Never Underestimate the Power of Ketchup

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Kids love french fries. This is an axiom, neh? And potatoes are supposed to be a big staple of a the new casein/gluten/everything-free diet we'll be launching in earnest next week. Well, up until today Leelo had never let a single potato-containing food product pass his lips. Then Jo, E, & S invited us out to dinner at a local grind. Jo was asking me about Leelo's new food scheme. I gave the pat answer "The problem is not what he can eat but what he will eat, blah blah blah."

Jo: "Not even potatoes?"
Me: "No."
Jo: "WHAAAT? All kids love potatoes. All kids eat french fries!"
Me: "Not this boy. Check it out. I'll even dip it in ketchup" (hands Leelo now-red french fry)
Leelo: "I was skeptical at first, of course--since you frequently try to poison me by telling me that inedibles such as carrots are in fact food--but at this time have decided that french fries are tolerable. In fact, I will eat five of them, some without ketchup, just to prove it and make your friend think that you are a loony."

So, rah for Leelo! If he will indeed eat them without ketchup (I have yet to find ketchup that's truly gluten-free) then that's one more item he can eat once the full crazy diet is in place. We are doing the full-phase out of sugar in three days, and are going nix gluten last, probably at the end of next week. Got to get that bread machine kicking, first.

In the meantime Iz is not comprehending the new regime, and just handed Leelo a chocolate mint ball. Doh!

Am thinking that the juicer, which had until last night spent at least a year in its unopened box, will be a key element of the new diet. As Leelo is a juice-a-holic. We made homemade pear juice tonight and it was so good I almost cried. So even though fruit-wise we're limited to pears and green apples and non-strawberry berries, I'm guessing that the taste of homemade juice will cover the flavor of many an icky supplement (when we start them, that is). Also figure we could toss in carrot, parboiled spinach bits, etc. and actually get some veg/fruit nutrients into this boy.

All the houseguests are finally gone. Tomorrow morning I am going on an over-nighter to Santa Carla with what LH calls the Bad-Assed mamas. (So named because we don't lie prostrate before our children's every need, and often prefer a good book and then take out to cooking). I would be more excited about the weekend if I'd been afforded a bigger buffer between intensely social events with nowhere to hide, but suspect it will be fun. By this time all my friends are used to my constant spacings-out and "what?"s in realizing that we're midway through conversations, so they shoudn't be too offended by my remoteness.