Yes, very flaky. Don't know how they do it, but you could not tell the difference between the oilive oil or regular fats. Their cheese cakes are a dream too and are fat free. I tried to make some using the fat free creamed cheese, but it turned into a watery mess. Theirs must use some kind of thickener that doesn't need any baking. They are sold in plastic pans. They claim to be a mail order outfit too, and even sell to some retailers now. I didn't like their gluten free donuts very much though, as they were a baked donut with a sugar free filling, a real shock to nayone expecting them to be the same texture as a fried, flour based one. I could enjoy the chocolate ones though, not bad. If I were to try the pie crust with oilive oil, it would be one that is not extra virgin as it doesn't need that taste to come through unless it was in a vegetable pie of some kind. The secret is to have the oilive oil and flour very cold so it dosn't make the dough too soft.

In response to the original poster's statement: you do not *need* an enormous amount of protein to start your day. In fact, one does not require a large amount of protein per day at all. Rather, this is a gross exaggeration on the part of various "how to get fit" diet books. What you need to kick start your day is a lot of vitamins and micronutrients with some good sugars. To do this, I usually mix about 1/3 of a pineapple with 1/2 a mango in some orange juice, then embellish with a variety of other fruits or berries such as banana, cranberry, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, kiwi, or really any fruit that would taste good with the pineapple/mango base. The fruits are a good kick start (especially the banana and pineapple) because they are natural "feel good" fruits that contain a little bit of caffeine (*dramatically* less than in coffee, and far far less than even in green tea, but present and functional!). They will literally make you feel awake, aware, and alert. If you are a busy-body and don't get around to lunch often, it's important to add some healthy fats in with this shake either in the form of a splash of olive oil, or more ideally, a heaped tablespoon of coconut milk (preferably with no preservatives, but that's a rare find these days). Mix this all up in a blender until smooth (or you could eat it all raw, but that takes a long time and you're looking for a quick fix). "But what about protein?" Well, first of all, fruit has more protein per calorie than meat or beans do. That's because a lot of what's in a fruit is water or calorie-free minerals and the like. As such, your body is packing on fewer pounds per unit of protein it is extracting. Secondly, you don't WANT a bunch of *excess* protein, because this negatively impacts your overall health and has been linked with heart disease, early stage diabetes, and a variety of dermatological pathologies, most notably acne and cellulite. Moreover, you can add a raw egg yolk or two (be sure to mix the min with a fork rather than the blender as the friction with the blades is sufficient to cause heat denaturation of the fragile amino acids in an egg yolk) to your drink. Egg yolks are loaded with natural amino acids as well as good HEALTHY cholesterol (as opposed to 7-ketocholesterol). On days when I do not work out and have a light schedule, I have found that this one meal keeps me full for basically the full day without making me feel bloated or 'stuffed.' For a creamy alternative to coconut milk or olive oil, try peeling and pitting an avocado and sticking it in with all the other fruit. It sounds gross, probably, since avocados have such a thick texture on their own, but blended in with fruit it makes the whole smoothie taste like you added a shot of cream or ice cream to thicken it, and is one of the most pleasant add-ons to a recipe I've ever tried! In closing, let me say that I have drawn all this information from an authoritative source which is available online at www.freeacnebook.com. The first link on the page takes you directly to the book which is a few hundred pages of information about dermatopathologies and their link to diet as well as an explanation of why the diet this book recommends will work. It is well-researched, and cites all the major assertions the author makes. As a research biologist, I loved that this work cited its sources, since many diets are content to say "The FDA said so," and leave it at that! Finally, I have been on this diet for around 2/3 of a year and have lost 60 pounds (I'm convinced I would have lost more if I had been more overweight, but I'm now at an ideal weight for my height, build, age, etc.). More importantly, my level of energy has increased, my attention span (which was not bad to begin with) has improved, my IQ is measurably higher, and I feel more alert and oriented than I ever have in my life. I should note that when I was younger I was an athlete, and I feel more fit than I did as an NCAA division 1 rower. As such, I can't see any draw backs to this diet, as it has done nothing but make me healthier, happier, and keener. It's done the same for friends and family who have tried it. Up to you what you want to do with it, but either way I applaud you on your decision to eschew grains or dairy as they are addictive, noxious substances that cause you to eat 10% extra calories, resulting in obesity or chronic health conditions. Sincerely, Dave Stratton

I found these recipes in "The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook" by Marilyn Gioannini. It calls for soy milk, but would probably work with almond or rice milk just as well. I haven't tried them, so can't vouch for them. I would also suggest doing a search on - Vegan Thanksgiving Recipes. I'm sure you will find a lot of recipes you can use. -Grainlady Pumpkin Pie 1 pie crust of your choice 2 c. pumpkin puree 1-1/2 c. soy milk or other alternate milk 1/2 c. honey 2 eggs 1-1/2 t. cinnamon 1/2 t. salt (optional) 1/2 t. ground ginger 1/4 t. nutmeg 1/4 t. ground cloves [Grainlady note: you could also substitute Pumpkin Pie Spice for the combined spice amount.] Prepare pie crust. Bake at 350-degrees for 5 minutes so it will remain flaky. Combine pumpkin, milk alternative, honey, eggs, and spices in a large bowl. Mix well with a whisk to combine all of the ingredients. Pour into pie pan and bake until done, about one hour. Cover the exposed crust with aluminum foil strips after it has browned, to keep it from getting overdone, if necessary. Mock Whipped Cream 1/2 (10.5 oz.) package silken tofu 1/3 c. raw cashews 1 T. maple syrup 1 T. vegetable oil Remove tofu from package and cut into slices. Put unused portion in a plastic container, cover with water, and use within 3 or 4 days. Place portion to be used in steamer basket in saucepan and steam 5 minutes. Drain in a kitchen towel for at least 10-minutes. After tofu is drained, put cashews, maple syrup, oil, and 1/2 c. water into blender container. Blend on medium-high several minutes until very smooth. Add steamed tofu to blender and blend well. Chill well before serving. Mixture becomes thicker when chilled. Variations: For additional flavor, add 1/4 t. cinnamon or 1/8 t. nutmeg. If tolerated, add 1/2 t. vanilla. Pecan Pie 3 eggs beaten 1 c. rice syrup 1/4 c. honey or maple syrup 1/4 c. melted margarine (use a dairy\-free substitute) 1\-1/4 c. pecans 1 pie shell Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl. Add rice syrup, honey, and melted margarine and mix. Add pecans and mix again. Pour into an 8\-inch unbaked pie shell and bake at 350\-degrees F. for about 50\-minutes.

When my daughter was vegan and gluten free (she also has gut issues), her favourite dessert was a mousse made by whipping coconut creme (just the solid part in a good can of coconut milk) with high quality cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Sorry, but I don't think I ever used a recipe - just eye balled it. If I had to guess, probably a couple of tablespoons of the cocoa and sugar to the solids in one large can of coconut milk. To fancy it up, I'd add candied nuts or chopped bits of chocolate. It sounds like your son is under care and being given good advice, so feel free to ignore this unasked for information, but my daughter's doctor advised she take Biogest (digestive enzymes) for a few months to give her gut time to heal while she took a break from eating things that they thought might be causing the issues. She seemed to feel it helped.