Tag: NYC

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 Egg Rolls

We have had a busy winter so far!  We had a trip to Connecticut to visit one of my besties where we had dinner at a great little Italian place Pasta Cosi.  Not only do they have a Paleo Eggplant Lasagna, but apparently one of the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies was filmed there.  Yes, I have a special place in my heart for the Hallmark Channel…

We try to make at least one trip to  Brooklyn Bowl each winter, where they have family friendly times that make it a lot of fun and quite a bit easier!

Sometimes when we get home from travels or even being out in the cold, I want to order Chinese food but it is so hard to find gluten-free and low FODMAP versions of the classics.  I have a few recipes that I will be sharing that get at the need for some FODMAP-friendly Chinese food!

Gluten-Free Egg Rolls

Ingredients – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Wrappers

3 cups gluten-free flour (I use Bob’s 1:1 baking flour)

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup water

Directions – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Wrappers

Combine flour and salt into a large mixing bowl

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the water until combined

Add the eggs and water mixture to the flour. Stir well until mixture comes together to form a ball – if the mixture is not coming together, you may need to add more water (start with a tsp at a time)

Coat your work surface and rolling pin with flour

Split the dough into thirds.  Spread one section out on the work surface and roll into out as thin as you can without it beginning to split

Cut the rolled dough into ~6×6 in squares (you will see mine ended up a bit more like rectangles 🙂 )

Lift squares up with a spatula and transfer to a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper on it

Cover the finished squares with a lightly damp cloth until use to keep them from drying out. Store this way for only 1 hour or so – more than that and they will begin to dry out

While those sit, you can move on to the filling

Ingredients – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Filling (Shrimp)

6 – 8 medium sized shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 tsp chopped fresh ginger

3 oz bean sprouts

2 shredded carrots

2 cups shredded cabbage

4 tbsp peanut oil

Ingredients – Sauce

3 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar

1/8 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp chopped ginger

2 scallions, chopped (green end only)

Directions – Sauce

Whisk ingredients together until well combined

Directions – Gluten-Free Egg Roll Filling (Shrimp)

Add 1 tbsp of oil to a frying pan, heating for a few minutes

Add the shrimp and cook until it begins to firm up and is cooked through

Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside

Add the ginger, carrots and cabbage to the frying pan and cook until the carrots and cabbage are tender

Remove from heat and set aside

Add the gluten-free soy sauce,

Heat a wok or a deep drying pan to medium high heat.  Add remaining oil and heat for several minutes

Retrieve the gluten-free egg roll wrappers and fill with cabbage and carrots, shrimp and bean sprouts.

Wet edges of wrapper with a little water and fold 3 points to the middle like an envelope. Then wet last point with water and roll closed.

Place the egg rolls in the heated oil, flipping every 30 second to 1 minute until golden brown ( 2- 3 minutes)

Remove from oil and serve with dipping sauce while still hot – enjoy!

 

 

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 🙂

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 3 

Spring is great (aside from allergies).  We’ve been spending a lot of time outside playing tennis and getting used to the warm weather again :).  The plants blossoming in our neighborhood make it great to walk the streets and enjoy the sun.

Carroll Gardens spring
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn in the spring

And for my last post about radishes, the one that really inspired the “Radishes 3 Ways” – roasted radishes.  I was skeptical about this one as I thought nothing could beat fresh radishes, but I was pleasantly surprised!  I ate the roasted radishes on their own with dinner and added them to my lunches for work with kale and quinoa, and the flavor mix was amazing.

Roasted Radishes

Roasted Radishes

Ingredients

1 bunch of radishes

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 tbsp. olive oil

Fresh grated parmesan, to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

Remove the ends of the radishes and cut in half

Toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper

Place face down on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 8 minutes

Flip the radishes over and cook another 4 – 5 minutes

For additional flavor, grate some fresh parmesan on the warm radishes when they come out of the oven

Serve as a side dish or with kale and quinoa to add some great flavor!

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