Frigid Break

It’s been a long time since I posted last! That’s probably because I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my winter vacation week and escape from the norm (though not the cold) at Okemo Mountain Resort in good ol’ Ludlow, VT. Here’s one of the many things that impresses me about Vermont: it’s ability to accommodate to dietary needs. Maybe it’s just Ludlow, but almost every restaurant/cafe/food store we’ve encountered has included exclusively gluten free options which makes it much easier for my dad to narrow it down to low-FODMAPs. and to finish it off.. Completely unrelated, I’ve embedded a pic of how I’m spending my cozy evening.



Thai Shrimp Salad

Tedious and confusing to make but worth it for the taste, yum!

Quote of the Day

“He who takes medicine and neglects diet wastes the skills of the physician” -Chinese Proverb

I love this quote because it is so relevant in every sense to my dad’s story, as I’m sure it is for many other people. You really are the food you eat above all else, including medicines.

Valentine’s Day Treats

How lucky I am that I never had to FODMAP over a holiday! Happy v-day 💘

Me vs IBS

It’s that time of the year again! Once again we find ourselves surrounded by tonnes of chocolate which we can’t eat. If you’re anything like me you’ll find yourself looking longingly at the chocolate filled aisles and drooling uncontrollably. But why should we have to miss out on chocolate? Whether you would like to treat a loved one or yourself this Valentine’s day these recipes are very simple and quick to make and should be definite pleasers!  Here’s two easy recipes for you to try out; chocolate covered strawberries and dark chocolate truffles.

Chocolate covered strawberries

Ingredients:

• 200g fresh strawberries
• 100g dark chocolate (I used 70% dark chocolate containing no milk)

Method

1. Melt the chocolate in a bain marie.
2. Wash the strawberries and pat dry.
3. Dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate and place on lined baking sheet.
4. Refrigerate.

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

• 250g dark chocolate (I used 70% dark chocolate containing no milk)
• 3…

View original post 101 more words

Helping Dad

When I got home from school on Thursday my dad said he hadn’t felt well all day and couldn’t figure out what he ate. Upon listing a few breakfast and lunch foods he had eaten, I immediately identified the brown sugar he had put into his oat bran as very high in FODMAPs. It is made with molasses and I know anything syrupy is loaded with artificial sugars which is something the diet recommends staying away from all the time. Proud to call myself a bit of a low-FODMAPs expert now! 🍴

Missed you, Panera

I’m currently sitting at Panera for the first time since pre- low FODMAPs journey. It’s so refreshing to be able to order a mocha latte without thinking about all the ingredients involved and checking with the cashier to make sure what I ordered is safe for me. Being here right now reminds me how complicated it is to eat anywhere away from home when you are on a strict diet.

Thinking & Eating

I can already tell the diet has made me so much more conscious of my eating choices, and has broken a lot of my unhealthy eating habits. Now when I’m hungry, I can feel myself thinking about what I choose to eat rather than using that instinct to grab whatever I see first that looks good (and ignoring how healthy or unhealthy it might be). I love that even though I’m not on the diet anymore, I’m unconsciously carrying it’s influences into my normal diet.

The End (of the beginning)

My month is over and I can’t lie.. I’m so excited! For the month of February, I’ll try to stay on here and provide updates that help to compare the affects of my low-FODMAPs experience and the month of normal eating that follows.
First update: a large cup of coffee with cream and a bagel loaded with cream cheese probably wasn’t a good idea to start off my freedom– especially when I ate it all in about 2 minutes. My body so isn’t used to the gluten and dairy (and I don’t feel great) but it’s exciting to learn that my body did adjust to low-FODMAPs over the past month. But still, my breakfast tasted pretty darn good.

Day 31

Hello.
I am currently beginning the last hour of the last day of my low-FODMAPs diet. Wow.
I am going to keep this post short and sweet and reflect a little more within the next few days.
I now know how able I am to eat very healthy over a long period of time, and it’s not so bad! It takes a lot of planning, self-restraint, expenses, and optimism but in the end, the benefits overshadow the extra work. I’m so happy to have proven to myself that I am that strong-willed and that I can wake myself up with some coffee and cream in the morning. Updates to come!

Low FODMAP chocolate cookies

Here’s the recipe to the amazing cookies I mentioned earlier today. Highly recommend! Converting from metric was a bit frustrating so I’ll include it below 😋
http://www.ibscuro.com/low_fodmap_vegetarian_recipes_chocolate_cookies.html
2/3 cup GF flour
1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 bag dairy free chocolate chips

P.S. Dairy free choc chips are good, don’t believe me? See for yourself!