Hello & Welcome!

oriana romero headshot

My name is Oriana, and I’m a wife, allergy mom of three, recipe creator, writer, photographer, and the mastermind behind Food Allergies Living, Mommy’s Home Cooking, an eggless recipe blog, and American Bites Bakery. You can usually find me holed up in my home kitchen studio or in my bakery with flour on my clothes, splatters of butter in every direction, and a never-ending pile of dirty dishes. 

And you know what? There is truly no place I’d rather be. 

Why A Food Allergies Website?

My youngest daughter, Victoria, was diagnosed with severe egg, peanut, and nut allergies in 2013. Victoria was too young to realize what was going on, but I took it hard. Eggs had always been a huge part of our meals, and I was worried that our family’s dynamic would completely change. No more pancakes, waffles, scrambled eggs, muffins… What would we even eat for breakfast?! Not to mention the challenge of special occasions like birthday parties, playdates, and school bake sales. Can you imagine a birthday party without a cake?

At that time, I felt lost! I had so many questions. The fear of knowing that my daughter had a life-threatening condition tormented me and still does. My own family didn’t get it! They did not understand how serious a food allergy reaction can be. That made me feel so frustrated. After 10 years, I still have to remind them to read labels, double-check with the restaurant’s staff, or not touch her after consuming any of the allergens she is allergic to.

So back then, I joined some virtual food allergy groups, which have been a blessing. Connecting with other people that are going through the same process gives me comfort. That is when I understand that we are stronger together!

I created this website with others food allergies moms, and families, in mind. I know what you are going through! I feel you…So, I hope here you can find food allergy information, news, and tips – in simple words – to help you and your family in this daily battle. I also hope that this little space helps raise awareness of how dangerous and serious it is to have a food allergy.

Going through this journey made me realize that living with a food allergy to the fullest is possible. We didn’t get to this point overnight, but we did get here, and you will too.

My Baking Passion

When Victoria was diagnosed, I promised myself that I would never let her feel sidelined or limited by her condition. I refused to give up my lifelong passion for baking and cooking; I just had to find new ways to do it. To my delight, I discovered that with a bit of imagination and some perseverance, many dessert recipes could be made over into food allergy-friendly treats without sacrificing flavor or texture.

And so, my adventures of cooking and baking without eggs began, and my blog, Mommy’s Home Cooking, evolved into a place where I could share my eggless recipes with the world.

Throughout the years, I have developed many delicious eggless recipes. I put all my love, passion, and attentiveness into every recipe I create. I care deeply about making every recipe the best it can be, which is why I test my recipes ten times over before I’m satisfied. 

Baking with food allergies can be frustrating at first, but don’t worry! I’ve got you covered.

My Cookbook

The Simply Eggless Cookbook is my dream come true

Creating this cookbook has been the adventure of a lifetime, it is an extension of a dream I almost feel like I fell into, but it has enriched my life in countless ways and continues to do so. 

This cookbook is a huge part of my heart, and I hope my recipes will prove as useful to your family as they did to mine. Whether you are a beginner or an expert baker, I know you’ll love the recipes on these pages, and I truly hope they become a permanent part of your repertoire.

The Ultimate Guide to Eggless Baking!

Includes more than 70 easy-to-make recipes along with full-color photos, detailed instructions, and helpful tips for spectacular results.

the simply eggless cookbook.

Contributors

Kathryn Rochette, BASc MEd RD

Kathryn lives in Ontario, Canada is a mum of 2 young children. When it comes to allergies, she has plenty of lived experience, having grown up with a parent and a sibling who were anaphylactic to peanuts and having had her own tree nut allergy, which she grew out of. Her eldest child also has a severe egg allergy which just gives her all the more reason to enjoy one of her favorite activities: hanging out in her kitchen, trying out new recipes, and baking with her kids. 

Professionally Kathryn is a Registered Dietitian, registered to practice in Ontario with the College of Dietitians of Ontario.  She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Nutrition and Food with honors from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University); a Master’s of Education in Health Professional Education from the University of Toronto, and completed her comprehensive dietetic internship at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. She is currently completing an Advanced Diploma in Research in the Sciences at the University of Cambridge.  

Kathryn loves working with patients to help overcome dietary challenges that result from medical conditions and has spent the past 15 years working as a Registered Dietitian at a large academic health sciences center in Toronto. When not working or spending time in the kitchen, she enjoys traveling and exploring new places and cultures.

Read Kathryn’s articles!