Just the mere thought of Halloween can send many autism moms into a tailspin. Ah, yes, Halloween. The time of year when little devils feast on candy and bounce around the house until midnight. Then, when their sugar levels start to crash, they load up on more refined sugar, additives, nitrates, and artificial colors—all the scary junk ingredients you can name.
Many spectrum children have food intolerances, particularly in relation to gluten, dairy, and additives, not to mention that children and refined sugar were never a good recipe for success. Some autism moms choose to remove gluten, dairy, and refined sugar to improve their child’s gut health even if he/she is not allergic.
“Oh, just let him have a little bit,” implores a well-meaning grandma. “One bite won’t kill him,” says the neighbor who frequently reminds you that your kid “doesn’t look autistic.” (“Yeah well, you don’t look ignorant either, Marcy D’Arcy, yet here we are.”) This recipe should give supermoms a healthy yet fun fallback option when dealing with gluten and dairy pushers.
If the night of the living dead leaves you feeling lightheaded and weak at the mention of it, here’s a fun and healthier alternative to make for your little demons—but if you’re still feeling woozy, I urge you to check your neck for twin bite marks, just in case.
There are many brands of gluten-and dairy-free chocolate out there, as well as sugar-free. This recipe makes 10 mice. You can choose if you want the mice to “bleed” or not when bitten into.
Ingredients:
- One and a half cups of shredded coconut
- A half cup of xylitol or stevia
- One bar of gluten-and dairy-free chocolate such as Plamil, Schmilk Chocolate, or Fine & Raw Chocolate
- One packet of sugar-free raspberry Jell-O (if you want your mice to bleed)
- One 14oz can of prepared coconut cream*
- Two level tablespoons of coconut oil
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Cake decorating pearls for eyes
- Flaked almonds for ears
- Licorice for tails
- Baking paper
Method:
- *Prepare a can of coconut cream—by preparing, I mean leave the can in the refrigerator overnight.
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Combine coconut, xylitol or stevia, and Jell-O powder (if you are using it) in a bowl and mix well.
- Remove the can of coconut cream from the fridge and open it. Scoop out the now very thick coconut cream
mixture into a bowl and mix well until softened and all lumps are removed, then add to the bowl of dry
ingredients. Discard the separated watery fluid. - Add the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, cream the coconut oil into a smooth paste, removing all lumps. When done, add this to the
bowl of ingredients. - Mix together very well.
- Take a spoonful of the mixture and roll into a ball. Now flatten one end to make a teardrop or mouse shape.
- Refrigerate for one hour until set.
- Suspend a glass bowl over a saucepan of boiling water (not touching) and add broken up chocolate.
- Allow it to melt, whisking.
- When the coconut mice have set, spread the chocolate over.
- Now add two decorating candy pearls for eyes and two flaked almonds for ears.
- Now add a three-inch licorice tail.
- Enjoy!
You can individually wrap each mouse and freeze them. They defrost on a counter-top in about 20minutes. You can find more recipes free from gluten, dairy, corn, soy, and refined sugar at RuthAngelaBernadette.com.
This article was featured in Issue 109 – Attaining Good Health.
