Some foods I never cheat on when it comes to Martin’s diet. For example, I never slip in “just a little bit of soy” or “a pinch of refined sugar.” But every once in a while I do try to treat him with a scoop of an item typically off-limits. Tonight is one such occasion. As I’ve written, Martin’s diet now includes gluten-free grains, in moderation (typically no more than 1/4 cup per day). This is because he was getting some ketosis from all the fats, and because we’ve made good progress in eliminating yeast overgrowth. For dinner, I’ve made him buckwheat soba noodles with this nut sauce. The special ingredient? Chickpea miso. The original recipe called for sweet white miso, which as a soy product is totally off limits. I replaced it with chickpea miso. Chickpeas generally are too starchy for Martin’s diet, but hey, every kid needs to party now and then.  I use the South River brand, which is made with rice but gluten- and soy-free.

I’ve also sautéed some cauliflower in sesame oil with sesame seeds, which I will put on top of the noodles and nut sauce for a nice, complete meal.

I adapted this recipe from an old cookbook on my shelf, called The Peaceful Cook by Harriet Kofalk. One benefit of the cookbook, for us at this time, is that it uses nothing in the onion/garlic family. (According to the introduction, “These are stimulants, much like caffeine, and can negatively affect the subtlety of our internal processes.” Hmmm….)

1 cup walnuts or pecans, pre-soaked and dehydrated
1 cup vegetable stock, according to your child’s diet
3 tbsps chickpea miso

Roast the nuts in a dry pan until they are crisp. Combine the miso and stock in a blender or food processer and then, with the blades running, add the nuts a few at a time to form a saucy consistency. Toss with gluten-free noodles or pour over rice.