The Autism Journey begins but I prepared Snacks

So after the revelation on my last post I've had some time to digest and I in a really good place.

My son is beautiful and will always be a shining light in my life and all I know is we'll be taking a different route to his amazing-ness that the path trod by neurotypical children (yes I learnt a new word ooh fancy),

Learning and help that is the way I going to get this autism thing down, and that is what has been happening, which in turn is making me so positive.

Just need to give a big shout out to my Nursery and Kent County Council and they have been so so so so so helpful.

We're already had a meeting with the areas Education person (can't remember her full title) that the problem with having Dyslexia and Dyspraxia we sometimes find it hard taking new information in and with getting a autism diagnosis there is a lot to take in - lucky I have my darling Hubby about to help where I forget.

so we had a really positive meeting about his education needs, we've with mega help from His Nursery applied for SCARF (Sever and Complex Accessibility Resource Funding)

Oh yes now learning a whole new vocabulary as everything is an anagram, think I'm going to need to write my own dictionary on it.

Also talked about starting the application process for EHC (Education, Health and Care) plan - if you want to find out more about it the .GOV.UK website has some great info: although if you're outside the UK reading this I'm sure a quick google search will help ☺☺

Then we had a meeting with a Speech and Language Therapist and they going to start him on PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) really looking forward to that, as my son is non verbal. I am hoping it becomes a way for us to communicate better with each other. Although just a hug between us can say a thousand words.

I have also been proactive I have joined a parents group and attended two course in a local special school resource centre - Strategies for Kids with Speech and Language Difficulties and Starting the Autism Journey.

Both have been so informative and just being able to meet other parents and know I am not the only one going through this and finding out about why he does thing and getting a small glimps into how they think and process things is truly amazing and so helpful.

It's true what they say Knowledge is Power and it this case it the Power to feel positive, to Feel no so helpless and to feel that you will definitely be able to do this.

This is the power I so needed right now, so now turning into Dyslexic cooking Mum - Autism armchair specialist!

My new found positivity is spilling over into other things I've started training again as I am going to run the Hackney Half marathon this April.

Although I still have other things going on in my life that are not so positive (won't bore you with my work related stuff nightmares) at least my personal part of my life is looking a lot better.

I've also gone back to trying to eat health and decided to make Potato Cakes. Now I know I did this before but I have rehashed the recipe a bit - to add some Super Speed food - yes I am back on Slimming world but also some other ingredients to make them a bit more filling.

I took: 

2 potatoes

1 bag of Sprouts

4 rashes of reduced fat bacon - or normal bacon with all the fat cut off before cooking

2 tbs of Quark

Boil up the potatoes and the sprouts.

Mash together.

While the potatoes and sprout are cooking get your 4 rashers of bacon

And cut into pieces

Add the cooked bacon and the quark to the mashed up sprouts and potateos

Then once the mixture is all combined roll into balls

Place on a baking tray then cook in a 200 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Now you can either eat these fresh straight from the oven or let them cool and use them as a fab snack for picnics or anywhere really.

All I know is there healthy and tasty.

Just so glad I got to find time to do a bit of cooking and share it with you all.

As with everything going on it nice to share my passion for cooking.

Some .......... "News"

So I've haven't written in a while, nearly two months.

Why you ask, why indeed well where to start...

In December we got the "-----" news that our son is Autistic, diagnose with "Autism Spectrum Disorder" - The reason I left that space blank before news is there so many words I could put there.

The most obvious on is Bad news - but I don't think I like that term, as my son went into the Doctors office the same way he came out of it - he hadn't changed that always been a part of him, so it can't be "bad" as that would make some part of who he is bad and he's just fantastic.

I could use "informative" but that wouldn't sum it up either as being told your child has autism is information of a type.  It's helpful you are a name round it, but then you realize you have no real knowledge and are woefully under informed on the subject.

The internet has been helpful and especially the National Autistic Society but it's not the whole story and you have to do the leg work. You get told about these organisation but then you have to leave the Doctors office come blinking into the light and have to do something when frankly the first thing you want to do is cry.

I could have used the word "Harsh" or "Unfair" as it is a bit harsh to get this news, at the time really I felt really unfair why us, actually more why me. What did I do to deserve this. Like the universe had it in for me especially even though it my Son who is suffering - luckily the unfair thoughts wore off quickly as just looking around the world my life is anything but unfair.

I could have used the word "Painful" as a bit like harsh it hurts, it was like being winded. You feel the pain but as the wind is knocked out of you, so you can't express the feelings within.

I could have used the word "confirmed" news, as anyone with a Autistic child before the diagnosis knows there is something wrong, my son is a brilliant little boy but not in the same way as the other children in his nursery. As he's my first and currently only child to me all his quirks seem sort of normal in the closed setting of our living room but in a room full of other children you can see he's walking his own path.

I could of said "Hard" news as it will be hard as there is help out there but the world is set up for the standard (I nearly said normal but I hate that word as no one is truly normal) world and if your world is different it will be harder to engage and access the same things. For example my son doesn't look at people when they're talking to him, he can hear them fine but without the standard social convention of eye contact most people give up.

Now I'm not having a go about that as it is a social convention and even now when I'm talking to someone and they look at their phone I do think I'm sure they're not listening to me. But I do talk crap most of the time so not really their fault.

So it will be hard as I will need to make concessions, plan more for even simple activities and will have to engage on a higher level with services like Schools, institutions and social activities to make sure he is getting the most out of life.

Being a parent is hard so extra challenges just add another layer of hardness - not that it's not worth the all the extra effort.

That's why I'm just going to leave the statement as just plain old "News".

As it will be hard it will be painful it will be harsh at times, but it also will be brilliant, amazing, wonderful and ultimately so worth it.

I am a strong mumma bear and my disabilities have sometime been hard to over come but I over came and I am a better person for it. So I know the challenges my son will face in his lifetime he will over come and will go to shape him into an even more amazing person.

So from now on my blog like me will be altered - it will still have food, Disney, dyslexic, dyspraxia and general life stuff but will now have a new addition of Autism - I hope to learn and pass on knowledge I find out and be a record of our little journey through life.

Who knows he could be reading this while siting in his Prime Minister office or the set of his next block buster or in the middle of nowhere search for a new species of newt.

He has so many possibilities and so much to see and do and I know that it is my job to make sure his Autism is never an reason for him not achieving - so woe betide anyone who says he can't do that or he's not capable of... as they will have do deal with an angry dyslexiccook lol 

Vlogging the blogging

So I thought I shake it up a bit...

I've given Vlogging a go this week. We went to  Leeds Castle in Kent to watch the Medieval Jousting.

Although when I say vlog, it's more of a video but I am trying new things and will hopefully be making more of this with a bit more talking from now on (Also apologies for the sound a the start it was a super windy day). 

Will be back next week with a proper blog apologies been hectic what with a new job and not having internet at home don't ask but now I have super fast broadband so will be able to blog quite happily from now on.

Spiralling out of control

So I got to enjoy some UK sunshine 

And discovered a yummy Captain Morgan's White Rum Mojito in a can, very nice and so handy for the summer months.

Even got to enjoy a delicious chicken salad, just bought a store garden salad bowl, threw in some avocado and grilled some chicken and added some Caesar Salad dressing. 

Also as I put it all in the bowl there was a lot less washing up to do.

I decided I wanted some Aubergine (egg plant) now if you regualarly read my blog you know I have a love hate relationship with this veg. I love it, but I always suck when I cook it. But if I'm nothing but persistant so I decided to try again.

So I sliced it put it into a colander and covered it in salt (no very health for the heart) and left it there for about 15-20 minutes.

I then put it on a baking tray and added a pinch more salt and cooked for about 25 minutes.

While that was cooking I wanted to use my new Spiral Slicer - as it seem like such a good idea when I bought it to make vegetable noodles and to say hey world look how healthy I can be.

I got some carrots and some courgette (Zucchini) to make into wonderful spirals.

What a complete disaster and such a waste of time, now to be fair to the Spiral Slicer I have Dyspraxia so using something that requires the machine to turn one way, while I turn the veg the other, actually can be very difficult so not sure if it was a bad machine or just a bad me.

So we end up with just this

From all this 

So I think I will from now on buy it pre-spiraled or find an electronic one.

The good new however is the Aubergine turned out great so at least I achieve something and the dinner wasn't a total disaster.

So to cheer myself up the next day I went to LEON and got my self a perfectly Spiraled Courgetti & Kale Salad which was fresh, taste and super nom.

Make room for Instagram Mushrooms

Starting with a  big thing I finally told my work about my Dyslexia and Dyspraxia it only took me 9 years - but I feel such a relief its done.

Well if I'm going to write a blog and put myself out there I should be my whole self in everything I do and I am through hiding who I fully am. I am Dyslexic and Dyspraxic and yes that does make me have a little quirks but hey I am really starting to love be slightly quirky.

I think that really having my little boy I want to be the best person I can be so I going to be the best version of me warts and all - so there world,  here I am :) 

I've also join the wonderful world of Instagram you can find me @dyslexiccooking that's my Twitter handle too so come follow me, actually that would be nice as current count is 9 followers.

I do like Instagram as it lots of pic and not many words it is the perfect forum for Dyslexics, but I will still be writing my blog this is just another social media outlet I am using.

As for cooking week I made a lovely mushroom dish it more like a starter (appetizer) really. It was born out of I had a load of mushroom I needed to use so I decided to bake them. I loaded up a baking tray.

They looked a bit sad on the tray so I wanted to jazz them up a bit. So I added peri peri seasoning (I had some left over from the Peri Peri Pork) some chilli flakes and a vegetable oxo cubes. I put it in a hot oven for 20 mins.

What I got was a love spicy blackened snack. Which I have decided will make a fab buffet snack at a party and as it just baked mushroom with no added oil or anything they are very healthy and of course yum city.  

So apart from finding my new favorite party snacks the other stuff that been happening with me is at work we got sent a anamatronic cat. They are supposed to be companion for old people, but they are super creepy like something out of a horror house. Think it might do more harm that good for the old people.

Also had some lunch at my mums and she was so nice and made me a low fat ploughmans to fit in with my diet. Okay wasn't has fun as a proper one but was a nice lunch.

Oh and I got a new phone case of course it's a Disney case, I just love the quote an have been staring at it in boring meetings... Ah Disney Dreaming again okay when am I not lol.

Last thing before I sign off I have been going to Itsu actually think I am becoming slightly obsessed.

I do love sushi, okay hands down best Sushi is at the California Grill in Disney well I think the view make the food taste better. But as it not quite convenient for my lunch hour lol.. 

But Itsu is very very very good and a lot nearer lol and I can just get California rolls which is great for lunch. Something nice fresh and tasty for a quick lunch at work that perks me up for the rest of the day.

Bonny, Bonny Scotland

Great timing as this is going up on Burns night, Haggis for everyone :) 

But last week I was up in Scotland for my  father in law's (FIL) 60th birthday.

Had my first flight with the little one alone. British Airways were so helpful and lovely (Big Thanks to all the Staff you were brilliant) but I still need a drink after the whole ordeal lol..

We managed to surprise him, might not be the best thing to do, jumping out on a man just about to turn 60, don't worry he got a bit of a jump but he was okay.

As they had traveled back all the way from Malaysia and still on Malaysian time the first day was a bit quiet.

The second day we made up for it and I made Margaritas - 2 parts tequila to 1 part Cointreau and 1 part lime juice. Mix in a shaker full of ice and serve in a salted rimmed glass. 

Yes I know these a Champagne glasses but it's all we had and needs must.

They where so tasty, albeit a bit strong, they went down very well with the Mother in Law (MIL) - even though we were starting the celebration for the FIL birthday due to him still being Jet lagged he was asleep and missed out on the Margarita fun lol

On the third day we  it was officially FIL 60th birthday 

We had a yummy breakfast along with Bucks Fizz (Mimosas) and Cake the cake was in the shape of a Jammy Dodger on of the FIL favorite biscuits.

He got lots of lovely cards and presents we bought him a fit bit, which will help to burn off the cake calories lol.

It started to snow, proper snow not like the rubbish we get down south,  so we got the little one out to experience it. 

And obvs I had to go out and have some fun in it too. I know I'm a fully grown woman but don't care, I love snow and turn into a 5 year old whenever I get to experience it.  :)

I enjoyed it much more than the little one I think he preferred looking, he's more of a sun bunny which bodes well if we trying to plan a trip to Disney World as I doubt they ever get snow there.

We spent most of the day relaxing as the FIL wanted to watch the Cricket which England won. Yay go team..

Early evening we went o a lovely restaurant "The Boathouse" which is in the grounds of my favourite hotel Cameron House (it was the venue for our Wedding Reception) so hold a special place in my heart.

It was very snowy still so I had to modifiy my foot wear for going out, don't worry I took high heels in my bag as even though the Wellies were handy they didn't really go with my dress lol. 

Stared off the dinner with a lovely Wine a Da Luca Pinot. It was super yummy, dry and crisp just the way I like my wines. 

The food was equally exquisite as the wine.

My Hubby ordered steak and it came with Jenga chips - very fun and they were nice and Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, as I insisted on trying one (For research purposes only of course).

The FIL ordered the Duck, he said it was nice but I think I would have liked mine a bit pinker.

My Hubby Steak was cooked to perfection too.

I had an utterly amazing Crab and Avocado pizza, stoned baked in a proper pizza oven. You could tell it was freshly made and the crab was so nice. I would say it a must if you visit this restaurant.

As it was a celebration we finished off the meal with a Moet - well a bit of Fizz is always needed when marking a big milestone.

Honestly I can say enough nice things about this place, it also right on the loch, to dark to take any good pics but it is an amazing location for a bit of amazing food. 

The next day it was still really snowy, but we found an ingenious way of getting the little one around the town. 

As we couldn't stay out in the cold for too long we took a visit to the Loch Lomond Shores Sea life center.

I think I made a new friend.

And I definitely found Nemo and all his buddies. 

We even on the break got to spend some time in the loch in the little town of Luss.

Which is a chocolate box picture of a town, but I would avoid the cats.

Another must when visiting that part of the world also very special as we got married in Luss Church - ah memories.

The MIL offered to baby sit so we got to have a night out. We went to the Great Scotts Bar in Cameron House, a very comfortable lounge bar with a very nice Scottish Theme, full of muted tartans and squashy wing back chairs and sofas. 

They also carried the same wine list as the Boat House so I got some more of that delicious Sicilian Da luca Pinot. Will have to see if I can get that in the Supermarket.


So on the last day we just milled about,  although I did find King Kong at Loch Lomond Shores Jenners enjoying a fun day out.

Oh and I found this fab farm shop - Auchentullich Farm Shop - yeah I have no idea how you pronounce it either lol :) 

I picked up some very spice but if you like that thought of thing, flavourful, Silver and Green Piri Piri Stuffed Olives

Which went fab with this fresh wholemeal bread food heaven.

So all in all a very fun and full week.

The only other Major highlight is I was name 10 in Foodblogs.co.uk  10 Food Blogs Taking 2016 by Storm.

Can't thank them enough, and is making me so excited for what I am going to do this year.

Honestly I really appreciate it, being dyslexic and dyspraxic it is very very scary writing stuff and exposing your quirks for people to see and for someone to write something so lovely and get what I'm trying to do means so much.

I do hope to take 2016 completely by storm not only in my blog but everything I do, so guys watch this space.

And I would also like to hear from some of you so please post a comment even if its just to say hi.