GFCF mashed potatoes with a hidden surprise

OK -- no new recipe here, but another win (for the parents) on sticking some veggies in everyday food. This one -- mashed potatoes. Again, inspired and based on a recipe in the Deceptively Delicious cookbook. Just modified for GFCF -- and soy free. The added veggie is cauliflower.

Add a 1/4 cup of pureed cauliflower to my mashed potato recipe.

It worked here without a hitch. The only difference in my original recipe, other than the cauliflower, was using some veggie broth and Darifree for liquid.

Again, a great idea, which I modified for the GFCF diet, from Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious cookbook.

I'll try not to bore you with this cookbook, but it's turning into a great help in our home right now.

GFCF Pumpkin cake

I avoided baking with pumpkin, but I'm not sure why. It's actually very convenient. Canned pumpkin (Libby's) is ready to use and affordable. I modified my basic cookie recipe to make a pumpkin cake that's really very healthy, and also could be made into cookie bars.

SORRY -- that I left out the key ingredient in my original posting of this. This version includes everything. The ingredient I forgot? -- pumpkin, of course.

Ingredients:
1 cup sorghum flour (or brown rice or chickpea)
1/2 cup tapioca flour (or other starch)
1/2 cup sugar (or other sweetener)
2 tbsp ground flax, golden
2 tsp xanthan gum (or guar gum)
2 tsp baking powder (corn-free, if desired)
1 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
2 tbsp. canned pumpkin (I used Libby's)
1/4 cup molasses, honey or cane syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup Darifree or other milk sub

Mix the dry stuff well. Then add the liquids. Mix. You want this to be smoother, but not liquidy.
Beat with blender until mixed, scraping the sides.

Pour into an 8x8 cake pan, greased with shortening (Spectrum organic).

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes.

GFCF banana bread with hidden veggies

Since Christmas, I've been tinkering with recipes based on ideas I found in a new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious, by Jessica Seinfeld (yes, Jerry's wife). This is not an ad and I don't benefit either. But, the premise is interesting: hiding veggies and fruits in everyday food so our kids get the nutritional benefits. This especially is a problem for kids on the autism spectrum, as many of you know. So, I thought I'd give this a try. Neither of my kids are big on veggies or fruit, and they're very rigid about the ones they will eat. So, I've had a few successes and I will share. I will not reprint Seinfeld's recipes here. But, I've modified a few for GFCF land. Here's one that was a big hit tonight for banana bread -- with cauliflower.

Ingredients:
- Spectrum organic shortening
- 3/4 cup sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch
- 1/4 cup potato starch
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 egg whites or 1 flax egg
- 1 large banana
- 1/2 cup pureed cauliflower
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1/4 cup liquid DariFree or milk sub

Puree the cauliflower by steaming or cooking 20 mins. Cut off stems. Puree in blender, food processor or hand mixer.

Heat oven to 350. Coat loaf pan with the shortening.

Mix the dry ingredients.

In a bowl, mash the banana with a fork, then puree with an electric mixer. Add cauliflower mix. Add egg and oil and milk.

Pour into pan. Bake for 30 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.

I serve with icing on top. Or, without the icing for lunches.

Marking it gluten free - finally

Happy New Year everyone! I learned some cool things about everyday foods over the holiday. I've just been in awe of how major companies -- who are driven to find any market edge possible -- have not latched onto the "gluten free" thing yet.

Anyway, I see Tyson chicken is now labeled CLEARLY on the front as being free of antibiotics and hormones and additives. And, it was only priced 20 cents-per-pound more than the store brand. Very cool.

And, our Honeysuckle turkey also had a big "Gluten Free" label slapped right on the front for all to see. So, I bought that simply because of their effort.

I just don't understand why more companies are not taking advantage of this market by making the simplest of efforts -- noting what's gluten-free and what's not. My suspicion is that they don't want to start down the path of revealing what's in their foods.

Happy Holidays

Yes, I have taken some time off from blogging for the holidays. Things got kinda crazy, and quickly. I'll be back next week with some new recipes and observations. Meanwhile, enjoy this very addictive game.

jim

Snow Line Help Santa Claus collect the presents.

Play this free game now!!

Anyone remember Suzy-Q's?

Bet you thought the taste of Suzy-Q's and HoHos was lost forever on a gluten- and casein-free diet. Well, it doesn't have to be. I know, I know. I'll bet you're saying, but ... I can't use eggs, or soy or even chocolate! You don't have to. This is the allergy-friendly version -- all allergies. And, it's easy. Here's how:

Ingredients:
1 recipe of "chocolate" cake (use either cocoa or carob powder) made in two round cake pans (split the recipe)

1 cup powdered sugar (Domino sugar is GF. Miss Robens sells corn-free powdered sugar. Or, make your own.)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder (I use Knox)
1 tbsp water

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake recipe, splitting the recipe between two cake pans. I grease them with Spectrum organic shortening. The cakes bake together in about 15 mins. Use a toothpick to be sure.

When done, let cool 5 mins. Carefully pull the sides away from the pan and ease them onto cooling racks. Let cool thoroughly.

When cool, mix the powdered sugar, xanthan gum and gelatin in a bowl and stir. Add the water. Use a hand mixer on slow speed to blend until a creamy, icing texture is reached. Don't let this sit long. Use a knife to spread the icing onto one layer of the cake. Wet the knife is necessary to help spread. Immediately place second cake layer on top and gently push down.

Now, you can serve this cake style. Or you can cut it into any shape you want. I trimmed the edges to form a squarish shape and then cut into 16 "bars."

You can play around with this now. Next time, try chocolate or carob icing by adding some of that powder into the sugar mix. Try a Twinkie type cake by making a white cake and white filling. Try getting some of this stuff into a syringe and squirting it into a cupcake. Or, make the Suzy-Q even better by doubling the icing recipe -- it'll make the center filling thicker.

Have fun.

Molasses tip

I've found that several of my entries have started with the phrase, "This is silly..." Well, this is another one of those entries. Yet, I felt I had to share.

I've been baking gingersnaps and gingerbread cookies lately and using molasses and thick cane syrup. It's kinda tough getting that stuff to pour entirely out of a measuring cup. However, I've stumbled upon a little trick that helps that situation (no laughing from the expert chef section, please). If you coat the measuring cup with oil beforehand, the molasses will slide right out.

Actually, many of these recipes called for oil anyway. So, I measure the oil first, then the molasses. No waste.

A good shampoo

I recently switched shampoos for my kids and the new product works so well that I thought I'd mention it here. I bought the Shikai brand shampoo, which really lathers well and leaves a very healthy looking and feeling hair. We do use conditioner also, which helps with brushing -- they have very fine hair. You can research the product online at http://www.shikai.com/.

How fever might negate autism behaviors

Yesterday's news, but worth reposting anyway. I've experienced this with my kids. I thought it was pretty freaky when it happened. I remember the last time they were both fairly ill, vomiting, fever, etc. We pulled them off their supplements for the week, but instead of tanking, they were pretty well-behaved and "normal" in their speech and actions. Very odd. Now, it makes sense. Read on....

Newsday.com

Study: Fever lessens autism symptoms
BY DELTHIA RICKS
December 4, 2007

Key behavior ranging from better concentration to improved word use tends to occur when a child with autism has a fever, scientists report in an unusual investigation published yesterday.

Exactly how a fever changes the brain remains a matter of speculation. But scientists at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore have found that even though the effects are temporary, the discovery opens a new window to understanding autism.

Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, director of medical research at the institute's autism and related disorders center, said the study was inspired by anecdotal reports from parents and clinicians who found that when a child with autism developed a fever, many classic signs of the condition seem to subside. The effect, however, is fleeting.

Zimmerman and collaborator Laura Curran studied 30 children with autism between the ages of 2 and 18 during and after an episode of fever to determine if there was any truth to the rumors about behavioral changes. The team defined a fever as 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit and asked parents to document their child's behavior throughout the episode.

"The patients we took measurements on all returned to baseline after a week," Zimmerman said, referring to a reversal to previous behavior.Despite the reversal, Zimmerman said the change was eye-opening because children not only spoke more and made better eye contact, some experienced better overall relationships with parents and peers.

Zimmerman, who reports the transformation in the journal Pediatrics, told Newsday the discovery provides a better understanding of the brain. The organ has tremendous plasticity, he said of its ability to adapt to stress, which in this case was a fever. He also said the new data sheds more light on why autism occurs. Fever causes a change in how the brain sends messages between cells.

During a fever, the body produces a flood of infinitesimal proteins called cytokines that may facilitate messages between brain cells. When the fever subsides, this enhanced activity diminishes as well.

"In the science of autism a lot of people are looking at the synapse as the area where the problems are," Zimmerman said. A synapse is the tiny gap between the ends of nerve fibers across which messages are fired.

Edward Carr, a professor of psychology at Stony Brook University, said that though the research is interesting, children with autism experience improvements without fevers. "His point shows there's a certain plasticity, but I don't think improvement depends on a fever.

Dr. Eric Gould, a pediatrician in Great Neck, said he believes the study was published prematurely and provides nothing useful for parents and their children. "Revealing this information at this juncture is purposeless," he said.

Gould added that "observational studies are not worth anything. They're so patently absurd on the surface. You can't compare apples to apples because each of those kids was different. It's not like each of them had strep throat."

Oh, a programming note here ... Don Imus is back on the radio at WABC, New York. That's 770 on the AM dial in the New York area. Or, listen online -- click here. I'm certainly not suggesting anyone excuse his on-air remarks that got him in so much trouble, but I will point out that he and his wife have been tremendous advocates of the autism community. Imus was talking about the ins and outs of autism issues, including vaccines and thimerosal, before it hit the mainstream media. Like I said - just pointing his return out.

GFCF Gingersnap Bites

This may be a cheesy follow to my GFCF Gingerbread People recipe, but it's been very popular at my house the last couple of days with my kids and a few of their friends. So, I thought I'd post it too.

I'll just call this Gingersnap Bites. GFCF of course. Oh, and egg-free, soy-free, rice-free, corn-free and bean-free. Whew!

Make 1 recipe for Gingerbread People dough.

Instead of rolling out, divide dough into two chunks.

Take one chunk and using floured hands, roll it out into a long log on a floured surface to about 1/2" thickness.

Now, using a floured knife, cut the log into many small bite-sized cookies.

Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Repeat with the 2nd chunk of dough. You should be able to fit both on one cookie sheet.

BAKE 10 minutes, not 14.

GFCF Gingerbread People

This was a hit this week in my house. I thought I'd try this cookie recipe out before Christmas arrived to see if it worked. It does, and it's versatile. With a few changes, I made this rice free too. The source is the Special Diets for Special Kids cookbook, by Lisa Lewis. This was a contribution by Karen Seroussi. I made some changes to the original recipe and I'll note those along the way.

Ingredients:
2/3 cup brown rice flour (I used sorghum)
1/3 cup sweet rice flour (I used tapioca here)
1/3 cup tapioca starch (I also kept this 1/3 cup tapioca)
1 TBL cinnamon
1 tsp ginger (use more for a cookie with a real ginger bite)
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup molasses (I used Steens Cane Syrup)
2 TBL water

Recipe
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. So, my flour mixture was 2/3 cup sorghum and 2/3 cup tapioca. Then, add the liquids.

Mix well. Add tapioca if necessary to get a dough that you can knead.

Roll the dough out on a floured board or surface, using the tapioca, to about a quarter-inch thickness. Cut out gingerbread person shapes, flouring the cutter with tapioca.

Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 14 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. This gave me a nice, crunchy cookie. Bake for less time to make more chewy and less crunchy.

If you want, add eyes and buttons with icing.

Meat rice easy dish

Here's a nice slap-it-together GFCF meal. Everyone in my family likes this one. And it's free of gluten, casein, soy, egg, beans.

- 1 recipe pizza sauce

- ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey)

- brown rice, cooked OR pasta noodles OR kidney beans OR quinoa OR potatoes

Now, make the pizza sauce in a sauce pan. Cook the brown rice or pasta. Brown the ground meat.

When done, drain grease from the meat. Add some pizza sauce to the meat and stir in -- as much or little as you like. Add a cup or more of the rice or pasta. Stir. Sprinkle with some sea salt and/or favorite spices.

Serve.

Yummy gluten-free sausage

I don't mind, every so often, promoting a product that I come across. I found a pretty good brand of sausage that not only offers gluten-free varieties, but also states that it's gluten-free ON THE FRONT of the package. And, because they did so, I bought a pack of their sausage. This is Aidells sausage. I bought the chicken-apple flavor. It is gluten-free, no MSG and made with chicken not injected with hormones. Perfect! The kids liked it but I had to explain why there were small pieces of apple in the sausage. I told them it was potato, which they would prefer over apple. Anyway, great product.

Check Aidells out at its Web site. They also have this to say about gluten: "Gluten is an ingredient in soy sauce which we use in some of our sausages. These are Thai, Lamb with Rosemary and Lemon Chicken. As for dairy products, our Pesto Sausage contains Romano cheese. Our spice blends are our trade secrets. However, if you are allergic to any particular spice, please contact us. We will happily tell you if it is in any of our products."

How cell phones and Wi-Fi might cause autism

I don't know about you, but this study makes a heck of a lot of sense to me.

Link Between Wireless Technology and Autism Unveiled in New Scientific Report

Washington, DC (PressReleaseHelp) November 15, 2007 -- A groundbreaking scientific study published this week in the peer-reviewed Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine warns that wireless communication technology may be responsible for accelerating the rise in autism among the world’s children. (J.Aust.Coll.Nutr.& Env.Med, 2007; Vol.26, No.2 pages 3 – 7; report attached.)

Autism is a disabling neuro-developmental disorder whose cause is not completely understood, but is known to involve heavy metal toxicity. American advocacy groups call autism "the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States." Twenty years ago, only 1 in 10,000 children were diagnosed with some form of autism; U.S. government data show the rate in 2002 to be 1 in 150; clinicians who treat the disease estimate the occurrence today to be closer to 1 in 100.

Although some of the increase in autism can be ascribed to more efficient diagnosis by the medical community The children studied were seen by Tamara Mariea², a certified clinical nutritionist based in Nashville, Tennessee, specializing in treating autism. She is the primary author of the paper, along with Dr. George Carlo¹, an expert on the dangers of electromagnetic radiation (EMR), who headed the world’s largest research program on mobile phone health hazards in the 1990s. Their work revealed the autism-wireless technology connection following a series of tests on autistic children monitored during 2005 and 2006.

The autistic children followed specific detoxification protocols in an environment that was mitigated with regard to sources of EMR including mobile phones and WiFi³. Heavy metal excretions were monitored from hair, urine and feces over periods ranging from several weeks to several months. The researchers found that with protocols administered in the mitigated environment, heavy metals were cleared from the children’s bodies in a pattern dependent on time and molecular weight. The heaviest metals, such as mercury and uranium, cleared last. In many of the children, the decrease in metals was concomitant with symptom amelioration.Tamara Mariea, said: “These findings give us very important clues to solving some of the enigmas we see in the autism literature regarding the efficacy of detoxification. And, we are extremely pleased with the results we are now seeing in these children. Our protocols are working.”

Dr. Carlo said, “These findings tie in with other studies showing adverse cell-membrane responses and disruptions of normal cell physiology. The EMR apparently causes the metals to be trapped in cells, slowing clearance and accelerating the onset of symptoms.”

The authors point out that the rise in cases of autism is paralleled by the huge growth in mobile phone and WiFi usage since the late 1990’s – with worldwide wireless usage now having reached nearly 4 billion persons.

“Although some of the increase in autism can be ascribed to more efficient diagnosis by the medical community,” Dr. Carlo said, “A rise of this magnitude must have a major environmental cause. Our data offer a reasonable mechanistic explanation for a connection between autism and wireless technology.”

Notes to Editors:1. In the 1990s, Dr George Carlo headed the $28.5 million Wireless Technology Research program, funded by the mobile phone industry and overseen by the federal government, studying health hazards from mobile phone technology. He is currently head of the non-profit Science and Public Policy Institute, based in Washington, D.C. 2. Tamara Mariea is Director of Internal Balance, Inc. in Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2000, she has helped over 500 autistic children.

3. WiFi refers to technologies that use wireless communication to connect computers to the Internet.

Helpful flu shot brochure

It's flu season of course, which brings all sorts of concern about flu shots, thimerosal (mercury) and other disturbing vaccine ingredients that those of us in the Autism Spectrum Disorder community worry about. Anyway, here's a helpful brochure from SafeMinds -- The Coalition for SafeMinds (Sensible Action For Ending Mercury-Induced Neurological Disorders). It tells you which flu shots to watch out for, if you're considering them.

Autism medicine research & a dose of skepticism

Nothing like a strong dose of skepticism to start the morning. Sorry folks, I'm very concerned about this. First, note the word "relieve" in the release. That, to me, means this would be like a cough medicine. If you give the medicine, your child's symptoms are relieved, but not cured. When the medicine wears off, they return. And, then, like other meds, there's other impacts. With my kids, the preservatives and dyes are problems. They cause behavior issues that are almost worse than the initial illness. Again, sorry, but I think this is the mainstream medical community seeking that "pop a pill" answer to autism rather than the complex treatments that actually make life-changing differences for many of us. Make up your own mind. You'll find the original release here.


INVESTIGATIONAL MEDICATION TO BE STUDIED IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM
PITTSBURGH, Nov. 26 – Children with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of five and 17 years are needed to participate in a research study looking at how a medicine called fluoxetine works to relieve the repetitive behavior and other symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The study will take place at the John Merck Child Outpatient Clinic and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

Researchers are looking for both children with autism and those who have symptoms of ASD. For the purpose of this study, fluoxetine is investigational. An investigational drug is one which has not been approved for this use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Autism is a developmental disorder that is characterized by impairments in communication and social interaction skills, as well as the presence of stereotyped patterns of behavior. Many children with autism also experience challenging behaviors, such as overactivity, anxiety, irritability and agitation. The targeted behaviors for this study include:

· constant rocking, spinning, twirling or pacing
· repeating words or phrases over and over
· repeating activities such as going in and out of doorways, picking up and putting down objects
· insisting objects be in a precise order; or that they do things in a particular way or particular order, et cetera
· insisting parents or caregivers perform activities in the same manner over and over again
· asking the same questions or making the same requests over and over
· issues with any other type of repetitive behavior that interferes with daily function

The study will require nine visits, and additional visits may be scheduled if clinically indicated. Participants will be compensated for their time.

Autism research at Harvard

If you missed Kent Heckenlively's piece "The Harvard Gang" at the Age of Autism site, it's worth reading. Here's a snippet, but you can read the rest by following the link. It's interesting stuff about what Harvard researchers are finding in the autism world.

THE HARVARD GANG
By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

You can always tell a Harvard guy,” my dad would say, beginning one of the innumerable jokes he told during my youth.

“How?” my brother and I would respond, knowing we were being set up.

“Because he has to tell you he went to Harvard within the first five minutes you meet him,” came the answer.

If earlier generations of the crimson and black were known for trumpeting their credentials, I have to admit that the current crop now impresses me with their research into solving some of the mysteries of autism.

Dr. Martha Herbert of Harvard Medical School first caught my attention back in 2005 with her article, “Large Brains in Autism: The Challenge of Pervasive Abnormality.” Dr. Herbert was investigating the most replicated finding in autism neuroanatomy, namely that autistics seem to have unusually large brains. In her review of autism research, she noted that the picture which was emerging suggested inflammation as a reason for the large brains observed in autistic children.

Dr Herbert wrote, “Although there is a great deal of heterogeneity to the medical complaints that frequently accompany autism, there are common threads that may indicate common or related molecular and cellular mechanisms between body and brain. For instance, the pathophysiologies of inflammation and oxidative stress, and excitotoxicity are greatly linked, and it appears these types of mechanisms are implicated in the brain as well as some of the sensory and sleep regulation, epilepsy, immune, and gastro-intestinal complaints commonly seen in autism.”

To translate the medical-speak, inflammation is something we know from infections or injuries, oxidative stress is another expression for the signs of stress on the body from chemicals, and excitotoxicity is another word for how nerve cells responds to toxins.

Read the rest at Age of Autism.

Gluten free stuffing ... just in time for Thanksgiving

You'll find this recipe for a basic, Thanksgiving gfcf stuffing at the GFCF Recipes site at Recipe Circus. I tried this the other day. Pretty good.

Garlic, Onion and Sage Stuffing
Source of Recipe: Angela Lowry

List of Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted GFCF margarine (I just used canola oil in a pan)
2 small onions, finely chopped (I used 1 medium onion)
2 celery stalks, diced (I used 1 stalk)
5 garlic cloves, chopped (I used 3)
6 cups GFCF bread cubes (I used 1 recipe of Noah's Bread)
1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed or ground dried sage
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (I skipped this and added a pinch of cayenne pepper)
2 eggs, beaten to blend (I used flax eggs)
1 cup chicken stock or canned broth (I used homemade)

Recipe
Melt margarine/oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add
onions, celery and garlic and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes.

Combine bread, sage, salt, oregano, thyme, pepper and other spices in large bowl. Stir in onion mixture and eggs. Add stock and mix well.

Use to stuff goose, turkey, duck or chicken, or prepare as a side dish by baking in a casserole dish covered with oiled foil. I baked 20 mins at 350.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin spice cake

This is a great recipe to make for the kids -- or yourself -- for Thanksgiving. It's an easy gluten - casein - soy free recipe for a pumpkin bundt cake. I have to confess that I found this on the Web at a recipe site or maybe another blog, but I've forgotten which one. If this is yours, feel free to claim credit here. I've modified it slightly. It turned out great.

Ingredients

1 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
Dash of ground cloves
1 tbsp carob or cocoa powder
3 flax eggs
1¼ cups sugar
½ cup oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin (Libby's is gluten free)
1 Tbsp powdered sugar (reserved for later to sprinkle over cooled cake)

Directions

In large bowl, combine flours, Xanthan Gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and carob/cocoa. Mix. Set aside.

Place flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax seed mixed with 3 tbsp water - microwave 30 secs., let sit 5 mins), sugar and oil in mixing bowl and beat until blended. Add vanilla and pumpkin, mix another minute. Add mixed dry ingredients and mix until combined.

Pour batter into 10 cup capacity Bundt Pan which has been greased. I use Spectrum organic shortening. Sprinkle pan with sugar (approximately 1 tablespoon sugar). Bake in 350° oven for up to 40 minutes, checking after 30. Turn Bundt out onto serving tray and allow to cool. Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Domino sugar is gluten free. Or, try a Wholesome Sweeteners product.