Rice Cereal Treats

One of the common blunders we made when first going gluten free is not understanding the hidden ingredients which may contain gluten. It's so easy to not realize that a simple ingredient has gluten. Take Rice Krispies as an example. You would think that a rice based cereal would be gluten free - it's not! Rice Krispies contain barley malt and barley contains gluten - so this is NOT a gluten free cereal.  You can purchase a substitute cereal which IS gluten free calledKoala Crisp. Our store carries the cocoa version, but it also comes in the plain rice variety.  We decided to make Cereal Treats made from Koala Crisp tonight as our weekly treat. I added peanut butter to give it some extra protein and to complement the cocoa flavoring in the cereal. Doodle said they were delicious!

Peanut Butter Rice Cereal Treats

2 Tbsp Dairy Free Butter (I use Earth Balance)
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
40 Marshmallows
1 Package Koala Crisp Rice Cereal

1. Melt butter substitute and peanut butter over low heat in a large pan.  Add in mrshmallows and stir constantly until marshmallows are dissolved.
2. Stir in Rice Cereal until completely mixed.
3. Season a 9 x 13 inch pan with butter substitute and season your hands. Spread marshmallow mixture evenly in pan. Allow to cool.

I topped these treats with some dairy free chocolate chips and cut them into large squares for dessert.  The chocolate melted into the knooks and crannies of the bars and tasted wonderful!

If you're looking for a great gluten free cereal that doesn't break the bank - try Chex! General Mills has recently made many of their rice based Chex cereals gluten free. Doodle loves the Honey variety and the Cinnamon variety. Beware of the chocolate version if you are diary free, as this product contains dairy!

Grilled Asparagus

Well the weather has turned warm (for the most part!) and we have been cooking an increasing amount of dinners on the grill. I love grilling season! It makes cooking so easy and clean up even easier! One of our new found favorites this year is fresh asparagus on the grill. A friend from work gave us a large quantity of asparagus fresh from her garden and boy is it delicious when cooked on the grill! Here's how:

Grilled Asparagus

Fresh Asparagus (as much as desired)
1-2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Kosher or Sea Salt

1. Wash, dry and snap off ends of asparagus.
2. Sprinkle asparagus with Olive Oil and Salt.
3. Place horizontally on the top rack of the grill and cook 10 minutes or to desired tenderness.

Asparagus on the grill goes wonderfully with Hamburgers. Doodle loves a good hamburger and enjoys eating it sans bun with plenty of ketchup and mustard. She's also found a new love for Bratwurst! We've been feasting on these summer treats for quite a few weeks and the asparagus really rounds out the meal.

Of course, anything on the grill goes better with a tall, cool glass of lemonade. We fresh squeeze the lemons for a refreshing summer drink. Try some out today!

A New Favorite

Doodle was so excited this week when we found a new GF food at the grocery store - French Toast Sticks. I just love that our local grocery store is always trying new GF foods for area families to try - and the store has much more to choose from than many of the big chain stores in "The Cities" (mpls/st paul). Doodle loves the waffles, pancakes, and now the French Toast Sticks made by Van's.  Check them out and try some today if you have the opportunity!

http://www.vansfoods.com/

A Frustrating Day

Doodle had her annual doctor's visit today and Kindergarten vaccinations. This entire event was an exercise in frustration for me. So little is known, locally, about the impacts of diet on Autism and the complete resistance to the theory is frustrating to me. In order for Doodle to receive an allergy friendly lunch at school next year, I need a note from my doctor. I explained this to my doctor and she responded, "Well, I don't have a medical reason to give you that note. I can't tell you that the diet has made any difference in her developmental delays." Moments later, she comments "She really is a 'normal' kid, isn't she? I don't see any signs of a delay." I ask you - what do you think made this big of a difference?!!!

Why is it so easy to accept that diet plays a role in heart disease, diabetes, even cancer? Why can the medical establishment at least entertain the idea that diet plays a role in learning disabilities? Especially when presented with evidence like Doodle. She could see with her very eyes that Doodle was no longer the child with repetitive behavior, limited eye contact, and poor social skills. She could see with her very own eyes how she has transformed over the past year. Why is it so hard to believe that diet makes a difference?

I find myself becoming very angry at the whole establishment and wonder what I can do to better educate people. I've been on a mission to help people in the area understand the connection for some autistic kids and diet. Admittedly, it won't work for all kids, but as my friend says, it certainly won't hurt and most kids will see some form of improvement. Isn't it worth it, then, to try it? To give your child the best chance they have at recovery? Wouldn't you want that for your child? I know I do and I don't ever regret changing Doodle's diet. It's been life transforming for Doodle and that is what she deserves!

Dairy Free Jo-Jo's

Once upon a time we used to love to indulge in fried chicken and Jo-Jo potatoes at KFC (or as Doodle calls it, Kipsy). Unfortunately, most establishments use some form of wheat or dairy on their Jo Jo potatoes for seasoning. So, we have invented our own, much healthier version, at home. Here's the recipe: 

Jo Jo Potatoes

3-4 Medium sized potatoes - sliced into thin wedges

Olive Oil

Paprika

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Rosemary - if desired

1. Place potato wedges on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and mix up with your hands so that all potatoes are coated.

2. Sprinkle with paprika, salt, pepper, and rosemary.

3. Set oven to broil and place potatoes in oven. Cook for 10 minutes and stir potatoes.

4. Cook another 10 minutes or until the potatoes reach desired crispiness. Serve with your favorite dip.

On another note, Doodle signed up for soccer tonight and is excited to start playing. She has the cutest pink and black Adidas cleats! I'm excited for her to continue master kicking a ball. This is one of the items the physical therapist has suggested as summer work. Hopefully we'll get a good coach who is patient and kind. Can't wait to see her running around the soccer field with the rest of her peers!

Doodle-Snickers

Aka - Snicker-doodle's are the cookie of the week. The dough is upstairs cooling in the fridge before I throw them in the oven. Incredibly easy to make, I'm looking forward to trying this favorite childhood treat in a gluten free version. Here's the recipe:

Doodle-Snickers

1 Cup Shortening
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
3/4 Cub Agave Nectar (or to taste)
2 Eggs
2 T Vanilla
1 T 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
2 tsp Baking Soda
3 Cups GF Flour (I used 2 cups Sweet Rice Flour and 1 Cup All Purpose GF Flour)
2 tsp Xanthan Gum
Cinnamon and Sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix shortening, sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat in eggs.
3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, xanthan gum in a bowl.
4. Add flour mixture to shortening mixture. Beat until combined.
5. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to 30 minutes.
6. Roll dough into small balls and roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place on cookie pan and bake 8-10 minutes.
7. Cool on pan slightly and remove to cooling racks.

On another note, I continue to be amazed at Doodle's progress. Reading books last night, Doodle is starting to be able to read a few words herself! She is also able to do simple math problems - and she has yet to start kindergarten! I'm hopeful kindergarten will be a smooth transition for her.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Ok- so life is super busy this spring time. I'm so enjoying the early spring that has arrived in Minnesota this year. It's such a rare treat, that I haven't spent much time thinking about this blog. Well, today is rainy, cold and pretty dreary, so I thought I would catch up.

First, we had an awesome IEP conference with Doodle's Special Ed team. I'm happy to report that she will not need OT and Speech Therapy next year (but am appreciative of all of their help the past 2 years!). She will continue with limited special ed intervention next year and physical therapy 1 day a week. I'm so pleased with her progress!

As I mentioned the other day, we made the best dairy free strawberry ice cream. It was rich, creamy, and tasted just like the real thing. Here's the recipe:

Strawberry Ice Cream

3 Cups Coffee Rich Non-Dairy Creamer
1 small package Rich Whip
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/8 tsp Xanthan Gum
3 Cups Strawberries - sliced
1/4 Cup Agave Nectar
1/2 Cup Sugar

1. Add Sugar and Agave Nectar to the sliced strawberries. Macerate for 1-2 hours.
2. In the mean time, combine Non-Dairy Creamer, Rich Whip, Sugar, and Xanthan Gum in bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Mash strawberries and drain juice into cream mixture. Set aside strawberries
4. Place in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instruction.
5. About 5 minutes before ice cream is complete, add in strawberry mixture. Once complete, remove from bowl and freeze for 2 hours.
6. Let thaw slightly before serving - enjoy!

On a final note, I was very brave this week and asked the food company I work for if they were considering developing any Gluten Free products. To my surprise, the CEO admitted they were behind the times on these products! I volunteered to talk with the marketing organization about my experience. We'll see if it helps them understand the need for natural, allergy friendly foods! Keep your fingers crossed!