This blog is a way of sharing the information and resources that have helped me to recover my son Roo from an Autism Spectrum Disorder. What I have learned is to view our symptoms as the results of underlying biological cause, which can be identified and healed. I say "our symptoms" because I also have a neuro-immune disorder called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

And, of course, I am not a doctor (although I have been known to impersonate one while doing imaginative play with my son)- this is just our story and information that has been helpful or interesting to us. I hope it is helpful and interesting to you!


Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Recipes for Making Your Own "Ingredients"

For most of us, following any special diet or avoiding an allergen means learning to cook more things from scratch.  Most of us are used to buying sauces, dressings, and ingredients such as food coloring from the grocery store.  Most of us don't think much about the ingredients list until we have to.  Below I am listing some recipes that I have found to make some of these basic staples at home, as well as recipes for common processed foods and foods that I have found to be useful substitutes.

Basic ingredients:
How to make clarified butter (ghee)
Make your own chickpea miso
Anchovy paste
How to Make Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes
How to Make Worcestershire Sauce
How to make Chinese oyster sauce
How to make Chinese hot oil
How to make Thai chili paste
Another recipe for Thai chili paste
How to make Thai curry pastes
How to Make Tamarind Paste
How to Make Tahini

Condiments and Dressings:
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Lacto-fermented mayonnaise
Vegan Mayonnaise
German mustard
Dijon mustard
Horseradish
Sesame sauce 
Peanut sauce
Thai Chili Paste
Sriracha (Thai hot pepper sauce)
XO sauce
Guacamole
Ranch Dressing (and dip)
Honey mustard dressing
Honey Mustard Poppy Seed Dressing
Homemade Worcestershire Sauce


Spice blends:
How to make seasoning salt
Furikake (Japanese Seasoning Mix)
Chinese 5-spice powder
Garam Masala
Lebanese 7 Spice Blend
Za'atar Spice Blend
Pickling Spice

Baking:
Vanilla extract
Another vanilla extract
Alcohol-free vanilla extract
Vanilla bean paste
How to make homemade extracts
How to make lemon extract
How to make Powdered Sugar
How to make natural food dyes from foods
How to make food coloring
How to make marshmallow fondant
Small batch fondant
Evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk
Paleo Sweetened Condensed Milk
Corn Syrup Substitute 

Other:
Infused vodka
Pumpkin Seed Butter
How to make maple cream (aka maple butter)
How to make maple sugar
Lemon Infused Honey
Creamed Honey
Vanilla syrup