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Eagle Scout Court of Honor

We celebrated something really big last weekend.

I wrote previously about how my son achieved his Eagle Scout award last year, amidst a pandemic. This year, we came together to celebrate that achievement.

I’ve been largely MIA from social media, blogging, and any email communication because of the planning, prep, time, and effort needed to get everything done.

We had family and friends begin arriving a few days prior to the big day.

Having a house full of people is always so fun and fulfilling as I really enjoy spending time with those we don’t see very often. It was nice to completely disconnect from social media and just be present, to soak in the moments.

As I sat down to write my parent reflections for the ceremony, I couldn’t help but think this really was a culmination of sorts, a true celebration of how far my son has come and what a huge achievement this was.

In fact, it gave me time to reflect on his scouting years and how they coincided with our journey of autism treatment and recovery.

I remember those early years where he was overwhelmed by his surroundings and how many activities were harder for him than his peers.

I remember worrying when they went off for camp that first year, I was sure I would be called to go get him, despite his dad being there at camp with him. Not because I didn’t have faith in the abilities of either of them. But, things were much harder for my son back then. These experiences were stretching him, pushing him, often past his comfort zone.

But, the young man who came home to me that summer was taller, wiser, and more competent than the one who left. As I said those words when it was my time to speak, I saw him break down into tears for the first time during the ceremony.

But it was true and I don’t think many people truly understand how things that come so easy to others can be exponentially more challenging for individuals with autism.

Activities and skills often took Matthew more time or effort but he persevered. He kept going, even when it was hard. And having a stellar support system helped him do that.

Between the scout leaders, other scouts, his family, teachers, therapists, physicians, and professionals, we all were working towards the common goal of seeing him reach his potential.

I felt this celebration should honor all of that and everyone who participated in his journey, scouting or otherwise.

The attendees reflected that diverse collection and it was pure joy to celebrate my son amongst those that worked right along side me to support him through these years.

One special attendee was Julie Matthews. She is the leading nutritionist in the autism community and we met 12+ years ago when Matthew’s biomedical physician recommended we do a consultation with her to determine the right nutritional intervention given his specific needs and biochemistry.

Over the years Julie and I have become very good friends as well as colleagues and I have the joy of working with her professionally now.

I thought back and remembered Matthew as that little boy who was such a picky eater, had so many food allergies, craved nothing but wheat and dairy, and had sensory issues that made many textures impossible to eat. Here he was, now taller than us both, so strong, healthy, in part because of her help so many years ago.

Seeing my son now is a true testament to the power of hope and I am so proud of the young man he is.

Seeing him honored and celebrated and to reflect on the incredible journey we’ve been on the last decade was both exhilarating and incredibly emotional. Hearing his speeches as he gave out mentor pins filled me with pride.

I could not be prouder to be this young man’s mom.

Stay tuned, I will be blogging on the technical aspects of organizing a court of honor, including crafting, decorating, and the food involved.

But for now, I will bask a little longer in the joy of the week and take in the strange silence of the house with our visitors gone.

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Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Peach Dump Cake

Have you ever made a dump cake? I will be honest, I had never even heard of a dump cake!

But, when I found myself hosting impromptu guests for dinner, I wanted to have a delicious dessert to end our meal.

That’s when I found out about dump cakes.

They are notoriously easy to make, you do just what the name implies, dump everything into a baking dish. Seriously.

And what is better in summer than something with peaches?!?

You will need:

45 – 60 oz peaches (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 tbsp organic cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup coconut oil (hardened)

1/2 c sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 gluten-free flour blend – don’t have one you love? Here is my recipe that I use.

1/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with coconut oil.

Place peaches into the greased pan. Toss with cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well mixed. Sprinkle over the top of the peaches evenly. Sprinkle brown sugar on top.

Use a cheese grater or 2 knives to roughly grate the hardened coconut oil. Sprinkle grated oil over the top of the cake mix layer.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until golden.

Helpful Tips:

You can use fresh, frozen, or canned peaches. I used organic canned peaches in pure juice. Syrup will provide additional sugar content to the recipe so beware. You can rinse off canned peaches that have been canned in syrup for better results.

I drained some of the cans I used but I didn’t drain them all. I found that the liquid helped make the cake not so dry.

If you are using frozen peaches, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior.

The nature of dump cakes make it hard to spread the flour mixture evenly. If you have high spots, they may not mix with liquids and remain raw. I used the back of a spoon so smooth out the high spots and make the cake even. That’s where the juice from the peaches came in handy. If you notice dry spots while baking, use a spoon to flatten it out so it can absorb some liquids. 

The great thing about this recipe is that you can swap the fruit for ones that work for your needs / allergens / intolerances. Just be mindful of the liquid content and plan / adapt accordingly. I made this with pineapple also and it worked great. Berries would probably work as well but you may find you need to add more liquid.

I hope you enjoy!

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My Favorite Gluten-Free Flour Blend

If you cook or bake gluten-free then you know the importance of a great flour blend.

When I look at recipes, I focus on what we want to eat and convert the recipes as needed.

Eating gluten-free or dairy-free shouldn’t hamper what you can or can’t eat.

Now, this is coming from a person who is down the road on a gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free diet for over 15 years, it wasn’t always so.

I used to eat based on what was available for my son. It took years to have the confidence to recreate family favorites or new recipes I wanted to try.

Which is exactly why I am sharing this information with you. I want others to have an easier time of it than I did.

So, here is my blend for a terrific 1:1 flour mix that has worked great for me for many years.

Recipe:

Gluten-free Flour Blend

You will need:

1 c rice flour

3/4 c tapioca starch

1/4 c sorghum flour

1 tsp xantham gum

Mix all together and store in an airtight container in a cool place. Use as you would any flour for recipes.

Enjoy and if you use this blend in your cooking or baking, I’d love to hear how it goes for you so please post in the comments below.

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Catch Me on Unlocking ADHD & Autism With Personalized Nutrition – Starts Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is day one of Julie Matthew’s latest summit, ADHD & Autism With Personalized Nutrition. I am so thrilled to be a part of it!

Monday is my interview with Julie on why diet matters. We cover the role of personalized nutrition and why it makes a difference especially for individuals with ADHD and autism. It is a great introduction into the real science behind nutritional intervention. You will learn more on how the gut and brain are connected and how autism and ADHD are really “whole body” disorders. You will also learn about methylation and genes.

Tuesday is all about picky eaters. I had the opportunity to interview Julie and share some of my own experiences with an uber picky eater. Between sensory issues, food intolerances, and leaky gut, my son would only eat a few foods. I am thrilled to say that today he has a wide and varied diet and is no longer a picky eater! I know parents of picky eaters will get tips and ideas on Day 2 that can help in your own family! You will also learn about how a Paleo diet may be beneficial and even about the healing properties of Camel’s milk!

Here’s a photo from our interview (this was recorded a few years ago). We always have so much fun together!

Wednesday features talks on supplements, methylation, sulfate, and the mom’s recovery panel! Hear from 4 moms (me included) about our journey of healing our children! This day is full of information and inspiration.

Thursday is focused on addressing anxiety and challenging behaviors and how things like food intolerances can be a factor in ADHD. You will also learn about using essential oils for ADHD and anxiety!

Friday is all about FOOD! Whether you want to learn about a ketogenic diet, learning about oxalates and the inflammasome, using food to calm and soothe the brain, it is the day to really dive into diet! Julie discusses the role of personalized nutrition to benefit your child with ADHD and autism.

Saturday features some of my favorite docs and topics! Whether you hear Dr. Woeller’s experiences from his 20+ years in treating kids just like mine or Dr. Song discuss autism as a neuro-immune disorder, you can also learn about the microbiome with two informative talks and then how gluten can play in to autoimmunity.

Sunday, the final day, covers the co-morbid conditions and co-infections that can be common in the autism and ADHD communities. Whether it is mold, histamine, or mast cells, or Lyme disease, PANDAS, or even how our food supply can play a role, this is a day to dive into some of the other important pieces to consider when healing your child.

Register Now

I hope you join us next week, this information was so critical for me when I was on the autism recovery journey and the topic of personalized nutrition is applicable for everyone!

I personally am still always fine-tuning our nutrition depending on what we specifically need. These experts will share such valuable information, no matter what your goals.

Be well,

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Wellness Tracking for Autism Parents

The last year and a half has given me an opportunity to focus on my own health and wellness in a deeper way.

As an autism mom, I spent a fair number of years not taking care of myself, often placing my self at the very bottom of the list.

Over the years, I have learned tools that I sure wish I had all those years ago. Especially during those really tough years when my son had a lot of behavioral issues, was non-verbal, and didn’t sleep much more than a few hours per night, meaning I didn’t sleep either.

It has taken a while to begin giving my body what it needs to heal, just like my son’s. This process of biomedical treatment was not just for him. It has impacted our whole family.

As such, this last year has been an opportunity to focus even more on what I can do to be the healthiest I can be at this age and stage.

So, I created this document and wanted to share for anyone else who may benefit!

Weekly-Wellness-WorksheetDownload

Thanks to a talk by Dr. Jill Christa at a recent Great Plains Laboratory training, I started “eating a rainbow.” While this is not a new concept to me, it was a message that came at just the right time for me to dive in and try and do just that.

Since making a concerted effort to eat a rainbow daily, I have noticed more color in my cheeks and a slight increase in energy. I also included ideas on how to eat a rainbow if you want to try it to!

Between monitoring my nutrition, exercise, water intake, and mindfulness, I wanted to create an easy sheet to help me stay on track week after week.

My workouts are pretty easy to keep track of, we are still loving MBF and MBFA through Beachbody on Demand. If you want to learn more or get a free trial, let me know.

But I wanted one spot to track everything. I can keep this on my fridge or on my desk and track everything week to week.

If you want to share how you are focusing on self-care, I’d love to hear it.

And up next, I created a delicious gluten, dairy, and soy free peach dump cake – because balance 🙂 . I am in the process of writing up the recipe and will share as soon as it is done.

Be well,

Affiliate Disclaimer – I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for endorsement, recommendation, and/or link to any products or services from this site. Please note that I only ever endorse products that are in alignment with my ideals and that I believe are valuable. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com.

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Join Me for the Unlocking ADHD and Autism with Personalized Nutrition Summit!

It’s Autism Awareness Month! While I don’t “celebrate” the struggles many of our children with autism have, I do celebrate knowledge and empowerment in families understanding what they can do to support their children.

I wanted you to be the first to know…..

If you have been with me for a while now, you know Julie Matthews and I are good friends, like really good friends. In fact, I consider her one of my best friends.

And we met because of this journey of autism recovery from my son.

Can you relate? Do you have friends who you’ve met through this journey who just “get” you, no judgement about special diets or the way life has to be to make the world a safer place for your child(ren)?

It is a gift for sure.

Not only is Julie a great friend but we have become colleagues over the years and when Real Food Mum closed their doors last year, I came on to consult for Nourishing Hope and BioIndividual Nutrition Institute, how cool is that? Well, something exciting is happening! We are launching the all new Unlocking ADHD and Autism with Personalized Nutrition summit soon!

The lineup is amazing, insightful interviews from experts in the field of ADHD and Autism with a wide range of topics, including all new interviews and free gifts just for registering.

I am honored to be included in the lineup! You will see me on Day 1 where I interview Julie on why food matters for ADHD and Autism. Day 2 I also interview Julie on picky eating (my son was a super picky eater and I am sure many of you can relate!) And then Day 3, catch me and 3 other amazing moms as we talk autism treatment and recovery and share our own stories of how food has helped our children heal and why it is one of the most impactful interventions.

It starts May 31st and goes through June 6th with an encore weekend June 12 – 13.

Despite one-in-54 children being affected by autism today, most parents don’t know that nutrition can turn things around — from despair to hope, from struggle to improved behavior.

Those who do report improvements in behavioral issues/meltdowns, sleeping, tummy problems like constipation/diarrhea, food issues, language and development and more. And this is supported by decades of serious science and proven results that show using personalized food and nutrition can help.

Are you wondering what dietary interventions may be right for your child?

Are you looking for solutions for improving symptoms?

Join us and the communities around the world who are celebrating and recognizing those with autism and their families at this important event.

—>>Access resources when you register early for Unlocking ADHD & Autism with Personalized Nutrition!

When you do, you’ll learn strategic diet and nutrient changes you can make to positively influence your child’s health and behavior, with an approach that is personalized just for them.

You’ll gain early access to the following expert interviews:
+ Using Personalized Nutrition to Improve ADHD and Autism, Julie Matthews, NC
+ Calming Anxiety, Aggression and OCD with Amino Acids & Food, Trudy Scott, CN
+ Using Food to Calm, Soothe and Repair the Brain, Terry Wahls, MD

And when you register, you’ll also unlock the following resources from Julie Matthews:
+ Practical Nutrition Steps to Better Health, Learning & Behavior eGuide
+ 30 Recipes and Food Lists for 12 Therapeutic Diets eBook
+ Guide to Food Intolerances, Therapeutic Diets and Personalized Nutrition

We invite you to share this information widely and join us at this transformative event that will educate, inspire and empower you with the principles of using personalized nutrition to support your child.

Be sure to mark your calendar for May 31 – June 6, 2021!

Be well,

P.S. When you register for Unlocking ADHD & Autism with Personalized Nutrition, you’ll also receive early access to interviews, complimentary guides and helpful eBooks about the science and practice of personalized diet and nutrition for children with autism, ADHD, anxiety, and more!

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Maple Glazed Carrots

This is a great springtime recipe!

It is gluten, dairy, and soy free and is lower histamine.

Ingredients

  • 1 -1/2 lbs organic carrots, diced
  • 1/4 cup organic coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup organic, grade B maple syrup

Directions

Place carrots into a pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain and transfer carrots to a serving bowl.

You can drizzle the maple syrup on the warm carrots or you can briefly sauté for a slightly caramelized flavor.

Enjoy!

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World Autism Awareness Day 2021

Just your friendly, annual reminder here.

Autism is not just genetic, or just a brain disorder, it is often a whole body disorder.

Many times our children’s physical symptoms are chalked up to “autism” which in fact are their own separate metabolic issues that need to be addressed.

When addressed, there can be profound improvement in many areas including sleep, language, behavior, cognition, etc.

So when our children are diagnosed and we, as parents, are told this is purely a genetic brain disorder and our child’s potential is written off at the same time, I encourage you to dig deeper and find a physician, practitioner, therapists, and teachers that hold the same vision of health and healing that you do for your child.

No one can dictate our child’s future. I have been privileged to watch and be a part of so many stories of autism healing and even recovery. And parent mindset is an important component.

Avoid the naysayers, the ones who don’t support dietary intervention or your biomedical protocols. Surround yourself with the people who are behind you and support what you are doing for your child.

Our children are incredible, with special gifts and talents. And I will never stop supporting my son so he can keep showing me just how amazing he is!

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Autism and The Eagle Scout Award

2020….what can I say?

In some ways the last year has dragged on and in others it has flown by.

While our lifestyle didn’t change too drastically – I jokingly say “who knew our normal life was called quarantine?” it was a year largely focused on being home. And for service related organizations who seek to help outwardly, that can be challenging.

But, last spring, my son did a thing.

A big thing.

When I think back to when his scouting career began, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge where he was in his development back then.

He was largely non-verbal in expressive language. He was overwhelmed by his sensory environment a majority of the time.

Many meetings ended in meltdowns as he reached the end of his limits.

But, his dad was there every step of the way.

We learned early on that with our support, he could navigate challenging situations in scouting successfully. Even if they were hard or stretched him, he did it and the growth we saw and he felt was amazing to watch.

In the last 10 years, he has also not only navigated his scouting career but he navigated the biomedical course that would end in him losing his autism diagnosis at the school level.

As he made more improvements in his physical health and wellness, we saw leaps in his neurological development as well.

Conversely, the more engaged he became in scouting, the more growth we saw.

After summer camps, he came home taller and more independent.

That first year of summer camp I was sure I would get a call from my husband asking me to come pick him up.

I was wrong.

Yes honey, I just said I was wrong. And I was happy about that.

For us, seeing him blossom, expand his knowledge and interests, gain friendships, become a leader that others look up to, it is the ultimate blessing!

So when he reached the point in his scouting career when it came time to pick a project, he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He loved reading and has been an avid reader forever. He wanted to help support other children with that through a Tiny Library. You can read more about this topic, including get plans to build your own or register your on the national registry here.

And then, his troop was contacted by our local elementary school about a teacher retiring and they wanted to find a scout to build a tiny library in her honor!

Hello! How perfect?

So he started looking at plans, creating his design, documenting his project, writing up the proposal, getting it approved. Those were challenging, requiring attention to detail, careful thought, paperwork.

There were parts of the process he balked at, where he wanted to give up.

Then he would think about the kids that would be helped, the love of reading he enjoyed and how some kids didn’t have access to books, especially during a pandemic with no in-person schools, library closures, etc.

So he kept working. He drew up the plans, solicited our local Home Depot store for assistance with a donation of supplies. They so thoughtfully and graciously donated all of the materials, we are so grateful.

Then he got to work. A big part of the Eagle Scout award involves leading others in the achievement of the project. So, he asked just a couple of other scouts (his sister being one) to help him so that we could maintain proper social distancing and keep it a safe environment for everyone.

He asked one other family to come over and help build this, outside of course.

They worked hard and navigated safe distancing and all of the other proper Covid-19 precautions.

And then, it was delivered to the school, with a plaque commemorating the teacher who is retiring. Books were placed.

And maybe tears were shed. OK definitely tears were shed.

When we were given a diagnosis of autism, it came with a grim view of his future. One that didn’t include living independently or achieving such goals as earning Eagle Scout.

While we never believed that our son’s potential could be determined by those words or the limitations that world often places on individuals with disabilities, to see him crush this high award was a joy and a gift.

On my honor, I will do my best

To do my duty, to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law;

To help other people at all times;

To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

This achievement was a team effort and the support from some of the scout leaders made a profound difference.

Do you have a child with autism or other disabilities who wants to get involved in scouting?

Here are some tips we found helpful along the way.

  • Get involved. As leaders, we had more control over his sensory experiences or knew the plan ahead of time and could prepare him. Over the years, it used to be that changes in the expected were really (really) challenging for him. Knowing what the plan was and prepping him was a huge help. And that doesn’t have to mean this becomes a second job for you or that you lead the troop! While my husband leads our Scouts BSA troop and I lead my daughter’s Girl Scout troop, I LOVE having parents involved in varying aspects over the year. You don’t have to run meetings or devote a ton of time to get involved in some way.
  • Talk to the other leaders about how your child can participate. More people than you think want to help, sometimes they just don’t know how. Other leaders can also be on the lookout for a sensory meltdown, help provide additional activities or accommodations so that your child can participate in a way that works for them.
  • Communicate with council for events/camp experiences. This was big related to food. My son eats a gluten, dairy, and soy free diet. Council events (including summer camp) have always made accommodations to his dietary needs. And listen, sticking to diet is just better for us all, trust me on that! While we always bring options for him, it has been nice not to have to!
  • Get to know the other parents. I have been so touched by other parents who, knowing our son’s challenges, triumphs, and needs, look out for him in little ways. That parent who brings desserts to the potlucks and always makes a version he can have, it seems so little but to our family, it means the world to have my son included and not feeling left out.
  • Each troop can vary depending on the leaders who are involved so if something doesn’t seem like a good fit, keep looking, try other troops. But I will say discriminatory behavior is not a scouting value! Over the years we even contemplated starting our own troop but in the end we found an existing one that became like family. It should feel like a good fit and should honor and support your child. The experiences of learning outdoor skills, concepts of leave no trace, helping to make the community and world at large a better place, skills like outdoor cooking, wilderness survival, camping, those should be available to every child who wants to engage.

If your child is interested in scouting and has a disability, you can read about their policies here.

While we may look back on 2020 with mixed emotions and certainly sadness over the loss we as a world have faced, I will always see this as one of our bright spots in the year.

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GFCF Keto-Friendly Chocolates

Valentine’s Day is almost here!

Everywhere you look it is a veritable minefield of chocolatey treats!

Over the years as we have refined our diets based on individual need and looked at reducing processed and high-sugar things in our diet, it was challenging to celebrate and stay on track nutritionally.

But, we learned how to adapt and honor our bodies and our needs while being festive and celebratory!

I wanted to share a recipe I have used for many years now that can be adapted to whatever your tastes are. You can easily create treats for your loved ones that are completely sugar free – or you can adapt them and use a different sweetener like organic maple syrup, coconut sugar or nectar, or monk fruit, etc. It really is based on your taste preference.

You simply melt the coconut oil, mix with equal amounts cocoa or cacao and your desired sweetener (like stevia) to taste and pour into molds.

These do have more of a dark chocolate feel so if you are looking for a more milk chocolate version, this is not it.

And because it uses coconut oil which is liquid at 78 degrees, you will want to store these in the refrigerator.

But, for those on a low/no sugar diet, those just wanting to limit their sugar intake, these make for a nice option.

For those who don’t need a sugar-free version, you can also melt allergen-friendly chocolate chips (Enjoy Life is my preferred brand) in a double boiler and pour into molds as well.

Being on a special diet doesn’t mean missing out on holidays or treats!

I’d love to hear what you think. If you make these, please comment below how they turned out and how you customized them.

Affiliate Disclaimer – I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for endorsement, recommendation, and/or link to any products or services from this site. Please note that I only ever endorse products that are in alignment with my ideals and that I believe are valuable. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to amazon.com.

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