Tag: FODMAP

Gluten-Free and Low-FODMAP Fried Rice

I am doing back to back posts this week, which is a real rarity for me!  I am going to wrap up this focus on Chinese food with the complementary recipe from my last post (Gluten-Free and Low FODMAP Chicken with Broccoli) – Gluten-Free and Low-FODMAP Fried Rice.

Since I don’t like a post to go by without a quick glimpse into our NYC lives, I am sharing a moment from almost a year now at a family event  at the Children’s Museum of the Arts (CMA).  The access programs for children with disabilities there are absolutely amazing and give us both the opportunity to learn about art!

 

Now on to the food… 🙂

Gluten-Free and Low-FODMAP Fried Rice

Ingredients

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 tsp gluten-free soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

3/4 cup finely chopped carrots

4 cups cooked rice (I pre-cooked in a rice cooker earlier in the day)

4 scallions – green end only, chopped

2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

Directions

Heat 1 tbsp oil in frying pan or wok and add carrots, cooking until tender about 8 – 10 minutes.  Remove carrots from pan and set aside

Allow pan to cook slightly

Mix the 1/2 tsp of gluten-free soy sauce and 1/2 tsp of sesame oil with the egg

Add 1/2 tbsp oil to the pan, coating the entire surface.  Add egg mixture and working quickly, swirl the egg until it sets against the pan, flipping to to cook briefly on the other side.  Remove from pan and chop into small pieces

Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan and add cooked carrots, rice and scallions, stirring for 3 – 4 minutes

Add 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce and chopped egg to the mixture, stirring for ~1 minute longer

Serve with a side of Chicken and Broccoli 🙂

 

 

 

 

Gluten-Free and Low-FODMAP Chicken with Broccoli

Hunter Mountain SkiingI’ve taken my son skiing a few times this season, and he’s really loved it.  The conditions weren’t perfect as we chose some of the coldest days of the season, but I’ve been so impressed with his ability to pick it up.  Can’t wait to get back out there soon!

We visited Hunter Mountain in NY but are itching to get further west for a different ski experience!

Hunter Mountain Skiing

Following on the theme from my last post, I have another gluten-free and low-FODMAP Chinese food recipe for you today!  We ate this one for days, and it was great every time. Please note that I did use broccoli in the recipe as it is my son’s favorite.  While broccoli has shown up on some lists of foods to avoid or limit when following a low-FODMAP diet,  however, theMonash University has recently published new resultsshowing the breakdown of FODMAP rating for 1 cup.

Gluten-Free, Low-FODMAP Chinese Chicken with Broccoli and Fried Rice (Fried Rice recipe coming next!)

Gluten-Free, Low-FODMAP Chinese Chicken with Broccoli

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups of broccoli, cut into florets

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Marinade

1 teaspoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil

Sauce

¼ cup gluten-free soy sauce

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil

1 tablespoon water

Directions

In a small bowl combine all marinade ingredients

Combine chicken cubes and marinade in a shallow container and refrigerate for at least 1 – 2 hours

In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients

Once ready to cook, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and marinade along with 1/2 of the sauce.  Cook chicken until no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken from the pan to a plate

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat.  Add broccoli and red peppers and saute until tender, about 5 minutes

Add chicken, remaining sauce and sesame seeds and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens

Serve with fried rice – recipe to follow next!

 

More Roasted Veggies

I don’t know if I ever realized how much I truly love vegetables.  Especially roasted.  Something special happens to vegetables when they are roasted…Okay, maybe I’ve taken it a step too far 🙂

Either way, with fall here and vegetables on the menu, I have spent many a Sunday roasting away.

I won’t share a recipe this post, but I roast a mix of vegetables – carrots, peppers, yellow and green squash, butternut squash and parsnips.  I usually roast them with garlic-infused olive oil, garlic, onions and salt.  Cooking times can vary for the vegetables, so I keep an eye on them – cooking for about 20 – 30 minutes for most, up to 40 for a butternut squash.

I really must recommend that combination of roasted vegetables and the Downeast Cider Pumpkin Blend – nothing really says fall more than that combo!

 

             

And a little hello from us 🙂

Veggie Tacos and Saying Goodbye to Summer

For the past few years, we have gone out to Mountauk in mid-September for an amazing surf camp for autistic children.  It is 1) an amazing event hosted by Surfers Healing, 2) the best way to wrap up summer and 3) an easy way to maintain pescatarian status!

 

We had some amazing lobster rolls – with and without buns, but for a waterfront view like that I will gladly pass on the bun any day 🙂

 

 

 

 

And some nice sunsets…

 

 

Upon returning home, I had reached my max of seafood.  So I went for some more basic veggie tacos.  Simple recipe but really quick and easy way to get dinners loaded with flavor!

Grilled Veggie Tacos

Ingredients

1 medium size green squash

1 medium size yellow squash

4 – 5 radishes

1 large red bell pepper

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. coriander

2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 -2 serrano peppers

Lettuce and tomato as desired

Corn tortillas

Directions

Chop squash into roughly 1 in. pieces.  Set in a colander in sink or with paper towels under.  Sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 20 – 30 minutes until water has drained from the squash

Slice red pepper, radishes and serrano peppers

Place all the vegetables in a bowl.  Add 1 tsp. olive oil and the seasonings.  Toss until well combined

Grill the vegetables, flipping so each side is cooked through

Heat corn tortillas in a frying pan

Serve with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa (see my latest favorite salsa recipe!)

 

 

Trying Something New

I’ve been on this FODMAP journey for a few years now, since the end of 2013.  I followed the Stanford University FODMAP plan, completing the full elimination diet before testing what could be added back in. Since that time, I have felt an incredible improvement in how I feel based on what I eat. There have been many days, though, where I would start the day feeling great and as the day went on my stomach would begin to expand and feel uncomfortable, despite not eating anything outside of my normal FODMAP diet.

So, I decided to make a few additional changes to my diet – a combination of some of the Blue Zone guidelines and avoiding inflammation that can be caused by meat.  I’ve completely removed dairy again as well – so we will see how I do without mozzarella for my pizza : (

I’d love to know how you all are doing with the FODMAP diet and what changes you have made as time has gone on with the diet.

This has nothing to do with my new food plans, but this guy is so adorable 🙂

Low-FODMAP Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients

1 medium Italian eggplant, stemmed, peeled, and sliced into 1/4 in. rounds

1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 in. thick strips

1 medium yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise into 1/4 in. thick strips

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for baking pan

1 medium onion, chopped into large pieces

1 clove garlic

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped

Directions

Spread the eggplant slices, zucchini strips, and squash strips on paper towels on your work surface; sprinkle with half of the salt. Turn the vegetables and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Set aside for 30 minutes, then rinse the vegetables and pat dry with fresh paper towels.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil the inside of a 9-inch square baking dish.

Warm the remaining olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and bell pepper, cooking until soft and fragrant.  Remove the onion and garlic.

Stir in the tomatoes and  basil. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, until the consistency of a thick sauce, about 15 minutes, stirring often.

Spread half the tomato sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with even layers of the eggplant rounds, zucchini strips, and summer squash in that order. Spread the remaining tomato sauce on top.

Bake until bubbly and lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Summer Snacking

We spent a lot of time this summer looking at art and adding new decorations to our apartment – both homemade crafts and new art purchases.  One of the exhibits we saw that we both loved was at the Rebecca Hossack gallery in SoHo.  These little guys are made of toy parts and concrete!

 

 

It was great we came upon this gallery when we did. After a morning of SoulCycle and wandering in the city heat, I was feeling some intense hunger exacerbated by the fact we were steps away from our amazing lunch destination of Rubirosa.   I should have packed a snack, but I was running low on exciting snack options, which has prompted me to look into some new recipes.

Low-FODMAP Chocolate Almond Bars

Ingredients

3/4 cup raw almonds

1/2 tsp. sea salt

 1 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 tsp. cocoa powder

1/3 cup maple syrup

Directions

Grease a cookie sheet or square pan with coconut oil or another non-stick agent.

Pour the almonds into the food processor along with the salt. Process until the mixture becomes like almond butter, which will take several minutes.

Add the oats, cocoa, cinnamon and maple syrup and process until smooth.

Press the mixture onto the cookie sheet or pan using the back of a spoon and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Store any uneaten bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Using My Urban Garden

I have enjoyed my little fire escape garden more than I expected this summer.  I used the basil, oregano and thyme nearly every weekend and made a few meals of chicken and potatoes with the fresh sage.  It really made the city summer feel a little less oppressive having access to my own fresh herbs!

 

 

 

The other new fun of this summer was tandem bike riding.  We had an awesome time on Governor’s Island riding around for hours on the bike – it was a great way to get my son practicing riding while still comfortable that I am in control.

 

 

After a nice day out like that, it’s great coming home to my little garden and making a hearty dinner using fresh herbs.  I have missed pesto a lot lately in my FODMAP diet.  I used to love a heavy garlic pesto, adding cream to make a nice thick cream sauce – YUM.  Well, I decided it was time to come up with an alternative recipe so I no longer need to feel like I’m missing out.

Low-FODMAP Creamy Pesto Chicken and Pasta

Ingredients – Pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves (no stems)

2 tbsp. toasted almond slivers

1/2 cup garlic-infused olive oil

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions – Pesto

Combine basil leaves and almonds in a food processor and combine until finely minced.

If possible, leave the machine running slowly and drizzle the oil in until the mixture is smooth.  Otherwise, add the oil in 2 – 3 sections until smoothly processed.

Add the cheese and process for a few seconds, long enough to combine.

Store the pesto in the refrigerator if serving on its own.  Otherwise, place to the side while you make the cream sauce.

Ingredients – Cream Sauce

3 tbsp. butter

3 tbsp. gluten-free flour

1 1.2 cups milk (I use almond)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions – Cream Sauce and Final Dish

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Whisking constantly, add the flour to make a roux.  Cook for about 2 minutes.

Slowly add the milk, whisking to fully incorporate.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened.

Stir in the pesto you made earlier and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Pour over cooked pasta and chicken and serve with herb garnish. Enjoy!

Basil Pesto Low FODMAP

Low FODMAP creamy pesto sauce

Practicing for London

 

If you follow me on Instagram (@FODMom), you know how much we love the beach.  The beaches in Queens are pretty good, but what moves the Rockaways up a few notches in my book is Caracas Arepa Bar – on the beach, with delicious ciders and Jenga!

 

We are taking our first summer trip away from the sun and beach.  Usually this time of year we head to California or down the shore in Jersey to soak up some sun and make the most of summer.  This year we are taking a different approach and heading to London!  In preparation, I have been practicing some fish and chips recipes to get us in the mood.  We have a great line up of restaurants, so check in with us this week on Instagram.

Gluten free fish and chips is not that easy to come by, but I did come up with a great recipe at home to satisfy the craving for fried fish!

Gluten Free Parmesan Breaded Fish   

Gluten Free Parmesan Fried Fish

Ingredients

4 skinless fillets of firm white fish

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 lemon – zest and juice

2 tbsp Garlic infused olive oil 

1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs (made from scratch is best – use food processor to combine gluten free bread, basil, oregano and salt) 

1 cup gluten free flour 

1 egg 

Directions

Heat a skillet on medium heat and add garlic infused olive oil, heating well

Mix the gluten free breadcrumbs with the lemon zest and parmesan cheese

Whisk the egg in a bowl and place near the flour and breadcrumb mixtures

Dip each fillet into the flour, followed by egg, followed by breadcrumbs and place into the skillet

Heat the fish until cooked through, flipping over as needed as it cooks

Serve with lemon juice or lemon wedges as needed

 

I served this one with a side of kale, carrots and radishes, because having radishes is always better than not having radishes.

 

My Little Oasis in the Big City

I’ve been looking forward to creating a mini garden all winter – fresh herbs at my fingertips – my little oasis in the city.   We had such a great time shopping around the garden center; I had to remind myself of the small apartment we would be heading back to a number of times, otherwise I would have come home with a full yard’s worth of plants and herbs!

                                   Urban Garden

     

 

 

 

 

 

I have, of course, become a little obsessed with the herbs 🙂 , so I tried a recipe with all fresh herbs to make muffins. They turned out great and were refreshing snacks during the week at work.

Low-FODMAP Herb and Parmesan MuffinsLow-FODMAP Fresh Herb and Parmesan Muffins

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour

1/2 cup coconut flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp fresh thyme

Small handful basil leaves

Greens of 3 scallions

3 tbsp finely grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp lemon zest

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

3/4 cup milk ( I use almond)

2 eggs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a muffin tin or place muffin liners in each cup

Finely chop the herbs and scallions

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, thyme, basil, scallions, parmesan and lemon zest

In a separate bowl, beat the olive oil, yogurt, milk and eggs until well combined

Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until the wet ingredients are completely combined with the dry

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Sprinkle additional parmesan and / or herbs on top for serving.  Best served warm

 

 

 

Radishes 3 Ways – Part 2 

We generally get to the beach as soon as it’s warm enough to wear light jackets.  This year was no different – we spent the second half of spring break down the shore (how urban dictionary defines the Jersey version of traveling to the beach 🙂 ).

 

 

beach hair               

Continuing on the radish journey, I had some leftover steak from dinner at Bowery Meat Company celebrating a new job with “The Man” ; )
Bowery Meat Company Dinner

I decided to make steak tacos the following night with a radish salsa.  The radish salsa was amazing and balanced the steak perfectly!

Steak Tacos and Radish SalsaSteak Tacos and Radish Salsa

Ingredients

2 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

1 pound steak (or whatever is remaining as leftovers)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 radishes, trimmed, chopped

4 scallions – green parts only, thinly sliced

½ jalapeño – seeds removed if desired, finely chopped

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

8 corn tortillas, warmed (or less depending on size of steak)

2 oz. Cotija cheese, crumbled

Directions

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a large skillet over high heat

Season steak with salt and pepper (if required) and cook about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare if not cooked; heat through for a few minutes if re-heating leftovers

Let steak stand for 5 minutes

Meanwhile, toss radishes, scallions, jalapeno, lime juice, and remaining 1 tbsp. oil in a medium bowl

Season radish salsa with salt and pepper to taste

Heat corn tortillas in a frying pan until warmed through

Serve with crumbled cheese on top

Radish SalsaSteak tacos with radish salsa