Month: December 2016

Kombucha and Ketchup – December 18, 2016

I’m toying with the name Kombucha and Ketchup for my blog for a change – mostly because I’ve become obsessed with making my own kombucha and ketchup :).  Both are extremely easy (see my Low FODMAP ketchup post ), and the kombucha is really fun to watch it develop and change.  Before I talk more about my kombucha obsession, I wanted to share a few fun experiences from this week.

I took my son for a half day on Wednesday this week following the holiday potluck at school.  With an afternoon free to explore in the city, we decided to attend an interactive show called Pip’s Island in Chelsea.  ABC News was there recording and even interviewed us after!  It was a fun experience, empowering the kids to attack problems – check out the link below (click on the image).

Kids are the stars of 'Pips Island,' an interactive theater experience
Pip’s Island adventure

The other really awesome discovery I had this week was to find more delicious gluten free pizza on Mott Street in the city.  I had some amazing pizzas at Emporio yesterday and can’t wait to go back!

Now, back to kombucha.  There are differing views on how kombucha affects people with IBS, following a low-FODMAP diet.  FODMAP Friendly blog shared in 2015 that kombucha exceeds the thresholds set for low FODMAP but note that some people may be able to tolerate.  The FODMAP Life blog notes that fermented foods nourish the healthy bacteria in our guts and can actually help.  For me, the key to kombucha is understanding the ingredients and having control over what goes into it!

I started the process of making kombucha a few months ago actually.  I made my own SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast) using a store-bought plain kombucha and homemade tea.  I used this recipe from the Kitchn blog to build my SCOBY.

Once you have a SCOBY, the process is easy and fun!  You will be able to brew a new batch of kombucha each week, using your initial SCOBY or smaller ones that form as you go.  Check out the instructions below.


Fruit-Infused Kombucha Recipe Here

                         
 

Fall is for Pumpkins – December 8, 2016

I’ve been loving this fall.  Absolutely loving it – trying to experience everything I can and take something away from every encounter.  Last week at work, we brought in an outside trainer to facilitate a course for our team on running programs and managing stakeholders.  It’s a topic with which we are all comfortable, but the instructor shared different perspectives and brought some interesting insights.  He asked us to consider when we do our best thinking and decision making, to which most of us answered “sleep”, “when I’m not thinking about it”, etc.  He asked us to consider walking and the benefits of clearing your head and getting “inspiration”.  Here is a short article on the topic as well.

So that was my big takeaway from last week, and today I decided to take that advice.  I walked home from the gym today over the Brooklyn bridge, and it was such a great experience – even in the freezing cold 🙂

                   

 

Enough about self-help and on to the cooking!  I’ve been trying to come up with a pumpkin muffin recipe that represents the true flavors of a spiced pumpkin pie while maintaining a moist feel in the center.  I think this one does it, but I would love to hear your thoughts!

Low-FODMAP Pumpkin Muffins Recipe Here 

Pumpkins are low fat, highly nutritious and provide a huge amount of Vitamin A which is good for your eyes, skin and circulatory system.

 

 

Me enjoying a cocktail last weekend at Prime Meats in my neighborhood 🙂