Food for life makes a brown rice tortilla. They are delicate, but they are also fast and easy. I opened up a can of refried black beans (no beef whatsoever, the brand name escapes me) and spread it on a warmed tortilla wrap. I added a romain leaf and rolled it up. It was tasty and ridiculously easy.

I am a little frustrated with the two year old's eating habits. It is normal of course, but disappointing. We are stuck on gluten free bread and peanut butter. It is almost as if he has stopped eating veggies completely. I think I will have to start hiding veggies in the french toast again!

Last week, I baked apricot walnut gluten free muffins. They turned out quite nice.

1 can of whole apricots in juice

2 eggs

1 cup of buckwheat flour

1 cup of brown rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca flour

1 1/2 tsp of baking powder

1 1/2 tsp of baking soda

a pinch of salt

1/2 cup of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of walnut butter

raisins

Mix the eggs and apricots in a food processor. Combine dry ingredients well and then add your liquids. Add raisins last, and taste the mix. If necessary add more brown sugar. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes.

My six year old is so funny. He smelled the muffins immediately as it came out of the oven and said "Yuck! It smells like poop." We then had a talk about hurting people's feelings and how he could have expressed his opinion differently. Two hours later as we were driving to school, he gobbled down two of the muffins. I guess the smell had vanished?! Anyway, he has continued to munch on them throughout the weekend.

It is interesting how his sense of smell is so particular when he first wakes up. My husband is programmed in the exact same manner, as the smell of spices bowls him over first thing in the morning. Sauteeing onions, garlic and curry powder is a very comforting smell to me (I love it with eggs!), but the hubby has an overwhelming desire to run and hide! His next instinct is to attack. I guess "particular" isn't really an accurate word for their "intense" ability to smell. Must be an "O" thing.

My two year old has a fever. I have some organic Echninacea Elder Tea in the house. I brewed a cup of hot tea, sweetened it with honey, and then poured it over ice (he hates warm tea). He immediately started screaming "no tea! no tea!"

Next, I poured about 1/3 of a cup into a cup full of juice and then gave it to him. He drank it right down. I dislike relying on the juice as it's easy to get too much sugar into him or cause diarehea, but what else can I do? I haven't tried diluting it with rice milk, so that will be next I suppose...

Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs with onions, garlic, cheese and kale! Yum! I also prepared a rye apricot bread for myself. Both kids hated it, and I absolutely loved it. Oh well. Win some, lose some.

Miss C: I purchased the "cook for your type" book and then wrote down the number of recommended servings for each category. For ex: Beans and legumes 5- 7 times per week. After I had eaten a serving, I checked it off and made certain that once a category was full, I moved on to the others. Many times, I found myself with beans at the end of a week! But that little list posted on my fridge really helped me stick to a healthy meal plan. Good luck.

P.S. - I lost one pound a week on average. So ,yes, it does take a little time.

Ex:

Miss N: Goodness - you really made my morning! Thank you so much! I am in the minority at my house, but my stubborn attitude slowly turns the tide. It is so helpful to hear from other people.

Miss C: Breakfast ideas for A's - Blueberry muffins, Cherry Muffins, Pumpkin Raisin Muffins, Ezekiel Cinnamon Raisin Toast with pure jam, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs with diced veggies (I actually had onions and artichokes in my eggs yesterday!) Scottish Oatmeal with nuts or seeds and dried fruit, creamy rice cereal (Bob's), Bread from my bread machine with every fruit or veggie imagineable - french toast using compliant bread and blackstrap molasses, pure maple syrup for the kids, pancakes, swedish pancakes, etc.

I just discovered Amaranth Cinnamon Flakes from Nu World! Fantastic and easy! 6 grams of protein and and high in certain vitamins. (If memory serves me right, high in Vitamin E and niacin). Throw in some almonds and dried cherries for an extra sweet treat. They are expensive as it can get, which is why I reserve the box for the weekend. It's nice to work hard Monday thru Friday knowing that your kids are getting good food- then Saturdays and Sundays are my "easy" mornings thanks to boxed cereal.

Since my older one is an O - anytime I have leftover muffins or pancakes, I try to grill or pan fry "beef sausage patties" or turkey bacon for the O. I also always serve fruit at breakfast - preferably fresh and sometimes canned.

Staples include: (I have an A who is a celiac) : buckwheat, brown rice flour, white rice flour, tapioca flour, ground flax seed, ghee, rice noodles, different kinds of rice, rice paper, mung bean noodles, lentils, canned beans, favorite spices (pure), etc.

I am running to the store about every 5 days for fresh fruit or veggies. I wish it were less often, but if I stock up too much then my veggies rot before I can get to them. The "veggie run" is a short shopping trip - which is perfect for the two year old's attention span. Once a month I run to my favorite grocery store (Woodman's) and STOCK UP. The kids do not come along during the stock up trip.

I hope to try out apricot blackberry gluten free bread on Sunday. I also want to do something with rye (A secretors and O secretor friendly.) If my plan works, both breads get cut in half and the second halves are frozen for later use. Hope this helps Miss C. Please write back if you need to. Good Luck.

There are just too many things that I could write about today. I had quite a bad afternoon yesterday - it was the kind where I had to pick between "Do I burn the house down" or "Do I let my two year old get hit by a car?"

I had both children running outside in opposite directions at the precise moment I really needed to be paying attention to my stove top. I scooped my two year old out of the driveway ( he was aiming for the street) and ran like a mad woman back into the kitchen. The air was smoky, but nothing had actually burned. The six year old was too far away for me to hail back towards home, but he is a traffic savy kid unlike his younger brother. What I wouldn't give for a fence!

By the time dinner was finally finished, both kids were crying for different reasons. Mama was also losing her cool. A brief thunderstorm visited the neighborhood and then vanished before dinner was completed. Thank Goodness the hubby saved the day by managing both of our children an hour later. I was off for a haircut and a big bottle of wine!

The A's had pan fried salmon patties with tossed asparagus (olive oil, salt and lemon juice.) The O's had pork sandwiches (AAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ugh!) Dad cooked for the O's. I did smile a little bit though, as my six year old asked me ,"Where are the healthy buns?" (Ezekiel). Take care everyone.

Holy moly, did I ever eat a true 'avoid' dinner. What's worse, I ate twice as much as I needed! Shrimp scampi in garlic and butter, fried popcorn shrimp, and a little too much merlot! I chose quite the indulgence, but I kept the entire day's diet in the back of my mind. For example, breakfast was all beneficial foods, lunch and snack were either bene or neutral, and the salad at red lobster was a neutral. Today (Sunday), will again be full of bene's and neutrals - no avoids at all.

I have always liked shrimp. When I was pregant with my O, I CRAVED schrimp. It's a shame that it is an avoid for me. Yet, I laugh at myself. I will take a "shrimp" avoid anyday versus a "pepsi or coca cola." It's all relative.

Today, I had a distinct craving for red curry paste. I literally wanted to eat the stuff by the spoonful. Are these hot spices helping rid my body of toxins? Are my hormones fluctuating and does my curry craving have anything to do with my chosen dinner the night before? Who knows? I just love my bene's too!

Whenever someone takes the time to write to me, I feel quite honored. So, I always do my best to respond, even if my answers are short and sweet. Miss P, my recipes are in the archived blogs. Take a moment to search - most of my titles are pretty precise. Also - here's the secret to the bread recipes - I always use the manual which came with my bread machine (Toastmaster) and then I substitute ingredients accordingly. (If it says white flour and it is for an A, then I use Rye or spelt. If it's for all of us, celiac included, then I use white rice flour, brown rice flour, and triple the eggs.) I really am just using the bread machine's companies master base recipe.

Miss R, the answer to your question is so immense - I can't even begin to answer it accurately! But here's the bottom line - chronologically speaking, the O's came first (the hunters), then the A's (the farmers), then the other two blood types. Please check out one of Peter's books from the local library (eat for your blood type, live for your blood type or cook for your blood type.) And good luck!

Whew, I am a little bit tired today. If there are any other mothers with school age children out there, I am sure you can relate! In case anybody was curious or would like to share with me what works for them, please read on......

5:00 A.M. Drag my body out of bed. Drink lemon water. Throw on work out clothes and put my hair in a pony tail.

5:15 A.M. Pull out breakfast items. On an easy day, it's french toast (Ezekiel or Millet Bread) and on a difficult day it's homemade muffins. Blueberry, pumpkin, even zuchinni pecan. Sometimes I have leftover muffins, and on those days I grill beef patties for the O blood type.

5:30 Wake up the two year old (slowly) Together we wake up the six year old. Lots of hugging and smooching. Turn on the tv or the cassette player.

Make the six year old's lunch. It's either grilled moz cheese on Ezekiel bread or walnut butter and jelly on Ezekiel bread. Snacks include dried cranberries or dried pineapple rings. Juicy juice in his lunch box.

6:00 Continue with breakfast preparation. The two year old helps me in the kitchen. At this point, each day is a little different. Sometimes, I eat first. Sometimes, we all eat together. Whatever works.

Slowly, we make progress. Somebody gets dressed, brushes teeth, etc. There is time alloted for goofing off or talking. Tv is on in the parent's bedroom for those who are interested. Finally, Mom loads up the car with snacks (always) and ushers both children to the local grade school. AFter the six year old is dropped off at the school's door, the two year old and Mom are off to the YMCA.

8:15. Check the two year into day care. 30 minutes cardio (whatever I feel like - maybe it's just walking, maybe it's running, cycling, etc.) My purpose is to think and deflate. My mind dictates the cardio routine.

9:00 Stretch and lift weights. I work out my upper body Monday Wednesday Friday and legs Tuesday and Thursday. I also utilize the time to learn a new exercise as I am studying to become a certified personal trainer. I love the job description! Today's trainers are expected to be advocates of positive lifestyle change. While we aren't allowed to give nutritional advice, we are allowed to point clients toward 'published' material. Dr. D's books are always with me. And of course, there are so many "politically correct" areas I am allowed to discuss. Such as reading labels, understanding what is in your food, etc. etc.

10:30 - Time for one small errand with my child. It's more about fun than getting a lot done.

11:30 Eat lunch. It's hard to get enough veggies into our day, but I am always trying. Romaine lettuce with garlic dressing - leftover chicken pieces, fish or even a simple rice and black beans. Thank goodness he loves rice. I can throw anything into the rice (even sardines) and he will eat it!

12:00 Two year old down for a nap. Clean, and study some more (one hour). Housework. Blog a little.

2:30 Six year old is home. Snack (shelton's organic beef jerky is terrific!) Many times, my son will request what he wants and it is usually a treat. (Non compliant candy or just a drink to quench his thirst.) I know that he has had a solid meal so far, so I don't worry about it.

3:00 The six year old is required to perform 10 minutes of homework at his desk by himself. Then - he's given a break and gets to choose whatever he wants to do. (Usually, he's outside hunting for other six year olds.) Lots of physical exercise and fresh air. The two year old is woken up.

3:30 - Two days a week, I must leave to work. Sometimes the kids come, sometimes they get to stay home. If the kids come, then it's snacks in the car (homemade) and homework is continued at the YMCA day care. If I do not have to work, then we all hang out at home and continue the homework process.

A special note Sensory disorder kids need lots of physical movement to help their brain with writing and reading. Homework is regarded as 'fun' if I break up the time with physical activity. But if you have ever tried to keep a sensory kid in his room until the homework is completely finished, the room looks like something a tornado hit. Seriously, some kids just need lots of little start and stops, while other kids don't. I could write at this computer for hours. My husband cannot. I have to keep reminding myself that my son is NOT like me and never will be. He is brilliant in his own way.

5:00 - Start dinner (dishwasher, setting table, meal prep.) More homework for the six year old. The two year old is encouraged to play in the sink while I cook. Dinner is always two sets of protein (steak and fish, beans and chicken, etc. Sometimes Dad will cook the red meat (hooray!) I try to offer a veggie and a fruit as well as a grain of some kind.

6:30 - Sit for 10 minutes and digest dinner. Scrub the two year old (no kidding - rice is constantly everywhere!) Six year old is back at his homework desk. Teeth and pajamas - the two year old is put to bed.

7:30 The six year old is put to bed. Book reading or tv is allowed (no more than one hour of tv time during the school week. Teacher's orders!)

8:00 - I stop working. This is my "keep my sanity rule." I have three big personal priorities. Get enough sleep, eat good food and exercise. Yes, my house is dirtier than I would like it to be. Yes, my six year old needs a haircut. But life is supposed to be fun, folks. And everything will get done in due time. God Bless.

Sorry it has taken me awhile to get back to you! As always, thank you for sending me your thoughts.

First- I want to start with Miss L who had a question. While yogurt is ok for most A's (neutral, but ok), I have found that my little celiac cannot tolerate yogurt in any form. (Organic, non-organic, half a serving, whole serving, etc.) Some people just have individual variances, and trial and error is the only way to go. Good luck, I hope you can eat it!

Miss J and Miss K - thanks for your insight on learning disabilities. At the moment, I have officially asked the school to assess him, so now we play the waiting game. It takes 3 to 4 months where I live to complete all of the observations and tests. I will say, that I am surprised thus far as he has not been bringing homework home (last year he couldn't get anything done in school at all.) I look forward to my son's open house and I will be keenly observing the classroom settings. Is this teacher doing something differently than the last teacher did? Is the diet helping in a way that it didn't help last year? Who knows? But I look forward to hearing the school's observations.

Miss L (a different one)- thanks for your advice on homeopathy. There is a part of me that wants to spend hours on learning more - and another part of me that says "What are you nuts? Your plate is full, you have all that you can handle. Just be patient! " But you have reminded me of something. It's time to start asking other mothers what they have done -- before I drop our precious dollars at the health food store! Thanks again.

Mr D - I fear you are right. Yet, I was hoping that my grocery store just received a really good deal on the brand. Does anyone else know which brand of olive oil is truly cold pressed and the most economical all of the time? Is there a food co -op I should be looking into or can I order things directly?

I wish Trader Joe's was located here in Rockford!!! Happy Labor Day, everyone.