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Spinach & Artichoke Dip (Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Vegan Too!)
I have a really yummy recipe for a restaurant-style spinach and artichoke dip. This is not that recipe. However, this allergy-friendly version is pretty tasty! And even better, it’s vegan, which means of course that it’s free of eggs and dairy. It’s also soy free, which is often not the case with vegan recipes. And, of course, it’s gluten-free too. Not only that, but it contains nutritional yeast. Known for its cheesy flavor, nutritional yeast is a powerhouse of nutrition, packed with protein, amino acids and B vitamins (except B-12 in non-fortified options.) I like Sari brand because it contains no synthetic vitamins. It is also said to be antiviral, antibacterial, and even contain…
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Morning Smoothie Time Saver
See that delicious green smoothie? It’s even better when it’s quick and easy. Making a smoothie isn’t that time consuming compared to preparing dinner. However, there are quite a few steps and those minutes add up. To make the smoothies I’ve batch prepared here I’d have to pull out all of the bags of frozen fruit and greens, boil and drain the greens (helps reduce oxalates), roast the beets in coconut oil, chop the ginger, wash two pans and a strainer, open the bags of frozen fruit, pour the fruit into the blender, close the bags of frozen fruit, add homemade coconut yogurt, add liquid, put all the bags back in the freezer, blend, wash…
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Allergy-Friendly Pumpkin Pie Custard
I made this pumpkin pie for my girls for Thanksgiving, from a recipe in the He Won’t Know It’s Paleo AIP Holiday e-book. Since then I have modified the recipe a bit to make it a little less spicy and a little sweeter. I also skip the crust and just make the custard. It is super quick to whip up in my vitamix, and my girls absolutely love it. The best part is it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and nut-free (and naturally it’s free of fish, haha) That’s right – it’s free of all top 8 allergens! It’s also legal for GAPS, SCD, and AIP diet (and probably a…
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Lily’s Reading Program
Recently I shared a video of Lily reading. I received lots of questions, particularly about how we reached this point, so I’m posting this to answer those questions. This video was taken shortly after she her 4th birthday. It is only within the past few weeks that we have moved from flash cards to reading actual books. This activity was added at our last ND evaluation when Lily’s program was updated. It’s been really exciting for us, and especially for her to realize that those flash cards can be put to use to read actual books! I’m not sure why I didn’t do this sooner. **Due to recent experience with stolen images,…
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Allergy-Friendly Animal Crackers (GAPS, Paleo, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free)
If you are on a special diet like GAPS, SCD, or Paleo, you can easily find recipes for crackers, and even pre-packaged store-bought items. However, if you also have allergies or food intolerances, it can be VERY difficult to find recipes that meet your dietary requirements. I have tried a few sunflower seed cracker recipes, and this one is by far the tastiest. My girls love these crackers, and I send them with Lily for a portable and non-messy preschool snack! They are slightly sweet and very crunchy, but not tough or chewy. These are great plain or dipped in yogurt or sunbutter. I think you could reduce the honey…
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Down Syndrome Awareness Month – Inclusion
What’s the point of Down Syndrome Awareness Month? According to a quick search, it’s about showcasing the abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome. It’s about spreading a message of advocacy and inclusion. It’s about celebrating people who have Down syndrome. Not everyone is ready to “celebrate Down syndrome” or get involved in raising awareness. In truth, my family has never participated in a Buddy Walk. We’ve never attended any local Down syndrome events or joined any clubs. Initially it was because I was very much in the “not ready to celebrate” camp. As time progressed, it was because Down syndrome is such a minor part of our life.…
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Peach Freezer Jam (Honey-Sweetened and Pectin-Free!)
Several weeks ago (when it was still summer!) the kids and I took a little trip to a local farm to pick peaches. We love picking berries, peaches, apples, or anything, though we don’t get out to do it as often as I’d like. It can be a bit of an adventure with my toddlers! This year Lily picked quite a few peaches on her own, which was pretty exciting. She kept asking if they were apples or onions, which was cute. She also tried to make a run for it several times, which is something we’re working hard to change. I’m sure other special needs mamas can relate to…
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Allergy Friendly Toddler Snack – Apples w/Sweet Yogurt Dip
We’ve been slowly expanding the girls’ diet, including more Full GAPS foods. We are still pretty restricted in terms of allergy foods, so it can be tricky to come up with tasty treats. However, I’ve had some real successes lately – including a no added sugar, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, grain-free cookie recipe that is a hit with the girls!! I’ll share it another time. I’m experimenting with coconut yogurt to try to make a “cream cheese” type frosting for Lily’s birthday. To achieve a thicker consistency, I doubled the gelatin I normally use in the coconut yogurt recipe that I make each week. It turned out much like a panna…
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Auditory Processing… On-the-Go
I recently read an awesome blog post on the very important topic auditory processing or sequential processing. This is something we have been working on since we began our neurodevelopmental approach to therapy. The organization that we work with is ICAN, and we love our therapist! Auditory processing is quite possibly the single most important skill that we work on. As such, it is on our program multiple times per day. The goal is high frequency, short duration. I keep a bag of Little People toy animals from her Farm and Zoo like these and these on Lily’s dresser so that we think about it (and hopefully do it) when…
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Healthy Homemade Gummy Fruit Snacks
I was looking for an allergy-friendly gummy candy for my girls. I wanted treats for potty training, but a lot of the usual allergy-friendly treats are too messy or just not portable. I wanted something candy-like, which made me immediately think of fruit snacks. Unfortunately, as far as I’m aware there aren’t any store-bought GAPS friendly fruit snacks available. (Someone correct me if I’m wrong because I make nearly everything from scratch, so I’m always open to store-bought options that meet our dietary needs!) There are organic options, like Annie’s, which would be a good alternative for many. However, if you are avoiding all forms of sugar (except raw honey)…
