8

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX OF MAC ‘N’ CHEESE

Convenience Foods Can Cost You Your Child’s Health

(18 TO 24 MONTHS)

Between 18 and 24 months, your child might be able to express what he would like to eat. Also, toddlers are realizing their independence and need to have a sense that they are in control, even if it means simply being able to pick the apple over the banana. If you have provided only PURE and Super POWER foods, you can easily trust that his body knows what he needs and allow him to choose.

As we’ll discuss, the foods you choose to feed your child at this age will impact health on many levels—not only physical, but mental and emotional as well. Providing adequate ingredients from nutritious foods is the recipe for a healthy, happy child! This fourth pillar (nutritious) of Super Nutrition will help steer your child through his next exciting milestones.

Dietary Influences on Tantrums and the Terrible Twos

Tantrums are expected and even somewhat accepted in childhood. Even in older children, behavioral issues, attention, mood, anxiety, and learning problems are also starting to seem quite normal. However, as we’ll explain, diet can impact your child’s mood, attention span, ability to follow directions, and how he manages his emotions. How much of children’s “bad” behavior today is due to “bad” diet? Too much!

Diet can either contribute to mood and behavioral problems, or it can ameliorate—or even prevent—them. The typical toddler daily menu includes a breakfast of cereal or snack bars and juice or milk; a lunch of a white bread sandwich with jelly and sweetened peanut butter or a prepackaged meal, a cookie, and a juice box; snacks consist of cheesy grain-based crackers, chips, or “fruit” chews; and a dinner of pizza or pasta, accompanied by either juice or chocolate milk, and lastly dessert. This is a veritable diet of drinks and drugs! As such, behavior, mood, attention, and physical health are all negatively impacted.

Rather than being hardwired problems or just part of your child’s personality, many mood and behavioral issues stem from excessive sugar, sugar-sensitive responses, or sensitivities to chemicals, such as dyes and preservatives. As reported in the Journal of Attention Disorders, sugar and other processed foods have direct effects on children’s mental health.

We urge you to just say no to the drunken and drugged diet of typical toddlers. Highly processed sugar and refined-grain-based foods impact brain chemicals the very same way that street drugs, prescription drugs, and alcohol do.

HOOKED ON BAD-BEHAVIOR FOODS. The foods in typical toddler diets are habit-forming; kids become biochemically dependent on their drug-like foods. This is partly why your toddler vies (and cries) for sugary or flour-based foods. By giving in to these pleas, though, you act as an enabler.

DRUNKEN/DRUGGED DIETARY CONSTITUENT	WHAT IT CREATES	DRUG(S) THE EFFECTS MIMIC
Poorly digested grains	Dietary opiates, excitotoxins, and endocannabinoids	Morphine, heroin, and marijuana
Poorly digested pasteurized milk	Dietary opiates, excitotoxins, and endocannabinoids	Morphine, heroin, and marijuana
Sugar	Dopamine	Cocaine
Sugar	Endorphins	Morphine, opium, and heroin
Sugar	Feeds yeast (by-products are ethanol and acetylaldehyde)	Brain inebriation like alcoholic beverages
Sugar	Adrenaline and norephinephrine	Methamphetamine
Artificial sweeteners (aspartame), flavor enhancers (MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein), preservatives (carrageenan)	GABA, glutamate	Marijuana

ADDITIVES MAKE FOR A TROUBLED CHILDHOOD. Further sapping the nutrient quality of foods are the unnatural ingredients used to extend shelf life, affect “mouthfeel,” make fake food’s color or flavor more appealing, etc. These chemical additives can lead to hyperactivity and impact mood. By removing additives, you can help your child be calm, content, and able to concentrate rather than irritable, distracted, and hyperactive.

POOR DIET LEADS TO DISORDER DIAGNOSES. Both additives and sugar in typical toddler foods can significantly alter normal moods and behavior, leading to diagnoses of conditions such as attention deficit disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, learning disabilities, anger issues, anxiety, and even depression. For this reason, we suggest a trial of dietary intervention before turning to prescription drugs for treatment.

The Typical Toddler Diet

It is common to see toddlers eating predominantly highly processed “kid foods,” including prepackaged meals, macaroni and cheese, microwavable dinners, fast food, juice, and even soda pop. In September 2015, CBS reported that, “About one-third of U.S. children and teens eat pizza or other fast food every day” [emphasis added]. While most parents would agree that this is not an optimal diet, many think “treats” and junk food in moderation is just fine, as they don’t want to deprive their children. But this is not moderation! On the contrary, depriving your kids of this CRAP food is gifting them with better brain biochemistry and a better chance at overall optimized health.

While most toddlers are subsisting on CRAP foods, even those parents who focus on healthier foods can still end up with undernourished children. “Health” foods such as sweetened yogurt, whole-grain cereal, tofu, rice milk, probiotic-enriched juice, organic cereal bars, and low-fat foods are often just CRAP food in disguise and can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies and health and behavioral problems. Most are not nutrient-rich foods for growing children.

Many of the foods in toddlers’ diets (such as whole grains and soy products) contain naturally occurring “antinutrients” that block digestion, absorption, conversion, and utilization of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and hormones. Such foods, served under the guise of sustenance, can actually lead to nutrient deficiencies. They can also irritate the intestines, leading to tummy trouble like diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, gas/flatulence, bloating, and constipation.

A BETTER WAY TO NOURISH YOUR TODDLER

By avoiding processed foods, you will maintain your child’s preferences for nutritious foods, creating a lifetime of good habits. The following are some other ways to protect your child’s nutrition.

DON’T SWITCH TO SKIM FOR THE SAKE OF LOW FAT. Low-fat milk is processed milk. While the AAP and USDA dietary guidelines recommend switching from whole milk to low-fat at 2 years old, this move deprives your child of important fat-soluble activators (vitamins D, K, and A) in their natural form, as well as important protective constituents found in whole milk. Studies have shown that fat, particularly in milk, is protective against rickets, osteoporosis, other mineral-deficiency diseases, arthritis, joint pain, atherosclerosis, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. (See here.)

DO FATS RIGHT. The easiest way to get the right fats, in the correct amounts and ratios, is to let Nature take care of it for you. Use animal-based foods that have been pasture raised because their fats will be appropriately proportioned. When using plant fats, choose coconut and red-palm oil as well as limited fruit oils such as cold-pressed olive oil and avocado oil. Occasional use of unrefined nut and seed oils, such as walnut and sesame seed oils, is fine. Small amounts of flaxseed oil can be used, though don’t overdo, as polyunsaturated oils, even those with ALA (an EPA and DHA precursor) should be kept to a minimum (around 4% of fat intake), and should never be heated or cooked. Avoiding processed foods will minimize exposure to unhealthy vegetable oils.

CREATE CARB SAFETY BY KNOCKING OUT ANTINUTRIENTS. Historically, traditional cultures purposefully prepared grains, nuts, beans, and seeds before consuming them, spending significant time to soak, ferment, sprout, and leaven these foods. By doing so, they improved digestion and gut health; reduced gas, cramps, and intestinal irritation; and ultimately improved overall energy and decreased allergies and diseases. Such traditional preparation enhances digestibility by neutralizing antinutrients and increasing enzyme activity. It also increases nutrition worth by increasing beneficial bacteria, nutrient content, and availability.

At this age, your baby’s digestive system can handle some grains. To make those grains (as well as seeds, beans, and nuts) the most nutritious and least irritating and inflammatory requires special, traditional preparation (see here and recipes in this chapter).

DEEP DIVE INTO WHOLE GRAIN PREPARATION

Specially prepared grains that are organic and gluten free can occasionally be given to your child between 18 and 21 months of age and more commonly after 2 years. The following preparation methods make them the most nutritious and digestible.

SOAKING: This simple process involves soaking grains (or beans) in enough water to cover with 2 tablespoons (28 g or 28 ml) of something acidic—plain yogurt, kefir, vinegar, or lemon juice—overnight (or about 7 to 24 hours) at room temperature. The soaking liquid should then be drained and discarded, in most cases. Soaking allows ubiquitous lactobacilli and enzymes to neutralize antinutrients, like phytic acid.

FERMENTING: This method involves the use of beneficial yeasts and bacteria to predigest starches and sugars in food, producing greater enzyme activity, more beneficial bacteria, lactic acid, vitamin K2, and an easier-to-digest food. The most commonly recognized example of fermented grains is sourdough bread.

SPROUTING OR GERMINATING: Seeds (including grains) are sprouted or germinated using a moist, warm environment over a few days, allowing the seed to “believe” all conditions have been met to finally grow. When this occurs, their natural defense mechanisms dissipate—antinutrients, digestive blockers, and irritants are neutralized; enzyme content and nutrient content both increase, as well. Sprouts coming out of the seed can often be clearly seen.

LEAVENING: Natural leavening, or slow rising, is an ancient custom using fermenting “starters.” This time-tested custom was lost with the advent of commercial yeast leaveners. Natural leavening also serves to neutralize harmful antinutrients in grains.

First, focus on whole grains. Whole grains from nature come with a “whole” package of nutrients and thus are far less disruptive to the body than refined grains. Then consider variety. Our society relies heavily on wheat and corn as our staple grains, and both are highly allergenic, especially when eaten frequently. Many other grains such as amaranth, quinoa, teff, millet, sorghum, and buckwheat (a fruit) provide an array of nutrients, don’t contain gluten, and can be less irritating to the gut.

Instead of basing meals on grains, make grains a garnish or small side dish. The healthiest meals are based on protein, fats, vegetables, and greens—with fruit and nuts as dessert.

A Low-Fat, Grown-Up Diet Is Not Best for Kids

At your child’s 2-year checkup, his doctor may stress the importance of grains, fruits, and vegetables while avoiding animal fats. Avoiding animal fats and animal proteins means that vegetable oils will be the predominant fats in your toddler’s new diet. But plant-based oils such as vegetable (soy), corn, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, and canola are man-made, processed oils, with unhealthy omega fatty acid proportions, are highly processed and therefore damaged, and are inflammatory. They also lack cholesterol, which, as we discussed in chapter 4, is critical for your toddler’s brain development and gut health, and they lack nutrients and specific fatty acids found uniquely in animal fats.

Consuming too much vegetable oil of any kind can cause organs and systems to flounder. These highly polyunsaturated fats cause inflammation and internal body “rusting” and aging. These vegetable oils are mostly made up of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids. Because we all need a healthy balance between omega-3s and omega-6s, focusing primarily on vegetable oils means your toddler’s fat ratio will be out of balance. This imbalance can disrupt cellular communication and can result in neurologic and psychological issues—aka: big-time health problems. To sum up, Williams Sears, M.D., and Martha Sears, R.N, succinctly state in The N.D.D. (Nutrition Deficit Disorder) Book, “The healthier the fats, the healthier the cell membrane, the healthier the child.” Your child also gets these inflammatory fats by eating factory-farmed meats, as the animals are fed soy and corn (high in unhealthy omega-6s). Fat from grass-fed animals and wild-caught fish are higher in health-promoting omega-3s.

Oils higher in plant-based omega-3 (alpha linolenic acid [ALA], the EPA and DHA precursor), specifically perilla oil, as opposed to omega-6 (linoleic acid [LA]), such as safflower oil, were shown to result in fewer kidney, mammary gland, and colon tumors, as published in Carcinogenesis.

Not all omega-6s are bad for you, though, depending on their source and quantity. Chickpeas (garbanzo beans), nuts, borage oil, black currant seed, mom’s milk, and evening primrose oil are sources of the particular kinds of omega-6s (arachidonic acid [AA] vs. linoleic acid [LA]) fats that are healthy in small amounts.

Experts, like Judy Converse (Special-Needs Kids Eat Right), R.D., warn that high intake of vegetable oils (with unhealthy omega-6s) are associated with:

Poor school performance

Problems in autistic and ADHD children

Misbehaviors: impulsive, aggressive, and angry

Mood swings: sad, angry outbursts; anxiety; and aggression

Dyspraxia (poor gross motor coordination)

Vision problems: decreasing acuity, dry eyes

Skin: dry, flaky, scaly “chicken skin”

Allergies: asthma, hay fever

“-itis” illnesses: dermatitis, bronchitis, colitis, and arthritis

Dyslexia

Poor learning (in animal studies)

As the word is spreading that polyunsaturated fat is now scientifically recognized as very dangerous to overall health, large agribusiness companies are pushing hybridized and genetically modified “high-oleic” breeds of seeds, such as safflower and sunflower, resulting in higher monounsaturated than polyunsaturated levels. Yes, monounsaturated and saturated fats together should make up 95%+ of your fat intake, with polyunsaturated below 5%, so on the surface, this seems like a good idea. However, these newfangled oils come from chemical forms of hybridization or genetic engineering, and they are products of heavy processing, resulting in a highly processed, chemical laden, free-radical-filled, and rancid end product that causes systemic inflammation on many levels. Better oils are always those that are cold-pressed, unrefined, organic, non-GMO, and virgin, such as olive and coconut oils. One study in the Journal of Nutrition demonstrated that high-oleic safflower oil (with and without vitamin E administration) pitted against coconut oil yielded “significantly more tumors than did the coconut oil group.”

TRANS FATS. When hydrogenated, liquid oils are forced into solids at room temperature (think shortening or margarine). Hydrogenation causes polyunsaturated fatty acids (like those found in vegetable oils) to change on a molecular level, and they become trans fats. Of all fats, the man-made molecular monsters called trans fats are unequivocally the most unhealthy fats. They increase risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer; they cause inflammation and lead to obesity, infection, and illness. Further, babies born to moms who eat a diet high in trans fats have lower birth weights and their moms’ milk is poorer in brain-building quality than that of moms who do not consume trans fats.

“GMO” COULD ALSO STAND FOR GENETICALLY MODIFIED OIL

Today’s popular vegetable oils are also mostly made from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which is yet another reason to avoid them. Soy, corn, canola (a man-made oil that stands for Canada Oil Low Acid), and cottonseed oils are genetically modified. Oils labeled simply “vegetable oil” are soy-based. (For more information on soy and GMOs, see chapter 3.) Almost all oils used at fast-food joints, restaurants, cafeterias, schools, amusement parks, movie theaters, and other places from which you purchase ready-to-eat food are vegetable oils, so know that you are selecting GMO and inflammatory, damaged, risky oils as part of that plate.

TAKE THE SUGAR OUT, PUT THE PROTEIN, VEGETABLES, AND FAT IN

In her book Little Sugar Addicts: End the Mood Swings, Meltdowns, Tantrums, and Low Self-Esteem in Your Child Today, Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D., pioneer and expert in the field of addictive nutrition, shares the straightforward relationship: Food affects feelings and feelings affect behavior. She writes, “Changing your child’s food can give you back his sweet and loving side.” Avoiding refined flour and sweeteners, while also regularly including protein with vegetables (avoiding carb-only meals or snacks), “can help … [children] focus, contribute to weight loss, alter blood sugar levels, eliminate mood swings, and defuse rage.” Defusing rage with loving embraces and distraction is particularly important in young toddlers who can’t express emotions well.

CONTROL MOODS WITH MINI-MEALS

Going too long without food can negatively impact hormones and brain chemicals. Dr. DesMaisons warns in Little Sugar Addicts: “Junk foods, soda … and missed meals activate the worst of what sugar sensitivity sets up.” The drop in blood sugar resulting from a missed meal or snack can lead to a meltdown.

Though it’s best to avoid constant grazing, children are in need of more frequent meals and snack intervals than adults (children are typically hungry every 3 hours or so). According to Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D., in Digestive Wellness, “Small, frequent meals keep children’s energy levels even and their minds alert. Snacking reduces the incidence of children’s tantrums.”

However, snacking does not mean giving your child treats and processed foods. Better than thinking of them as snacks—too often associated with “treats”—think of them as “mini-meals,” composed of animal protein, animal fat, and natural fiber-filled carbohydrates. Mini-meals are often parents’ biggest challenge, as generally, the go-to snacks are refined flour based—and sugar filled.

Instead, try those listed below:

Pemmican (a meat-based “power bar,” see recipe).

Liverwurst with cucumber and avocado slices

Homemade nut butter (see recipe) with celery

Raw cheese chunks and apple slices

Raw yogurt and diced pears, peaches, or apricots

Sardines or anchovies with a few berries

Deviled eggs and carrots

Olives or pickles with leftover meat

Old-fashioned mayo salads (see recipe)

Decay and the Dentist

At 2 years old, it is typically time for your baby’s first trip to the dentist! Although cavities and fillings are a very common part of childhood, humans are the only species with such rates of dental decay. For children, 1 in nearly 4 develop cavities in their primary teeth, according to the CDC, and 3 out of every 5 children ages 12 to 19 years old have cavities in permanent teeth.

Diet is a significant part of what causes tooth decay, and the dietary element that is worst for teeth is, of course, sugar. Studies from the Journal of Dental Research show that sugar feeds cavity-causing bacteria and pulls nutrients away from the outer portions of the teeth, making them malnourished and weak.

TODAY’S TEETH STARVE FOR MINERALS

Minerals are the building blocks of strong bones and teeth. Modern foods are mineral poor because the soil in which they grow has become nutrient depleted. Compared to nutrient values in food five decades ago, broccoli now has half the calcium and cauliflower has only 60% of the vitamin C. Without these nutrients, our teeth and bones suffer. The importance of minerals reaches beyond dental health, as teeth are “windows” to the rest of the body: When dental health deteriorates, so does overall health.

Of the few minerals children do get in their diets, many of them aren’t usable. This is because minerals can only be used if “activated.” They need specific fat-soluble vitamins to assist them: vitamins, A, D3, and K2, found in pastured-animal foods, fats, and seafood. Lacto-fermented food and drinks are the magic mineral activators.

A RECIPE FOR HEALTHY TEETH

Just as a diet based on Super Nutrition protects your child’s body, it also protects his teeth. Studies in the Journal of Dental Research report that protein consumption does not lead to dental decay, because it doesn’t feed the bacteria that cause cavities (nor does it disrupt minerals) as refined carbohydrates do.

According to the ADA, “Tooth decay occurs when foods containing carbohydrates (sugars and starches) such as milk, pop, raisins, cakes or candy are frequently left on the teeth. Bacteria that live in the mouth thrive on these foods, producing acids as a result. Over a period of time, these acids destroy tooth enamel, resulting in tooth decay.”

Dental-health research experts, including Dr. Edward Mellan and Dr. Weston Price, have found that in addition to consumption of too much refined sugar, lack of minerals (particularly calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus), lack of fat-soluble-activating vitamins (A, D, K2, and E, but particularly vitamin D), and too much phytic acid (from grains and legumes) results in tooth decay.

Our Super Nutrition program eliminates refined and excessive sugar intake, highlights mineral-rich and fat-soluble vitamin content, and describes how to avoid or neutralize phytic acid and other antinutrients. Additionally, this program highlights the value of natural fats: saturated, monounsaturated, and limited polyunsaturated (the latter being predominantly body-ready omega-3s [EPA and DHA] and a little bit of arachidonic omega-6).

MOM-TO-MOM

With concern for dental health, doctors typically start recommending fluoride supplementation for babies at 6 months. We strongly disagree. As discussed here, fluoride is a known neurotoxin that can harm brain function. Paul Connett, Ph.D., toxicologist and environmental chemist, states, “A variety of studies … have indicated that in communities with higher levels of fluoride, children have lower IQs.”

A 2017 study out of Mexico that spanned 12 years further indicates that fluoride should be avoided even in pregnancy, as those with higher prenatal exposure to fluoride were more likely to have children with lower IQs.

Notably, dietary fat protects teeth! Researchers state that “most [diet and cavity] studies … indicate that the effect of [fats and] oils is to reduce cavities” [emphasis added]. Fats coat the teeth and prevent acid from eating away at enamel, while also facilitating tooth mineralization (vitamins that activate mineralization are fat-soluble, needing dietary fat to be effective).

According the National Institutes of Health, “Building your children’s ‘bone bank’ account is a lot like saving for their education: The more they can put away when they’re young, the longer it should last as they get older.” Building strong teeth, bones, and bodies relies on minerals and their fat-soluble activators vitamins D3, A, and K2.

Regularly feeding your child foods rich in minerals and fat-soluble activators, while avoiding foods that deplete minerals and create imbalances (sugar, soy, unprepared whole grains, white flour, and vegetable fats), translates into a great investment in your baby’s health account.

MOM-TO-MOM

The good news is that it is possible to heal teeth. You can reverse cavities naturally by removing all refined sugar and refined grains, eliminating phytic acid, and consuming cod liver oil, raw dairy (specifically, yogurt and ghee), and fat-soluble vitamin- and mineral-rich foods. In a study published in the British Medical Journal, nearly all cavities were healed in a small test group of children who ate a grain-free diet and took vitamin D. Ramiel Nagel’s book Cure Tooth Decay: Heal and Prevent Cavities with Nutrition describes a process based on Weston A. Price’s program, which proved to be 90% to 95% or more effective in remineralizing tooth cavities utilizing only nutritional improvements in the diet.

Though healing cavities is entirely possible with diligence and discipline, it is far better to prevent cavities before they start, with Super Nutrition.

Recipes That Go Beyond Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Grain-based foods can expand the diet and menu for your toddler. The recipes we provide are healthy ways to incorporate these foods into your child’s diet. We offer advice on how to prepare whole grains and whole-grain flours before using them in recipes, and these suggestions might—at first—seem daunting and too time-consuming. This method of cooking does take some forethought, but know that you are providing the best, most digestible and nutrient-rich foods for your growing toddler that won’t have the harmful repercussions of “regular” toddler diets.

Always try new recipes twice. Sometimes the first time is just a trial run and the second time is a smashing success.

FEEDING AT 18 TO 21 MONTHS

Between 18 and 21 months, you can introduce gluten-free grains, raw greens, and higher-fiber raw vegetables. For a more complete list of acceptable foods at this age, see the Food Introduction Timeline.

FEEDING AT 21 TO 24 MONTHS

Between 21 and 24 months, you can introduce properly prepared gluten grains, properly prepared legumes, and shellfish. For a more complete list of acceptable foods at this age, see the Food Introduction Timeline.

WHOLE GRAIN PREPARATION

Cooking and fermentation increase protein content in grains and support removal of antinutrients (including polyphenols, phytic acid, and tannins); however, antinutrients in grains are best removed, while nutrition is best enhanced, through leavening, fermentation, soaking, or sprouting. Enhancing digestibility and nutrient value through these techniques speak to the pillars of our program.

GRAINS

1 cup (about 80 g) whole grains (these will look like seeds or kernels and can be found at health food stores or online)

2 cups (475 ml) warm/room temperature water

2 tablespoons (28 g) plain yogurt or (28 ml) lemon juice, raw vinegar, or whey (see Homemade Raw Dairy Whey)

Combine the ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl. Stir the mixture. Cover and leave at room temperature for 7 to 24 hours.

Either prepare immediately in whole form (see Notes) or drain and dry for later grinding into flour (see directions at right).

YIELD: About 1 cup (236 g)

FLOUR

Drain soaked grains and dry with a dehydrator or on paper towel–lined cookie sheets (changing the paper towel several times). You can also use the lowest setting in your oven or toaster oven (150 to 170°F [66 to 77°C]).

Store completely dried grains in a glass container in the refrigerator or cool pantry.

To make flour, grind the dried grains fresh in a coffee grinder, grain mill, or Vitamix to yield the amount of flour you need for a recipe.

YIELD: About 2 cups (250 g)

NOTES

Whole quinoa does well in beanless chili: Soak 1 cup (173 g) quinoa in 3 cups (700 ml) water with 1 tablespoon (15 g) yogurt, (15 ml) whey, kefir, vinegar, or lemon juice for 12 to 24 hours. Rinse and drain. In 2 cups (475 ml) Souper Stock; to further increase nutrient content), bring the quinoa to a boil and then simmer, covered, for an hour. Mix with ground beef, garlic, a pinch of chili pepper, and cooked onion, zucchini, stewed tomatoes, and other vegetables of your choosing.

Whole millet makes a nice casserole-style accompaniment to meat: After soaking (as described above), drain, replace with fresh water or Souper Stock, and bring to a boil; then cover tightly and simmer for 45 minutes. Add butter and sea salt to taste.

MOM-TO-MOM

To make whole grains more practical, we advise soaking, drying, and then storing them as a project for one weekend per month. When a recipe calls for flour, this pre-prepared whole grain can simply be ground in a coffee grinder in a matter of seconds and ready for the recipe.

DEEP DIVE ON PHYTIC ACID

Phytate, or phytic acid, is the main storage form of phosphorus and is found in plant tissues, including beans, seeds, nuts, grains, and tubers. This bound form of phosphorus isn’t useful (except to multi-stomached animals, like many herbivores). This form of phosphorus also binds very easily with minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc, which renders them unusable by the body. Further, phytic acid hinders enzymes’ ability to digest food, by inhibiting pepsin in the stomach and trypsin in the small intestine (both are required for protein digestion, and as we mention elsewhere, undigested proteins are allergenic proteins!), and blocks amylase, which digests starches.

STORE-BOUGHT FLOUR PREPARATION

Flour that is ground just before use in a recipe is ultimately most nutritious. Once ground, grain begins to oxidize and lose nutrients; therefore, grocery store flour, even if whole grain, is not as ideal. In many cases, however, the convenience of purchasing already-ground whole-grain flour is necessary.

Kamut, spelt, and whole-grain wheat flour can be used, but because they contain gluten, they are better postponed until 2 years of age. Gluten-free, organic flours are best.

11/3 cups (about 160 g) purchased whole-grain flour (millet, brown rice, sorghum, teff, tigernut)

1/2 cup (120 ml) water or raw milk or 1/2 cup (115 g) raw yogurt (if using raw milk or yogurt, omit tablespoon below)

1 tablespoon (15 g) yogurt or (15 ml) whey, vinegar, or lemon juice

Stir the ingredients together in a glass bowl. Leave to soak overnight, covered, at room temperature. Use in the morning or store in the refrigerator for use later that day or possibly the next.

YIELD: About 1 cup (235 ml)

NOTES

Use this “wet” flour, measure for measure, in recipes for crepes, pancakes, muffins, and more.

You might need to reduce the liquid called for in your recipe, as the prepared-flour mixture will contain liquid.

MOM-TO-MOM

This might go without saying, but never should babies or children consume soda pop. It contains toxins (mineral-leaching, bone-weakening phosphorus), colorings, and excessive sweeteners with no nutritional value. Displacing calories or food/beverages with soda is a major disservice to your child and the intensity of sweetness will alter his or her palate and appreciation for Nature’s sweets.

SIMPLE BACON BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Brussels, Belgium, is the namesake of this cruciferous vegetable that is cousin to broccoli, cauliflower, and kale and looks like cabbage’s baby brother. When cooked with fat, almost any other flavor can be added to make Brussels sprouts delicious. And, cooking makes them more nutritious; according to The Journal of Nutrition (2001), indole is an organic compound formed in cruciferous veggies when they’re cooked. Indole is great because it helps destroy precancerous cells before they proliferate.

1/2 pound (225 g) organic, pasture-raised bacon

1 pound (455 g) Brussels sprouts, quartered (or food processed, depending on your baby’s needs)

1/2 cup (120 ml) bacon grease/drippings

Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5). Bake the bacon on a basic broiler pan (stainless steel is preferred) in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the bacon once.

While the bacon is cooking, quarter the Brussels sprouts.

Remove the bacon and the top of the broiler pan and set aside. Add the quartered Brussels sprouts to the bacon drippings directly in the bottom of the broiler pan.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until crispy.

Dice the bacon and sprinkle over the cooked Brussels sprouts. Season with salt and pepper.

YIELD: 2 cups (256 g)

MOM-TO-MOM

Avoid nitrates and nitrites. Found in most processed meat products, nitrates and nitrites convert to potent carcinogens called nitrosamines. Read ingredients and avoid food with “sodium nitrate.” Since toxic nitrosamines can form in certain cooked foods during storage, don’t store and reheat dishes of nonorganic carrots, beets, turnips, and spinach. Fortunately, lacto-fermented foods and Souper Stock neutralize nitrosamines!

RICE AND BEANS PREPARATION

Though rice is low in mineral-blocking phytic acid, it is still a grain and can be made more digestible and nutritious through sprouting or soaking or a lengthened cook time before eating. Organic whole-grain rice can be short, medium, or long grain and should be colorful (not white): black, wild, or brown.

RICE PREPARATION

1 cup (185 g) long-grain, brown, black, or wild rice

2 cups filtered water

1 tablespoon (15 ml) whey, vinegar, lemon juice, or (15 g) raw yogurt

2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee, coconut oil, or other pastured animal fat

2 cups (475 ml) Souper Stock

Combine the rice, water, and whey in a bowl. Stir. Cover and leave to sit on the counter overnight.

Drain and rinse.

In a skillet, sauté the rice in the fat and continuously stir the rice and ghee over medium-low heat. When the rice and liquid are cloudy, add the Souper Stock. Bring to a soft boil and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. (Or follow cooking directions from the rice packaging, using Souper Stock in place of water.)

Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 2 hours.

To create resistant starch, which acts more as fiber than starch, cool the cooked rice for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat batches to consume immediately.

Optional: Add 1 tablespoon (7 g) gelatin to the Souper Stock.

YIELD: 3 cups (495 g)

NOTES

TruRoots brand is available at health food stores and is already germinated (sprouted). You can simply follow the package directions or grind into sprouted brown rice flour.

Riced cauliflower can be used in place of rice in most recipes calling for rice.

Rice or cauliflower can be used in a chicken curry recipe with coconut and green apple chutney. Use 3/4 pound (340 g) cooked chicken, 3 cups (585 g) prepared rice or (300 g) riced cauliflower with 3 tablespoons (42 g) ghee, 2 teaspoons turmeric, minced garlic, chopped onion, and sea salt to taste; mix 1 cup (235 ml) Souper Stock with 1 cup (235 ml) coconut cream or milk with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari sauce (gluten-free, fermented soy sauce) for the sauce. Make the chutney with sulfite-free dried mulberries, chopped green apple, chopped pear, and unsulfured, unsweetened, shredded coconut to total 2 cups (500 g). Serve the chicken and rice with sauce, topped with chutney.

BEAN PREPARATION

1 cup (weight will vary) beans of choice (split pea, kidney, navy, etc.)

2 to 3 tablespoons (28 to 45 ml) whey, vinegar, lemon juice, or (15 to 45 g) raw yogurt

2 cups (475 ml) filtered water

In a bowl, soak the beans in the whey and water (as specified below, as per type of bean).

Rinse and drain. Cook in a slow cooker for 4 to 8 hours in enough water to cover the beans; beans will be ready to eat after 4 hours but can be cooked longer (which might make digestion easier).

NOTES

Black, brown, white, and kidney beans, soak for 18 to 24 hours.

Lentils, soak for 10 hours.

Fava beans, soak for 10 hours (be sure to discard the liquid and remove the outer skin of the fava beans before using in a recipe).

Dried and split peas, best soaked for 10 hours with a pinch of baking soda.

SPROUTING GRAINS AND BEANS

In addition to the soaking method of preparation, grains and beans can be sprouted. Sprouts are very healthy in that their nutrient content and digestability are vastly increased in sandwiches, porridges, casseroles, and more.

Revisit the nut and seed sprouting directions shown here, following these guidelines: Wheat, rye, and barley, rinse 2 to 3 times per day for 3 to 4 days; buckwheat, rinse 2 to 3 times per day for 2 days; kidney, lima, and black beans, rinse 3 to 4 times per day for 3 days; lentils, rinse 3 times per day for 2 to 3 days.

Most grains and beans will develop tiny sprouts when germination has been successful. When sprouted, store in the refrigerator.

MOM-TO-MOM

“Sneak” Super POWER foods into what you’re serving to get your kids to eat foods that will really impact their nutrition: Use Souper Stock in rich sauces over meats or when cooking rice. Include fish roe in egg dishes or minced-meat salads. Add extra eggs and gelatin in pancakes and other homemade baked goods, and grate organ meats into ground beef.

◁ MOM’S NUTRITIOUS MUFFINS (M’N’MS)

These are not the M’n’Ms you are thinking of—these can be served to kids as snacks with best intentions and healthy results. Warm and slather with ghee or grass-fed butter for a weekend morning breakfast, or for a late evening treat! Make a big batch and freeze them for later.

2 cups (weight will vary) flour of choice, freshly ground preferred

1 tablespoon (15 g) raw yogurt, (15 ml) whey, or (15 ml) apple cider vinegar

2 cups (475 ml) coconut milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup (86 g) unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons (28 g) ghee or coconut oil

1/3 cup (73 g) stewed apples and pears (refer to First Fruit Sauces recipe)

1 pear, coarsely chopped

2 apples, coarsely chopped

The night before baking, in a bowl, soak the flour with the yogurt and coconut milk.

The next day, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour mixture, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, coconut, and sea salt. Set aside.

Mix the egg, vanilla extract, and melted ghee with the stewed apples and pears. Stir into the flour mixture and fold in the chopped fruit. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Spoon the mixture into a greased or lined muffin pan. Bake for 25 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy the muffins warm or at room temperature.

Refrigerate in a tightly sealed container and reheat to enjoy later. You can store in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

YIELD: 20 mini muffins

VARIATION

Add nuts to the existing recipe or try adding blueberries, banana, shredded carrot, or sweet potato.

NOTE

If you add 2 tablespoons (28 ml) of additional fat, the batter can be preapared as waffles, frozen, and then toasted for a quick, healthy treat.

◁ NACHOS, GUAC, AND SALSA

Having “treat” meals for special occasions adds variety and fun to the family menu. Typical nachos can serve up GMOs, refined flour, rBGH cheese, and sugared salsa. However, Super Nutrition nachos pack in sprouted grains, raw cheese, enzyme-rich guacamole, and lacto-fermented salsa.

NACHO CHIPS

1 package (8 ounces, 224 g) sprouted corn tortillas

1/2 cup (120 ml) red palm oil or melted ghee or coconut oil

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Cut the tortillas into wedges, wide strips, or quarters and fry in preheated oil; the oil must be hot and sizzle when sprinkled with water. Turn the tortillas over in the oil until crisp. Remove and place in mesh/wire strainer or on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle the chips with sea salt.

YIELD: 4 to 5 servings

NOTES

If buying premade corn chips, look for corn that was treated with lime or where the ingredients say “masa” flour—masa indicates the corn flour was nixtamalized, which prevents B3 deficiency or pellagra.

These are fun, but be cautious of the crispy chips breaking once bitten and having sharp edges for your toddler. Gauge when your child is ready to try these based on other foods being consumed. If chips aren’t ideal, avoid them and add cooked meat or chicken and salsa to the guacamole for spoon-feeding.

GUACAMOLE

2 ripe avocados

2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup (40 g) diced onion, optional

1/4 cup (45 g) diced tomato, optional

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

Peel, quarter, and mash the avocados. Stir in the sea salt and garlic. Add the onion and tomato, if using. Squeeze the lemon or lime juice over the avocado mixture and stir.

Serve immediately or cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for 2 to 6 hours.

YIELD: 11/2 cups (338 g)

LACTO-FERMENTED SALSA

1 to 2 large or 3 to 4 small tomatoes, finely chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 tablespoon (15 ml) Homemade Mom’s Milk Whey or raw, organic, grass-fed homemade whey

In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, sea salt, and whey. Stir and transfer to a clean Mason jar.

Shake and leave on the counter for 1 to 3 days. This will store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

YIELD: 3/4 cup (195 g)

NOTE

This salsa recipe is adapted from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions.

TO ASSEMBLE THE NACHOS

1 recipe Nacho Chips

1 cup (225 g) cooked meat, such as ground beef or chicken

1/2 cup (60 g) raw, organic shredded cheese

1 recipe Guacamole (at left)

1 recipe Lacto-Fermented Salsa (at left)

Spread a layer of nacho chips on a baking sheet. Top with the cooked ground beef or chicken. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.

Place under the oven broiler to melt the cheese.

Serve with guacamole and lacto-fermented salsa.

YIELD: 4 servings

◁ ALTERNATIVE PIZZA AND QUICHE CRUSTS AND “BREADS”

Pizza and quiche are fun, fabulous dishes that can combine many healthy ingredients, if they are made with attention to digestibility and highest quality ingredients, including vegetables. Many veggies can have their nutrients and antioxidants enhanced through cooking, and with fats added, their fat-soluble nutrients can be absorbed and utilized for myriad health benefits. Some veggies, however, have health-providing elements that can be reduced through cooking. Consuming mostly cooked veggies with some raw and some fermented is the best blend of vegetables!

QUICHE OR PIZZA CRUST

1 cup (112 g) coconut, (128 g) cassava, or (120 g) tigernut flour

1 cup (128 g) arrowroot starch

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg yolks

1 cup (235 ml) coconut milk

1/2 cup (112 g) coconut butter, warmed and stirred

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, coconut milk, and coconut butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk until no clumps are visible.

Allow the dough to sit for about 5 minutes to allow it to firm up a little. It will make a spreadable dough.

Spread the dough onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom. You can bake it a little longer to make it crunchier.

YIELD: 1 crust

NOTE

For a crunchier top, you can invert the cooked dough onto another flat pan and then add the toppings. This method is easier with the smaller sized pizza crusts.

PIZZA

1 recipe Pizza Crust

1/2 cup (122 g) tomato sauce

Toppings of choice, optional

1 cup (115 g) shredded, raw mozzarella cheese

Shredded broccoli (see box above), optional

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).

Spread the dough onto a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. (For a crunchier crust, use a larger baking sheet and spread it thinner.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. You can bake it a little longer to make it crunchier.

Add the tomato sauce, toppings, and raw cheese and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted.

When the pizza is removed from the oven, sprinkle on a layer of shredded broccoli, if desired.

YIELD: 6 to 8 pieces

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: BROCCOLI

Broccoli can be added to your pizza or your quiche. If you add to pizza, shred the broccoli in the food processor and add to your melted cheese right as it comes out of the oven. Raw broccoli will retain the proper structure and activity of the enzyme myrosinase if it never reaches temperatures between 100 and 118°F (38 and 48°C). The benefits of raw broccoli is that myrosinase breaks down glucosinates into sulforaphane. The journal Carcinogenesis reported in 2008 that sulforaphane might be able to stop precancerous cells, and other studies have shown that sulforaphane reduces Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which can lead to both ulcers and stomach cancer.

BREADSTICKS

1 recipe Pizza Crust

2 tablespoons (30 ml) ghee

1/2 cup (40 g) shredded, raw Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).

Brush the crust with melted ghee and/or sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Cut the crust into strips for breadsticks.

YIELD: 10 breadsticks

QUICHE

1 recipe Pizza Crust

6 large farm-fresh, organic, pastured eggs

1 to 2 cups (weight will vary) chopped vegetables, such as broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms

1/2 cup (60 g) raw shredded cheese

1/3 cup (weight will vary) cooked meat, such as sausage, chicken, or ground beef, optional

Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

Spread the dough into a pie pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the eggs, vegetables of choice, shredded raw cheese, and optional meat of choice (cubed, diced, or minced). Mix well and pour into the baked crust.

Return to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.

YIELD: 6 servings

NOTE

Crusts can be cooled and frozen for up to 2 months for later use.

CLOUD BREAD

Coconut oil for greasing baking sheet

4 farm-fresh, organic, pastured eggs

1/4 cup (57 g) curds (homemade cream cheese, see here) or (50 g) organic, cultured, pastured cream cheese

3 tablespoons (42 g) ghee or coconut oil

1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

For pizza or garlic bread, add 1 teaspoon dried oregano, optional

Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).

Grease a stainless steel baking sheet with coconut oil. (If using an aluminum pan, line with parchment paper.)

Separate the egg whites and egg yolks.

In a bowl, mix the yolks, curds, and ghee or coconut oil until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and oregano, if using, with the whites and beat until firm peaks form.

Carefully fold in the egg yolk mixture, retaining the fluff of the egg whites mixture.

Immediately spoon 12 to 14 spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes and then broil for 2 minutes.

YIELD: 12 to 14 rolls

NOTE

Cloud Bread (adapted from thebigapplemama.com) can also be used for pizza crusts, grilled cheese sandwiches, or can be eaten topped with homemade pâté (shown here).

◁ RAW CHEESE BLINTZES WITH RASPBERRY SAUCE

For a fancier, fun dish, try these blintzes as a dessert or breakfast on a special occasion. The Fruit Compote and Raspberry Sauce can also be used in porridge.

FRUIT COMPOTE

1 apple or pear, chopped

1 cup (145 g) blueberries or strawberries (fresh or frozen)

1 plum, chopped with peel intact

1 kiwi, peeled and chopped

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat. Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

This fruit compote can be used as a topping for crepes, cheese blintzes, or porridge (shown here), mixed in yogurt, or even made into a fruit gel (see here).

YIELD: 2 cups (500 g)

NOTES

This is an excellent use of fruit that is overripe. Any type of fruit can be used; the amounts listed and the variety of fruit are just suggestions.

Prepare the fruit compote prior to making the cheese blintzes.

CHEESE BLINTZES

1/2 cup (120 ml) cold filtered water

1 tablespoon (15 ml) raw whey or (15 g) raw yogurt

1 cup (128 g) cassava or (120 g) tigernut flour

1 cup (235 ml) raw milk or coconut milk, divided

3 farm-fresh, organic, pastured eggs

2 tablespoons (28 g) coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil, butter, or ghee (for frying crepes), plus more as needed

FILLING

11/2 cups (337 g) coconut butter, warmed and stirred, or (375 g) organic, grass-fed ricotta cheese

1/2 cup (60 g) curds (separated from whey in raw milk, see here) or (115 g) grass-fed, organic, cultured cream cheese

1 lemon, zested

1 large farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg

1 pinch of Celtic sea salt

To make the blintzes: In a bowl, mix the water and whey. Add the flour, stir, then add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the raw milk. Allow to soak for 4 to 7 hours at room temperature. Move to the refrigerator for a longer soak.

Combine the eggs, remaining 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk, fat, sea salt, and vanilla and mix in a blender, Vitamix, or food processor. Blend until smooth; allow the batter to sit at room temperature while preparing the cheese filling.

To make the filling: In a bowl, whisk together the warmed and stirred coconut butter or ricotta, curds or cream cheese, lemon zest, egg, and sea salt. Cover and refrigerate.

Heat a 10-inch (25.5 cm) skillet over medium-high heat. Grease with coconut oil. Pour in about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of batter and quickly swirl the batter around to thinly coat the bottom of the pan to make a crepe.

Cook until the surface looks dry, about 1 minute. Flip the crepe and cook for about 30 seconds. Repeat cooking the rest of the crepes. You can stack them on a plate as you go.

Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 55 g) of the cheese filling and fruit compote (shown here) on the edge of a crepe. Fold the short edge over, roll once, and fold in the sides and roll again, ending on the seam.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3). Lightly butter a baking dish.

Melt more coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the filled and folded blintzes, turning gently until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes to firm up the filling.

Meanwhile, prepare the raspberry sauce. Pour over the warm, baked blintzes.

Cool the blintzes for 10 minutes before serving.

YIELD: 8 to 10 Cheese Blintzes

RASPBERRY SAUCE

1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil, grass-fed organic butter, or ghee

4 cups raspberries, (500 g) fresh or (1 kg) frozen

Warm the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Add the raspberries. Stir and mash until the fruit is liquefied, about 25 to 35 minutes.

NOTES

You can also substitute blueberries.

This recipe can also be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until needed.

Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions has a nice raspberry syrup recipe for special occasions.

Cheese blintzes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week for later use.

YIELD: About 1 cup (235 ml)

MOM-TO-MOM

TIPS FOR CONVENIENCE. Homemade everything is best, but we are all very busy. A few time-saving options include ordering broth, liverwurst, pemmican, and rendered lard from U.S. Wellness Meats (www.uswellnessmeats.com). Also, coconut wraps (that contain only coconut manna, coconut milk, and coconut oil) can be a good option for a quick rollup of leftovers. Primal Kitchen avocado mayo is a time-saver, as are sprouted corn tortillas. Additionally, soaking grains, nuts, or seeds once or twice a month and using them as needed saves prep time. These are all likely better introduced for yourself or older children, as conveniences, but not staples.

WARM MARROW CUSTARD AND PORRIDGE BREAKFASTS

Yorkshire pudding is a gluten-free, nutrient-rich dish and is a variation of a traditional English recipe typically made with eggs, flour, and roast beef drippings. The recipe is adapted from Bone Marrow Custard by Sally Fallon Morell in her Growing Healthy Children presentation. In the style of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, porridge is an excellent way to enjoy prepared grains, like oatmeal. In addition, buckwheat groats, whole teff, and amaranth are also good for breakfast porridge. Nutrients in grains, such as vitamin E, are fat-soluble and grains are starches made of glucose, so consuming with fats slows down blood sugar spikes and supports absorption of nutrients.

YORKSHIRE MARROW CUSTARD

1 tablespoon (7 g) gelatin

1 cup (235 ml) farm-fresh raw cream or coconut cream

Marrow from 2 pounds (910 g) marrow bones

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg yolks

1 whole farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg

Celtic sea salt to taste

Coconut oil to grease ramekins

Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C, or gas mark 2).

In a bowl, add the gelatin to the cream and stir. Set aside.

Cover the marrow bones with water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and scrape out the softened marrow.

Blend the marrow with the gelatin and cream mixture, banana, cinnamon, vanilla, egg yolks, egg, and sea salt to taste.

Pour into 4 greased ramekins (or lined muffin tins). Bake for about 20 minutes or until the custards are set.

YIELD: 4 servings

NOTES

This is great to serve with meat dishes.

Alternative: Omit the banana, cinnamon, and vanilla for a savory rather than sweet version.

OLD-FASHIONED PORRIDGE

1 cup (weight will vary) grains, such as steel-cut gluten-free oats or buckwheat groats

2 cups (470 ml) filtered water, divided

2 tablespoons (30 g) raw yogurt, (28 ml) raw whey (see options, here), or juice squeezed from 1/2 lemon with 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1/2 cup (43 g) shredded, unsweetened, unsulphured coconut

In a bowl, stir together the grains, 1 cup (235 ml) water, and yogurt. Cover and leave out overnight, at room temperature.

In the morning, bring the remaining water to a boil and then add the grain mixture.

Stir and cook for 5 minutes, or until thickened to porridge consistency. Add in the coconut and stir.

YIELD: 2 servings

NOTE

Serve with ghee, stewed fruit, and cinnamon.

MOM-TO-MOM

GRAINS TAKE A TOXIC TURN WHEN TURNED INTO CEREAL. Boxed cereal is to be avoided, and “cereals” (grains) should be consumed only when properly prepared, as the processing, extrusion, additives, and sweeteners related to creating the cereal boxes that line grocery store shelves result in a very toxic option for your family. The Weston A. Price Foundation notes unpublished studies that show the toxicity of extruded grains (like breakfast cereal). In one case, rats eating just the cereal box lived longer than those eating the cereal! In another study, using puffed wheat cereal, rats fed the cereal and fortified water died in just 1 month, much sooner than the rats who were fed only water. This is likely due to toxins in the cereal.

◁ SEAFOOD AND SAUSAGE PAELLA

Shellfish offer a unique and hardy blend of minerals, vitamins, and fat-soluble activators (vitamins A and D3). We recommend your child consumes it no more than once or twice per month because it can be contaminated with pollutants, but its benefits outweigh its risks. See here for seafood suggestions.

1/2 cup (112 g) ghee, melted

4 tablespoons (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon saffron

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 cup (235 ml) Souper Stock

2 medium leeks, chopped

8 asparagus spears, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup (50 g) chopped green onion

1/2 pound (225 g) ground breakfast sausage

2 salmon fillets (4 ounces, or 115 g each), cubed

8 shrimp, shells removed

8 clams or oysters, shucked

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ghee, lemon juice, and seasonings. Set aside.

In a saucepan, heat the Souper Stock, add the leeks and asparagus, and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a skillet, brown the garlic, onion, and ground breakfast sausage. Remove from the heat.

Add the salmon, shrimp, and clams or oysters to the Souper Stock and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Mix in the ghee mixture. Add the browned sausage mixture and stir to combine.

YIELD: 4 servings

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: SHELLFISH

Shellfish, along with seaweed, is an excellent natural source of the very important mineral iodine. Alternatively, organic dulse flakes, a seaweed, can be found at your health food store and easily added to many dishes. Consuming fish with cilantro helps reduce mercury and other toxins. Overall, the Super Nutrition program will provide antioxidants to support detoxification, as needed, when consuming fish.

Weston Price reported that indigenous peoples would travel great distances and suffer hardships to secure foods from the sea to prepare couples for marriage and child-rearing. Following are some ways to prepare them.

• SCALLOPS: Sear in bacon fat or coconut oil.

• GARLIC BUTTERED SHRIMP: Warm butter and minced garlic and cook shrimp until lightly golden.

• COCONUT SHRIMP: Dip shrimp in beaten egg and then dip in shredded coconut. Sauté in preheated butter or coconut oil.

• OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER: Make a mixture of Creamed Spinach, chopped bacon, and grated raw Parmesan cheese and top oysters on the half shell and bake for 10 to 15 minutes at 450°F (230°C, or gas mark 8).

• LOBSTER AND CRAB: Serve warm with drawn butter.

MEXICAN FRITTATA

Frittatas are egg-based, but differ from omelets in that they are initially cooked in an oven-safe pan on the stovetop and then transferred to the oven, and their delicious fillings are mixed with the eggs, rather than added separately and enfolded within cooked eggs.

1/2 pound (225 g) ground beef

1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, (14 g) ghee, lard, or coconut oil

1 tablespoon (8 g) arrowroot starch and 1/4 cup (60 ml) filtered water, optional

5 farm-fresh, organic, pastured large eggs

1 small tomato, diced

1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion

1/4 cup (4 g) chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus additional to garnish

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup (150 g) chopped bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, and green)

1/4 teaspoon powdered or freshly grated turmeric

1/2 cup (36 g) sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup (77 g) raw yogurt or kefir

Celtic sea salt

3/4 cup (90 g) grated raw cheese

1 avocado, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5).

Brown the ground beef in a large cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof skillet with the oil.

If using the arrowroot, make a slurry by combining it with the water and stirring or shaking it in a closed container. Add the slurry to the ground beef.

While the meat is browning, in a large bowl, beat the eggs and add all the remaining ingredients except for the cheese and chopped avocado.

Pour the egg/vegetable mixture into the meat and cook until the bottom is firm. Flip, immediately top with the cheese, and move to the oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve topped with the chopped avocado and homemade salsa (shown here).

YIELD: 4 servings

DEEP DIVE INTO THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CARNITINE IN MEAT

Recently, it has become abundantly clear that the 70-year experiment we’ve undergone as a country in reducing animal fats to prevent cardiovascular disease has been a dismal failure. This campaign began in the 1950s and in earnest in the ’80s because of a claim that animal-based saturated fat raised cholesterol, which clogged arteries, which led to heart disease. Thus, animal foods were bad for health. The scientific data was never there, but the media storm, backed up by well-intentioned medical professionals, convinced much of the world.

Today, the science cannot be denied, and animal foods and saturated fat and even dietary cholesterol cannot be shown to be bad for heart health, because they are not. Now, though, confused practitioners and reporters continue to seek a valid link, to no avail.

In 2014, two meta-analyses were conducted, and saturated fat was found to have no link to heart disease. In fact, meat has heart-healthy nutrients, including CoQ10 and carnitine.

In 2013, Mayo Clinic Proceedings reported that “L-carnitine significantly improves cardiac health in patients after a heart attack” [emphasis added]. Further, 12 months of L-carnitine results in a reduction of chronic heart failure and death. In Heart Disease journal, researchers stated that “carnitine therapy may be useful in the treatment of various cardiac diseases.”

Animal studies have shown that L-carnitine can improve hypertension (high blood pressure); and still yet, carnitine has been shown to reduce the risk of as well as treat depression “whilst offering a comparable effect to established anti-depressant agents with fewer side effects,” according to the journal Psychosomatic Medicine in 2017.

INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: CARNITINE

This frittata recipe calls for ground beef, which contains carnitine. In addition to benefitting cardiovascular health, it has also been shown to prevent and treat depression as well as antidepressants do, without the side effects. Additionally, carnitine helps ensure fatty acids get to cells’ mitochondria for energy production and fat burning.

STUFFED PEPPERS

While this dish calls for cooked vegetables (unless stuffing raw peppers, as one option describes), your baby at this age can have some raw veggies in moderation. For example, you could accompany the stuffed pepper mixture with some raw veggies if your baby is ready. Tender greens (like butterleaf), carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes are low enough in fiber to be enjoyed raw. These foods have great nutrient worth, as they are bright and colorful—indicative of their nutritional value. You can offer these individually or as a salad. Carrots, in particular, have beta-carotene enhanced through cooking; however, their polyphenols are destroyed by cooking, so having carrots both cooked and raw is ideal.

2 tablespoons (28 g) preferred fat (lard, ghee, bacon drippings, coconut oil, red palm oil, duck fat, tallow, etc.)

1/2 cup (53 g) finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small zucchini, chopped

2 medium carrots, shredded

1/2 bunch of radishes, shredded

1 small butternut squash, rind removed, seeded, and cubed small

3 medium beets, peeled and cubed small

1 cup (71 g) chopped cremini or portabella mushrooms

Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

Spices, including oregano and basil, to taste, optional

1/2 pound (225 g) ground beef (can use a mix of ground heart, sausage, dark meat chicken, and/or liver)

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup (120 g) raw curds (see here) or (230 g) organic, grass-fed, cultured cream cheese

1/2 cup (60 g) shredded raw cheese, optional

3 large bell peppers

First, make the filling. Heat the fat in a skillet and sauté the onion, garlic, and all the veggies and mushrooms (except the tomato) until soft (about 20 to 25 minutes). Season with salt and spices, if using.

Brown the meat and add sea salt and pepper to taste. Add the tomato and sauté for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, mix with the veggies, add the curds, and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).

Cut the peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds.

Stuff the bell pepper halves with the stuffed pepper filling and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

YIELD: 3 servings

NOTES

Make stuffed mini peppers. Put the stuffed pepper filling into about 10 small, non-spicy halved and seeded banana peppers for a smaller, bite-size version.

Serve in bowls, topped with the optional shredded cheese.

STUFFED PEPPER SALAD

If serving a salad, make a dressing, which will provide the digestive-stimulating acid and the fat to absorb fat-soluble nutrients in the raw vegetables.

Try a “ranch” dressing with whole-milk raw yogurt, mixed herbs and spices, and sea salt; or an “Italian” version with 2 parts warmed coconut oil or olive oil to 1 part raw apple cider or fresh-squeezed lemon juice; add sea salt to taste.

See the salad dressings in Amazing Everyday Paleo Salad and make a large container each time you’re running low rather than each time you make a salad.

QUINOA-STUFFED PEPPERS

Quinoa can be added to the stuffing mixture. The quinoa must be prepared 1 day ahead of time.

1/2 cup (87 g) quinoa

2 cups (475 ml) filtered water

1 tablespoon (15 g) raw yogurt, or (15 ml) whey, kefir, raw vinegar, or lemon juice

1 cup (235 ml) Souper Stock

Soak the quinoa in the water with the yogurt for 1 day on the counter. Rinse and drain.

In a medium saucepan, add the Souper Stock and drained quinoa. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid.

YIELD: 1/2 cup (87 g)

◁ GOOEY BERRY COBBLER BARS

Homemade treats are superior to mass-manufactured, store-bought for several reasons including the following: you have full control of ingredients, with no dyes, food colorings, refined sugar, and other processed food terrors, no additives to increase shelf life, and of course, the secret ingredient of “love” put into the making and baking of such goodies. That being said, treats are treats, meant to be enjoyed occasionally, and should still contain nutrients and be prepared with an eye toward digestibility.

OATS

3 cups (240 g) oats (gluten free, steel cut, organic, preferred)

3 cups (700 ml) filtered water

3 tablespoons (45 ml) whey or (45 g) raw yogurt, (45 ml) raw kefir, or (45 ml) lemon juice

BERRY COBBLER

1/3 cup (75 g) ghee (softened) or coconut oil, plus more for greasing baking pan

2 cups (340 g) chopped ripe peaches, (322 g) pears, (330 g) apricots, or (340 g) nectarines

2 cups (145 or 150 g) fresh or frozen blueberries or blackberries

4 farm-fresh, organic, pastured eggs, well beaten/whipped

2 tablespoons (28 g) coconut butter (manna), warmed, optional

1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut cream

1 tablespoon (7 g) ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pinch of ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup or (85 g) raw honey

1/2 cup (weight will vary) chopped nuts previously soaked and dried (see here), optional

3 cups (240 g) oats, previously prepared, wet but drained

To make the oats: Soak the oats in the water with whey, covered, on the counter for at least 8 hours or the day before.

To make the cobbler: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan with ghee or coconut oil.

Place the fruit on the bottom of the baking pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together the eggs, coconut butter, coconut cream, spices, vanilla, sweetener, and nuts, if using. Mix into the prepared wet oats; stir well. Pour over the fruit and spread to evenly cover.

Bake for 65 minutes. Remove and cool.

Place in the refrigerator; when fully chilled, cut into bars.

YIELD: 12 to 15 bars

NOTE

This can be served warm, but might not cut into bars as easily.

FROZEN FRUIT POPS

Enzymes and probiotics are wonderful digestive aids that are reduced but not damaged by freezing. Though freezing reduces bacteria by 60% to 90% by some studies, there will be some remaining probiotic benefit. Further, enzymes’ tertiary structures are not damaged by freezing (as they are by heat), though cold temperatures slow down their catalytic activity.

Enzymes are rarely discussed when considering the nutrient value of foods, but they are critical. Enzymes are proteins that take action to ripen food, and then to “predigest” it for us, and ultimately are accountable for food rotting. When considering a fast-food meal that sits on a counter not changing for years, it becomes clear that no remaining active enzymes are available, and the food is “dead.”

The Standard American Diet is filled not only with “dead” (no-active enzymes) foods, but also difficult to digest (denatured proteins in highly cooked foods, extruded grain cereals, and ultra-pasteurized dairy products lacking lactase) foods. Historically, prior to mass industrialization of food, humans consumed raw and cooked animal and plant foods, as well as lacto-fermented foods and cultured dairy. As a result, the digestive system is set up to expect some digestive enzyme support in the diet. Recently, a condition termed exocrine pancreatic insufficiency has been becoming more prevalent, due to the inability of the pancreas (which makes digestive enzymes) to keep up with the digestion of foods that are not predigested through fermentation and do not supply their own digestive enzymes. Pancreatic insufficiency is treated with pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT).

Dr. Francis Pottenger’s studies of fresh food and uncooked milk and meat, and its ability to preserve mental and physical health generation after generation, as opposed to cooked milk, cooked meat, and non-enzyme-containing foods with the potential to degenerate the species fully in four generations, is likely attributable in part to the enzyme content in uncooked, raw, fresh foods.

2 ripe bananas or 2 cups (290 g) chopped strawberries or (240 g) peaches

2/3 cup (160 ml) coconut cream or raw cream

1/3 cup (77 g) raw yogurt

1 tablespoon (8 g) carob, optional

Peel the ripe bananas and freeze overnight. Remove from the freezer and chop.

Put the banana chunks, coconut cream, yogurt, and carob (if using) in a blender and purée.

Place the purée into ice pop molds with sticks and eat as ice pops or freeze in a small carton and eat as ice cream, topped with unsweetened, organic, unsulfured shredded coconut or berries.

YIELD: 6 pops

MOM-TO-MOM

RECOGNIZING THE LINK BETWEEN JUNK FOODS AND JUNK MOODS. A large 2011 study, published in PLoS One, of more than 3,000 eleven-to-eighteen-year-olds, demonstrated that adolescents who ate highly processed and junk-food diets were more prone to episodes of depression and anxiety. Recent studies show polysorbate 80 and trehalose (chemicals commonly found in processed foods) are linked to mood and behavior disorders. The connection between chemicals in junk food and effect on mood occurs through the gut and the brain and is ultimately related to toxins’ ability to impact gut flora, neurotransmitters, immunity, and inflammation.

Chemical toxins, such as those found in processed foods, disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut in favor of pathogenic flora, which cause not only illness in the body, but in the brain as well. Bad bug predominance, otherwise known as gut dysbiosis, has been shown to lead to anger, aggression, rage, and depression. Overall, gut dysbiosis, including overgrowth of yeasts and pathogenic bacteria, results in additional toxins being created, which contribute to mood and behavioral problems. Additionally, processed foods often contain excessive sugars and gluten-containing refined flour, both of which lead to an inability to fully digest proteins. Studies show toxins such as polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose lead to leaky gut and gut inflammation, which derail healthy digestion and mood regulation.

Together, chemicals, toxins, partially digested proteins, and byproducts of pathogenic gut flora can all reach the brain through a leaky gut and through their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier just as drugs and many medications do. Both in the gut and in the brain, these same elements affect neurotransmitter levels and receptors, which are direct drivers of mood, perception, emotion, attitude, and behavior.

By consuming more whole foods, studies show that children have less depression and anxiety. A diet of whole foods, rather than one of highly-refined carbohydrates and highly-processed foods, well serves the body and the mind. A more nutritious diet has been shown to reduce episodes of mental health problems, which should be both encouraging and worrisome. The level of mood and behavioral issues seen in children and a corresponding level of psychotropic drugs prescribed are both increasing. Those medications can have near-term and long-term side effects that are dangerous and possibly irreversible.

Rather than have discipline problems, risky medications, and unhappy families, changing the diet to a more nutritious one based on whole foods can work wonders and have long-term benefits. Particularly poignant is that 75% of psychiatric illnesses begin prior to adulthood but set a lifelong mental health trajectory; for example, once one has experienced depression, that person is likely to suffer with it again. By feeding your child well now, you’ll take steps toward a better state of mental health throughout his entire life.

You can feed your child a diet free of junk food and can further positively influence stable mental health and contentedness through a diet rich in amino-acid-providing foods such as animal proteins, including red meat, which contains carnitine. (For more on carnitine, see here.) In addition, avoiding processed, chemical-laden foods and including complex carbohydrates found in greens, vegetables, nuts, and select seeds and grains, along with healthy, full fats and natural herbs and spices is important. Specifically, cilantro can act as a detoxifier and, according to the Journal of Medicinal Food, nutmeg has been shown to have an anti-depressant capability similar to raising dopamine and serotonin.

◁ CAROB PUDDING PIE

This is a healthy, paleo-friendly treat. You can substitute pure, organic cacao, but there are tannins, phytic acid, and caffeine to contend with, and the bitterness requires additional sweeteners to overcome. Those who do not regularly consume refined sugar may find this quite sweet, but it is a pleasurable dish that can certainly be a true dessert—either as a pie or as a pudding.

PUDDING LAYER

2 ripe, organic bananas

1 ripe avocado

1/2 cup (112 g) coconut manna (coconut butter), warmed

3 to 4 teaspoons (8 to 10 g) carob

In a blender or Vitamix, add the bananas, avocado, coconut manna, and carob. Mix until smooth.

NOTE

You can enjoy this as a delicious, healthy pudding all by itself!

CRUST

1/2 cup (112 g) ghee, organic, preferably raw

11/2 cup (150 g) chopped pecans, previously soaked and dried (see here)

1/2 cup (56 g) almond flour, made from presoaked almonds

2 tablespoons (28 g) coconut manna, warmed

1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil, plus more for greasing pie pan

Melt the ghee and pour over the pecans. Mix to coat. Add the almond flour and stir. Mix with the coconut manna. If needed, add a little coconut oil to get to a spreadable consistency.

Grease a glass or ceramic pie pan with coconut oil. Press the nut mixture into the bottom and up the sides.

Scoop the pudding layer over the nut crust, cover with berry compote (shown here and here) or other mashed fruit, and refrigerate before serving.

VARIATION 1

Mix 2 teaspoons gelatin with 2 tablespoons (28 ml) boiling water. Stir to dissolve the gelatin, let cool closer to room temperature, and then mix into the pudding layer and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until firm.

VARIATION 2

Add kiwi wheels by peeling a kiwi with a paring knife and then inserting a spoon between the peel and flesh of the kiwi and rotating it to take the skin off. Slice the kiwi thin, layer on a tray, and dehydrate at low temperature for 6 to 12 hours. They should be dry, not wet, when done, and will be slightly chewy. You can serve them beside the pudding or pudding pie or as a wheel inserted in the top of each slice.

If you do not have a dehydrator, you can also place these on a cookie sheet in the oven at the lowest temperature, checking them after about 4 hours. The amount of time will vary since not all ovens are the same.