Showing posts with label fodmap. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fodmap. Show all posts

Thursday, October 6, 2016

A Vegan & Gluten-Free food that tastes good? Absolutely Yes!


One of the greatest things that I have learned about following a low-Fodmap lifestyle is the incredible amount of gluten-free foods that actually taste good because I have tried many GF foods that initially turned me off from the idea of even trying to follow a low-Fodmap plan but luckily, I have been able to try quite a few GF foods that seriously impressed my taste buds. I reached out to 88 Acres because I was searching for something that I could keep on hand when I am commuting around, shuffling the kids from one place to another, or simply to satisfy my cravings without the panic of reading every food label in the convenience stores. I was able to sample the Triple Berry, Apple & Ginger, and my personal favorite…the chocolate and sea salt bars.

Here is the deal with these: These are handcrafted by people who have first hand experience with the dangers of food allergens. Their bakery is free of peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, dairy, sesame, eggs, fish, and shellfish. These are vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO project verified. And, I also was impressed that they mention that their bakery is latex-free. Many of you reading might look at the list of things that are not included in their foods and think “that sounds way too healthy, it must not be that good.” FALSE! Not only are the bars really good, but also how many times have you been able to look at food you have purchased and identify the ingredients listed on the label while you are actually eating it? I took the picture of my chocolate and sea salt bar and did not use a filter so you can see that these are the real deal.

No Filter. Look at the goodness!

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Fodmap Sweet Potato & Parsnip Cakes

I have always loved sweet potatoes.  We often try to eat low-FODMAP foods because both my husband and I have happier GI tracts when we do. I had some parsnips that I needed to use and thought I would try out some Fodmap Friendly Sweet Potato & Parsnip cakes to accompany my balsamic herb-encrusted salmon and really enjoyed what came together. I know that olive oil has a high smoke point (around 405 degrees F) but on medium heat I was seeing a bit of smoke coming from the oil, so I just turned the heat down a number (from 6 to 5 on my stovetop) and didn't have as much burning the second time around. 

Sweet potato & parsnip cakes make a great side dish!
Ingredients: 

2 large sweet potatoes (baked at 350 degrees F in foil for 45 minutes & then peeled and mashed*) 
2 parsnips (peeled and chopped) 
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
~5 TBSP olive oil

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Five Ingredient Gluten-Free Apple Crisp



I Love Apple Season! Maybe it is the Michigander in me, but once football season starts, I sure do get a hankering to make cobblers, stews, and casseroles. Granted, it is still in the 80's right now in North Carolina but I did see a few leaves in my pool so that counts, right? I have never used a boxed cake mix before with my cobblers but I had a box of Glutino Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Yellow Cake Mix in my pantry and a bunch of gala apples and decided to give it a try. It was a big hit in the house! I will definitely be making this recipe again:

Ingredients:

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Ring the bell! School is in...and so are these items...

It is back to school time and travel soccer season for my household. There are some products out there that I have really been enjoying lately:

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Glutino Gluten-Free Goods- Love! Love! Love!

What is that saying...you always want what you can't have?  That is how I felt when I first tried eliminating gluten with the Fodmap diet to help identifying the foods that were causing abdominal distention/bloating in my diet.  I had tried a few "bread" products and really was not optimistic.  Then, one day, I took a leap of faith and found Glutino's Gluten-Free Bagels in the freezer section of the Food Lion by my house.  And my husband and I were so happy because they are really, really good!  I wanted to see what other GF products the Glutino company carried.  Maybe, just maybe, they would be able to answer my prayers and make a GF English muffin.  Prayers answers.  See here.  I am in love with the original premium english muffins that Glutino makes.  I am a huge fan of making my own breakfast sandwiches and generally prefer the english muffin over bread when it comes to sandwiches (especially the peanut butter and banana combo).

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Green's Gluten-Free Beer- YES! YES! YES!


Growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan I have had the opportunity to be exposed to some of the finer things in life including great live music, good coffee, and the best microbreweries in the country.  I appreciate my diverse taste in beer, knowing that there are times, tastes, and places for all of the different varieties.  I have been skeptical of divulging in the Gluten-Free Beer genre because honestly, all of the ones I have tried have been "meh".  However, my thoughts, feelings, and preferences have all changed after being exposed to Green's Gluten Free Beers.  Green's GF Beers are Belgian brews that are made with millet, sorghum, buckwheat (soba), and rice.  There are no sulfites (no headaches!) and are appropriate for vegans & vegetarians.  Since I have a preference for dark and ominous brews, I was especially excited to try the Endeavor Dubbel Ale.  It is dark.

Monday, January 12, 2015

The FODMAP Diet for IBS, etc.

There are lots of people out there who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome with either diarrhea, constipation, or a combination of both.  There are some medications that can alleviate symptoms, however, there are no medications that can specifically treat the painful bloating that some people experience.  I know many, many people who can bloat out to the size of a 5-6 month pregnant female after meals and even through allergy testing, upper endoscopies, colonoscopies, various medications and digestive enzymes, nothing seems to help discover the root cause to the discomfort.

I've been watching the progression of interest in the FODMAP diet in the USA for some time now.  Dr. Sue Shepard and Dr. Peter Gibson created the FODMAP Diet in the 2000's and for many people, it has brought much comfort.

So what is a FODMAP?
FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols.  The idea is to limit foods that have been proven to be poorly absorbed by some people.  The foods that are limited include foods with:

Excess Fructose:  apples, pears, honey, high fructose corn syrup
Lactose:  cow milk, ice cream, cottage cheese
Fructans:  garlic, onion, brussels sprouts, watermelon
Galactans: beans, lentils, chickpeas
Polyols:  Sugar alcohols such as xylitol, maltitol, avocados, prunes