Life with ADHD

THE PALEO DIET

We had another consultation with Dr. Picard on Tuesday. He seems to know what he is talking about and has been doing this for 25 years. He also has many people with great testimonies. The hardest part of treatment he said will be putting her on a special nutritional program. It is called the Paleo Diet. I thought just going gluten free and sugar free was going to be hard. No, this diet is the hardest, and my 4 1/2 year old has to eat this way! Not just until she gets better but this has to be a new way of eating for her for the rest of her life. 

 
Because Harper was not nourished in the womb, by her biological mother, she has some critical things happen during her brain development in uterus. The brain did not develop properly. The left brain and right side of the brain will send mixed signals, thus confusing the brain. She will use her left ear to hear, left eye to see, and left hand but when it comes to her foot, her brain is telling her to use her right foot.

Certain foods will kill brain cells, that which will make her condition stay the same and even make it worst in the future. She also has a leaky gut. This means that certain foods that have nourishment, vitamins and so on cannot stay in her intestines so the body can use it up. When this happens, the nutrients can no longer make it to different parts of the body to build strong, healthy cells. This makes for very poor, weak cells in her body, also allowing her to get sick very easy. (This explains her 5 colds in 3 months, as well as taking her 2 to 3 weeks to get over them!) 

The Paleo Diet is designed to help the leaky gut, the inflammation that is surrounding this part of her body, and hopefully than will help her brain.

The Paleo Diet:

• Lean Meat
• Fruits 
• Vegtables
• Some Nuts

No cereal

No grains

No dairy

No sugar or sugar substitutes

I'll keep you updated on how it goes! I will post some recipes too in my Simple Cooking section when I can. Baby is due this Sunday so we will see if I have time. 

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Liz

Grandma Ruth's Homemade Lasagna

October 12, 2012

My husband graduated from The Culinary Institute of America in 2005, so needless to say, he is a great cook! I, on the other hand, am not that good at cooking or even like to cook. I am a sucker for take-out, pizza, something quick and easy. My mother never taught me how to cook or had me cook meals in the kitchen. 

Culinary Institute of America
 Hyde Park, NY

Going out to eat can be costly and not always great for our health. Now that I am almost 30 years old, with a third child on the way, I have finally decided that it is time to teach myself how to cook! If you find yourself in the same boat I welcome you to join me on my quest to finding simple recipes that taste great and are healthy for the whole family.

Grandma Ruth's Homemade Lasagna

All of our ingredients, spread out on
the table and ready to go!

Harper was super excited
about helping mommy!

Here are the layers from all the good
scrumptious ingredients put together. 

This is the no boil lasagna noodles
and organic sauce we used from meijers. 

Freshly grated mozzarella cheese is in
the background and in the front is
the cottage cheese mixed with 1 egg. 

More Layers!

All ready to go in the oven! 

All Finished!

Grandma Ruth’s Homemade Lasagna

Prep time: 60 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour 45 mins

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 batch of Grandma Ruth’s Spaghetti Sauce (or you can use 2 jars of pre-made)
• 16 oz of Ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 4 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 packages (9 oz each) of no boil Lasagna noodles (flat, not wavy)
• Parsley and garlic powder for dusting the top.

Instructions

1. Make sauce early in the morning and let simmer all day.
2. Cook the combination of Italian sausage and ground beef in a large pan. Drain and set aside.
3. Place Ricotta cheese in a large bowl and add egg. Beat well. Set aside.
4. Shred mozzarella cheese and place in a large bowl. Set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 350 now.
6. Lay out all of these ingredients and a 9×13 lasagna pan in an assembly line on your counter.
7. Ladle 2 cups of sauce into your pan and coat.
8. Take your uncooked lasagna noodles and lay them out over sauce. About 5-6 horizontally and 2 vertically. You do not need to be perfect-I promise you won’t mess up.
9. Take about a cup of ricotta cheese and with a butter knife spread it on top of your noodles.
10. Sprinkle Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top of Ricotta cheese.
11. Sprinkle Italian sausage on top of cheeses.
12. Ladle more sauce on top.
13. Repeat process until pan is filled.
14. Top with Mozzarella cheese, a sprinkle of garlic powder and a garnish of parsley on top.
15. Bake covered for 30 mins, uncover and bake an additional 15 mins until bubbly and lightly browned on top

Grandma Ruth’s Homemade Lasagna

It was so good! Both my girls ate it, even my picky 1 year old eater. This will definitely become a staple in our house. I can't wait to make it again! :)

Enjoy! 

If you are in need of some fresh new recipes please visit Janelle’s blog at Comfy In the Kitchen ! She also has a Feasting In Fellowship Friday Link-Up Party.