Amy's Rice Mac & Cheeze

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 3:46 pm

Some of you older members may remember my granddaughter Abby, who was born with Down syndrome and a swallowing disorder called dysphagia. Abby is 5 now, and has been tube-fed with expensive specialty formula for most of her life. This summer she was in a month-long intensive feeding program to teach her how to eat.

She now eats 4 meals of pureed food and has one tube-feeding a day. Her parents have worked with a nutritionist to come up with a diet that meets her nutritional and caloric needs. She is lactose-intolerant, and many people with Down syndrome are also gluten intolerant, so one of the things the nutritionist suggested for Abby is Amy's Rice Mac and Cheeze. They have to puree it for her, of course.

So, on to the real topic of my post: I decided to try this dish myself. It is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free. It uses rice pasta and Daiya cheese. My history with Daiya cheese hasn't been the greatest; their pizzas aren't worth the money, in my opinion.

But I was pleasantly surprised by the mac and cheese. Keeping in mind that I haven't had any mac and cheese for over 6 years, so my taste buds may not know what it ought to taste like any more, I think that this product is worth an occasional splurge.

Martha

Marcia K · Post by **Marcia K** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 4:04 pm

Thanks, Martha. I haven't tried any commercial products like that. I always tread lightly but if I'm feeling adventurous I might give it a try!

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 7:06 pm

Hi Martha,

So nice to hear an update on Abby - sounds like she is coming along and doing quite well considering her circumstances. I'm sure it's due to the love and care she receives.

Ironically, as I'm writing this, I'm eating "Daiya's Cheezy Mac - deluxe cheddar style". I just remembered that I bought a package recently, and decided to make it. Afterwards, I sat down at my laptop to eat, while browsing this site and immediately saw your post.

I can tell you that I'm in heaven eating this right now, as I haven't had Mac and Cheese in over 6 years. It tastes amazing, but, like you, I'm not sure if it's my "under indulged" taste buds that's the cause, or if it's truly good. Hopefully, I will not have a reaction, but if I do, I'll report back here.

Love,
Kari

Martha · Post by **Martha** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 7:51 pm

Kari, how nice to see a post from you! And fancy us both eating mac and cheese at the same time. What are the odds of that?

Yes, Abby is doing well. She's still mostly nonverbal, and her eating issues are as I described. She's in kindergarten in the public school in a functional skills class. She seems to like her school and her teachers. She also enjoys gymnastics and dance, but is taking private dance lessons because she doesn't take turns well. Her teacher has a son with Down syndrome, so she has been very accommodating. I don't see Abby as much as I used to, because she is in school all day long. I used to keep her two afternoons a week, but now she's in school in the afternoons.

Love,
Martha

humbird753 · Post by **humbird753** » Sun Dec 04, 2016 9:33 pm

Martha, thank you for the update on Abby. I remember when she was born. Time flies. It's hard to believe she's already 5 yrs old. I'm very glad to hear she is doing well.
And... thank you for your recommendation on the mac and cheese! I'll have to try it.

Kari, it's nice to see a post from you!

Kari · Post by **Kari** » Mon Dec 05, 2016 9:29 am

Well, so far, so good - I'm thinking of having the left-overs for breakfast, but I know that I should probably wait a day before having it again. The ingredients in the 2 versions of mac and cheese are virtually the same, so I assume they taste similar. Anyhow, for me, it is an enormous treat. I have not been able to gain back any weight because my diet remains very limited. It doesn't bother me any more, but I wouldn't mind putting on a few extra pounds :).

Even though I don't post much, I often come on to read, looking for new "discoveries". I know and accept that my food issues are for life, so the stress level I used to live with has all but disappeared. No food in the world is worth getting sick over and I'm quite satisfied with my limited diet, and enjoy every meal I eat. I have finally been able to add D3 on a daily basis, and use topical Magnesium for restless legs syndrome. I wouldn't have known to do this if I didn't come on here from time to time.

Paula - so glad you have been able to wear down the symptoms of this disease. I know that, same as for me, it has taken you a long time with lots of patience and diligence. I'm still not where I'd like to be in terms of BM's, but it doesn't worry me and has a minimal impact on my life.

Love,
Kari