Applegate Farms Uncured Chicken Hot Dogs

Sorry about the bad picture - I really have to get a better camera. These are the current hot dogs that we are buying. Andy will only eat Chicken Hot Dogs - when I occasionally buy the beef, he won't eat them - I, however, like the beef variety - I think it's just that chicken the beef is a little spicier. You really want to try and avoid nitrates with your child if they are on the autism spectrum. I keep these in the freezer and just take them out and use them one at a time so they don't spoil. When I get home from the grocery store, I open the package and spread the hot dogs out on a cookie sheet so they are not touching and put them in the freezer to freeze - that way they freeze individually and you can just take one out of the freezer without chizeling one out of a package or thawing a whole package and having part of it go to waste. If you eat a whole package of hot dogs at a time, then that isn't necessary. Just make sure that once they are frozen you pack them in a freezer container - don't leave them open in the freezer or they will get freezer burn.

Currant Sorbet

I'm making good use of all of the currants. This turned out pretty good - but it tastes a little strong of the Brown Rice Syrup - next time I think I'll use a half cup of each Brown Rice and Maple Syrup.

Currant Sorbet

2 cups currant juice
1 cup brown rice syrup
¼ cup maple syrup

To make currant juice – place currants in sauce pan and crush – do not add water. Bring to a boil. Turn off, cover and let cool. When cool strain through a jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth.

To make sorbet: Mix all ingredients together – make sure the currant juice is cold or at least room temperature. Place in ice cream maker and process until desired consistency – about 40 minutes.

GFCF Smoothies and Popscicles - how to make

Smoothies and Popsicles

The ones in the store have so much artificial stuff....or are super expensive. Making them from fruit juice works OK, but they can be thin and watery. This is how I make ours and they are so good, the neighborhood kids all bug Andy to ask me if they can have one also.

Every time I go shopping, I look for fresh fruit that is on sale or marked down because it is really ripe.

I take it home and wash, peel, pit and slice them.

I lay them out on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer. (This allows them to be separate and not clumped together so you can just pour out what you want)

When frozen I transfer to a large freezer bag - I mix lots of different fruits together - and I just dump the new fruit in with whatever is already in there and stir them all up.

I then use the fruit to make smoothies or popsicles -

I pour some OJ (you can use any liquid - we use OJ in our house because my rule is no added sugar) in the bottom of the blender and then pour in frozen fruit (by using frozen fruit, you don't have to add ice for smoothies/the popsicles freeze hard faster) and blend. Then either pour into a glass to enjoy as a smoothie or pour into Popsicle molds and freeze. These are very similar to the expensive real fruit bars that you buy - dh and I love these.

Just to give you an idea of fruits that freeze well - this is what is in our current freezer bag:
Strawberries
Bananas
Peaches
Plums
Cherries

Avoid raspberries and things with lots of little seeds or your kids will be spitting them out.

I also use fresh fruit that doesn't freeze well (it will when mixed with the other fruits) when making the smoothies. Yesterday I added a couple of apples and I have also added fresh watermelon and cantaloupe to the mixture in the blender.

It doesn't take that long to do - the worst part is freezing the fruit, but then it is ready whenever you are.

Ore-Ida Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries

Soy Dream Vanilla "ice cream"

Comes in several flavors.