It's Freezing in Here!

It all started a few weeks ago when my husband went to a conference in sunny Florida and left me here in the frozen tundra with the Yetis. The situation here got really bad, really fast.

Jake started screaming a lot. In fact, I had to pick him up from school early a couple of times because he was screaming so much. Eye contact disappeared. His language was reduced to pure echolalia which was rarely (if ever) relevant. He stopped responding to his name and it seemed like he lost a lot of his receptive language. And then, of course, there was the stimming...stimming...stimming. Sleep? Forget about it.

I began micro-examining everything. Was there a diet infraction? A change in laundry soap? I even began to wonder if the 'Cool Alert' pull-ups had something to do with it. I've tried them on Jake many times in the past and he has never reacted in this way. In fact, he doesn't even notice the 'alert' when it happens.

By now, you more experienced biomed moms have figured out my little mystery. It was a yeast flare-up. I'm sure it was brought on by the round of antibiotics he had recently. He has had flare-ups in the past, but nothing this extreme.

Jeff returned from Florida to a chaotic household and a wife who was surviving on coffee and frustration. He tried to set things right again by way of time-outs. To be fair, I use time-outs with Jake also. But, my husband and I disagree on which behaviors warrant this type of behavior management. I tried to explain to Jeff that there were some things beyond Jake's control at the moment, but he forged on with his technique. I suggested that when we were finished with Jake, we head over to the nursing home and punish the Alzheimer's patients for forgetting stuff.

I have added probiotics and Enhansa (curcumin) to Jake's supplement protocol. We still have a long way to go to get back to our version of normal, but Jake is improving.

Yesterday, I found Jake in the living room, adamantly insisting, "It's freezing in here!" I checked him for fever and then looked at the thermostat, everything appeared to be fine. "It's freezing in here!", he announced again. Finally, I realized the 'here' he was referring to was his diaper. He noticed the 'Cool Alert'! Maybe, just maybe, potty training is on the horizon for us.

Easy Freezer Waffles

These turn out light and crispy and have a mild, sweet flavor (with no refined sugar). Freeze a bunch and toast for a quick weekday breakfast. They are also great for PB&J sandwiches.

GFCFSF Waffles

2 cups All Purpose GF Flour Blend (I used Bob's Red Mill)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can coconut milk
2 eggs (or equivalent substitute)

Preheat waffle iron.

Mix all ingredients just until well combined. Use about 1/4 cup of batter per waffle and cook according to your waffle iron instructions.

Makes 10 waffles.

Soft Clothing

From the Soft Clothing website:

Many children are extra-sensitive to the texture and feel of clothing. Soft® is the first line of inclusive clothing designed with the needs of all children in mind, including those with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, and a range of Developmental Delays. We use flat seaming for extra comfort, 100% of the softest combed cotton, wide collars, encased elastic waistbands, printed labels, custom fits, and much more. Designed by a mom and a Special Education teacher, our goal is to design clothing that can enhance social skills, sensory organization, concentration, by addressing unique sensory needs, but without sacrificing personal style and self expression.

I'm so excited about this new line of clothing. It will certainly help a lot of children struggling with sensory issues. I just wish it had been around when I was a kid!

Soft also has a blog regularly featuring profiles of other autism related blogs. Jessica was kind enough to include a profile of Spectrum Hope. This compilation of information is a tremendous resource for the autism community. Stop by and check it out when you have the time.

Fried Cheese Poppers

That's right, I said it...Fried Cheese! I never expected to post a recipe like this on a GFCF blog.

*If soy is tolerated, try this recipe with one of the block GFCF cheeses (cubed). It will be easier to work with than the slices of rice cheese you would use to make this recipe GFCFSF.

GFCFSF Fried Cheese Poppers

1 package Rice Cheese slices
1/2 cup milk substitute
1 egg, beaten
1 cup tapioca flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Oil for frying

Mix flour and seasonings in a bowl. Set aside.

Mix egg and milk in a separate bowl. Set aside.

Unwrap slices of cheese and stack on cutting board. Slice entire stack in to cubes.

For breading, you can do a stack of 4 pieces at a time to create a 'cube' of cheese or you can use just one or two pieces at a time.

Dip cheese in egg mixture and then in flour mixture. Repeat.

Heat oil (enough to cover cheese) in a large pan. Add poppers to hot oil slowly and fry until golden brown.

Allow to drain on cooling rack or paper towel lined plate.

Egg Free Chicken Nuggets

GFCFSFEF Chicken Nuggets

1 pound chicken breast or thighs, cut to nugget size
3/4 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
1 cup pureed squash or cauliflower
1/4 cup milk substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
Canola oil for frying

Combine flour, salt, garlic and onion powder on plate or shallow dish.

Mix vegetable puree and milk substitute in separate bowl.

Coat chicken with flour mixture. Dip pieces in veggie puree and then coat again with flour mixture.

Heat oil (enough to cover chicken) in large skillet. Fry nuggets until golden brown. Drain on paper towel lined plate.

Sunflower Butter Cookies

GFCFSF Sunflower Butter Cookies

1 cup sunflower seed butter (or any nut butter)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Roll into small balls and place on cookie sheet.

Use a fork to flatten each cookie and make crisscross pattern on top.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Makes about 36 small cookies.

Attention Facebook Junkies

You are invited to join the Spectrum Hope group on Facebook.

We'll use our group to provide support, share stories and exchange GFCF recipes. Members are encouraged to share their successes and frustrations as well as information on therapies and biomedical interventions.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Overthinking

I have not heard Jake's real voice since The Great Regression. When he regressed into autism all of his language skills reverted to echolalia. Even now, his new spontaneous phrases carry the lilt and tone of a previously favored bit of echolalia. I had long since forgotten that he once had a slight southern accent. This memory came back to me while listening to Sarah talk.

Sarah has acquired a very strong southern accent. It is a bit surprising because my husband does not have an accent and mine is minimal. (Though, I would not be shocked to see my northern friends call me out on that one.) At times, Sarah's drawl is so strong, I half expect her to refer to the Civil War as "the war of northern aggression".

One day, while playing with her baby dolls, she lovingly placed her little darlings in their stroller. In a flash, Jake appeared and absconded with the stroller. Sarah shrieked, "Mah baybeez, mah baybeez!" I was in stitches!

I must confess that I am a bit paranoid about Sarah's development. I am constantly alternating between panic over perceived signs of autism and reassuring myself that she is just fine. Her language development appears to be right on track and at age 2, she has already surpassed her older brother's communication skills. She has not yet reached the age that Jake was when he regressed, so I still worry. I'm sure that I will never stop worrying.

Sarah has a difficult time going to sleep at night. To help her relax at bedtime, I hold her for a while after I turn off her light. Recently, during one of our evening cuddle sessions, Sarah clearly said, "donkey hair".

My mind began to race. What did she mean by this odd phrase? Was it random jibberish? Echolalia...it had to be echolalia.

"Donkey hair," she said again.

I recalled every TV show, story and conversation she might have heard in recent days. Not surprisingly, I could not come up with a single reference to 'donkey hair'. Where did this phrase come from?

"Donkey hair, mommy, donkey hair," she insisted.

My pulse returned to normal and my blood pressure lowered as I realized that my little southern belle was simply saying, "dark in here".

What a relief. Sarah is not autistic, she's just southern!

Cilantro Chicken Nuggets

Do a google search on the health benefits of cilantro and you'll quickly learn why you should incorporate it in your diet. Among other things, cilantro is known to help remove heavy metals from the body. I like to use it in recipes whenever I can and it doesn't hurt that I really like the taste of this herb.

GFCFSF Chicken Nuggets

1 pound ground chicken
1 egg (or substitute)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
oil for frying

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the oil. Mix well with your hands. Remove small amounts of mixture to form 'nuggets'. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add enough oil to cover nuggets.

Add nuggets to hot oil and cook until golden brown. Add one at a time and be careful not to overcrowd your pan. Allow fried nuggets to drain on cooling rack or paper towel lined plate.

Makes about 30 chicken nuggets.

Serve with salsa for dipping.

Ham, Cabbage and Potatoes

Time to break out the big stockpot! This recipe may be an old favorite for many, but it is new to us. In our pre-gfcf days, I would never have tried something like this due to it's obvious lack of cheese. However, it's easy to make and requires no adjustments to make it GFCF. Here is my version of this classic recipe.

Ham, Cabbage and Potatoes

2 quarts GF chicken broth
6 red potatoes, cubed
1 pound cooked ham, cubed
1 head cabbage, chopped
2 TBS apple cider vinegar

Place potatoes in large stockpot. Add chicken broth and boil for about 10 minutes or until slightly tender. Stir in ham and vinegar. Add cabbage. Reduce heat and cover. Let simmer until cabbage is tender.

Premio Dardos Award

The Dardos Award is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. These stamps were created with the intention of promoting fraternization between bloggers, a way of showing affection and gratitude for work that adds value to the Web.

Spectrum Hope was nominated for the Premio Dardos award this week. I sincerely appreciate this recognition, especially because it comes from a very dear friend who is an extraordinarily talented poet. You can find Marcy's work at Embrasures. It is definitely worth the visit. Two of my favorites are "Tidy Little Boxes" and "Conditioned Avoidance". My thanks to you, Marcy, for sharing your unique vision and exceptional talent with us all. It is a welcome respite to lose myself in your words.

As a recipient of this award, I must now choose 5 other blogs that I feel are worthy of this recognition. There are so many smart, funny, emotionally charged, awe-inspiring blogs out there, it was nearly impossible to choose only 5. Here are my picks:

It's All About Potential

Discovering Nathan

The Collins Clan

Waking Sophie

Facing Autism in New Brunswick

Many thanks to these blogs for keeping autism in the spotlight and for helping each of us remember that we are not alone in our journey. No one wants to join the Autism club, but if I have to be a member, I am grateful to share this experience with people like you.

To the new winners of this award, here are the rules:

1) Accept the award by posting it on your blog along with the name of the person that has granted the award and a link to his/her blog. [Note: Don't forget to copy and paste the award jpeg itself to include on your own blog!]

2) Pass the award to another five blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment, remembering to contact each of them to let them know they have been selected for this award.

Vanilla Cupcakes

GFCFSF Vanilla Cupcakes

1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
3/4 cup sweet rice flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup milk powder substitute (Better Than Milk or Dari-Free)
1 1/4 cup rice milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease or line 24 muffin tins.

Place all ingredients in large bowl and mix until well combined. Spoon batter in to muffin tins (about 3/4 full).
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Let cool completely. Top with frosting, glaze or powdered sugar.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Note: The xanthan gum is optional. I added it because I sent these cupcakes to a preschool classroom and I thought the teachers might appreciate fewer crumbs.