SAN ANTONIO -- Parents whose children suffer from food allergies know how hard it can be to prepare safe foods for them.

That's why a local chef is mixing things up and preparing tasty treats that everyone can enjoy, without using traditional ingredients.

After 25 years of being a banker, Cindy Olivarez decided that she would don a pastry hat and open Flour Power Cafe.

Olivarez suffers from several common food allergies, including milk, eggs, peanuts, and wheat -- the most common ingredients used in baking.

And she knows how it can be for a child who suffers from food allergies.

"Most of the time, when kids have food allergies, they are segregated from the other kids," Olivarez said.

Olivarez uses fresh fruits and ingredients to ensure that her pastries won't spark an allergic reaction.

"We're trying to develop recipes and pastries gluten-free," Olivarez said.

Sue Cunningham, a registered dietician with the University of Texas Health Science Center, applauds the efforts made by bakeries like Flour Power Cafe that are tailoring to the needs of people with severe allergies.

"Someone who can make new recipes and come up with new ideas, just as nutritious ... is great," Cunningham said.