New Food Introduction: Strawberries

Perfect steel cut oats topped with
 local strawberries from Gundermann Acres
Love the delay button on our Vitaclay crockpot

Strawberries! This particular fruit topped my worry list.  Those histamine rich foods, such as citrus, tomatoes and strawberries, oh boy!  Would Baby Brother tolerate them, would his gut approve?  When strawberries arrived at the market recently, I just went for it.  Baby Brother loves blueberries, and even cranberries.  He needed a new berry to enjoy.  And the more fresh, local food we can eat in season, the better my spirit.

I just happened to read this about sulfites and histamines in relation to drinking red wine.  Click here if you are interested. 

Back to talking about enjoying strawberries:

berry breakfast bowl: Freedom rice flake cereal, sprouted sunflower seeds,
sprouted pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, dried mulberries,
fresh strawberries, coconut flakes
all drenched in homemade hemp/date milk

 homemade strawberry mint ice cream: coconut milk, strawberries, mint,
maple syrup,  local raw honey pinch of real salt

New Food Introduction: Corn

We have introduced gluten-free cereal grains and pseudocereals to Baby Brother in the following order: rice, quinoa, millet, gf oats, buckwheat and amaranth. When was the time going to feel right for trying corn?  

We recently gave corn a go after wanting to fill the house with Freedom Foods cereals and realizing that they all contained corn. Sometimes, packaged cereal is needed. With this realization we started corn in packaged cereal, moved on to homemade corn tortillas, and then to corn/quinoa herb muffins. It feels good to have another pantry staple to incorporate into our family diet.  

The boys are loving the process of making tortillas, almost like safe edible play dough with a super cool flattening device called the tortilla press.  Big Brother and I used to make these tortillas weekly prior to wheat and dairy allergy. 

These delicious corn muffins work well for breakfast with homemade coconut yogurt or sliced avocado.  I am enjoying them for lunch to go along with simple ground turkey and veg and humble stews. They will be a great addition to my Thanksgiving dinner. 

Are you looking for safe, organic, sprouted corn? Allergen free and free of GMO's? I have found this sprouted, organic corn flour, and will be switching over from Bob's Redmill gluten-free masa harina to this. 

Baby Brother not so sure he wants to try
first time presented with his corn muffin

corn muffins for breakfast served with
local strawberries, defrosted wild blueberries
and homemade coconut yogurt
local raw honey and coconut oil for spreading

Baby Brother eating tortilla without toppings
for taco night.  Prefers chicken drumstick as is. 

Big Brother eating his taco sandwich

We are having so much fun making tortillas again
It's been a while! So liberating adding corn!

Baby Brother likes his toppings on the side
Aren't the plate's compartments awesome!?

New Food Introduction: Cooked Onions

coconut chicken stew with rice noodles
and sautéed tatsoi

We recently went to the allergist for skin testing.  We tested Baby Brother for avocado, banana, raw ginger, cooked garlic, cooked onion, raw onion, sesame, sunflower seeds and watermelon.  We got the go-ahead for raw and cooked onion, sesame and sunflower seeds.  Avocado and banana remained questionable. I have posted about sunflower seed introduction.  Soon I will post about sesame introduction.  As for onion, we have since introduced cooked scallions in chicken stir-fry and grilled salmon, and cooked onions in stews.  

Big Brother's bowl

Big Brother's t-shirt

And for me, topped with sauerkraut 

Lamb stew on cute, new mushroom plates
with tender broccoli and farinata
to soak up juices

Cowboy stew for Go Texan Day

New Food Introduction: Sunflower Seeds

We are moving forward with sunflower seeds.  Baby Brother is enjoying his new ingredient. Here is a glimpse at the two ways we introduced: spoonful of sunbutter topped with raisins and sprouted sunflower seeds. I will be posting a few treats I've been making with sunflower seed butter soon.