(pb) Ballin’

First.

I am not a food blogger. Or Photography blogger. Nor actual model or wanna be model. Also, I’m not in a model kitchen.

I’m at home. Where we live. A mom. Who works at work and works from home and homeschools 1 out of 3 kids. Trying to look skinny and pretty while taking a selfie in a clean kitchen after working at work is WAY too hard and would somehow imply I do this with ease, grace, and a flawless face. All lies.

Why Not Just Buy Snacks

Our family has been gluten free (at home) for years. YEARS. The 12- year old manchild has focus, anxiety, attention and digestive struggles when we eat a conventional (read cheap, wheat filled, carb filled) American diet. The middle has eczema. The littlest has digestive issues. We did it originally for the kids. Then I read Perlmutter’s Grain Brain after a few weekend education classes were talking about the negative impacts of carbs on the brain. And then I read Wheat Belly.

Then my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few years ago. And now my favorite book of all time is The End of Alzheimer’s. (Yes. I’m boring, I know.). All of them outlining the implications of the work of Italian researcher Alessio Fassano who was able to determine what gluten does in the body and why the responses in vivo can be so varied.

Short, non physiologic version: you have bridges in your gut which create a barrier system. Gluten stimulates a hormone, zonulin, which opens the draw bridge and weakens the barrier system. What’s on the inside of your intestinal tract (poop and poop parts) now leaks out by way of the open barrier system.

The immune system attacks anything that it doesn’t like. (That’s another blog). This process is why gluten is related to your joint pain, your headaches, your bloating, and your foggy thinking.

So, when someone asserts that gluten free is a ridiculous fad, I am immediately aware of the lack of research said person has done.

IRL, THO

Gluten free in real life (IRL) can be a challenge. Add in other food sensitivities (ours are eggs, almonds, brown rice, cranberries, oats, dairy), eating the right thing for health can get challenging.

For the general public if its says “Paleo” it works for them. For us, nope.

Most recipes are adapted from the gluten free, dairy free keto cookbooks as neither really work. And. Children. The chances of them eating some of those recipes are nothing to negative nothing.

Snacks are the biggest issue. The people eat. All. Day. Long.

enter the balls

Whatcha Need:

3.5 Cups Crispy Rice

2 Cups Nut/Seed Butter that works for you

1.5 cups honey (or 1/2 c powdered swerve)

1/2 cup Enjoy Life Chips (the minis work well)

3 scoops of CLEAN protein. (fave for this, fave for shakes)

What to do:

Cream the nut butter and sweetener of choice in a stand mixer. Slowly add in crispy rice. Should be crumbly. Then the chips.

With a spoon, gather the mix and form a ball with your hand. Place in a fridge-fitting container that will have a lid.

Stick in the fridge for 30 minutes (and keep there).

Makes about 35-45.

*Doubling the PB (the big jar) results in pretty much needing a whole box of crispy rice and 1/2 bag of chips, but not necessarily doubling the sweetener….

If you’re working on being gluten free, this is an easy starting place to have a snack on hand. It’s filling. Hits the sweet tooth without spiking insulin.

There are a million different variations of this: cocoa krispies, kashi dark cocoa, mixed nut butters, add in seeds or crumbled nuts. This is an easy place to start #changingthethings.

If you purchase anything in the links, I make a few dimes. Literal dimes. But I still have to tell you that.