1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves (about 2 cups)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
Dash of salt if desired
Combine all ingredients except oil in food processor. With processor running, slowly add oil. Mix until well combined.
This pesto can be used on pizza and in quesadillas. Add a little extra oil and toss it with your favorite GF pasta.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Oven Baked French Fries
4 - 5 medium potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash potatoes and cut into fries.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss well to coat.
Spread fries on a large baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Notes:
You can make extra and freeze them. Reheat in oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Perfect for a quick fix solution on a busy night!
Leave the skin on the potatoes for better nutrition.
Instead of tossing fries in oil, you can spray the pan and the tops of fries with olive oil. I do this with a Misto (see below). Then sprinkle your seasonings on top.
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary (optional)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash potatoes and cut into fries.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss well to coat.
Spread fries on a large baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Notes:
You can make extra and freeze them. Reheat in oven at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Perfect for a quick fix solution on a busy night!
Leave the skin on the potatoes for better nutrition.
Instead of tossing fries in oil, you can spray the pan and the tops of fries with olive oil. I do this with a Misto (see below). Then sprinkle your seasonings on top.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Mealtime Mayhem V
This is the last post in the series, I promise! Thanks for hanging in there with me while I described our mealtime challenges.
We're down to the last two items on the list, which involve Jake's inability to use utensils, drink from a regular cup or use a straw. These were all skills that he had mastered at an earlier age, but lost these abilities during his autistic regression.
I've made progress in getting him to use utensils. He is physically able to use a fork, but it is very difficult for him. Because it required so much effort on his part, he did not like to do it. With lots of praise and encouragement, his confidence was boosted enough to make him more willing to try to use a fork. Since his food choices expanded a bit, I was able to offer daily opportunities for practice. He is now able to use a fork with ease and thoroughly enjoys the positive response he gets for 'eating like a big boy'.
Using a spoon is much more difficult for him. He used to frequently spill the contents of the spoon on himself. At one time, he loved to eat yogurt and pudding, but abandoned them shortly after his regression. I'm sure the difficulty he experienced in using a spoon played a role in that. At this time, I am not able to interest him in any 'wet' foods that would require a spoon to eat. So, we are practicing with dry foods and using a toddler spoon that has a bigger bowl to it. He is learning to hold the bowl of the spoon upright all the way to his mouth and is doing very well. I use a verbal cue of 'spoon stays up' as he guides it from his plate to his mouth. In the beginning, I had to use that cue continually while he practiced, now he just needs an occasional reminder. I am anxious to put this new skill to the test with more challenging foods, but he's not quite ready for that yet.
We still have a long way to go to get him to drink from a regular cup and to use a straw. I have had these issues included in his IEP for the last two years with no progress. I am sending a letter to the school OT to ask her to focus on these issues now. During the summer, I will be his only 'therapist' and I could really use the extra help on this front while it is available.
The bottom line is that we are moving in the right direction. Jake is gaining more confidence and skills. I know that I will be working on all of these mealtime issues for quite some time, but it gets easier every day.
We're down to the last two items on the list, which involve Jake's inability to use utensils, drink from a regular cup or use a straw. These were all skills that he had mastered at an earlier age, but lost these abilities during his autistic regression.
I've made progress in getting him to use utensils. He is physically able to use a fork, but it is very difficult for him. Because it required so much effort on his part, he did not like to do it. With lots of praise and encouragement, his confidence was boosted enough to make him more willing to try to use a fork. Since his food choices expanded a bit, I was able to offer daily opportunities for practice. He is now able to use a fork with ease and thoroughly enjoys the positive response he gets for 'eating like a big boy'.
Using a spoon is much more difficult for him. He used to frequently spill the contents of the spoon on himself. At one time, he loved to eat yogurt and pudding, but abandoned them shortly after his regression. I'm sure the difficulty he experienced in using a spoon played a role in that. At this time, I am not able to interest him in any 'wet' foods that would require a spoon to eat. So, we are practicing with dry foods and using a toddler spoon that has a bigger bowl to it. He is learning to hold the bowl of the spoon upright all the way to his mouth and is doing very well. I use a verbal cue of 'spoon stays up' as he guides it from his plate to his mouth. In the beginning, I had to use that cue continually while he practiced, now he just needs an occasional reminder. I am anxious to put this new skill to the test with more challenging foods, but he's not quite ready for that yet.
We still have a long way to go to get him to drink from a regular cup and to use a straw. I have had these issues included in his IEP for the last two years with no progress. I am sending a letter to the school OT to ask her to focus on these issues now. During the summer, I will be his only 'therapist' and I could really use the extra help on this front while it is available.
The bottom line is that we are moving in the right direction. Jake is gaining more confidence and skills. I know that I will be working on all of these mealtime issues for quite some time, but it gets easier every day.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Mealtime Mayhem IV
While working through this process with Jake, I realized how intertwined each of his issues are with one another. Once I established a good footing on getting him to stay at the table for meals, I was able to address other items on the list. The time had come to work on desensitizing him to new foods.
Jake had self-limited his food choices down to only peanut butter sandwiches and chips. If I placed any other food on or near his plate, he would get extremely upset and run from the table. My plan to reintroduce foods in his diet included working backward through the foods he dropped off his 'willing to eat' list. For example, waffles, pancakes, and roasted potatoes were all well tolerated by Jake at different times over the last few months, but for some reason he began to refuse them. Since they are the most familiar to him, I felt like they would be easier to get him to accept again.
At this point, Jake was still eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. I placed a waffle next to the sandwich on his plate. He immediately got upset. I explained that he did not have to eat the waffle, but he did have to stay in his chair (building on that newly mastered skill). He was able to finish his dinner, never touching the waffle. I repeated this same technique with other foods at different meals. I did not force him to try anything. I just wanted him to get used to being near the new foods. After a few days, he was able to touch the new foods, but still refused to take a bite.
It became time to up the ante. Jake was becoming more cooperative and I think we began to establish a new level of trust. For whatever reason, food is scary for him. I made a point of praising each and every bit of success he had. I talked to him about how eating new foods would make him big and strong. I made sure that he knew that I was on his team and would help him through all of this.
Now he needed to actually ingest a new food. This took a bit more planning. One thing we had working in our favor is that Jake always comes home from school hungry and all he wants to snack on is chips. I changed up our routine a bit in order to get him to eat something new. Instead of coming straight home from school one afternoon, I drove all over town with him. We ran some errands, went by the beach and visited a local farm. When I was sure that he was really hungry, we went home. As soon as we got in the door, he asked for chips. I offered a waffle instead. This did not go over well with him.
Once I got him calmed down, I explained that he could have some chips after he took a bite of his waffle. I've tried this exact same technique before and it didn't work. I think it always failed because Jake was so 'in the moment'. A promise of chips in the future was not enough to motivate him. Now, he understands 'first and then', so it worked. He ate a bite of the waffle and I gave him a couple of chips. When he finished them he asked for more. To get more, he needed to take another bite of the waffle. We continued this process until he ate the whole waffle. Now that he understood that waffles weren't so bad after all, that's what I served him for dinner. At dinner time, he had to eat the whole waffle before receiving chips. Success!
We followed this same method everyday and I was able to reintroduce several of his old favorites quickly. In less than a week, we added waffles, pancakes, muffins and roasted potatoes back to his diet. With these successes behind us, it was time to move on to more difficult challenges.
I add protein powder, fruits and pureed veggies in most of my baked goods to help make up for his pitiful diet. Jake has not knowingly consumed anything resembling a fruit or vegetable in about 18 months. I decided to try a small piece of orange, since it was once his favorite fruit. This would prove to be much more difficult than the waffles. Instead of insisting on taking a bite, I just asked that he touch it to his lip the first few tries. Once he was comfortable with that, he was able to take a bite. The poor guy gagged the first time he ate a piece of orange. But, he was willing to try it again, as long as I kept the chips coming.
Reintroducing foods to Jake will be an ongoing process. It can be tedious and exhausting, but it is necessary. There is no chance that I will catch Jake voluntarily gnawing on an apple any time soon, but I am pleased with his progress so far. I should also mention that if he is having a really bad day, I do not attempt to get him to eat a new food. All of these new textures and tastes are hard enough on him and I want to limit failure as much as possible. So, I pick my battles carefully and do my best to introduce challenges only when I believe he is ready for it.
More to come...
Jake had self-limited his food choices down to only peanut butter sandwiches and chips. If I placed any other food on or near his plate, he would get extremely upset and run from the table. My plan to reintroduce foods in his diet included working backward through the foods he dropped off his 'willing to eat' list. For example, waffles, pancakes, and roasted potatoes were all well tolerated by Jake at different times over the last few months, but for some reason he began to refuse them. Since they are the most familiar to him, I felt like they would be easier to get him to accept again.
At this point, Jake was still eating peanut butter sandwiches for dinner. I placed a waffle next to the sandwich on his plate. He immediately got upset. I explained that he did not have to eat the waffle, but he did have to stay in his chair (building on that newly mastered skill). He was able to finish his dinner, never touching the waffle. I repeated this same technique with other foods at different meals. I did not force him to try anything. I just wanted him to get used to being near the new foods. After a few days, he was able to touch the new foods, but still refused to take a bite.
It became time to up the ante. Jake was becoming more cooperative and I think we began to establish a new level of trust. For whatever reason, food is scary for him. I made a point of praising each and every bit of success he had. I talked to him about how eating new foods would make him big and strong. I made sure that he knew that I was on his team and would help him through all of this.
Now he needed to actually ingest a new food. This took a bit more planning. One thing we had working in our favor is that Jake always comes home from school hungry and all he wants to snack on is chips. I changed up our routine a bit in order to get him to eat something new. Instead of coming straight home from school one afternoon, I drove all over town with him. We ran some errands, went by the beach and visited a local farm. When I was sure that he was really hungry, we went home. As soon as we got in the door, he asked for chips. I offered a waffle instead. This did not go over well with him.
Once I got him calmed down, I explained that he could have some chips after he took a bite of his waffle. I've tried this exact same technique before and it didn't work. I think it always failed because Jake was so 'in the moment'. A promise of chips in the future was not enough to motivate him. Now, he understands 'first and then', so it worked. He ate a bite of the waffle and I gave him a couple of chips. When he finished them he asked for more. To get more, he needed to take another bite of the waffle. We continued this process until he ate the whole waffle. Now that he understood that waffles weren't so bad after all, that's what I served him for dinner. At dinner time, he had to eat the whole waffle before receiving chips. Success!
We followed this same method everyday and I was able to reintroduce several of his old favorites quickly. In less than a week, we added waffles, pancakes, muffins and roasted potatoes back to his diet. With these successes behind us, it was time to move on to more difficult challenges.
I add protein powder, fruits and pureed veggies in most of my baked goods to help make up for his pitiful diet. Jake has not knowingly consumed anything resembling a fruit or vegetable in about 18 months. I decided to try a small piece of orange, since it was once his favorite fruit. This would prove to be much more difficult than the waffles. Instead of insisting on taking a bite, I just asked that he touch it to his lip the first few tries. Once he was comfortable with that, he was able to take a bite. The poor guy gagged the first time he ate a piece of orange. But, he was willing to try it again, as long as I kept the chips coming.
Reintroducing foods to Jake will be an ongoing process. It can be tedious and exhausting, but it is necessary. There is no chance that I will catch Jake voluntarily gnawing on an apple any time soon, but I am pleased with his progress so far. I should also mention that if he is having a really bad day, I do not attempt to get him to eat a new food. All of these new textures and tastes are hard enough on him and I want to limit failure as much as possible. So, I pick my battles carefully and do my best to introduce challenges only when I believe he is ready for it.
More to come...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Mealtime Mayhem III
I believed Jake could master the art of remaining in his chair while eating dinner. Also, if he is able to focus on just eating, instead of running all around the house, we would shave a couple of hours off of dinnertime. This would take the first two problems off of my list.
To help set him up for success, I changed up our afternoon routine to include more active play. This would help burn off some of his excess energy and hopefully help him be more mellow at dinner. These extra activities also cut his habit of heavy snacking after school, which increased his appetite for dinner. Keep in mind that I am not asking him to sit through a five course meal, I just want him to sit still long enough to eat a sandwich.
In the past, verbal reminders and rewards for staying seated were ignored. So, I explained to Jake that when he left the table during dinner, he would have to go to timeout. I made sure that he saw me place his timeout chair in the hallway before dinner. On the first night, he continued to constantly leave the table. I gave him a timeout each time. The second night, he got up far less frequently. By the third night, he remained seated throughout most of the meal and I was able to use verbal reminders instead of timeouts along with lots of praise to motivate him.
Sarah quickly caught on to our new system. One night she came to me in the kitchen and asked, "What are you doing, Mommy?" I told her that I was getting dinner ready. She said, "okay" and then left the room. The next thing I knew, Sarah was heading down the hallway dragging the timeout chair behind her to set it in place for dinner.
It has been nearly two weeks since I began this process and dinner is a much more pleasant experience. Jake still requires occasional verbal reminders to 'stay seated' and 'take a bite', but not nearly as often as he once needed. He seems to get better every night. It now takes him about 30-45 minutes to eat dinner instead of 4 hours.
Coming up next: Tackling food sensitivities.
To help set him up for success, I changed up our afternoon routine to include more active play. This would help burn off some of his excess energy and hopefully help him be more mellow at dinner. These extra activities also cut his habit of heavy snacking after school, which increased his appetite for dinner. Keep in mind that I am not asking him to sit through a five course meal, I just want him to sit still long enough to eat a sandwich.
In the past, verbal reminders and rewards for staying seated were ignored. So, I explained to Jake that when he left the table during dinner, he would have to go to timeout. I made sure that he saw me place his timeout chair in the hallway before dinner. On the first night, he continued to constantly leave the table. I gave him a timeout each time. The second night, he got up far less frequently. By the third night, he remained seated throughout most of the meal and I was able to use verbal reminders instead of timeouts along with lots of praise to motivate him.
Sarah quickly caught on to our new system. One night she came to me in the kitchen and asked, "What are you doing, Mommy?" I told her that I was getting dinner ready. She said, "okay" and then left the room. The next thing I knew, Sarah was heading down the hallway dragging the timeout chair behind her to set it in place for dinner.
It has been nearly two weeks since I began this process and dinner is a much more pleasant experience. Jake still requires occasional verbal reminders to 'stay seated' and 'take a bite', but not nearly as often as he once needed. He seems to get better every night. It now takes him about 30-45 minutes to eat dinner instead of 4 hours.
Coming up next: Tackling food sensitivities.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Mealtime Mayhem II
The first step in correcting Jake's eating issues was to identify each problem.
1. Continually leaves table during the meal.
2. Meals take hours for him to complete.
3. Cannot tolerate unwanted foods on or near his plate.
4. Severely limited food choices. Refuses to try any new foods.
5. Unwilling/unable to use utensils.
6. Unable to drink from a regular cup or use a straw.
When all of these issues are in play during dinner, it is completely overwhelming. Having an itemized list helped me focus on each problem individually and develop a plan. I will definitely use this tool again for other behavior management and skill building projects.
Once the problems were identified, I had to determine which (if any) were reasonably within his control. These would be the issues to address first. That way, we could enjoy some confidence building successes before moving on to more complicated issues.
All children are different. You may find that your child has the same issue as Jake, but the underlying cause for the problem may be different and would therefore require another method to remedy it. Or, you can try similar approaches to the ones I use and just modify the pace and rewards according to your child's needs. As I've mentioned before, we arrived at this point after a lot of trial and error (mostly error). We are often reminded to be patient with our children. My fellow autism parents, I am asking you to be patient with yourselves. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon.
To be continued...
1. Continually leaves table during the meal.
2. Meals take hours for him to complete.
3. Cannot tolerate unwanted foods on or near his plate.
4. Severely limited food choices. Refuses to try any new foods.
5. Unwilling/unable to use utensils.
6. Unable to drink from a regular cup or use a straw.
When all of these issues are in play during dinner, it is completely overwhelming. Having an itemized list helped me focus on each problem individually and develop a plan. I will definitely use this tool again for other behavior management and skill building projects.
Once the problems were identified, I had to determine which (if any) were reasonably within his control. These would be the issues to address first. That way, we could enjoy some confidence building successes before moving on to more complicated issues.
All children are different. You may find that your child has the same issue as Jake, but the underlying cause for the problem may be different and would therefore require another method to remedy it. Or, you can try similar approaches to the ones I use and just modify the pace and rewards according to your child's needs. As I've mentioned before, we arrived at this point after a lot of trial and error (mostly error). We are often reminded to be patient with our children. My fellow autism parents, I am asking you to be patient with yourselves. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon.
To be continued...
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Mealtime Mayhem Part I
During the initial regression that led to his autism diagnosis, Jake lost a lot of skills, severely restricted his food choices and developed difficult behaviors that make mealtime miserable. For nearly two years, I have attempted to remedy these problems but made very little progress. I have tried every bit of advice I found online and in books. I used techniques offered by friends and family to no avail.
Within the last couple of weeks, I finally started making progress with Jake's eating problems. While I'd like to say it was all due to my incredibly awesome mommy skills, I believe these improvements were made possible because Jake began making some developmental strides. He can now follow verbal instructions better and seems to want to please me. He has also come to appreciate rewards for good behavior.
I wasted a lot of time feeling like I was a terrible mother for not being able to fix Jake's mealtime problems. The fact is, these issues are all a part of the autism. All we can do is keep trying and eventually we'll get through. It may take sheer persistence or it may require a developmental leap, but we keep trying. It is important to note that all of the techniques that are now working for Jake have been attempted unsuccessfully before.
I know that many of you are also dealing with food issues as well as other undesirable behaviors. I will share my strategies for dealing with Jake's problems in upcoming posts. I hope you will find the information helpful.
Within the last couple of weeks, I finally started making progress with Jake's eating problems. While I'd like to say it was all due to my incredibly awesome mommy skills, I believe these improvements were made possible because Jake began making some developmental strides. He can now follow verbal instructions better and seems to want to please me. He has also come to appreciate rewards for good behavior.
I wasted a lot of time feeling like I was a terrible mother for not being able to fix Jake's mealtime problems. The fact is, these issues are all a part of the autism. All we can do is keep trying and eventually we'll get through. It may take sheer persistence or it may require a developmental leap, but we keep trying. It is important to note that all of the techniques that are now working for Jake have been attempted unsuccessfully before.
I know that many of you are also dealing with food issues as well as other undesirable behaviors. I will share my strategies for dealing with Jake's problems in upcoming posts. I hope you will find the information helpful.
Cinnamon Raisin Buckwheat Waffles
GFCFSF Cinnamon Raisin Buckwheat Waffles
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins
1 egg (or substitute)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups apple juice
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Allow batter to rest while heating waffle iron.
Use about 1/4 cup of batter per waffle and cook according to your iron's instructions.
Makes 10 waffles.
1/2 cup white rice flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup quinoa flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup raisins
1 egg (or substitute)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cups apple juice
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined. Allow batter to rest while heating waffle iron.
Use about 1/4 cup of batter per waffle and cook according to your iron's instructions.
Makes 10 waffles.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Notes From The New Sheriff
We have had some exciting improvements since the 'new sheriff' moved in last week. Our family life is becoming less like "Gorillas in the Mist" and more like scenes from "Awakenings". Jake is following directions better and interacting more. He has begun imaginative play and is learning to read. I decided to capitalize on this developmental leap and focus on making big changes regarding Jake's mealtime challenges. The results have been amazing. I'll post more specific details on that soon.
Jake received his very first invitation to a friend's birthday party this week. The big event is today and I am so nervous! I have no idea how he will react. Of course, I am flying solo with both kids and Sarah has refused to take a nap today. If nothing else, the party experience will be interesting.
Attending a party is a big step for Jake (and me). Wish us luck!
Jake received his very first invitation to a friend's birthday party this week. The big event is today and I am so nervous! I have no idea how he will react. Of course, I am flying solo with both kids and Sarah has refused to take a nap today. If nothing else, the party experience will be interesting.
Attending a party is a big step for Jake (and me). Wish us luck!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Blueberry Muffins with Supplements
GFCFSF Blueberry Rice Muffins with Supplements
1 1/4 cup rice flour (I used a mix of white and brown rice flours)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 tablespoon pea protein powder
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon calcium and vitamin D powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup milk substitute (I used rice milk)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg (or substitute)
1/3 cup fresh blueberries, chopped
Preheat oven to 425
Lightly grease or line 6 large muffin tins (Texas size).
Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix until well combined.
Spoon batter in to muffin tins. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes.
Note: Dried blueberries would work well in this recipe. I was unable to find any locally that did not contain high fructose corn syrup, so I decided to go with fresh blueberries instead.
1 1/4 cup rice flour (I used a mix of white and brown rice flours)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 tablespoon pea protein powder
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon calcium and vitamin D powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
1 cup milk substitute (I used rice milk)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg (or substitute)
1/3 cup fresh blueberries, chopped
Preheat oven to 425
Lightly grease or line 6 large muffin tins (Texas size).
Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix until well combined.
Spoon batter in to muffin tins. Bake at 425 for about 20 minutes.
Note: Dried blueberries would work well in this recipe. I was unable to find any locally that did not contain high fructose corn syrup, so I decided to go with fresh blueberries instead.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Sausage, Spinach and Rice
Times are tough, but rice is cheap. This meal is inexpensive, quick and easy. It's become one of my favorite one-pot dishes. Sarah enjoys it so much, she usually asks for seconds and sometimes thirds! Of course, I'm just happy to see her eat vegetables.Sausage, Spinach and Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 pound sausage
- 1 1/2 cups rice, uncooked
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 16 ounce bag frozen chopped spinach
Add rice, chicken broth and garlic. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer.
When most of the broth has been absorbed, stir in spinach and tomatoes. Recover and simmer until rice is tender.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Mini Polenta Pizzas
Those tubes of polenta are terrific for mini pizza crusts. Use your favorite toppings for a fun family meal or serve as a snack at your next party. Consider hiding veggies under your favorite cheese substitute for picky eaters.
Mini Polenta Pizzas
1 tube of polenta
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
5 slices of rice cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove polenta from package and cut into thin slices. I got 20 mini crusts from one tube.
Place polenta slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Top with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Add 1/4 slice of cheese to each and then sprinkle on cilantro.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Mini Polenta Pizzas
1 tube of polenta
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro
5 slices of rice cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Remove polenta from package and cut into thin slices. I got 20 mini crusts from one tube.
Place polenta slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Top with a thin layer of tomato sauce. Add 1/4 slice of cheese to each and then sprinkle on cilantro.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Chili Rice
A quick and easy one-pot dish.
Chili Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can tomato sauce
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large saucepan or high-sided skillet. Add ground beef and onion. Cook over medium-high heat until beef is browned. Drain. Stir in garlic.
Add rice and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until most of the water is absorbed.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir well and recover. Let simmer until rice is cooked.
Top with your favorite cheese substitute if desired.
Chili Rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 can tomato sauce
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large saucepan or high-sided skillet. Add ground beef and onion. Cook over medium-high heat until beef is browned. Drain. Stir in garlic.
Add rice and water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until most of the water is absorbed.
Add remaining ingredients. Stir well and recover. Let simmer until rice is cooked.
Top with your favorite cheese substitute if desired.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Regression Recession
Whew! What a wild ride we've had around here these last few weeks! I am pleased to announce that Jake's regression is coming to an end. (It is really hard to type while knocking on wood.) He is sleeping through the night, having fewer meltdowns and his receptive language skills appear to be back on track. His expressive language is not quite up to where it was before the regression, but he's getting there.
Now it's time to regain control of the household. For too long, we've been in 'survival' mode around here. Constant meltdown management and prevention combined with sleep deprivation can quickly change your priority list. I forgot I was trying to raise productive citizens and instead was focusing on just getting through the day. Well, folks, there's a new sheriff in town and my kids got to meet her last night.
During dinner, Jake bounced up from his chair every 5 seconds while screaming for potato chips and Sarah methodically tossed handfuls of food on the floor. I tried to reason with my feral children while lamenting the fact that we had come to this point due to weeks of disruption in our home. Then I heard a voice in my head. Usually the voice instructs me to run screaming from the house. This time it just provided a gentle reminder, "You're in charge here."
While the kids were in timeout and I had a captive audience, I calmly announced that there would be some changes around here. I outlined the areas that required immediate attention: Food goes in your mouth, not on the floor. Toys go in the basket, not in the fireplace. Pee-pee goes in the potty, not in your pants. And, for Pete's sake, stop rearranging the furniture!
I know that one lecture from the 'new sheriff' is not going to fix all of our issues. I also realize that all of this was more than young children can absorb at one time. It was really for me. I established my plan and fired the warning shot. I just wish I could have taken a picture of the two of them, sitting so quietly, wide-eyed and actually listening to the words coming out of my mouth.
After timeout, we returned to the table, where everyone ate in peace. Sarah even politely asked for more. From there, we went on with an uneventful, meltdown-free evening. Super Nanny would be so proud. Watch out, kids...Mama's back!
Now it's time to regain control of the household. For too long, we've been in 'survival' mode around here. Constant meltdown management and prevention combined with sleep deprivation can quickly change your priority list. I forgot I was trying to raise productive citizens and instead was focusing on just getting through the day. Well, folks, there's a new sheriff in town and my kids got to meet her last night.
During dinner, Jake bounced up from his chair every 5 seconds while screaming for potato chips and Sarah methodically tossed handfuls of food on the floor. I tried to reason with my feral children while lamenting the fact that we had come to this point due to weeks of disruption in our home. Then I heard a voice in my head. Usually the voice instructs me to run screaming from the house. This time it just provided a gentle reminder, "You're in charge here."
While the kids were in timeout and I had a captive audience, I calmly announced that there would be some changes around here. I outlined the areas that required immediate attention: Food goes in your mouth, not on the floor. Toys go in the basket, not in the fireplace. Pee-pee goes in the potty, not in your pants. And, for Pete's sake, stop rearranging the furniture!
I know that one lecture from the 'new sheriff' is not going to fix all of our issues. I also realize that all of this was more than young children can absorb at one time. It was really for me. I established my plan and fired the warning shot. I just wish I could have taken a picture of the two of them, sitting so quietly, wide-eyed and actually listening to the words coming out of my mouth.
After timeout, we returned to the table, where everyone ate in peace. Sarah even politely asked for more. From there, we went on with an uneventful, meltdown-free evening. Super Nanny would be so proud. Watch out, kids...Mama's back!
Sugar Free Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
Sugar Free GFCF Cinnamon Raisin Muffins
1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose blend)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten (or egg substitute)
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1.5 ounce box of raisins
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease or line 6 muffin tins.
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix just until well combined.
Pour batter into muffin tins and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
Makes 6 muffins.
1 cup gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose blend)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten (or egg substitute)
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1.5 ounce box of raisins
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease or line 6 muffin tins.
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix just until well combined.
Pour batter into muffin tins and bake for 15 to 18 minutes.
Makes 6 muffins.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
Things have been extra busy around here lately. The kids are on antibiotics again, which sent Jake into another tailspin. There's been very little sleep and a whole lot of crying, screaming and chaos. Jeff has been working long hours, so I've been flying solo through most of the craziness. Needless to say, I am the poster child for Mommy Burnout.
On Sunday, Jeff generously offered to take the kids out for a while to give me a break. I thoroughly enjoyed having the house to myself. I made a big batch of waffles to freeze and had an uninterrupted chat on the phone with a friend. It's been a long time since I got to talk with another adult for any length of time...what a treat!
As the afternoon rolled on, I became worried about my family. They had been gone for several hours, much longer than any of their previous outings. I tried to call Jeff, but we have notoriously bad cell phone reception and the call did not go through. I started making dinner while reassuring myself that everything was fine.
Through my kitchen window, I caught a glimpse of a police car turning on to my street. I knew where it was going.
I watched the petite officer make her way to my door. In the minute it took for her to arrive on my doorstep, my imagination went wild. I conjured up several different scenarios, none of which would be welcome news. I opened the door before she had a chance to ring the bell.
I don't think I even greeted her. I just stood there, ghostly pale, holding my breath, waiting. She began to speak, "I'm blah, blah, blah, police, blah, blah, blah, community, blah, checking in, blah, blah, blah, nice to meet you." Her words were a blur to me.
"Is everything okay?" I blurted out.
"Oh, yes!" she said, realizing that I had misunderstood the reason for her visit, which was merely to introduce herself to her assigned neighborhood.
I let out the huge gulp of air that I had been holding for far too long and then burst into tears. Never before had I felt so relieved. Congratulations, Chrissy, your family is alive and well!
I'm sure I left quite an impression on my friendly neighborhood police officer. She listened patiently as I explained the reason for my overly emotional reaction. She claimed to understand and then wondered aloud if it was a good idea to continue with her plan to go door to door. We both chuckled as I assured her that the rest of my neighbors were much more mentally stable than I am and would appreciate the opportunity to meet her.
She asked if I needed anything. I could certainly use some sedatives, a straight jacket and a one-way ticket to the funny farm, but I did not share that with her. Besides, there was no time for such an indulgence. There was dinner to cook, laundry to finish and children to hug when they finally returned home. I thanked her for stopping by and went back to my chores.
My family returned home to a nuttier mother than they left. Although, I suspect they enjoyed the new kind of crazy they saw in me. Everyone got extra hugs and kisses. And, they thoroughly appreciated the cookies I allowed them to eat before dinner.
On Sunday, Jeff generously offered to take the kids out for a while to give me a break. I thoroughly enjoyed having the house to myself. I made a big batch of waffles to freeze and had an uninterrupted chat on the phone with a friend. It's been a long time since I got to talk with another adult for any length of time...what a treat!
As the afternoon rolled on, I became worried about my family. They had been gone for several hours, much longer than any of their previous outings. I tried to call Jeff, but we have notoriously bad cell phone reception and the call did not go through. I started making dinner while reassuring myself that everything was fine.
Through my kitchen window, I caught a glimpse of a police car turning on to my street. I knew where it was going.
I watched the petite officer make her way to my door. In the minute it took for her to arrive on my doorstep, my imagination went wild. I conjured up several different scenarios, none of which would be welcome news. I opened the door before she had a chance to ring the bell.
I don't think I even greeted her. I just stood there, ghostly pale, holding my breath, waiting. She began to speak, "I'm blah, blah, blah, police, blah, blah, blah, community, blah, checking in, blah, blah, blah, nice to meet you." Her words were a blur to me.
"Is everything okay?" I blurted out.
"Oh, yes!" she said, realizing that I had misunderstood the reason for her visit, which was merely to introduce herself to her assigned neighborhood.
I let out the huge gulp of air that I had been holding for far too long and then burst into tears. Never before had I felt so relieved. Congratulations, Chrissy, your family is alive and well!
I'm sure I left quite an impression on my friendly neighborhood police officer. She listened patiently as I explained the reason for my overly emotional reaction. She claimed to understand and then wondered aloud if it was a good idea to continue with her plan to go door to door. We both chuckled as I assured her that the rest of my neighbors were much more mentally stable than I am and would appreciate the opportunity to meet her.
She asked if I needed anything. I could certainly use some sedatives, a straight jacket and a one-way ticket to the funny farm, but I did not share that with her. Besides, there was no time for such an indulgence. There was dinner to cook, laundry to finish and children to hug when they finally returned home. I thanked her for stopping by and went back to my chores.
My family returned home to a nuttier mother than they left. Although, I suspect they enjoyed the new kind of crazy they saw in me. Everyone got extra hugs and kisses. And, they thoroughly appreciated the cookies I allowed them to eat before dinner.
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Some Days...
Some days, I hate autism and what it has done to my son.
Most days, I know that perfect health was never guaranteed.
Some days, I am hurt by the lack of compassion and understanding around us.
Most days, I can remember how little I knew before we got the diagnosis.
Some days, I feel like we are locked in a hopeless battle.
Most days, I know we will win.
Some days, I wish I knew then what I know now.
Most days, I am grateful that I keep learning.
Some days, I am too tired to go on and I want to give up.
Most days, I am proud that it is my hand he holds on his way out of the abyss.
Some days, I mourn the loss of the child I had before autism took him away.
Every day, I am overwhelmed with love for the incredible child he is today.
Most days, I know that perfect health was never guaranteed.
Some days, I am hurt by the lack of compassion and understanding around us.
Most days, I can remember how little I knew before we got the diagnosis.
Some days, I feel like we are locked in a hopeless battle.
Most days, I know we will win.
Some days, I wish I knew then what I know now.
Most days, I am grateful that I keep learning.
Some days, I am too tired to go on and I want to give up.
Most days, I am proud that it is my hand he holds on his way out of the abyss.
Some days, I mourn the loss of the child I had before autism took him away.
Every day, I am overwhelmed with love for the incredible child he is today.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Autism Anthem
Here's a link to a music video on YouTube. The song is called "I'm Still Here" by John Rzeznik and this video features children on the spectrum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZ4ZWSpOqY
Watch at your own risk...you might want to grab a box of tissues.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZ4ZWSpOqY
Watch at your own risk...you might want to grab a box of tissues.
French Toast Sticks
These French Toast Sticks are easy to make and in addition to being GFCFSF, they are also egg and sugar free. Make up a big batch and freeze them. Reheat in the oven or toaster for a quick fix, kid-friendly breakfast. This is great way to get rid of those dry store bought GF breads or make use of homemade bread that has passed its prime.
GFCF French Toast Sticks
10 slices of GF bread
3.5 ounce container of banana puree (I use Gerber Organic baby food)
1 1/2 cups milk substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground flax (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray large baking sheet with cooking oil.
In a shallow dish, combine all ingredients except bread. Whisk well.
Cut each slice of bread into 3 pieces. Soak bread in mixture, saturating both sides.
Place bread on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 375.
Allow to cool completely before freezing.
Makes 30 french toast sticks.
GFCF French Toast Sticks
10 slices of GF bread
3.5 ounce container of banana puree (I use Gerber Organic baby food)
1 1/2 cups milk substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground flax (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Spray large baking sheet with cooking oil.
In a shallow dish, combine all ingredients except bread. Whisk well.
Cut each slice of bread into 3 pieces. Soak bread in mixture, saturating both sides.
Place bread on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 375.
Allow to cool completely before freezing.
Makes 30 french toast sticks.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Sleep Is For The Weak
I don't remember the last time I actually had a full night of uninterrupted sleep, but the chaos that ensued last night is one for the record books. The festivities started a little before midnight and ended at 5 am. Between each event, I had just enough time to drift back to sleep before something else woke me up. It was torturous.
Jake was the first to wake me up around midnight. His diaper had leaked, so I changed his diaper, pajamas and sheets. I got him settled again and then returned to my bed.
Shortly thereafter, I awoke to Sarah's hysterical cries. She was screaming, "I got a booger!" This is what she says when her nose is stuffy. Lovely, isn't it? I took care of the offending nasal obstruction and returned to bed.
The next time I woke up, it was because Jake was coughing. He has asthma and the cough sounded terrible. He was still asleep, so I set up his nebulizer machine in his bedroom. I hoped he would sleep through the breathing treatment, but no such luck. As soon as the medicine started to work, he woke up, ready to play. I got him settled down again and went back to bed.
The next thing I knew, Jake was standing beside me saying he wanted music. He knows how to use his CD player without my assistance. What he wanted was company and I was in no mood to play. I sent him back to bed.
At 5 am I was jolted out of sleep once more by the telephone ringing. My first thought was that someone had died. Fortunately, that was not the case. However, someone is going to. It was a robo-call from the school announcing a 2 hour delay due to weather.
6 am came far too quickly and I woke up to a quiet house. The children were still asleep, hungover from a long night of terrorizing me. My husband, sensing an opportunity, snuggled in and sweetly asked, "How did you sleep?".
While I was getting the ice packs for Jeff's eye and my fist, I indulged myself in a little daydream. I often dream about staying in a hotel room all by myself. Normal people may fantasize about other things going on in a hotel room, but not me. My little dream involves a nice hotel, one that finds SpongeBob SquarePants so offensive that they do not allow it to be broadcast on their televisions. In fact, they ban all cartoons. I would order room service, an outrageously fattening meal with a carafe of extra gluten and casein on the side. I would then pass out in an over-stuffed stupor all alone in a giant bed and sleep for 12 hours straight. Someday, I will make that happen.
*No husbands were harmed in the making of this blog post.*
Jake was the first to wake me up around midnight. His diaper had leaked, so I changed his diaper, pajamas and sheets. I got him settled again and then returned to my bed.
Shortly thereafter, I awoke to Sarah's hysterical cries. She was screaming, "I got a booger!" This is what she says when her nose is stuffy. Lovely, isn't it? I took care of the offending nasal obstruction and returned to bed.
The next time I woke up, it was because Jake was coughing. He has asthma and the cough sounded terrible. He was still asleep, so I set up his nebulizer machine in his bedroom. I hoped he would sleep through the breathing treatment, but no such luck. As soon as the medicine started to work, he woke up, ready to play. I got him settled down again and went back to bed.
The next thing I knew, Jake was standing beside me saying he wanted music. He knows how to use his CD player without my assistance. What he wanted was company and I was in no mood to play. I sent him back to bed.
At 5 am I was jolted out of sleep once more by the telephone ringing. My first thought was that someone had died. Fortunately, that was not the case. However, someone is going to. It was a robo-call from the school announcing a 2 hour delay due to weather.
6 am came far too quickly and I woke up to a quiet house. The children were still asleep, hungover from a long night of terrorizing me. My husband, sensing an opportunity, snuggled in and sweetly asked, "How did you sleep?".
While I was getting the ice packs for Jeff's eye and my fist, I indulged myself in a little daydream. I often dream about staying in a hotel room all by myself. Normal people may fantasize about other things going on in a hotel room, but not me. My little dream involves a nice hotel, one that finds SpongeBob SquarePants so offensive that they do not allow it to be broadcast on their televisions. In fact, they ban all cartoons. I would order room service, an outrageously fattening meal with a carafe of extra gluten and casein on the side. I would then pass out in an over-stuffed stupor all alone in a giant bed and sleep for 12 hours straight. Someday, I will make that happen.
*No husbands were harmed in the making of this blog post.*
Quick and Easy Gluten-free Bread
This is about as easy as it gets when it comes to bread making. 2 loaves of bread in less than 2 hours and it's all gluten-free, casein-free and egg-free!
GFCFSFEF Bread
1 22 oz bag Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour
*or about 5 cups of your favorite GF flour blend
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup powdered milk substitute
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
Combine all ingredients in bowl of stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Divide batter between 2 greased 8x4 loaf pans.
Cover and let rise for about one hour.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cool completely before slicing or freezing.
Makes 2 8x4 inch loaves.
GFCFSFEF Bread
1 22 oz bag Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour
*or about 5 cups of your favorite GF flour blend
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup powdered milk substitute
1 tablespoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons salt
2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup oil
Combine all ingredients in bowl of stand mixer. Mix on medium speed for 5 minutes.
Divide batter between 2 greased 8x4 loaf pans.
Cover and let rise for about one hour.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cool completely before slicing or freezing.
Makes 2 8x4 inch loaves.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Skipping Monday
What if you could just skip Monday? Apparently, in Jake's world, you can.
Jake missed school last Thursday and Friday because he was sick. On Friday afternoon, we 'discussed' the time he was missing from school. Of course, by 'discussed' I mean that I was offering up a monologue about how he missed 2 days because of his cold and then had another 2 days away from school because of the weekend. I thought I was reassuring him that our normal routine would soon resume when I told him that he would return to school on Monday.
"I don't want to go to school!"
"But, Jake, you like school. Remember? You get to go back on Monday."
"Then, we'll not have Monday!"
So now here we are, on this day formerly known as Monday, stuck at home once again. Jake still has a cough. He's not quite well enough to go to school, but somehow has just enough energy to drive a mama crazy.
Evidently, my little guy has more pull with the powers that be than I thought. I wonder if he will take requests...
Jake missed school last Thursday and Friday because he was sick. On Friday afternoon, we 'discussed' the time he was missing from school. Of course, by 'discussed' I mean that I was offering up a monologue about how he missed 2 days because of his cold and then had another 2 days away from school because of the weekend. I thought I was reassuring him that our normal routine would soon resume when I told him that he would return to school on Monday.
"I don't want to go to school!"
"But, Jake, you like school. Remember? You get to go back on Monday."
"Then, we'll not have Monday!"
So now here we are, on this day formerly known as Monday, stuck at home once again. Jake still has a cough. He's not quite well enough to go to school, but somehow has just enough energy to drive a mama crazy.
Evidently, my little guy has more pull with the powers that be than I thought. I wonder if he will take requests...
Cilantro Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
In a saucepan, combine quinoa and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Add diced tomatoes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Stir in cilantro, cover and simmer until water is absorbed (about 5 minutes).
2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
In a saucepan, combine quinoa and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
Add diced tomatoes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Stir in cilantro, cover and simmer until water is absorbed (about 5 minutes).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)