Happy Forever Family Anniversary!

Christopher and I ready to come home: Oct. 1, 2011

Today marks the two-year anniversary of Christopher coming to live with me. Happy anniversary little man! Mama loves you!

I remember that day like it was yesterday. My heart was pounding in my chest and I don't think I had slept in a week by that point. I was a single woman who was all the sudden getting a child. I was freaked out!

Christopher was such a sweet, brave little boy. I'll never forget watching him say goodbye to his foster mom after she snapped him safely into his car seat. He cried. She cried. I cried. My heart broke for this little boy who was losing someone he truly loved and who barely knew the person he would now call "mom". I knew that I would give him a great home but he didn't know that yet. I just wanted to hug him and tell him it would all be all right.

There have been a whole lot of ups and downs over the last two years and there have been more than a few times where I wondered if I could do this a minute longer. But I always made it through and here we are on the other side, so much of a stronger family for all our hard work.

I told Christopher that I would buy him a present from Amazon as an anniversary gift. He wants some new Angry Birds action figures, since the dog chewed up his old ones. So since he's asked me about 10 times to go online, I'll go do that now. Have a great night!

Easy Crock Pot Gluten Free Short Ribs

Diets high in protein and no gluten are perfect for kids with ADHD. Even better is the ability to throw everything in the crock pot, turn it on and leave for the day. When you come home, dinner is served!

You'll need:
2 lb container of short ribs
12 ounce container of salsa - I used Gunther's Gourmet Crab Salsa . It provides great flavor
Beef stock

Add short ribs to slow cooker
Pour container of Gunther's Gourmet Salsa over the ribs
Pour in just enough beef stock to cover the ribs
Stir mixture
Turn slow cooker on high
Cook for 5 hours

When your ribs come out, they will be fall off the bone good!

The ADHD Kid Diet

I've decided to medicate my kid (for now at least) to manage his ADHD symptoms. I think he does need it, although the idea of side effects can be scary.

However I would like to do as much as I can for him through simple diet management. The medical community isn't jumping on the diet bandwagon just yet but other moms living with their ADHD-affected kids are finding some things are successful. And I trust them. For example....

Elimination Diets:

I have removed gluten and artificial dyes from Christopher's diet. Since doing so I have noticed a dramatic improvement in his demeanor. Where he used to be violent, he is now much calmer. He used to spin around in circles and slam into people. He couldn't stop himself from hitting, biting and pushing other kids. No one wanted to be around him. And I was at my wit's end.

Once I removed gluten and artificial dye from Christopher's diet, the aggression stopped immediately. It was a god send! However, he can still be a little impulsive. And he will still get over-stimulated and sometimes slam into people. Clearly we're not completely done.

According to WebMD, there are other dietary changes we need to make.

• Eat a high-protein diet, including beans, cheese, eggs, meat, and nuts. Add protein foods in the morning and for after-school snacks, to improve concentration and possibly increase the time ADHD medications work.
• Eat fewer simple carbohydrates, such as candy, corn syrup, honey, sugar, white rice, and potatoes without the skins.
• Eat more complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables and some fruits (including oranges, tangerines, pears, grapefruit, apples, and kiwi). Eating complex carbs at night may aid sleep.
• Eat more omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in tuna, salmon, other cold-water white fish, walnuts, Brazil nuts, and olive and canola oil. Omega-3 fatty acids are also available in supplement form.

So in essence, say no to:

• Gluten 
• Artificial dye
• Candy
• Corn syrup
• Sugar
• White rice
• Potatoes

Say yes to more: 

• Beans 
• Meat
• Nuts
• Oranges
• Tangerines
• Pears
• Grapefruit
• Apples
• Kiwi
• Tuna
• Salmon
• Walnuts
• Brazil nuts
• Olive oil
• Omega-3 supplements

Sounds like I've got a grocery list to make...

Follow me on Pinterest!

I've created 17 boards for tips and tricks on parenting ADHD kids:

• The ADHD Kids Diet
• Kid Approved ADHD Foods
• Christmas for ADHD Kids
• ADHD Diet Information
• ADHD Information
• Mom Treats (Because we moms deserve something sometimes too!)
• ADHD Kids Crafts and Activities
• Thanksgiving for the ADHD Child
• Halloween and the ADHD Child
• Easter and the ADHD Kid
• Recommended Reading for Parenting the ADHD Child
• Crockpot Recipes for ADHD Kids
• The ADHD Birthday Party
• Discipline and the ADHD Child
• The ADHD Kid's School Life
• Natural Remedies for Your ADHD Child
• The ADHD Kid's School Lunch

Come check me out!
http://www.pinterest.com/jackieeecker/

Gluten Free Coconut Granola

This is from a mom, Christine, on one of the mail lists to which I subscribe:

Dry Ingredients
4 cups gluten free old fashioned rolled oats (I order Bob’s Red Mill in bulk from Amazon)
¼ cup coconut flour
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup shredded coconut
¼ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
½ cup water
¼ cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste (Yes, this is a lot – I buy the large bottles of vanilla at Penzeys)

Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl.
Combine wet ingredients in small bowl, pour over dry ingredients. Toss to coat. (Break up any clumps of coconut.)
Bake at 300 on lightly greased (or covered with parchment paper) sheet pan with sides for 45 to 55 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it.
The only tricky part is that you need to stir it every 15 minutes or so or it won’t cook evenly.
If your child will eat nuts, you can add those before baking. If your child will eat Craisins or other dried berries, add those after it cools.

Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup

At least once a month, I will pick up a rotisserie chicken from the local Stop 'n Shop and find a variety of ways to enjoy quick and easy meals all week long.

I love telling my son that when I make homemade chicken noodle soup for him using a rotisserie chicken, that I'm making it with love (as opposed to additives and preservatives from Campbell's).

To make:

My son loves Ancient Harvest Quinoa spaghetti. 

Please note that quinoa spaghetti does need to be cooked for at least 15 minutes to have the same consistency as regular spaghetti. 

While heating the spaghetti, on a separate burner you’ll heat up three cups of organic chicken broth. 

When cooked, add the quinoa spaghetti to the broth along with some mixed vegetables from your freezer and your left-over chicken. You can season with salt, pepper and some Italian seasoning then let the pot simmer for five minutes. Soon you will have a tasty, hearty soup.

Barbara's Classic Gluten Free Cheesecake

Another recipe courtesy of my friend Janine:

Gluten Free Nut Crust Supreme
2 cups Pamela’s Gluten Free Baking Mix
½ cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Spray cheesecake pan lightly with vegetable oil spray. In a medium bowl stir together the flour mix and brown sugar. Cut in the butter until fine crumbs form. Stir in the nuts and pat into your pan. The crust will be “crumbly” but will hold together once pressed into the pan. This will be more than enough for one large cheesecake and perhaps for a second smaller pie. Though it tastes so good on it’s own you may just end up eating it!

Barbara’s Classic Gluten Free Cheesecake
4 – 8 oz bars of gluten free cream cheese, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon gluten free vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix all of the ingredients with a beater until smooth and pour into the unbaked crust. Place in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
While that is baking, prepare the topping.
2 cups gluten free sour cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon of gluten free almond extract
Juice from ½ a lemon


Mix the topping ingredients in a bowl. After the first 30 minutes of baking, remove the cheesecake and spoon the topping onto the cheesecake. Be careful not to overfill the pan. Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes. You may want to place a piece of foil under the cheesecake just to catch any drippings. Cooking times can vary dramatically depending upon the amount of topping you choose to use. Watch to see when it starts to solidify but don’t let it stay in so long that the crust begins to burn.