Penne for Your Thoughts is a cookbook full of information to help one understand the difference between food allergy and food intolerance as well as provoke thoughts on nutrition. Many of the wide array of recipes are typical everyday dishes converted to be free from common allergens--such as wheat gluten, casein (dairy), soy, corn, egg, and nuts--by substituting various ingredients for more natural/organic allergy-safe ingredients. It is designed so one can draw from it what they need. The reality is that there are a lot of people that have food allergies/intolerances. Many have multiple sensitivities and do not realize it. The real challenge is trying to eliminate common allergens because they are everywhere. Based on a person' s level of sensitivity, a reaction can be mild to severe, or even life-threatening. For many, it is not possible to buy french fries at the food court, snack on cheeseballs while on a playdate, or sit beside someone else eating peanut butter. This is not just another gluten-free cookbook. It is a map of a mom's journey, where through perseverance she stayed the course and found ways to make life better for her son. At first, the goal was just to make gluten-free pancakes and bread. However, throughout the process, she found grocery shopping frustrating since many gluten-free items were not corn-free. If it were dairy-free, it was not soy-free. It if it were nut-free, it was still manufactured in a facility that processed gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, etc. Quickly she found gluten-free flour very different from regular flour and that eliminating dairy and eggs would also be challenging. As a result of her determination and willpower, Penne for Your Thoughts is hereby presented to you with Max's favorite shaped pasta, a whole array of information, and recipes to ponder.