Tiggly Words and Learning App Review

As you may know our family has been spending a lot of time {the last 2 months} and money, traveling back and forth from South Dakota to Denver to meet with the closest Pediatric Immunologist available. Road tripping like that can not only eat up a lot of time you might have devoted to blogging and running your Etsy shop shop, it also creates a lot of down time for little guy in the back of our 2001 Honda CRV.
In the past I've given you my opinions on different Gluten Free food and snack items but this time, I thought you might like our take on an interactive toy and ipad application set. You know me, I ALWAYS start with the Good News. Now these are just my opinions. You are free and encouraged to make up your own mind.

Up for review Tiggly Words and the Tiggly Tales app:

*Lets start with design: The tiggly tales app is creative and the toy vowels are adorable! These pint sized learning toys have a rigid core and soft BPA free cover that make them easy to grip and hold.  Packed with a whole lot of learning potential; when your vowels are placed between correct consonants they create words that truly come alive. My little guy loved when we could watch h_n become a h e n and then, when you tap the hen it lays eggs . . . and when you tap the egg it reveals a sweet little chick. Just so cute I had to do it a few dozen times too.

*Lets talk value: The Tiggly Tales stand alone app available on Itunes only costs $2.99 and you can play it without ever buying the toys; but if you do decide to buy the toys, Tiggly.com is currently running a huge *BOGO*. You get to send a teacher his/her choice of a FREE set of toys (use the BUY1GIVE1 code AND you also get free shipping on your order). The order sent to my home arrived within days and the one sent to our teacher only took a few more. Oh and as if that weren't enough, did I mention the words toys come with a download code for three **FREE** apps. If you buy the Tiggly Words toys the Tiggly Submarine, Tiggly Doctor and Tiggly Tales apps download code are included for free ($8.79 value).

Now for the issues we had that I didn't love . . .

* First, I had already purchased the Tiggly Tales app prior to buying our toys. I'm fine having spent the $2.99 however, to make sure we liked and used the app enough to buy the toys (I think it was money well spent as a test run of the system) I don't usually get a try before you buy with many of his toys.

* Second, when you use the code for your free teacher gift on the Tiggly website you don't see anything letting you know you will be contacted by email to get all your teachers contact information (so the teacher can choose the toy set of their choice). I was a little worried I had done something wrong until Erica Jun the Manager of Education and Sales contacted me later that same day. She was also the person who contacted my teacher. My sons teacher and I, both got really excited to receive our toys in the mail and it was really fun sharing the excitement together.

Final Assessment :

Tiggly Tales and Tiggly Words are simple, intuitive teaching toys that my son LOVES using !!!

Autism Kombucha and Juicing (long post)

According to the latest statistics from the CDC the "Prevalence of autism in U.S. children increased by 119.4 percent from 2000 (1 in 150) to 2010 (1 in 68). (CDC, 2014)" Which lead the agency to conclude, "Autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability. (CDC, 2008)"  Now here is a point I would like you to remember, these numbers are 5 years old and the rates of Autism have only continued to increase.

When we first spoke with traditional Pediatricians and Educators about my sons Autism they said the only treatments they could offer would be speech and occupational therapy and possibly pharmaceuticals like Risperidone and Aripiprazole or SSRI's if he began hurting himself or others. Basically I could drug my child into submission and begin years of rigorous training and if I get lucky he might learn to live in a state run home and not bother anybody too much. You can imagine what came to mind. I saw One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest as a child and I've never forgotten it.

What does this have to do with Kombucha ? Well, after I started seeing a Defeat Autism Now doctor (out of pocket) and read several books (out of pocket) and did lots of biomedical testing (yup, out of pocket again) I learned ...

1. My child should be eating as many Organic Fresh Fruits and Veggies as possible.
Easier said than done when your autism gives you sensory issues {won't touch fruits or veggies}. Juicing comes handy because nutrients are packed into every sip and you avoid texture issues.
If your interested in juicing here is a post I did on what machine I use (I don't get any $ from anyone for telling you this, its just the one I chose and why). Omega 8006

2. My child has yeast issues.
You need to avoid sugar and refined grains and gluten {did I mention we only want to eat crackers}.

3. We had serious bowel issues including both constipation and diarrhea.
Add as many different Probiotics including Kombucha, Water Kefir and fermented foods as you can.
So if you were like me, your now wondering how do you brew Kombucha and how much is that gonna cost?!? The answer is a lot cheaper than almost everything else I have done.

This recipe from wellnessmama is how I started making Kombucha and find it one of the easiest and best to use for beginning your kombucha brewing journey. 

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

A naturally carbonated fermented tea drink packed with enzymes, probiotics and beneficial acids. Make it at home for less than half the price of store bought.

Author: Wellness Mama

Serves: 16+

Ingredients

• gallon size glass jar (make sure its really clean!!)
• 1 gallon of brewed sweetened tea (ratio: 1 cup of sugar per gallon of tea) I use regular black tea, though I've heard of others using green or herbal teas
• a SCOBY and ½ cup of liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha
• My Kombucha Mothers on Etsy
• coffee filter or thin cloth and a rubber band

Instructions

1. Prepare the sweet tea. I use 1 family size tea bag or 8-10 small bags per gallon of water. Add 1 cup of regular sugar (organic preferably). Do not use honey!
2. Let tea cool to room temperature and make sure it is really cool! This step is very important as too hot of tea can kill your SCOBY.
3. Once tea is completely cool, pour into glass jar, leaving just over an inch of room at the top. Pour in ½ cup liquid from a previous batch of Kombucha or if starting from a dehydrated SCOBY, pour in ½ cup from a store-bought bottle of Kombucha.
4. With very clean hands, gently place the SCOBY at the top of the jar of tea. It should float, though if it doesn't just let it fall and don't stick your hands in the tea!
5. Cover the jar with the coffee filter or cloth and rubber band tightly (flies love this stuff!)
6. Put the jar in a warm (around 70-75 degrees is best) corner of the kitchen where it is at least a few feet away from any other fermenting products.
7. Let sit to ferment for around 7 days, though the length of time may vary depending on your temperature. You can test the Kombucha by placing a straw in the jar carefully (slide under the SCOBY) and sipping. It should taste tart but still very slightly sweet also.
8. At this point, Kombucha is ready for a second ferment. If you aren't doing the second ferment, just pour the kombucha into another jar or jars with airtight lids and seal until ready to drink.

As of right now my son and our family are still in the middle of a full tilt battle with severe non-verbal Autism. My son still has yet to speak his first word and he is now 8. He will be repeating the 2nd grade again and still does not yet use a communication device to have his needs met. However, we have tamed the bouts of constipation and diarrhea and are now fully potty trained. I hope getting his digestive health better will lead to better learning outcomes and the ability to focus more on achieving a way to communicate. We are trying as hard as we can and I hope sharing our struggle can be of help to others.

8 Great ways to use Juice Pulp

This may seem like a no brainer but if your child can't see their veggies, they can't pick them off the plate and not eat them. You get your child to eat well and they never even know it was good for them.



1. Soups and sauces
2. Baked into muffins and cupcakes
3. Mixed into eggs
4. Mixed into ground chicken or beef for meatloaf or burgers
5. Mixed in with ground pork for taco or enchilada filling
6. Veggie lasagna layers or meatballs and spaghetti
7. Mix into cream cheese or chip dip
8. Add to mayo as a sandwich spread
 
and finally if you want to give a little something back to your garden this makes excellent mulch.

Recycle your juiced veggies!

Summer and Mother Nature courtesy of my Local Farmers Market is cranking out the Fresh, Organic Produce in overdrive. Proverbs31Woman recently got me thinking about ways to make my produce last longer and avoiding food waste. I started considering all the fruits and veggies I buy, especially carrots, kale, apples, stone fruits and peppers (sorry that was a little drool on the keyboard). These goodies mostly go to support a new juicing habit I started with the encouragement and great recipes from a good friend of mine back in Mississippi and after seeing the documentary "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". Turns out most children and adults in the US don't get enough fruits and veggies, and with my sons Autism based sensory challenges I have a VERY hard time getting him to eat these foods. So ... I decided we would invest in a juicer.


In case you have never juiced FYI : It is EXPENSIVE and time consuming . . . but it is worth it !

1. I had to hold a garage sale to afford our new juicer Omega 8006

2. It requires lots of fruit and veggies (4 carrots, 2 peaches, piece of ginger + 2 oranges = 8oz of juice)

3. It requires time to wash, cut and juice all those fruits and veggies.

4. You have a lot of left over skin, peels and pulp.

Now it was #4 on my list that got me thinking. I want to use as much of that expensive produce as possible ... so I gathered up some of my favorite recipes from my kitchen and around the web.

Check back soon for some of my favorite ways to make those leftovers really "a peel-ing ".

Kefir and Community

I've been making a lot of Water Kefir these days. I know your thinking okay...?! 
Water Kefir, how and why would you make Water Kefir? You've seen Commercial Milk based Kefir in the refrigerated section at the store and you know it's healthy but what are the benefits of the new Water Kefir stuff? Well I am by NO means an authority but here is a simple run down:

1. It's NOT milk based = that means Great probiotics without dairy.
2. It's simple = Water and Sugar plus minerals or fruit.
3. Great for your digestion = Kefir will jump start your healthy summer plans. 

There are wonderful quick tutorials available here Flavored Kefir in under 2 minutes and Kefir basics a little more in depth and I would encourage anyone with questions to check these out.

My personal recipe both pretty simple and a little different than both videos:

2 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar
6 Tbsp Water Kefir Grains
1 Pint Filtered Water
1/16 tsp Organic Dulse leaf Granules

I use a Zero water pitcher to filter our tap water. Mix the sugar and water and warm in the microwave 15 to 20 seconds. I then add the Dulse to replace minerals removed by filtering and last add the Kefir. A little cloth or paper towel over the lid add your canning ring and allow to ferment for 2-3 days. Uuummm!

Important FYI :

DON'T USE METAL SPOONS OR STRAINERS ... Kefir Grains HATE Metal !
Water & Milk Kefir grains aren't the same ... Water Grains make Water Kefir !

Please feel free to contact me to share recipes or grains. 

Happy, Healthy, Bubbly Summer !

Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola Product Review

You all know the saying "Do you want the Good News or the Bad News?" so you know when it comes to any review, especially one I am doing I am ALWAYS gonna start with the Good News. Again, just to be clear these are my opinions and you are free and encouraged to make up your own mind.

Up for review Bakery on Main Gluten Free Granola Extreme Fruit and Nut:

* Non GMO, Dairy & Casein Free, Wheat & Gluten Free and Low Sodium

* Made in the USA

* Minimal Packaging

* Holy Cow is this Stuff Tasty !!!

* The link to their site gives you a $1.50 off coupon when you sign up for their email

Now for the down side:

*Extreme Fruit and Nut seems pretty darn skimpy on the fruits and nuts

*Can't tell if the packaging is recyclable or not

*12 oz bag sells for $5.49 (a little steep) without the coupon
(or you can also buy the "Family Size" 22oz bag for $10.27 from Amazon)

*I have to sneak handfuls while driving home as my son and I fight over the bag,
  I just get one for me and one for him when I have it shipped straight to our home.

Final vote : (with coupon we will be buying this again) Yup its Good !

Target Gluten Free Product Review (Annie's Mac & Cheese Cups)

Okay, so you all know I live in Spearfish and the nearest Target is in Rapid City (tiny sad noise) but, this is probably a good thing or I would spend WAY TOO MUCH money every month. I happened to be cruising the aisles and came across some very interesting - new to me - Gluten Free products and spur of the moment thought "So how many new GF items are here?!"  Review :

Annie's Gluten Free Microwave Mac and Cheese Cups:

* Gluten Free Pasta and Real Cheese NOT GMOs and fake cheez powder like traditional Mac'n Cheez

* Looks just like all the other brands so we can blend in with the other kids at school

* Really is pretty quick to make 2 minutes 15 seconds plus cooling time

* 100% recycled packaging with a super cute bunny finger puppet, riddles and games printed inside.

Unfortunately:

*The rice noodles nuke up way too "smooshy" and trust me I followed direction to the letter

*Flavor is way too bland (even after adding sea salt texture & taste were just too off putting for my son)

*They do warn you but, the cup itself get way too hot to handle even after the cooling time

*Speaking of the cup it has a 6 on the bottom. FYI Plastic #6 – PS (Polystyrene)
Polystyrene is Styrofoam, which is notorious for being difficult to recycle, and thus, bad for the environment. This kind of plastic also poses a health risk, leaching potentially toxic chemicals, especially when heated. Most recycling programs won’t accept it. Plastic #6 is found in compact disc cases, egg cartons, meat trays, and disposable plates and cups. It is recycled into egg cartons, vents, foam packing, and insulation. I would never have expected Annie's to use this.

*The 2 cups run $3.00 on SALE so this is pricey option for lunch or a dinner side dish. 

To sum up, Annie keep trying you are (almost) there. For now we will Skip this item.