Dandelion Jelly

Who even knew this was a thing? I found a list of floral jellies that looked lovely and adaptable for CSID and dandelion jelly was on the list. It tastes like honey and lemon and sunshine.

 

Lunches of fun...on the go! Part 2: Teens, Tweens and Adults

I'm back with more lunchtime inspiration for my CSID friends, but lots of these ideas would also work for any low carb, gluten free, keto or paleo diets. Once again, most of these meals work during the induction diet, and if you need more info about that, see Lunches of fun...on the go part 1. Remember to check all ingredients against your safe food list, sub any sugar for dextrose or fuctose, and have some FUN with your food!

Now for the round up.

Lunches of fun...on the go! Part 1: Toddlers and Kiddos

Pack lunches are always a challenge. Take away sandwiches and it can seem overwhelming. This post is lengthy, but it's goal ito demystify the process of making pack lunches safe, healthy and fun for CSID kids from toddlerhood through elementary school.

Pretty Princess Parfaits

We had a knights and princesses party here for the Personal Assistant and Mr. Baby's birthday. It was super fun. The menu was pretty easy, but I did make a few special treats. Like these yummy parfaits. Mmmmm.

 

(Healthy) Sugar cookie dough

I love cookie dough. It probably should have killed me years ago in college when the cookies never quite got baked. But here I am, still loving cookie dough from afar. Until now.

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios

I promise this is easy.

 

Quick Fix: Baby Food

We make most of our own baby food here. It's easy, fresh and cheap, but I think the main benefit is knowing exactly what your baby is eating. Not because I don't trust baby food companies, but because it's just easier when you are introducing new foods. (Also because CSID. But that's a whole other conversation.)

At Christmas the Hubster gave me a Black & Decker smoothie blender. At the time I was all "oh, gee...thanks?" But later I figured out all that it could do and thanked him properly. The best feature of this blender is that it fits on mason jars-which is great for so many reasons. Especially baby food.

 

Sweets for my Sweeties: CSID Valentines Marshmallows

This Friday is Mr. Baby's first birthday. It is also my Personal Assistant's very first school party. I asked him what snack he wanted to take and he asked for his favorite-marshmallows. After some discussion, we decided they should be strawberry heart shaped with sprinkles. Yum!

(And since these are sucrose and starch free, as well as peanut, egg, dairy and gluten free, they are a great option for safe sharing at school parties!)

 

Frozen smoothie treats for teething babies

Most teething treats are starchy and out of bounds for us. Lots of yogurt drop baby finger foods have added sugar or are made with sucrose containing fruits and veggies, so again-out if bounds. But I wanted to make some yummy teething treats for Mr. Baby, and decided to try making frozen yogurt drops. He loves them.

Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Just a year ago we got the news that my kiddo could not digest sugar or starch. I always wanted to be the Mom who made hot cocoa with marshmallow and cookies on a snowy day, and I really thought that would never happen.

I have learned a lot this past year. Like never say never, and do not come between me and a good cookie.

Today we had an impromptu sledding party. After, we roasted hotdogs on the fire, ate homemade sucrose free marshmallows, drank peppermint tea and homemade hot cocoa, and had warm cookies fresh from the oven made with normal ingredients from the pantry.

 

Chocolate Cherry Pancakes

I like pancakes. I really really like pancakes. But I am allergic to eggs. This is well documented at this point. The personal assistant as CSID (I should maybe explain that one of these days) and cannot eat sugar (sucrose) or "too much" starch. But I still really like pancakes.

The Potty Fairy

Kiddo wants to potty train in theory, but not so much in practice. It has been a struggle. His CSID has not helped. Because I respect my readers (somewhat) I will not elaborate. Let's just go with "It's been a rough year, " and leave it at that. But he's old enough that if I don't do something, he's gonna have issues. So when a member of the CSID support group suggested we needed a potty fairy, I was all over that like white on rice.

The Ultimate Evening.

Back when Hubster and I were dating long distance, a client asked me to show her step son around town. Ok. Fine. He, knowing absolutely nothing about me or my relationship, spent the evening trying to convince me that the love of my life was cheating on me, and promised to show me 'The Ultimate Evening.' So of course I told the bartender to hold the alcohol on any and every drink I ordered, no matter what I said, and to charge him top shelf prices. Then I went home and called my future Hubster and we laughed and laughed. Fast forward twelve years (!?) later and we still laugh about 'The Ultimate Evening.'

Unexpected Grace

This Easter was our first Holiday post-diagnosis, and I was really nervous that it would put a focus on the fact that Kiddo is different. At the risk of repeating myself, it did occur to me that being the Easter Bunny, while allergic to eggs, to a kid who can't eat sugar or starch, was pretty hard! I probably should not have dyed the eggs (but I did, while breast feeding), and I really should not have made meringue cookies (but I did, between breastfeeding and bed time) and that didn't go too well.

Lunches of Fun

When we found out our oldest son had CSID I was panicked that all the hard work we had done to diversify his diet and make food fun would be in vain. Would mealtimes become a drudge? Would all the food be plain and tasteless? Would my son (who loves to eat) become a picky eater?

Making a medical binder.

What is that one thing (not alive of course) that you would grab if your house was on fire? Mine used to be photo albums...now it is this:

Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad Wrap (CSID lunch)

We are on week 3 of the induction diet for CSID (Congenital Sucrase-Isomaltase Deffiency). One more week and we can start Sucraid and will have more food options. But in the meantime, I am getting bored serving the same lunches over and over. Today I wanted eggless chicken salad (I am allergic) and came up with Avacado Ranch Chicken Salad Wrap. It was really tasty!