Autism Diets are Hard: From Corn Free to Vegan and Ancient Grains

So these crazy autism diets are hard. Do you agree?

For a LONG time, I mean for about the last 4 years I was completely and totally and absolutely opposed to these autism diets. I cooked and baked every day. Home cooked meals people. I had a reputation for making delicious food. Just sayin'. Anyways, if it was the food causing autism it wouldn't be my kid with it. He had a home-cooked, sit down dinner every night. It would definitely only be those kids who lived in front of the tv eating McDonald's.

But then... we were dealing with autism. And we couldn't figure out why. So when one day I got a call from a good friend suggesting the corn-free diet I thought I would give it a try. Corn free sounds like no big deal right? No popcorn or corn-on-the-cob and boom you're done. Nope. Try again. It meant NO processed food. None. There was suddenly not one thing I could just go and buy from the store, open and eat right away. It meant cooking everything from fresh, whole ingredients. And I liked the sound of that. So if we needed diced tomatoes, I would buy fresh, whole tomatoes and dice them up. Good bye cans. And if we wanted beans, I would soak some over night. Goodbye chemicals from canned beans. I liked it.

And it worked! I mean my son wasn't cured but he was better! No more throwing himself down the stairs. And really, we all felt better.

So then, when his DAN (defeat autism now) doctor suggested an even more restrictive diet I finally gave in.* But this time instead of just cooking from any whole ingredients we left behind ALL animal products (aka went Vegan in the 30 seconds it took for the doctor to ask us to try it). And also no gluten. Oh! And no yeast. It turns out my sweet boy has leaky gut and we need to fix it. So goodbye sweet delicious breads and whole roasted chickens and chocolate chip cookies. Hello ancient grains and toffuti. (Yes tofutti, not tofu. We still haven't gone there but we do use the tofutti sour cream and cream cheese.) And hello ancient grains that make baked goods into dust. Dust I say! We made chocolate chip cookies out of teff flour the other day that went into the wind when we sneezed. And I want my muffins to be moist and delicious. (Old Golden Girl's reference...anyone? anyone?)

Step one was buying a mill to mill my own flour. I innocently assumed this would allow us to go back to life as normal. I would mill flour and presto! I could make anything I made before. So I ordered this:

AND every ancient grain under the sun.

And please, please, please if you have any good vegan, ancient grains recipes will you send them to me? And if you need any will you please, please, please email me? I will send you our favorites so far. We moms need to help each other out.

So one day I was feeling especially down about this dang diet. My sweet boy was pretty much boycotting any and all food I offered him and he's skinny to begin with. I was having dreams he became wind when I sneezed just like those dang vegan "chocolate chip cookies" dust piles. I was about ready to give up. His food strike worked. And then I made this kamut bread.* And, and, and.... HE ATE IT! Granted, it was smothered in honey but he ate! And I was renewed. (And so was he :) )

So here we are today, still milling and making ancient grains and trying to be vegans. And we could use help. And if you are still reading this, you probably could too! So help me, and let me help you. Share any ideas, recipes, etc. in the comments!



*DAN doctors vs Pediatricians is a WHOLE other post
*I can't find this bread recipe now but if you want it I will find it!


UPDATE!!!
I realized after posting this I HAD to include this to help any of you moms trying to make your way through autism diets:

These will help you! These will be your best friend. They are $5 a bag at my store which is pricey but we use these alot! Throw them in some bread your kids want to smuggle to another country and they might just change their minds!