Conor's Fancy Footwork Beats A GFCF Autism Diet!

I don't know if peppers are part of an autism gfcf diet but Conor loves eating them and likes to show off some fancy footwork at the same time!

autism

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Has anyone ever heard of this before???

I kinda feel like this is a cheater post but in my defense I spent the whole morning in a Dr's appt and then ran errands right up until now. I get to pick the girls up in about an hour so my day is pretty much done!

Anyway, my Mother-in-law sent me an email last week asking me to try out something that she was sent. I have to say I was skeptical at first. Like come on who would make and omelet in a Ziploc bag??? We gave this a test run the day that we left to go to the Keys...

just making sure you remembered...anyway they worked. And really, really well. We all had our omelets ready at the same time and exactly the way we each wanted them. T. even had jalapeños in his! This is great for a weekday morning or a rushed weekend one as well!

Breakfast Ziploc Omelets

Good for when you're alone or when all or when all of your family is together. The best feature is that no one has to wait for their special omelet. Have the guests write their name on a quart size Ziploc freezer bag with a permanent marker. (These are not my pictures. They came with the email. I am sorry to have "borrowed" someone else's pics but that morning was very rushed and I took no pictures!)

• Crack 2 eggs into the quart size bag (not more than 2) and shake well.
• Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, salsa etc. Pretty much anything that you would put in a regular omelet.
• Everybody adds the prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shakes the bag to mix them well.
• Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.
• Place the bags into rolling boiling water for EXACTLY 13 MINUTES. You can cook 6 - 8 omelets in a large pot. If you have more omelets, make another pot of boiling water.
• Cut the bags and the omelet will roll out easily (yep - it really does!!!)

• 
• This is nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake. Everyone gets involved in the process.

• You can even get these ready the night before andjust plop the bags in boiling water while you get ready!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Autism Speaks Finish Line at Dover

The finish line at Dover International Speedway this Sunday will feature blue Autism Speaks puzzle pieces inside the white squares. Autism Speaks is beyond compare in its abillity to find new ways to promote autism awareness.

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Tomato and Green Bean Salad

Looks like summer huh?

Last night for dinner we were just going to have burgers and a tomato salad but as I was cleaning out my fridge yesterday I found some green beans that I had forgotten about in the crisper. I had bought them over the weekend so they were still in great shape. I decided to make a simple salad using my garden fresh tomatoes. This salad turned out great. I had seen it years ago in one of the food magazines but can not for the life of me remember which one! Seeing as I didn't have a recipe to follow I just went by memory and taste. Everyone loved this and it tasted just like summer to me!

Tomato and Green Bean Salad

1 box or bag of green beans (however you get them at the market), trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
3 lg tomatoes, chopped and seeded
1/3 cup olive oil (I think I would use less next time)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 garlic clove, chopped fine (use more or less depending on taste)
1 Tbsp fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

• Cook the beans in boiling water for 3 - 5 minutes or until tender crisp. Drain and transfer to an ice bath. Once shilled drain them well and place in a large bowl.
• Mix the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir into the beans.
  
• This can be served immediately or chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.

Fresh tomatoes for the salad

Basil is getting a little leggy so I think it is just about done! It is getting way too hot and dry here to grow anything!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Autism Awareness: Run the Dream in Fredericton on June 5, 2008

Jonathon Howard will soon be in Fredericton.

Jonathon is raising awareness of autism across Canada, and raising funds for children's charities supporting autism, by running across the country, beginning on March 25 when he dipped his toe in the waters at St. John's Newfoundland. On June 5, 2008 from 7 to 9:30 he will be at the Delta Fredericton for an event which will feature "Their Stories", online video interviews of family members, caregivers, and persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders who share their personal stories of living with autism.

Keynote speakers will include Brian Rimpilainen of Fredericton. Brian is the Autism Society New Brunswick representative with the Autism Society Canada and he has worked tirelessly toward development of a National Autism Strategy and inclusion of Autism in Medicare. He will be running with Jonathon from Oromocto to Fredericton on June 2. The evening at the Delta Fredericton will be filled with music by Steve Waylon and Rebel Ridge, Cathy Hutch and BJ McKelvie. Cathy and BJ will be performing their autism song "I'm In Here".

In New Brunswick we have accomplished much with hope - and with hard, focused, work. Our focus has been on ensuring that autistic children in New Brunswick receive evidence based interventions and education both preschool and during the school years. Much has been accomplished although much remains to be done. Adult care for persons with autism in New Brunswick is abysmal and requires a massive overhaul. Efforts to provide decent residential care for autistic adults in New Brunswick will be successful only with hard, focused, work and determination. And with hope. Jonathon Howard's Run the Dream spreads the message of hope for persons with autism and those who love and care for them and hope is invaluable in fueling our efforts to make gains for autistic persons as preschoolers, students and adults.

Although I was aware of Jonathon Howard's Run the Dream since he began in late March the impact of what he was doing to raise autism awareness in Canada did not hit me until I spoke at the Medicare for Autism NOW! event in Oakville, Ontario on April 19. I had the privilege of meeting Norah Whitney, president of FEAT Ontario and her son Luke. Luke is a very smart young man and I enjoyed talking with him. One of the first things Luke said to me was to ask if I knew Jonathon Howard. At the time I couldn't say that I did, although I knew about Run the Dream. After June 5 I should be able to give Luke a different answer.

I urge everyone who can to attend the Run the Dream evening at the Delta Fredericton on June 5. Tickets are available at ticketatlantic.com. For more info contact Mike at 902‐444‐3887. Admission is $25 and will go towards children's charities that support autism.

It should be a lot of fun and a good evening for autism.

autism

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Κρούσματα μελιταίου πυρετού στη Θάσο.

Επίκαιρη ερώτηση στη Βουλή με θέμα τα κρούσματα μελιταίου πυρετού σε κατοίκους της Θάσου, κατέθεσε η βουλευτής Θεσσαλονίκης του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ Ευαγγελία Αμμανατίδου Πασχαλίδου, η οποία ασκεί δριμύτατη κριτική στη Νομαρχία Καβάλας. Στην ερώτησή της, προς τους υπουργούς Αγροτικής Ανάπτυξης και Τροφίμων, Αλέκο Κοντό, κι Εσωτερικών Προκόπη Παυλόπουλο, η βουλευτής κάνει λόγο για «αδράνεια και απουσία επαρκών ελέγχων» για τα παράνομα εισαγόμενα αμνοερίφια. Επισημαίνει δε ότι «με την αθρόα και ανεξέλεγκτη εισαγωγή αμνοεριφίων» ο μελιταίος πυρετός «μεταδόθηκε σε άγνωστο αριθμό ζώων και από κει σε κατοίκους του νησιού». Η βουλευτής τονίζει ότι «η Θάσος δεν διαθέτει κτηνίατρο εδώ και πέντε χρόνια» και σχολιάζει πως η Νομαρχία Καβάλας καθυστέρησε να αντιδράσει και να στείλει κτηνιάτρους στο νησί. Το πλήρες κείμενο της ερώτησής της, έχει ως εξής: «Στην αδράνεια και στην απουσία επαρκών ελέγχων από τη Νομαρχία Καβάλας ως προς τα παράνομα εισαγόμενα αμνοερίφια έχουμε αναφερθεί κατ’ επανάληψη στο παρελθόν, ιδιαίτερα στις αρνητικές επιπτώσεις που έχουν αυτές οι εισαγωγές για την κτηνοτροφία της περιοχής, καθώς και στους κινδύνους για τη δημόσια υγεία από την κατανάλωση προϊόντων άγνωστης προέλευσης ζώων. Τα 14 εντοπισμένα κρούσματα μελιταίου πυρετού στο Θεολόγο της Θάσου αναδεικνύει εκ νέου το πρόβλημα των παράνομων εισαγωγών, δεδομένου ότι το νησί αυτό είναι χαρακτηρισμένο ως απαλλαγμένο από τη νόσο, με ειδικό καθεστώς υγειονομικής προστασίας».Με την αθρόα και ανεξέλεγκτη εισαγωγή αμνοεριφίων η νόσος μεταδόθηκε σε άγνωστο αριθμό ζώων και από κει σε κατοίκους του νησιού που κατανάλωσαν φρέσκο γάλα και γαλακτοκομικά προϊόντα. Είναι γνωστό ότι η Θάσος δεν διαθέτει κτηνίατρο εδώ και πέντε χρόνια και το τοπικό αγροτικό κτηνιατρείο είναι παροπλισμένο, γεγονός που έρχεται να προστεθεί στο πρόσφατο κλείσιμο του Δημοτικού σφαγείου της Θάσου, που σφραγίστηκε με εντολή εισαγγελέα γιατί διαπιστώθηκε ότι τα επικίνδυνα απόβλητα κατέληγαν στη θάλασσα. Το πόσο χρήσιμη είναι η παρουσία κτηνιάτρου στο νησί αποδείχτηκε και από την καθυστερημένη αντίδραση και την αποστολή κτηνιάτρων της Νομαρχίας Καβάλας. Κατόπιν τούτων, ερωτώνται οι κκ. Υπουργοί: Με ποια άμεσα μέτρα θα ενταθούν οι έλεγχοι, ώστε να παύσει η παράνομη εισαγωγή αμνοεριφίων. Θα εξετάσουν τη δυνατότητα επαναλειτουργίας του κτηνιατρείου με τη μόνιμη παρουσία κτηνιάτρου στο νησί, ώστε να διασφαλιστεί αποτελεσματικά η υγεία των κατοίκων και να ελαχιστοποιηθούν οι κίνδυνοι από ανάλογα κρούσματα στο μέλλον. Η ερωτώσα βουλευτής Ευαγγελία Αμμανατίδου-Πασχαλίδου».

Αναπαραγωγή είδησης από Kavalanet

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Harv: My Ice Cream Idol

One very special friend of mine, Harv, surprised me with a fabulous new kitchen toy over the weekend. He graciously gave me a Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker. Thank you Harv! He's quite the ice cream connoisseur and well, I have ice cream maker envy because he has the king of all ice cream makers. Even more impressive is that he's rebuilt/refurbished 2 commercial ice cream makers from scratch himself! (I'm in complete and utter awe...) Here are similar pics of his handsome ice cream maker, a Taylor 104-27 (which is very similar to what is used on Iron Chef competitions of Food Network):

My first recipe I tried was a simple strawberry ice cream. Unfortunately my attempts to make it healthier by using 2% fat milk and half & half didn't result in the consistency I wanted. I learned from a fellow friend and blogger, Annie of Annie's Eats, that full fat is definitely necessary. Check out her blog for the same recipe but with much better results!

So for my second attempt I wanted to use up some well ripe fruits and ingredients I had on hand. Thankfully this time around I had success! I made an adaptation of a sherbet recipe included in the instruction/recipe booklet. Here's my recipe for a low fat pineapple sherbet:1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt
2 cups 2% low fat milk
1 cup processed fresh pineapple*
3-4 tablespoons powdered sugar

*Process fresh pineapple in a blender. Use 1 cup of this processed fresh pineapple for the recipe.

Combine all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into your ice cream maker and churn/freeze based on your manufacturer's directions.
You may want to transfer the finished product in a freezer proof container so that it can "ripen" for an hour or two in the freezer.

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