Does one (or all!) of your children have food allergies? Sadly this is no longer a rare thing. More and more kids struggle with food allergies now than ever before.
I’ve been there too. Skin testing, blood work, epi-pens…the works. It can be challenging or down right scary.
But you don’t have to live in fear. And you don’t have to just accept food allergies as a life sentence. There is help!
My son went from over twenty food allergies and an epi-pen to being able to eat just about anything. Even nuts!
There are ways to heal the gut and nourish the body so your child can get back to a normal life. Food allergies have so many underlying causes. Once you figure out the root problem and treat it the body will begin to heal.
Don’t let food allergies define your life. I’m here to help you and your child heal.
Looking for a simple, yet nourishing breakfast that you can get on the table quickly? This picky eater approved gluten free instant porridge with MCT oil will be a new family favorite. No cooking. No allergens. And best of all the kids can make it!
I’m definitely a creature of habit. When it comes to breakfast I tend to serve the same things to my family every week (one less thing to think about when meal planning!). Monday is yogurt. Tuesday is a smoothie. Wednesday is eggs. And Thursday is usually oatmeal.
There’s just one problem. My oldest son is allergic to oats!
Easy Oat-Free Breakfast
So I always have to come up with an alternative for him. Sometimes I make a different hot cereal, like teff porridge. But I’ll be honest…I usually do not feel like cooking a second breakfast. Especially now with a new baby. I just don’t have time for that.
One day I just started tossing some miscellaneous food in a bowl for him. His own instant porridge. And he loved it!
In fact, it looked so good my daughters were jealous that he got instant porridge when they had oatmeal. So now I make it for all of them! Or better yet, they can make it for themselves since they know how to cook. It’s that easy.
Want to teach your kids to cook? Check out the Kids Cook Real Food ecourse HERE! You can get a set of FREE kids make breakfast videos when you sign up by August 8!
Not to mention it’s very versatile. You can partially prep it the night before, 30 minutes before or just before breakfast. It can be gluten-free or grain-free and dairy-free.
Instant Porridge Packed with Nutrition
The key ingredient is chia seeds. They pack a nutritional punch with omega-3’s, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein.
There is another superstar ingredient that we add – MCT oil. If you’ve never tried it, you should. It comes from coconuts. Here are some of the benefits:
Increase Energy Levels
Improve Mental Clarity, Reduce Brain Fog
Improve Mood
Improve Gut Function and Digestion
Support a Healthy Metabolism
Aid In The Process of Reducing Stored Body Fat
Promote Healthy Brain Function
Keep Excess Inflammation in Check
Promote Healthy Heart Function
Helps Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
Variety of antimicrobial and anti-fungal effects
Anything that improves brain function and blood sugar regulation is wonderful for kids! Not to mention it boosts nutrition, which is a key factor in dealing with picky eaters. It’s great for Mom and Dad too!
The best source for MCT oil is Perfect Supplements (I trust them for all of my favorite supplements like desiccated liver and collagen). It is 100% pure (read more about it here)!
If you’ve never used MCT oil, make sure you start with a small dose (about 1 tsp.) and work your way up to 1 – 2 Tbsp. It can upset your digestive system if you eat too much too quickly.
To your chia seeds and MCT oil add your favorite type of milk (we us raw milk, coconut milk, almond milk or rice milk), seeds, and fruit. Then my personal favorite topping of coconut chips (advanced warning…they are so addictive!).
Healthy, Prep-ahead Breakfast
You can prepare and eat it immediately. Or you can let the chia seeds soak in the milk for a few minutes or even over night to thicken. Sometimes we add brown rice puffs or quick oats (depending on who’s eating it) to thicken it as well.
My three-year old has been measuring ingredients and slicing bananas since she was two. She loves to make instant porridge herself. Plus each child gets to choose their toppings when they make it. And they learn how to serve themselves proper portions.
If your mornings are really hectic mix the chia seeds and milk the night before. In the morning set out bowls of toppings for the family.
A simple, no-cook breakfast porridge that is allergy friendly and loaded with nutrition.
Prep Time5minutes
Total Time5minutes
Servings1
AuthorMary | Just Take A Bite
Ingredients
1cupmilk or yogurt of choice
2Tbspchia seeds
1Tbsp.hemp seeds(optional)
1Tbsp.MCT oil(start with 1 tsp. if you've never used it before and work up to 1 Tbsp.)
2Tbsp.brown rice puffs or rolled oats(optional)
1bananasliced
2Tbsp.coconut chips
dried or fresh fruit of choice(optional)
Instructions
Combine the milk/yogurt, chia seeds, hemp seeds, MCT oil and puffs/oats.
Allow to sit for 5 - 10 minutes or overnight (in refrigerator).
Add banana, coconut chips and fruit.
Serve.
Recipe Notes
Any form of dairy works - coconut milk, almond milk, rice milk, etc.
This serves 1. Multiply for as many servings as you need.
What is your go-to quick and healthy breakfast?
Don’t forget to grab your MCT oil and all your other favorite Perfect Supplements products like desiccated liver and collagenHERE! Use the code TAKE10 to get an extra 10% off.
Life isn’t always what it seems. Today I’m sharing my 33 year journey through fear and infertility. Through it all God is good!
If you don’t know much about my story you may think my life looks well planned. I am happily married. I have four kids, two boys and two girls, all about three years apart. And almost ten years to the day between my oldest and youngest. Picture perfect, right?
Yes, it’s true that I am a major planner, But I can assure you that God did all the planning when it came to building my family.
As I approached Simon’s birth I realized just how monumental it was. His birth carried with it 33 years of dreams, desires and hopes…and struggles, doubts and fear. And in that one moment when he arrived a weight I’ve carried with me for so long was lifted.
Today I want to share the journey with you. Though I admit I debated about whether or not to. Do I want to relive it? Or just forget it and move on? These thoughts and emotions have been swirling around in my head for the last couple months. Hopefully I can get them written and fully let go. And maybe it will give hope to someone else. So here we go!
When it All Began.
It started on my fifth birthday. The only thing I wanted was a Cabbage Patch Doll. But they were sold out everywhere. Finally my mom heard a store near us had just gotten ten more. We rushed over. By the time we got there only five were left. It took me all of two seconds to pick the one I wanted. A girl with a tuft of blonde hair and a paci. I named her Caroline Rebecca.
And from that moment I knew that more than anything I wanted to be a mom.
But more specifically I knew deep down I wanted four kids – two boys, two girls. How I knew this at such a young age, I don’t know. I think it was a seed God planted in me. A seed of hope that has kept me going through a lot of struggles. No matter how hard I tried over the years to shake it (and believe me, I tried! I prayed and prayed for God to take it away.), I knew my life would not feel complete without four children.
I spent a large portion of my childhood playing with dolls. Not Barbies. Babies. I pretended to nurse them, dress them, feed them. They went wherever I went. I was playing dolls well into junior high!
The teenage Years.
Fast forward to puberty. When the fear first set in. From my first menstrual cycle at age 14 I knew something wasn’t “normal” about me. I only had a period once or twice a year. I was too scared to talk to anyone about it. I lied about it at doctor visits. I thought my body was broken…for good. And the fear that I would never have the family I dreamed of set in.
I started an obsession with health (which sort of led me to where I am now). It was an unhealthy obsession then (and would be for many years to come). I actually knew nothing about health. In my mind there was only one factor. Skinny meant healthy. So I became fat phobic – the popular dietary misinformation of the day. I could live on fruity candy and fat free ice cream and call it healthy.
This is also when my obsessive compulsive disorder began (though I wouldn’t understand it/identify it for another 15 years). My eating became so restricted. My weight dropped like crazy. I was less “normal” than ever. But I didn’t care because I was skinny.
This continued all through high school. I was underweight, scared of food and so undernourished.
Coming to a Head in College.
Then I went off to college. All of my obsessive behaviors combined with my extreme shyness created a lot of anxiety. And it was hard to make friends or let anyone get to know me.
I was playing soccer and taking honors classes. My days were so busy I hardly had time to make friends even if I wanted to.
By the grace of God there was some positive change by my junior year. My soccer career came to an end…which made it possible for me to start a relationship with the man that would one day become my husband. We were both electrical engineering majors, which allowed us to spend a lot of time together.
I had no idea at the time, but I was gradually re-feeding my body (you can read more about that in this book). My weight had gone up enough to be in a healthy range. And I was eating more nutrients (though still low fat and plenty of processed food). For the first time in my life I started having regular cycles! I finally felt normal. I got excited every month when it showed up. My body was working!!
On the flip side my OCD and digestive problems were progressively getting worse (I didn’t understand how food impacted mood at the time). And getting harder to hide.
A BIG Mistake.
One year after graduation Justin and I got married. A few months before the wedding I made a bad decision that would impact my health for many years to come…I started birth control pills. It was just what you do when you get married. I never thought twice about it, I never questioned what negative effects they could have. Or that it might not be how God wanted me to live. Trying to be in control instead of giving that to Him.
I now understand how harmful birth control is. And will teach my daughters so they don’t make the same mistake.
At first it was great. Having everything work like clockwork. I had no idea they messed up your hormones and that the period was just a withdrawl bleed, not an actual period.
Gradually I started to feel the impact. At the start of each new pack I would get so sick I would vomit, My anxiety and OCD were out of control. I was having panic attacks.
My digestive problems continued to get worse as well. I had constant painful colon spasms, I was constantly searching for solutions, I tried all sorts of dietary changes. None of them worked. They just made my anxiety about food worse.
I finally got to the point I couldn’t handle things and started working with a psychologist, I spent the next ten years working with her,
Time For our Family.
In early 2006 my husband and I started talking about having kids. The thing I had been waiting for since I was five. I stopped taking birth control…and the long journey through infertility began. I waited six months with no sign of my cycles returning naturally. Those three years on birth control had destroyed my health both physically and mentally.
During those three years I also underwent a host of tests to help my digestive problems, But every time the doctor would tell me everything was normal. After years of searching for answers I finally self-diagnosed my problem. At 26 years old I had a rectal prolapse. I met with a colon surgeon who confirmed it and ran more tests, In September 2006 I had surgery to correct it.
I was out of work for two months. It was a long, slow recovery. Something I don’t care to ever repeat.
Treatment Begins.
My first day back at work post surgery was also the day of my first visit with the endocrinologist. We started with three rounds of clomid – which my body did not respond to. Next we moved on to IUI. It was during this process that we learned we had both male and female infertility, As each month came and went with no luck my fear of not having the family I dreamed of really surfaced. I wondered if I’d ever be a mom at all.
The endo told us our only option was IVF. He didn’t give any health suggestions, No dietary advice, Just medical procedures. So began our journey through the lonely, painful, expensive world of IVF.
Of course my body never likes to follow the norm. The doctor diagnosed me with polyfollicular ovaries – not PCOS. But I could never find any information about it. He said he rarely had patients like me.
I didn’t respond as well as hoped to the procedure because of my condition. I produced tons of eggs…but most of them were not mature enough to be useful. So after the egg retrieval I hyperstimulated, In other words all of the empty egg sacs filled with fluid, which then filled my abdominal cavity. It’s painful. It makes you feel sick. It can damage your ovaries, And it makes you unable to transfer any fertilized eggs back. We had to freeze everything and give my body time to recover.
What hyperstimulation looks like – a belly full of fluid.
We waited another month to move on. Just when it was getting too hard to hope we received great news – our first IVF transfer worked! I was pregnant. I gave birth to our first child, a daughter, in 2008.
Let’s Try Again.
In the fall of 2009 we decided to start trying for another baby. I weaned my daughter just weeks before returning to the endocrinologist to start the next round of treatment. In other words I didn’t give my body any time to recover or restore nutrients. We did another IVF transfer. Unfortunately it didn’t work. And it used up what fertilized eggs we had frozen.
So back to square one. We started right up with a new round of IVF stimulation. It was around this time that I first learned about real food and started making dietary changes.
As before I hyperstimulated and had to recover before doing transfers. We went on to use up all of our fertilized eggs with three frozen transfers…all of which were unsuccessful. The third one was dragged out a bit, but ended up being a chemical pregnancy. I felt so broken and alone (I wrote about it here). Those fears were taking over. Would I ever have more children?
After a couple months off we started yet another round of IVF. Again I hyperstimulated. The worst it had ever been. I was so sick and had to do transfusions to help my fluids balance. But finally we got to our sixth frozen transfer. Praise the Lord it worked! I gave birth to our first son in 2011. During that pregnancy I started the GAPS diet to try to help with my digestive problems. Unfortunately it made my OCD go out of control. It also made my food sensitivities worse in the long run.
Baby #3??
In May of 2013 we headed back to the doctor, hopeful we would at least have one more child. We still had fertilized eggs in the freezer. Just as I was starting the hormone meds we got a letter that my endo was retiring immediately due to health problems. Panic. I’m already starting a round of treatment…now what?
Thankfully we have another great endo in town that was taking on all of my old doctor’s patients. And he was able to squeeze us in yet for this cycle. This was it. We had to use up all of our freezer supply for this transfer. The two week wait was eternal. I felt all of the usual symptoms. But the hormone shots do that to you.
Finally I got the pregnancy test results – positive!!! I was so beyond happy. It worked. We would have three kids. I would have to settle for that. And we would be done with fertility treatments.
But a week later I started to bleed. I went to the doctor for an ultrasound – inconclusive. No heart beat. But it could be too early. I had my hormone levels checked – they weren’t rising. I went for a final ultrasound to confirm it was a blighted ovum.
Dreams shattered. Fears in control.
Letting God Take Control.
Now what? Justin and I both knew we couldn’t do another round of IVF. My body couldn’t handle any more. And we had already spent so much money on it.
But this was when God really changed my life. Through this heartbreak he brought so much healing. You can read all the details HERE and HERE. When I tell people our first two children were conceived via IVF and our second two were natural I always get the same comment – “Your body just started working again! It figured out how to do it.” No. NOT AT ALL. There was a LOT of work that went into the healing process. And it was HARD work. So hard. But in December of 2013 I found out I was pregnant. Our second daughter was born in 2014.
You would think that would put an end to my fears. But it didn’t. Her first two years of life were riddled with fear. From vaccine reactions to tongue ties to so many allergies I was worried she’d starve to death. She didn’t gain any weight for a year. We could hardly leave the house. It consumed me. By God’s grace we made it through. She is now thriving.
Yet through those years of struggles with her I thought daily about having another baby. It weighed heavily on me. I didn’t know if my husband would be willing to try again. I didn’t know if my body would work again. A lot of unknowns. A lot of giving it over to God on a daily basis.
Baby #4??
I weaned my daughter in early 2017 in order to start working on my health. To my complete amazement my body started cycling on its own about six weeks later. That alone gave me hope. That had never happened before. My body was working!! Nothing was regular. But I charted my cycles. On August 14, 2107 I found out I was pregnant with our final miracle baby.
I had a deep rooted fear in the back of my mind the whole pregnancy. All of the “what-ifs” played out over and over. I had experienced enough heartbreak and witnessed others go through heartbreak. What made me think I would get a happy ending? I had waited 33 long years for this. I was so close, but not there yet.
And I felt like I didn’t deserve it. That somehow it would all be whisked away just before I got there. I was so caught up in Satan’s lies that I couldn’t see God’s love.
I could hardly even enjoy my pregnancy during the last six weeks. Satan was working hard to make sure my fears were front and center everywhere I looked. Every song I heard. Every picture I saw. It all seemed to point to something bad happening.
But over the past couple years my focus has been “Be Fearless.” God brought me this phrase. It’s hanging in my kitchen. I see it daily. And I have to give my fears over to God daily, sometimes hourly. Living fearlessly isn’t always easy. But it is living according to God’s Word.
On April 23, 2018 we welcomed our fourth miracle baby to the family. Precious little Simon Arie. He has completed our family and once again shown me just how real God’s love is. Everything went smoothly. He is healthy and growing well. All those fears were for nothing. There is a song on the radio often these days called “Fear is a Liar.” I love listening to it. But I often replace the word fear with Satan. They are the same. I’m done listening to Satan’s lies. I will continue to Be Fearless.
Moving On.
It’s actually been hard to write this post because at just a few weeks postpartum I’ve already left it behind. I should have started writing it while I was still pregnant! This will always be my story. But I’m so ready to move forward without this 33 year fear controlling me.
There are still challenges ahead. We’re working through nursing/food reaction issues with this little guy (of course – that’s just the way things are for us). I’m a mom. I will always be concerned about about my kids’ health and safety. There are still traces of the OCD that I’m working through and hope to get rid of through God’s power.
But I won’t have to carry the daily burden of whether or not we’ll have more children. A weight has been lifted that I can’t even describe. It was a part of me for so long. It almost feels like I’m leaving a piece of me behind.
I still have one more big milestone ahead. When I eventually wean our youngest. I will close the chapter of my life where I share my body with another person. When that time comes I’ll be ready to focus on fully nourishing myself and restoring my health. But thankfully I’ve got a while. I’m not quite ready for that yet. Breastfeeding is one of my favorite things about having babies. I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can.
I never for one second take for granted these precious miracles God has entrusted to me. And although the journey was long and difficult I am thankful for all I have learned along the way. Each child has brought me so much healing. They have already given me more than I could ask for. I pray that I can be the mom they need and teach them well as they grow. Teach them how to love, how to take care of their bodies and how to live in God’s love without fear.
I am anxious to see what God has planned for the next chapter of my life as this one comes to an end. One thing I know is that I don’t have to be afraid of it.
There are so many Americans that go hungry every day. Logic says we must have a food shortage. But do we really have a food supply issue? Maybe not.
It seems in our country the solution to hunger is to plant more corn and soy. Spoiler alert…it’s NOT the correct answer. Unless your goal at the same time is a continued decline in health and well-being and in increase in the need for pharmaceuticals. Not to mention the elimination of small farms.
By now you know that is the opposite of my mission. I want to do all I can to support local farmers, encourage everyone to eat real food and to really make a difference in the health of the generations to come.
Guess what? There is a lot more that could be done to achieve this goal. And it doesn’t involve more fields of GMO corn.
Where are the Eggs Going?
I am blessed to have a good friend that shares my passion. And who also isn’t afraid to speak up when she sees a way to make a change. Trisha is kindly sharing a letter she wrote to small grocery store concerning food waste. I hope it helps open your eyes to the real problem of hunger. It’s not that we have a foods supply issue. It’s a food waste issue.
“Dear local grocery store,
468.
Four hundred and sixty eight.
Try to remember that number while you read this letter.
The last weekend of January, I stopped at a local grocery store in Valparaiso, Indiana (Strack and Van Til #8750). I was in town visiting family, and between the two families, there are 5 children. During our stay we ran out of eggs so I decided to stop at the grocery store to purchase some, due to the fact that it was only a couple minutes from where we were staying. As I approached the egg section, I noticed there was an employee taking eggs off the shelf and placing them into boxes. I asked what he was doing with the eggs, and the employee told me that they were being removed because their sell by date was that day, or the day before. In total there were 39 dozen eggs, 16 of which had that day’s date on them. Now where I’m from our grocery stores will markdown items that have reached their sell by date, on that date. I expressed interest to the employee that I would purchase all of them with today’s date on them, after he marked them down. He told me that they were not allowed to mark them down because they had that day’s date on them. I asked if I was able to talk with the store manager, and as I asked, the store manager came around the corner. I stopped him and explained the situation as stated above. He told me that the store policy is that if the item has today’s date on it, and it hasn’t sold, that you can’t mark it down because it is then “past” the sell by date.
What would happen to the eggs then?
They’d donate them……. right?
Wrong. They would all be thrown away.
I questioned why they don’t donate them to a local food pantry. He said because the store didn’t want to be sued or held liable if anyone got sick from eating them. I wondered, as a store manager, and a local business, how does throwing away perfectly fine products not bother him. After being in the industry for over 20 years, he said he is, and I quote, “immune to it”.
How sad is that?! I can’t even begin to imagine how much food he has seen thrown away in the last 20+ years. In any other business, if an employee saw perfectly good product being thrown away, they would be congratulated for bringing it to someone’s attention. But somehow in the food industry, across the board, it’s “ok” and “acceptable”. I’m sure most people would be shocked to know how much perfectly good food really gets thrown away. But it happens behind closed doors, so no one talks about it. As a mother and a human being, that makes me sad. As someone who grew up in a family of 6 who relied on food pantries to feed us, it is maddening.
Remember the number 468? On that day, at that store, they threw away 468 eggs. That could have been a breakfast for 468 adults and children in that community. (There are 950,720 food insecure people in Indiana.) I realize too, that those eggs were only the tip of the food waste iceberg. What about the produce department? Bakery? Dairy? Meat? This was ONE item, at ONE store, in ONE city, on ONE day.
Makes you sit back and think “There’s got to be a better way.” Well there is; the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Law. It protects businesses and nonprofits that donate food in good faith, from being held liable if someone got sick. The sad thing about it is that it was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996! 22 years later and we still haven’t made any progress on getting perfectly edible food to the people who need it most. I feel grocery stores, and other businesses alike, are still hiding behind the belief that they can’t donate food because they don’t want to be sued.
So why do they continue to do it? Why doesn’t anyone hold them accountable? Wouldn’t it be easier to donate it then pay the garbage company to haul all that excess “trash” away? When you think of food waste from a grocery store, you just think of the actual food. What about the packaging that item was in? What if the eggs they were throwing away were the ones in the plastic cartons? All that plastic not being recycled. That type of plastic would take around 450 YEARS to decompose. I don’t know about you, but I won’t be around then. The sad thing, that egg carton will be.
This isn’t the part where I start telling you the same statistics that you’ve already heard…. “40% of food produced is thrown away”, “41 MILLION Americans struggle with food insecurity and 1 in 6 of those are children”, so on and so on. I do, however, want to share some other statics with you. 3/10 of a mile from this store’s location is Thomas Jefferson Elementary School. A school where 57% of the students that attend there receive reduced or free lunches. Over half the school?! When these students are not at school are they eating? Do they know where their next meal is going to come from? Maybe their family relies on a food pantry. Wondering if there’s one close by? It just so happens Hilltop Food Pantry is 2.4 miles from this same location. Their website states “accepts perishable and non-perishable food items.” I don’t think that any grocery store would be hard pressed to find an employee at any of their locations who would be more then happy to drop off items at a food pantry versus throwing it in a dumpster. Maybe this pantry would be over the moon excited to work out something with your company, to get the unsold food to their pantry. Want a pantry that picks up? Feeding America website states that they have free pick up from any location in the United States. Doesn’t get any easier then that!
I could keep going, but I’m not sure I want to, especially if this falls on deaf ears. Since having 3 children of my own, I’ve tried to instill in them, how to always do the right thing. Like standing up for what you believe, and that they can be the good they want to see in the world. I will add that I enjoyed shopping at your store. It was clean, well laid out, and the employees I encountered were nice and genuinely seemed like great people.
Upon exiting the store, I noticed some signs you have on the wall with your company’s Values, Principles, Vision, and Mission statements. I made sure to read them before I left and there were a couple sentences that stood out to me. Part of your Principles states, “We are dedicated to the supporting organization and events that enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve by being good partners, neighbors and friends.” And part of your Values states, “We love what we do and will continue to look for new and exciting ways to better serve our customers and communities.” If these two sentences are true, I want to challenge you:
Be a leader, not a follower!
Be the difference that could change your community forever. I’ve seen on your website that you have, so to say, “put your money (and customer’s money) where your mouth is” by donating money to local organizations. But I’d love to see a change at your store, and every other grocery store. Start putting your unsold food into the mouths of the hungry in your neighborhoods. Who knows, by donating this food you could be helping one of your employees? A friend? Or maybe someone in your family?
‘Unless someone like you, cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.’
Dr. Seuss”
Now What?
Let’s stop pretending this doesn’t happen every single day. Talk to your local grocery store. Find out what they are doing to support the community or if there is a way you can help facilitate change. Get the food where it needs to go – in the hands and mouths of the hungry. Find a local food pantry and volunteer.
As a family that works hard to grow our own food and share with others it breaks my heart to think of someone just throwing it away. There is no reason for that.
I truly believe we don’t have a food supply issue in America. I do believe we have a food waste issue. And it needs to change!
Looking for a crunchy snack that isn’t loaded with junk? These gluten free crackers with liver are made with healthy fat and lots of vitamins and minerals! Snack away.
But that doesn’t mean everyone loves to eat it. I personally can’t stand cooked liver. I try to choke a little down every once in a while. Just because I should.
How We Eat Liver.
Rather than rely on the rare mouthful, I use Perfect Supplements desiccated liver on a daily basis. I usually start my day with it in capsule form (perfect if you don’t even like the taste of desiccated liver). Then I add the powder to my food later in the day.
My kids call it our “secret ingredient” when we cook together. They like to surprise Daddy, telling him there is liver in his food.
Even if my kids don’t mind me adding liver to our food, I’m always on the hunt for new ways to get it down.
Gluten Free Crackers with Liver!
I recently decided to boost the nutrition of a kid favorite – crackers! These gluten free crackers with liver are super easy to make and taste delicious. But they are also loaded with nutrition.
In addition to the liver I used fermented kale and aquatic greens. Now if that’s not a healthy cracker, I don’t know what is!
Liver for Less!
You can always stock up on Perfect Supplement desiccated liver (or any of their other awesome products) at a 10% discount with my code TAKE10. Stock up on all your favorite supplements HERE. Then head to the kitchen to make a batch of gluten free crackers with liver.
Kid-Approved Snacks
Speaking of the crackers, my kids love them! I bet yours will too. We like to use them for easy lunches. Dip crackers in nut butter or sunbutter. Or my favorite – homemade Lunchables®. Freshly baked crackers with homemade lunch meat (that also has liver!) and cheese slices. Add some fruits and veggies and you’ve got the perfect packable lunch.
One batch makes about 150 crackers. So they will last a while.
The next time you see a box of “veggie crackers” at the store, don’t be fooled. It is still just a processed food with made with vegetable oil. Make your own nutrient loaded crackers. And let your kids help!
Do you regularly consume liver? What is your favorite way to eat it?
In a large bowl combine the flour, gelatin, salt, sugar, liver, kale, greens, herbs and olive oil. Mix well.
Add 1/2 cup water. Mix well.
Gradually add more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, until a ball of dough forms when squeezed with your hands.
Split the dough in half.
Lay one half on a piece of parchment paper or silpat. Place another piece of paper on top. Roll until 1/8 - 1/4 inch thin.
Cut with a pizza cutter or knife into desired size squares. Sprinkle with extra salt if desired. Place parchment paper with cracker dough on a baking pan.
Repeat process for the second ball of dough.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes. Turn off oven and leave crackers in to crisp for an additional 7 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Store in a sealed container for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Have you ever wondered why so many people are eating gluten-free these days? I may not have all the answers, but I can share why we do!
The question I get most often related to our diet and lifestyle is why we eat gluten-free. The answer I give depends on my audience. If it’s someone I barely know I usually just say allergies to avoid a long discussion.
But the real answer goes much deeper. Especially since technically none of us does have a wheat/gluten IgE allergy!
Why Are We Eating Gluten-Free?
It all started in 2010 when I was pregnant with my son and did the GAPS diet (not something I would do again, by the way). At that point I was eating completely grain-free. That was when I first started learning about the potential harm grains can cause to the body.
After coming off of the GAPS diet (very underweight and exhausted…that picture is only one month postpartum while doing GAPS) I switched to sourdough made with rye and wheat. Which I LOVE (and miss!). We ate that for a while. Though I learned pretty quickly that wheat that wasn’t properly prepared did not agree with me.
We went gluten-free because of the neurological impact gluten has on her. In other words, it makes her totally crazy.
We struggle enough with her focus and accomplishing simple daily tasks (in spite of her being the smartest kid I’ve ever met). We’ve worked with a speech therapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, functional neurologist and orthodontist to help with reflex integration, focus, oral SPD and mouth breathing.
But the thing that has made the biggest impact on her health is diet. Specifically staying away from gluten.
Does a Gluten-Free Diet Work?
There have been periods where we tried switching back. Sometimes just an exception here or there. Sometimes for longer stretches.
Without fail every time produces the same results. She is non-functional. Sometimes I have to feed her. We can’t expect much from her. It pains me as a mother to see her like this. So even though she is my child with “no food allergies,” she has the strongest reaction to gluten.
How Gluten Impacts Our Family
Around the same time I discovered how gluten was impacting my daughter, I learned just how important a gluten-free diet is for thyroid health. As someone that has dealt with hypothyroidism for many years that is a big deal!
In 2013, while still struggling with infertility, I made the switch to natural desiccated thyroid AND made the choice to be strict gluten-free. Those were two of the best things I ever did for my own health. And they are large reasons why we have our miracle baby #3 (who isn’t a baby anymore) and miracle baby #4 (who I can barely call a baby now)!!
When my oldest son was first tested for food allergies wheat was on the list. So it was a no-brainer to keep him gluten-free. And considering all of my youngest’s struggles with food reactions and trying to heal her gut and whole body from vaccine reactions, I made the choice to keep her gluten-free as well.
I have done a lot of research on eating gluten-free. I’ve gone back and forth on the idea over the years. But in the end we have remained gluten-free. My largest reason has been simply observing how it impacts my family and my desire to keep them healthy.
Gluten causes neurochemical changes in the production of neurotransmitters (chemicals that allow the nervous system to communicate). Examples include: serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine, epinephrine, and histamine. Gluten is also a neurotoxin that has been shown to damage nerve tissue. This is the reason so many with neurological disease (autism, migraine headaches, ADD, bipolar, schizophrenia, neuropathy, epilepsy, etc.) do well on a gluten free diet.
Which makes total sense to me seeing how my daughter responds to it! It impacts the entire nervous system.
Is a Grain-Free Diet Healthy?
You can go a step farther and say that all grains are bad. Diets like primal, paleo, AIP, keto,GAPS, etc. exclude all grains. But I personally don’t think that’s necessary unless you are working on healing an autoimmune condition. And even then it should be temporary.
I’ve been at both ends of the spectrum – sprouting and grinding my own wheat to make homemade baked goods and being completely grain-free. I have found for us that it’s best to strike balance in the middle using gluten-free grains. I don’t feel well when I eat totally grain-free. My body NEEDS some starch in the form of grains (this is a bio-individual thing you have to figure out for yourself – for me starchy veggies don’t work). Kids need plenty of carbohydrates to balance protein and fat and have energy. So I don’t restrict gluten-free grains for my kids.
I recently watched the Broken Brain docu-series. One of the doctors said he believes every single person should eat gluten-free, as it can lead to holes in the digestive tract (a.k.a. leaky gut). The amount of damage it does to each individual varies. The hard part is that the reaction can come hours or days later. So it is very difficult to pinpoint the culprit. And it can manifest is so many ways (think headaches, stomach aches, constipation, fatigue, foggy thinking, dry skin, hair loss, bad breath, poor growth, osteoporosis…the list goes on and on).
The only way to really know if you feel better without gluten is to take it out for at least a month and assess. If you add it back in do your symptoms return?
Is Einkorn A Healthy Alternative?
There may be one exception to the rule. I have heard great things about einkorn flour – an ancient variety of wheat. I have friends that react to gluten, but seem to do fine with einkorn. This is largely due to how modern wheat is sprayed and processed.
This is a grain I have not used much personally. I have baked with it a couple times. But not enough to really experiment and see how we all handle it. Getting gluten out of your system completely can take a while. So I’m always hesitant to introduce any, knowing that if it goes poorly we’re starting back at square one.
Maybe some day after more healing (and when mom isn’t nursing and exhausted) I will try sourdough einkorn and see how it goes. Then I can really see if it’s the gluten itself or the modern grains contributing to our health problems.
Long-Term Gluten-Free Diet
We are still working through allergies and eczema for my son. We are still working on neurological issues with my oldest. And my youngest is finally making great progress with eating and growth. I’m not about to rock the boat and introduce something new right now.
A gluten-free diet has made a world of difference for our family’s health, both physically and mentally. It has even helped me heal from years of struggling with infertility, anxiety and OCD. That is why we eat gluten-free. Not because we read a book about it. Not because it worked for someone else. Because we have seen the benefits first hand. It has helped my kids feel better. And it has really helped manage my hypothyroidism.
Once you get started it’s not difficult to cook and bake gluten-free. There are so many alternatives readily available now. Then again it’s not always easy when you are away from home. But it’s worth the effort.
Have You Ever Considered A Gluten Free Diet?
If you have a child that is a really picky eater, has eczema, struggles with ADD/ADHD, has ASD, is emotionally unstable (anxiety, tantrums, etc.) or has any other nagging condition you can’t seem to figure out, you should consider a gluten-free diet. It’s a simple change that doesn’t require doctor visits and doesn’t cost anything. You never know. It could be a life changer!
I’m not going to go as far as to say that everyone should eat gluten-free. I’m not a doctor. But I do think a lot of people could benefit from it.
How to Start a Gluten-Free Diet
When we first started eating gluten-free I took baby steps. I didn’t buy any strange, new foods. I just cooked meals that were naturally gluten-free. I made dishes with rice, potatoes, corn, etc. I just avoided our meals that use wheat for a few weeks.
Curious what we eat every day? Follow me on Facebook or Instagram where I share most of our meals.
I know the idea of eating gluten-free may sound overwhelming. But it’s not. Once you get started you’ll see just how easy it is. And you might be surprised by the health changes you observe!
Are you ready for the challenge? I encourage you to try a gluten free diet for three weeks and see how you feel. I’d love to hear about it too!!
Need a simple side dish that boosts the nutrient content of your meal while still tasting great? This Instant Pot turmeric rice is kid-friendly and so easy to make!
When you are a gluten free family, you eat a lot of rice (except when you have a child allergic to rice…so glad he healed from that!). It’s easy. And it goes with just about everything.
I’m the boring mom that usually just cooks plain white rice (it’s much easier on our tummies than brown rice). Then my family gets to add whatever seasonings they like. My kids usually opt for cinnamon and a little sprinkle of organic cane sugar. I personally like just butter and salt.
Flavor Boost
My poor husband was getting pretty sick of plain rice. He grew up eating Rice-A-Roni and was missing flavor in his meal.
I went to my cupboard to see what I could add to the rice for some flavor. There was a bag of turmeric that I had purchased quite a while back…but never opened because I had no idea what to do with it! I had never even tasted turmeric myself. But I heard how good it is for you.
I decided to just take a leap and add some to our rice with a mix of other seasonings. Wonder of wonders…my kids LOVE it! And so does my husband.
They were all hesitant to try it at first. “Why is my rice yellow?!” But after the first bite, they were hooked. And they aptly named it “yellow rice.”
There is definitely no lack of flavor in this rice. And it’s loaded with good stuff from turmeric to broth to liver (this is the brand I love)! It’s so good my mother-in-law served it for the whole relation when we visited for the holidays.
Grain and nut free mineral rich hummus makes the perfect snack or lunch box addition. This is will soon become a kid favorite for dipping veggies!
It’s time to get back to routines, back to school, back to nourishing lunches! If you haven’t set any goals, a good one is to make sure your kids are being nourished every single day at every meal.
It may sound daunting, but it’s not. Real food is actually quite simple. Want a snack? Have a pear. Have some pepper slices. Simple.
Want to know what else is simple?
My grain and nut free mineral rich hummus!
It’s so simple my kids can make it themselves. Just a few ingredients tossed in the blender. Done in less than five minutes.
If you want to avoid using canned beans, the easiest way to cook chickpeas is in your Instant Pot!
But what makes it mineral rich?
In addition to the usual chickpeas and oil, I like to add pumpkin seeds. They are loaded with zinc, potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, phosphorus and vitamin E!
The seeds are ground right into the hummus, so you’d never know they’re there. But they really boost the nutrition. You could also use sunflower seeds and/or hemp seeds to vary the minerals.
Allergy Friendly Hummus
I like to keep my hummus very allergy friendly. No grains, nuts, dairy, eggs, soy or corn. Veggies with hummus is my go-to dish to bring to a family gathering. I have kids with allergies and a niece and nephew with allergies. So I try to make sure I bring something everyone can (and will!) eat.
My kids will eat hummus by the spoonful. I like to keep some on hand for easy snacks and lunch additions. If I have pepper and cucumber slices prepared, my three year old will grab a pile with the whole container of hummus and start dipping away.
This year make nourishing food a priority. But don’t stress yourself. Keep it simple with easy foods like fruits, veggies and my five minute grain and nut free mineral rich hummus. You never know, it might just be the trick to turn your kids into raw veggie lovers!
Are your kids adventurous eaters? They might like my pesto hummus!
Grain and Nut Free Mineral Rich Hummus
2018-01-07 05:26:39
Serves 10
A simple, mineral rich dip for veggies or crackers.
Gluten free sugar cookies are fun to cut and decorate any time of year. These hold up well and are so simple to make!
I know what you’re thinking…it’s almost the New Year…time to get healthy. And here I am posting a recipe for cookies! Well, better late than never, right?
Crazy Christmas
That is the kind of Christmas we had. Everything was out of order. We had some celebrations early. We did our baking late. It was all mixed up. But it was still fun.
And boy did my kids have fun making these cookies! Even if Mom wanted to just forget the baking all together…
Gluten Free Made Easy
Gluten free sugar cookies can be hard to make – crumbly, dry, rock hard, etc. But these are so simple and hold up so nicely. The dough is soft and easy to work with. And there are no strange ingredients like xanthan gum added!
I try to keep them not too sweet. Especially if you plan to add frosting or icing. I might even try cutting the sugar down more the next time I bake gluten free sugar cookies.
One of my secrets to not having kids go crazy eating cookies all day? Make a small batch. They won’t feel deprived, but there won’t be cookies sitting around for weeks on end. You can also freeze extras to pull out for a special treat later.
This recipe makes about 25 cookies. You can easily double or triple it if you need a big batch for giving away or for a party.
If you’re going to make sugar cookies, you have to decorate them! We used homemade frosting with natural dyes and chocolate chips. In typical fashion my toddler wouldn’t eat the cookies unless I scraped the frosting off. She is not a fan of sweets…and I hope to keep it that way.
Healthy Year and Holiday
I hope you make this your healthiest year yet! But don’t forget that it can include a small treat here and there. These simple gluten free sugar cookies make the perfect little sweet treat or fun holiday baking project!
Looking for that perfect Christmas breakfast or dessert? This adorable and easy candy cane mason jar fruit salad is great for both kids and adults!
I am working with Stonyfield Yogurt for this post. I have been compensated for my time commitment. All opinions expressed are my own. I have not been paid to post positive reviews.
When it comes to holiday entertaining (for a crowd or just for my own family) I have two requirements:
Nutritious
Simple
I’ve learned how to host a crowd without stress and still serve real food. The big stuff is easy – meat, potatoes, veggies, etc. But I tend to neglect the little things like breakfast, dessert and fruit sides.
Three-in-One Recipe
Today I’m sharing my solution for all three!
Candy cane mason jar fruit salads work for breakfast, dessert or a simple side dish.
Start with whole milk Stonyfield yogurt that you strain to make it really thick. We like to use the vanilla, but you could use plain to make it without any added sugar. The strained vanilla yogurt is a simple alternative to whipped cream that has probiotics! My kids could not get enough of it! And I always have quarts of Stonyfield yogurt on hand. Actually I usually have about four or five in my fridge because we eat it so often.
I add our own fruit, sweeteners and other add-ins (like kettle corn granola and chia seeds) to the plain, whole milk organic yogurt for an easy breakfasts a couple times a week. That way I know we’re eating good quality food! I love that Stonyfield is all organic and is committed to using quality ingredients.
And if you’re concerned about sugar content, Stonyfield has less sugar than other brands.
If you like your yogurt/cream really thick (like I do!) you can even use strained Greek yogurt for the fruit salads. But it would be a bit on the tart side. The strained yogurt works perfectly for these fruit salads so the fruit does not sink into the yogurt. You can really see those layers!
Fruit Stripes
Once strained, simply layer the yogurt with your favorite festive fruits. We use pomegranate seeds, kiwi, raspberries and grapes. Taylor it to your tastes and the look you like. Little kids might not be keen on pomegranate seeds. While adults might like a mix with everything. My toddler enjoyed a combination of raspberries and green grapes. But my big kids loved the pomegranate seeds and kiwi.
I make a variety and let everyone choose what they like. I keep some all green and some all red and some I mix. They look so festive! Like a candy cane in a jar.
How to Save Time
Best of all? You can make them ahead of time for a super easy breakfast or dessert. Don’t want to interrupt opening Christmas presents to make breakfast? Make these fruit salads the night before and munch while you unwrap. Or prep them before your guests arrive for a super easy dessert.
If you’re really busy you can skip the last step and simply turn breakfast into a candy cane parfait buffet. Set out all the ingredients and let everyone assemble their own! Add granola, chia seeds and nuts for a complete meal. This works very well for a big crowd.
Kids Can Cook Too!
I really love that my kids can actually make these on their own. They’ve been learning to cook for two years now through the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse. So they are proficient with knives and many other kitchen tools. I could give them all the supplies and let them prepare the fruit salads as a fun project. Then I’m free to work on the main meals.
Interested in teaching your kids how to cook? Check out the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse HERE!
Coffee with Dessert?
Whether serving mason jar fruit salads for breakfast or dessert, a cup of coffee is an excellent accompaniment for the adults. If you like coffee that is. Me? I’ve never been a coffee drinker. But my husband and in-laws are! Whenever my in-laws come visit I have no drink to offer them with dessert. My brother and sister-in-law actually bring their own! They know I never serve any.
Thanks to Krups I now have a great coffee maker! And I can finally learn how to make some decent coffee. No more embarrassed hostess here.
Cutest Candy Canes
Now let’s be honest, the real reason we all want to make these mason jar fruit salads is simply because they are so stinkin’ cute! Seriously. Who wouldn’t want one? My kids were sad I hadn’t made two for each of them. I guess next time I know to make a huge batch. They could be easy grab ‘n’ go snacks or great additions to school lunches. Use seasonal fruit to change it up throughout the year.
Festive and nutritious holiday dishes don’t have to be complicated. Keep it simple and fun with these fresh, fruity candy cane mason jar fruit salads. They are sure to be a family favorite.
Candy Cane Mason Jar Fruit Salad
2017-12-09 13:50:55
Yields 6
A simple, holiday fruit salad that works for breakfast, dessert or a side dish.
Give your little cowboy a power-packed treat with these fun, gluten free cowboy cookies. They are loaded with real, nourishing food.
Last year my daughter got her own cookbook for Christmas. Of course she immediately wanted to try some recipes. We found a few good ones that the whole family enjoyed. Her favorite was the molasses cookie.
Naturally if big sister gets to choose some recipes little brother wants to as well. My son saw a recipe for cowboy cookies. But when we went to make them, we realized they were loaded with things he is allergic to like wheat, nuts and oats. He was quite disappointed.
Time to Recipe Create
No worries. Allergy-friendly mom to the rescue!
We came up with our own cowboy cookie recipe that does not contain gluten, nuts or oats. They can also be made dairy free.
My son and I had a blast making these together (he is quite skilled in the kitchen thanks to the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse!). And he loved being able to share them at a family gathering. Everybody else loved them too!
A Colorful Cookie
We use sunbutter in this recipe to help bind and add fat. You must note that when you use sunbutter and baking soda together it can turn green! So if the inside of your cookie starts to look green there is no need to throw them out. And no, you didn’t do anything wrong. My kids now think it’s a fun surprise to have a green cookie when you take a bite.
Save Some for Later
This recipe makes a big batch (about 30 cookies). They freeze really well. So you can enjoy some now and save some for later. Or if you need them for a party or event you can make them well in advance. They thaw very quickly (10 – 20 minutes). Though my kids love to eat them frozen!
Cookies with a Punch
My little cowboy (and cowgirls!) is very active. He loves to spend all day outside on the farm taking care of animals and helping with any jobs he can. He really works up an appetite (and is by far my fastest, biggest eater). These cowboy cookies are great as part of a snack or the perfect ending to a hearty meal.
Loaded with protein, vitamins and minerals from eggs, sunbutter, pumpkin seeds and raisins, Abram’s cowboy cookies are nourishing and sweet. As you can see my little one sure loves them!
Get your little cowboy or cowgirl into the kitchen to whip up a batch of cowboy cookies. You’ll all enjoy the time together and delicious treat you make.
One day I just started tossing some miscellaneous food in a bowl for him. His own instant porridge. And he loved it!
The best source for MCT oil is Perfect Supplements (I trust them for all of my favorite supplements like desiccated liver and collagen). It is 100% pure (read more about it here)!
Healthy, Prep-ahead Breakfast
Kid-Approved Snacks
The question I get most often related to our diet and lifestyle is why we eat gluten-free. The answer I give depends on my audience. If it’s someone I barely know I usually just say allergies to avoid a long discussion.
Should Everyone Eat a Gluten-Free Diet?
Long-Term Gluten-Free Diet
How to Start a Gluten-Free Diet
