My Fructmal Girl

I'm honestly not sure where to begin or pick up from last year. I'd like to publish a more detailed versions of this journey, but for the moment I will give the condensed version.

Lucy has fructose malabsorption, no doubt about it. At the end of September, we treated her for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) again, this time with rifaximin. Partway into treatment I wasn't seeing any changes, so added in the SCD diet crossed with FODMAPs, and she had all kinds of die off symptoms like body aches, etc. It was working!! When it was all done, though, we still were not seeing much in the way of symptom improvement or food tolerance. I decided to make a Skype consult appointment with Dr. Allison Siebecker, renowned SIBO doctor and naturopath from www.siboinfo.com. She was absolutely wonderful, and we discussed all different types of treatment options, and decided to ask our pediatrician to prescribe the lactulose hydrogen breath test (HBT) to see if her SIBO was truly gone. Lo and behold, it was! Which was concerning to learn, however, because she was not feeling better. Dr. Siebecker talked me down though, and was very helpful and encouraging. We designed a course of action. I had just started her on 5HTP again even though in the past it had given her heartburn because it had also helped with relieve her visceral hypersensitivity. The GI had offered to put her on amitryptaline, an antidepressant commonly used in a lower dose for various GI disorders because it increases the serotonin not just in the brain, but in the digestive tract where the majority of the body's serotonin is actually used. He had told us over the summer if it works, then he would much rather she use a natural drug vs the prescription one. We had to abandon it after a week though because of the side effects she developed (abdominal pain and reflux.) I did some brainstorming this time and wondered if taking licorice along with it would negate the side effects...and it worked!!! We had also discovered on Halloween when I let her binge on treats (and she subsequently had a great night) that she not only tolerates sugar, but for some reason thrived on it. A little bit of research revealed that in order to make and use serotonin, the body needs more carbs. Sadly with the restrictions of fructose malabsorption and SCD, she had few sources without overloading on fructose. We the trailed raw milk, and she did great! This was a huge relief, because I was considering getting the expensive elemental formula for her again, Neocate Splash, to help supplement her diet. Instead, I was able to use fresh, natural milk and I would sweeten it up to make a homemade kind of formula for her. (And yes, it is counterintuitive to give your kid extra sugar on purpose, but even Dr Siebecker thought this was a great solution for her. She didn't have SIBO anymore, and her body not only tolerated it but THRIVED on it!) For the first time in her life, Lucy was going days and days with NO PAIN!!! We gave her fresh colostrum, zinc carnesine, l-glutamine, A, D. We used low dose erythromycin for gastric motility before bedtime, along with Align probiotic for motility and gut health. (What was really interesting was that when we started the Align immediately post-rifaximin, she had more die off from that for a couple of nights...so we made huge strides in her gut flora.) Align is recommended by Dr. Weinstock and others for nighttime motility (which can contribute to SIBO.) We also used Kirkman's enzyme with Isogest and Urban Moonshine Citrus Bitters to aid her digestion and healing. In the next few months, we watched our little blossom into a happy, energetic, silly little girl. It has been an AMAZING transformation!! We went to Bush Gardens Christmastown a week before Christmas, and whereas in the past she would ride in the stroller 90% of the time...this time she not only walked but RAN 90% of the park!!!

Lucy is now eating a low FODMAP diet. We are still figuring out all the things she does and does not tolerate, but her diet is ginormous in comparison to what it was a year ago, and she feels like a million bucks. She has gone from the 24th percentile in weight to the 44th percentile!! A few weeks ago she even started eating starches again with Kirkland Carb Digest enzymes on board, and it's going really, really well for her. I honestly wondered if we would ever get to this place for her. She now only has pain when she eats a wrong food by mistake or when we trial something new that doesn't work out.

And the circus continues

Thursday was supposed to be a turning point for us. Lucy was going to have her breath test for SIBO done at CHKD!! Once we got the data from that showing she is positive, we were going to be able to finally treat her for it with antibiotics. I was excited!!!! They had us originally scheduled for the lactulose breath test for SIBO, but a week before the test the office called and told me the Dr had spoken with pathology and changed it to the fructose breath test. I questioned her to make sure they were going to do it in such a way as to check for SIBO, and she assured me that yes, they were, this is what they were told to do.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite go that way. We got to the lab and Lucy gave her baseline breath sample. That alone made my eyebrows go up, because the tech did not roll up the discard air bag for her weight like she was supposed to. I kept my mouth shut, but should not have. Lucy then drank her fructose drink, and the tech told us to come back at 1, 2, and3 hours. Um, what?!? That is the same exact test we did at home...this test was supposed to be done every 20 minutes for at least the first hour. I was going to lose it, because this meant this was all a complete waste of time. The tech was willing to do it every 20 minutes, however, even though she had "never herd of testing for bacterial overgrowth that way."

 Feeling disgruntled, I went back into the waiting room. They had computers there because it was the NICU wait area, so I hopped on one, hoping I could pull up the articles I needed forthe argument I assumed was coming. Of course, the computers were blocked from email and social networks, the two places I had these things bookmarked. Awesome. Luckily, when the pathologist came out to speak with us, she was super nice. She had decided we should do the test every twenty minutes the whole time, for more data. She wanted me to email her whatever information I had, and was happy about Lucy's first fructmal test and where we had it done, since Quintron is the same company who makes their machine and is excellent. She also said it's different nowadays, "patients do a lot of educating of the doctors." While her statement made me very happy to have someone who is open to new information, it also irked me. We shouldn't HAVE to be educating our doctors. That is what we pay them for. Otherwise, their purpose is what? To write out prescriptions for tests and medications we research and request? Might as well just ditch the doctors and make it an open market.

At any rate, we were there for three hours while Lucy completed the test. She had been fasting since bedtime, and was really hungry by the time we were done. She had had some stomach pain during the test from the fructose, but luckily the Barbie Mermaid movie I had bought for her on my iPad kept her well distracted. It's really no fun giving your child a big drink of something you KNOW will make them sick. She had loose stool that afternoon, a terrible behavioral reaction, and belly pain all night long. Poor thing. :(

The same afternoon as the test, I received an email from the pathologist letting me know that Lucy's test was fine, she showed no signs of SIBO, or even fructmal. Um....what?! She already had a very positive fructmal test. I called her immediately for the numbers, but she didn't have it in her hands anymore. She said her baseline was 15 (which is much too high) and all the other numbers were like 7, 5, 10, etc. I told her it didn't make sense, and by the end of our conversation she said I should talk to the GI about repeating the test. Wonderful. I spent the night worrying, researching why, and even read Quintron's 100 page manual on the tests online.

None of this sat well with me, but I had to wait until the next morning to get her actual numbers. I called first thing and had them faxed over, and sure enough, they were odd. (‎15, 8, 13, 20, 11, 7, 5, 6, 5, 5...baseline followed by sample every 20 min.) None of it made any sense. After doubting everything we thought we knew, I decided to call Quintron/Breathtrackers for information. They were, in a word, WONDERFUL. The woman I spoke to pulled Lucy's file and saw her first two tests. She knew from the data and our discussion that I had done it all perfectly, and she was actually surprised I did it so well with such a young child. She confirmed my suspicions that they did the test wrong,, that that bag should have been rolled down to the marking for her weight because she is under 100 pounds, and that they never should have had her blow into the bag more than once. By doing so, the air going into the sample bag was not the rich mid-lung air, but instead dead space air...essentially room air...which explains the ridiculously low numbers. She told me that if inwere to decide to let the hospital do the test again, to make sure the lab calls her before doing so so they can get proper instruction. I'm also pretty sure she is calling the lab as well, because this was all done so wrong. (Her real recommendation is that I get the prescription for the lactulose test and do the test at home again.) She even pulled up the info on CHKD and knew which machine they have...and it's old. They don't make it anymore. It only tests for hydrogen, whereas the newer, digital machines also test for methane in case a person has methane producing bacteria, and carbon dioxide, which is extremely important for testing the validity of a sample. If a sample is wrong, the carbon dioxide concentration will be under 1.5%...like the composition of room air. Lucy's first test had carbon dioxide levels around 3.5%, for example. Her one sample that was incorrect on her fructose test the first time had CO2 of .80%, which is why the sample was thrown out. (The woman I spoke with actually did the conversion formula for me while on the phone, and told me that sample's reading converted out to be about 34, though with the CO2 levels what they were, it only read as 5!) Because their machine is lacking the ability to measure these other gases, they have NO IDEA if their samples are proper.

Everything about this hospital just gets more and more disturbing the more time we spend there. For one, this is supposedly the go-to hospital in the area for these hydrogen breath tests, even for adults, yet THEY ARE DOING THE TESTS INCORRECTLY. How many people are walking around out there, thinking they are crazy or have untreatable stomach pain because all of their tests were "negative?" Second, the lab and pathologist assured me of this, that they do this test all the time, for many years...yet both our GI (who is new to the hospital, but has now been there since January) and the people who work with her in the office and made the callbacks to me, all told me that they don't do some tests at the hospital, only the lactose breath test. (Which never made sense to me, bc it's the same test, same machine, just a different sugar solution that the patient drinks.) Third, when we first started with this Dr back in January and she was suspecting EoE and told me she was diagnosing it 2-3 times a week at her old practice in AZ and I asked her if she was familiar with TIGER protocol (the gold standard for diagnosing EoE)...SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT WAS.). Not to mention the time I called three times in one week and never, ever received a callback. Or when I called Patient Advocacy to complain about THAT, and never received a callback from them, either.

So, here we are, again, nowhere. My kid had to suffer for two days from a fructose reaction for nothing, we wasted four hours at the hospital, Stephen had to stay home with the other two on a work day. I complained to the pathologist, who apologized, is trying to have the charges removed, and is supposedly going to look into going new equipment for the. I have left two messages with the supervisor of the lab. I have left messages for the GI who, of course, was not in on Friday. I'm not sure what our path will be tomorrow. I want the GI to either prescribe antibiotics to treat her SIBo based on symptoms or prescribe the test so I can do it at home. I'm also considering a new hospital, like CHdren's Hospital of Philadelphia, which seems like it may have physicians versed in this disorder. All I know is, this is all madness, and shouldn't be happening. Why should it be so hard to get treatment for my daughter?!

Decade of Awesome!

My baby boy turned 10 today.  Does that make me old?

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

And Then There Was an Answer

Finally, finally, after all the specialists, the tests, the pain, the EGD scope, the pain, the food exclusions and eliminations, the pain...oh the pain, the lack of sleep, the crappy specialists and their lack of help or apparent knowledge of gastroenterology, the elemental formula, the sadness...we have an answer.  I'm sure it's not the final answer, but it's something.  Something that proves my child nor I are crazy.  Something that will finally, finally, finally lead us to a life of semi-normality, a life free of pain for my sweet little Lucy, despite all the odds being stacked against us to ever find a solution (or, rather, the lack of any real help from the medical establishment, both mainstream and alternative.)


This weekend , Lucy took a fructose breath test to test for fructose malabsorption.  This means she fasted for 12 hours and then in the morning, drank a fructose solution and blew into a bag into which we stuck a vial that filled with her exhaled air.  When one doesn't absorb fructose, it sits in the small intestine and is instead digested by the bacteria that live there.  These bacteria devour the sugar and in return output gases, mainly hydrogen and methane, causing intense pain and bloating, among other things.  Within 30 minutes of drinking the solution, Lucy was in some pretty intense pain.  The clinical standard for a diagnosis of fructose malabsorption is a change in the combined gases of 15ppm...Lucy's changed 81ppm!!!!  Definite positive!!


The next thing she needs to be tested for is small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO).  This is tested for the in the same manner as fructose malabsorption, only the solution drunk is lactulose.  Remember those bacteria I told you about, sitting around eating up the fructose that won't make it's way through the intestinal wall?  Well, they don't just sit around eating the fructose.  Nope.  They multiply.  And the more well fed they are, the MORE they multiply, until they have overgrown, and eventually, one has bacterial overgrowth.  So now, these bacteria in the small intestine are happy and well fed and reproducing like rabbits and causing more and more gas, and more and more damage.  Many of the enzymes with which we digest our foods are actually created in the brush border of the small intestine.  As this border is damaged by the bacterial overgrowth, one loses proper production of these enzymes, too, and thus the ability to break down even more sugars -- lactose, disaccharides, and more. Eventually, it doesn't matter what is consumed...the outcome is almost always pain and discomfort.


Now, this is also kind of a chicken and the egg type thing.  Sometimes, SIBO happens from other causes in the body - too many antiobiotics, too much constipation, slow motility, etc - and actually causes the fructose malabsorption (fructmal), lactose intolerance, etc; but, sometimes the intolerance can be the cause of the SIBO.  The only way to find out is to treat the SIBO with specific antibiotics, follow a specific diet afterward for at least a few months, and retest to see if the intolerances are gone.  Often, when SIBO and fructmal/lactose intolerance are found concurrently, treating the SIBO eliminates the intolerances.  Even when it doesn't eliminate them, it tends to drastically reduce them, allowing the affected to person to tolerate these sugars in larger amounts (though still small compared to the general population.)


For the time being, Lucy will be following a low FODMAPs diet.  FODMAPs is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. This is the chart we are using to know what foods are safe.  In addition, she is also following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, or SCD, which is a decades-old protocol for healing the gut.  Lucy is currently in Stage One.  Lucy also does not have proper enzyme levels for any of the disaccharide sugars, which is part of what makes SCD so important for her.  Read about the science of SCD here.  While combining the two diets is limiting, it is like a great big buffet after two months on an elemental diet of formula only.  Lucy is doing well on it and sleeping better, and in much less pain.  We have a long journey ahead of us still, but I feel we are finally, finally, finally traveling the right road.

My Poor, Neglected Blog!

This has been a roller coaster of a year.  Perfect time to have been blogging, really...but it was the first thing to be pushed aside. Major update on the way!

The "school" year comes to a close

I breathe a deep sigh of relief as the year comes to a close for us.  It's been a tough one.  Between food allergies and trying to teach 2 kids, it's been interesting to say the least!  All of the focus on health, the cooking, and the lost sleep as a result of reactions was draining, and made it very difficult to stay on task this year.  But -- we did it!!!  


I had really thought we'd love it, but in reality, I will be very happy when someone purchases our copy of Winterpromise American Story 1 off the trading post online.   I wound up really disliking it.  Many of the books were way over Lilli's head to the point of tears of frustration (and I was the one reading them out loud, not her!) and the whole thing left a lot to be desired.  We wound up having a really great time studying American history this year despite it though!  We snuggled up in my bed every night and read oodles of books, reliving everything from Columbus' journey, to Squanto and the Pilgrims, to a great escape of a Native American girl from another tribe, to a family's journey the revolutionary war, and more.  We had a blast!  And being able to go relive so man of these stories in real life around here in VA made it all the better.  We can't wait to go to MA and see more!

Mickade did a TON of work this year in math.  We got a little behind our goals with all the moving last year, so he had some extra do this year, and he did great.  We started with Math Mammoth which, quite honestly, brought tears, so we moved to the ever-popular Singapore Math 3A.  He had a few holes so we backtracked to 2B, moving through it quickly, then back into 3A.  He did great with the work, but, quite honestly, the way this program teaches math was too spiral for him and we had tears on a daily basis.  I pushed and pushed him through it, when I finally decided this was NOT the vision I had for homeschooling.  Never once did I picture us screaming and crying every day when math came out, nor was it EVER this way before us.  I'm not sure why it took so long for the lightbulb to go off in my head, but it finally did and we made one more change, this time to Math-U-See.  It is mastery based, and different from other curricula in that it focuses on one thing each year.  I put Mickade in Gamma, which is multiplication, and he took off!  It has been absolutely fantastic for him.  He watches a dvd lesson, then does worksheets until he understands it. The program has a whole set of unit blocks that goes with it, and they are used to help the child quite literally see math.  He loves it (well, "loves" may be a strong word, but I can say we have not had fighting and tears since we switched.)  Because he had background in multiplication but the old program didn't really allow him to get mastery, we were able to go through most of the year's work quite quickly.  Out of 30 lessons, we are now on 24 I think, and he will finish it up over the summer.  The way it's set up is great, because there are 3 pages for each lesson that focus on the new material, then 3 more that include that plus systematic review of everything from the past. The system makes it easy to customize to each child, since we can do less of the worksheets on topics he gets quickly, and more on the ones he doesn't.  There is even a worksheet generator on the website if you need still more.  Long story short, he took his first standardized test since VA requires them, and though I don't have the results yet, he kicked butt in math. :)  A little hard work goes a long way!

Lillian did great this year.  We tend to keep things laid back in K and 1.  Lillian is a go-getter though, and even though I had started her with Rightstart Math, she had to have workbooks like Mickade, so she wound up completing Singapore Math 1A & most of 1B, all on her own.  Seriously.  I barely discussed and answer with her at all.  I've learned this year that she is very independent (well, I knew that, but not in regard to learning lol) and hardly wants me in the equation at all!  I'm making some curriculum changes for next year, even from what I used with Mickade at this age.  I still really like First Language Lessons, but I can tell already she is going to fight me all the way with too much mom-lead work.  Since I don't really like Singapore Math, Lillian will move on to Math Mammoth 2 in the fall, since it is an excellent program similar in rigor to Singapore but written to the student, so she can retain her independence and use me when needed!  That girl will argue something to death, and never admit she was wrong.  She "doesn't need" me to teach her.  If she makes a mistake, she finds a way to back out of it as if she knew the real answer, she just wrote that one for fun.  Ah, these will be interesting times with her! 

Summer is here though, and so is the fun!  Our neighborhood is jumping with new kids, they are out playing all the time, and they have a few weeks of camp starting tomorrow (read: mommy vacation time.)  We're going to spend most of our time hanging out and having fun this summer, but I'll be slipping in Real Science 4 Kids Chemistry, Pre-Level, over the summer.  They've been asking for chemistry and this actually looks FUN, so who am I to deny them?  I've never seen a chemistry book explain things to kids in such an amazing way, maybe my kids will have a chance at making it through college chemistry if they need it to achieve their dreams!

Jamestown Settlement

Jamestown Settlement is a wonderful place to go with your family.  Aside from a great indoor museum, they have recreated the Powhatan camp (where Pocahontas lived) and Jamestown...it literally brings history alive.  We have a blast there.  Homeschool week was our second time there, and everyone still loved it.  They had classes for the kids as well.  I'm going to include photos from both of our visits.  We read Pocohantas' biography, and this was like stepping into the story.  Magical!

Learning about Powhatan life

Map of the settlers' route to Jamestown

In a Powhatan home

scraping deer hide

grinding corn

playing native games

 

 

Trying on armor in the Jamestown settlement

learning about weapons

Mickade gets put to work!

Down below in one of the life-size ship models

Homeschool Week in the Colonial Triangle

The first week of March was full of fun for us!  We've been studying early American History this year, and had the opportunity to go to special programs and have discounted rates at Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Victory Center, and Colonial Williamsburg.  It was fantastic!  All of our reading literally came to life.

Colonial Williamsburg 

blacksmith

silversmith

A much needed break for Mom

At the wagon wheel maker's

'

The Millinery....clothing shop.

 

We got a behind the scenes tour of the horses and carts, called "Bits and Bridles."  The kids learned a little bit about the animals kept here, what types they breed, and got to see the carts up close and the horses in the stables (which was their favorite part.)  They have old breed working horses, and rare sheep and chickens.

 

Look at the size of that wheel!

The Barber....who actually makes wigs.  Mickade is checking out the different hair options (goat, horse, human....)

Enjoying a cup of drinking chocolate after a tour of the coffee shop

Enjoying some Colonial games

After missing several times, Lucy decided this game was best played up close.

Setting the table for Mr. Powell (Lucy boldly decided Mr Powell's seat was hers.)

I'd like to note that all the shops, etc in Williamsburg are actual working workshops.  The blacksmith makes the nails, etc that restore the buildings....the wagon wheels are used on real wagons...they make their own dresses at the millinery....the shoemaker makes the shoes they wear (and it take 8-12 hours per pair, mind you!)  It's an excellent experience and I highly recommend it!

Priceless

This evening before bath:

Me: "Quick, run upstairs, the tub is still running!"
Mickade and Lilli: "Ok!"


Lucy looks at me, all serious.
"The tub is running, mama?"
Me: "Yes, the water is running."
Lucy: "The tub is running? They need to go get it!  They need to get the tub and put it back in the corner!"

I heart being a mom.

Just a Quick One Today....

Happy Birthday, Lucy

This one deserves a replay.

Lawn Reform at Home

After our ginormous water bills last summer and the crispy grass we have to show for it, we knew we had to make some changes, but what exactly?  Then I came across this great website called lawnreform.org.  It was exactly what I was looking for!  We waste so much time, energy, and water on grass that isn't meant to be grown where we plant it.  Sure it looks nice, after you dump tons of chemicals on it and clean drinking water on it...lots of water.  Lots and lots of water.  So this week, we started phase 1 of Operation Lawn Reform.

First, on a nice tease of a nice day, I mapped out in the front yard where we wanted to make a bed, and dug a border around it.

Then this weekend, Stephen and Mickade worked hard.  We got bricks that match our house, and they lined the beds with bricks.  Then they also laid cardboard over the whole bed to kill the grass beneath. (The Lasagna Method) This is a great method, because once it's done it's job, it disintegrates under the mulch and becomes compost.  We're already recycling!  They covered all the cardboard with mulch, and it looks fantastic.  In another month or so we should be able to start planting our new plants.  Plants which will be native lovers of full sun and require little to no watering.  The plants will enhance the landscape and be SO MUCH MORE beautiful and interesting than boring old grass.  They will also attract butterflies and other helpful insects, while providing habitats for other small creatures.  Way better than grass, don't you think????

Pinewood Derby '11

Today was Mickade's cub scout pack's annual Pinewood Derby.  He and Stephen have spent weeks and weeks preparing for this day!  For the derby, the scouts each have a car kit that includes a block of wood and the wheels and axles...the literally carve out their own cars.  They carved, sanded, ground, polished, painted, waxed...and were finally ready. 

Mickade's car is in the middle lane "Future Car"

They were sooo nervous and excited this morning, but never fear!  Mickade's car came in 2nd for his den (so out of about 20 boys)!!!!!!  He won an awesome trophy.





His car then raced in the pack's finals for bigger trophies, and he was SO CLOSE!!!  4th place!  Overall a very successful and fun day!

For the Non-Believers...

This is Mickade's back after TWO Baked Lay's BBQ Potato Chips.  Yes, two.  The seasonings are high in salicylates.

This is after a 20 minute bath in epsom salts. The sulfates in the magnesium sulfate help the body clear out the toxins.  Amazing, huh?

One Fish, Two Fish

More baking adventures today!  It's really hard to get anything else done when you have to cook this much...but...luckily I love cooking and my family loves the results.  Today, I attempted cheese crackers for the second time.  I was also armed with a perfectly cute, teeny-weeny goldfish cookie cutter!!  So precious!  Now my little one can be just like everyone else, with little fishy crackers.  Boy was she excited! "Mama, you make goldfish crackers for me?!" she said over and over with squeals of joy.  She also enjoyed "helping" me make them (all you moms out there know that when a 2 year old helps, they tend to do just the opposite lol!).

4 ounces Cheddar Cheese (I've heard Daiya cheese is great too!)
3 Tbs. Butter, softened (or your preferred substitute if dairy-free)
2/3 cup Rice Flour
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum (use 3/4 tsp. guar gum for corn-free)
1/2 tsp Corn-Free Baking Powder (I used less than a 1/4 tsp baking soda with the rest cream of tartar)
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
3 Tbs. Milk (or dairy-free substitute)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.  I use a baking stone, but if you use a metal pan be sure to grease it.
2. Mix all ingredients together except milk in mixing bowl with electric mixer (I use a countertop Kitchenaid) until crumby, then add milk.
3. Flour your smooth surface, and roll dough 1/8 inch thick (I just got these great rings for my rolling pin to make even dough!) and use teeny goldfish cutter until you use all the dough up!
   
4. Sprinkle with salt if desired, and cook about 10 minutes until getting golden brown on top.  Err on the side of overcooking, or they will not have the crisp of a cracker.
5. Serve to smiling little people!

Oh and hey, our kids can have fun too!  Next time I'm going to make some with natural dyes so we can have rainbow fish, too, without all the yucky stuff!

Oreo's....gluten free!

Our homeschool co-op had plans for a potluck today (which, incidentally, has now been snowed out), and I panicked.  All of our food restrictions lately make group eating situations just awful.  Will my kids be able to have any?  It's really awful to sit by and deny your kids food, especially when it may be something as simple and healthy as fruit salad.  So, I started searching and brainstorming.  I figured chicken and rice soup would be a perfect crockpot meal, so that was an easy one.  But I needed a new dessert!!  But what???  Then I found it.  Oreos!!!!  I took the original recipe from Smitten Kitchen and adapted it for our tastes and needs...fantastic!

Homemade Oreos

Gluten-free Oreos

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (For gluten-free, I used an all-purpose flour mix...details below)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used both Hershey's and Ghirardelli)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) spectrum palm shortening
1 large egg
A few tablespoons of water to obtain a slightly wet consistency.  If it's too dry and doughy, the cookies won't cook thin enough.

Wheat flour Oreos

For the filling:
1/2 cup Spectrum palm oil shortening2 cups powdered sugar (I made ours in the Vitamix, using tapioca starch instead of cornstarch since M can't have corn)
1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In electric mixer, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and sugar.  Add the shortening, and then the egg. Thoroughly mix (wheat version will make nice ball of dough, gf will be slightly wetter).
3. Roll rounded teaspoons of dough in your hands into little balls and place on cookie sheet (I use baking stones, otherwise you may want to line with parchment paper).  Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Flatten dough with bottom of glass or your fingers. Bake for 8 minutes for wheat, 10 minutes for gluten-free.  Let sit for a couple minutes then place cookies on cooling rack until cool.
4. For the cream filling, mix shortening at low speed, gradually adding in sugar and vanilla. Mix on high for a couple more minutes until cream is light and fluffy.
5. To make the best cookies you've ever tasted, put the cream in a pastry bag with a large round tip (or in a strong ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and squeeze about a teaspoon glob of cream onto one cooke, then place another one of similar size (I know I still have to work on uniform sizes for my cookies lol!) on top, pressing together lightly. 

All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
3 cups brown rice flour (I make my own in my Vitamix, much cheaper and I never run out!)
1 cup potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca starch

This recipe could easily  be adapted for other food allergy needs...different flour mixes,egg-free, etc.

I'm going to confess....the gluten-free ones taste more like Oreos than the wheat ones!!!  The wheat ones come out a little softer, whereas the gluten-free ones have that familiar crunch.  So delicious!!!!

2/18/11...I just edited this recipe.  I made it dairy-free and it's even better than before.  The cream is just like oreos now!

Even Unicorns Need Spa Days

 

Lucy had her hair cut Friday and was inspired.

A Lot Can Happen in 30 Days

At the beginning of this year I decided my resolution was to get back into shape.  After 3 babies and our last move (during which I somehow gained almost 10lbs) and the food allergy baking (because, of course, how do you know if things are coming out good if you don't eat half the batch taste them along the way?), I needed to do something.  My ab muscles were, uh, missing.  My rear end had gone south.  I wasn't totally sure how I was going to accomplish this until one of the shopping blogs I subscribe to posted a link to Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  It was only $7.99.  I read the reviews, and was completely intrigued.  I saw before and after photos on blogs and was blown away.  Could that really happen in only 30 days????


So I ordered it and set forth on my journey.  It was a tough workout, but the kind of tough that makes you feel awesome about yourself for getting through afterward.  Sure, it was hard to walk up the stairs sometimes, but as I started to see things like calf muscles starting to cut through, I was motivated.  I have been sore in one capacity or another for 30 days...but I like it!  I was truly determined.  I did the workout each and every day for 30 days straight, even if it meant working out at 10pm when  everyone was finally asleep and the kitchen was picked up.  I had to do this, for myself, for once.

And it was worth it.  I know I posted my clothed photos on Facebook, but it seems I've motivated so many of my friends to try it today, I thought I'd just go all out and put myself fully out there.  If I can inspire a few of my friends to get healthy, it will be worth it!

I was totally out of shape for me when I started.  My before photo is a bit, um, embarrassing, but the after makes it worth it.  I'll come out of hiding here and give you the real deal.  In just 30 days, 25 minutes a day...less than 3 hours a week...I lost 3 1/2 inches off my waist and reduced my body fat percentage down 5% and into an acceptable range.  Other places saw modest circumference reduction, but huge changes in composition.  I'm much more solid.

 

My before photos are a little embarrassing, but I really feel like you need to see them to understand.  I mean, I have visible abs (and if you  were to feel my abs, you can actually feel the ridges of the 6-pack just aching to come through).    You can see the outline of definition in my thigh muscles.  You can't tell in these photos, but I even have calf definition starting to peek through. The best part of the whole regimen, though, was I started to see changes in only 5 days.  No joke.  My waist melted away that first week, I think I lost 2 inches in that first week alone.  Freaking A-mazing.  If you decide to try this, please take photos and measurements of yourself before you start.  I totally had a freakout at the end of each week when the scale didn't move...and then I looked at my new photos compared to my first ones, and read measurements...and knew I was on the right track.

I did a little dance last night when I was finished, so excited for having completed the 30 days.  I'm  not quite ready for bikini season yet, but luckily I have time....and Jillian Michael's 6 Week 6 Pack on the counter waiting to be started!

Healthy Chocolate Fix!

I just made this recipe for the first time!  While it's certainly not as decadent as a traditional recipe, it will do the trick.  Of course, my currently baking batch is full of semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, so that probably ups the rich factor.  Also, I'm considering making it with butter one time too and seeing if that makes it a tad more decadent.  But really, using black beans instead of flour not only makes it gluten-free, but makes it chock full of protein, fiber, and  nutrients! (I wonder if this means it's ok to eat the whole pan?)

Black Bean Brownies

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (I used 2 cups of black beans I had prepared myself)
3 eggs
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder (this could easily be upped)
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Conversation between Stephen and Lucy

This morning, before leaving for work (where he often sleeps, remember):

Stephen: Lucy, did you sleep in  my bed last night?

(She did, of course, sleep in our bed.)

Lucy: No...your bed is on your boat.

Bahahahahahaha!!!!

More Mickade's Finds

Bringing back Mickade's fun videos!