a new challenge.

I never thought I’d have to write this post.

First of all, let me put your concerns at rest. Danny is alive. Lucy is thriving. We all have our health, a home, work we love, and no one is in any real danger. So really, my life is blessed.

This is what I keep telling myself when I get these tiny waves of mourning lapping at my mind.

You see, about three weeks ago, I was told I shouldn’t be eating eggs anymore. Ever.

Danny says that when I came inside the house, after talking with my doctor about my test results on the phone, he knew something was up. “Eggs,” I said. “Eggs?! Eggs.”

Then I stopped talking for awhile.

* * *

For the last couple of years, something has felt off. Since I was pregnant with Lu, and especially after that traumatic first year with her, my body just felt.…off. Nothing major. Nothing like an emergency. More like driving a car you love with a batch of bad gas in it: little starts and stops, a few shudders. For the first time since I gave up gluten, I started getting headaches again. Low level headaches, mind you. Not migraines. Still, by the afternoon, there was a vague ache in the middle of my forehead. Low energy at times. But come on — I have a toddler who seemed to devote an entire year of her life to avoiding a full night’s sleep. (If they gave away medals for that one, she would have won the gold one.) And a bunch of intestinal upsets. Bloat — is any word less appetizing on a food blog? (Well, of course. But I’m not naming them. But those too.)

Something was just off.

Most of this lifted, especially the intestinal stuff, when I stopped using xanthan and guar gum. If I had been 20% off, 80% of that went away as soon as I switched from the gums to chia or psyllium. Done, right?

Not quite. One of the gifts of living gluten-free with celiac is that I have learned deeply to trust my body. Lu began sleeping through the night, solidly, and yet I still felt pretty tired. The headaches had not disappeared. I felt a little foggy, particularly after breakfast into the late morning. There was still that stupid bloat.

So I asked my doctor to run all the tests and check-ups that could give us some clues. Everything came back healthy. Healthy as a horse. Except my inflammation test was a little elevated. There was this food intolerance/allergy test I could take…

The blood test measures the IgG and IgE responses to 100 different foods. She warned me it was only about 70% accurate, since these things are so difficult to tell. “We’ll just pay attention to anything that jumps off the page, okay?” This reassured me, somehow. And I knew I needed the test. I could tell it was another food. One of the grains? Please don’t let it be quinoa. Or corn. Or man, not rice. Maybe dairy? But I had eliminated that for two weeks and felt nothing different. Probably one of those, right.

“Eggs,” she told me, before I could even finish the sentence asking her about the results. “Off the chart. Eggs.”

Eggs?

* * *

I love eggs. I love the slow ooze of a poached egg on spinach. I love the frizzled brown edges of a fried egg. I love soft scrambled eggs with goat cheese. I love French toast. I love egg drop soup, stratas, and frittatas. I love homemade mayonnaise. I love omelets with crab and burrata. I love a prosciutto-asparagus tortilla. I love quiches with a buttery crust. I love baked eggs with Taleggio. I love egg salad sandwiches. I love deviled eggs with basil aioli and a sprinkle of smoked paprika on top.

Deviled eggs? I’m supposed to give up deviled eggs?

Wait, ice cream. I forgot ice cream.

No ice cream.

Fudge.

Wait, are there eggs in fudge? Damn.

* * *

I didn’t want to believe it at first. I told my doctor I would go two weeks without any eggs and then test it. Maybe I wouldn’t feel anything?

However, that first week without eggs? I felt a sudden superhuman energy, a clarity I hadn’t felt in years. Even though we were in the final stretch of preparing for our cookbook photo shoot, I had enough energy to cook, write, clean the kitchen, play with Lucy for hours, and re-arrange the entire house. I took walks in long strides, joyfully. My body started shifting and dropping weight. The bloat. The bloat started to disappear.

Suddenly, I didn’t mind a life without eggs.

The night of our first day of the shoot, Danny and Lu and I went out to dinner at Delancey. Brandon made me great food, gluten-free, that had nothing to do with pizza. (He always treats me well.) As a treat, he brought out a little platter of roasted padron peppers and bacon aioli (that’s aioli with bacon grease instead of oil). I was so focused on the kindness, my exhaustion, my excitement at the company of our friends and bacon aioli that I forgot. Aioli. Eggs. I ate four peppers, slathered with a small spoonful of the aioli.

Within 10 minutes, I had a vicious headache. This was no dull ache. It was bad. Worse, my throat suddenly felt smaller. I found myself gasping for air, just a bit. It’s like I couldn’t reach the bottom of my lungs. I started to wheeze, then cough. I felt like I had instant pneumonia.

Danny looked at me. I looked at him.

“Eggs.”

* * *

Since then, I have sort of tested eggs several times. We made these teff chocolate chunk-hazelnut cookies for the cookbook (you’ll love these) and I ate one. It didn’t seem to affect me, other than a little gas and bloat the next day. At Gramercy Tavern, I had the zucchini custard they sent out as an amuse bouche, then finished with the peanut butter semifreddo. I felt okay. No gasping for breath. Just a little tired the next day, a little not-quite-myself. But at Lilli and Loo, I ate some of the shrimp with lobster sauce that had large chunks of cooked egg swimming in the sauce. By the time we stood on the subway platform, I was gasping for breath again.

Damn it.

* * *

So here’s the deal. I’m writing this post not knowing what is going to happen next.

Will I be able to tolerate eggs in baked goods, occasionally? Several friends who have issues with eggs tell me they can stand them in baked goods, since the chemical structure of the eggs changes slightly in the baking. Or should I embrace chia/flax/Greek yogurt/bananas/applesauce and all the other solutions that people have suggested in this now-ironic post I wrote? (And my goodness, thank you for all those suggestions then, as well as any you have now.) Do I swear off eggs for the rest of my life? Or do I have a poached egg — oh, Danny makes a great poached egg — once a month with a side of Benadryl?

I don’t know.

Here I am again, in the I don’t know place.

I do know that I have been having pretty darned-clear reactions. I need to pay attention to those.

Is it possible that I could go six months without eggs and then reintroduce them? And then I’d suddenly be fine?

Could I have some more magical thinking?

Oh, by the way, almonds. I’m supposed to stay away from almonds too.

But that? That’s easy. I used to eat them by the handful for my late-morning snack when I could feel my energy lag. There was a time here when we were using almond flour quite a bit. However, I stopped using almond flour because it’s so darned expensive that I didn’t feel fair recommending it here. Also, there were so many with nut allergies who asked for a good substitution that I decided to bake without it. Now? Whatever with almonds. I haven’t eaten any since and I don’t care. I love walnuts, pecans, and Brazil nuts. Almonds are easy.

But eggs? Damn it, eggs are hard.

When I had to give up gluten, I honestly didn’t find it hard. I had been so sick, so wasted of energy, and worried I was dying that giving up gluten was a gift. Aside from a few emotional moments when I couldn’t share food with Danny or friends, or frustration at being in airports and not finding anything to eat, I have never missed gluten. Honestly.

(Since the life I am living, and the words I am writing this moment, come out of that necessity, how could I regret it?)

Will I feel the same about eggs someday? I don’t know.

I do know that I feel much, much deeper upset at giving up eggs than gluten. Not only because I love them so devotedly, but also because it makes life so much more complicated. Can you imagine going to a restaurant for breakfast and saying, “Hi, I can’t eat gluten or eggs. Can you feed me anything?”

Last week, in Brooklyn, I ordered the vegan tofu special with a side of bacon. I think they were really confused.

And I know myself well enough to know that this is the first stage, when I’m staggering. Give me a couple of months of playing and experimenting, and feeling better and better, and I’ll feel grateful for this someday. I know that.

Thank you, vegans, for paving the way. Thank you to Island Springs, which makes organic tofu here on our island, fresh every day. Thank you to those of you who have given me suggestions and encouragement on this already.

This will make me even more creative, eventually.

Right now, though? I could really go for an egg-salad sandwich.

369 comments on “a new challenge.”

  1. Bonnie

    I also get headaches with eggs but I seem to be able to tolerate duck eggs! I was told that the protien is different in them. Might be worth a try once in a while:) I also can eat eggs that are cooked in cookies, cakes, etc. with no reaction.

      1. katherine

        I react to commercial eggs but not to yard eggs– you may find a difference there too. Also quail eggs are wonderful (but tiny!)

        also keep in mind that most vaccines and shots are made in eggs.

        1. shauna

          Oh, I so wish that I could just say it’s yard eggs. But that aoili was made with farm eggs. Darn!

        2. Lisa Z

          “pastured” eggs, taken from hens that have all-day access to clean grass, are a world of difference from free-range or factory produced eggs. Both nutritionally and taste-wise, pastured eggs blow standard eggs off the charts. Shauna’s intolerance probably won’t care where the eggs came from, but if you know someone with hens in the yard or on pastures, run, don’t walk, to get some!

        3. shauna

          Oh I completely agree! But that aioli was made with farm eggs, so that’s not a solution for me. They sure taste better, though!

      2. kayenne

        how about quail eggs?

        i have some sort of allergy too — a couple docs said rhinitis, but hesitant to go to a specialist… what if they say i can’t have chocolate or eggs?

      3. Christine

        Quail, maybe? I was vegan for about a year and then a vegetarian for six more, and I still like a tofu scramble. Best wishes.

    2. Tami in Oregon

      Oh darn..I was thinking duck eggs as well. My aunt and a good friend couldn’t tolerate chicken eggs but duck eggs were OK. On the bright side, you figured out the source of your discomfort and are moving forward in Shauna style. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Alysa (InspiredRD)

    From following your Instagram photos and references to no eggs, I had been wondering what was going on. Definitely a bummer. Definitely a time for mourning. But if anyone can thrive through this, you can. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Honestly, since being diagnosed with celiac a few months ago, I have been realizing that I need to have more testing done too. As much as I want to do it, I am scared about what the tests will reveal. What else will I have to give up? Thank you for continuing to write and inspire. I am so thankful for you!

  3. Anette

    I too experienced the same thing after a few years of Gluten free and did an elimination diet — I thought it was the soy, or the corn…but nope it was the eggs. Its been a year now and I avoid them 90% of the time — the other 10% would only be in baking and that sometimes affects me sometimes it doesn’t.
    No real learning here — just support.

  4. nicolette @ momnivore's dilemma

    Us gut damaged people are ALL in the same boat. Two months after I went gluten-free, I tested SKY HIGH for corn, egg, dairy, soy, and peanut. WTH!

    I vividly recall the train ride back to my house from downtown Chicago, in tears, sobbing…could I ever eat again without feeling like total crap??? I thought being GF would solve all my issues, not unearth a whole batch of new ones…

    So, instead of magical thinking…look into more traditional foods. GAPS diet. Tons of bone broths. Kombucha. Focus on repairing yourself, rather than mourning the loss of yet another food group.

    Today it’s eggs. After a few months, it may be rice. Then corn. It’s like our guts are programmed to attack anything we eat in excess when our guts leak.

    I’m on this journey too. I don’t want to eat gluten EVER again, but eggs without pain yes. Corn, non-GMO of course, would be nice without pain.

    The days of eating unconsciously are over for me. But rather than focusing on what I can’t eat anymore, I am focused on repairing the gut. Sally Fallon and Natasha McBride have a lot to say on the subject…

    May a good poached egg be in your not-so-distant future…

    1. Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship

      Shauna,
      Like Nicole here, I was thinking words like “leaky gut” and “GAPS diet” as well; It’s a gut-healing diet that could, yes, perhaps get your body back to enjoying eggs again. So I’ll just say “hear hear!” (or is it “here here!”?) to her comment and tell you I have a little gut-healing diet comparison here: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/10/27/the-comparison-the-specific-carbohydrate-diet-scd-gaps-diet-gut-psychology-syndrome-and-the-makers-diet/

      Good luck tackling this new challenge!
      Katie

        1. Jennie

          I agree as well. I had reactions (mostly wheezing) to wheat, dairy, and almonds. But after 5 months of the GAPS diet, I can now handle all three! Just wanted to share and maybe give you some hope:) I’m so sorry you have to deal with this. Good luck!

        2. Terri

          Shauna,
          I selfishly hope what these women are saying about healing gut damage somehow strikes a chord with you. I have been wheat and egg free for two years now. Wheat, I couldn’t care less about but eggs, I still mourn. This summer I discovered I need to be off dairy as well. In addition, I found out my three year old son has the same food intolorences. Its enough already! What’s going to be left? If there is a way to heal it I’m going to try it. Here’s the selfish part — I would love it if someone as articulate and passionate as you were trying it along with me. It would really be a help. Either way though, I will be interested to see how you handle this. I bet you will do just fine. I just love your attitudes about life. Thank you, as always, for your blog!

    2. Tracy

      Nicolette -
      If you tested sky high for corn, egg, dairy, soy, and peanut I would investigate whether you have a sensitivity to sulfites. All the foods you listed here have sulfites naturally occurring in them. It is pretty common for people to develop the sensitivity as an adult. I got really bad around the time I turned 40. It is considered a major allergen in Canada and Europe, but not here. the GAPS diet will get you close, but there are still a few things on there that have sulfites. As far as I know there is not a standard test in the US for sulfite allergy, so an elimination diet is the only way to tell. I included my website here where you can get a list of which foods have sulfites in them — naturally occurring and added. It might be worth a shot to look into it. Hope you are feeling better!

      Tracy

  5. Keely @ Always Cook with Wine

    Strangely enough, I had just been thinking about what life would be like without eggs when you posted this tonight. I’ve always said I couldn’t go vegan because of cheese, but then it occurred to me that it would also mean giving up eggs. The thought horrified me, so my heart (my stomach?) goes out to you now.

    I really think the best thing is to listen to your body. If it tells you that you can’t eat eggs, then you’ll feel so much better if you don’t. From the descriptions of your reactions, it sounds like it may be much safer for you to stop eating eggs completely. I’ve heard that there is an egg substitute for vegans. Perhaps it’ll work for you, too. Just remember that you want to be healthy and happy more than you want to eat any particular food.

  6. Cate@GlutenLessDining

    Shauna, you can do it! That is so very disappointing, eggs ARE good but not if they make you gasp for air! The best part and bright side is that you’re feeling better.

    I can feel your pain — I’m currently on the candida albicans diet — no grains, no fruit, no sugar. Its only been a week and its getting old… I’ve had a few breakdowns and hissy fits but I know I can pull through and so can you!

    You’re a wonder and an inspiration — thank you for your candid point of view! I know there are so many out there that are benefitting from your blog!

  7. cecedon

    Oh I am so sorry. I would feel the exact same as you if I were told eggs were no longer healthy for me. I am absolutely positive, in time, you will be fine with it.

    My only suggestion is to maybe get yourself an epi pen. After reading what you wrote and about you gasping for air, I am brought to the idea that you could have an anaphylactic allergy to eggs. If that is the case, each time you eat one the reaction could get worse (and it’s the sort of thing you just never know how bad it could be). My man became allergic to banana’s and avocados at age 30, and by 43 he had full on anaphylactic reaction that someone crossed in his food at a restaurant. He now has many epi pens (and I still have to call 911 of he begins a reaction). You may just get it checked out, just in case.

    I’ve had many egg and dairy free foods (I went 6 weeks eating nothing but grains veggies and fruits not so long ago) and many are very very good. You are so good at what you do, I know you will nail this with many fabulous egg free delights.

    1. Marie

      I second the epi-pen recommendation. It is sort of like insurance. You hope to never use it, but when you need it, you need it. I have a friend that developed a food allergy as an adult. He has needed epinephrine at least once. The worst part of it is that they don’t know what he is allergic to!

      I am sorry that you are dealing with this. It really does suck! My son has been allergic to eggs for the last 9 years. Anaphylactic reactions. My husband and youngest son were dx’d with CD 3 years ago. Besides being allergic to eggs, my oldest carries the gene for CD. So far, no CD, but he is GF anyway. So, we’ve been baking without gluten and eggs for 3 years now. If you could develop a TASTY gf ef cupcake, I would probably die with happiness. If we get the structure and texture right, it really doesn’t taste that chocolately. If we get the flavor right, it is more like a brownie. I think that this should be your first challenge. It will distract you. Or force you into a deep dark depression, depending on the results of the experiment. Seriously though, you will get used to it. Most things — ice cream, fudge, brownies, cookies, etc can be great without eggs. Oh, and for breakfast? Grits. You can do some awesome things with grits.

        2. shauna

          Lisa, you have no idea how much I have thought about you lately, not only for the vegan challenge you took but also the lovely life you are leading. And now you point me to wacky cake? I’m actually making this today. The GF flour sub? I have that down.

        3. Karen

          There is a wonderful little book called “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.” I bought it when my best friend’s daughter was diagnosed with a milk allergy; they are not gluten free, but the authors DO include two recipes for vegan, gluten free cupcakes (vanilla and chocolate). I don’t remember if they call for the gums, but I don’t think so. I haven’t made them yet, but am dying to. The regular, non-gluten-free cupcakes from that book always, always get raves from my friends when I make them. Their trick is often to put a little apple cider vinegar in the soymilk they use for the batter. The vinegar reacts with the baking powder and/or soda, and leavens without eggs.

  8. Jean Layton

    Eggs, you will live without eggs.
    Mourning is normal, but you will thrive without eggs. And because of the amazing research qualities you hold, your tenacious grasp of new culinary techniques, we will get to watch and learn.
    Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

  9. Kathy Gori

    Oh my… Eggs! I ‘m so sorry but also glad that you’ve gotten to the bottom of what’s been ailing you. You don’t have to give up ice cream though .. I usually make American style ice cream ( for other health reasons) which doesn’t have eggs as a base. There are plenty of great non egg ice cream recipes out there with your name on them. You’ve helped so many people (including me) who either cook for friends who are gluten free or need to eat that way themselves that i’m sure everyone will be therecwirh all the egg free goodie hints you would ever need.

  10. Wendy

    I used to be a vegan. I think it was chicken salad that I missed more than egg salad; I don’t remember now. But I did love a delicious tofu salad just for its own self that was also good stand-in for either. I miss it now, but I’m usually too lazy to make it–stirring together chicken or egg salad seems a little bit easier. It isn’t that faux egg salad made of raw tofu that I sometimes see at co-op deli counters.

    Take a block of tofu–either silken or non-silken, but silken is what I used to use most of the time, because I was in college and it was shelf-stable, and it’s cheaper–and make sure it’s very dry. Slice it into small cubes. Fry the cubes in shallow oil until they’re crisp on at least a couple of sides. Put the fried tofu in a bowl and pour on some soy sauce. (Really good tamari soy sauce makes a difference here.) Refrigerate it. It’ll have a lovely, chewy texture. When the tofu is completely cold, pour off any excess soy sauce. Stir it up with some vegan mayonnaise or yogurt, some green onions, and some celery. Eat it however you would eat egg salad.

    It isn’t an imitation; I didn’t do imitations. But like egg salad it is creamy, salty, substantial.

    As for baking–when I became a vegan, even though it was already 1999, I didn’t find a whole lot of information or recipes already out there. Most of the vegan information and recipes seemed to be from people who didn’t enjoy food at all. (Everything is different now.) But I didn’t want to eat “weird” foods; and I wanted to bake things I could take proudly to campus potlucks. And I couldn’t afford commercial egg-replacers, even after I found out about them. So when I wanted to make scones one day, and I saw my scone recipe called for an egg, I thought about what the egg would do in the scone. It would hold it together; it would raise it; it would add liquid. (It would also add fat, but in that time and place, that wasn’t a positive; so I ignored it.) I developed my own egg replacer that was super-convenient because it was made of ordinary ingredients–my non-vegan friends occasionally called to ask how to make it when they were out of eggs. For each egg in a baked recipe, I used two tablespoons of cornstarch, 1/4 c. water, and 1/4 tsp baking powder. This gave me great results in almost everything I baked. It would probably be even better if you added fat. The only big difference I (or anyone else) noted was that things got stale much faster.

    1. shauna

      Wendy, you made my night. I’m making that tofu salad tomorrow. And your egg replacer — plus a little fat — sounds better than any of them suggested. So thank you. Thank you.

  11. Stephanie Ann

    Oh my goodness! That’s awful, but I’m glad you found out what’s making you feel so sick! What pray tell, is the name of that blood test that you took to check for food intolerances…? I have a severe wheat intolerance, but I’ve been getting digestively sick for the past few months for no apparent reason (I’m really super sensitive to cross-contamination so I’m extremely careful with how I prepare my food) with symptoms similar to those of what happens when I accidentally ingest wheat.

    1. Emily

      I’m also really curious about what test you took. My doctor thinks (based on symptoms but no tests) that I might be gluten and/or dairy intolerant. She sent me to your site, btw. :) I’m empathizing with your no eggs post because I’m feeling totally overwhelmed right now, too! Anyway, I’d really like to be able to take a test like the one you mentioned, because I think it would be easier to accept a need to change how I eat if I had “data” to base it on, rather than just “well, it might be X or Y…”

    2. janeray1940

      Shauna, could you tell us the name of the test you had done? I know of the ELISA test but doctors seem to be a bit skeptical of it, so I’m wondering if you had something newer or more accurate done.

      My gut issues have a similar history — lactose-free from birth, then gluten-free way back in the 1990s, then fructose-free (which pretty much means all sugars), and thanks to you I recently figured out the gums were a problem. But I do wonder if I’m missing something that might be contributing to my chronic rhinitis or occasional “mystery” bad gut days.

      1. shauna

        I had the standard ELISA test. And tell truth, since I wrote this post, I’ve talked with my doctor in Seattle. He’s skeptical of the test too. I’m working with him to see if I am really allergic to eggs. Fingers crossed.

  12. Lise

    I truly understand your pain. Sixteen years ago I had allergy testing done and tested incredibly allergic to eggs. I loved eggs — as a child I would even cook myself eggs as an afterschool snack. I gave them up completely for several months, then tried adding small amounts back in to my diet. I can now tolerate a moderate amount in baked goods and can eat commercial mayonnaise in small amounts without any symptoms.

    I used to miss eggs intensely, but my tastes changed and I now find myself revulsed by their smell. The same thing happened when I had to give up dairy products for the sake of my severely allergic nursling — to me, milk now smells of cow manure. I’m hoping that eventually wheat will cease to be appetizing to me. I’ve only been gluten-free for a few weeks, and am finding the transition to be much more difficult than becoming egg– and dairy-free.

    1. Tammy Coxen

      Yes — I was commenting to say exactly this. Jeni doesn’t use eggs at all in her base recipe, and her ice creams are rich and delicious. So you don’t have to worry about losing ice cream.

  14. JackieD

    Also, for whatever it’s worth, egg allergies are typically about the whites, and less about the yolks. Worth an experiment for you maybe?

  15. Glenda

    It feels a bit like being chopped off at the knees, when you’ve adapted to giving up certain foods and then have another biggie thrown in (and by “biggie”, I mean one that you love and depend on).

    As for the poached egg once a month with a side of Benedryl, I’d say a big “no” to that, not unless you keep a couple EpiPens handy! (maybe you were joking?) Think about what you’d do if it was your kiddo rather than you, then do that :-) . That’s what I keep in mind when I want to have the taste of something to which I know my body will react.

    And hopefully it will never be corn that you have to get rid of, because corn and corn derivatives (labeled *and* unlabeled) are insidious in the U.S. food supply, and the idea that it’s only the corn protein that causes a reaction so corn derivatives shouldn’t be a problem, well that’s not actually how it works, as many of us with corn allergies/intolerances have found out the painful way. Eating other than at home becomes a pipe dream when corn and corn derivatives come out of the diet. It makes for a different perspective on food and food-centric gatherings and eating out, that’s for sure!

    As overwhelming as food allergies and intolerances can be, I agree with what you said about eventually feeling grateful and more creative — that is the way I’ve come to feel about taking my food allergies and intolerances out of my diet. I know more about food processing than I ever would’ve known otherwise, and I’m still learning more every single day. I look at food in a whole new way. Good luck as you make this new change.

  16. jamie

    I’m so curious to hear how things go eggless– whatever approach you take. That is one food I cannot imagine giving up, so I feel for you!
    I’m also eager to look more into those allergy/blood tests, as my list of “can’t do’s”– if only out of caution/question– is getting longer and longer!
    Good luck!

  17. Marie

    Boy, can I relate. I had the blood test almost 20 years ago and found out that I am very allergic to both egg whites and yolks. Eliminating eggs from my diet made such a huge difference — no more bloating, diarrhea, no more episodes where my throat started closing up as I tried to eat something “eggy” like an omelet. No more foggy brain, lethargy, loss of energy. It was like a miracle!

    I can occasionally eat eggs in something like baked goods — many recipes call for only one egg for an entire cake, so eating one small slice isn’t enough to set me off. Also, having been so very careful for so many years has probably lowered my titer level a bit. I’ve learned a lot of work-arounds over the years and have learned to be scrupulous about reading labels and asking questions at restaurants.

    Shauna, you’ll find that eliminating eggs from your diet will be as tricky as eliminating gluten because eggs, in some form, are in so many things. But I am sure you will be able to adjust just as you have before. Here’s my recipe for egg-free and gluten-free muffins to give you a head start: http://www.whereiamnow.net/2010/05/gluten-free-and-egg-free-muffins.html

  18. Janet NZ

    Oh Heck!
    I’ve given up gluten… and all grains (except rice — I have it only sometimes…), I’m working on giving up sugar… and, like you — something is still ‘off’. Could it be eggs???
    Oh Heck!

  19. Becca Knox

    Welcome to my world! There is definitely a protocol to introduce baked goods with fractional amounts of baked egg (like 1/16th) in a single serving. Eating one serving of a small amount of baked eggs daily for and then slowly upping the fractional amount — building up the immune tolerance for the altered/baked protein– has become an accepted way of combatting the allergy, even at the most traditional of allopathic allergy clinics and even with patients with high IgE/anaphylaxis diagnoses. It has worked for people we know who now tolerate baked products containing eggs without any effect. Unfortunately, it has not worked for my son who experiences GI symptoms with baked egg and Anaphylaxis (throat-closing) symptoms with stobetop-cooked egg. And Duck eggs are not going to make a difference for you. Sorry.

    So sorry. It is hard to make this transition. Thank goodness you are a resourceful and adaptable person attuned to your body and joyous in your appreciation of what is possible. But still, it stinks and it’s worth mourning.

  20. Valeria

    :( (((
    A friend of mine found out to be gluten intollerant AND dairy intollerant at the same time. You know, here in Italy dairy is very important, and we don’t have so many non-dairy substitutes, especially in public places. Just think of pizza: gluten AND dairy. So she was really sad but she’s doing well, now, and she feels much better than before.
    I hope you’re going to find a way, I am sure you will!! Good luck for your new challenge.

    1. BJ

      I am also gluten, dairy (and soy) intollerant. I’ve known about the gluten and soy for a few years now — soy is in EVERYTHING and a lot of restaurants use soybean oil to cook on their grills. When I found out about the dairy I was very depressed though, like Shauna is with teh eggs, that took a lot of my snack and meal options away that I had come to rely on — no string cheese, no cottage cheese, no yogurt, no cheddar, no swiss, no chai latte from Starbucks in the mornings. I can have GF pizza with a little cheese and don’t seem to be bothered by it by only do that every 3–4 weeks. Rice milk, hemp milk, almond milk are my staples. I actually like it because my daughter will use it on her cereal and I don’t have to worry about it going bad because we can keep it in the cupboard until we need to open it and then we both use it, we aren’t a dairy milk drinking family (shhh, don’t tell my grandpa the retired dairy truck driver).
      For ice cream substitute I freeze a couple bananas (unpeeled), break them up into small pieces into a blender then add in 2 TBS peanut butter, and a small amount of one of my non dairy milk, I really love this and have it often!

  21. Beth W.

    Oh, Shauna, I hear you. I had allergy tests done last spring and eggs came up for me. It was a surprise, and not a surprise because I’d felt sick so many times after eating things with eggs in them (including ice cream) but had thought it was the lactose, not the eggs. Or the gluten, not the eggs. (I also tested positive for sensitivity to banana, so that’s out as an egg substitute).

    I’ve used both “egg replacer” and flax-seed slurry in baked goods to replace egg, and so far I’m much happier with the flax alternative. I make my own gluten-free egg-free loaf — it rises better with flax than with the egg replacer (and it’s much healthier, too). Flax worked well in a batch of cookies I made, too, based on Alton Brown’s gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe. :)

    And, as others have said, you can make your own ice cream without egg. There are endless flavor possibilities. And some specialty ice cream shops do coconut-milk-based versions, mostly for vegans, but the plus side is that there’s no egg in those, either. Bi-Rite in San Francisco has an amazing vegan chocolate ice cream…

    1. bec

      i agree with the flax idea. i realized recently i was eating too many eggs because of how many baked goods i automatically put them into. even though i’m not allergic, i thought there must be a better alternative for baking, so i can save my egg intake for when i really want it to be the star of the meal. while i loathe “weird” stuff in recipes (i’m one of those people with extra tastebuds), the flax meal worked perfectly in everything i’ve tried so far. i don’t bother making a slurry; i add the flax meal to the dry ingredients and increase the amount of liquid slightly. pancakes, cookies, bread (my bread recipe became a Batter instead of a dough, but rose and baked perfectly anyway), cornbread, scones, & cakes have all done just fine with this method.
      having lived with food allergies all my life, i know the pain of being denied a large number of normal foods. while some allergies have faded on their own, others stubbornly refuse to leave and i must make my peace with that. i love that you have so much support, and i hope that some of these alternatives are helpful. i still say it is so much better to be diagnosed with allergies and intolerances in this day & age than 30, 20, even 10 years ago!

    2. Megan

      I second the coconut milk-based ice cream. I especially love a brand they sell at Whole Foods (that I can’t recall the name of right now, sorry!) that has a delicious gluten free chocolate chip cookie dough flavor. Yum! No eggs, no dairy, no gluten, but soooo good.

  23. Cindy @ Wheatless Foodie

    Oh no! I’m so sorry. It took me a long time to get used to eating without wheat. I’m struggling to give up milk products now. I can’t imagine giving up eggs too, but if I don’t start feeling better soon, I’ll be looking at other allergens, including eggs. My delicious bread recipe wouldn’t be the same without them. Substituting 1 Tb. soy flour + 1 Tb. water per egg is supposed to be good in baked goods, but I haven’t tried it since I can’t eat soy.

    I’ve read that chia flour is a good sub for eggs and I see you mentioned you’re using it as a gum replacement. I’m sorry you’re going through this, but I’m looking forward to the recipes you’ll develop.

  24. Molly

    Eggs are tricky. They certainly are. I’ve been living without those incredible edible guys for 7 years now, and I still miss them on occasion. But I have to agree with Nicolette up there… don’t give up hope. Yes, you may have to live without them for now (and there are plenty of ways around it, just look at your clever readers’ suggestions!) but there will come a day in the future when all is repaired and fixed up shiny and new internally and you’ll be able to happily eat an egg. An egg though, not like a 6-egg omelette or anything. Steady as she goes! Good luck. I know how frustrating it can be to give up a food you love (and so do you) but we adjust and thrive :)

  25. Janine Whitling

    Hi Shauna,
    thanks for sharing your story. I too had a similar experience last year when i found that every time i ate eggs it would result in a headache. I think that at some points i felt that they weren’t right for me, little clues like while i was eating them i would suddenly feel a twang of nausea that would just go away again. I’ve investigated the esoteric meaning of eggs and what egg allergies mean too, as i believe that all things have an energetic component and hence an energetic effect on us. I now understand that eggs represent new beginnings, and so egg allergies show us our resistance to starting or engaging in new beginnings. They may be little resistances or big resistances, only you can know that, or maybe its just feeling like you’re in too deep and don’t know what direction will show you the clear way to go. Food for thought (no pun intended!). with love, Janine

  26. Michelle

    Damn girl! I am going through what sounds to be the same thing and am so very tired of feeling the headaches and bloat(oh. the. bloat. and no I am NOT pregnant thank you). It is downright sad imagining a life without the comfort of an egg. And we have chickens! I feel better though. I can eat a meal, sans the ovum, and a bit later, feel light! And nourished! And comfortable. Good luck sweet Shauna, I feel excited for where this will take you. And tofu-salad sammies? BRING ‘em on. We can do this.

    1. shauna

      We can do this! It’s funny. A day without eggs is totally easy. It’s just contemplating a life without eggs that makes me mourn. Normal, I know. But that thinking about the future lifetime is the path to unhappiness no matter what the subject!

  27. Tiffany

    I feel your pain…not Because of my own but because my son has shared yours! Eggs are even worse to live without than gluten in my opinion! I would strongly suggest looking into the GAPS diet. Some have seen amazing healing from allergies. The body is an amazing thing and with the right tools cab repair itself!

  28. Kate Lam Sam

    Bummer! I found out after my second son was born that I couldn’t have eggs (elimination diet only cause the ‘lovely’ doc didn’t believe me) and it was heart wrenching! So I kinda know what you are having to deal with now. I went totally without eggs for a month, and then started carefully introducing it over a whole year. I can now have it in baked goods, but I don’t know if it will be the same for you though, your reaction sounds on the Bad side of the scale — I just threw up — breathing is very important, and we want you to be around for a long time Shauna! Hugs, and try to keep positive. With Danny and Lu by your side, you can beat anything! :D

  29. AmandaonMaui

    I’m glad you’ve found out what’s been causing you to not feel 100%. But, hehe, the tofu and bacon is hilarious. It’s kind of like “The Hypocrite” that can be ordered at Burger King. It’s a veggie burger patty with bacon on it. I heard about it on a podcast.

    I have definitely loved Tofu Scramble before, and it’s not a bad substitute for eggs if you can whip up a recipe that is gluten free.

    Oh, and I too have figured out that xanthan gum and I don’t get along much. While there was some in the almond milk I put in my tea tonight, it hasn’t bothered me. However, if I bake with it I’m so not feeling good after noshing on it.

    It’s definitely all about listening to our bodies and figuring out what’s best for them.

    Much aloha and healing to your body.

  30. Amanda

    While I mourn for your taste buds, I celebrate for those who also cannot eat eggs–they will, just as us gluten-free people have, be able to turn to you for inspiration and tummy satisfaction.

    As much as it sucks, an easy fix like taking away a food? As opposed to having something untreatable, something you have to bear forever? I’d take that.

    I hope that with time this cures itself, but for now, I’m hoping the egg-less find your blog and feel the way I felt once I discovered you post-diagnosis for celiac–hopeful. <3

    1. shauna

      Thank you, Amanda. That has actually been an inspiration to me too. I want to help as many people as I can.

      1. Holli

        Truly I feel your frustration, it seems life without Eggs is impossible. But, our son is in the same boat as you. And, we have adjusted. It was hard to tell a 5-year-old he couldn’t have eggs for breakfast anymore. But, we’ve adjusted. I look forward to your creative solutions and inspiration from this!

        You’ve already been that unknown friend who helped me go from complete overwhelm to “I think I can do this” when we knew he had to go gluten free.

        So, thank you — I mourn for you. But I see the Sliver Lining:)

  31. heda

    Snap. No long after being diagnosed with Celiac disease I was still getting gut issues even without eating a speck of gluten. Eggs, it was eggs. I love eggs. The thing I was saddest about when diagnosed with Celiac disease was the thought of never again being able to eat another poached egg on toast. Then I discovered the joy of soft poached eggs on mashed potato or wet polenta…yum. And a soft poached egg in duck consume is bliss in a bowl. For me it was the yolks not the whites that I was violently allergic to. Such is life!

  32. Jenny

    My aunt can’t eat eggs but she makes a delicious ice cream with condensed milk and double (heavy) cream — 1 tin of condensed milk for 500ml of cream. Whip them up together, through in some homemade honeycomb and you have an amazing ice cream. I make it all the time and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it. I haven’t tried other things instead of the honeycomb, but I bet some raspberry puree would work too. That’s something I must play around with. Hmmm, this is making me hungry…

  34. Katie @ GlutenFreeBlondie

    Oh, Shauna, I so feel for you. I, too, have been feeling ‘off’ for quite some time. (Admittedly WAY less off than when I was eating gluten!) After developing a severe soy milk and shrimp allergy literally overnight, I’ve been meaning to get tested for other allergens. Did you go to an allergist for the blood test or was your general practitioner able to administer it?

  35. Julie

    I think there is something else I’m allergic too also. I have this phlegm in my throat that just won’t ever go away. I thought maybe it was dairy so I eliminated that for a while with no effect, WHEW! Thank goodness not dairy but I’ve had my suspicions for a while it could be eggs. Damn it. You know most people when they get older are told they need to give up fried foods and cut down on salt not eliminate large swaths of foods. Sigh.

  36. Phoo-d

    Giving up eggs is really hard. I’ve been doing my best to maintain a gluten-free, vegan diet to manage rheumatoid arthritis without medication through a pregnancy and eggs are one of the harder losses. You can make your own tofu scramble and if you add a bit of turmeric it even resembles scrambled eggs in a nice way. But the quick and easy egg for breakfast is gone. I’ve been living on breakfasts of oatmeal and granola for months now. When I do eat an occasional egg straight up I feel sick for hours afterwards. It just isn’t worth it. I’m so sorry that you have another item to eliminate. It is so hard to take out another thing when you are already living without a lot of foods.

  37. Rebecca H

    Years ago , I belonged to a natural food co-op. We had a member whose child had egg issues. The child loved mayo. I determined to find an acceptable alternative. Silken tofu, blended with your oil of choice, acid of choice, and any other seasonings you expect in your mayo, whizzed in a blender or processor until it resembles mayo, is quite acceptable! You can also use tofu, with chocolate or carob, honey, vanilla, peanut butter, banana, berries of your choice, spices, etc. in many different combinations, whizzed in a blender or processor, thinned with juice, milk, dairy free milk, or whatever, to get the consistency of a pudding or custard, and poured into a gluten free crust or into a parfait glass and layered—you get the picture. Yum!! I have made chocolate peanut butter pies, strawberry custard desserts, the list goes on and on. You’ll do great. Like you did with the gluten, don’t dwell on what you can’t have. Seek what you can have!

  38. gluten free gift

    I read this post with my head constantly nodding. I’d been on a gluten-free diet for 38 years when the gastroenterologist diagnosed me with microscopic colitis. I’d had terrible digestion problems for about 5 years despite having a perfect score (as it were) when I’d requested an endoscopy. My celiac in check. I got a gold star for following the diet. My villi were great… my colon however; not so good.

    I had gone on numerous cleanses and deleterious diets over the years to discover what was still making me sick (despite the clean living). Apparently this particular form of colitis is common in “older” celiacs ( I was 41 — and suddenly felt 80). The real challenge is that doctors don’t know much about it and there is no clear research on what foods to avoid. I’m still working it out. I will say that the more I stress about food and my condition — the worse it gets.

    On the upside, I do believe that I am lucky to have a body that tells me when things are not right. I don’t have the answers yet, but I’m certainly paying attention. And now, I’m going to pull off eggs for a few weeks. What the heck. It would appear that many of your readers are going to be joining you in this journey Shauna. Thanks for your honesty. Claudine

    1. tracy & kim

      Hi Claudine -
      I was just diagnosed with Microscopic Collitis (I’m 41 now!) and I’m struggling to get this under control. It’s been going on for about two months now. Just about 2 weeks ago, I got the diagnosis. While I was SO HAPPY to have found out the answer, however how to deal with it has been very troublesome. I’ve been gluten free for 4 years and we’ve been cutting out dairy this year, too. I’m cutting out more dairy to try to get the symptoms under control. I’d appreciate any info that you’ve learned. :) tracy

    2. Alana

      I just found your blog and so many of your comments make me think you should really try a yeast free Candida diet. It’s really not that different from Gluten free, minus the sugar portion. It’s challenging, but is it possible you have some yeast overgrowth that has caused your food allergy? Some experts believe all developed food allergies are actually caused by candida. I am yeast-free so this stuff is all too familar for me.

  39. Ina Gawne

    Eggs.….dang, Shauna I would feel exactly like you do! But, at least you are feeling better, and that is the most important thing — to listen to your body. Good luck — it looks like many of your readers have come up with some good alternatives!

  40. Carla

    My sympathies. When I was first tested I discovered that eggs, dairy, gluten, and almond results were all off the chart. Since then I’ve had to give up night shades and for now can’t eat baked goods at all. But I am healthier than I’ve ever been in my life (I am 67 years old). I’ve lost 65 pounds to ideal weight, and my MD and dentist are both amazed at the changes in my body and my health. And 20 years of migraines have gone as well. So I know how hard it is for everyone who has to go through this but the results are worth it. Hang in there everyone!!

  41. crista

    Oh I know this feeling! I have been vegan on and off, very protective of my diet. But then I found I was allergic to peanuts, then almonds.. .then all nuts. They had been the mainstay of my diet and now I was getting rashes on my face and my throat was closing. So I reinstated eggs for protein. Then I found out eggs and vanilla extract and garlic and malt were allergens for me. Oy vey. And honestly I still flirt with these things but every time I do I have some degree of ill but I feel it’s nearly impossible to avoid all so I always feel a little off and many days very off. Good luck with your newest challenge :) I’m sure you will find good things that work for you, a new routine here and there! here’s to feeling good!

  42. Lissa

    Ugh! I can’t imagine. I recently found out that I am gluten and casien intolerant. That has been a huge adjustment for me and my family. But I am slowly learning. But when out bodies feel better it is hard to ignore the truth.

    MamaPea (Peas and Thank You) posts about vegan meals. I know on her blog she has a recipe for a vegan egg sandwich. Granted her bread isn’t GF but probably an easy substitute!

  43. Stephanie

    Shauna,
    You already decided that you liked “crack sauce” best with vegannaise, right? So all is well.

    As for egg salad subs, I’m a big fan of tofu egg salad. Don’t know how to make it, but the poster above’s recipe looked great! Another wonderful scoop-on-salad or sandwich filling is the smashed chickpea salad from Smitten Kitchen:
    http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/smashed-chickpea-salad/

    I had a vegan “tuna” salad at Whole Foods that was so good I wrote down the ingredients: Almonds, sunflower seeds, celery, cucumber, agave, lemon juice, onion, dill vinegar, water, kelp flakes, salt and pepper.

    I do know someone who cannot eat eggs generally, but can occasionally have organic eggs. It seems that the reaction might be to the antibiotics. Of course, if you’re buying them directly from the farms, that may not be the issue.

    I’ll look forward to getting recipes from your site for those in my life who are gluten, egg and dairy free.

    1. Molly Kay

      I agree on the chickpea salad substitute for a good egg-less salad. So yummy.

      And I’ve made many a batch of gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free chocolate cupcakes that everyone devoured. Flaxseed meal has become my best baking friend. Pancakes, bread, cake, cookies, so far I’ve had some failures but many successes.

      I wish you the best of luck as you begin to discover what works and what doesn’t. It really sucks, but at the same time, I am secretly happy to welcome another gluten-free, egg-less soul into the world. It will be o-k, and life will still remain to be wonderful. And, you’ll feel better too, which is what it is all about.

      1. Bebe

        Molly Kay, would you be willing to share your recipe for those gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free chocolate cupcakes? I could really use a pick-me-up right now, and I think that would do it!

  44. Jen Oliver

    Oh no! I wondered, after seeing your recent Twitter posts. Food intolerance– the gift that keeps on giving. I am thankful that so far I have had no problems with eggs, and that once my gut healed I could eat dairy again without spending the next six hours in agony, plus my life-long tree nut allergies cleared up (still weird to eat something with brazil nuts in it and not get sick). But still…I had a scary coughing/wheezing/throat constricting response to the fumes from homebrewed beer this weekend, and it wasn’t the first time– just the worst so far. So now I need to worry about airborne gluten, to the point that my loved ones are asking me to carry an epi-pen.

    Speaking of epi-pens: I think someone else above recommended that you carry one. If you’re feeling throat constriction when you accidentally eat eggs, I would also recommend this. Anaphylaxis isn’t something to take lightly. Personally, if it were me, I don’t think I would risk a monthly poached egg, Benadryl or not. I certainly wouldn’t risk a glass of my husband’s homebrew. He’s a talented brewer, to the point that he’s drawing up business plans to open a microbrewery, but it’s not worth the damage to my health to sample his latest creations. And that horrid reaction I had last weekend to his barley beer-brewing fumes, the one that had me shut in our bedroom with the window open, lying down from the exhaustion of coughing and wheezing through constricted airways? That was about six hours after I’d taken a 24-hour dose of a heavy-duty antihistamine (the one that got me through the nasty seasonal allergies I suffered before my celiac diagnosis). Perhaps not taking the antihistamine would have meant a high-speed trip to the ER. I don’t know. I don’t think I want to find out.

    Take care. Be careful. Your health is the most important thing here.

  45. Anna

    I am so sorry for your loss! I feel your pain, I too tested positive to eggs this summer. After being a vegetarian for 13 years I discovered two years ago that I am gluten intolerant. Then I tested positive for egg, dairy, and bean allergies, all my major protein sources! Now I am a pescatarian (vegetarian + fish) to try to get adequate protein. I’ve tried reintroducing most of these things back into my diet after being strictly free of them for three months. I seem to be okay with the dairy, but the eggs and beans I’m not so sure about. In addition, I know gums, especially guar gum, are not my friends.

    I’m sure you will do fine with the egg allergies, I agree with your statement that it will make you more creative. Hang in there, if you get a craving just try to imagine what your body will feel like after you eat it. That usually stops me from indulging!

    Do you have any advice on how to explain your food limitations to someone who is hosting a dinner party that you will attend? I find this very difficult, as I feel the disappointment in their voice or see the glazing over of the eyes as they begin to realize the limitations. I usually end up taking a dish that I can eat, and I’m trying to learn to turn the attention this brings into an opportunity to educate others on food intolerances. But it still feels awkward and uncomfortable. Also it seems sometimes people have a hard time understanding – I think my mother-in-law may finally understand that I can’t eat anything that has a can of Campbell’s soup in it (this has taken over a year of gentle reiteration). My next hurdle with her is gums… ugh. How do you typically handle these situations?

    Thank you so much for this website, you make being gluten free so much easier! You have inspired me many times!

  46. Jen Oliver

    Oh, and ice cream: Philadelphia-style ice cream doesn’t have eggs. I found this out last summer when it was 100 degrees and the last thing I wanted to do was turn on the stove to make custard base. It’s pretty much cream, sugar, and flavoring, heated a little to dissolve the sugar, chilled, then done up in an ice cream freezer. It works nicely with full-fat yogurt. As I found out when making a dessert for my dairy-allergic best friend, it also works beautifully with full-fat coconut milk.

  47. Karen

    A long time ago I landed in the ER with a mystery bout of anaphylaxis. While I had just eaten some horrible fast-food clams, the allergy tests came back negative for shellfish, but positive (mildly) for apples, bananas, and green beans.

    Seriously? Two of the most common, cheapest fruits, and the ubiquitous green bean? The allergist did say, cautiously, that my numbers were “low” so not to worry. I went on my merry way, eating those foods. No problems. Then, a few years later, after reading your site and linking up some symptoms I’d been having to gluten, I went gluten free.

    It was like getting rid of the elephant in the room. Suddenly I could see the mice. A banana in my smoothie led to headaches. Ditto for apples. We were growing green beans in our garden, and when I tried to harvest them, contact with the plants caused me to break out in huge welts.

    Allergies are mysterious beasts. Since then, I’ve noticed that all legumes (not just green beans) have a horrible effect on my system. I’ve had to cut out tofu, and I never thought I would MISS tofu, but that picture of that delicious tofu dish up there is making me tear up a little bit. No peanut butter. No edamame or soymilk.

    That said, I was vegan for years and years, and after a while I didn’t really miss eggs. I only started eating them during my second pregnancy, when my craving for fried eggs was just through the roof.

    You are so wise to listen to your body. Go ahead and miss the eggs. And there are lots of ice creams with no egg, I believe, as well as sorbets and such.

  48. Valerie @ City|Life|Eats

    Oh Shauna, I am so sorry — and I promise you will find a way to make dairy-based ice cream without eggs. I make a lot of vegan ice creams (in addition to gluten, I also need to avoid eggs and dairy like it is my job) and they are all delicious.

  49. Sheryl Browne

    Ooh, I’ve had the ice-cream made with condensed milk! Scrummy. You’re quite right though. I would even miss a plain old boiled egg. Can’t think of a suitable subsitute for that. :(

    I was allergy tested after a mysterious onset of asthma. Guess what they came up with? Horses and dogs. Now, I don’t keep many horses around the house, but dogs…? I foster them! One wee blind one, one OAP dog and a three-legged dog at the moment. Yep, I’m sticking with the asthma spray. It’s not too bad, luckily, and at least I know what I’m dealing with.

    Good luck with your withdrawal symptoms. Don’t forget to try that ice-cream! xx

  50. Carrie @ poet in the pantry

    I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult this must be. But you seem like a strong woman. You’ve been through a lot. And I think that once this is in the rearview mirror–once you’ve passed the grieving stage and worked out how you’ll get by without eggs–you’ll feel much like you do about gluten. If you feel better not eating them, then there’s no question, is there? It’ll be difficult at first, but it will get easier. And you’ll have a lot of support along the way.

    Best wishes! I know you’re reeling right now, but it’ll be okay.

  51. Shaun LaChute

    It’s rough. I used to eat eggs every day for breakfast as a great source of protein. And I was excited by the gluten free breads and products from such vendors as Udi’s. But guess what? They use eggs. Eggs are in so many things, especially baked things. Along with dairy, and soy. When I had to take all those things out, I was stunned for a while. Check out Whole Life Nutrition. They have great vegan baking recipes. I look forward to seeing what you guys do creatively with recipes sans eggs.

  52. Diane-thewholegang

    I’m sorry to hear you have to figure this one out too. It seems like those of us who have sensitive bodies to gluten, often have other foods that play that part too. It’s good you found out so you can decide how to proceed. I know you’ll figure it out and if it is something that now off the plate, you’ll go above and beyond then share it all with us. A new cookbook series. Your recipes remade. Blazing the trail for those of us who have a suspicious feeling eggs might be taken off her plate too. Please continue to share as we all learn when you play!

  53. Kelley

    I’m discovering that as I stay true to being GF, other foods seem to bother me, as well. I cannot eat gums, period. They affect me as badly as gluten. I’ve tested for everything under the sun and show no direct food allergies, though something still isn’t right. It’s hard to give up a food you love, especially when you’ve already given up others. I hope this goes gently for you.

  54. Jennifer @ Gluten Free School

    I too am very sensitive to eggs. I found out this at the same time as the sensitivities to gluten and casein. All were devastating.…especially coming from an italian heritage. It’s been rough since I honestly miss eggs the most.

    I’ve found that ground chia makes a better egg replacer than ground flax. Earth Balance’s new Mindful Mayo made with EVOO is a great mayo substitute. And that’s about all I can think of. Whole eggs are non-negotiable…I feel near violently ill when I eat them…so the fear has stayed with me. I’ll eat a few GF products with eggs so long as it’s pretty low on the list and I don’t eat them every day.…

    I’m sorry and feel your pain. It sucks. But you adjust…best of luck to you on this new journey!

  55. pamela

    Oh, my!
    Given what you do, that’s got to be doubley tough. Personally, I would seriously freak out as I can eat grains at all, dairy, or soy. It’s not that there is nothing left to eat, of course, it’s just that so much creativity is out of the question. I wish you luck.

    pamela

  56. Catherine

    PLEASE TELL ME YOU HAVE AN EPIPEN? I’m not a medical person, but one with numerous food and environmental allergies. The symptoms you described are really scary. I thought I was a ‘little sensitive’ to shellfish, so I got retested with a scratch test, and then with actually eating a shrimp. A rapid descent into anaphylactic shock in the doc’s office convinced me to steer clear of all shellfish. NO more fudging it on my own. Please be careful.

      1. Dianne

        Thank you for being safe. I am so grateful for the positive contributions you have made to my life through glorious, celebratory, soul-satisfying food. Quasi-anaphylactic reactions tend to increase in severity over time, but to an unpredictable degree. Never to be courted.

        Gluten is my life-threatening nemesis (intestinal angioedema…literally swell shut), corn is evil to my body, and I have to avoid bananas, avocados and mangos due to cross-sensitivity with latex (an anaphylactic reaction for me). Avocados were the hardest to give up, oddly enough. But for the rest.…nothing compares to the real, living, amazing food I have discovered…thanks in no small part to you and Danny.

        Love and prayers.

  57. isabelle

    Hey, I’m the French silent follower who seldomly wrote here!

    I remember a post you wrote months ago, asking us to tell you how we discovered we were coeliac, and given us piece of advices:

    I remember something striking from this post: the way you kept saying: “I stopped thinking about what I cannot eat, ever, and instead I think of everything I can eat still”.

    I’m lucky for the time being, only gluten free. But my body has been off for 3 years now, and I keep wondering. So maybe I’ll join you later in the multiple intolerances field and I will try, ever, to remember your advice, as I’m doing now when my disease hurts more than it should.

  58. Sarah - Celiac in the City

    I’m always reading, but don’t always comment — but when your posts bring me to tears, I know I should leave something in the comment section.

    I would be mourning too, the thought of no eggs? Eeek. And when you described all of your egg favorites? I was right there with you. I eat them almost everyday. But the tears came mostly because I have been having some of the same exact symptoms, which of course could be anything, but I’ve done a lot of eliminating to try to pinpoint it, but never even thought of eggs. Because for so long I couldn’t tolerate them with Celiac, even after diagnosis, but after a year, I started to have them again and was fine. (I thought)

    After reading, I put on my “to-do” list to have the food intolerance/ allergy test done too. Thanks, Shauna. For sharing this. And your new adventure. Being the creative cats that you are, I have no doubt you’ll come up with some new ideas, and I’ll be tuning in.

    But for now, my sympathies. Really, I cannot even imagine. Sending positive vibes from WI.

  59. Heidi Belinsky

    Sorbet is a great replacement for icecream :) Or, try vegan icecream made with coconut milk (Full Tilt in Seattle makes wonderful adult-friendly flavors).

    Having lived without dairy for 20 years, I couldn’t bear giving up wheat. I finally decided to do it, although it puts a huge imposition on meal planning for the rest of the family.

    But we all adjust our styles and make it work. AND we find friends along the way that give us encouragement and advice. I look forward to reading your blog posts in a few years about how silly it was to think a life without eggs would be hard… ☮

  60. vanessa

    Don’t take this the wrong way, Shauna, but this post made me extremely happy — I’m allergic to eggs as well!!! Which means I will now be able to make and eat more of your wonderful recipes! :)

    As a child, I was able to eat eggs no problem. Then, shortly after breaking my 8-year vegan stint at age 24, I decided to try eggs…and I got a reaction. Severe anxiety, itchy throat and tongue, nausea…tested them again, and I knew it was eggs. I can’t eat them in any way, shape, or form: not alone, not in baking, not raw, not organic/free range, I cannot eat them Sam I am!! Although I crave them constantly, I find a small amount of comfort in the fact that so many years of being vegan has made me an expert in egg-free baking!

    But I digress…

    I empathize with you, Shauna. Try to revel in how much better you feel…and how many more readers will be able to enjoy your food! ;)

    xoxo
    vanessa

  61. lisa

    I had the EXACT same allergies come up positive on my blood tests two years ago. And at first I was baffled. No almonds, no eggs, and I’d been eating both.
    The almonds weren’t too hard, but eggs are in a lot of things.
    Luckily, there are so many options for egg replacers now in baked goods. (Thank you, vegans)
    And I honestly did feel better after cutting them out.

  62. Stacia Kiraly

    I’m sorry to hear of the egg allergy. This must be a tough time for you. Take comfort in knowing that there are many egg substitutes out there, so you need not give up foods with eggs completely. You’ll just need to modify, as you did with gluten. Also, you can make ice cream without eggs. We have an ice cream maker, and the recipe for a basic vanilla is just cream, milk, vanilla, and sugar. It turns out delicious. I promise you’ll be able to eat ice cream again!

  63. Dea

    I’ve never posted, love your blog. I’m so sorry about the eggs. I don’t know what I’d do.

    I do want to say — pay attention if you need to have any shots, etc. Flu shots contain egg! Some of the others do as well — it’s a good idea to mention an egg allergy to any doctors/nurses you encounter who may be giving an injection.

  64. Sarah

    Good luck Shauna! I know you need to go through the mourning process, but on the other side there will be great new recipes and deliciousness for us, um… I mean for you. Yeah, for you. Don’t mind the selfish slob over here in the corner, keep moving…

    I have been making these egg free muffins with your whole grain ap mix substituted in, and they are delicious (I add some dark chocolate chips too and reduce the sugar to about 3/4 to 1 cup depending on if I am using sugar or another sweetner that is a bit more or less sweet than sugar, and in my oven I bake muffins closer to 30 min.). They are like half brownie, half cupcake but I call them muffins to delude myself, I figure anything with squash in it should be able to pull of the healthier moniker.

    http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/2011/08/homemaker-monday_28.html

    I love the condensed milk ice cream idea, don’t forget to pass on some recipes for that if you explore it, maybe lavendar? And epi-pen seems essential. Don’t mess with anaphylaxis. Follow your own lead, and Breathe.

  65. Andrea

    I went egg-free about the same time I went gluten free.. Haven’t had an egg in ~13 years. I religiously use (EnerG) Egg Replacer. 1 Tbsp powder to 3–4 Tbsp water (depending on how stiff I want the recipe). It works 99% of the time. Most of the time I’m an Alchemist in the kitchen rather than following recipes. They are loose guidelines afterall. I think that focusing on how much better you feel vs what you’ll be “losing” (which really isn’t much other than eggs for breakfast), you’ll quickly adjust. :)

  66. Beth

    I have always had food / environmental allergies. My allergies were odd — I was (and still am) allergic to raw fruits and some vegetables. Nothing like standing in the lunch line in high school saying I’ll take the salad but no carrots — I’m allergic.

    And, I swear, someone needs to do a study with celiac and other adult on-set allergies in women after pregnancy. I wound up with a whole host of new allergies (or maybe the pregnancy just brought them out more) after giving birth to my girls. My naturopath was giddy when he went over my results with me. “Lamb, do you know how rare it is to be allergic to Lamb?” he said to me.

    Eggs bother me too but I cook with them. They don’t seem to bother me in baked goods, but if I see a recipe asking for a lot of eggs I just substitute applesauce for some of it. You can do it. You will be able to eat out. And in a few months, just like gluten, you’ll see you won’t miss eggs as much as you do right now.

  67. Wallie

    Oh I am so sorry to hear this!!! It reminds me of when I found out I was allergic to dairy. Same questions, same tone, same everything. I will advise you this…The longer you go without it, the stronger the reaction is. Reintroducing eggs in 6 months I’m afraid will make you feel so sick you would rather die. I cannot tell you how much I miss cheese…especially on pizza. I live GF too (wheat allergy) and haven’t had “real” pizza in about 5 years. I miss it every day (almost…lol). The last time I tried cheese was about 3 years ago. Never again. And when I want to eat some??? I just remember how sick I get and know that it isn’t worth it.

    It’s almost as if you should choose to live with the side effects of eggs (I love eggs too), or give them up completely. Good luck!!! I can’t wait to see what you come up with for subs, etc. You can do this!!! :D

  68. Beth

    And, as a complete aside and feel free to delete this, have you thought of allergy drops? They treat both environmental and food allergies. I take them for my myriad of allergies. So much better than going for allergy shots.

  69. Maria Schroeder

    Hi Shauna,

    I’ve just recently started following your blog & have been really encouraged by your processing. I have a number of friends who cannot eat eggs, among other things, and so I began experimenting with ‘egg-free’ baking. One friend gave me an egg replacer to use which is just cornstarch, potato starch, guar gum, baking soda & powder you mix with water. It’s replaces egg very easily & I haven’t noticed a difference. I know you mentioned you don’t have guar gum — my friend told me you can make a basic egg replacer with cornstarch & water.
    Not sure if you’ve already gotten that advice — just wanting to add to the pot :)

    Keep up the great work. You are an inspiration to irritable bowl strugglers all over.
    Maria

  70. Laura

    I truly sympathize. The thought of life without eggs is a hard adjustment. On top of my family’s corn, wheat, soy, and dairy allergies/intolerances, my daughter was diagnosed with an egg allergy last year. It was quite daunting at first, especially when thinking about how to bake. It took me a while, but now I’m starting to figure out some recipes that work for all of us. One of my recent successes was a recipe for chocolate zucchini muffins. I find that using flax seed meal, plus baking soda and cider vinegar, works really well in muffins.
    http://howtofeedmyfamilyandme.blogspot.com/2011/08/chocolate-zucchini-muffins.html

  71. Lee

    Oh, Shauna. I wish I could hug you. I used to think that being gluten intolerant would be the end of the world. You have shown me emphatically that that is not the case. I know you will make peace with the egg thing too and continue showing the rest of us how to live life with a big YES!

  72. Merrily

    I feel for you. I had my kids tested this past winter, before then it was only me avoiding wheat. Now the 3 of us are avoiding wheat, eggs, artificial dyes, and soy. When we first did the elimination I literately sat on the floor in front of my pantry wanting to cry. Everything that was wheat-free seemed to have one of the other 30 things we needed to avoid. We survived the first 2 weeks and gradually added things to see what would happen. We celebrated being able to eat corn, peas and some of the other things we were able to add back. It has been over 6 months and we still miss being able to have eggs and soy. It does get easier. Just trying to go wheat free years ago has gotten easier (thanks to people like you) this will get easier too. I have explored more kids of cooking to accommodate our diets including vegan and raw cooking. I for one will be looking forward to see what you are able to create gluten-free and egg-free. Hope you are feeling much better.

  73. Shannon

    Oh Shauna, HOW I feel for you…I am so so sorry that you can no longer eat eggs, and that almonds are a culprit as well. You know, I am currently going through this same exact thing. Became gluten-free last December, fixed 80% of my GI issues. Then I realized I am sensitive to the gums as well, so cut that out too. Then a few weeks ago, when I was constipated to the gills, bloated, covered in acne, etc…I knew something was up, so here I am back on week 2 of the elimination diet…just WAITING to find out something similar. I have a suspicion that it is nut-related (almonds, peanuts, as those two nut butters seem to give me issue), and potentially dairy as well. I have been trying to embrace my newly found vegan-with-meat diet (haha, how ironic!!), and as much as I gaze longingly at the foods I cannot eat (until I test them a few weeks from now, with great fear and trepidation, I might add), I feel SO much better right now and am happy to be, well, “regular”. ;-)

    Sendings lots of love, light, and hugs your way!! xoxoxoxo

  74. Heidi

    Wow. What a bummer. We gave up eggs at the same time as beef, gluten, and dairy. So, it hit us all at once. A year later and I still find eggs the hardest. They are so affordable and easy and make foods so tasty. Coincidentally, we just started testing them again 3 weeks ago. My daughter and I had no reactions but my husband’s reactions were similar to yours-minus the wheezing. I cannot tell with my 5 year old son. Its a tricky age to test things.

    The rest of my family is really okay without eggs. But we are definitely going to try again because my husband still hasn’t been healthy so I think there is a chance that once he is healthy his body will tolerate the eggs. Why not hope?

  76. Madison @ Espresso and Cream

    I’m sure someone has already said this (I didn’t have time to read through all the comments), but there is a bright spot at the end of this tunnel. I’m not a huge fan of eggs, but I do love my ice cream. A few months ago I picked up a copy of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams At Home and was shocked to find that all her recipes use a cornstarch/cream slurry along with just a touch of cream cheese in place of the eggs. The recipes aren’t vegan, just how she prefers to make her ice cream. And it. is. amazing.

    Good luck with your new journey. I’m sure you will, as always, find a way to adapt. :)

  77. Ann

    These diagnoses can be shocking and, in their way, traumatic. So many of us have been there (mine: gluten, eggs, dairy, soy), and we are here for you! Ideas, suggestions, experiments, funny stories, not-so-funny stories — we will share them with you, in the same (albeit perhaps less eloquent) way you shared with us.

    My favorite breakfast now: sauteed veggies tossed with bacon or chicken-apple sausage. I’ve been able to order it — even though it’s NEVER on the menu — at almost every breakfast place I’ve visited. And if they can’t muster-up any veggies, I become a la carte girl: side of potatoes, side of breakfast meat, side of fruit. My dishes take up the whole table, but I eat well and safely, even at egg-centric breakfast.

    You will find wonderful, creative ways to eat, make and enjoy egg-less food, and will probably take us all in new directions as you do it. And if the egg-less amongst us can help you along the way, we will.

  78. Danielle at againstallgrain.com

    Hi Shauna–

    I had the same test done a month ago and had eggs, all dairy (including goat!), and Onions come up!! Along with about 20 others. Onions are actually harder than I thought, especially as I sit in Mexico on vacation (can’t have cilantro either!)

    The ND I am seeing who ordered the allergy test is having me avoid the foods for a period of time and then will use accupressure to “desensitize” me of the food and then will slowly add the items back in. I can’t wait to eat eggs and dairy again! Especially with the holidays coming up and all the baking I usually do. I’m grain free (except oats and occasionally brown rice) for very severe Ulcerative Colitis.

    I am mourning with you, but at the same time am very excited we’re in this together so I can be inspired by the recipes you come up with!!

    Ps it seems we have a lot in common– I have a 14 month old and was hospitalized/bed ridden for 3 months of his life so far. SO if no eggs/dairy/grains (and all happiness) is what enables me to care for and be a part of my baby’s life, then I say “screw the eggs! Who needs them!?” :-)

  79. Missy D'Haene

    I wanted to add my voice to the “leaky gut” idea. After several years of reading up on things to help my hubby’s ulcerative colitis, over and over again, both from naturopathic docs and regular medical docs, I ran into this crazy “leaky gut” thing. It makes sense though. You spent your entire life sick with a very weak digestive tract with walls probably getting thinned out, small things probably leaked through and with your body’s natural immune response it decided to protect itself from further problems that eggs were the enemy. Take some time, eat and drink lots of real probiotic foods and support your body with mineral and vitamin rich foods you can eat and let your body do it’s job — heal. My hubby and I are both in the process of doing this ourselves and it’s frustrating, but it’s worth it.
    Also, we have refused to eat factory farmed eggs for a few years and apple sauce works wonderfully in cakes and biscuits! Good luck!

  80. Bren

    I’m going through that same mourning with dairy right now, and feel your pain. It’s not just the breakfasty eggs (or milk) but all of the things they’re in that we love. Pouring a greyish soy milk over my Irish oats this morning was so unappetizing. I missed just the look of the creamy white “real” milk. How crazy is that?

    I’ve wondered about the blood tests. I’ve read mixed reports on their accuracy. I liked your doctor’s approach of just looking for what’s “off the charts” & then testing to see if that’s really what’s bothering you. That may inspire me to go ahead and get the testing now and look for the true outliers & use it more as a guide to test my tolerances than an edict.

    I had “scratch” allergy testing at 3 (I swear I can still see the building in Chicago where this torture took place) and was allergic to 297 out of 300 things. I ate a lot of spinach as a kid.

    1. shauna

      oh goodness! that’s worse than anyone I’ve ever heard. 297? you can certainly survive the lack of dairy, then.

  81. tweal

    So sorry to hear of your allergy discovery. You may want to check out this awesome book I read a few years ago in nutrition school — Allergies: Disease in Disguise by Carolee Bateson-Koch. It has a lot of really great information that you may find helpful. I know it helped me immensely.

  82. Chelsey

    Can you please post the name of the blood test you had run? My brother has celiac and is still suffering horribly from GI upset, etc, even though he has gone entirely gluten free. I would love to tell him about asking his doctor about this test but think it might be helpful to have the name.

    Thank you so much in advance!

  83. Luisa

    Oh, honey. I’m sorry. Reading your words makes me so grateful for all that I can eat without a second’s thought. I’ve no advice or anything, just sympathy. I hope you come to not miss eggs sooner than you think. xo

  84. Olga B

    Hi Shauna,

    Sorry to hear of the mourning. I know it. Try going to Whole Foods and buying the most overpriced, free range eggs and see if that makes you sick. Hens that eat grasses outdoors often produce proteins that are very different. We buy http://vitalfarms.com/ eggs. Hopefully, you can find that solution. If not, you’ll do just fine, I know it. Here’s a great vegan cookbook: http://compare.ebay.com/like/400227760346?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

    Good luck!!!!
    Olga

    1. shauna

      Sadly, Olga, we mostly only eat the farm eggs, including the ones from my sister’s chickens. It seems that’s not it.

      1. Olga B

        Sorry to hear! I think you’re right that if you feel superhuman, you may not want to go back to feeling miserable even if you want that egg. My doctor told me that if you’re allergic to something, then your body is actually completely addicted to that food because it keeps trying to release endorphins to make you feel better–(well I bet you knew that!) but it was something very legitimate that made me hopeful that after a while of not having my “addiction”, I would not want it anymore! :)

        Hope you feel better!

        1. Jen Oliver

          Oh, I think that’s true about the addiction. Those last few months before the celiac diagnosis…oh gosh, I went through so many loaves of bakery rye bread. I ate sandwiches every morning for breakfast. Sometimes two. I couldn’t get enough. Then there were the big sub sandwiches from Jimmy John’s that I craved for lunches. All that bread, and two hours later I’d have a blinding headache and a seemingly empty stomach (even if I’d ordered the large sized sub), which I would then fill with whatever was easy, usually something gluten-filled since I couldn’t leave cookies or crackers alone. And the vanilla shredded wheat cereal– I ate that stuff by the handful, just two hours after eating a full meal– with a beer, usually– because I was still so hungry (from malnutrition due to gut damage). Then I’d be up in the middle of the night, so hungry that it woke me up from sleep, eating yet more of the wheat cereal, the only thing that sounded good since I was feeling sick all the time. A few hours later, rinse and repeat, starting with the rye bread sandwiches.

          I cannot imagine eating any of that stuff anymore. It doesn’t sound appealing at all. Hopefully that will happen with eggs for you, Shauna.

  85. keith

    Shauna–
    Never posted before but my heart really goes out to you today. Discovering your blog has been as much about your positive attitude (yes!) as help with living gluten free after my own diagnosis two years ago. You are an inspiration. I know you will take up this new challenge with the same spirit, just maybe not…today.

  86. kaela

    Hi Shauna,

    I assume that they tested both whites & yolks separately? Because I know some people are allergic to one or the other, but not both. If not, you should check that out: what a gift it would feel like now, if you ‘only’ had to avoid whites or yolks?

    A good friend of mine developed a similar reaction to seafood in her 30’s. She loves, loves, loves seafood of all kinds: but simply cannot eat it. Her throat closes up: not her airway; she can breathe; but her esophagus. So she can’t swallow, and it is a freaky/scary experience, but not life threatening. She does carry an epi-pen and every now & then tries a tiny bit of seafood to see if anything has changed. FWIW her doctor told her that it is something that is *likely* to change over time and that she may well be able to eat seafood again, someday. Here’s hoping.

    In the meantime, I made these oatmeal cookies last winter, when I ran out of eggs: I was surprised by how wonderful they were. Of course, my version is gluteny, but I assume the flours can be easily subbed for a GF flour. http://localkitchenblog.com/2011/01/18/eggless-oatmeal-cookies/

    Hang in there! I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it work, and work deliciously.

    1. JulieB

      I would like to ditto this comment. As an infant through preschool, my daughter was very allergic to egg whites but could eat the yolks. Also, she seemed to be fine if she had eggs or milk (another allergy as a toddler) baked into foods. But if they were creamy, no. Cheese and yogurt were the first things she could tolerate as she outgrew her allergies although this may be very different from your own situation. She still gets a tingling sensation in her mouth with peanuts, so we still have an Epi-pen, but fortunately, we’ve only ever had to give her Benadryl for any surprise encounters she’s had.

      I would also like to say that I wish you were writing this blog when my daughter was little. What a wonderful resource. Best wishes and best health.

  87. Ana

    Dear Gluten (and Egg) Free Girl,

    Thank you so much for sharing your feelings with us! Most of us have been trough similar phases and you have surely helped and inspired us! So, one thing is for sure, you can deal with this. There are so many ways to replace eggs, that you’ll find a way. For instance, I’m gluten and dairy free. After the struggle (I also gave up ice creammmmm.… most of the places don’t have the rice milk option!) came the acceptance. I feel better, so I stay “clean”. :) Good luck! And hang on! (By the way, are you supposed to avoid both the yolk and the egg white, or can you have one of them???)

  88. Allie

    I stumbled on your read today and found we had some things in common! I have celiac too and giving up gluten for me has been very easy since I was in and out of the hospital for several months leading up to it — I felt like I was dying but nobody knew why. My RA actually discovered the source. Since becoming gluten free, I’ve have had some major issues with anything with soy, any kind of vinegar but reactions vary on which kind, dairy– I do well with casein free products, and eggs. Eggs have been a challenge for me too because I crave them almost all the time! I first noticed I would get three welts when handling them on my wrists, then I would feel headachy, then I would feel sick to my stomach. So my husband switched to cage free brown eggs and we noticed I have none of those symptoms except for a slight headache or a huge one depending on how much is consumed. Baking with them seems to be OK but I am awfully bloated then. So if I make same baked good with an alternative — no bloating. A few weeks ago I tried poached eggs for the first time (I’ve been deprived — love them and want to eat them all the time!) but had them as reg. white eggs — BIG mistake! I still am not quite back to normal yet. If you haven’t already try the cage free brown eggs — you may do better with them.

  89. Heather

    You know, I never mourned now that I think about it. I tested positive “off the charts” for both gluten and eggs 10 months ago. I will say, I miss scrambled eggs the most. With cheese. And spinach. Damn it. And I never mourned. As I was reading this post your expression made me realize I never really mourned it. I have been angry at it and confused as to why my body seems to be rejecting a whole lot lately but never mourned. Egg is in everything, which also makes me wonder– why???? Thanks, as always, for your frankness, openness and now I look forward to trying your fabulous recipes that I know you will come up with withou eggs. My best to you.

  90. Susan

    This is the way I feel about wheat. I shouldn’t eat it, it doesn’t react well with my body, BUT… can I tolerate that piece of cake my mom made? One brownie won’t KILL me… I soooo understand how you are feeling about the eggs. All I can say is embrace it, like you did with the gluten. I feel so much better without wheat that after a while it just becomes a no-brainer, however it is still a struggle. You have done so many things already that I feel sometimes is impossible, you will have no problems with the eggs. :)

  91. Lisa Imerman

    I do feel for you. My self and 3 of my children have food allergies/intolerances. My son has been having some reactions that we can’t figure out (may not be food) and I took him to the allergist yesterday. The scratch test was negative for everything. Good news. Means that his are more intolerances and hopefully doing the GAPS diet will help heal his gut to where he can tolerate gluten. My youngest seems to have more food issues so he is going for testing next week. I am going the week after that.

    I highly recommend as the others above did to look into GAPS, there is a book and lots of online resources. If nothing else it gives you great information on how the digestive system and immune system function and go haywire sometimes.

    I know so many people who successfully do these diets, my family is going to start it over the holiday break from school in December.

    I have also been looking into NAET for allergy elimination, and have heard great things about it and am going to a lecture on it next month. Things to look into at a minimum.

    Good Luck

    Lisa

  92. Leslie DR

    Oh, Shauna — eggs! I hope you are feeling all that you have done for us come back to you — the ideas, the caring, the community. I can’t imagine going through food-related mourning again, but it sounds like you are already headed on an upward trajectory. I look forward to more recipes, egg-free, and to that cookbook! Continue to feel better and get that Epi-pen!

  93. Shuku

    Shauna, there’s really nothing I can say except to hug you lots and lots. I know it is hard. In college though, I had a vegan friend who didn’t do dairy or eggs — and she was starting to get off gluten as well because of me, since we ate together a lot. I managed to cook for her and myself both, but now I think I could do a much better job. Let me think about it, poke around it, and I will let you know if I come up with anything useful. Hang in there, girl. We’re all rooting for you and you know we will all do what we can to help.

  94. Deanna

    Hang in there, Shauna. I know you’ll see a day when this is just another challenge to be met with grace and love. But, I understand and empathize. I’m there right now with corn. Oh corn, how I love you. And how you do not love me. *sigh*

    Some day we’ll all have it all figured out, right?

  95. Rosemary

    Hi Shauna! I thankfully don’t have an egg allergy (that I know of) but I am going through something similar with Parmesan cheese (wth?!). I thought it was all dairy at first and experimented a bit and that seems to be all it is. Maybe it doesn’t sound like much, but to an Italian girl cut off from gluten already, this is slightly frustrating. Keep your head up :) Obviously you’re (probably) the most adaptable person I know in the blogosphere, and you’ll come up with amazing replacements. Can’t wait to see what comes next. <3

  96. Allison

    First time commenter, long time fan…talk about timing! I have made the decision this week to switch from vegetarian to vegan…eggs and cheese were holding me back…now I have inspiration and a great blog with tips from the egg-less side. I look forward to reading about your new journey!

  97. Liz

    Take heart, I have been making your recipes for years without eggs! I have two little ones allergic to eggs and other foods, yet we have almost always been able to substitute one way or another and end up with something that may not be picture perfect, but certainly does taste good. We mastered the pie crust in time for apple season and the cracker recipe in the cookbook is an excellent pizza dough-even the doughnuts turned out great without eggs. It can be done.

  98. Carla

    I so appreciated reading this post. I don’t have any of these allergies/intolerances, but my 22 month old daughter does (dairy, eggs, gluten, peanuts). I’m trying to understand/relate to what she is going through with her allergies. I appreciate your decriptions of how you feel physically as well as emotionally. She has the bonus of not knowing/remembering how good these things taste, but still looks longingly at her sisters and parents eating yummy things. Thank you for helping me look into her world at a different vantage point.

  100. Beth

    I too tested positive for egg whites, wheat/gluten, dairy, bananas and shrimp. The egg/wheat/dairy trifecta ensures I won’t be able to go to brunch ever again. *sigh*.

    I’ve been off of all of those things for 3 months and have tried adding dairy and wheat back in, I haven’t eaten an egg except in baked goods though. Surprisingly wheat is the one that doesn’t cause a huge reaction. Cheese? Forget about it! I’m sick for a day and a half if I eat cheese.

    If your doctor hasn’t already recommended one or you aren’t taking one, start taking a probiotic. It will help heal your gut. Get the live cultures that are in the refrigerator at the health food store. Those are the most effective.

    Best to you!

  102. Iris

    I feel ya, Shauna! As soon as I learn how to bake with something, I have to take it out of my diet. I took eggs out of my diet for about 5 months, and tried to add them back in recently (didn’t go so well) but I’ve definitely learned you can make some amazing recipes without eggs. Although I can’t deny I really miss having a fried egg over my veggies. Sigh. Oh well…I firmly believe that everything happens for a reason, and for those of us who are out there living a foodie life while dealing with autoimmune diseases, we’re making a big difference just by sharing our experiences and recipes with others. So believe me, you might miss eggs. But you’ll love learning all the new ways to bake, and your readers will benefit.

  103. Duffi

    I have nothing to add to these amazing suggestions. I mourn with you — this is hard — but I have a lot of faith in your ability to move through this.

  104. Heather

    My heart goes out to you! I have eggs EVERY morning for breakfast. I had the food allergy blood test that you mentioned and was terrified that it would come back with eggs. My hot buttons are cane sugar, honey and oysters. I eat the first 2 only occasionally now, and deal with the giant hives that appear on my neck and face. I mostly use agave or maple syrup (being from Vermont!) in my baking. Never had oysters, don’t intend to (ick). Even though my test didn’t register gluten, my naturopath recommended giving it up anyway, and I have noticed a big difference. But not all of my symptoms are gone, so the search continues. My sympathies!!!

  105. DamselflyDiary

    Shauna,
    I am so sorry to hear about your egg issue. I can totally relate. I don’t have physical reactions to eggs (that I notice anyway) but my allergy tests came back strong for eggs too. My other allergens? SOY, WHEAT, and ALMONDS. And guess what? I am a vegetarian! What’s a woman to do? I eat more fish than I’d like. I cheat sometimes. I try to rotate foods. I make due. So, while I am terribly sorry for your egg issue, I am just a tiny bit grateful that maybe your egg issue will help me figure out mine because I haven’t been too successful baking without eggs. Frankly, other that trying to not eat eggs outright, I don’t even try to avoid eggs that are ingredients — it is too hard. Hang in there. We will get through this, together!

  106. Devon @FastFoodie

    I had the same diagnosis. And yes, breakfast was always the hardest when going out. A large plate of potatoes please? That said, once I settled into it, I didn’t find it that hard to navigate. And after two and a half years of not eating eggs, I was retested and found that I could tolerate eggs much better and was able to incorporate them back into my diet. When I lost eggs, I lost pecans and avocados too. But like I said, it will get better. While the gluten can never come back, there is hope for eggs. Just think of it as something to look forward to in the future.

    And ice cream? There are plenty of egg-free options. I can’t do dairy/soy either, so I eat a lot of coconut milk based ice creams and absolutely adore homemade cashew milk ice cream.

  107. Bobbi

    I know others have mentioned fresh farm eggs. We raise chickens who are fed mostly organic garden goods with a little bit of grain. The grain we buy is organic (GMO-free), soy and corn free. I seem to have no problem with these eggs. I do have issues with headaches, gassiness, etc when I eat eggs from chickens who eat a diet of mostly regular grain.

    Good luck to you!

  108. Bridgette

    I just wanted to thank you for your writings on this blog. It makes those of us with allergies and family members with allergies feel so much less alone. Eggs is so hard…know that all of us out there reading are wishing you the best with positive thoughts headed your way :)

    1. shauna

      thank you, Bridgette. That’s why I wanted to write about this. I know so many other people are dealing with multiple food intolerances. I’m certainly not the only one!

  109. Joanna

    Shauna — I just want to let you know that I *completely* understand your feelings right now. When I was 5 months pregnant with my son, I took an ALCAT for food sensitivities and it came back with a very long list of things I needed to avoid, some for 3–6 months and some possibly forever, including many of my favorites or go-to foods. (This is in addition to already having to completely avoid gluten/gliadin, which the test confirmed…) Oh, it was a sad week or so trying to figure out how to re-tool my diet, yet again, and to consider the possibility I might never eat strawberries or mint again! But, as you said in your post, we adjust and we play and somehow we figure it out. In the end, we are blessed to live in a land where we have so many options from which to choose and resources from which to glean tips and tricks. Good luck and know that I, too, would be heartbroken about losing eggs!

  110. cari

    DITTO TO THE EPI PEN! Please Shauna, no more testing this one without that safety valve in hand. Your taking too much of a risk each and every time you push the envelope on this one. Gasping for air should scare you sister. I can’t imagine adding one more food to the already long list of forbidden foods, especially one you like so much. I don’t like or eat straight up eggs in any form but I also know I probably don’t appreciate the many things I do eat in which they are hidden so to speak. Mayo, give up mayo, never ever! Seriously before you map out a plan to determine the extent of this issue you need that epi pen. Begging you on this one.

    1. shauna

      Don’t worry, Cari. I’m not eating any eggs. I was actually sort of teasing about the poached eggs with a side of Benadryl. And I’m talking to my doctor about a reference for an allergist today.

      1. cari

        Thank goodness. You scared me sister. A few folks have asked about the specific names of the blood work tests you had. Would you mind sharing this information with us. It would be helpful as I too might consider this kind of testing. The inflammatory indicator, there are several including the more common ESR and CRP. Was the allergy testing serum or scratch or something else. Since you see someone with a combination of therapy perspectives maybe you could post on this experience. Oy vey, I know you are busy, the nerve of me …

  111. Rachel

    I am at this very moment eating a killer gluten-free, egg-free pumpkin cupcake. (I baked it in Chicago this weekend with my boy, wrapped it in foil to take on the plane when I left to come home. Its completely smushed. I’m eating it with a spoon. That good.) I find that using a mixture of Ener-G egg replacer and flaxseed meal (so one egg worth of each, in a recipe that calls for two eggs) works pretty well. You can do it! And if you can tolerate soy, that makes substitutes that much easier.

  112. Sini

    Damit. I feel so sorry for you. But at the same time I know you will make the best out of it and finally find joy in living gluten and egg-free… That’s one of those great gifts you have and for which we adore you Shauna.

  113. fanae

    You should really see a wellness doctor. I know a lot of seems hard to grasp/believe but I saw a really good one-life changing really. I went for food allergies and my son for asthma that is now GONE! I saw Monica at MLH Wellness. I see all sorts of patients in her waiting room and their remarkable health transformations.

  114. Adrienne

    It’s funny that you should post this. I’m also dealing with a lot of GI issues that may be similar to what you experienced. Gall bladder? Doesn’t appear to be. Blockages? No. Have already had an ultrasound & x-ray… next up will likely be another upper GI series or endoscopy. And all the while I’ve been wondering if it could be another food issue (I also have celiac) — and specifically, I wondered if it could be eggs. I eat a lot of them now that I have a toddler — way more than I ever did pre-baby. My intestines *ache*. Oh yes, the bloat. Headaches too. Maybe it’s nothing related to food. Hell, maybe it’s an ulcer. But I’m going to request this test.

    I am sorry you have to give up eggs. (And seriously, I have NO imagination when it comes to breakfast — I make eggs and oatmeal. That’s it. Sometimes pancakes — with eggs. I’d be doomed!) BUT I am glad you’re feeling so much better. How wonderful to feel good and have energy!

    1. shauna

      Adrienne, I feel for you. Try giving up the gums for awhile, since those tests don’t register those. Most of my complaints, which sound like yours, disappeared after I gave up those.

  115. Nita

    Shauna -
    I admire how you are able to get so much in touch with your body and make changes. Then create fabulous food rising up from the challenge. If anyone can tackle this challenge, it’s you. Losing eggs is secondary to your health.

    “vegan special with a side of bacon” — I would have loved to see that confused look on the waitperson!

    Btw, Alton Brown has a wicked ice cream recipe with no eggs.

  116. Julie

    I feel for you. In July I took a similar test and was told no gluten, dairy, soy or eggs. I was and still am discouraged often. But my quality of life has changed so much with they symptoms those foods were giving me. You can do it!!!!

  117. Dee

    Dude. I’m just gonna’ say it: That completely sucks. However, once again, it seems you are the right person to receive such a strange gift. You have helped so many of us with Celiac, and now you have an opportunity to help lots more. So sorry. I would feel the same way.

  119. Kate @ Savour Fare

    I have a close girlfriend whose son has a life threatening dairy and egg allergy. Not “headache and a funny rash” but “Daycare needs to know how to use an epi-pen”. They’ve adopted a foodstyle she calls “vegan with meat” It works for them. I’ve heard of exposure therapy too — things like baked goods. Or immunotherapy — another girlfriend, who’s a vegetarian, found herself allergic to tofu and dairy and nuts, which made up 90% of the protein in her diet. She’s been doing sublingual immunotherapy, and has found a good foodstyle for her. I hope you find yourself a good balance.

    1. jen

      My nursling can’t tolerate dairy/eggs/soy in addition to my CD and numerous other food allergies, and “vegan with meat” sums up what I’ve been eating the past few months! I love it. Good luck, Shauna, breakfast and lunch is rough for me now, but I’m a much more boring eater than you are!

  120. Sue

    Hi Shauna,

    My daughter and I tested sensitive to gluten AND eggs. You are right, breakfast is really a challenge! I am sorry you have to deal with this, but I know you will turn it around and make yummy creative recipes so we forget all about eggs!! Also, I second having an epi pen. Hugs, Sue

  121. Rachel

    Also, while going out for breakfast is by far the most difficult with egg AND gluten allergies, you will learn to enjoy the hilarious breakfasts you can patch together using the side dish list! At my last brunch, I had a little plate of homefries (made sure there was no flour, of course), a few strips of bacon, some fruit salad, and yogurt! Also, grits!

    1. shauna

      that sounds good to me! At Prime Meats in Brooklyn, I had a butter lettuce salad with bacon on the side!

  122. laura

    Not an easy transition. Have many children in my life that are gf/sf/df/nf/ef and many of their moms asked me for help in their transitions. One in particular was really struggling with the challenge of what to do at birthday parties, so I adapted my gf chocolate chip cookie recipe for her. I named it the Caroline Cookie in honor of her daughter. http://laurasglutenfree.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/hello-world/
    If you ever get of the island try the Chaco Canyon restaurant in West Seattle. We rely on it as as great ready made food resource and they have an excellent play area for the little eaters!
    I wish you much luck in your new food adventure!

  123. Lisa

    Sorry about the egg allergy as well. My favorite recipe for ice cream came from a blog– can’t remember which one but is as follows: 2 cups whipping cream, 2 cups frozen unsweetened fruit– mango is favorite, some sweetener– 1/4–1/2 cup. Blend together until smooth and freeze longer if necessary. As well– some vaccines are produced in chicken eggs– ask your doctor about which ones and whether you should stay away from these with your allergy. Lisa.

  124. Kristen

    I’m a farmer who raises pastured chicken, turkey and eggs. As you know, most people who can’t tolerate eggs can tolerate fresh, pastured eggs but since you can’t, I wonder if you could be reacting to the grain in the hen’s diet? Maybe that would explain why the reaction isn’t so severe when the eggs are cooked/baked??

    I would encourage you to avoid them all together and then try it again in a few months. It may be another story then. Wouldn’t that be great?!

    Best of luck and in the meantime, I know you’ll rise to the challenge of modifying recipes just beautifully.

  125. Betty

    Shauna,

    Feeling the loss with you. Wheat/gluten grains, and eggs were off the charts for me too.
    Too, many other reactions. I refrained from gluten, and eggs for over 2.5 years. I tried to
    stagger other suspect foods. After the 2.5 years I introduced eggs again. All was well.
    No bloat/pain. However, I have developed in the last 6 months chronic headache/fluid
    filled ears, foggy brain. I honestly didn’t think, eggs? I haven’t had the bloat, or pain.
    Now you have me wondering, is it the eggs? Hi-ho, hi-ho it’s off the eggs I go. Again.

  126. Brenda

    Good luck! Really, eggs aren’t that hard to replace, at least for baking, there are some AWESOME vegan baking recipes out there (hint: look for the ones that use liquor!). I gave up dairy for Lent a few years ago, which lapsed into me going full vegan. The only item I thought I would DIE without was my Pad Thai but I found a company that makes an awesome low-cal vegan one — Right Foods (its just heat up and go, because I am far too lazy to make vegan pad thai from scratch). Plus I never cared for fried egg too much anywya.

    I would probably suffer the most from lack of almonds, I LOVE almond flavored anything.

  127. Chez Suzanne / The Wimpy Vegetarian

    My husband was allergic to eggs, chocolate, dairy, nuts and all seafood when he was younger. Thankfully chocolate, dairy and non-shellfish allergies all disappeared over the period of a number of years. Eggs, as you write, are in so many things and he really wanted to get rid of that one. And he finally did it by gradually having a little bit every few days to build an immunity to it. By a little bit I mean he would have 1 bite of my eggs, but nothing more for several more days. He’s a physician and so knew some of the parameters around doing this, but many doctors are working with their patients on this now. It might be worth asking your doctor about.

  128. Pétra

    I am so sorry to hear about your egg allergy. When my daughter was breastfeeding she was sensitive to eggs, dairy, soy, and gluten and that was a tough one. I wish I had some magic ingredient to sub for eggs but it was just plain hard, luckily being in Portland there are a lot of vegan options that are actually yummy. I know you and Danny will figure this out though, hang in there!!!

  130. bookbabie

    That’s a bummer Shauna, it’s good that you figured out the intolerance, but tough to give up another food item. Sometimes I think we’d all feel better if we were vegans, but gluten-free and vegan, just the thought of figuring that all out…plus attempting travel, gives me a tummy ache!

  131. lauren m.

    Ugh. I feel your pain! No eggs for me either BUT I have happily had zero issues with duck eggs which, I’ve heard, are often the secret ingredient in blue ribbon recipes. I buy mine at PCC — they’re pricey, have thick shells that are often pastel colors, and smell a little different when frying but otherwise are delish. Cheers!

  132. Elisabeth

    “Last week, in Brooklyn, I ordered the vegan tofu special with a side of bacon. I think they were really confused.”

    I literally laughed out loud at this. We are gluten & dairy free at our house, and to cope with the dairy-free I often look to vegan recipes and products. However, I have joked to my husband that I have felt vaguely “sacrilegious” when I serve meat in a largely vegan dish. If there were a vegan deity, I would’ve been struck down by lightning long ago. But it does seem to really confuse the mortals when we order meat with vegan dishes.

    And in regards to vegan & GF dining, may I recommend two stops in Portland, Oregon, if you’re ever down there:
    Blossoming Lotus (http://blpdx.com) serves excellent vegan fare and the menu is marked with GF options (and we’ve had no problems with cross-contamination). They even have vegan soft-serve ‘ice cream’ (the cinnamon is my 8-yo’s special treat when we’re in Portland).
    The other is Petunia’s Pies & Pastries (http://www.petuniaspiesandpastries.com/index2.php#/info1/ she also has lots of info on her facebook page). Lisa Clark, the owner, makes utterly fabulous GF vegan treats. Her coconut cream pie is something to die for, whether you can safely eat gluten, dairy or eggs or not. Some of the best damn desserts I have EVER had! (and I can eat gluten, dairy and eggs, but fortunately for my waistline I don’t make it to Portland all that often) :-)

    Finally, remember it is a loss, and mourning is entirely appropriate. While one doesn’t want to wallow in a loss, embracing it for a while, feeling the grief, often lets it go better than trying to push past it too soon. Eventually it fades, except for the occasional twinge when something reminds you of the loss again. [hugs]

  133. Cara Winter

    Hi.

    I am a new subscriber; I was told about your blog/cookbooks because my son is gluten– and wheat –intolerant. He is also allergic to eggs. And — drum roll, please — cow’s milk!

    Learning about all of these allergies at once was like getting hit in the stomach with something heavy and familiar, like a … like a Kitchen Aid mixer. I was also allergic to cow’s milk and wheat, as a child. I did grow out of much of these allergies, but I also still limit wheat and avoid cow’s milk.

    Once we’d eliminated these foods for a good 2 months, we started playing with adding things back. It seems he can tolerate small ‘doses’ of eggs and cow’s milk (we’ve found in baked goods, as well!) but wheat and gluten are still just shockingly bad for his tiny system. You’ll learn what makes you feel OK, and what makes you feel like ‘Bleh, I’m gonna die.’

    You’re already ahead of the game because you believe in the idea that food allergies are very real. Many, MANY people (and their DOCTORS!) don’t believe that certain foods can make you sick.… and then they wonder why they can’t think straight at 2:00 in the afternoon, after their sixth serving of something gluten-laden…

    Stick to it, see what works for you. Make sure you get your child tested, too — these things run in the genes. Know that you’re not alone… there’s a four-year-old boy named Avery in Chicago who would love to take you to dinner; he will ask a waitress for the “Wheat-Free Pizza, please” and pick off the cheese, himself; but be sure to order one for yourself, too…

  135. Kelli

    I can so sympathize with you!!! Eggs are my favorite thing to eat in th wole world. In addition to being gluten, nut and dairy free.. I can’t eat EGGS!!!! What the heck am I supposed to eat! If I could have anything back it would be eggs. But, what a difference when I don’t eat them. They make me break out and hurt my tummy REALLY bad… so farewall eggs– I hope I can have you again some day!

  136. MazeDancer

    There are de-sensitizing drops you can take that are supposed to build up tolerance. Allergists can prescribe them. For me, the drops made me react more than actual eggs. So gave up.

    But absolutely you must test yolks and whites separately. You might get lucky. Though aioli ick points to probably no yolks

    When I got the knee-cap of no eggs, couldn’t believe it. As I ate only happy chicken, college-tuition expensive eggs. And lots of them.

    Now, after a couple of years, yes, I can tolerate in baked goods. Even a little mayo now and then.

    And like all allergies, sometimes you choose to pay the price. Omelet now, headache payment later.

    But not being able to eat breakfast out at a restaurant is the biggest problem. Wheat-free, egg-free breakfast choices are not abundant.

    Losing eggs is bad. Not as bad as finding out I was allergic to black tea which I drank daily, deeply. Also, allegedly, the mold in red wine. Tea I could actually tell the difference. Truth be told, red wine I could not. So mostly I have chosen to ignore the red wine thing. Because, really, no wheat, no eggs, no tea. And I don’t actually do sugar either. So gotta have one thrill.

    You still have lots of good things you love to eat. It’s just one more thing that, truly, you will get used to not having. And enjoy the feeling better.

  137. Katie

    Hello! I’m a long time follower but first time commenter. Your attitude throughout your trials is inspiring and the information you provide is incredibly helpful. My family has a history of celiac (grandma, uncle, cousin, etc) but I, thankfully, have tested negative…twice.

    The reason for being tested twice is that I experience a lot of what you’re talking about here. Always feeling tired despite plenty of sleep. The headaches not so much, but stomach aches instead. Not a lot of energy. A lot of recent weight change (bloating and so forth.) I went to a gastroenterologist and explained this all. She tested me again for Celiac (because I had been tested when I was young but family history suggested I may have developed) among other things. I came up negative for all. Her suggestion for next steps is an invasive exploration of my intestinal track. If that were to come up negative she suggested I likely have IBS.

    She seemed to be fairly dismissive of these allergy tests. But before I go through something invasive I’d like to find out more on my own. And after reading this blog and seeing how the results (though disappointing) have really helped you pinpoint the source of your body’s complain I’m even more convinced I should try it. Can you share any information on the testing process itself? I would really really appreciate it.

    Thank you so much — in advance for your help, and in hindsight for the honesty about your journey that you share with us through this blog. It helps so many people!

    1. Nichole

      yes I’m wondering about the whole testing process as well. I got a ultrasound and just an abdominal ct scan for issues I’m having. In fact I was so upset about getting the scan because of the whole radiation thing but I am looking for answers. Digestive health is so important. Yet one thing puzzles me, it seems to be such a huge problems in first world/industrialized countries. Someone from a different country (Nigeria) told me that food allergies are not common in their country.

      1. shauna

        This confuses a lot of people. There’s no clear answer as to why, but many like to point to the huge amount of additives, preservatives, and non-food that is in our food. Maybe it’s just messing with our systems?

    2. Andrea

      Look into adrenal dysfunction as well, as another poster below mentioned! I know several people that have had the same type of symptoms you are describing in addition to food intolerances, but addressing adrenal dysfunction was a big part of healing for them. Unfortunately, adrenal function is not a system that traditional Western doctors have been trained to look at. Most, if any, will not test for it. You need to see a naturopath or other alternative practitioner who knows about it.

  138. Karen

    Like you I am finding that gluten is just the beginning. I have been gluten free for five years. It was an adjustment but thanks to the internet and a helpful husband and friends it has been something I can cope with. Your blog has made it an adventure.
    I was recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and in addition to traditional medicine I sought the advice of a nutritionist. Multiple sclerosis is also an autoimmune disease as is celiac disease. After some blood work, the nutritionist said I still have inflammation and suggested I give up dairy for four weeks to see what happens. So I go in the kitchen, shed a few tears of self pity and cook something that is gluten free and dairy free and delicious.
    Your post was very timely for me. I wish you luck and I look forward reading about your new adventure with food.

  139. Nurit - 1 family. friendly. food.

    Shauna,
    Can you elaborate about the inflammation test? What’s it called?
    And the food intolerance/allergy tests? Are those the regular allergy tests/prick tests or another type? Have you ever had food sensitivity (not allergy) tests? Were they useful? Thanks!

  140. Nicole S.

    Hi Shauna,
    I know your pain. I too just found out about eggs, but it seemed crazy to me so I went to a open minded, treat the whole body kind of doctor, and she told me that us Celiacs need to get our Adrenal Glands tested, with the Saliva test, because if our adrenals are off they can cause food allergies or symptoms and it can accelerate breast, colon, and prostate cancer. Celiac really affects the adrenal glands. I have Adrenal Fatigue and I’ve been put on supplements and I should try one of the 8 new foods I found out I’m “allergic” too in a month or two. Also, PRP spray can help food allergies. This doctor could not tolerate dairy, it would make her face blow up, bloody noses and sores would appear it was awful, but she tried the PRP spray 4 times a day for about 2 weeks and then she tried dairy and nothing happened no reaction. So there is some hope. Email me if you want this doctor’s information. She is in the Chicago area. Anyway I hope you read this-it might save you some sadness.

      1. Nicole S.

        I should mention I also have Celiac (d. 2006) and I was totally fine with giving up gluten, but when the test came back with Eggs, Dairy, Tomatoes, Garlic, Sesame, Pecans, Walnuts, and Yeast-that was not ok with me. I was devastated.

    2. Jenn Sutherland

      Agreed on the Adrenal Test, Nicole. I get mine tested every six months now, and take a couple of supplements to support my burnt out adrenals…but I know I’ve been tapping my adrenals too hard again, as I’ve been exhausted for a few months, and feel some other allergies creeping back. Back to work on eating a little more basic, I think.

  141. Caneel

    Oh Shauna, I’m so sorry! I love my eggs, too, and think they’d be harder to give up than gluten any day. ((HUGS)) I’m glad you’re feeling better and have found some answers, and know that you’ll turn this into lemonade and provide great recipes for my friends whose children have gluten AND egg issues. But I still feel for you. And in spite of it all, you happened to throw in a giggle for me with your vegan tofu with bacon story.

  142. Lauren

    Oh Shauna! What an enlightening experience. I, too, am allergic to gluten and eggs… as well as dairy. It is certainly an adjustment, but definitely a doable one! EnerG Egg Replacer is a life saver… Can’t tell the difference in baked goods. Good luck! Can’t wait to see all the creative things you come up with!

  143. Nanda Timblin

    My son had to give up eggs also. When I bake we don’t miss the eggs at all but sometimes he eats eggs in something GF that it is store bought and I make sure that he takes enzymes. I see a Naturopath in Vashon and she recommended Betaine HCL, the key is not to rely on it, just have an egg occasionally with an enzyme. I can give you her info. Hang in there it will get better with time, you won’t miss as much when you start to feel amazing.

  144. Sue

    Shauna, we really feel for you! Eggs are SO versatile, and easy to use, especially when we have to avoid gluten. My daughter was gluten free for two years, but still didn’t feel really healthy, and still had gut pain. She has now been put on a gluten/wheat/soya/dairy/egg free diet by the paediatrician at the hospital, and it is HARD!!!!!! Turns out she also has a problem with candida overgrowth, so avoids sugar and yeast as well.

    Hooray for fresh meat, vegetables and fruit! It is a very healthy way to live, but a STEEP learning curve. But she is now getting a few days tummy ache free for the first time in years.

    We wish you well in this new challenge. One day at a time.…. Much love x

  145. Jess

    I empathize very much, as even though I’d been gluten and dairy free for years, I did a blood test in December of last year and had to cut out corn, oats, eggs (white and yolk) coffee (are you serious!!!), amaranth, crab, oysters, mushrooms, sesame, and sunflower. Since quinoa isn’t included in the test, I excluded that also for several months, and had a violent reaction when I ate it, so that’s out too. I went through about a month of panic, utter panic at the idea of not being able to eat ANYTHING other people ate, but I feel so much better it’s worth it. Just remember — if you wouldn’t cheat on gluten, you should move towards not cheating on ANYTHING your body can’t process — it may not be as severe a poison, but it’s still not good for you! Eggs are in so many gluten-free baked goods that it is overwhelming, sunflower oil is on so many fantastic salty-crunchy things, and corn is insidious. However, I am healthier, happier, and a good fifteen pounds lighter thanks to the switch! Hang in there! :)

  146. Cyndi

    We have been without eggs for a couple of years now as my daughter has been ill without really knowing what is going on. Come to find out it was gluten and eggs — she just started not feeling well again this past summer so they took her off corn, yeast, rice and potatoes — now that was tough!!! We have added back in potatoes and rice thank goodness but as of right now it looks like we “get” to be corn and yeast free. We are going through the same mourning process as corn is in everything and no yeast means really no decent bread although I am trying Irish Soda bread this weekend. We still miss eggs and going out to breakfast is really not an option where we live, but she does feel better. Looking at the big picture helps but darn it! we still miss eggs!!! FYI did you know there was corn in baking powder and powdered sugar???? CRAZY! I do have to say that Living Without has been a tremendous!!!! help as has your website and book. It has turned the impossible to possible : )

  147. Chalydra

    Oh I can relate to this so much. I struggle every time I think of breakfast. I loved hollendaise sauce and eggs benny. I have gone the way of shakes and rice cakes with nut butter, apple sauce with cinnamon and creamed corn. I am no gluten, no dairy (including butter), no yeast, no egg, no tomatoe … It’s hard. I look to http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com for inspiration, she even has Hot Buckwheat Cereal with Cinnamon Apples up today.

  148. natasha

    I have Celiac, a dairy allergy and am 20 years strong as a vegetarian. When I go into restaurants I have to say “Hi. I can’t eat dairy or gluten and I’m a vegetarian. What do you have that I can eat?” This used to bother me. This used to bother me a LOT. But honestly, through your blog I’ve found the confidence to speak up for myself and to make sure I’m eating safely and see all the amazing choices that I *do* get to eat. You inspired me to see the positive where I could only see the negative. Let the readers of your blog inspire you to see the positive.

    1. Jennifer

      I have been vegetarian for 18 years, recently diagnosed with celiac disease and a dairy allergy, and an egg allergy. Breakfast is my most hated meal of the day and going out for brunch with friends is a nightmare! I feel your pain and I need to gain your confidence in not feeling like a pain in the ass when requesting options.

  149. Leonie

    OH I HEAR YOU!!!!
    I have celiacs and last Christmas also discovered why I was still feeling like crap — dairy and eggs. All the symptoms from my pre-gluten free days had returned and I was miserable.
    So I gave up dairy and eggs and I miss them SOOOO Much. Gluten, i dont care so much, but eggs — it nearly kills me.
    I have read some theories about eggs and celiacs. Nothing is proven but there is a theory that if chickens are fed wheat it can come through the eggs and affect celiacs. Apparently there are gluten free eggs out there but Im too nervous to try. But it does make me wonder.
    I too have become very in tune with my body and seem to pin point reactions quite easily these days. But it doesnt mean I like it lol.
    Some days I get so frustrated with having all these intolerances and I just want to shove other peoples egg sammies on white bread down their throats!!! (just joking..well kind of…)
    Unless you experience all this there is no way other people can comprehend what it is like having to think about every mouthful that goes in…
    I have been wanting to try the GAPS diet. have had the book for 9 months but finding the courage to do it is something else. There seems to be so much preparation and planning involved that I feel a bit overwhelmed.

    1. shauna

      Leonie, I hear you too. It’s so good to know what is ailing us. I’m a little confused as to why people have been recommending the GAPS diet to me today. I looked at it, and week two means eating a lot of egg yolks. No thanks!

      1. Ellen

        If you have a sensitivity to eggs, week 2 of GAPS does not have you eating egg yolks. It is all about healing the body, and goes in stages as to what you can tolerate. It’s not a super exciting diet, but it can actually be delicious. I’d really recommend getting the book. I’ve been on the diet for a while now and it’s made a huge difference. Instead of just avoiding what gives me symptoms, my body is healing from the inside out. Remarkable.

    2. Kathleen

      I wanted to add to Leonie’s comments with another thought. Even farm raised and/or pastured hens may be fed feed to supplement their diet, especially during times when their usual diet is difficult to find. I have had to ask about eggs because I have a terrible intolerance to Soy, and have learned that many chickens have some soy in their diet. You are smart to avoid the eggs, I hope you feel better with each passing day!

  150. Sarah

    Hi Shauna,
    All the best! I’ve had times when I couldn’t have eggs, but have them occasionally now. My Naturopath told me about a client who had celiac and had real problems with eggs, and then they both realised she’d been feeding wheat screenings to her chickens. The gluten diet of the chickens were effecting the eggs. She changed the diet of her chickens and I think things changed for her. Just thought I’d pass it on!
    xxx

  151. Kristi

    Shauna, I’m so sorry to hear this. I laughed out loud at your comment about the look of confusion when you ordered the vegan special with a side of bacon because that is us to a T. Vegan is what works for us for most things due to dairy and egg intolerance (although we are soy free as well, which is an added challenge). But a side of bacon, ham or sausage is a must. We have been a gluten, corn, dairy, egg, and soy free household for about a year now, since my son was finally diagnosed with food intolerance after 18 months of severe GI issues.

    Egg is tough, I won’t lie. I always say the egg is the hardest part. I would gladly be gluten free forever–I truly love the world of variety and flavor of all of the grains that open up to you once you cannot use gluten–if I could have my eggs and cheese. But at the same time, I know you will figure it out. I cannot even begin to tell you how many compliments I have gotten on my egg and dairy free version of your pancakes (I use rice milk and applesauce in place of the egg). We probably make them 3x/week because they are my son’s absolute favorite and my FIL says they are the best pancakes he has ever had. We aren’t too big on sweets around here, but when we need birthday cupcakes or a special treat, I really like and have had good success with The Allergen Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal. And I also like some of the recipes in The Flying Apron cookbook (also vegan).

    Have you heard of the Thrive diet? A tri-athlete named Brendon Frazier did all sorts of research and personal experimentation to figure out the healthiest and most efficient diet (in terms of energy and recovery time for training) and became convinced a whole foods, vegan, gluten free diet is the way to go for athletes and non-athletes alike. I found his book fascinating (even though we like our meat), and such an encouragement that this might be the way to go for overall health as well as necessity. He also has a new recipe book out which I am interested to check out.

    I know you will figure out egg free with as much grace and joy as you have gluten free, and it will be a blessing to all of us in the same boat.

    All the best,
    Kristi

  153. Lea

    I too have recently found out that I am allergic to eggs — and corn, yeast, and soy. Since I’m already gluten free, this has come as a mighty blow. I’m managing, so I know you can too.

  154. Ann from Montana

    I feel like a bit of a fraud even commenting as to my knowledge I have no allergy/intolerances… I DO moderate gluten and dairy and find that I feel best and as someone before me said, when you remove “wheat flour” (and all gluten flours), it opens up a world of wonderful new flavors — so I am a regular here.

    I know that you said that you are not a fan of chickpea flour (used in pasta, though)…but I like it — not in “sweet” things…but in savory and it does not need eggs! I’ve made the socca type things, a savory pancake, a crepe/tortilla — basically same mix with more or less water. I know that is just 1 “thing”.

    Bottom line, I am on one hand so sorry that this challenge has been added to you, but as both you and others have said…the upside is that with your outlook and positive, loving and food-loving spirit — we will all benefit by the discovery of new things.

    Best, best wishes in your journey and I feel privledged to be here to observe what you choose to share.

  155. Carla

    Just going to add my few words of encouragement to the many others you are receiving. Food allergy testing several years ago sent me on quite an adventure, one that I continue to “tweak”. Food is meant to nourish and energize us, not make us feel unwell. The abundance of joyful, delicious and soulfully nourishing food out there is a blessing, and we just each embrace what works best for ourselves. And yes, breakfast changes!

  156. Kristin

    I just wanted to lament the loss of eggs with you. I went gluten free out of necessity, felt so much better that I thought all was good. All of a sudden the body starts to try to tell you something new, and you can actually listen because cutting out the gluten opened the lines of communication. Eggs! Off the charts, yolk and white. A loss of breakfast/brunch. A loss of the quick “everything in the fridge” frittata for dinner. The loss of portable protein while trying to train for long distance running. You have agreement from me — eggs were harder to lose than gluten. That said, you will adjust. Some days with style, some days kicking and screaming. Good luck!

  157. MaryAnn d

    My 35 year old daughter has always been allergic to eggs, nuts and dairy. It was tough when she was young, but she survived. Last year she was diagnosed with celiac disease, and adding another item to her “you can’t eat this list” was very depressing. It took about 3 months of grieving before she regained her spirits and moved on. So be sure to give yourself some time and space to recover from this loss.
    If you haven’t done it recently, you might consider an elimination diet plan. There are many listed on the web. My celiac husband had been successful in eliminating gluten from his diet, but still had “issues”. We went on an elimination diet and found it really helpful. Through the diet we identified non-gluten foods which he needed to avoid and his “issues” are gone. We have found two reactions to the foods on his avoid list: a) you cannot eat any of it at any time or b) an occasional small amount doesn’t cause problems. The avoid list is completely specific to him and the reactions are predictable. I have come to believe that celiac disease affects the process of absorbing foods that do not contain gluten. We avoid processed foods and read the labels even if the product is marked gluten-free. There is certainly a lot more for the medical community to find out about this disease, but mean while thank you for all you do. Thank goodness chocolate is still safe.

  158. Ada

    Shauna, I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time, though I haven’t commented much. I’m not celiac, but I’ve always enjoyed your writing and recipes nonetheless.

    About a year ago, I went to a naturopath with similar symptoms, and I ended up taking the the same test. Let me share with you the foods which I’m apparently intolerant to: eggs, all dairy products, casein, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, pineapple, banana, cranberries, kidney beans, oysters, almonds (mildly), and… I think that’s it? I honestly forget. When most people hear the list, they look aghast, as if I can’t eat anything. Initially, I was aghast too, for the exact same reasons you describe. I loooooved eggs, and they were a significant part of my diet. Cutting everything out of my diet was hard to do initially, but when I realized how much better I felt, it was fine.

    Once your inflammation levels go down, your body can usually handle the offending substance in tiny amounts, so I’ve actually been able to eat everything on that list since then, I might just save it for a “special occasion”, like cranberries on thanksgiving. I know it might seem hard now, but give your body some time. And honestly, as much as I once loved a gooey poached egg, it tastes sort of weird now that my body is no longer polluted by it. You’ll be fine, don’t worry. :)

  159. Dana

    I will echo what others have already mentioned. You will come out of this one shining. Just keep reminding yourself how much better you feel being egg-free. I have been GF for almost one year now and have a few more allergy tests to go. It is definitely a long, tiring process with a lot of bloting but victory will be ours!

  160. HealthyCaGirl

    Glutenfreegirl,

    I am so sorry to hear about your egg allergy. They are on my list as well, but I still eat them occasionally since I am at the beginning process of a gluten free life (less then 2 months) and am still in shock from being off gluten/wheat in addition to all cheese, cow’s milk, ice cream, butter etc. and all soy products. Thank goodness for rice, corn and potatoes! Thank you for all you do!

    I wish you all the best,
    Kim

  161. Jacqueline

    I am so sorry to read this but was so moved by this post, and your blog as a whole I just had to comment. After a lifetime (okay, only 23 years, but still) of being the “sick girl,” I was diagnosed with celiac. The mourning that I felt for gluten was so strong and similar to what you describe in this post. I wanted to scream every time someone said, “you can still eat so much,” or “no big deal.” I constantly thought of all the things I’d miss eating for the rest of my life. Then, I stopped eating gluten and realized what life could actually be. No confusing stomach issues out of nowhere, no more doctors telling me I need therapy. Waking up in the morning and feeling alive was a life that I never knew could exist. But alas, sometimes I have one bite of baklava at Milos, or of a beautiful sausage at the market. Being comfortable with trying things to see if they make me sick has freed me from ordering lettuce at every restaurant out of fear. Just as you did with gluten, you will try. Sometimes you will fall down, and sometimes you will be fine. It is all we food loving allergic people can do.

  162. dana

    every time someone has eggs, pour your self a shot of scotch, you and me, lady, they get eggs, we get a drink :)

  163. Jacqueline

    As someone who has suffered from allergies as well as celiacs, I know how hard it can be to give up the stuff you love because your body just can’t handle it.

    If you are gasping for breath, my advice is to stay AWAY from the eggs. Why? Because at any point, your throat can close, you can be covered in hives, and your blood pressure can drop drastically. Take it from someone who has been rushed to the hospital for anaphylaxis..you DO NOT want that to happen ESPECIALLY if you are with Lu at the time.

    I have never commented on your blog, but I read your posts all the time and your tweets and I felt that I should tell you to please be careful. Do not take risks when you are wheezing for air and your throat is tightening. Taste buds are a wonderful thing and I too love eggs but you have sooo much more to lose if something were to happen.

    I look forward to your egg-free posts :)

  164. MyRecessionKitchen

    Welcome to my allergy world…egg free. You’re better off staying away from them. I’ve been living without eggs for 25 years and I missed egg salad, so I invented one. I made it with tofu instead of eggs, you can find the recipe on my website. Cakes are easy, I’ve found that apple cider vinegar and baking powder are the best substitute. I’ve got a website full of egg free recipes, just replace the wheat flour with your favorite gluten free blend. Feel free to email me if you have questions.

  165. Juliana

    Shauna,

    I am so sorry! I had the same experience when I went GF, I have always eaten mostly fresh, whole foods so that wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had thought it would be. Eggs though, wow. I have been feeling off again for the last few months, but I have been refusing to go get tested for fear that it is exactly that, an egg allergy.

    I will try to follow your lead and make my health the more important part of my test decision. Thank you for sharing this with us all. As much as I don’t want anyone to have food allergies, sometimes it helps to know that I am not the only one struggling to figure out what my body loves no longer.

    Thank You

  166. M

    Oh, you poor thing. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon. And for breakfast? How about cheesy tortilla-potato home fries?

  167. Abigail

    could i ask what type of doctor you visited? I know its time for me to get some food allergen tests done, but I’m still a little wary of doctors since I had to discover my gluten intolerance by myself after years of doctors missing it!
    Thanks,
    Abigail

    1. shauna

      I have an MD here on Vashon whom I really trust. After more than a decade of doctors I couldn’t trust, I now have two I love. It’s important to find someone you trust.

  168. Cheryl

    I looked to your blog tonight for a bread recipe without gums. Sorry to hear about your egg allergy. We just re-looked at the old allergy report of my daughter, who has been gluten free since 2009. She has celiac, and also an allergy to wheat & egg whites and is lactose intolerant. In looking at the old report the allergy to corn is low, but it is there. We are eliminating corn now in hopes this helps her feel better. Somehow over time the corn allergy just slipped off my radar. She also just had some blood work done to see if something else is going on. I completely sympathize with you. At some point you just wonder what else is going to cause a problem. I was feeling pretty upset when we found out about the corn. Then on NPR they had a segment on a 15 year old boy who can’t take in any food through his mouth and takes all his supplements through IV, and some of the supplements are getting hard to find like calcium. http://wfdd.org/nprnewsstory.php/Shortages-Lead-Doctors-To-Ration-Critical-Drugs/storyid140958404/topicid1066 You are allowed a bit of time to mourn eggs. Then move on, counting all the blessings you enjoy. Thank you for dedication inspiring us to try new recipes for ourselves and the ones we love that have allergies. I’m hoping for a good gluten free, egg free, corn free, lactose free brownie recipe.

    1. shauna

      Writing this post and reading all these comments has already helped me move on into excitement. But that story? Well, it makes me not want to complain again.

    2. Rachel

      Black bean brownies worked for me when I couldn’t figure out how to make gluten free, dairy free, egg free versions. All my attempts ended up greasy and strange. But black bean brownies work! They are moist and awesome and vegan! I adapted the recipe from this blog http://www.nomeatathlete.com/black-bean-brownies/ to gluten-free, but I have modified it further a couple times, once nixing the cocoa powder (cause I was out!) and using melted chocolate instead (and skipping the extra cup of water). A peanut butter swirl, chocolate chips, and various nuts were great too.

  169. Ali

    Oh Shauna, I am so sorry. And I am right there with you, no eggs for me either (or gluten or dairy). I tried probably three times over the last 8 years to stay away from eggs and dairy for a year, then gradually reintroduce (never dreamed of trying that with gluten because my health improvements were so dramatic giving it up). Every time I tried to gradually reintroduce these items, it would seem ok for a while, and then get worse again. Earlier this year I decided once and for all to just embrace life without those things and leave them firmly in the past. It can be VERY difficult, but it is less emotionally draining and tantalizing than having this hope that something might be ok again, and then it isn’t.
    I also second the recommendations for both Blossoming Lotus and Petunia’s, they are both terrific! (Lisa at Petunia’s might use gums though, I am not sure).

  170. Helen

    i also have an egg allergy (along with many others) and miss eggs. i have, however, had great tofu scrambles, so know that those are out there. regarding restaurants — i have made a “business card” of my allergy list and i carry a handful in my purse to give to restaurant staff when i go out. most people respond well to them, and most places i’ve been are really great about fixing something safe.
    good luck and welcome to the club!

  171. Julialuli

    Shauna, Have you seen a good naturopath? My son started having food allergies out of the blue, including lobster, which caused a mild anaphalactic reaction. These allergies were due to a weakened immune system. Once that was corrected, he was able to eat lobster again, without a reaction. I don’t fully understand allergies, but I know there are alternatives available and food allergies CAN be corrected. Best.

    1. shauna

      Sadly, they can’t always be corrected. I’m playing this by ear, one day at a time. And my doctor is actually an MD who was later trained as an ND. Best of both worlds. We’re working on this together.

  172. rachel

    Years ago my spouse was diagnosed — with the blood test — with allergies to eggs, soy & mushrooms. Very similar symptoms to yours. He wasn’t too crazy about mushrooms anyway, so that didn’t bother him. But oy, soy is in so many things that eating out was a real challenge, not to mention any asian food. And eggs were a close second in challenge, especially for me as the primary cook (and baker!). I made quick breads (& muffins, cakes, etc.) with Egg Replacer (a commercial product) for years, and then flax meal (soak in hot water then whisk) but actual eggs were out of the question. Eventually we learned about NAET and he went to a doctor who could treat him using that method. Amazingly enough this doctor cleared him of his allergies. He now eats both soy and eggs with abandon. Their website explains the process and also has a link where you can find someone near you who is trained: http://naet.com/ I hope this helps!

  173. Aly

    Did your doctor say to avoid eggs because of the lutein? I’m GF and DF and am thinking i may be allergic to lutein…

  174. Ashley

    Shauna, I feel you pain (literally). When I found out about my food allergies, my tests showed that I was allergic to wheat/gluten, all dairy, eggs, chicken, turkey, bananas, blueberries, and some random other things. If I ONLY had to be gluten free, my life would be a breeze! 4 years later, I can eat some dairy such as organic butter, but definitely not milk or cream. I haven’t had the courage to try an egg by itself, but I don’t really have reactions to a baked good with a little egg in it from time to time.

    Your comment on the vegan breakfast with a side of bacon is hilarious! I get the same looks, especially at breakfast, because that’s the hardest meal to eat out for. Also, I have the best vegan, gluten free cupcakes that I make with buttercream (thus, nixing the vegan part!), because I still haven’t found a good replacement for buttercream, and seriously, who can give up homemade buttercream!?!

    This is the exact reason why I went back to school for nutrition, and now coach people one-on-one with multiple food allergies. You can feel totally lost, and upset, and like you need to mourn a death. It took me 2 years to feel somewhat normal again, and to navigate the gluten, egg, and diary free scene, and I never want my friends, family, or clients to EVER feel that alone EVER!

  175. nestofhoper

    I had a similar reaction when I was tested and eggs came to the forefront. I too had headaches, lethargy and couldn’t put my finger on it. I am at the point since last Feb that I can tolerate a tiny bit of mayo twice a week. Since I don’t eat dairy or gluten, I bake with applesauce if making baked goods at home, or buy items without it at my local whole foods organic store.
    My cravings went as I began to adjust to the new mindset. Eggs are for chicken, not for me!
    A few in the family still eat them for brekkie, but I don’t make them anymore, so not tempted to try. Feeling better about yourself, that your body is feeling better will help you finish the grieving and move into a freer reality. We are all free to choose whatever we want to eat. We are also free NOT to.

  176. Natalie

    I normally don’t post comments, but I really feel for you with the egg thing. After my 2nd kid was born I started having really serious hives all over my body every time I ate eggs or something with eggs in it (even baked goods). It felt like the hives were inside my body too since I started having ovarian cysts (the rupturing kind) coinciding with the hives (related?). Anyway my allergy test came back off the chart for eggs. No eggs, no more hives, no more cysts. For 6 months I was egg free (so hard) and then on holiday in the UK I was starving (breakfast in the UK sucks if you can’t have eggs), nursing and travelling and being hungry all the time took its toll and I caved and had the full english breakfast. No more hives.…it has been three and a half years and I’m still okay with eggs. I haven’t been re-tested, but my reaction was pretty dramatic and now no reaction. Maybe, hopefully your experience will be the same.

  177. Amanda

    Mmm… my doctor told me that he could test me for allergies, but that the tests aren’t accurate. I ended up on his “elimination diet.” The thing that stood out for me was that both eggs and chicken were on the “not allowed” list. Apparently, they have the same protein structure and if eggs give you problems, there’s a chance that chicken can too.

  178. Madeline

    Hi Shauna,

    It’s been a really rough year for me, for a lot of reasons I won’t disclose here. But during the worst of it, I was reading your book and loving it and finding hope there. So, I hope you’ll take this cookbook suggestion in that spirit: http://www.amazon.com/Enlightened-Kitchen-Vegetable-Dishes-Temples/dp/4770024932/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

    It’s a book on Buddhist temple cuisine, which abstains from eggs as well as meat, and does very creative things with tofu and other proteins to facilitate complete meals. I’m a big Asian food fan, which is how I know about it. I also know that one of your methods for living gluten-free was to focus on the things you could eat, rather than then things you couldn’t. This latest diagnosis might not just be an invitation to better health, but an invitation to new cultures. There are whole worlds out there yet to be discovered: dosas! appams! curries! kimchi! chestnut rice! black sesame ice cream! pumpkin chowder with rice dumplings! pureed lentils with apricots and cumin oil! duck fat poutine with lamb sausage and chevre!

    Mourn eggs. Then eat a traditional Japanese breakfast: salmon poached in ginger and lemon, seasonal pickles, salad with creamy sesame dressing, miso soup with silky tofu and wakame, fresh fruit, a bowl of hot rice topped with salt and herbs. Try India’s spinach-flecked dosas stuffed with chana masala. Try Indonsia’s bubur ayam with shredded chicken and crispy shallots, available from street vendors every morning. Try dried pollock soup in garlic broth with radishes and scallions, Korea’s hangover breakfast. These are all gluten-free and egg-free, and they’re how other parts of the world start the day. They can often be made ahead, or with leftovers. They can bear substitutions for specialty ingredients (or you can buy those ingredients at Uwajimaya, during your next trip to Seattle). They’re doable, they’re delicious, and they don’t involve early-morning flour weighing.

    This is your life. It’s about discovery, not deprivation. That’s what you’ve said here, and I know it’s still true.

    1. shauna

      YES! Everything you wrote is what I believe, particularly after writing this post and reading all these comments. I love your ideas for breakfast. And I am ordering that book today.

      1. blissing

        And Chinese rice porridge, or Jook! Without the 1,000 year egg that you probably wouldn’t like anyway.

  179. sage

    I couldn’t eat eggs when pregnant with my 2nd son, they just grossed me out. He’s 19 now, and guess what, eggs have been grossing me out for a couple of years again. Sometimes, though, I think I’d like to try them again. Then I think about it too much and bleah.

    Anyway. This recipe for Egg Foo Yung is really awesome, if you sub g-free flour mix and tamari where appropriate:
    chowvegan.com/2010/09/26/tofu-egg-foo-yung/

    Sprinkling extra black salt on before you eat it really does fool me into thinking I’m eating eggs, but somehow it isn’t gross.

  180. Dawn

    Eggs are a difficult allergy. I actually grew up without eggs as a regular part of my diet because my mother has an egg allergy. She found that baked goods she could tolerate them and occasionally she would have one at breakfast but mainly stayed away from them.

    I know there are a lot of egg substitutes, but my mom found the easiest way of dealing with it was just to give up foods that heavily relied on eggs. At the time there weren’t as many substitutes, but even now they just aren’t the same as eggs.

    Shots are a big deal for people with egg allergies, and it’s not obvious. My mom is not able to take a lot of shots, especially vaccines such as the flu shot, because eggs are incorporated into the vaccine and her allergic reaction makes the shots ineffective or actually more harmful than going without the vaccine.

    Good luck!

  181. alexis

    oh shauna!! i feel your pain! i found out i was egg intolerant at the same time i found out i was gluten intolerant. my heart sank. i love eggs. oh, and bananas. who the heck has issues with bananas?!?! i guess i do. soon afterwards, i discovered allergies to dairy as well. you and isa from the post punk kitchen (http://www.theppk.com/) have been God sends. from your substituting by weight 140 grams per cup of all purpose flour and her delectable egg free, dairy free vegan treats, i’ve been able to make all sorts of wonderful goodies! i hope that’s somewhat helpful. and you always have the babycakes cookbook. :)

  182. Holly

    I’ve been following your blog for a few years now & always find it amusing & full of good things, especially recipes. Just came here now to look up your brownie recipe. I’m sensitive to eggs more so the egg white but my oldest daughter is very allergic to the whole egg. I find the egg replacer, Ener-G egg replacer, quite good in most recipes. I know it’s an adjustment but I know you’ll conquer it!

  183. Emily

    Throughout last year I was having trouble with all foods that I decided to focus on a RAW diet to give my body a break. Making this changed helped me to realize what an amazing Raw and Vegan community was out there. Not just blogs but also wonderful cookbooks, resteraunts and culinary schools. Only recently have I have been putting meat and dairy back in as I cannot live 100% Raw at the moment but you would not believe what you can do without Eggs or Dairy.

    I am actually excited for you because I believe this will help broaden this website and teach everyone new ways to highlight fruits, veggies, herbs and spices in ways that only you can come up with. Your blog and books are such great resources for people all over the world and it will only get better!

    One of my favorite RAW comfort foods is the RAW Lime Pudding. You would not believe that there is no dairy in this recipes because the mixture of creaminess from the Avocado and the sweetness from the Banana combines in a way that is perfect and takes very similar to a dairy filled pudding. Every time I feel sorry for myself I whip a batch of this pudding and realize that not only can I eat pudding as a meal but I feel amazing after I am done eating.

    Good luck and keep up the good work. I recently just had to go Gluten Free after realizing that I am very allergic to gluten, wheat and oats. It has been an interesting adventure but not a bad one because I had been transitioning to the RAW diet over the last year. Now I am tweaking what I learned and healthier and happier than I have ever been.

    Let me know if you would like any links to the vegan and RAW blogs I visit daily. They are truly inspirational.

      1. Emily

        I can’t remember where I found the recipe but basically I use 1 avocado per 1 or 2 bananas depending on how sweet you like it. This helps create the base of the pudding. Then I would recommend 2 or more large limes or 4 or more key limes. Juice them and grate the lime peel if they are organic to help flavor the pudding. Place everything in a blender and just blend till it’s the consistency you desire. I have also made Kiwi pudding, cherry pudding and chocolate cherry pudding this way as well.

        There are so many variations you can make and it also makes for a good yogurt substitute for breakfast and it is incredibly filling. I have sprinkled it with nuts and seeds for a kind of parfait with some fresh fruit on top. My only other suggestion would be if it is too creamy for your tastes to try adding coconut milk to cut the level.

        I know there is a RAW restaurant on the Island now which has great stuff. And there is a wonderful one in Seattle as well. And feel free to ping me anytime if you need more suggestions or links. It’s so much fun to “cook” raw.

  184. Sara

    Don’t worry I know at first it feels like there is nothing left to eat, but you will find your way. I can’t have gluten, dairy, corn or egg whites but it is actually not too bad. I really don’t miss eggs at all and considering how bad animal protein is for our health I’m totally fine with it. I am also excited to see what new recipes you come up with because I have had a very hard time making bread without eggs. I wouldn’t recommend using the EnerG egg replacer because I know a couple of people including myself that had a bad reaction to it after consuming it.

  185. Joanna

    Thought from a day of considering living an egg-free life:
    I’m sure you’ve already thought of vegan cookbooks as a great source for egg-free options but I thought I’d throw the book “How It All Vegan” out as an option. These 2 ladies have LOTS of wonderful vegan recipes for common, everyday stuff (i.e. egg salad!) In fact, I use their cookbook fairly often for a completely non-vegan family, so it must be pretty good. They talk about different ways to substitute for eggs (and a bunch of other ingredients) in various recipes. (Not to mention there’s a great section of recipes for non-toxic household cleaners, which is so unusual for a “cookbook”!)

  186. Janet

    Like all of the other commenters, I am sorry that you have to learn to live without a food you love. And like a few other commenters, I am curious about the test that gave you the results. My 14 year old daughter was diagnosed with celiac 2 years ago. She tells me constantly how bad she still feels, although things definitely improved after she gave up gluten (increased growth, fewer intestinal issues, no more herpetiformis rash). I suspect that she has another food allergy but it seems the GIs never seem able to give productive tests. Any help on this? Thank you for your blog, books, and insight.

  188. Bellingham Barb

    I am SO SORRY! What a frustration. I, too, am an egg lover. I, too, have some of the things going on that you have been having since giving up gluten. Sigh. Maybe another whack at the Whole Life Nutrition elimination diet is warranted.
    Meantime, as a current egg eater (and wife of a long-suffering vegan–he’s one for health reasons, not because he really wants to be one) I can fully endorse tofu egg salad. Extra firm tofu, veganaisse, mustard (preferably Mother Priscia’s Hot Mustard from Our Lady of the Rock Monastary on Shaw Island–a place everyone should visit, Catholic, or not. Check out their website, and you will pack the car today), and a pinch of that black salt with the sulfur overtones. Yum. Really. But, really.…Ugh. What a bummer.

  189. laurie

    I can’t help but comment on this post. Trust your body and what it tells you. I think everyone who’s in this situation has moments where they weigh the pluses and minuses of eating something that gives them problems. Experiment, but I’ve eventually found it easier just to cut out eggs completely than create a mathematical equation of how much egg with what ingredients won’t make me ill. I don’t have the patience for it, especially with a little one around the house. And it sucks, a lot. I miss eggs much more than I miss gluten. Yes, I’ve managed work-arounds for most egg uses, but I just really like the taste of eggs. Good luck to you, you’ll figure out what works best. It may not be the easiest (or the most delicious) choice but you’re resilient.

  190. Nikki

    So sorry Shawna! I understand the mourning. I went gluten free about 4 months ago. I told my husband that I could handle it as long as I could still eat chips & salsa. I recently found out I was allergic to COFFEE, tea, chocolate, turkey and TOMATOES! I cried for a week and threw a few tantrums. I can say that I felt better once I eliminated those foods. Thanks for your blog. It is much appreciated!

  191. Sacha

    Hi Shauna. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. I too am allergic to gluten, eggs and almonds. Unfortunately I found out about them all at the same time, through a test like the one you just took. My egg allergy is also off the charts (literally). At first it feels terrible. Who doesn’t want to whip up a quick omelet after a long day? You wonder, what am I supposed to eat for breakfast now? You grow sick of smoothies. You avoid brunch with friends (something that I still do). But eventually, like with gluten, you adapt.

    I have found that I can tolerate a small amount of egg in baked goods (when its spread out over a dozen muffins, one egg is not so bad). And egg yolks are better than egg whites. And there are things you can use to substitute in your baking too. I have no doubt that you will learn about them quickly and joyously.

    Hang in there!

  192. bonnie (aka AmpuTeeHee)

    Hi. I’m relatively new to your blog. I landed here several weeks ago when my awesome new doc suggested I eliminate wheat (I eliminated all gluten), dairy, and sugar while I awaited allergy test results. I have suspected I have food sensitivites for a long time, and for the last couple of years have had that “not quite right” feeling you described so well. I eliminated all those things, and still felt pretty craptastic.

    Well, my bloodwork came back a little over a week ago, and I am allergic to eggs and almonds. As badly as I am feeling your pain, I have to admit that I am a little tickled to not feel so alone in this (sorry). Like you, I can also live without almonds (plenty of nuts/fish “in the sea”), but not only was I eating them (or drinking almond milk) regularly, I was also slathering them all over my body by way of almond oil in soaps and lotions! No wonder I had a rash! Sheesh. Eggs, on the other hand.…I am having trouble wrapping my brain around, and I was even a strict vegan for a few years in my 20’s, and I am trained chef/caterer who specialized in working with dietary restrictions. They are Just. In. Everything. *sigh*

    If it makes you feel any better, I also tested off the charts for kidney beans (and all their cousins: black, pinto, cannellini, etc) and green beans too, and I am moderately sensitive to pineapple (whatever), brewer’s yeast (bye bye beer and wine), and.…this makes me cry even more than the eggs.….GARLIC (*sniff sniff*). I part of me kinda died a little inside.

    I look forward to keeping up with you on your journey! Thanks for everything you share. It truly is helpful.

  193. Kathy

    So sorry Shauna!!
    I know how you feel, my tests showed pinto beans and corn (and a few others) but PINTO BEANS and CORN…ummmm, what about the mexican food I eat several times a week?? Enjoying a margarita, good conversation and an endless basket of tortilla chips??? Guess I’ll take the margarita and good conversation :-)
    Like you said, you need some time and the energy you continue to feel will be the best reward!
    And sometimes if you want to cheat you can, and you know the extent of the consequences.
    At least you know, right?
    I will hold a deviled egg memorial for you ;-)

  194. Monica

    my sister pointed me at your blog last year — I couldn’t figure out what was “off”, so based on a strong family history of food intolerances, I tried an elimination diet. Off my list — wheat/yeast, eggs, legumes (including soy), alliums (onions and garlic), vinegar/wine, commercially raised beef, and freaking CHICKEN.

    I definitely feel for you — I think I cried when I figured out that I couldn’t have wine anymore. But selfishly, I’m thrilled to see what you come up with, especially as a cheese stabilizer for things like lasagna and ravioli. Or for pumpkin pie. That would be the two things I miss the most.

    And people ask me all the time how I live without eating ______ (oddly, mostly garlic. please, people. there are other flavors in the universe). My response? The momentary pleasure of eating that food is so diminished by my knowledge of what I’m going to feel like afterwards that it mostly isn’t worth it.

  195. Anne Schulz

    Shauna,
    I totally understand your frustration with the realization of being told you can’t eat eggs anymore! I am 21 years old and have been struggling with food intolerances for 7 years…I have been identified Celiac for 5 of those years, but just last year I went back in to my doctor after feeling “not myself.” I took the same allergy test you speak of, and the results were overwhelming…
    I found out that my body can;t tolerate Dairy, Soy, Egg, Peanut, Amaranth, Beans, and Sugar Cane…all in addition to Gluten. It has been quite the experience trying to be creative in the kitchen while keeping a “positive” attitude toward food. I love to eat, and cook…but right now it is a bit limited.
    When you commented about your thinking “Hi, I’m allergic to Gluten and Eggs. Can you feed me anything?” I totally could relate! Eating a meal out of my own control is a big no-no for me…
    I keep hoping that someday my intestines will heal, and some of these foods can be reintroduced, but until then, my creative cooking skills are being improved!

  196. Joanne

    Oh dear I sympathise with you, and I feel a little scared.

    There is unfairness in you having to give up eggs. But you have been so positive with the way you have handled being GF I’m sure you will bounce back soon, after you have grieved a little. And eggs are not like gluten which is TOTALLY off the menu for medical reasons, you can occasionally have an egg — but at what cost, the breathing thing and lack of energy sounds bad.

    My 8yo son started a GF diet 2 months ago when he was diagnosed with coeliac and still gets fatigue, headaches, dizziness, irritability and intermittent significant stomach pain — will take up to a year to heal according to the gastroenterologist! It’s already been over a year because doctors ignored him for so long. I’m trying to teach him to listen to his body and learn what works for him. I’ve taken him off lactose and excess fructose for the moment and that appears to be helping somewhat. I think I will have to pursue allergy testing for him as I just don’t want him to feel any more pain. I really hope its not corn too as we have been making tortillas and he loves them. I had no idea that corn was off the menu for so many coeliacs.

    All the best Shauna, I love reading your site and trying out your recipes. Sympathy to you regarding eggs…

    Joanne

  197. Karen

    I so feel your pain. It was nearly five years ago when I took one of those IGg/IGe tests and discovered my gluten sensitivity. I also tested off the charts on eggs, especially egg whites, almonds, cashews, ginger, green beans, and corn sugar and I had medium sensitivities to a lot of other things. 30 items total. I had horrible migraines and other inflammation, plus other symptoms. I read a lot of different things about how to deal with these kinds of food allergies. Some people say to avoid them for 9 months to two years and then try them again. That is what I did with everything except gluten. I still find eggs bother me a bit so I try to not eat them every day, but it is true that they don’t bother me when baked in something.

    Eggs are hard to eliminate, but I did discover that my baked goods tasted pretty good without them. The egg replacement is kind of hard to get right, but it does work. Tofu is often a good substitute for things like scrambled eggs or egg salad.

    For two years I carried around a card with all my allergies on it, took it to Paris, even, and I was fine. I remember envying you at the time, with only a gluten problem. I know right now you are in shock. When you start feeling sorry for yourself over it, just think of the people who have even more allergies. If anyone can make lemonade out of this, you can. I’ll be pulling for you.

  198. yittie

    my 2 1/2 year old son was diagnosed with cileac when he was 11 months old and very sick, he has since become the most amazing healthy and energetic child. your blog saved me in the first days after his diagnosis when i had no clue ware to start and what to feed him. i am a pastry chef and switching to baking gluten free at home was a cinch thanks to you guys. thank you
    my sister cant eat eggs for about ten years now and since i started baking gluten free baking egg free has become easier as well, i found a interesting post yesterday on baking egg free but unfortunately it’s in Hebrew (i live in Israel) the thing i never herd about before was using tahini (sesame paste) instead of eggs in baked goods, i love tahini so i think it will make a wonderful substitute taste wise. worth a try…
    of coarse my sister is allergic to sesame…

    good luck

    yittie

  199. Mary-Kate

    What is the name of the test that the doctor gave you, and what was involved (i.e. is it a typical skin allergy test)? I would be most appreciative if you could post that info. Best of luck and health to you.

  200. Emily

    Oh my. Challenges on top of challenges do start to weigh heavily. I have been anaphylactic to dairy, eggs, several nuts, mustard and red meat since birth and avoiding all that was second nature until I had to go gluten free three years ago. Of course it’s worth it because cutting out gluten made me feel like a new person, but it was — and still can be — rough going getting over the loss of another food. And just in the last few weeks I have found out that my problems with gluten are not due to the previously suspected gluten intolerance but to EGID (eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease) and there may be a few other trigger foods I need to be avoiding. So your post feels very timely to me, Shauna — and I hope you and happily whipping up egg-free creations soon.

  201. Mira C

    Shauna,

    I have read your blog for years, absolutely fell in love with your cookbook, and while I mostly do not comment on your posts, I wanted to reach out and let you know that it is going to be ok, and that you’re not alone.

    Last October (’10), after years of intestinal problems, constant stomach aches and bloating, and a diagnosis of IBS (“Here, take this fiber!”), I went to a naturopath and got the same test as you did. I, too, was told I could not eat gluten (which I suspected already), as well as eggs, soy, peanuts and almonds (and asparagus. Asparagus?!?). I had the same reaction — fine, take the gluten, the nuts, even the soy, but not the eggs!

    Eggs are a lot harder to avoid, especially in baking. But I’ve been making your whole grain muffins with applesauce instead of eggs, and they are darned good. They don’t have the same structure or slight crunch that eggy-muffins have, but my gluten-and-egg-eating friends have all greatly enjoyed them, and I can enjoy them knowing that I can eat them without turning into Violet Beauregard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4_cf_fZDc0). It takes a lot of patience, learning to cook/bake without eggs, as things will not turn out the same as their egg-filled predecessors. But the same is true with gluten. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how strictly you want to cut eggs out of your diet; but if you do decide to head down an eggless cooking path, we will be here to support you through it.

    As for breakfast: next time you are in Seattle for the weekend, definitely swing by Cafe Flora (http://www.cafeflora.com/index.php). I will admit my bias, having worked there for many years, but they have some DELICIOUS gluten and egg-free breakfast (and dinner) options. Gluten free, egg free, soy free waffle? Yes please. And although I cannot speak about potential cross contamination, Wild Mountain Cafe in Ballard (http://www.wildmtncafe.com/Wild_Mountain_Cafe/home.html), Cafe Soleil in Madrona, and the Hi Spot Cafe also in Madrona (http://www.hispotcafe.com/) each have a nice gluten and egg free breakfast item — all involve potatoes, vegetables, and some combination of cheese, sour cream, and salsa, and they are all very tasty. Lots of restaurants nowadays also do tofu scrambles as well.

    So do not lose hope. Take your time to mourn, to decide how to proceed, to recalibrate, but know that there are delicious options out there for you.

    Mira

  202. prunella

    Shauna,

    I was diagnosed with egg allergy 20 years ago. The smallest amount of egg would cause a really bad rash (but no chocking). For 3–4 years I was completely egg free. I then started to slowly introduce eggs. I was fine if there was one or two eggs in a larger quantity of cooked food (muffins, quick breads), but not if they were more concentrated (custards, quiches, etc) or raw (mayo). After a few years I went to a different allergist and he told me that I can eat any other eggs but chicken eggs. I began slowly with quail, duck, and turkey eggs. I had no issue with those at all as long as they were cooked–either on their own or in other food. Five years ago I introduced raw quail/duck eggs (mayo) and then organic chicken eggs (really slowly, bit by bit). I am completely fine now as long as the eggs are farm eggs or organic, but not with commercial ones (like someone else suggested). I had a bunch of other food allergies (on top of celiac). My allergist asked me to eliminate all the allergens and then slowly introduce one by one, until I found the quantities I could tolerate (it took about a year to figure it all out). The only two remaining ones (out of about 30 different food items) are carrots (only in large quantities and if raw) and chocolate (not even a smidgen). I do, however, still avoid medications and vaccines made with eggs (so no flu shot for me…)

    You might also want to try staying off chicken for a while. A lot of people with egg allergy/intolerance react to chicken as well (although not as violently).

    If anyone can figure this out…it’s you! We are all rooting for you and are here to support you through this.

  203. Emily

    I can relate — I also just found out (via IgE test) that eggs and almonds are off-limits for me, and this makes me sadder than the verdict that dairy is also out (and yeast/wheat). Eggs are just so great, for so many reasons; and how are we supposed to go out to brunch now?! But in reality, feeling great is a wonderful thing, so if we have to modify our diets, so be it. (I just hate being one of those people at a restaurant who nit-picks over every ingredient.)

    I’m looking forward to seeing if you begin posting some egg-free recipes… I could certainly use them!

  204. Megan

    You write about eggs with such passion that I felt myself craving something I’ve never actually liked and personally choose not to eat. My husband, however, would love to eat eggs if he could. He’d love to eat a lot of things. You’re right, having a second intolerance/allergy on top of gluten is definitely a pain in the ass but I promise you’ll get used to it rather fast. Imagine being allergic to: gluten, dairy, eggs, garlic, and red meat. Complicated! We rarely dine out. My husband is not a vegan but for all intents and purposes might as well be when it comes to baking … and he gets weird looks too when he orders something “vegan” and asks for chicken on it.

    I wish you all the best as you figure out how to live your life without eggs … even if it’s just something you only have to do temporarily.

    Cheers!

  205. Jennifer

    I’ve had food allergies off and on for 40+ years, starting in infancy. My experience is that some of them, like milk, have always been a problem and remain a problem. Others seem to come and go through the years. My wellness coaching clients report similar experiences of some being permanent and others coming and going. The most helpful things I’ve done through the years include anything to strengthen my immune system (including probiotics and eating organic foods) plus practicing mindfulness meditation and daily mindfulness to manage stress. Yep, eggs… tough one. Welcome to the gluten-free, egg-free world. Hopefully it’s a temporary stop for you!

  206. Wendie

    posted this on your Facebook page, but it might reach you here a little faster:

    Have you thought it may be a protein in the yolks you are reacting to? Both Aioloi and Lobster sauce are heavy on yolks — hence the creaminess. I wonder what would happen if you tried whites only… Maybe an egg-white omlet?

  207. Wendie

    Oh, just thought of something else.…

    I read an article recently that said Kendall-Jackson is moving away from using a “wheat flour paste” to seal their barrels and will be using an egg-based sealant instead.

    It’s on their website. Good luck!

  208. Kendra

    I totally felt the same way when the doctor told us that our son couldn’t have eggs. He’s been off them for an entire year, was just recently re-tested (same test you took) and the inflamation has gone all the way down. I’ve gotten really good at baking without eggs though. I stay away from “egg replacer” and go for fruit or veggie purees and or flax meal. Chia and psyllium would probably be great too. To replace 1 egg you can use 1 tbsp flax meal mixed in 3 tbsp warm — hot water. To replace an egg with a fruit or veggie puree you can do 3 tbsp puree with 1 tsp baking powder (Living Without recommended the baking powder). I’ve found just using the puree is sufficient enough…just think 3 tbsp puree per egg. Tofu is also a great solution. That’s great you can still have that. We were off that for the full year too. Best of luck to you. You can do it!

  209. Kendra

    OH! One more thing…the doctor suggested we try duck eggs. It was specifically chicken eggs that they test for. They carried them at the Queen Anne farmers market. If you can find them around there, great. You will master the puree method, I just know it.

  210. Kathleen

    There are a lot of comments, so I don’t know if someone has brought this up yet or not, but have you tried egg whites and egg yolks separately? I know someone who is very allergic to a protein that is in the yolks, but not the whites, so he can still eat all the egg whites he wants. No matter what though, you’ll figure this out. You’re so good at finding solutions to things like this. And we’ll all be here to help with ideas!

    1. Penny Ngai

      Shauna,
      I’m so sorry to hear about the egg thing…but I am emphasizing what Kathleen said. I can’t eat the yolks, but I can eat the whites, and I also add powdered whites to stuff to add protein. Give me a yolk and I’ll have a massive migraine/ sinus thing going.

      I also wonder if we are all in the same boat. Someone mentioned our bodies are probably tuned in to overreacting, and I believe that is true. I have so many allergies, and not just digestive– and the list seems to grow every year. In fact, I have an allergy to bleach, which I found out the hospitals don’t take seriously as most people really aren’t, and so I got hives before a surgery and freaked my surgeon out because a nurse thought it would be OK to place a bleached blanket over non-bleached sheets. I’ve learned through this and other experiences that the Docs are just guessing, and we are the only ones that truly know what our bodies do. Also– don’t be afraid to DEMAND what you need when you are out. Other people may think you are crazy, but you MUST protect yourselves. People without these problems just don’t get it (and I speak as someone who used to be that way before my stuff came out, sad to say!)

      Blessings!

    2. shauna

      Sadly, I tested positive for both yolks and whites. Most of the eggs we eat come from our sister-in-law’s chickens, which are a small batch, lovingly cared for, not fed wheat as grain. And I still react to them. So, at least I know.

  211. m e l

    Have you considered trying N.A.E.T.? I’m sure there are several practitioners in your area that do it. Just a thought. Because going without eggs would suck.

  212. Bebe

    Well that just stinks! But judging from all of the supportive posts above, it sounds like you’re in good company. Count me among those looking forward to recipes that are gluten AND egg free.

  213. Sandra

    I feel your pain. Last year, in desperation, I went through Break Free Boot Camp which had us eliminate the top 6 food sensitivity culprits (as they define the top 6). I already knew that I had a peanut allergy (tested way positive but never had the really obvious physical reactions). We went gluten, dairy, corn, soy, eggs, and peanut free (sugar too, but that’s me anyway) for 1-month and then began to rotate in 1 group for 3 or 4 days and monitor ourselves for the next 3 or 4. We kept journals and wrote down ‘symptoms’ (did a pre-program questionnaire to compare). I cleaned out everything we couldn’t have. Wouldn’t you know that this is when the picky 20 yo DD decided she needed to learn how to cook before moving to GA this year. Some things I made her hide in her bedroom.

    Wow, 2 weeks in, I accidentally had an item with some cheese hidden in it. Within 24 hours, I was doubled over in agony. My honey was along for the ride (’cause I do all the cooking) and we discovered that he has the egg problem big time.

    The month that I abstained was the best I have felt in years. After sliding back into gluten and dairy, my 2 day monthly ‘hormonal’ headaches have returned. Not like normal headaches. Only certain types of dairy seem to bother me.

    After finding your site and giving up almost all gluten again the past few weeks (you are a huge inspiration), I feel 80% better. After reading your first book (in one afternoon) and rereading the next day, I sent the now-21 yo DD your website. I’m almost positive she needs to go gluten-free. She has struggled for several years with her stomach (intense pain) and headaches, especially after eating, but all the docs would do was prescribe antacids and GERD stuff which didn’t help.We kept thinking ‘carbohydrate’ but I didn’t know anything about gluten in particular.

    Thanks for all you do in your pursuits as they make our lives so much better!

    1. shauna

      Sandra, thank you so much for this. Feeling better is the best reward. I’m already feeling better after reading all these responses!

  214. lisa

    Shauna — we met years ago — you were touring for your first book at Mariposa bakery in Oakland CA. I remember telling you about my desire to write an allergy cookbook due to my multiple allergies. You and Danny were very kind and encouraging. Anyways, I had to cut out 15 of the most common food items from my diet for 8 weeks (eggs, wheat, potatoes, rice.….). Eventually I added things back in, but have remained gluten free since then. I find that when allergy season is really tough (spring and fall especially), if I go on my diet for 6–8 weeks, I feel incredibly better — more energy and everything — as you described. I try to do this once or twice a year and it has helped me immensely — perhaps it might be useful for you too! Good luck!

  215. Erin

    I too have found out that I have an egg allergy. Along with dairy, gluten, almonds, and corn! I don’t have celiacs, but I was recently diagnosed with MS and have been doing everything in my own power to keep my immune system down. I haven’t had any trouble with eggs or dairy in baked goods– my ND says that they are changed in the baking process and therefore more tolerable for people with sensitivities! If you are worried though maybe try the Ener-G Egg Replacer? I’ve used it in some of the recipes I make and it’s not bad. :o )

  216. Kiki

    I hope you know how inspiring you have been to me. I took a similar test (ELISA) back in April. I had just found out that not only could I not have wheat/dairy like I had been told six months earlier, but I could not have eggs, corn, rice, beans, soy, dairy, shell fish, spinach, tomatoes etc. I was devastated! Two days later you wrote your “Yes” blog about saying yes to health. Having grown up with a mom from Mexico whose dishes always included at least one of these ingredients was heartbreaking. I went to visit her and she and I went to work in her kitchen to find healthful ways to nurish me. While my diet is “limited”, I feel so much healthier since I said “yes” to being healthy. Once and a while I have some of these ingredients and I always feel badly afterwards (sort of like a hangover with a wicked headache). I never do it more than once in a week’s time. I am basically eating organic (or hunted game) meats and some fruit (no bananas or canatloupe) and vegetables (no broccoli which I love!). I don’t eat any grains or sweets except pure dark chocolate. I am lean and many people ask me how much I must exercise to be so lean. When I tell them I have a “limited” diet, they tell me they are jealous! Can you believe that! I would never wish this on anyone! Thanks to you I have decided to say “YES!” to health and plan on staying that way so I can watch my children grow.

  217. Susan

    Shauna, maybe test yourself with raw (fresh good quality happy) eggs. I have reactions similar to yours when I eat eggs, even when in baked goods. But my body feels good with raw eggs. They are delicious and there is so much you can do with them!! It might be worth a shot for you, too. Supposedly the protein structure changes pretty drastically when the egg is cooked…though maybe that aioli was raw egg, come to think about it. Anyway, I was egg-free for a long time and my heart goes out to you.

    1. shauna

      Susan, the aioli was raw eggs. I’m coming to terms with the fact that eggs just don’t work for me anymore.

  218. Susan

    I feel for you. I live with a celiac, and I am also gluten sensitive. I had the same test done at the end of June and the results showed ALL dairy, eggs, cane sugar, soy, amaranth, asparagus, almonds, and pecans at very high levels. I was already gluten free, and meat free (allergic to beef) … so basically now I have to avoid all animal proteins, as well as all the other things on the list. Well, I had been feel so rotten, that I decided it was worth the try to eliminate and see what happend. I have not felt so good in years … no more bloat, IBS issues, foggy head, etc. I am okay with it, I have developed a whole new way of eating vegan and its been fun experimenting and coming up with some great recipes. My kids still eat anything they want (nothing seems to bother them) and my celiac husband has decided to eat less protein (see Forks over Knives) and has been feeling great on a mostly vegan diet as well! Not that I am saying everyone go vegan, thats just what I emerged into as a result of my tests, and I feel GREAT!! So, there is hope out there. Oh yes, about two-three weeks into the elimination, I had a horrible 3 day headache, which I had been warned might happen … and told that as my body detoxed from the antibodies I might experience the odd detox symptome, but for the most part, it has been great. All the best to you in your new journey!!

  219. Jill

    Eggs are so easy to get around in baking…in fact, being forced to be egg free could be a blessing for gf bakers. Remember how all gf yeast bread recipes used to be so egg heavy, and tasted like, well, eggs? I never liked those anyhow.

    I can eat eggs, but generally choose not to. I think flax is a great replacer. I pretty much never use Egg Replacer (the powder). There are good vegan cookbooks, and good products (Vegenaise, for example…though I only like the original version). You can SO do this, and your recipes will be useful to an even larger audience!!

  220. Exzo

    Hi Shauna:
    Eggs are pretty amazing, but feeling healthy and vital is much better than a hard-boiled egg. With my family history of Celiac’s, I strive to be GF, but also soy free, dairy free, and (red) meat free as much as possible. Imagine if you were allergic to garlic and that entire plant family — onion, shallots, green onions, leeks, chives — like me…
    In the presence of all those ingredients, there’s still a big world out there to eat and enjoy. And I still manage to make incredible meals. You will, too. I know you and Danny will soar with creativity in the presence of this fresh challenge, and I look forward to your gifts! xoML

  221. Shawnette Fox

    This post has me crying-literally-as I just received the same news last week. No eggs, no beef, no chocolate. I can deal with the beef. It’s too hard and expensive buying beef worth eating anyway. Surprisingly, I can even deal with the chocolate. But as the days go by, and I can’t fix my oh-so-comforting huevos rancheros for breakfast, and I can’t eat the tuna salad my son made for our lunch, and I can’t enjoy the eggs benedict I JUST mastered making, and I’m NOT starting to feel better yet, it’s hitting me VERY hard. I’m with you-no remorse for gluten. And I can bake hypo-allergic goodies that people rave over. But to go to my parents’ farm and not eat the eggs? It’s breaking my heart. Thank you for giving me a little comfort.

  222. Tracey

    The timing of this post is amazing. I just started to eliminate eggs from my diet after fearing that I have an egg sensitivity.

    I’ve experienced many of the symptoms that you have. After doing a food diary, I realized that eggs were a common thread in my daily routine.

    This sounds weird, but I actually hope that I’ll be able to point my finger at eggs; they’d be sorely missed, but feeling better has much greater appeal to me now.

    Anyway, good luck with your transition and know that you have tons of support to keep you moving forward. :) Thanks.

  223. Becki

    My son (4 years old) was just diagnosed wheat and egg white allergies last month. Not severe, but he has ADHD, so I am hoping that things will improve as we get his diet tweaked. My 2 year old son can’t have pears or pineapple or it blisters and burns his rump within 30 minutes. My 5 month old son can’t have corn, and there is only ONE formula manufactured that doesn’t have corn. My 6 year old daughter and I will both be retested next month, so I’m wondering what else.… I know when I was eight (last time I was tested) I was allergic to corn, tomatoes, soy, and something else, but in the eighties, no one paid attention to any of that. I deal with a lot of migraines and struggle to loose weight.

    As for ice cream, we went egg-free when making it a few years ago when I lost my usual recipe. Our new (and yummier) recipe is 1 pint half and half, 1 pint unwhipped whipping cream, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract. We usually double the recipe because it goes FAST when we have it. I don’t know if those ingredients are egg-free (havent made it recently), but it is a good alternative for egged ones.

    Good luck going egg-free!

  224. heda

    Apologies for double dipping in comments but you’ve been in my thoughts since I read your post. I’m just wondering if you have been tested for an auto-immune disorder? They often come hand in hand with multiple food intolerances.

  225. Laura

    I recently found your website and I’ve found your posts and reader’s comments very helpful and encouraging! It’s great to hear that I’m not alone with multiple allergies! (mine are gluten & casein). I can’t wait to see new recipes!

  226. jj

    Dear Shauna!
    I’ve been following your blog for a while and really admire your strength and resilience. So sorry to hear about the eggs. I miss them too, and those egg dishes are hard to substitute. However, there are good news as far as baking– you can bake without eggs and no one would even know. I found a wonderful book by a wonderful woman– you can read her blog and check out the book here: http://myallergyfreelifestyle.com/
    Stay healthy and well!

  228. Tom

    There are so many easy ways to bake without eggs. There’s a recipe for chewy chocolate chip cookies on Ginger Lemon Girl’s blog that is really fantastic and uses flax instead of eggs. Tofu scramble is delicious in place of scrambled eggs. I had to laugh when I read that you confused the restaurant by ordering tofu scramble with a side of bacon, sounds like something I would do. I’m allergic to wheat, gluten, yeast, malt, chocolate, peanuts, strawberries, milk, garlic, oats, corn and peas, try that on for size.

  230. Emily B

    Your site has been an inspiration since I was diagnosed with celiac four years ago. My symptoms seemed similar to yours, migraine headaches, digestive issues, extreme fatigue, brain fog, joint and muscle pain. After years of testing I finally found a doctor who had heard of celiac and had me tested shortly after duking it out with a ridiculous five month long throat virus that we call “the plague”. I felt relatively well on a very strict GF diet until about a year ago when I had a return of symptoms that are becoming increasingly like my former ones (with some new interesting things like hives in cold weather, which can apparently affect untreated celiacs and which is not convenient in Pennsylvania winters). All tests for gluten in bloodwork have come back clear. Thanks for sharing your most recent troubles. It’s motivation to push my doctor for further bloodwork. Do you happen to know what the doctor checked for in your case so that I have a more specific request to take with me? Are these supplemental tests usually covered by health insurance?

  231. Roseanne

    I didn’t quite get thru all the replies, so this may have already been mentioned.
    Free range farm eggs are not all created equal. The 2 main ingredients in most chicken food for laying hens are corn and soy. Since 90% of the corn and soy grown in this country (and Canada is right up there, too) is GMO– (that’s gentically modified) corn and soy, unless chickens are getting ORGANIC grain, they are eating GMO grain. Conventional grain may or may not have other nasty ingredients in it, but the GMO grains are nasty enough that anybody that tests allergic to eggs may want to think about that. If at all possible know the farm your eggs come from and make sure those chickens are truly free range– they get to forage and eat bugs and worms and grass and whatever they can find that’s delicious to a chicken. And if they are fed grain, make sure it’s certified organic.

    1. shauna

      Thank you for the help on this. I have to tell you that most of our eggs came from my brother’s eggs, where they are fed nothing but the best. So sadly, that doesn’t seem to be my issue.

  232. Janine

    Oh my gosh, sending lots of hope and positive thoughts. However, I’m just going to be honest and let you know that your experimenting has me worried. If it was just headaches and bloat, I’d be totally down with your finding your path to whatever feels right. But, the airway closing up feeling? This is scary. I’ve worked with special needs kids so I’ve been taught a thing or two about food allergies and epi pens and one thing a nurse said to me really hit me: that the allergic reactions can get worse each time, so that an epi pen may not work.
    Eek, that’s too scary even for this time of month. Please be safe, err on the side of caution when it comes to anything that makes you think you may need a benadryl chaser. Hugs.

    1. shauna

      Thank you. Believe me, since I published this post, I haven’t touched an egg. Writing it all down, then reading all these incredible comments, has convinced me to listen to my body fully.

  233. molly

    alright, shauna, i recognize this is comment #310, but I want to say three things:

    1) that you write from that ‘i don’t know’ place is one of the best, brightest, boldest, most courageous things you do, and the very reason you will get through this thing, wherever it leads. it takes guts. you’ve got ‘em, in spades.
    2) that there are 310 comments (and counting) is evidence of one helluva cheering squad. and only the tip of the iceberg.
    3) that you ordered the vegan special + bacon made me snort water through my nose. that’s the way, unorthodox, to hell with all that, go grab it by the throat, whatever it is.
    we made stir-fried rice with caramelized tofu, carrots, peas, brown rice, scallions, chinese sausage, green beans and sesame oil the other day, and it ROCKED. and you know what?

    no eggs.

    one meal at a time, my friend, each one delicious.

    xo,
    molly

    1. shauna

      Molly, you always make my day better. Always. Could I come over for dinner soon? Because that meal sounded fantastic!

  234. Francesca

    Hi Shauna,
    So sorry to hear about this new allergy. As if gluten free wasn’t enough. I too developed an allergy after getting pregnant with my son, an allergy to soy. It is extreme and I do need an epipen. I would recommend carrying around an antihistimine (I use Chlortrimeton) for mild to moderate reactions and epipen for emergencies. Good luck.

    Sincerely,
    Francesca

  235. Heather

    I know exactly how you feel on everything you said in this article. Only thing is switch almonds and eggs around on the spectrum. I’m a vegetarian who used almonds as a replacement for a lot of animal byproducts (nice glass of almond milk, anyone?). Not to mention it is one of my favorite foods. Then came the day I bought this lovely bag of almonds covered in olive oil and sea salt. They tasted divine, until my throat started to swell. I haven’t been able to eat almonds since. As for eggs, I did sort of the same thing you did with almonds, just cut them out of my diet because they seemed unnecessary. Who needs eggs when you have lovely tofu? That and my sophomore year of college and all the undercooked eggs I got kinda killed me on the whole egg experience.
    Point is if eating eggs gets so bad that your throat swells up after one bite, it’s not wroth it to eat them but you will still miss them. I’ve been allergic to almonds for two years and I still miss them terribly. Gluten, gave it up and never looked back, eggs, shrugged and carried on, strawberries, occasional regret when I smell strawberry shortcake. But almonds I miss everyday.
    I wish you better luck in giving up eggs than I had in giving up almonds.

  236. Tamar@StarvingofftheLand

    Ach, Shauna, as if everything else weren’t enough!

    Years ago, I wrote an article about food allergies and I interviewed a very prominent allergist who told me something that stuck with me. He believed that bloodwork absolutely, positively wasn’t sufficient for diagnosis, even when coupled with a good experience from an elimination diet. He would never diagnose without a placebo-controlled, double-blind ingestion test (you get the food in a capsule, so you don’t know what it is, and neither does the person who administers the test).

    I don’t know how you’re feeling about all this right now, but I know I’d do it if I were in your shoes. It’s a non-invasive test, and, goddammit, I’d want to know for sure.

    1. shauna

      Oh, I’m with you, Tamar. This was only the first step. I’m going to an allergist soon. I want to fight this as much as I can!

  237. Cindy Marie

    i self diagnosed myself over a year and a half ago (with the help of a friend) of being gluten intolerant. i am 18 years old, it is tough. for the most part, it has been going good. i also realized i am lactose intolerant as well. and just recently my stomach aches have been getting worse. when i read your blog post about ‘eggs’ i realized that THAT is another factor to my low energy levels. i have been too nervous to get tested for anything, but i just scheduled an appointment at the GI doctor! im so excited to finally figure out whats wrong. so hopefully they can help me! ps i love your blog and you have been such an inspiration to many.

  238. Sophie

    I’m really sorry to hear this. I had an IGg test a few years back and it showed a massive reaction — HUGE — to cow’s milk and dairy. So I obviously stopped eating diary for a while and…nothing happened, nothing improved, nothing changed at all. (I have severe IBS).

    Nowadays I eat dairy products just fine, although I have been gluten-free for about eight years with very good results. You doctor did say that the test might not be accurate — could you cling to that hope?! My (limited) understanding was that the IGe tests were very accurate and the IGg tests were more disputed. Was it an IGe reaction you had to the eggs?

    Anyway, hope you are having a good day today, and thanks for the terrific glutenless blog!

    1. shauna

      It was an IgE result. And the differences since I stopped eating eggs have been pretty darned clear. however, I’m still going to an allergist and researching more!

  239. Jeri

    Shauna, I’m sorry for you. I too can’t eat eggs. I don’t eat gluten, dairy or eggs and eggs is the hardest one for me of all. The others you can do great substitutions for. But EGGS!!!!!! I sure hope you can tolerate them cooked. My grandson can’t have eggs but can tolerate them cooked and I know many people are like that. Good luck!!!!

  240. Marilyn

    All I can say is, I feel your sorrow. When we first realized last year that many health issues in my family were caused by gluten, I was sad. I love bread and love to bake! But we set about learning to live differently, make wonderful gluten-free foods, and enjoy a world of different tastes!

    Then we realized there were still intestinal problems. We found the only help was the Specific Carbohydrate diet, a diet devoid of ALL grains and starches, even the gums. My daughter-in-law can’t even tolerate the nut flours. Seemed like every time we adjusted to a new way of eating, something else got taken away.

    I am sorry for the loss of eggs in your life, I love eggs and it would be so painful to give up this one perfect food, after giving up so much else.

    Hopefully you’ll find that eggs in baked goods will be tolerable.

  241. Joyce

    I no longer eat eggs either — too much inflammation. I have made the switch to a plant-based diet and feel terrific. Because I am 50 lb.s overweight, I am following Weight Watchers alternative plan, Simply Filling Technique (gluten free, of course), and I’m losing weight and feel terrific. This alternative plan is rarely talked about, but it involves minimal “counting” along with healthy eating, and I love it.

    I don’t call myself a “vegan” — after all my vitamins are encapsulated in gelatin, and I don’t feel honey is a great evil, but I do eat plant-based. I won’t eat dairy, eggs, poultry, fish, meat. Period. I believe I have saved my health in doing so.

  242. Mary P.

    I check your blog often and am sorry to read this post. When I found out I was no longer able to have gluten, eggs, dairy, buckwheat, yeast and almonds, the eggs have been and still are the thing I miss the most. They are such a fast protein meal and so good. It seems to complicate gluten free living when you have multiple allergies. As others have mentioned above I am looking into the GAPS diet idea to try to seal and heal the gut so that possibly I could reintroduce eggs. The GAPS diet is overwhelming but a glimmer of hope for me.
    Thought I’d pass on this egg free breakfast recipe I found last week online. I haven’t tried it yet but will be shortly!!
    http://shanonhilton.blogspot.com/2011/07/recipe-sausage-butternut-hash.html

  243. Anna Stavinoha

    Shauna,
    I have had multiple food allergies for many years, and also found MAJOR relief with NAET, including no more reactions to poison ivy. I highly recommend it. My NAET practitioner is the person who first suggested that I might have Celiac.

  244. Deborah Peters

    I am so sorry to read this! :( Poor thing.…I know eggs can be very troublesome for people; this is the first I’ve read how severe they can be. I’m gluten free but looking into an allergy test myself as well…I wonder if there’ any “off the charts” for me…I’m sure Brandon will cook up some creative delights for you egg free!

    :) Deborah

  245. Frances

    Shauna, *supposedly* when you cut the food out of your diet, sometimes the sensitivity can be reversed…I’m not so sure how much I believe that, but just wanted to share that with you. In 2007 I tested super sensitive to wheat, casein, cane sugar and eggs — but interestingly when I re-tested in 2010, nothing showed up on the test. I should be able to eat whatever I want, yet I still feel odd and my skin freaks out (I have rosacea) when I eat the *bad* stuff, so I just avoid it and live like I never had the 2010 test. But it might be different for you, you might be able to “re-set” your system as they say :) I hope you can if you love eggs so much!!!

  247. Veggirl104

    Greetings,
    I am writing to give you hope about eggless egg salad. First order yourself a spice called Kala Namuk. It is Indian black salt. It smells like boiled eggs! Now take extra firm tofu cut it into chunks and boil it for twenty minutes with a 1/2 c white vineager. This give it a better texture. Cool it and crumble/mash it up. Then press as much water out as possible. Sprinkle with Kala Namuk ansd smell! It will remind you of eggs I promise. Now add tumeric, salt & pepper, celery and veganise. Chill for a bit and serve.

  248. Mindy

    Honestly I believe that there’s hope. Even before going gluten free, I was having a lot of trouble with soy and had eliminated it from my diet. I was also lactose intolerant. Six months after giving up gluten (gf since August 2009), I started eating dairy again and had no trouble but quickly had to give it up again. Initially it was fine but then I had gut issues.…again. I learned that it was likely the casein, the milk protein, that was the problem. Gradually I then lost eggs, tree nuts, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant), all grains, and all legumes.

    I know you’re getting a lot of helpful advice, and realizing that there is no one perfect technique for everyone, here’s why I think there’s hope: I started a rotation diet. I had to do something. All of my research pointed toward this being an over-active immune system (already primed for protein recognition by the gluten inflammation) coupled with the leaky gut that’s part and parcel of Celiac Disease (as I’m sure many of you know). Supposedly no one knows whether the leaky gut comes before or after the Celiac damage but my personal working theory is that it’s either there before or there’s a heavy predisposition for having it happen easily. The leaky gut lets your immune system react with small pieces of proteins from various foods (for those that don’t know, there are proteins in plants too.….that the gluten/gliadin that those with Celiac/gluten sensitivity react to). The more you eat a particular thing, the more likely you’ll start reacting to it.

    Once I cut out everything I reacted to AND started the rotation diet, a year and a half later I can now have back in my diet: egg whites, almonds (but NOT almond butter), tomatoes, rice, goat milk products (definitely NO cow’s milk products), red potatoes (or Yukon gold, but NO russets), eggplant, peppers, and tomatillos. I tested legumes (peanut butter and hummus) and those are still out but the reaction is much less severe than it was, but oddly enough I can have sugar snap peas.

    Given my reaction to foods, similar reactions among several of my gluten free friends, and now yourself, I’m beginning to think that a rotation diet should be encouraged for everyone with Celiac.

    My resource: http://www.food-allergy.org/ufabook.html

    I’m sure there are more sources for instructions on a rotation diet, but this one worked really well for me. I plan on following a rotation diet plan for the rest of my life.

    Oh, and two new products you might be interested in (well, new to me; they appeared in my area about six months ago): dairy free, soy free spread: http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/#/products/coconut/ and egg free mayonnaise: http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/#/products/original_mayo/. I’ve tried a LOT of butter and mayo replacements and I feel that these two are the best. Now that I’ve read your post, I’m wondering if this mayo will make a good aioli. Hmmmm.……

    Good luck!

  249. Kristin

    I found out that I was gluten and egg intolerant in 2008. I’ve embraced my GF baking with egg substitutions like flax seed, apple sauce, pumpkin, and banana. However, about a week ago, I was admitted to the hospital due to very high blood sugar levels, and was given a new diagnosis of insulin dependent type 1 diabetes! So now, I’m a carb. counting, gluten and egg free diabetic at age 35. (I’m thin, active, and there’s nothing I could have done to stop this.) I need to learn which GF flours are lowest in carbs., use sugar and egg substitutes, and really limit my serving size now. But, I will get back to baking soon! :)

    ***Everyone with gluten intolerance should probably have a fasting glucose test yearly.
    “The pancreas, which is key in blood sugar regulation, is highly affected by gluten intolerance. Autoimmune disease triggers the development of Type I DM, and is becoming more closely associated with celiac disease. Testing for celiac disease is now becoming a routine part of examination when a child develops Type I DM, and now that physicians are looking for celiac disease in juvenile diabetes, they’re finding it with greater frequency. Blood sugar regulation problems are also associated with non-diabetes hypoglycemia in those affected by gluten intolerance and appear to resolve with a low-glycemic gluten free diet.“
    from “Celiac Disease Head to Toe“
    By Wendy Cohan

    1. Andrea

      Hmmm…Very interesting. Thank you for sharing, Kristin! As someone who had blood sugar sensitivity on the hypoglycemic-type end of things BEFORE I discovered my wheat sensitivity, I have always had to be more careful about what kind of gluten free products I consume and how much. I have often been a little alarmed at how much starch people are consuming without much fiber or protein to balance it out. I wonder if, in some cases, maybe the high consumption of refined starches might actually be leading to blood sugar issues rather than vice versa.

  250. sheila

    Shauna — I have been adapting most of your recipes to be Egg-Free for the past year when I realized my son’s high fevers (103°F+) and frequent “colds” were actually a reaction to eggs. You’ll be somewhat relieved to know all your Christmas cookies, chocolate chip cookies and most of the baked things do REALLY well with the Flaxseed egg substitute (1T Flaxseed meal:3T water). People we feed don’t have a clue that everything we make is egg-corn-soy-gluten free and mostly casein free (we seem to tolerate butter) — they just rave about how great it is!! My husband (with no intolerances) even figured out how to use this flax egg substitute successfully with his Chicken Schnitzel (adapted from Jamie Oliver). We do miss the freedom to cook freely with eggs — but we are not starving that’s for sure. We love food! We do dream of one day healing our guts and being able to eat whatever we want and traveling wherever we want without worrying…but until then we rise to the challenge with YOU as our inspiration!!! You have helped make our food a glorious celebration of life. We adore you and support you and look forward to hearing more of your adventures.

  251. Karen

    Hello Shauna,
    I think I found the trick for baking good muffins that lack more ingredients than just gluten and gums, and I’d be curious what the chef thinks. I read in a food-chemistry book that fats encircle each particle of flour, essentially isolating them from each other, and as a result they can’t stick together very well. If, instead, you first wet the flour and leavenings with your water-soluble liquids (in my case, rice milk), then add the fatty liquids (which would include eggs for some people, but not us), you have a much nicer crumb. The recipe I use for blueberry muffins is an adaptation of your whole grain muffins: 350 g Ahern’s APF, 100 g organic sugar, 1 t baking powder, 1/4 t baking soda, 1 t kosher salt. Mix in enough rice milk to make a thoroughly wet dough, about the consistency of cookie dough. Fold in 50 g virgin olive oil (I know, bleaaahhh, but trust me, you can’t taste it in the muffins!) and a dash of lemon juice plus a teaspoon of GF vanilla extract. Finally, a handful of walnuts (I usually “crisp” mine, as per the Nourishing Traditions book but it’s not necessary) and a handful of frozen blueberries. 12-bay muffin tin, sprayed first with Pam. Sprinkle about 1/4 teaspoon of turbinado sugar on the top of each before sliding into the oven. I bake mine at 375 and use the convection fan, 30 minutes. It might take a little longer in ovens that don’t have the fan. These muffins are really delicious, and they freeze well too. Caveat: Don’t judge the final muffin by the taste of the batter/dough. We’re all accustomed to what wheat batters taste like; batters made of other flours tend to be bitter. But once they’re baked, these muffins are deelish.
    My IgG food intolerance test (Seattle’s BioTek Laboratories) had 5 biggies “off the charts:” gluten, eggs, dairy, soy, and nuts (peanuts and almonds), plus a host of other “moderate” reactions which probably are secondaries that snuck into my bloodstream through the inflammation-damaged gut lining. I think it was probably easier for me to switch to a diet free of all reactors (even the moderate ones) because I only had to jump once off that ledge into the world where you can’t eat whatever you want. You, on the other hand, are now jumping off for the second time, after feeling like you were finished with all that deprivation stuff. But like everyone who’s commented thus far, I’d never ever go back. I love feeling good. I love being able to zip up my jeans without wondering if I’ll have to unsnap them after breakfast. And I, too, can’t tolerate those gums. One last thing. Get retested once a year. After avoiding reactors (you really should avoid everything you react to, even moderately) for a year, you’ll have a better idea what are your primary intolerances and which are secondaries as a result of poor digestion and inflamed gut. A lot of things will no longer be on the “reactor” list. It’s sort of a prize for being good. Take care, and thank you. Can’t wait to crack the new book. ~Karen

  252. Virginia

    Shauna,
    Oh my, go ahead and mourn.

    I found out about being celiac, dairy & egg allergic in one fell swoop. I’d love to be able to say that it has been easy, but darn it, whenever I go out to breakfast with friends and they are thinking of eggs, I say “get them”. I want to live vicariously. And I make them promise to truly enjoy them.

    Even though it has been 4 years, I still have moments that I truly would love to have a perfect poached egg on top of garlic spinach. I close my eyes and remember the deliciousness. And I am grateful for all the years that I enjoyed eggs before knowing how bad they became for me.

    Take your time ~ you will find your way through this next creative cooking/eating challenge as gloriously as you did with wheat.

  253. Deb

    Dear Shauna, I have been following your blog, love affair, book adventure with enthusiasm for couple of years now and this is the first time I’ve commented. A bit shy but now that I’m a blogger too I am enjoying the feeling of community that commenting provides. I gave up gluten, dairy, sugar, nightshades, and eggs early in 2009 after doing an allergy test and having some acute digestive problems which now I’ve discovered were just part of a cascade of symptoms from a root imbalance. It has required patience which I know you have. I have a theory that food allergies and sensitivities are a signal of some deeper imbalance. I do not believe that allergies/sensitivities have to stay. I believe that most of us can heal the deeper causes both in body and mind and restore ourselves to a balanced and diverse diet. Don’t get me wrong, I have no interest in going back to white sugar and gluten-rich foods. I have a much more diverse diet now that I love and there is so much more that I can eat than that which I choose to omit. I refuse to feel deprived. Life is too sweet and short to go down that road again. I try to eat close to the source now, in season, and for nutrition not emotional soothing. All my love to you, I know that your greater good is in even this! Blessings to you, Danny, and Lu.

  254. Lisa

    I have Crohn’s, not Celiac, but the gluten free diet over the past few months has made a huge difference in my symptoms of diarrhea. Your website is inspirational. I haven’t eaten straight up eggs for 20 years, instant diarrhea. I seem to tolerate them in small amounts in baked goods (cookies, cake), but now with the gluten thing, I eat so much less of those too. Can’t tolerate pancakes or French toast either. It’s almost impossible to go out for breakfast. I’ve taken my own cereal to a restaurant. It gets easier because you know that if you eat eggs you will feel terrible. Good luck.

  255. Lauren

    Hi Shauna — love and support, I’ve always appreciated your blog and selfishly, I’m excited to see how you take on this challenge because I am GF, DF and allergic to Eggs. But I love meat so I consider myself a Vegan that eats meat… :) . I live in Seattle so here are recos for restaurants that will fix your breakfast/brunch cravings. They aren’t solely vegan restaurants so you don’t have to impose on others if you don’t want to. Also, I know you’ll find ways to embrace it eventually — the vegan scramble with a side of bacon is always a fun one haha.

    Lindas Tavern, Captiol Hill — tofu scramble
    22 Seattle, Capitol Hill — tofu scramble with saffron sauce
    Portage Bay Cafe, Ballard, SLU, U District — vegan banana pancakes, tofu scramble, vegan hash
    Cafe Flora, Madison — tofu scramble

  256. Janet

    Me, too! I’m allergic to egg whites, almonds, beef, mushrooms, and green beans (I’ve never heard of anyone else being allergic to green beans)! These are all foods I ate regularly. I look forward to seeing your egg-free recipes.

  257. Robin

    Hi Shauna,
    I am happy that you were able to find out what was giving you trouble. Oh, the delights of finding the causes of our troubles and then discovering ways to get healthy without medications!

    After being off of gluten for the past 18 months and starting to really be aware of what our bodies are telling us our family has been actively pursuing healing our intestines. Bone broths, kombucha, fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, carrots, etc. have been the stars in restoring health to our bodies. Easy-not always, but what a blessing to learn and grow through it all.

    Be strong and sturdy! You can do it.

  258. Leisha

    I cut gluten out 3 years ago, and about 6 months later cut dairy out as well. It was so so hard. I worked for a family that owned a bakery — a traditional french bakery that brought home croissants every single day. I LOVE cheese. I love ice cream. The first year without gluten or dairy I would sporadically try eating something every few months — pain au chocolat at a potluck, or pizza when out with friends. The reaction afterwards always always made me not want to eat it any more, and its now been a long long long time since I’ve splurged on something. But the going out with friends, or out with work-colleauges to restaurants has been the most difficult. Cutting out gluten and dairy in a restaurant is next to impossible (and soy, I forgot to mention soy. And casein). I cook everything. And I’m not lacking for taste and I don’t miss it. When I go out now, I find myself thinking “I can make that better”. I bake for the Farmers’ Market now every week and the reactions from people who come up and see that they can eat something, with flavour, that is beautiful, and gluten-casein-dairy– and sometimes egg-free is awesome. It really took a while to trust the reactions my body had with certain foods, but now, its absolutely so much better. You can do it!!

  259. SongBird

    Dear Shauna,

    I’m in awe of your ability to roll with these punches — I’d hate to have to give up eggs. I was talking about food, though, with a friend and I mentioned this post. He asked if you’re allergic to both parts of the egg, or if they’ve tested for it. Maybe you’re only allergic to the yolk?

    I mean, if that’s possible, you can still have the leavening/binding part of the egg for baking, right?

    Either way, thank you for your lovely recipes and good luck.

    SongBird

  260. Jennifer

    Shauna,
    I don’t know how I missed this post. But I am mourning with you.
    I got the “no more eggs” verdict from my nutritionist, along with pinto beans (really!??!) and cut down on the dairy.
    I am still in mourning, but am learning to cook with the powdered egg substitute.
    Hope you are feeling much better, now a few weeks later.
    thanks so much for your blog.
    Can’t wait for the next cookbook!

  261. Diane

    I cook a lot of South Indian food (just because I like it) and most of it is naturally gluten-free. And the traditional, orthodox Hindu diet also shuns eggs (it considers them equivalent to meat, so not OK for vegetarians), so if you stick to that you can easily avoid eggs. I eat great breakfasts, and probably only eat eggs once a week. I eat Thai fried rice with veg and/or meat, kicheree (mung beans and rice), chillas (garbanzo bean flour pancakes), dosas, uppama, etc etc etc. There’s a wide variety of choice, and believe me you never miss eggs. I like eggs, but I just don’t eat them much. And I’ve never really gotten eating cereal in the AMs either.

    1. Diane

      Oh, I just realized I made it sound like all my breakfast choices are south Indian. They are not. It’s just that S. Indian is the core of what I eat. All those other items are an ethnic grab-bag: Thai, north Indian, soth Indian, etc. I like ful for breakfast too.

  262. Sarai

    I understand your pain. I lost wheat, eggs & poultry in one shot last year. It’s hard when you’re an adult to lose foods you’ve always loved, even when you know in your heart that it’s best for your body. With time it gets easier and you start to adapt.

    Figuring out to bake without wheat and eggs while living at high altitude has been a real challenge. You’ve skills most of us don’t have so I’m confident you’ll find a new way to bake and help the rest of us as you do it. Personally, I can’t wait to see what you come up with.

  263. Andrea

    Oh, honey…I really know how you feel. My egg reactions are not the same as yours, not as severe, but I do know that loss of something so loved. I ate eggs almost every day when I was pregnant and nursing in the first 8 months after giving birth. And yes, it does make life so much more complicated (especially with dairy limitations as well) because eggs are just so amazing in all that they can do, and yes, the eating breakfast out challenges (I pretty much only eat breakfast out once a year now). But you know what? Every recipe of yours I make, I make eggless with satisfactory to great success, and I have to owe it to YOU and YOUR site for such great egg replacement recommendations! Yes, listen to your body. I have no doubt that you will find a way to live and eat joyously without eggs, because that is how you are. Thank you for all that you do for the rest of us, Shauna! Oh, and as for ice cream, Breyers (I know it’s not organic) has quite a few flavors that are egg free. You know, the way that ice cream should be: just cream, sugar, and flavorings.

  264. Jenn Sutherland

    Just wanted to thank you again for this post, Shauna…and to all of the awesome, supportive and knowledgeable people sharing their stories and tips here — I love this community! Your post inspired me to take another look at my diet, as I’ve been feeling exhausted (nothing new there, with banged up adrenals), but more “off” than I’m used to feeling, so I’m working with my ND on some additional allergy testing, muscle testing and more supplements to get to the bottom of things. I’ve done an egg-free test for the last two weeks, knowing that when I first went gluten-free 9 years ago, I couldn’t tolerate eggs at all, but it eased over time as my body healed. Been feeling better, and then a friend made a flourless chocolate cake for a friend’s birthday tonight — which is mostly egg whites, of course, and I am definitely not feeling well tonight. Not sick like gluten makes me, but not good either. Thanks for inspiring me to get back on the wagon to continue studying how to truly nourish my body!

  265. Becca

    Hi Shauna,

    Your blog and cookbooks have been such an inspiration to me, I wanted to reply and share my support for your new egg~free journey. Breakfast was my biggest challenge when I first had to cut gluten and eggs from my diet 5 years ago. But then my doctors recommended I try making fruit smoothies loaded with rice protein and flax seed oil (for it’s anti-inflammatory properties) for breakfast. These smoothies quickly became a steady, reliable source of energy for me. With endless possibilities. Once I had transformed breakfast, adapting the rest wasn’t nearly as daunting. Good luck.

  266. Shonda

    I also confirmed a leaky gut just about a month ago — although I knew about this disease 7 years ago. I just had a hard time believing. I just gave up gluten 6 months ago and I felt like I had a new life, but then there were things just still lingering (as Shauna points out). Today I decided to search Shauna’s blog, because I was curious as to whether she ever had this Leaky Gut issue. I think Celiac, gluten sensitivity and leaky gut are always found together. Yet, I still have hope of eating non-GMO corn and a bit of raw dairy cheese again ( in moderation) and oh…popcorn — the stuff I love the most, perhaps again by next summer. I wish you all the best in this struggle that we are all fighting.

  267. Sandy

    I’m no dairy, no gluten, no pork, no eggs, so I feel your pain at trying to eat out for breakfast. A bowl of fruit and my “packed-in-my-purse” gluten-free bagel is usually about all I can do.

    Strange, too: my son just had a food sensitivity test and eggs, almonds, and wheat were super high. He was mildly sensitive to egg white 5 years ago. Bought a couple of ducks, and have been using duck eggs with him instead of chicken eggs for the past couple of years. On this test, he was really, really sensitive to chicken eggs, white and yolk, and even more sensitive to duck eggs. :-( You might want to give your body a complete break from all eggs for awhile before trying duck eggs. Sounds like you’ll know right away if they are a problem for you.

    Flax meal has been my favorite egg substitute in baked goods; not sure what I’m going to do about pumpkin pie. :-(

    Thank you for sharing your story!!

  268. Erin

    It’s possible someone already made this comment (I didn’t read them all), but have you ever heard of the GAPS diet? People have used this to overcome food allergies/sensitivities in worst cases. It’s worth checking out.

  269. Teresa

    When I read your post I thought you were going to mention that you also have
    an allergy to red meats. When you didn’t, I was surprised. I am allergic to
    eggs, milk and all red meat. I experienced anaphylaxis the way you described,
    but to red meats — always delayed by 2 to 24 hours.

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