I need to give credit where credit is due. Thanks Suzanne! I bought some carbonated water, black cherry juice and some 100% pure apple juice and mixed it all together. I didn't tell my son that it was healthy soda, I just handed it to him on a warm 70 degree day. After he had drunk a good bit, I asked him, "Do you like it?"

He looks at me and says, "yeah, I do."

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"That's mom's healthy homemade soda you are drinking."

"I like it! I like it!"

"Yep, and since it is healthy, you can have as much as you want."

"That's great!"

Later, I wavered on that decision as he seemed to have plenty of energy after drinking that soda!

Tonight, after dinner, he asked Dad to make him some of Mom's healthy soda. Dad made a face which implied "what are you talking about?", but he did it anyway. My son coached him on the ingriedents. It warms my heart to hear him ask about it.

Overall we are doing well. I was able to stick to my Beneficial Breakfast and Lunch rule. My five year old has caught strep throat, and didn't eat dinner at all. On top of that, both he and my husband contracted food poisoning from the buffalo steak. (stomach cramps, - the kind where nothing stops them for 30 minutes and you just drive around on the interstate until your child stops screaming).

I was pretty upset at first and was ready to take the last of the meat back to the butcher. But my husband said that the first buffalo steak was just fine and there is no telling whether the next one will be safe or contaminated. Either way, since it is not a favorite meat for either O, I am getting rid of it. It proves a point everyone on the forum has been repeating...... know your source.

Today, I cooked scrambled eggs with lots and lots of onion, garlic and shredded carrots (food processor made it fast and easy). I also cooked amaranth and millet pancakes. The O can barely eat due to his sore throat so I didn't worry about cooking a complete meal for him. The bannana bread recipe off of this website is fantastic! I think it might considered a bannana cake - but I decreased the sugar and increased the walnuts. Gluten free and beneficial and portable and freezeable! What else can a mom ask for? Take care everyone.

My two year old is really the one I desperately need to take this test, but I figured that I would try to collect the older one's first. With a little luck, the younger brother will want to do what the older brother is doing.

I have to admit. This isn't easy. I also wanted to spread the word. Two different sources from NAP have confirmed that the saliva (forgive spelling errors please) test is accurate no matter what the age of the customer. I am bribing my five year old with avoids (hey, you gotta do what you gotta do) in order to guarantee his cooperation. I am also giving him breaks inbetween "spit collection" and refridgerating the partial sample until I collect enough. I hope this doesn't invalidate the results. But I think we will definately be able to get his test out to Airborne today.

The two year old strategy will be different. He produces a lot of saliva when he sucks his thumb. I hope I will be able to collect enough within the appropriate time period. I am not very confident at this point. If I fail, I might just keep the kit and try again when he is older. There is such a difference between being an A secretor and an A non secretor. If you are a non secretor, there are many more meats one might be able to tolerate and fewer grains.

Yea!! We did it! Sunday was a great day. At the end of the day, the A's were at 90% beneficial foods, and 10% neutral. My O ended with 90% beneficial, 7 % neutral, and 3% avoid. (Ketchup from Hunt's and fruit snacks). After a few minutes of "discussion", I understand his preferences and have adjusted accordingly. I have also discovered that Dr. Phil's little suggestion works wonders!

For example, this morning I cooked a broccoli/ rice soup for the A's. My little guy was not pleased to see so much green on his breakfast plate! I also served 2 slices of red apple, half a glass of carob rice milk and another sippy cup of water. At snack time, he was served 1/2 box of raisins. Needles to say, he was quite hungry by lunch time. I presented the broccoli rice soup along with the other 1/2 box of raisins.

He ate it without complaint! If you are a mother, you will understand how this can be so stressful! You don't know how many times bowls of food have gone flying across the kitchen floor! I am also excited because it's easy to make a big batch of 'base' soup, and then add little things to slightly alter the taste at each meal. The first serving was just soup. The second serving was the same soup reheated with leftover white bean dip added. The third and final serving will be with a can of salmon added.

The first time a dish is cooked, the original soup pot is cooled completely and placed in the fridge. The second serving is taken out of the pot and placed in a fresh, smaller soup pot for reheating. The last and final serving is from the original soup pot once again.

** I should mention that I believe certain folks would say -- that's not safe! Take it out of the cooking dish and put it in tupperware! They may be right. But if crockpots and be cooled down completely and then put into the fridge, I would think that a large soup pot could as well. Anyway, I am not certain. *



My five year old also ate his morning hamburger/hidden vegetable burger without complaint. I allow the ketchup until I can finally make my own or find some at the health food store. I also allow dessert to be whatever they choose, as long as the serving size is within guidelines. I sent bannana bread to school with him. I really debated whether this would be considered a neutral vs beneficial, but in the end I used 5 bannanas and increased the amount of walnuts in the recipe.

Tonight is a busy night. We are invited to a six year old's birthday party. I bought some gluten free cookies for the two year old who will be attending. Dinner will be neutral and fast - creamy hot rice cereal with frozen blueberries for the A's - and Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel bread or hamburger for the O.

Both kids love blueberries, and I think I will serve raw carrots as the afternoon snack.



Thanks for letting me ramble! It's a new system - but I like it so far. Take care.

My two year old approached me while I was typing one of my blogs, grabbed the power cord to my lap top and bit down. I freaked, yelled something unintelligible, and grabbed the power cord out of his mouth.

What possessed him to bite? This morning, he grabbed one of my can openers (with a sharp point used to puncture cans of juice), and pounded on our lovely wooden kitchen table. Again, I ask you, what inspired him?

He is obviously feeling better.

My five year old went to the circus last night with his father. They had a marvelous time, ate lots of junk food, and arrived home past the usual bed time. This morning, my oldest child was completely stuffed up. Was this caused by the animals at the circus? Was it caused by the rainy weather we are having? Or was it caused by the junk food that he ate at the circus? Very interesting......................

Benefiical leftovers were served this morning along with a "pluot" and dried cherries. It was a fast and easy breakfast! It also incorporated a parenting benefit that I had heard about, but never really tried before. Dr. Phil once mentioned that if your child refuses to taste new food (healthy food, mind you), a parent could try serving the exact same meal over and over and over again. No fighting, no yelling, no persuading - simply place the plate in front of the child. If he refuses to try it, so "ok honey, but that is all there is" and place it back in the fridge. Then, serve it again (either reheated or fresh - depending on the type of food it is) and again and again, until the child makes a valid attempt at eating it.

The two year old is eating more of the green minestrone soup each time. The five year old is not thrilled with my healthy hamburgers, but he is eating them. Let's see what lunch brings.

Take care, everyone.