We try to make things less about the candy for holidays like this and more about a special home-cooked meal and non-food treats, like going out of town for a night or two, or toys and activities.  We’re trying more and more to focus on the experiences, and family time together, and not the “stuff.”

Last year I posted alternatives to dyeing eggs , and noticed that Hobby Lobby has  quite a few options this year, like white plastic eggs with special markers to decorate, as well as white wooden and ceramic eggs.   We blew ours out last year with these cool finds from Nova Natural, and then used school glue to decoupage them with bits of tissue paper.  In the hole, we used a bit more glue to attach a loop of string, then hung them from a few branches in a vase, which made a cute centerpiece.  The tiny wooden carrots came from the dollar store, but you could easily make them from clay and tissue paper or felt too:

We also managed to score some pullet eggs (eggs that newly-laying hens lay that are quite a bit smaller than usual chicken eggs) from the farmer’s market, which the girls thought were really special.

This year, I thought I would talk about what you might suggest to The Bunny himself, as gifts for your kiddos…. you know, if you just can’t do without some “stuff!”

First of all, who says you even have to use a traditional Easter basket?  Try thinking of things that can be re-purposed. You could use a big mixing bowl, an upside down hat or cap, a small wagon, a pretty box (with or without a lid), a storage bin, caddy, or other basket that can be used throughout the year, a flower pot, a small trunk, a sand pail, a tray, a purse or beach bag….. the list goes on!    Once, the Easter Bunny left my goodies in the basket of a brand new bike!  (The ‘treats’ were cute new pairs of socks.)

You can follow a theme, or be completely random.  For example, the mixing bowl might have some fun gluten-free mix in it for your aspiring baker, their very own rolling pin, measuring cups, some safe sprinkles or chocolate chips, a cute apron or chef’s hat, etc.  You can get some great ideas from the (rather junky, if you ask me) pre-made baskets in the stores.  Cooking, baking, art, sports, outdoor games, sports, kites, etc.

Here’s Goose’s basket from last year– craft supplies and a fun kneeling pad for the garden:

Whatever you do, please don’t use that awful plastic grass!!  Shredded colored paper, tissue paper, or especially something fun or usable (a kite, a shirt, a playsilk) are much better for the environment, and less mess to clean up!
Some great small basket fillers can be found at  For Small Hands, an online store we love.   Peaceful Parlour, a local eco-store also sells fun and safe things, like crayon rocks, and even adorable mini-suitcases that could be used for baskets, and can be ordered online as well.

We’ve put all kinds candy-alternatives in the eggs that we hide:  cool marbles or bouncy balls, stickers, clothing patches, costume jewelry,  homemade gift certificates for fun things, miniatures, etc.

The Bunny will be bringing us a family tent this year, for a camping trip we plan to go on later in the summer (our first!)

Last, but not least, if you are looking for safe candy, there are few places we’ve found some great products:

Locally:

Woodman’s — they have two large aisles in most stores of natural/allergy-friendly foods
Nutrition Network — All of the foods in the store are devoted to a more healthful lifestyle, and there is an aisle devoted to a wide variety of cookies and candies, as well as alternative baking ingredients.

Online:

The Squirrel’s Nest– This store is a labor of love, and the owner sells hand-made candy as well as commercial candies that she lists according to dietary needs, including Feingold stages.

Natural Candy Store. com — lists candy according to dietary needs, including corn-syrup free!

Indie Candy– They have corn-free and paleo-friendly candy, as well as candy for a range of other special diets, including Feingold stage 1 and 2.

Amazon- of course!

And there’s always the option of making your own.  If you have safe chocolate chips or a chocolate bar, all you need is a fun candy mold, and you can melt and make your own.  there are even ideas online for homemade Peeps.

I never could hold my own daughter so tightly that she couldn’t bite me when she was out of control, for fear I would hurt her, nor could I escape the well-placed kicks… at least not all of them.  I thought there should be advice to help me keep her safe when she was head-banging, but doctors, therapists, and other parents had no advice for me in the way of keeping her (or others) safe from her extreme physical behavior.

I’ve been there…. on that side of the abuse that she didn’t intend because she wasn’t in her right mind.  I’ve lived it.  And I’d like to think that as years go by, and more kids are diagnosed with all of these acronyms, that we’d at least be figuring out how to best care for them, keep them safe from harm– from themselves and others, and get them proper medical care.  You might even think there would be big money in an industry that could at least help support the parents;  I know we’d have paid any dollar amount for a competent helper during those scary times when it felt like she, and all of life, was spinning out of control.

I’m sure you’re wondering where this is going, and while mostly I’m just rambling on about the crappy state of affairs with our healthcare system in general, it’s really more than that.  I see this so often, but sometimes there are the stories that REALLY get to me:  The ones that make me simultaneously furious and break my heart.  This is one of them, and I had to share.  This needs to be seen, and we ALL need to stand up and take action for how our children are being mistreated– dare I say TORTURED- by the hospitals.  It’s appalling and it needs to stop.

We need to train people to be able to handle these kids by speaking to them calmly, using sign language or PECS, using weighted blankets or vests, and therapeutic holds, not lock them down in shackles.

We need to educate people about food allergies so they aren’t shoving gluten and dairy down these kids’ throats — ESPECIALLY when they are in the hospital and already compromised!

We need laws protecting the rights of parents to say NO to medical treatments  or psychiatric meds without being afraid that Child Services will take custody for neglect.

We need to be able to choose our doctors, and what vaccines we want and don’t want without being accused of “doctor shopping”  or doctors dropping us from their practice.

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard parents say they were laughed at, or ignored, or their children belittled, or they were turned away, or accused of abuse….. the list goes on and on…. as they are in a medical facility trying to get help for their child who is clearly in distress.  I’ve been on that side of it too.  It’s disgusting that we, as a society, are letting this happen!

I am just one voice.  But together we are many.  Please speak up when you see these injustices against our children, our disabled, our elderly.  They cannot speak for themselves.

Please be aware that the link contains photos that show rather graphic neglect/abuse by the “treating” hospital:

http://www.ageofautism.com/2013/03/day-19-loyola-chicago-hospital-locks-down-autistic-patient.html

Goose is a little crabby that her Tae Kwon Do is cancelled for the second week in a row (she’s been waiting to test for her yellow belt!), but she’s under the weather, so it’s probably for the best anyway.

It seems like the perfect night to try these gluten-free gnocci   which will go into a modified version of this soup.

Last night we made chicken nuggets, and we’ve been doing stir-fry quite a bit (a good way to get a large variety of veggies in one quick meal.)

Goose’s 4-H club participated in a fun International Night a couple of weeks ago, and her country was Belgium.  After studying waffles and chocolate for a couple of months, and then watching everyone eat them on the night of the fair, we had to make some of our own, of course!  We indulged in these homemade babies TWICE- they were sooooo good!

I’m loving my waffle iron so much that I’m thinking of investing in a better one.  Savory waffles sound yummy and just right for easy summer ‘sandwiches,’  and the iron doesn’t heat up the house like baking bread in the oven does.

Off to make gnocci!

http://myaspergersgirl.blogspot.com/2012/03/navajo-fry-bread-gluten-free-vegan.html   (minus the xantham gum!)

With taco fillings.   I have a craving

Photos to come!

I think this would be gorgeous as a special breakfast on Valentine’s Day, especially if you used a heart-shaped ramekin.

Breakfast Panna Cotta:
serves 4-8, depending on serving size 

1 packet plain gelatin (I used Knox)
4 tbs warm water
2 cups heavy/whipping cream
2 cups plain, thin/drinkable, yogurt (I used this one, but you can also use homemade)
1/3 c maple sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

Optional toppings:
Jam/jelly
Nuts, seeds, granola
Fresh or stewed fruit
Chocolate sauce or hot fudge, if you want to be very decadent!

Directions:
Dissolve the gelatin in water for a few minutes and heat the other ingredients (except yogurt) in a small saucepan, while stirring, until the boil.  Whisk in the gelatin/water mixture and let cool until comfortable enough to touch.  Whisk in yogurt at this point (so as not to kill the probiotics from overheating them.)  Pour into ramekins* (we used 4 large ones, since it was the main event for breakfast, but if you were serving other things, you could definitely make them smaller, as they are rather rich.)  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set.  (I made mine in the evening and let it set overnight in the fridge.)

Serve with fruit, jam, granola, and/or nuts.
*If  you’re planning to invert the ramekins onto a plate for serving, you might consider greasing them lightly with coconut oil before filling.

In other news,  we’ve been recovering from the winter holidays and trying to stay well.  We have ripped out walls in two downstairs rooms in search of foundations leaks  and mold, and still have a long (and very frustrating) way to go on our journey with that, unfortunately.

We’ve been on the lookout for a second dog to help keep our sweet ‘Dozer company, and after fostering several, we finally found a sweet Jack Russell Terrier/Beagle mix named Cookie that he can call his wife.  They are both very much cuddle-bugs, as you can see:

I have also been on quite a roller coaster of emotions these past three months, as I have watched recipe after recipe of mine appear on other (paid/for profit) blogs.  I’ve run the gamut from angry to indifferent to disgust to depressed about it all.  While I love sharing recipes that can help other families navigate dietary restrictions, I have finally come to the conclusion that this is not the path I want to continue to travel, and realized that I have been subconsciously, and then intentionally, holding back my best recipes so they won’t be stolen.   I will continue to post food and  meal ideas on the blog, but things will be going in a slightly different direction from now on.  That is the potential bad news, especially for those of you who aren’t local.

The good news in all of that is that I have done a lot of soul-searching in all of this, and realize that my heart really is in helping others (particularly children) eat “normal” and delicious foods, while still keeping to their necessary food restrictions.  I have decided to work toward opening a very allergy-friendly and family-friendly bakery, and am currently pursuing getting my cottage license so that I can bake for the local farmers’ markets in our area as a start, while we work out the fine details of menu, location, etc.

I am so grateful to the all of the readers of  my blog, my followers on FaceBook, all of the other amazing food bloggers (most of which weren’t there when we started our journey!) who have inspired me along the way, and friends and family who keep praising my cooking and encouraging me to follow my dreams.  I’m excited and terrified all at the same time, and am looking forward with great optimism to what lies ahead for us on our journey toward better food and better health!

As always, I love hearing from you, and am happy to answer (free of charge!!) any questions you have regarding any recipe you are trying to convert, or dietary challenges you may have.  I have thrown myself into this blog for the past three years, heart and soul, and have no intention of saying goodbye just yet!  There is a whole world out there to share with you beyond “my” recipes, and I intend to continue to be here if and when you need me, and keep you posted on our new adventures!

With much love and gratitude,

Chickiepea

I’m tired tonight, after much running around for doctors’ appointments and cooking all day, so I will keep this short and sweet… er…. salty!

Party/Snack Mix:

8-10 cups of   “stuff” which can include:
nuts, seeds, broken up gluten-free crackers, broken-up rice cakes, gluten-free cereal, popcorn, croutons, or anything else that is crunchy, neutral or salty-tasting.  (Mix together all but the popcorn in a VERY large bowl.)

4 Tbs butter, melted
2 Tbs g/f Worcestershire sauce OR bbq sauce, OR 1 tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp fine sea salt (taste before adding- the liquids add a lot of salt too!)
1 pinch of each: thyme, oregano, parsley

Directions:
Melt butter and whisk in sauce and seasonings.  Pour over snack mix (everything except popcorn!) and stir well until everything is coated.  Spread seasoned snack mix onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheets and baked at 300* for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  You’ll know it’s done when it is fragrant and crunchy.  (At this point, stir in the popped popcorn, if you desire.)  Let cool and stir in airtight container…. if you can keep everyone from eating it!

And consider having a party.

For soft-stems, you can make a fresh cut in the stem and add them to a glass or vase of water (be sure the change the water daily.)

For woody stems, you need to make a fresh cut and put them in a little potting soil and keep it damp. Rubbing a little honey on the cut stem will help it root even faster.  I’ve propagated rosemary using only water, however, so it doesn’t hurt to try!

Most herbs will grow indoors on a sunny windowsill or table by a window. If you want to go the extra mile, you can add an insert to your window (sold at home improvement/hardware stores) that turns your window into a mini-greenhouse, or you can bulk up your windowsill with a board to create a shelf, or even build shelving directly in front of the window. Painting the surface that the herbs are sitting on a bright white or adding reflective material will increase the light and help them grow even more.

The photos are of our kitchen windows- just two regular windows with shelving built out from the frame.  We can reach between the shelving and open/shut the windows, and they get tons of morning sunlight.  At the first sign of frost, I dig up a few plants and bring them in to extend the season just a little:  This year I brought in basil, purslane, and a couple of tomato plants, and parsley.  Now that it’s January, I have some spicy micro-greens, two kinds of parsley, and rosemary thriving nicely.  The basil tends to get too chilly as winter comes, and the tomatoes might have survived, but got too dry (oops!)

Large Portabella mushrooms (remove and dice stems)
Kale
Pine-nuts
Grated cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
Bacon
Cream
Butter
Garlic

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and dice.  Lightly saute the mushroom caps in butter on each side, then put into a casserole dish to be filled.  Chop the kale into thin ribbons (removing stems.)  Saute kale with mushroom stems, pine-nuts, and bacon cut into lardons.  When cooked down, add minced garlic and cook on low for another couple of minutes.  Put into bowl with some cream (enough to wet) and grated cheese, and mix thoroughly.  Top mushroom caps with kale mixture, and then sprinkle with more grated cheese to top.  Broil for a few minutes until cheese is bubbly, and serve hot.

We had these alongside baked sweet potatoes for a nearly meatless meal.

Relish:
makes about 8-10 small servings, or 4-6 large servings

About 3 cups of diced or shredded raw veggies (I used carrot, celery ,zucchini, tomato, and a little romaine)
2 tsp dried herbs (I used dill and parsley)
2 tsp lemon juice
fine sea salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste (optional)
hemp or flax seed (optional) for sprinkling

Wash the veggies, shred or dice them, toss with the lemon juice, herbs, salt, and pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature.  I sprinkled hemp seed over the dish just before serving.

——————–

Additionally, our dinner tonight  was really something to “relish,” as Lil Pea decided last week that she was going to study a state (just like big sister does each week for the geography part of home-school.)  She chose Texas and threw her whole heart into it, having me print a photo and coloring sheet of an armadillo, and enlisted Daddy (Twig) to help her create a menu.  They coerced me into making Texas Toast tonight, and we started a pot of pinto beans in the slow-cooker last night (recipe at bottom), along with some yummy ribs they worked on all day.  The relish really helped brighten up an otherwise heavy meal.

Not to do things small, much like Texas itself, she insisted on dressing the part of a cowgirl, and we threw some logs in the “camp fire” wood-stove for ambiance.  I think Goose could take a few lessons from her in the way of enthusiasm for studying things   Maybe this will be just the encouragement she needs, since she was pretty pleased with the meal!  Maybe they’ll even decide to work together next time.

Very Slow Pinto Beans:

1 quart of dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over for stones, etc.
water to cover + an additional 3 cups (you’ll do this 3 times total, so 3 times this amount)
Several slices of “safe” bacon or ham (or a ham bone)
sea salt, pepper, and any herbs of your choice

Pour the dried beans into a large bowl and cover with water, plus 3 additional cups.  Add 2 tsp sea salt and cover with lid or plate for 24 hours.  Rinse beans well and repeat.

After second soak, rinse beans and put into slow-cooker on low with water to cover + 3 additional cups.  Add in ham, bacon, or bone, and let cook for 24 hours on low.  Season to taste with sea salt, pepper, and herbs of your choice.  You can serve with hot sauce, if you wish, and a crusty bread for “mopping” up the good pot liquor these create.

Leftovers freeze well, and they also make an excellent starter for soup.

Now for the bad news.  I’m not a dietician, or a doctor, or any sort of professional whatsoever.  I’m a mama of two girls who have special dietary needs that correspond (most likely) with Lyme disease, ADHD, and multiple other afflictions with acronyms (like the biggie- PANDAS.)  I started this blog because I was frustrated and confused.  We’ve been at it for three years now.   I make no money off of this blog, creating recipes that you ask me to help with, or anything related to…. well, anything.  From time to time, I even see my recipes “stolen” and re-posted on blogs with huge audiences and paid ads, which is beyond frustrating, but I won’t stop posting here, because I think it’s REALLY important (and I love helping people.)

Am I less confused than when we began changing our diets?  No, not really.  Maybe MORE!
Do I think our diets have improved from 3 yrs ago?  Oh, most definitely.  We’ve seen improvement in the ADHD side of things, but also in the fact that we get sick less often (yay for less croup and asthma attacks!), and my husband, Twig, doesn’t blow his nose constantly, have IBS anymore, and complain of constant foot pain.  Those are just a few.  We even healed my younger daughter, Lil Pea’s, cavities through diet changes.

I absolutely think that even organic junk is just that- JUNK.  If you’re reading this and still eating things like Cheezey Puffs (I made that up- I hope it’s not a real brand name…..)  and soda, then you definitely have some strides to make in terms of diet.  I often get asked if someone should quit those foods cold turkey, and my best advice is YES.  It’s easier to just STOP.  It’s also easier if the whole family (or everyone in the household) can be on board and follow the same diet together.  This isn’t always possible, but it really helps.  Your partner (or a parent) continuing to sit by you and eat the Cheezey Puffs while you’re trying to eat an apple will most likely thwart your efforts and best intentions.

So, what’s so confusing?  Obviously, there are new studies on a fairly regular basis.  Some things that we take for granted will be challenged, and it’s up to us, as individuals, to read those studies and keep updated on what might or might not be good for us to consume.  Not only that, but we’re all individuals, and what might be good for your body, doesn’t necessarily work for mine.  (Cheezey Puffs and soda aren’t good for anyone, so don’t try justifying that one!)

Here’s a recent article that has me questioning eating ANY food now.

“Where should I start?”  I get this question a lot.  Again, I am absolutely not an expert.  I can tell you where we started, but that might not be the path for you.  I can also tell you of some great diets and websites that work for many other people I’ve talked with through the years about dietary changes and health challenges.  Here are a few to get you started.

GAPS diet
SCD diet
Paleo diet
Whole30
Feingold

Our story is that we transitioned from eating the SAD (Standard American Diet), to eating organic junk and Feingold, to a  modified Feingold along with starting WAPF guidelines (soaking grains, etc.), and cutting out dairy for awhile.  We then went cold-turkey to refined sugar-free and gluten-free, adding in raw dairy about 6 months later.  We’ve most recently considering doing the GAPS diet, or at least going grain-free.  I’m not sure what the future holds for us at the moment- we’re in a state of limbo.  We are eating more locally grown organic produce and starting to juice while we decide what comes next.

I’m sorry that there is no magic bullet and no easy answer.  While I have people put me on a pedestal from time to time and say, “I could  never eat like you eat, do what you do, etc,”  the truth is that we are still fumbling around, reading the studies, trying to do the best we can, and sometimes giving in to cravings, and are FAR FAR FAR from perfect- whatever that may be!

I’ll continue to search for perfection, and chase it down, but it’s like chasing a rainbow, I fear.  For now, we’ll continue on our path, and offer you recipes to make or not, for you to modify to meet YOUR needs or not, and hope you’ll offer up your two cents too!  Because, as much as I wish we could just eat anything our hearts’ desire and be perfectly healthy, we can’t.  Nor can we just breathe air and leave it at that.

Don’t stop here.  Go read the studies and look up who funds them.  Go meet the farmers and ask them questions.  Learn about GMOs and how they are hidden in our foods.  Heck, run for a political office or get a degree in nutrition.  Food does have the power to heal and harm, no doubt.  It’s just up to us to keep searching for the answers and the right foods.