Diet Change

So you'll notice (or maybe not!) that I haven't done my menu reviews for the last couple of months. I have been cooking but we've been doing some experimenting which means that much of my carefully planned menu has been put on hold.

We've had food issues with The Princess since she started eating solid food. Basically, the issue was that she wasn't really interested in food. Her intake was so minimal that I really wondered sometimes how on earth she could actually be growing. There's never been an extra ounce on her.

We found a small menu of black beans, peas, carrots and fruit that she liked and stuck with it. Other options were hit or miss. Then we hit the potty training stage. It's been really rough, I'm not going to lie. There have been many tears on both sides and a struggle to keep things positive and pressure-free. We eventually ended up seeing a specialist. There is a mix of fear and relief when your worries are finally affirmed and someone super qualified is called in to help - it's not just a parenting failure or over-reaction. There's also the sit-in-your-gut worry that walking into a children's hospital is tantamount to admitting that something serious is about to turn your life upside down.

Tarts

We got some answers and some guidance and some reassurance that the very real problems we were having were not insurmountable and, very soon, we started to see a difference. She tested negative for celiac disease. However, she was very low on the scale and below normal so a question kept niggling in my brain. Should we experiment with gluten free eating? I was discouraged from even trying - the evidence isn't there, it's expensive, it's a pain, its very unlikely that it'll make a difference... So, I set aside the idea. After all, the specialist should know best.

Then...we ended up in the ER with a screaming toddler. Sweetpea, after x-rays, ultrasounds, and other more invasive procedures, ended up diagnosed with the same issues as The Princess. Well, it was time to do SOMETHING, and the logical thing seemed to be the gluten free thing.. After all, it fits with the symptoms and there were those eyebrow raising blood test results...

Shepherds Pie

So, we've been transitioning to gluten free eating and the change is, truthfully, shocking. The Princess is eating, a lot. She's inhaling so much food that I find myself scrambling to find another course for her because I didn't make enough of what I originally served her. She's filled out a little, her color is better, and, on her own, she's constantly checking with me to make sure what she's eating is gluten free. She's feeling better and made the connection...

My cooking has taken a back seat in order to relearn how to bake - bread, muffins, even a birthday cake. While it is a little more expensive, it's worth the added cost. Plus, as I continue to make things from scratch the cost continues to go down. We're eating well. We're eating whole foods. We're eating!

Even Burgerville offers gluten free. Hallelujah!