Oh Tomatillos - Where have you been?

Tomatillos.  They were new to me, until last week.  Now they are my friends.

Variety is the spice of life...  it's true.

I had never paid much (if any) attention to tomatillos in the grocery stores.  I thought they were just another type of tomato, or something...  Something is right!  They are something wonderful that my kids like to eat and this makes me very happy.

For most children and adults on the GAPS, Rotation or Feingold diets, variety is a key factor in controlling food allergies and also in promoting healing, especially in the gut.  But, let's face it, it is work. All the cooking and dishes and dishes and cooking...   and the fact that we no longer go out for dinner anymore, well, you know how it is.  Home cooking double meals each day, it's time consuming and -- it's exhausting.

So, when I find something yummy that is affordable and safe for the whole family -- I get happy.  Yep.  Happy.

We eat a lot of fresh, raw and living foods already, so this recipe was embraced and welcomed into our family as one of own.  This slightly sticky-skinned food is a bit on the lemony or tart side and the juice seems to thicken as it sets.  I swear it thickens in the fridge.  Interesting...

As far as nutritional value goes, tomatillos are low calorie, cholesterol free, low in sodium and contain magnesium* and iron.  This alone makes me a fan!

It's ridiculously easy...  only 5 ingredients in the salsa.

Portion-wise - serves 4 of us for lunch.

3 - tomatillos, cubed (sugar cube-sized)
1/2 red onion, chopped, but - not too fine
Big pinch of salt
Juice from 1/2  of a lime (lime juice)

Fresh cilantro to taste - I use about 1/4 cup

In a glass bowl, combine ingredients and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes, stirring often.  That's it.

Serve with chips.  I add black beans and rice -- and call it a side dish for Nicolas.  He eats it.  He likes it.  He does not react to it.  All good.

I know, I know, red onion can be a bit strong... BUT, wait...  something wonderful and magical happens when the fresh squeezed lime juice, tomatillos and red onions combine with the salt...  mmm.

Cost for tomatillos:  $1.19/lb.  Hubs came home with 2 lbs, which will last a long time too.

Test for ripeness:  The shell should be dry, light brownish -- at least for the green tomatillos we find in the city closest to us.  There are other varieties and colors, but - I cannot find them here in Wisconsin.

By appearance, tomatillos remind me of my grandmother's ground cherries, but - are not the same.  Not at all.  She made pies and jams out of her ground cherries.  We make salsa.

Tomatillos are called Mexican ground cherries and from the recipes I have seen, they are used in Latin American dishes/recipes.  For us, they are a safe and nutritious food for my family.

If you try these, let me know if you like them?



*Magnesium post...   ASD Experiment #1

Note - I have removed all supplements from Nicolas' diet since May, due to allergy testing.  

I am filled bursting with thankfulness, when I look back at the magnesium post and realize just how ill Nicolas was.  I knew he was ill and I remember that post clearly.  Very clearly.  Looking back, it scares me.  Yes, I am frightened to think of what could have been if I had not intervened in our son's life.  

We've made so many changes over the last 2 years, I cannot count them all...

I do plan to add some supplements back, starting in November.  We'll see how it goes.

ASD Experiment #1- Created Chaos

Yesterday, I decided to try a little "ASD Experiment" on Nicolas. We continued on with our daily routine - as a completely GF-CF SF, normal day (normal for Nick, that is). Nothing different or out of the ordinary, with one exception: no supplements. None.

OH MY GOODNESS! Massive created chaos.

Today has been the worst day of the year for Nicolas. His body was screaming out to me, giving me loud clear signals...that something was terribly wrong. Poor Nicolas. Poor me. Poor us...




Because of missing supplements? Well, for this particular child, in the spectrum, I would have to answer - yes. I wouldn't have believed it - if I hadn't experienced it. Even our oldest son, 20, asked what was wrong with "the little crazy boy" today. ((SIGH)) I think it's the absence of the magnesium supplement, is what I think.

After today, I am seriously considering doing another experiment with Hubs home though...(Help me - Jesus... !) and becoming an advertiser for a specific calcium/magnesium supplement, with vitamin c! It's called Kid's Formula CALM. As in calcium and magnesium. I love Nutrilite products and have been loyal for decades, but - due to Nick's "condition", we must have allergenic supplements, without the common allergens of gluten, diary, soy, sugar, red #40, copper and folic acid. That's why we are not using Nutrilite with him. Anyway... The website of this particular product claims that it will relax the nerves and help a child to grow, concentrate and stay healthy. We had none of that here today. I even tried Shrinky Dinks, and they did not help. If they don't do it, nothing will!

Anyway - this magical supplement contains no sugar or artificial sweeteners and zero carbs. Specifically - NO YEAST, DAIRY, EGG, GLUTEN, SOY, WHEAT, SUGAR, STARCH, PRESERVATIVES OR ARTIFICIAL COLORS OR FLAVORS.




From their website...

SYMPTOMS OF MAGNESIUM DEPLETION

Because magnesium is required for hundreds of enzymatic reactions (enzymes are protein molecules that stimulate every chemical reaction in the body), deficiency can cause a wide variety of symptoms, such as

Low Energy • Fatigue • Weakness Inability to Sleep • Weakening Bones Muscle Tension, Spasms and Cramps Abnormal Heart Rhythms • Headaches Anxiousness • Nervousness • Irritability

All of the signs of a magnesium deficiency in adults also apply to children. So do the results obtained by handling that deficiency. The only difference is that children don't require as much magnesium as adults do because they have smaller bodies. I add it to watered down orange juice that he drinks each morning with his breakfast, or at lunch. The water acts as a carrier and takes the magnesium to wherever his body needs it.

"Give your children Kid's Formula Calm and you will see almost instant results."
-Peter Gillham

ADHD and Austism Spectrum Disorders...

“The ADHD diagnosis is tailored to justify the use of stimulants for the behavioral control of children in groups. It enumerates behaviors that healthy children often display in structured, over-controlled groups in which their individual needs are unmet."
“Ultimately, by suppressing emotional and behavioral signals of distress and conflict, stimulants allow adults to ignore the needs of children in favor of creating a controlled environment. Meanwhile, stimulants do not improve academic performance and provide no long-term improvement in any aspect of a child’s behavior or life.”
—Peter R. Breggin, MD

“ADHD” AND MAGNESIUM

University of Maryland Medical Center reports that some experts believe children with ADHD may be exhibiting the effects of mild magnesium deficiency (such as mental confusion, decreased attention span, and irritability). In one study involving 116 children with ADHD, 95% were magnesium deficient. In another separate study, 75 children with ADHD, who were also identified as being magnesium-deficient, were randomly assigned to receive magnesium supplements in addition to standard treatment or standard treatment alone for 6 months. Those who received magnesium demonstrated a significant improvement in behavior, whereas those who received only standard therapy without magnesium exhibited worsening behavior.

These results suggest that magnesium supplementation, or at least high amounts of magnesium in the diet, may prove to be beneficial for children with ADHD."

This products can claim what it may - I have lived with the results of my created chaos. End of discussion.