These maple nut butter cookies are a healthier riff on the popular 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies. But this version is refined sugar-free, and is sample recipe from the cookbook Grayson’s Way – Family-Style Cooking for Dietary Limitations by Jerri Mead and Ruthie Ilnicki.
Grayson’s Way is Dairy-free, Gluten-free, and Refined Sugar-free
Grayson’s Way is designed to assist families in transitioning to gluten-free, casein-free & no refined sugar eating. Author Jerri Mead has Celiac-Sprue disease and has a young child with Autism. Her family has been on this diet for over 7 years and she knows first-hand how difficult it can be to thrive on these restrictions in today’s society. For that reason, Ms. Mead attended culinary classes at night, after spending her days leading her busy legal practice, in order to understand the science of cooking.
Addressing the Autism Diet
The United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that 1 in 150 children have been diagnosed with Autism. To make matters worse, there is no consensus within the medical or scientific professions about the cause of Autism or its treatment. In recent years, many physicians, homeopaths and parents themselves have discovered that diests that are free from gluten and casein have improved the behavior and development of children with Autism. This diet has become known in some circles as the “Autism Diet”.
A Healthier Transition for All
Some forward-thinking people have also discovered that the preservative-laden sugar-filled foods so prevalent in our culture today are also hindering our children’s ability to progress. People with other disorders such as Celiac-Sprue disease also benefit greatly from such a diet. Author Jerri Mead agrees.
The book is called Grayson’s Way because this is the way that my son, Grayson, will need to eat for probably the remainder of his life. It’s designed to transition the entire family to gluten-free, casein-free, no refined sugar eating. I believe that in order to be successful, the entire family must follow the diet, at least while in the house. Children with disabilities are already reminded too often that they are different. I did not feel comfortable doing that inside our home as well. Anyway, cooking one meal nowadays is difficult enough. My husband can attest that he is getting better meals now than he did before we went on the diet, with very few accommodations.
A Customer Review of Grayson’s Way
Initial feedback on the book from customers has been very enthusiastic. Customer Nancy F. from Fort Wayne wrote the following.
When I saw Grayson’s cookbook at Mitchell’s, I knew I had found a treasure. My 11-year old grandson has Asperger’s and has been on the GFCF diet since May. His all time favorite meal is Chicken and Noodles. Needless to say, the corn pasta we have been substituting just hasn’t satisfied him. I made your noodle recipe this morning and it was fab. I can’t wait for him to come next week and see his face when I serve him REAL noodles. Thank you thank you thank you!
Bless you for sharing your knowledge with those of us who struggle to serve healthful and tasty meals for our special children. I also really enjoyed your Forward. I learned so much and feel more confident as I venture into this GFCF world.
We don’t have that noodle recipe for you, but Jerri did share this easy recipe for maple nut butter cookies as a sample from Grayson’s Way.
Special Diet Notes: Maple Nut Butter Cookies
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, gluten-free, grain-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegetarian, and paleo-friendly.
- 1 cup nut butter of choice (can sub peanut butter or seed butter)
- 1 cup maple sugar
- 1 egg
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, blend the nut butter, maple sugar, and egg until smooth.
- Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, and space them out your prepared baking sheet. Optionally flatten the cookies with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies look just set. Serve with unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage for dunking.
More Maple-Sweetened Recipes
Maple ‘n Spice Apple Crisp
Homemade Maple Hemp Milk
Maple Pecan Overnight Oatmeal
