Table Talk

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Portrait of a family saying grace before eating dinnerMany of our amazing Marian Hope Center families have chosen to restrict certain foods, primarily gluten and dairy, to improve the lives of their children. This has proved to be life-altering for some families in the best possible ways. However, these changes don’t come without a cost. Particularly, being around extended family during the holidays can make some of the diet adjustments/restrictions more difficult.

Here are some tips I’ve found helpful in navigating the holiday table dynamics:

 

1. Don’t give more information than is needed.

Likely your family/friends don’t fully understand what you experience day to day in caring for a child with special needs. They particularly might not understand (or even agree) with the diet changes you have chosen for your family. In that case, don’t feel the pressure to help them understand. If someone is particularly interested, let them drive the conversation. As hard as it might be to be misunderstood or not fully understood among your own family, the holiday meal isn’t probably the best time to figure out the extra layers of those dynamics. Keep it simple like: “changing our diet has shown improvement in {insert name of amazing kid} so we’re sticking with it.” OR, if you’re not sure if diet changes are working… “we know some people who have benefited from these changes so we’re doing an experiment.” Most people are totally cool with “experiments.”

 

2. Gracious language can go a long way at a special holiday meal

When it’s not obvious if the food has gluten or dairy in it try this: “I hate to have to ask this, but do you know if there is any flour or dairy in that recipe.” If they say yes, then try “Thanks, that’s helpful”- and leave it. Sometimes you’ve got to explain. In that case, you can say something like, “We realized {insert amazing kids name} is sensitive to some foods and he’s so much happier when we stick to what his body digests well. The {insert food you can eat} looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it.” Obviously, that’s my language you’ll have to adapt to help your kids navigate their way depending on their ages. Try to avoid saying “We can’t eat that” or “We don’t eat that.” It can come across the wrong way and not build the support you need around the family table.

 

3. Don’t let the focus of the meal be what you can’t eat.

If you’re not sure what your options will be, feed your kids a little something before you go or take some back up snacks. While at a party where the whole meal was a grilled cheese bar (no GF bread), I opted to have a little cheese, nuts, fruit, and tomato soup. It worked great- I just ate a lot of grapes and tomato soup that night! For kids, it may be a different story. They may need to sit down and have the snacks you brought in addition to the foods at the table you brought. Always try to give them any of the available options that the host has provided. It helps them feel more a part of the group and the host feel like they were able to host you. And, keep in mind that one meal that’s a little wonky in balance and content but fits their diet restrictions and satisfies them is totally fine.

 

4. Focus on people, not food

Food won’t be the focus when you connect personally with people. You may have to do this on behalf of your children, but use the social time to build relationships and give others a chance to tell their story. This is especially important at family holiday meals since often the focus of the whole day is around food. Go deeper. What’s Aunt Franny’s story? How did Uncle Rick get his business started? What was it like growing up with six siblings? When people get to share their story, they’re likely not as focused on yours (a.k.a what your kids are/aren’t eating).

 

5. Thank and compliment the cook for their hard work.

Even if there were parts your family couldn’t eat be sure the host knows the parts you enjoyed, and that their time and effort was well worth it. This includes those we tend to take for granted like siblings and our own parents. There is nothing more disappointing for some hosts than feeling like they didn’t please their guests or having put a lot of effort into something not eaten. Be sensitive to these dynamics.

Lastly, if your family is more open or understands your situation then consider labeling a table with the gluten-free and dairy-free options so your children can come and go freely from safe foods for them. This can be really fun for a child who is constantly having to ask what they can and can’t have.

 

Happy holiday eating! And, remember if you need more specific help regarding nutrition you can always schedule an appointment by contacting me at bpage@marianhopecenter.org.

Grandma’s Rolls and Dr. Pepper

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In Part 1 of our holiday series, we talked about large family meals like on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day and how it may be worth it to liberalize some things but to still remain gluten free if you’ve been previously eating this way. Secondly, it is worth continuing to limit sugar since the “holiday season” can be a good two months or more which can really take it’s toll on gut health and immunity.

 

Often, it is the emotional or memory connection to certain foods and smells that drive us to over-emphasize their importance during the holidays. Some of you may not have strong emotional connections to foods around the holidays. There may not be a “grandma’s” this or a “mom’s famous” that, but for a lot of people, holidays are times when childhood memories, deep connection to family, history, and nostalgia kick in. This can make food choices not only more difficult but laden with deep feelings that aren’t there in the day to day of living, working, and eating.

 

Growing up, my favorite book at Christmas time was The Sweet Smells of Christmas – a scratch and sniff book remembering peppermint, gingerbread cookies, evergreen, and hot cocoa. We read this so much my mom actually got essential oils of all the smells so we could keep reading and smelling over the years. It’s the first book I bought my niece when she was born. Those smells mean Christmas to us. It’s scientifically proven that the olfactory (smell) system in the body is connected to the amygdala (emotion center in the brain) AND the hippocampus (memory center in the brain). A couple interesting articles here and here. These are real connections.

 

My husband’s family always decorated Christmas cookies at Grandma’s house. That time makes up some of his deepest and fondest memories of his family… one of those times when “all was well” with the world. I believe traditions and memories around the holidays are important, but when navigating food sensitivities or special needs diets/restrictions it can be difficult to create the memories without additional stress.

rolls

Around the holidays it is important to take a step back and disconnect from emotions embedded in memories, traditions and even smells that might lead us down convincing pathways suggesting that Thanksgiving/Christmas won’t be so without <insert favorite food> when that food will be disruptive to the healing journey with which you’ve had great success. The truth is, those memories are embedded in the connection with the people, not the food – even if the smell brings back the memory. If it’s Grandma’s homemade rolls, then take some time to connect with Grandma herself. If Grandma isn’t there to celebrate, spend some time remembering her as part of the meal. In the past, remembering my Poppy’s love of Dr. Pepper made me go to the garage fridge at Grandma’s house and drink one, even though I couldn’t care less about Dr. Pepper in any other circumstance. Now, I can step back and remember how fun it was as a kid to stop at the corner store with him to get a Dr. Pepper after we’d been out to feed the cattle but the Dr. Pepper isn’t necessary.

 

When we recognize the emotion, memory or person behind the food connection, we can then disconnect from the food and still hold tightly to the traditions and memories that surround the holiday season. In this regard, we get to “have our cake and eat it too,” or more appropriately, have our health and memories too.

 

You can create new traditions and vibrant deep memories around the holidays with your family even if the long-standing tradition gets tweaked a bit. For example, if decorating Christmas cookies is an annual event in your family like ours, then make gluten free cookie dough using quality ingredients and consider making a limited amount of cookies so the time spent together as a family can take priority over the massive amount of cookies and sugar high.

 

Have high protein, low sugar snacks/foods available during the event, and consider making some cookies to enjoy and some cookies to share where the event can be less focused on the cookie and focused on giving something to someone else.

 

A special night of Christmas books, tree decorating and family connection can still happen with a special bread like this one from PaleOMG (writing can be crass, but recipe is stellar). What if the foods your kids grew up looking forward to around the holidays were full of rich, nourishing, clean ingredients? How beautiful to pass on such traditions to the generations to come.

 

Be empowered to improve the family traditions surrounding food and don’t let the pressures of the past stop you from embracing new recipes, new traditions and new meal ideas at your holiday table.

 

If there’s one thing that I hope gets communicated through this series, it is that I hope you can eat well, eat clean and focus on the people around you rather than being hyper-focused on the food. It’s a balance and a dance and process for most, but shouldn’t rule our holiday season.

 

Here are some Paleo* holiday recipe resources for your cooking pleasure:

– Robb Wolf’s 2011 Holiday recipe contest results

– Everyday Paleo’s holiday meal with recipes

– PaleOMG Chai Pumpkin Bread (had this last week and it is fabulous!)

– Balanced Bites 2012 Holiday Recipe Roundup

*I chose Paleo recipes because they will automatically be gluten, dairy, and soy free. It simply takes the guesswork out having to adapt recipes and doesn’t use processed gluten free products. This can make your holiday meals deeply nourishing for body and soul.

Heading into the Holidays

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I realize that a early November blog about eating during the holidays is a bit cliche and everyone will be doing it, but nevertheless it’s still something we’re all going to be thinking about and dealing with at some level – especially if we’re eating anything besides a Standard American Diet (SAD).  So, I think it’s worth weighing in on for our Marian Hope Center community.  The language we use and how we connect with people around our way of eating can make a big difference in how we are able to engage with extended family who may not understand why we’ve made some seemingly drastic changes to our eating habits. We’re going 3- part series again so stay tuned for Part 2 and 3 over the next few weeks…

3 Things for our holiday discussion:

1. Stay gluten free

2. Pay attention to emotions

3. Respect, include and connect with the other cooks in the family

 

Stay gluten free

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ve picked up on the fact that I’m not a fan of gluten at all. The more research I read and stories I hear and practitioners I listen to, the more convinced I am that Dr. Pearlmutter was right when he said “Gluten is this generation’s tobacco.” This article describes what he means. The  inflammatory response of gluten is high, so having occasional gluten binges can really throw some people into an inflammatory cascade setting new and more severe reactions in motion- even chronic disease and cancer. So, if you’ve been gluten free, then don’t sabotage all that healing in one meal.

With that said, I believe a reasonable compromise for holiday eating is to go ahead and use some gluten free grains/flours to adapt some holiday favorites rather than having a Thanksgiving/Christmas gluten party. Yes, the gluten free grains are not the optimal option, but much better than the gluten counterpart and can go a along way in keeping the family connected.

Since 90% of my side of our family is gluten free, we make gluten free cornbread dressing, gluten free gravy, gluten free pies and crusts. Grandma’s rolls are a thing of the past and we’ve all gotten over it (more about navigating the emotional connections of food and holidays in Part 2). Our meal is not much different than it was a few years ago before I started dropping “gluten is bad” bombs at family meals (just kidding- never at a major holiday).

gluten_free_pumpkin_pie_recipe_photo
If it’s your family or your children that are the only ones who are gluten or grain or dairy free, then offer to make the parts of the meal that are most important to your kids. For me, with my in-laws last year it was pie. I didn’t want Thanksgiving without being able to enjoy the sitting around the table with coffee and pie after the meal. So my solution was offer to make all the pies. I did 3 gluten free (because they get curious and want to try it) and 2 regular. I used the exact same fillings, just different crusts and labeled them. I used more paleo friendly ingredients in the fillings and everyone was happy. It was then no big deal to skip the stuffing/dressing that wasn’t gluten free since I was saving my carbs for pie anyway :)

The main point here is that our usual food “rules” don’t have to take away from traditions and foods that are commonly enjoyed at Thanksgiving and Christmas with extended family, but throwing all the hard work and healing you’ve experienced from diet changes isn’t worth it or necessary. There’s a balanced way. I’ve found this to be staying gluten free and dairy free if needed while limiting the overall sugar intake.

Part 2 coming soon…Paying attention to the emotional connections of family and holiday meals.

Meal Planning Dos & Don’ts

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Meal Plan Image

If I hear one thing consistently from clients it is the woes of meal planning. It’s a necessary evil in the minds of most parents trying to feed their families well and stay within the inevitable food budget.

A professor I had in graduate school often talked about how our palaces can become our prisons. In other words, rich gifts that offer us so much potential can turn into trappings, stress, and drag us down when our perspective is off. Along these lines, I think meal planning is a palace that because of our perspective becomes a prison.

Whether we like it or not, oftentimes structure = freedom. Think on that for a moment. Example: when I stick to the structure of getting all the dishes put away, sink emptied and counters wiped down before bed, the morning routine is more spacious, enjoyable and free. When I don’t, I wake up feeling like I’m playing catch up. In this regard, the structure of a couple tasks before going to bed offers me freedom in the morning.

Meal planning is not a “necessary evil.”

It is an opportunity for structure that offers your family freedom, connection and less stress.

If you are one of those who dreads meal planning, take a moment to consider this being a good part of your life that opens up other more important aspects of your world (like more time to connect with kids and spouse or have time to yourself).

I am going to give you some basic dos and don’ts then some resources for you to try out.

DO:

  • plan at least 1 crock pot meal a week for your busiest evening
  • make next day’s prep (chopping, thawing, etc) part of your meal plan (example: write down with Monday’s meal plan what you can prep for Tuesday)
  • use technology (apps, downloads, subscriptions, etc) only if it’s helpful and make a change when it’s not
  • take inventory of our fridge, freezer, and pantry BEFORE you start planning
  • start your meal planning with what you already have on hand so you are not always buying new ingredients for every meal
  • use the sales flyer for your preferred store while you are planning (often online)
  • plan to use leftovers for meals or as parts of new meals
  • consider doubling favorite recipes to put in the freezer
  • share meal plans with friends to save you time and creative energy

DON’T:

  • be too hard on yourself
  • think you’ve failed if a week of meals falls apart due to schedule changes
  • decide you stink at meal planning or can’t do it if your desire decreases after a few weeks- get back on the horse
  • hesitate to change your system if it’s not working

Before I go crazy with links to meal planning templates, resources, services, etc, you may be wondering what I do for meal planning. It’s actually very simple.

I have a different colored calendar within our family Google calendar titled “meals” where I just type in what we’re having that day. If there is a recipe link, recipe page # from a book or something to do for the next day, I put it in the “description” section of the calendar event. This is what I do most often, but some weeks, I just look at the calendar and make a quick list for the fridge. The key is to plan around the calendar so I can pick meals that fit how much time we have to prep/eat that night. I have seen time and time again that when I don’t plan, I spend too much at the grocery store, our meals are not as good, and sometimes I don’t even have enough food for a meal or the week. IT’S WORTH IT!

Meal Planning Resources/Sources:

  • The Nourishing Home – my “go to” site for new ideas, support,and the reminder that this is worth it! I LOVE the simplicity of the templates!

  • Nourished Kitchen Meal Plans (all real food- many gluten free or easily adapted gluten free options)

  • Free “real food” Meal Plans from 100 Days of Real Food blog

  • eMeals.com– can choose specific types of diet including gluten free or Paleo (paleo will be gluten free, casein and soy free)

  • GetPaleoFit– local Paleo meal delivery service. $7 for delivery and all meals are gluten, soy and dairy free. Great option for back up meals or nights you’re not around to cook

I know there are 100’s if not 1,000’s of other templates, services and resources out there. These are just a few of my favorites.

Your turn! Share your meal planning tips, tricks and resources in the comments section!

And remember if your family is struggling with food sensitivities, wondering if diet is contributing to development behavior, or if you just think you could be feeling better than you do- I am available for individual consultation at Marian Hope Center or a convenient location for you! Contact me at bpage@marianhopecenter.org

Quality Nutrition Supplementation For You!

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The world of nutrition supplementation can be confusing and overwhelming to say the least. Even as a Registered Dietitian with experience and training in supplementation, it is hard to keep up and navigate all the different options available.

Because all of us at Marian Hope Center are committed to the whole child, we have a simple way for you to access the highest quality nutrition supplements available for you and your children.

supplements photo

Do I or my family need supplements?

I can’t say 100% for sure that your child needs supplements without doing some lab testing, but if there are any behavioral, neurological, and/or gastrointestinal issues then it is a likely “yes.” Additionally, some basic facts regarding Americans’ nutrition can be helpful here- all according to the USDA:

27% don’t meet calcium needs

66% don’t meet iron needs

25% don’t meet folate needs

32% don’t meet magnesium needs

70-80% don’t meet B-vitamin needs… and the list goes on.

 In 2004, Dr. Donald Davis did a crop-nutrient study and found the nutrient density of over 43 crops has declined over the past 50 years. These same 43 showed “statistically reliable declines” in protein, iron, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin and Vit C.

Researchers propose that fruits and vegetables can lose up to 50% of their nutrients within 3-5 days out of the field. Additionally, many of our medications (especially for heartburn and reflux) actively deplete vitamins and minerals.

All aspects of our environment are deficient in nutrition, including our food.

 

How much of a difference is there in supplements? How much does quality really matter?

Quality makes 100% of the difference. The FDA does not regulate nutrition supplementation therefore quality companies use independent groups to rest and regulate for toxicity and quality. Companies who have quality research around their products and use 3rd party testing should be used. “Voluntary certifications” aren’t all they’re cracked up to be either since companies can actually purchase these.

There are various forms of vitamins and minerals to choose from and some are more efficiently absorbed by the body. For example, Magnesium is a commonly used and needed supplement and the cheapest form is Magnesium Carbonate. However, Magnesium Citrate, Malate, and Glycinate are much better absorbed by the body than the carbonate. The same would be true for Calcium. Vitamin D3 is better absorbed by the body than Vitamin D2.

The quality testing good companies do is expensive. The cost for a company to do a 3rd- party assay test on their vitamin with about 20 ingredients can cost the company $12,000. This is why a high-quality vitamin can cost $30 when there is a $9.95 version also available. It costs the company more to make the higher quality vitamin.

 

Where do I start?

The optimal place to start is with an appointment with me to determine exactly what you/your child need. Contact me for questions/scheduling (bpage@marianhopecenter.org) or Sue (sstickney@marianhopecenter.org) to inquire about possible insurance coverage for Medical Nutrition Therapy.

However, an appropriate place to start would also be with 3 core supplements that are appropriate for and well tolerated by most people, young and old alike. These can provide good results and major benefits. These 3 core supplements are:

 1. Multivitamin

2. Probiotic

3. Cod Liver Oil or Fish Oil

 Again, remember, quality matters. Having a poorly absorbed multivitamin, a wimpy probiotic, or a toxic/rancid fish oil will waste your money and defeat your supplementation efforts. Because we value and believe in quality supplements we are doing everything to make them easily accessible to you!

 

Here are your options:

1. Get 10% discount on each order at Emerson Ecologics (www.emersonecologics.com) when you setup your “patient” account using the info below.

Benefits:

  • Order when it’s convenient for you
  • Minimize the confusion of all the product options available by having access to only my approved list of supplements
  • Support Marian Hope Center, get a discount, and choose from highest quality nutrition supplements available
  • I can add products you need at any point and will expand our list of approved supplements as needed. Just contact me!

Notes for account setup:

  • Go to www.emersonecologics.com and in top right choose “create a new account”
  • Choose “patient”
  • Use access code: marian
  • Use zip code: 64055
  • Use practitioner: Blakely Page

2. Order supplements recommended by our friend, Dr. John Hicks at Elementals Living.

This options works well for Dr. Hicks patients or those who know of specific products available through Elementals Living that are not available through Emerson.

3. Coming soon…

Small stock of common supplements will be available at Marian Hope Center for direct purchase.

 

Happy supplementing! – Blakely Page, RD, LD

 

Real Food Cost Savers

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Every day more and more families are moving away from processed, packaged foods and towards real food sources. Additionally, many families are moving towards gluten free and dairy free living when this diet changed proved so significant for the development and behavior of their child with special needs. These changes in diet, although the right, beneficial changes to make, can impact the food budget.

This blog series will aim to give you the tools to eat real foods, keep the cost down, and make healthy, real food meals efficiently through trusted meal planning tips.

There are some real foods that can help to stretch your food dollar without having to choose processed foods. These are “real food” starch options that can be used instead of high dollar gluten free breads, pasta, cereals, chips and snack foods. While saving money, you will also cut down on preservatives, additives, and sugar.

We will discuss each below, but before that, I want everyone who is reading to be reminded that these are all carbohydrate foods and should not be eaten without an animal protein source. Protein is needed to stimulate all gastrointestinal hormones and keep blood sugar stable.  Carbs can’t go it alone.  This is actually very important for children with Autism or ADD/ADHD since blood sugar highs and lows can really affect mood. This means no “naked” carbs (carbs without a protein source). Here we go unpacking potatoes, rice, and beans….

whitepotato

Potato

Cost: $75-1.40/lb

Nutrition:

White potato: source of Vitamin C, magnesium, Vitamin B-6

Sweet potato: great source of beta-carotene (precursor to making Vitamin A), and potassium

Meal Ideas:

  • Use potatoes chopped small and cooked on the stove for a breakfast starch instead of costly, processed gluten free cereals, waffles, or pancakes.

  • Add thin sliced potato to eggs and spinach for a quick breakfast scramble.

  • Add potato to soups, stews or use as a side dish instead of gluten-filled grains like wheat bread and pasta.

  • Have leftover chili or chopped BBQ beef/chicken? Top a baked potato with leftover meats, cooked broccoli and butter for a fast, filling, real food meal.

Things to consider: Once a potato sprouts, you risk it producing toxins. Often the best price for potatoes is in bulk so if you need to use your potatoes quickly, make LOTS of hashbrowns, when they are finished baking in the oven, allow to cool and store in the freezer. Then scoop out what you need for a quick side or breakfast starch. They will reheat in a pan in less than 5 minutes! White potatoes have been “vilified” in many circles but they do have nutrition and are a fabulous gluten free starch/carbohydrate to use. Moderation is the key as it is with all carbohydrate foods

Beans

Cost:

Average cost of pre-cooked beans: $0.60 per cup, cooked

Average cost of dry beans: $0.25 per cup, cooked (from The Simple Dollar)

Nutrition:

Source of folate, fiber, tryptophan, and molybdenum- also wide range of phytochemicals like those found in fruits and vegetables. Beans are a source of carbohydrate and protein, therefore they could be used without an additional protein source on occasion.

Meal Ideas:

  • Add beans to taco meat to boost the nutrition and stretch the use of your meat

  • Add beans to soups for richer, more satisfying soup

  • Puree beans with salt, garlic, and other spices of your choice for a dip or spread without any chemicals, additives, or preservatives

  • Layer beans (whole or pureed) with guacamole, salsa, lettuce, tomato, onion and cilantro for a  bean dip that is hearty enough to be a main dish! Serve with veggies to dip, non GMO corn chips or non GMO corn tortillas

  • Add extra beans to chili to get more bang for your buck

Things to Consider: The real budget saver is in using dry beans instead of canned beans. Try beans are the better choice for many reasons: 1) cheaper than canned; 2) no risk of BPA toxin from the cans; 3) the soaking needed to prepare dry beans eliminates many of the toxic phytates and tannins. Anytime I talk about beans you will hear me say “properly prepared” beans. By this I mean the dry beans have soaked for at least 24 hours covered in water to release the phytates. This process decreases toxins and increases digestibility of the beans. I will often soak and cook a whole bag (up to 8 cups) of beans at one time then store in the freezer for easier use in meals.

Rice

riceCost:  Average $.70-1.50/lb of uncooked rice

Nutrition:

Brown rice has more minerals than white rice such as selenium and magnesium. Rice is by no means a “nutrient dense” food but can be a good staple for those who need more carbohydrates than others. Nutritionally, one of the ways I use rice most often is as, what I call, a “carrier.” Rice can be packed with butter to get in more of those good fats that I love. Cooking rice with lots of butter and then adding butter at the end also will help to slow down the blood sugar rise. I very very rarely cook rice in water. I almost always cook it in homemade bone broth. This makes the rice the “carrier” of a massive amount of nutrition that I might have a hard time getting into my diet anyway. Both homemade bone broth and rice are very inexpensive but can pack a nutritional punch. Since I’m not really eating the rice for the nutrition content of the rice, but for the other things it can absorb/”carry,” I don’t have a strong opinion about white or brown rice. But, if rice is a consistent part of your diet and eaten alone as a side, brown is the way to go.

Meal Ideas:

  • Cook rice in bone broth (See above) instead of water

  • Add rice to meat used for a stuffed pepper recipe to stretch your beef

  • Use rice as a side for taco salad instead of corn chips or taco shells which are fried in inflammatory industrial seed oils (corn, soybean, sunflower, safflower oil, etc)

  • Add to soups such as black bean or chicken and vegetable as a gluten free starch for heartier, more filling soups

  • Replace barley with rice in beef and barley soup

  • Combine leftover chicken or beef with leftover rice for fried rice (“fry” using butter or coconut oil)

Things to Consider:  Many gluten free products are rice based, so to keep variety in your diet and not pound the body with rice, rice, rice, be sure to use cooked rice and rice based products in moderation. Occasionally a child with celiac disease or gluten intolerance will eat SO much rice day after day, year after year, that they will develop a sensitivity to the rice. This is rare, but increasing in frequency since some gluten free families are way over-using gluten free processed foods. Rice is a cost effective way to still have some grains, but should not be consider the “savior” to the gluten free person.

So, there you have 3 ways to work some cost-effective foods into your real food diet. Coming up next are tips for meal planning and how planning can be bigger budget saver than you may realize!

Remember, although they do have nutrition, potatoes, rice, and beans are not what I would consider “nutrient dense,” so should not be the foundation or staples of anyone’s diet. Clean animal protein, fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats should be the staples. Potatoes, rice and beans are simply one way to help the budgeting of real foods and gluten free/dairy free living.

Summer Tips & Recipes

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Summer is here! That means different things to different people; but to a holistic dietitian like me, I can’t help but think of all the SUGAR that happens over summer. Popsicles and ice cream and juice and Gatorade and fruit and all the “special summer treats.” Part of these are the memories that summer is made of and experiences full of laughter and family connection. I’m not trying to be “Debbie Downer” on the summer fun, or encourage you to be either. I just want to offer a reality check and give us all some tips for smoothie options and a few recipes for for fun,sweet summer treats!

First for the reality check:

1. Processed sugar decreases immunity and inhibits healthy gut function.

2. Too much sugar contributes to blood sugar dis-regulation which can alter mood and increase inflammation.

3. Most conventional frozen treats will have added chemicals, dyes, and preservatives which just adds to the toxicity and complicates digestion and overall health.

4. “Smoothies” from restaurants or even smoothie shops often have more sugar and just as much processed “stuff” as a popsicle from the grocery store.

5. Eating processed sugar often decreases the taste and acceptance of real foods.

Now for how to make the most of sweet summer treats. First, the world of smoothies is your saving grace in the sweet treat department. There is so much real, whole food health that can be packed into a blender, poured into a fun popsicle mold and enjoyed by everyone after an afternoon at the pool or playing in the sprinklers. Smoothies will still have some form of “sweet,” but the type and amount can really add or take away from a healthy summer.

Tips for revising your sweet treat options this summer:

1. Portion properly.  A smoothie for kids ages 1-4 only needs to be about 4-6oz (1/2c) for them to enjoy a fun sweet treat.

2. Freeze smoothies in popsicle molds instead of buying them at the store.

3. Add a protein source to the smoothie (or serve on the side): nut butter; plant-based protein powder;  plain, full-fat yogurt (when well tolerated) can all be added to many smoothies. This allows the amount of sweet/carbohydrate to remain reasonable and your child to be satisfied by the snack .

4. When extra sweetener is needed, use whole, unprocessed sweeteners like: raw honey, coconut nectar or sugar, or Stevia.

5. Add veggies to your smoothie: spinach works GREAT! I can pack up to 3 cups into a smoothie and can’t taste it. You can also add cucumber and zucchini or kale! Try it. Don’t be scared.

6. Let your kids pick what fruit combinations they want, push the button the blender, and help pour into the popsicle molds.

7. Keep kids hydrated. When they are thirsty for water, they might want more sugary drinks/treats.

8. Use real fruit, not fruit juice as the base of your popsicles.

9. When a plain juice smoothie is desired, use 100% real juice not the juice blends that sometimes only contain 4-17% of actual juice.

10. Offer fresh fruit rather than fruit leather, fruit snacks or fruit juice. Cut ahead of time and keep in containers or baggies ready to take with you on the go.

(Keep in mind that sometimes kids won’t drink smoothies, but they will eat a popsicle. That’s another great reason to make your smoothies into popsicles!)

Recipes:

Smoothie recipes are extremely versatile. There’s no right or wrong way to do a smoothie, but as a rule of thumb, always try to add at least some veggie to it! You’ll get more nutrition, more fiber, and feel more satisfied. All of which is great for kids on long, action packed summer days! Remember anything that is frozen will have a slightly weaker flavor because the cold masks some of the flavor. Squeezing lemon into the smoothie can enhance the flavor for frozen fruit based versions.

1. My standard morning smoothie recipe goes something like this and works great frozen:

  • 1/2-3/4 c frozen fruit

  • 2-3c raw spinach

  • Almond or coconut milk to desired consistency (about 1 c)

  • 1 scoop plant based non-soy protein powder (I suggest a “real food” based powder when using with kids as many brands have a lot of synthetic vitamins/minerals that can be too much for young children)

  • juice of 1 lemon or 1/2 orange (brightens the flavor- start w/ 1/2 lemon and add more if desired)

Alternatives/add-ins: substitute protein powder for 2 tbsp nut butter (flavors still work well together), use full-fat canned coconut milk for kids to get extra healthy saturated fats,

This can be divided into smaller portions for kids, and/or poured into popsicle molds.

2. Fudgesicle

This is not the powerhouse that fruit smoothies are, but a great alternative to many other chocolate treats. Makes 2 servings (1 c each) or 4 servings for children- adjust portions based on servings needed. I’ve never poured this one into molds, but freeze in small cups and eat with a spoon after slightly thawed. I think it will be better in molds!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups almond or coconut milk

  • 2-3 heaping spoonfuls of cocoa powder

  • coconut sugar or honey to taste

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract- optional

Instruction:

Heat milk, cocoa and coconut sugar on stove until sugar and cocoa dissolved. Taste and adjust sweetness or cocoa as needed. Remember stronger chocolate flavor will be better when frozen.

3. Blueberry Coconut Smoothie– from www.paleoparents.com

Ingredients

  • 1 C frozen blueberries (we love Costco’s wild organic)

  • 1 14 oz can full fat coconut milk

  • 2 bananas

  • 14 ice cubes (if your bananas are frozen too, you might not need ice at all)

  • Optional: 7-10 drops vanilla stevia*

Instruction

  1. ♥ Place all ingredients in blender in listed order

  2. ♥ Blend until smooth

This makes enough smoothies for our family, about 4 servings. Let your kids help with everything on this one (♥)!

*Stevia is a low glycemic load non-caloric sweetener. We don’t use it because we find the fruit sweet enough, but a few drops goes a long way if this isn’t quite sweet enough for you.

4. Monkey Pops– makes 7 popsicles (depending on size of mold). This can also be used unfrozen as a traditional smoothie- adapted from www.fastpaleo.com

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz of unsweetened coconut/or almond milk

  • 4 TB Almond/or some other nut butter

  • 2 teaspoons of raw honey

  • 3 TB of cocoa powder

  • 2 (frozen) bananas

  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla

  • Optional add ins: ice, carob nibs (or chocolate chips), avocado, spinach, coconut butter, coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend. If using frozen bananas then you may not need any ice cubes. If you are using unfrozen bananas, then throw in 5-8 ice cubes.

2. Top with raw carob nibs and enjoy or pour into popsicle molds and freeze!

Fun popsicle molds: There are few varieties at most grocery stores, especially healthfood stores (Nature’s Pantry, Natural Grocers, or Whole Foods) during the summer, but there are endless options on Amazon.com. Be sure to read the reviews for notes on leakage and type of materials used. I recommend silicone since they will not contain BPA like other plastics.

Remember that smoothie options are ENDLESS, kids can be involved in the whole process and the small cost of some fun Popsicle molds can make your summer fun and healthy!

Happy blending and feel free to post your favorite smoothie recipe in the comments section for others to enjoy!

Recipe Roundup!

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We can always use new ideas in the kitchen and these are 2 great dairy free, gluten free recipes to try!

I must confess, I haven’t actually tried this recipe, but it looks great and could offer a nice change to the usual breakfast routine or great snacks kids can manage themselves. I’ve used many of the recipes from Practical Paleo and they are always delicious. Let us know how it turns out!

eggMuffinsPP

from Practical Paleo (page 254)

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOKING TIME: 40 minutes

YIELD: 12 muffins

NUTRITION INFO: here.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large green apples, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (approximately 2 cups) – peeled if you like

  • 3 tablespoons warm water

  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided

  • 9 eggs

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil (to make it dairy-free), melted

  • 3 tablespoons coconut milk

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut flour

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Preparation:

  • Preheat oven to 350F.

  • In a medium skillet, saute the apples, water, and 1 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon until the apples are the consistency of chunky applesauce or apple pie filling. Allow the mixture to cool before combining with the egg mixture.

  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, butter, coconut milk, coconut flour, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Add the cooled apples, reserving 1/4 cup for a garnish.

  • Spoon egg and apple mixture into parchment cup lined muffin tins—1/4 cup each. Gently spoon about one teaspoon of the remaining apple mixture onto the top of each muffin.

  • Bake for 40 minutes.

Change it up:

  • Substitute lightly cooked pears or bananas instead of apples.

  • Add 1/4 cup of chopped nuts or coconut for texture and healthy fats.

Side note:

  • For more sweetness, add a couple of chopped, dried medjool dates to the apples as they cook

Crockpot Mongolian Beef

This crockpot recipe is one of our favorites and I try to keep one in the freezer most of the time for those days that I don’t have anything planned. It works great to take to new moms or a family in need.

Source: Adapted by Blakely Page RD,LD from Onceamonthmom.com who adapted from Let’sGetCrockin.com

Servings: 8 (for freezing divide into 2 gallon zip lock bags for two 4-serving meals)

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds beef flank steak, cut into stir fry sized strips

  • 4 Tablespoons coconut oil (or butter)

  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/4 cup Tamari (gluten free Soy sauce)

  • 1 1/2 cup water

  • 1 ½- 2 cup maple syrup, honey or brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup cornstarch (or sub Arrowroot)

  • 2-3 cups shredded carrots

  • 6 medium green onions, chopped

Directions:

Coat flank steak pieces in cornstarch/arrowroot.  Add remainder of ingredients to crockpot and stir well to combine. Place flank steak into the crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours

or on low for 4-5 hours.  Serve over rice, if desired.

Freezing Directions:

Coat flank steak in cornstarch. Combine remaining ingredients in bowl and place in freezer bag.  Add steak to bag. Label and freeze,  To serve: Cook in crockpot on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Serve with rice or broccoli.

Scared of change? Tips for transitioning your family to healthier foods

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Are you wanting to change to healthier foods for your family but scared of the revolt that might take place in your house? Well, you’re not alone! Many parents feel isolated when trying to change the food culture in their home.  Honestly, it can be an uphill battle, especially with older children. Since most of our food habits and many of our emotional connections with food are established by the time we are 5 years old, changing food for children and adults can be difficult.

However, I never hear parents, after going through some transition (some more difficult than others) that they wish their child was still eating white bread, chicken nuggets, french fries, and Mac & Cheese everyday.

Some of the brave parents in the Paleo world are a great support system and resource from which to draw since these parents gradually worked towards a family diet of primarily meat, vegetables, fruits and quality fats. This way of eating will give the most “bang for your buck” nutritionally. I call this way of eating “nutrient dense.”  No calorie is wasted. This means most food doesn’t have a label and when it does, the ingredient list is short. This means very little additives, chemicals, dye, or other icky things that are harming our kids and contributing to chronic illness in adults.

In my family, the transition to a (mostly) Paleo way of eating didn’t happen all at once. It was literally a 2-year transition that started with going gluten free and continued from there. There wasn’t a day that “we made it” – where we’re 100% Paleo now (or GF/CF or SCD or GAPS diet, etc…) It’s a constantly evolving process with wins and losses along they way. There are times I give in at the grocery store to gluten free processed foods that we usually don’t eat and there are times I use powdered sugar (gasp!) to make real icing instead of a healthier version that I know tastes great and is just as easy to make. There are fabulous food days and there is making life work.  Sometimes they are the same, sometimes they are not. But, over time, there are more days of great eating and fewer days of processed convenience foods that cause us to feel worse and not thrive.

Perfection is not the goal for any way of eating. That is a prison. But, changing our view of food to something that is a way to be good to ourselves can go a long way in the daily battles (internal and external) around food.

In any family and with any way of eating, perfection is not the goal and comparison is a curse.

The point is not to make all the changes you know you’d like to make in your family’s diet in “X” amount of time and then load yourself with guilt when it’s not what you expect. Transitioning to healthier eating should be an empowering process for your family filled with curiosity, and new experiences and disaster recipes you learn to laugh about. There is an abundance of color, health, and connection to the generations before us in the foods God created, eaten in the closest form to how they were created. I believe we can train ourselves and our children to stay aware of all the amazing, healthy, life-giving foods (green light foods) at our disposal and try to take the power out of the red light, sometimes foods that don’t help us feel better or thrive.

You know your children and you know how much change they can handle at one time. If a change is a disaster, then you nurture, connect, and slow down the changes (but try not to undo the change). Sometimes you’ll only know how much change your child’s food world can handle by a little trial and error.

At the end of the day, it is worth it! It is worth it to have kids who feel good, learn well, play hard, sleep soundly and can engage with the world around them. What your child eats day in and day out will significantly affect all aspects of life. Make the most of the formative years of your family and start by taking just one step towards health.

Here are some tips I have for making changes to your family’s foods: (this isn’t a protocol, a plan, or the only way… it’s my ideas for you to adapt to your family)

1. Start one meal at a time. For example, if breakfast is usually cereal and milk, you could start doing eggs, sausage/bacon, and fruit one time a week. Or find a grain free pancake recipe to try on the weekend and just be patient. Kids won’t be too bent out of shape if one breakfast changes a couple of times a week. Then keep doing that same type of change until they get used to it. Refrain from making something else if they don’t eat it. Just keep it upbeat and give their taste buds time to change.

2. Keep some of their favorite foods in place for awhile and make changes to healthier foods in other areas that are less noticeable. Be patient when introducing new foods and repeat new foods.

3. Make small changes so that mealtimes stay fun and there are still foods everyone likes.

4. Educate, explain, include, and discuss with older children some of the changes you’re making.

5. Use simple phrases like “we don’t have that anymore” or “we don’t feel good when we eat that, “when they ask for foods from which you’ve moved away. When answering questions/inquiries from others, simple answers usually work best. If they want to know more, they will ask. Simple phrases like “none of us feel good when we eat that” usually work just fine when someone is confused or curious about your changes. You don’t have to defend how you choose to feed your family

6. Talk to extended family (especially grandparents) about the changes you’re planning. Ask them to be on your team to help your child be as healthy as possible.

7. Stop adding new changes or slow down when attitudes about food are turning negative or family meals are a battle. This doesn’t mean it’s not working, you’re failing, or your family can’t eat healthier. It just means the family may need a little space or a break from big or rapidfire changes. This sometimes happens when there’s been success in food changes and mom speeds up the process, or when there have been extra, unrelated stressors on the family or the child.

8. Don’t declare “this is the day we go gluten free.”

9. Don’t compare your child’s eating to other children’s eating. This is comparing your insides to someone else’s outsides. You have no idea how long it took that family to get there and what they went through. Maybe you do, and it doesn’t even compare to the torture happening at your house, but the point still stands. Don’t compare. It’s totally wasted energy and will not add anything to your family’s change process.

10. Ask parents of healthy eating kids for tips or recipes. This takes humility and courage since it will require you to not compare yourself and admit you could use help. Be open to what they say and try to resist assuming that it won’t work for your family. Maybe it won’t, but likely some version of it might.   Think of tips from another parent as a tool in your toolbelt. It may not be needed for this project, but you’ve got it if you need it.

Here are some other stories, tips, resources for making changes to what kids eat:

Raising Good Food Kids

A is for Awareness

Week of Paleo School Lunches

Month of Real Food School Lunches

If you or your family need help making changes to your diet to feel better and thrive in your daily life, contact me at bpage@marianhopecenter.org to make an appointment.  Remember that the Marian Hope Center’s Nutritional Management Support Group meets every month and is open to anyone.

Decoding Dairy

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The last nutrition blog post covered why we don’t need to worry about dairy as a calcium source, but let’s back up and review the dairy foods I’m referring to as well as some tips on choosing a milk alternative.

 What is considered dairy?

Any milk or product made from the milk of a mammal is dairy. This includes everything made from cow’s milk (cheese, butter, yogurt, Kefir, sour cream, milk, ice cream) and everything made from Sheep or Goat’s milk.

 Eggs are not dairy.

Eggs come from chickens. Dairy comes from cows. Although plenty of people have egg allergies or intolerances, they do not need to be eliminated on a dairy free diet. They come from a totally different animal.

 What is casein?

Casein is a word many people who have kids with special needs will hear often. Especially for kiddos with any sort of developmental delay, one of the main dietary interventions is a gluten free/casein free diet. Casein is the main protein in all dairy products. So you may have something that is casein free but not dairy free because it also contains whey (the other protein in dairy).  Anything that is dairy free will always be casein free. That’s why I tend to use the language of gluten free/dairy free diet rather than casein free. More products in the store are labeled “dairy free” than they are “casein free.” However, you will see “casein free” label on some deli meat products, which is telling you that there was no casein used in the processing of the meat or in the casing of something like sausage. This is helpful since meat is inherently casein/dairy free and so if sausage is then processed with casein, you could miss it thinking “meats isn’t diary”. Your thought process is correct, but they were sneaky and added things to the foods. This is another reason to eat foods as close to their original state as often as possible. No pesky additives to worry about.

At the end of the day, the easiest way to avoid the problems associated with dairy is to look for “dairy free” recipes. Most recipes labeled “casein free” from resources for children with Autism are also dairy free.

On your food label you are looking for any milk containing ingredients and most processed foods will have the allergens listed at the end of the ingredients list like this:

Milk Alternatives

Especially when switching kids from cow’s milk to a dairy free diet, it’s nice to have something else to put in their cup besides the cow’s milk. Many doctors are still recommending Soy milk as a dairy alternative. Techinically, it is a dairy alternative, but I don’t consider it a viable option because of all the clearly established negative effects of non-fermented, processed Soy.

 There are 3 other acceptable dairy alternatives which are coconut, almond, and rice milk; but I only like 2 of them- Coconut and Almond milk.

 Coconut milk is my top pick since some people have nut allergies to contend with which takes points away from the Almond milk. Additionally, Coconut milk has some of the good things (medium- chain- fatty acids) that coconut has to offer -bonus point for coconut milk.

 Almond milk tastes better to most people and is perfectly acceptable, but try, try, try to stay away from the flavored ones (same goes for the Coconut milk) since they have added sugar. I often hear, “but Billy will only drink the Chocolate flavor.” Well, it’s not a necessary part of his diet and only adding sugar so stop offering flavored milk and if he/she stops drinking it all together just let the option be water.

 Both Coconut and Almond milk are fortified with Vitamin D and Calcium, which will keep your doctor happy :)

 My family switches back and forth so we get some of the benefits from the coconut milk some of the time, even though we prefer the Almond milk.

 Rice milk is just pointless in my opinion. It’s thin, tasteless, and has over DOUBLE the carbohydrates of the other two options. We all (kids and adults) need to keep our blood sugars stable for many reasons, and drinks with high carbohydrate content just complicate the situation.  See the comparison below:

 

So there you have it. My recommendation for a milk alternative is Coconut or Almond milk.

Now, some people get their panties in a wad about the guar gum or carageenan used in Coconut and Almond milk as thickening agents. Yes, they are additives and not the 100% best things in the world, but compared to what dairy is doing to some of our bodies, it seems like a pretty good trade off in my opinion. The optimal/ideal solution would be to make your own coconut or almond milk from plain ol’ almond and a whole coconut. I’ve actually had friends try it and they weren’t fans of the process and the mess, but I have read plenty of bloggers who SWEAR it’s SO easy. If you’ve got the time, energy and a pioneering spirit- GO FOR IT (and let me know how it goes)! But it’s personally not a priority for me and as a holistic nutrition professional, I think we’ve got bigger fish to fry.

 Now it’s your turn! What nutrition topics do you want more information about? What is overwhelming about your transition to whole foods or gluten free/dairy free living? How can I help you? Leave your ideas in the comments section.

 Remember, individual consults are available- contact me at bpage@marianhopecenter.org and our monthly Nutritional Management Support Group is a great way to learn from other parents who are making real food changes in their families.  The Support Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM at Marian Hope Center and everyone is welcome.  Our June meeting has been moved to Friday, June 8 at Cafe Gratitude.  Please join us!