Allergy-Safe Potluck Dishes

I go to a lot of potluck dinners, and I have a lot of friends with allergies and food intolerances. This can challenge my fairly-limited cooking skills, especially if I want to avoid an extra grocery store trip and if the potluck dish also has to be transportable by public transportation.

Recently, I was going to a potluck where there would be people with peanut allergies, tree nut allergies, gluten intolerances, soy allergies, and dairy allergies. I decided to make dessert squares adapted from recipes I found on the wonderful world of the Internet. I made two different squares in case one didn't work out. Also, some people with gluten intolerances eat oats and some don't, and I couldn't remember the situation with the people at this event.

As a note, I always bring ingredients lists with me to potlucks, including notes about any warnings about "may contain traces of..." and "manufactured in a facility that also manufactures..." that are on my ingredients, so everyone can decide for themselves if they are comfortable eating my contribution.

Vegan Rice Crispy Treats

Original vegan recipe I found:
1 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp soy margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups puffed rice cereal

My adapted recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup agave
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp coconut oil*
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups Nature's Path Crispy Rice Cereal (gluten-free; not all rice cereals are)

DIRECTIONS

Heat the agave in a pot over medium heat, then add sugar. Stir continuously for a few minutes. Turn it down if it starts to froth. After at least a couple of minutes of stirring, when bubbles start to form at the bottom and then rise to the surface, add the coconut oil and vanilla extract and stir.

Put the cereal in a large bowl. Pour the heated syrup mixture over the cereal and stir to combine well. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased dish and press until even. Allow it to cool until hard, about one hour. Cut into squares.

Chocolate Oat Drops

Original recipe I found:
1/2 cup butter
6 tsp cocoa
1/2 cup milk
2 cups white sugar
1 cup coconut
3 cups oatmeal

My adapted recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup coconut oil*
6 tsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup oat beverage
2 cups sugar
1 cup dried cranberries (I didn't have any coconut)
3 cups rolled oats

DIRECTIONS

Melt coconut oil and cocoa powder together over medium heat, stirring well. Add the oat beverage and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cranberries and oats. Drop by the tablespoon onto a cookie sheet and leave to cool.

*Usually it is better to use less coconut oil than the butter called for in a recipe, but these recipes seem to need the full amount.

These were both very tasty. The rice crispy treats did stick together in one blob; if keeping them at room temperature for any length of time, I'd recommend keeping them in the original container after cutting, or putting waxed paper between layers. Both treats were very well received; some one even asked for the Chocolate Oat Drop recipe!