Those packaged animals aren’t all they’re cracked up to be
Jump to RecipeThe more little Leo eats, the more I think about food.
And it’s not just because it’s an entirely new, exciting world for him…and thus, for me. It’s also because, he’s a really sensitive little guy. Leo suffers from pretty nasty eczema; a condition that was surely not benefitted by our need to give him antibiotics at just 3 months when his skin broke out in a system wide infection, nor improved when we had to troubleshoot another such infection at 9 months. When it comes to gut health, we’re working hard to heal this little guys system. And until we do, we’ve gotta be pretty careful about what he eats.
The good news is that there are lots of things Leo can eat, and he eats joyfully, curiously and loudly. (Lots of squeals of glee at mealtimes around here!) Spirulina and coconut yogurt, green lentil fritters, sweet potato “truffles,” roasted salmon, lamb meatballs and good old bananas are his favorite. The less good news is that everything Leo can eat, I have to make for him, which is a bummer not because I don’t LOVE cooking for him — I do! But because there is a lot of beautiful food out there to enjoy that isn’t always made by me.
When I think back to being a little person, there were so many nostalgic things that I loved to eat; the Mexican Annie’s macaroni-and-cheese! Does anyone remember that? And those little pink, orange and purple wafer cookies that my mom would bring to the pool? But if I’m honest one of the things I loved most as a little person were animal crackers, sometimes the ones dipped in pink and white frosting, covered with tiny speckled sprinkles. But most of the time, the ones that came straight from a personal little box shaped like a circus car train. THOSE were my favorite. And that is where these Wildly Easy Animal Crackers began.
When I went hunting for animal crackers, figuring that could be a safe, enjoyable treat to feed my sensitive little eater, my findings were pretty alarming. Leo is sensitive to gluten at this age and so this is where I started looking. Even walking through the most famous “health food” stores in the country, it’s pretty alarming just how many non-foods, colorings, gums and derivatives are in the packages on the shelves.
My nostalgic childhood brand contained soy lecithin, artificial colors and flavors – all things Leo is either sensitive to, our I’m too sensitive to give him. Even the all-natural, organic brand contained soy lecithin guar gum, AND xanthan gum. These ingredients are so commonplace in our foods, that when we read labels the reality of what these foods are doesn’t really sink in. But soy lecithin is is derived from raw soybeans, where the soybean oil is extracted using a chemical solvent. The soy oil then goes through a process where it is mixed thoroughly with water until the lecithin ingredient becomes hydrated, separating from the oil, and it’s then dried. The chemical used most often is hexane, which is also used in making glue for shoes, roofing and leather products, and prolonged exposure is harmful to humans. What about consistent exposure by way of foods that it’s helped derive?
What about the gums? Guar gum and xanthan gum are pretty gnarly. Guar causes gas and intestinal discomfort, gums up the digestive system and has been shown to promote the overgrowth of E.Coli bacteria in the gut. The FDA has banned xanthan gum for use in infant formulas, causes digestive distress and has been shown to increase the frequency of bacterial infection and intestinal inflammation in infants. These gums serve as emulsifiers and gelling agents in many many products, specifically in gluten-free products.
So…it was time for me to make animal crackers of my own.
A great question. For those of you who are celiac, I would guess that this is a very big deal because if you’re eating a lot of packaged gluten free products (things like breads, crackers, cookies, etc) then you’re getting a lot of this stuff in your diet. And if you’re NOT celiac, and you avoid gluten because you think you *should,* then I want to tell you that these gums are a great reason to eat gluten instead.
Gluten is the sticky, gummy protein that develops when wheat flour interacts with liquid. Gluten gives bread, cakes, cookies – structure. And, when we consume whole grains, with their minerals, vitamins and insoluble fiber intact, our bodies typically process gluten rather well. The fiber and good stuff in the grain helps to sweep the gluten through the digestive tract, improving gut health as it goes. The trouble with gluten comes when we eat wheat products that are made with flour that no longer contains it’s whole-grain properties, nutrients, minerals or soluble fiber. Now, the gluten just gloms onto the digestive tract, clogging the system and creating intolerance.
When we choose to eat gluten-free products that contain these gums, we’re eating a substance just as harmful for our health as adulterated gluten. The gums – which are highly derived – also gum up the digestive tract, often with far worse symptoms and consequences.
Le sigh. For Leo’s eczema and digestion, and for my own conscience, I had no choice but to make my own.
The first step in making Leo his own animal crackers was using a flour he could digest and would enjoy. And, (ta-da!) this was a perfect opportunity for me to pull out the all-purpose gluten-free flour mix that I typically use for these such occasions….and many others. I never EVER use a store-bought flour blend, and instead employ the simple DIY flour mix you’ll see below. It works in all the places you might want a gluten-free flour; pies, cakes, cookies. Mix it up, and bake away!
And so, with no suitable animal crackers on the shelves – my my standards, and by the standards of sweet little Leo’s sensitive digestive system – I set out to make my own. And honestly, it was easy. And it was even easier for us to fall in love with these little crackers! I developed a wheat version first, and when I landed on a recipe I liked, used an all-purpose gluten-free mix I make myself to make a version that Leo (and his little digestive system,) would love. GREAT SUCCESS. Leo LOVES these and anytime one comes out, it always makes me smile to watch him explore the faces of the animals before using his tiny fingers to poke pieces of the cookies into his mouth and delicately chew. Be still my heart!
To make these crackers you need 6 ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. In the recipe below, I show you how to make your own gluten-free flour, and I have a special flour I recommend…as well as a recommendation for how you can substitute it. You’re also going to want to pick up the spring-loaded cookie cutters to make them adorable as can be. (These cutters are particularly helpful if you are making a gluten-free version because it will help the cut dough to release from the cutter!) You’re gonna want to read the recipe notes for this one!
And I want to add that these are NOT just for tiny hands (though, this recipe is the very first recipe on this site that falls into the new category of Kid-and-Baby Friendly! Expect more here!) These little cookies are awesome to have on hand to dip in nut butter if you need a snack, to take on your hikes, rides and runs, to add to breakfast cereal (because they’re truly that virtuous!)
Enjoy these – big people and little people, alike.
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