow instructions.

Chocolate or carob haystacks

Let your food sensitivities guide you in making this recipe. You can use chocolate or carob.

•1 4-ounce chocolate bar, 100 percent cacao (or substitute 1 cup carob chips)
•1 cup trail mix (toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried blueberries; include nuts if tolerated)
•Dash of powdered stevia or 1 T. maple sugar
•Optional: 1 T. coconut oil to make it easier to pour

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Melt chocolate or carob (with coconut oil if desired) in a small saucepan. Add sweetener. Stir until chocolate or carob has melted. Stir in the trail mix. Spoon the mixture by tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Refrigerate haystacks until they are hardened. Store them in a container in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to eat.