Follow Your Gut: What's eating my daughter's stomach? (Part 1)

A Mother's Intuition

Ever heard of “mother’s intuition?”  It is that tiny voice in a mom’s head that says “hmm…something is not quite as it seems.”   That voice was what drove my friend  Emily to forgo her pediatrician’s relaxed approach to her young daughter’s stomach pains and embark on journey directed by her mother’s intuition.   Over coffee  at our local java stop, Emily described the events of the past two years to me.

Emily’s daughter, Nicky, who is now 6, began having constipation and separate periods of stomach pain at age 4.  She  was also having difficulty maintaining attention for age appropriate tasks, causing her  parents to discuss attention deficit disorder with their pediatrician.  While the physician leaned more toward treating the symptoms of the gastrointestinal (GI) issues, Emily asked herself why her daughter was in such agony.  What was causing this?  Because Nicky’s paternal grandmother had a history of stomach ailments and found relief via a gluten-free diet, Nicky’s parents suspected a gluten intolerance.  They took her off gluten in January 2011, and within 2 week the stomach aches and constipation went away.   Interestingly, so did her difficulties with attention and her tendency to be impulsive, which is a hallmark for children with ADD.

Over time, Emily did not worry about cross contamination or the occasional gluten-filled cookie.  Her daughter typically preferred to eat gluten-free foods, eating “lots of fruits and veggies, minimally processed foods” and only rarely,  a food with gluten.   By August 2011, Nicky had returned to daily tummy pains and the discomfort of chronic constipation.   Kindergarten had started, and at first, Emily suspected the culprit to be the stress that such a big transition can cause for a child.  But, by the start of 2012, mother’s intuition was shouting “Do something about this!” 

Time to Act

First stop: allergy testing.  A blood test for celiac, not always foolproof, came back negative.  Additional blood tests and scratch tests for food allergies were negative, but further testing revealed that Nicky had the permissive gene marker for celiac.  Consequently, Emily’s next step was to take Nicky to a pediatric gastroenterologist, who ordered a series of tests to rule out a multitude of causes for Nicky’s pain, including stool testing for parasites, an ultrasound of her liver and pancreas and tests for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).   Again, all tests came back negative, leading Emily and her husband to consider taking one more step: an upper GI endoscopy involving anesthesia and a small bowel biopsy.

“What went through your mind when you considered this next step?” I asked my friend.  Emily gazed into her coffee, taking herself back to that moment.  “The risks of anesthesia.  I had the choice to do it or not to do it and that felt very heavy.  Ultimately, we decided to do it because it was important that we knew  for sure if we needed to avoid cross contamination or food temptations.”   Emily’s anguish over Nicky being 100% gluten free for life was clear.  “Mel, I mourned the loss of gluten.  I truly mourned it.”

Join us for Part 2 of “Follow Your Gut.”

In Part 2 of this article,  Emily is instructed to do a “gluten challenge”,  feeding Nicky plenty of gluten for the next 8 weeks prior to the endoscopy to ensure that the biopsy results would be accurate.   While she mourned the loss of gluten, the flood of gluten over the next 2 months proved to be the most challenging aspect of this journey, as little Nicky’s symptoms became almost unbearable for a mother to watch.

 For more information visit:  How to Get Tested for Celiac Disease.

About Melanie

Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLPMelanie is speech language pathologist who specializes in feeding.  Her work brings her into the homes and schools of her clients, kids, who for various reasons have difficulty with food or with eating. She works with kids and their parents to develop effective strategies that help children become “more adventurous eaters”.  At least 50% of her clients have food allergies or intolerances, and for them, “adventurous eating” takes on a special meaning.  Melanie is also the author of Happy Mealtimes with Happy Kids” and the executive producer of “Dancing in the Kitchen.”

More Posts from Melanie

Read PART 2:  Going through a Celiac Biopsy

Why Children with Autism are Often Picky Eaters

Review:  The Magic of the BellyFull Kit (From the Hopeful Company)

How Can Parents Feel Less Stress with a Food Allergic Child in School?

REVIEW: Make Me Over Gluten-Free! (Mineral Fusion Make Up)

 

As seen in Women's Lifestyle Magazine's May, 2012 edition.  Photographs by Daniel E. Johnson of Wealthy Street Photography.

Believe it or not, I'm quite camera shy (really).  In this snap happy world of social media, and with my obligations as a blogger for The Tender Palate and writer for Women’s Lifestyle Magazine, my graciousness in front of the camera leaves a lot to be desired.  It’s rather unsettling to emerge from my somewhat secluded life and “let” perfect strangers document my secrets as they emerge on the map of my face, the turn of my posture, and through the self-conscious gates of my eyes.  Internally, I’m very comfortable with who I am.  But when the vacant lens of modern technology curves ominously toward me, I become the awkward stranger who can’t do anything right.

So for this article, I decided to buck up, accept my insecurities and flaws, and just get over it – right in front of you.  

Thanks to photographer, Daniel Johnson (of Wealthy Street Photography), and makeup artist and Women’s Lifestyle Magazine beauty columnist, Marianne Bockheim, I was able to repair my relationship with that dreaded device called “the camera” and get some tips on how to look better in front of it.   They both helped me feel incredibly comfortable.  Marianne worked her magic on my face with gluten-free makeover using Mineral Fusion ™, “Minerals on a Mission ™” make up.  She also offered some great advice on how to use these wonderful products.    

Mineral Fusion Makeup. Photo by Daniel E. Johnson, Wealthy Street Photography

I Chose Mineral Fusion™ for Three Reasons:

1.    It’s gluten-free status.  

“...all of our products are gluten free. However, no, our facilities are not certified as gluten free. We know our products are gluten free because we perform testing on our finished products. Those results have always resulted in undetectable levels of gluten, which indicates there is no cross-contamination occurring at our facility.  Moreover, our equipment is thoroughly cleaned between product runs, as required by the US FDA.”
~Tim Schaeffer, Mineral Fusion’s SVP of Marketing

Please visit www.mineralfusion.com for specific ingredient and processing information.

2.    Mineral Fusion has a low toxicity rating in the Skin Deep database from the Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org/skindeep). 

3.    The products work.  They work well and are locally available.

FACE PRIMER & CONCEALER DUO

COLOR:  NEUTRAL

Primer & ConcealeMarianne began with my naked face and applied the Face Primer.  This clear gel creates a smooth canvas for the foundation.  Use the lighter half of the Concealer Duo to cover up any discoloration, and the darker Concealer in the center of under eye puffiness to help “flatten” the puffy curve.  Use a thin application of the Concealer on the eyelid from lash to brow to prepare for the eye color.

PRESSED POWDER FOUNDATION & BLUSH

COLORS:  NEUTRAL 2 FOUNDATION; "TRACE" BLUSH

FoundatioUsing a chubby brush swirl the Pressed Powder Foundation over the entire face.  This evens out your skin, and sets the Concealer.

Then, with a brush, sweep the blush along the cheekbones from ear to apple to define.  Since the apples of most cheeks already contain color, you may not need to apply much blush (or any) to this area.

EYE PENCIL

COLOR:  COAL

Before using the liner, apply the lightest neutral eye shadow from lash to brow.  Apply the liner to the top lid starting from the outside corner of your eye.  Move inward with short, choppy strokes along the lash line.  This makes it easier to control how thick or thin your eyeliner is.  Buff the line with a brush to soften.  Use the same choppy eyeliner strokes (outside to inside) on the bottom lid, too, stopping about 1/3 of the way across the lid.  Using a brush, add a little copper eye shadow over the eyeliner to create a softer, different look.

EYE SHADOW

COLOR TRIOS:  “DIVERSITY” & “ STUNNING”

Marianne used two medium toned eye colors directly on the lid (pink on the inside and copper on the highest point of the lid).  She swirled the darker brown around the outside “V” of the eyelid itself.  With a good brush you don’t need to work too hard at blending.  It just happens.

LENGTHENING MASCARA

COLOR:  GRAPHITE

Take one swipe on top of the lashes (root to tips).  Then place the brush under the lashes, push at the lash base, and then wiggle the brush through the lash tips.  This is a great way to reinforce the eyeliner, or even give you the illusion of eyeliner if you choose not to wear it.

LIPSTICK & GLOSS

COLOR:  GEM

Outline the lips with a lip pencil or with a brush using the lipstick itself.  Then fill in your lips with the lipstick.  We used a little lanolin (my personal trick) to the lips to add a lasting shine.

HOW DID WE LIKE THE MINERAL FUSION?

Review first seen in Women's Lifestyle Magazine, May 2012, p. 30I wore the makeup for several hours after our session (I worked into the wee hours of the night) and it has some serious staying power.  The only thing that smudged subtly was the mascara, and it wiped right off without disturbing the rest of my face.  The colors are beautiful, and I am incredibly happy with how my skin looks and feels while wearing it.  It feels good and natural.  Just the way I like it.

Here’s what the expert had to say:

 “I really love the pigment and blendability of the Mineral Fusions make up.  Traditionally, mineral makeup wasn’t known for holding color.  But advances in technology have helped change that.  Mineral Fusion has a wonderful intensity of color and I love it’s luster.  The colors are really user friendly, it isn’t difficult to figure out how to apply it.  You have a great deal of control.  Even the most challenged of skin can wear this make up well. “  

~Marianne Bockheim, www.intelligentbeautysolutions.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF GLUTEN-FREE MAKEUP

According to a recent study (published in October, 2011), gluten (derived from wheat, barley and other grains) in cosmetics, shampoos and skincare products can pose a threat to people with wheat allergies and celiac disease.  Gluten particles are thought too big to be absorbed through the skin, but people may accidentally ingest small quantities of lotion, lipstick, or other products if they have the product on their hands or use it around their mouth. People with celiac disease and wheat allergies (IgE reactions in particular) can also react to topical application, and ingredients can be hidden.  Vitamin E, for instance is often derived from wheat.  The study cited one woman who started using a new lotion, then developed an itchy, blistering rash on her arms, as well as abdominal bloating and diarrhea - all of which disappeared once she stopped using the lotion.

I was excited to find Mineral Fusion Cosmetics and hope you will be, too!

ABOUT ELISABETH VELTMAN

Pictured with Makeup Artist, Marianne Bockheim (left)Writer, owner of Blue Pearl Strategies, and lover of all culinary delights, Elisabeth is a Tender Foodie. She started The Tender Palate, a website for foodies with food allergies where she consults with experts from every area of the Tender Foodie life. She believes that everyone should live deliciously and have a healthy seat at the table. Find her at www.tenderpalate.com.  (Pictured with Marianne Bockheim)

A MOTHER'S STORY (PART I): The Subtle Signs of Autism & the Long Road Ahead

The Long Road AheadAs we close April, Autism Awareness Month, I thought it appropriate to end it with a beginning.   This is the first in the series of articles written by Kari, a mother of two boys, including a 10 year old son who was diagnosed with Autism.  When Kari approached me with her compelling story, I asked if she would be willing to disclose it so that other parents could potentially learn from the path that she has taken.   The Mt Sinai Children's Health & Environment Center, has recently published a List of the Top 10 Chemicals Suspected to Cause Autism and Learning Disablilities.  The CDC has reported a 78% increase in reported cases of Autism Spectrum Disorder since 2002. This rapid increase not only indicates that many more lives are touched by this disorder, but that there is more than genetics involved -- like the environment and perhaps how food is manufactured.

I thank Kari for her willingness to let us into her life, and take us through her journey from discovery to what has helped her son thrive.

-elisabeth veltman

KARI'S STORY - In her own words

Proud.  

If I had to choose one word today to describe my feelings about my oldest child, it would be "proud".  My son will be turning ten in just a few short months, and six years ago, a few months before his fourth birthday, he was diagnosed with autism.  

Like most mothers, I sit here in amazement as I think about how quickly the time has passed.  Unlike most mothers, however, the words to describe my feelings about my son and his condition throughout most of his childhood would be drastically different than theirs would be.  Now, I choose, "Proud", because I've seen what he has accomplished.  But for many years, "Worried", "Frustrated", "Angry", "Defeated",  "Determined", and "Confident" would have been much more accurate words.

I feel that our story is unique.  A lot of things fell into place for us.  It's a story I've been wanting to share for years, but never knew how.  I always thought that my son should be the one to tell his story someday, if he chose to.  At this point, he knows about his diagnosis, and recovery, but he isn't ready.  Because I feel like his story could help others, I have decided to tell it.  I promised him that I would respect his privacy, so for that reason, I won't be using his real name.  

SUBTLE WARNING SIGNS

It wasn't until the time Caden was about two years old that I started to worry.  Before then, I had plenty of excuses for why he wasn't talking.  He was incredibly agile and I remember being told that kids put a lot of their focus into one area of development at a time.  From the time Caden started walking at 9 months, he was as steady as they come.  I don't ever remember bandaging a skinned knee.  I can clearly remember him running down the hill in our neighborhood to go trick-or-treating at 15 months.  He was always on the go, and I guess I just assumed that he was too busy to talk.  There were warning signs, but his pediatrician didn't seem concerned at all.  At his one year well check-up, I was asked if Caden was pointing.  I told the doctor that he wasn't, and he just shrugged it off and said, “Well, you need to work on that”.  Did he think I hadn't been pointing and trying to teach Caden all along?  I guess not.  He didn't seem worried, though, so neither was I.  

By the time Caden was two, words were starting to come.  I can't remember how many he had, but there were just a few.  He was, however, developing some other skills that made it clear to us that he was very smart.  He loved to spend time in our driveway having me write the alphabet repeatedly.  He would say “A” and I knew what to do.  I was in my third trimester of my second pregnancy and I swear I spent that entire summer bent over drawing with sidewalk chalk.  If I wasn't writing the alphabet,  I was drawing  shapes.  I would draw everything I could think of and then shout one out to him and he would happily run to it.  My driveway was a colorful mess and my neighbors were so entertained by Caden's abilities.  I was still perfectly content with my little guy's development.  

RED FLAGS

It was also around this time, during my second pregnancy, that I started to worry about Caden's behavior.  It was clear that he couldn't understand most of what we were saying, so there was no explaining anything to him.  He couldn't follow directions and he couldn't be reasoned with at all.  We spent a lot of time that summer and fall playing outside with the other neighborhood children.  Well, when I say “playing with” I really mean “playing near”.  Caden rarely acknowledged the other children.  He was much more content to lay on their driveway, rolling cars and trucks back and forth.  It was a great neighborhood with tons of kids.  Caden was the youngest so I didn't realize at the time that this lack of interest in other children should have been a red flag.  What I did realize, however, was that the kid was getting to be a real handful.  Every single time that it was time to go home, he threw tantrums so violent that one of the neighborhood dads had to carry him home for me.  He was so big and strong for his age and too much for me to restrain at the end of my pregnancy. I was growing more and more concerned about how I was going to handle Caden AND his new brother who would be arriving very soon.  

Caden was 27 months old when Nolan arrived nearly a month early.  Aside from the expected chaos of a house with a toddler and a newborn, the transition went fairly well for Caden.  There were no signs of jealousy or anything out of the ordinary.  He just went about his business as usual for the most part.  I remember that he would get a bit irritated when Nolan would cry, but luckily, Nolan was a pretty easy baby in those early days.  We were lucky to have family come stay with us to help for a few weeks.  By the time we were on our own, it was nearing the end of fall, so we pretty much just stayed cozy inside.  This was fine by me because I wasn't sure how I would handle the “time to go home tantrum” that had become all too familiar.  It was rare for me to venture out with both kids by myself.  I would often wait until my husband was home in the evenings before heading out to the store or to do much of anything.  I was also incapable of getting Caden to nap.  He still needed a nap, but he just couldn't calm himself and I didn't have the time to lay down with him and help him relax and drift to sleep.  My husband was a real savior during that phase and would drive home from work during his lunch break to help me with this.  

My confidence as a mother was starting to suffer and I was starting to question why my day-to-day life seemed so much harder than the lives of the other mothers I talked to.

THE REALIZATION

One day stands out in my mind as being a turning point for me.  I had taken the boys to the pediatrician where Nolan, who was about five months old, was diagnosed with an ear infection.  I decided to stop at Wal-Mart on the way home to pick up his prescription, instead of waiting for my husband to pick it up on his way home from work.  What a mistake!  We had to wait about 20 minutes for the prescription to be prepared, so we picked up a few groceries. During this time, Nolan started to get extremely fussy. The kid was absolutely screeching!  He was screaming and crying in agony and that prescription couldn't get ready fast enough.  I regretted my attempt to multitask as I looked at the check-out lines, but decided not to abandon my half full cart and make a run for it.  As we stood in line, I picked up the baby in an attempt to comfort him and it was at that very moment, possibly sensing my inability to do anything about it, that Caden started picking up my groceries and angrily hurling them.  Produce on the floor.  Canned goods at people's heads.  It was pure chaos and I must have looked like a deer in the headlights.  I fought to get Nolan back into the cart quickly, while simultaneously trying to shield him from Caden AND pay for my groceries.  It was at that moment that an older couple approached me and insisted on helping.  I'm not one to accept help from strangers, but at that moment, my life was falling apart and I was desperate.  My child was out of control and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.  They took over for me.  They pushed my cart full of groceries and crying infant to my car as I wrestled Caden through the parking lot.  By that point I was sobbing.  I somehow managed to get both boys into the car, drove out of the parking lot, but had to pull off the road.  I was shaking, frantic and scared.  I called my husband and told him that I needed help.  

Not just his help in that moment, but I needed help with Caden.  

This couldn't be right.  

 

Read Part II of Kari's story, "So This is Autism"

OTHER LINKS ABOUT AUTISM

 Why Children with Autism are Often Picky Eaters (by Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP)

Why Children with Autism are Often “Picky Eaters.”

Warm welcome to guest blogger, Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLP.   Melanie works with many autistic children with food allergies in her feeding therapy practice. 

One in 88 Children

April is National Autism Awareness Month.  “1 in 88 children has been identified with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)” according to estimates from CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, which goes on to report that “ASDs are almost 5 times more common among boys (1 in 54) than among girls (1 in 252).”  

Startling statistics, but it corresponds perfectly with my therapy practice as a feeding specialist.

While my private practice is devoted to helping all children learn the joy of food, currently 25% of my caseload are precious boys who have autism spectrum disorder (ASD).   I’ve come to know this group of children quite well and their unique challenges when it comes to trying new foods.  (For the reader’s ease,  please allow me to use the pronoun “him” in this article, while keeping in mind the wonderful girls who also have ASD.)

Central Features of ASD

What distinctive characteristics of ASD hinder these kiddos from trying new foods?  Let’s look very briefly at some of the central features of ASD, while keeping in mind that this a spectrum disorder, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe, this list does not encompass all of the elements of a diagnosis. 

Some of the central features that kids with ASD have difficulty with are: 

1. Social interaction, often including social reciprocity or that back and forth communication exchange known as conversation
2. Spoken language
3. Restricted behaviors often marked by rigid behavior patterns or an inability to be flexible with change
4. While not a criteria for diagnosis, kids with ASD commonly have sensory processing difficulties that hinder their ability to tolerate different tastes, temperature and/or textures of food and deal with change in general

The Hailstorm

In therapy, I assess and treat a child’s ability to allocate specific  cognitive resources in the brain in order to manage day-to-day life.  

EXAMPLE: here is a common event where, as an adult, you have to utilize many different parts of their brain.

You are driving the minivan full of kids to soccer practice, radio blaring, kids chattering.  Your brain is operating relatively smoothly, filtering auditory, visual, tactile and other sensations, while remembering to use your turn signal, maintain the speed limit, etc.  Suddenly, the weather changes and it starts to hail.  What’s the first thing you do?  Turn off the radio and tell the kids “Shush…Mommy needs to concentrate on the road.”  Perhaps you even slow down so that you can focus on the sudden change in driving conditions.  You have eliminated as much sensory input as possible so that you can concentrate on the task at hand – driving safely.  Funny how you were driving perfectly fine until one thing changed in your environment.

Life is Sticking to Sameness.  Therapy is Adapting to Change.

Consider the child with autism as he attempts to engage in mealtimes.  The reality is that daily life changes as easily as the daily weather report and some days are just like driving through a hailstorm.  This child is already challenged by poor sensory processing; he has limited ability to take in information through all of the senses, process it and filter out the unimportant info, and then act upon only the important information.

 

Now, bring that child to the family dinner table, which is all about social interaction and conversation.  Put a plate of food in front of him which looks and smells completely different from the last meal he was served.   Then, tell him to try that steamed broccoli for the very first time.  He doesn’t get to turn down the sensory input bombarding him at the table and focus just on the broccoli.  Because he has autism, he can’t filter out which stimuli might be inconsequential and it feels so much safer to follow rigid behavior patterns and never try anything new.  

Life for a child with autism is all about sticking to sameness. Therapy for a child with autism is all about learning to deal with change.

Autism, Food Allergies & Learning

Contemplate the fact that many children with ASD have the additional challenge of food allergies and/or intolerances, making choices limited when learning to try new foods.  For the older child heading to school, therapy will include teaching a child about his allergies and which foods are safe, so that he can be make safe choices independently ... while dealing with the ever-changing school environment, too.  

In my feeding therapy practice, the very first sessions are conducted in a child’s home.  Learning about new foods begins away from a family mealtime, where I can control the amount of sensory input a child has to process in order to keep his body organized and stable for small changes, such as a new food presented as we sit at the kitchen counter.  Once a child has learned to enjoy approximately 25 foods at home, the next step may be a restaurant or the school cafeteria.  

Keep in mind that this is more than just a change in venue.  Now, the visual input is different and it changes constantly, the inconsistent auditory input can be overwhelming, the fluctuating smells may be interpreted as noxious, etc.   Every input to every sense has changed.   Once again, he is encountering a hailstorm and has to learn to tune out the distractions and focus on the task at hand – in this case, eating a nutritious meal away from home.

 

Reach Out

Perhaps you are a parent of a child with ASD.   Perhaps you have observed a child whom you suspect may be dealing with the daily trials of autism.  Thank you for considering what mealtimes feel like for him and his family.  It does get better, but it is a journey that requires patience from family, friends and the community. 

Please share this article with a friend so that we can continue to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder and if you know someone who loves a child with ASD, do something special for them this month in honor of National Autism Awareness Month – thank you!

 

About Melanie

Melanie Potock, MA, CCC-SLPMelanie is speech language pathologist who specializes in feeding.  Her work brings her into the homes and schools of her clients, kids, who for various reasons have difficulty with food or with eating. She works with kids and their parents to develop effective strategies that help children become “more adventurous eaters”.  At least 50% of her clients have food allergies or intolerances, and for them, “adventurous eating” takes on a special meaning.  Melanie is also the author of Happy Mealtimes with Happy Kids” and the executive producer of “Dancing in the Kitchen.”

More Posts from Melanie

Review:  The Magic of the BellyFull Kit (From the Hopeful Company)

The 12 Days of Christmas -- My Favorite Lunchtime Things (Part 1)

Tips to Help Your Food Allergic Child Belong During the Holidays

How to Talk Turkey (and Food Allergies) at Thanksgiving

How Can Parents Feel Less Stress with a Food Allergic Child in School?

Help! I'm Vegan and Can't Eat Soy. How Do I Get Enough Protein?

Getting Protein from Veggies, Seeds, & Fruit

Are you following a vegetarian or vegan diet and have found that you cannot tolerate soy products? Don’t worry--while soy products are high in protein and often considered a staple in vegetarian and vegan diets, you can absolutely get enough protein and variety without soy as part of your diet. 

The thing to keep in mind is that all foods, even fruit, contain a certain amount of protein. The key is to choose the foods that are highest in protein per serving in their category.

Here are 3 ways for a vegan to get enough protein without using soy products:

1. Beans are your Friend: With all of the soy products out there, it can be difficult to remember that soy is just a little ol’ bean. And just like soy, starchy beans, like pinto are a wonderful source of protein. While soy is the bean highest in protein content, fava beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans and black beans are very close in their protein content per serving.
2. Go for High Protein Vegetables: Vegetables also contain protein. Peas, Broccoli, Spinach, Artichokes and Potatoes (yes, potatoes—isn’t that the best news?) all have a decent amount of protein per serving.
3. Hurray for Seeds: Some of the highest protein ‘grains’ aren’t grains at all—they are seeds. Quinoa, Buckwheat, Amaranth, Millet and Teff. All of these seeds have more protein per serving than rice.

Quinoa Pumpkin Seed Salad

Serves 4-6

This delicious, high-protein salad featuring quinoa and black beans is one of my most requested recipes. 

1 cup dry red quinoa, rinsed well (or 2 cups cooked red quinoa)

2 cups water

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

4 scallions, sliced

1 15-oz can black beans, drained

1 red bell pepper, diced

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

In a saucepan, boil water and add quinoa, lower heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.  Allow to cool at least to room temperature before continuing (or use precooked quinoa and skip this step).

In a bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, cumin, and chili powder. Pour over quinoa and stir in cilantro, scallions, beans and peppers, mixing thoroughly.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate until service.  Right before serving, stir in pumpkin seeds.

About Chef Jenny Brewer

Jenny Brewer is a nutritionist and chef who teaches people how to cook healthy foods that taste delicious. Visit her site at www.jennybrewer.com for delicious healthy recipes, meal plans and cooking inspiration.

See More of Jenny's Posts

Not Your Mamma's Chocolate Mousse Tart (super allergen-free)

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup (Vegan, DF, GF, Soy-free, Nut-free)

Plans Your Meals, Change Your Life!