PART II

GLUTEN- AND CASEIN-FREE RECIPES FOR KID-FRIENDLY FOODS

The Gluten Free Casein Free Diet is one of the most challenging nutritional interventions you’ll face in my 10-Step Nutrition Plan. Gluten and casein are found in most of the prepackaged, processed foods commonly consumed by autistic children, so finding “safe” foods that will appeal to your child can be tough. To help you make your child’s transition to the GFCF diet as easy and tasty as possible, this section includes more than seventy kid-friendly, gluten- and casein-free recipes that cover a wide range of main courses, beverages, breads, crackers, desserts, and condiments. Best of all, you’ll find gluten- and casein-free alternatives to many of your child’s favorites dishes, such as pizza, chicken nuggets, and macaroni and cheese.

As with all elimination diets, your goal is not just to eliminate foods that contain “unsafe” ingredients, but to replace these food with healthier alternatives To this end, these recipes were designed to provide your child with healthy alternatives, free not only of gluten and casein, but also of soy, refined white sugar, trans-fatty acids, and artificial chemicals. Additionally, many of the recipes include ingredients that will naturally increase your child’s intake of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. (An added bonus: Since it can be very difficult to get autistic children to eat their veggies, page 210 has a recipe for a vegetable puree that you can “sneak” into many different recipes to increase your child’s nutrient intake.)

Delicious, nutritious, and easy to make, these recipes will help make the GFCF diet an adventure your child—and your entire family—can enjoy!