It has been about 17 days now since we started GAPS and it feels like I've been doing it forever. I really can't wait for the intro to be over with. I'm not even following it exactly, because I don't have avocados readily available. And the other thing that is a bit ridiculous is introducing squash pancakes, with the advice "Start with one a day, and watch for reactions". I want to know which iron-willed mother can manage to feed her kids soup, broth, and veggies for two weeks, and then give them a pancake. One pancake. I'm not that mom. I think Micah had eight pancakes the first time I made them. And was I supposed to then just freeze the whole batch? Anyway, I'm growing impatient with the intro diet. I understand it's purpose, but I really wish I had started it during vacation, because now I can't tell for sure what my kids are reacting to...the new school environment, or the food. Also, I am impatient to just move on and make different foods. I think we're eating too much meat. I can't wait to include salads. I want to have a greater variety of foods, which the intro doesn't really afford.
So my picky eaters at the end of the day are still picky. They are now eating broth without complaints, and in fact, I have difficulties keeping up with the supply, but they're still not eating vegetables unless I disguise them in some way. I'm torn between bribing them to eat, or just following the parenting rule: set the standard and don't engage in arguments. I just read on this website about picky eaters, that if you want to get your kids to eat all foods, just make what you want them to eat, and if they don't, they can choose the consequence, which is feeling hungry. You can explain to them in a loving way that they can either feel full, or they can be hungry, and then you are to not ever engage in any arguments. It's easier said then done, but I like the idea of no meal time terror.
I have to admit though that it is a tremendous amount of cooking, peeling, preparing. I wish I could just go to the store and buy everything ready made, but without all the E's and the sugar in it. I'm also struggling with living in the Netherlands right now. So many things are readily available in the States. The US is a very internet-oriented market. You can find anything online. The Netherlands is certainly better than Switzerland when it comes to online shopping, but it's still not like the US. So many things that I could get there, I can't have them here without crazy shipping costs, or they don't even export them. It's not that they don't have organic everything here, it's just that it's harder to find. Also, I'm very busy at the moment now because the publishing company that I work for publishes their annual Equestrian yearbook in October, and so I have to go in to work every day, and work evenings. At the same time, I have to cook for about 3-5 hours a day, start up the Son-Rise program for Ezra, find and interview workers, and try to spend some quality time with the kids.
To be honest I thought they would be less obsessed with food now that they're off carbs, but just the opposite is true. Instead of coming home and playing, they trail me around the kitchen asking me every two seconds what's for dinner, can I have a snack, I want this, I want that. That's why I'm happy to let them eat at school. Their teachers even report that they eat everything I pack for them. Ha! Today the mom that stays at school when they eat lunch even told me that they had to laugh at the amount of food I pack for Micah. Apparently all the other kids get two slices of bread and one slice of meat for lunch, and that's it. But Micah is eating it all. I do know that no matter how much they complain about being hungry or wanting snacks, they are getting a ton of calories, and about 150% more nutrients than before. Still, not gonna lie, I don't care for the cooking and the planning. Anyway, that said, this recipe takes about 4 minutes to prepare, and the kids love it, so I like that.
Recipe Chick-zza:
The crust is made out of ground up chicken, cauliflower, salt, and onions. Interestingly enough it doesn't taste like any of those ingredients. If you want to recreate this: just take a dinner plate. 1/2 of the plate should be chicken, 1/4 onions, and 1/4 cauliflower. You can use any vegetable you like, but cauliflower gives it the right consistency and color to fake a pizza look. For the tomato sauce I just blended up canned organic tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and two cloves of garlic. Decorate with anything you feel belongs on a pizza and is GAPS legal. Put in the oven for about 15-20 minutes. Done.
No comments:
Post a Comment