Egg-Free Judaism

I don't usually think of Nathan as bereft.
Sure there are things he can't eat.  A lot of them actually.
But then again, his mom will never tell him to eat his green beans or his peas.

Our holidays, however, have been a challenge.
Egg free Chanukkah proved to be a big bust.
The egg free matzah balls dissociated into a sad mush at the bottom of the pot.  Some later online investigation suggests that the only way to make egg free matzah balls is with lots of tofu - another forbidden food.
The potato pancakes, without the binding egg ,eventually just became hash browns.

Then there was Purim.
We had fun making Hamentaschen (without eggs or milk or butter) and they were pretty going into the oven.   After baking, however, they were more like Haman-squishen; misshapen and stubbornly pale. Tasty, but still a little disappointing.







So that brings us to Passover, the season of unleavened food.  But it's not really unleavened because over the centuries, the resilient and desperate cooks have figured out how to make fairly light and suspiciously leavened desserts.  With copious amounts of beaten egg whites.
Challenge yourself.  Find a Passover dessert that doesn't have a single egg or whipped cream.
I found one.

We wanted Nathan to engage in and enjoy Passover so for weeks we read Passover books and discussed the plans for our "Passover party".  Two nights before Passover the following took place.
Nathan: "Let's have a Passover Party"
Mommy: "We will.  Soon. What are we going to have at our Passover party?"
Nathan: "Candles! And wine! And matzah!"
Mommy: "And what else?"
Nathan: "Matzah ball soup!!"

This really made me feel like someone punched me in the gut.  We rehearsed and rehearsed but had been practicing something he couldn't do.  I felt bad.
I also thought I might be able to make some money with a line of allergy friendly kids books.  Enjoy favorites such as "Easter without eggs", "Milk-free cookies for Santa", and "Pilgrims didn't eat soy".
Seriously, though, I should not have worried.  He did fine at the Seder, refusing even the sweet fruity Charoset with a vehemence that made it clear that the safest matzah ball would not have crossed his lips that night.  Ah, the irony.  I spent weeks researching recipes, and at the end of the day he had matzah and mango for dinner.
At least the rest of us enjoyed the kugel.