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Enter Low-FODMAP So Long Veganism! Yup.

And again, yup…without further ado, I’m going to show you what I’ve been up to the last five days. Later in the blog, you can find out, what the hell is Fodmap and why an end to veganism. But first, recipes for bread and vegetable soup.

And by bread, I mean an easy spelt bread recipe, made with 100% whole grain sprouted flour, for perfect sandwich bread and essential for a healthy gut. You’re just over two hours away from homemade bread, with about 10 minutes active kitchen time.

Spelt Bread Ingredients:

One loaf   Prep Time: 10 minutes   Rising time: 1 hour  30 minutes

Spelt Bread Recipe

  1. Add water and honey to a large bowl, or the bowl or your stand mixer.
  2. Sprinkle the yeast over the yeast overtop and let it sit for ten minutes. After ten minutes, it should be foamy. If the mixture doesn’t foam, discard – you need new yeast.
  3. Add the milk, olive oil, 2 cups for the flour, and the salt. Stir with a wooden spoon until a loose dough forms.
  4. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time, kneading between each addition, until a smooth, springy dough forms. This should take 8-10 minutes. It should be quite smooth and not really sticky. If you’re using a stand mixer, use the dough attachment for this.
  5. Place the dough into a large greased bowl and cover with a tea towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft -free place for one hour, or until double in size. This is called proofing.
  6. When the dough has risen, punch it down gently and place it into a parchment lined or well greased standard size loaf pan, tucking any untidy ends underneath.Cover with a tea towel and place the loaf into a warm place to rise again for a half hour or longer. While rising, heat your oven to 350Degrees.
  7. Bake bread for 45 minutes or until golden, and it sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from the pan and cool for ten minutes on a rack before cutting.
  8. Store bread in a sealed container for up to three days, or freeze for up to a month.

Notes: *Sifted or light spelt, regular whole grain or sprouted can all be used interchangeably in this recipe.

Low-FODMAP vegetable broth Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch leeks, green parts only
  • 1 bunch green onions, green parts only
  • 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
  • 2 tbsp Colavita Roasted Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 carrot broken, in half
  • 1 stalk celery with leaves, broken in half
  • 5 pepper corns
  • 7 cups water
  • Salt to taste

Low-FODMAP Vegetable broth recipe:

  1. On medium heat, heat olive oil, and add green onions, leeks sauté until nicely brown.
  2. Add the carrot, celery, parsley, peppercorns.
  3. Pour water over, bring to boil then turn to simmer.
  4. Cover with lid and simmer for 1 ½ hours.
  5. Remove solids
  6. Use for soups, rice etc… can be frozen.

Low-FODMAP Vegetable Soup Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp garlic infused olive oil
  • 1 bunch chives, finely chopped
  • 1 bunch spring onion tops
  • 1 canned diced tomatoes
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 small zucchini, diced
  • 2 cups low FODMAP vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch basil leaves, torn

Low-FODMAP Vegetable Soup Recipe:

  1. Add oil to a large pot. Fry chives and spring onions until lightly browned.
  2. Place all remaining ingredients into the pot. Cover and bring a boil. Uncover and reduce heat to a simmer.
  3. Cook over medium to low heat until vegetables are soft (about 20 minutes).
    Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remember the roller coaster ride I wrote about in last week’s blog? Well, at present we have taken a tight turn and are hanging upside down and waiting to be *rescued. “Still on the rails though.” Rick says, but life threw a curve we hadn’t expected; 1. My 90 year old mother is in ICU with congestive heart failure and pneumonia. (she lives at least 150 miles away from anyone in the family). 2. My diagnosis of diverticulitis/IBS syndrome (whispered) has been awakened in a powerful way. I’ll spare the details, but nonetheless, my veganism instead of helping has been harming; too much fiber. And the only person to rescue me is: me! Shit! Literally and figuratively.

Enter the low-FODMAP diet. I have to admit, I think I’d like it more if it had a  name like The Jennifer Aniston Diet or The Dripping with Cool Cate Blanchett Diet, but no, low-FODMAP diet it is. Let me explain the weird name…

F ermentable

O ligosaccharides

D isaccharides

M onosaccharides

And

P olyols

What are FODMAPs? FODMAPs are found naturally in many foods. They are a collection of short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that are not absorbed properly in the gut, which can trigger symptoms in people with IBS.

Fermentable process through which gut bacteria ferment undigested carbohydrate to produce gasses. Check

Oligosaccharides Fructans & GOS– found in foods such as wheat, rye, onion, garlic and legumes/pulses.

Disaccharides lactose-found in dairy products like milk, soft cheese, and yogurts.

Monosaccharides Fructose found in honey, apples, and high fructose corn syrups.

And Polyols Sorbitol & Mannitol- Found in some fruits and vegetables and used as artificial sweeteners.

FODMAP & IBS symptoms

FODMAPs are rapidly fermented by the bacteria living in your intestines to produce gas. (I’m serving them eviction notices pronto). FODMAPs can also pull water into your gut. Water and production of gas stretches and bloats your gut to trigger IBS symptoms.

The low-FODMAP diet works- research shows that 3 in 4 people with IBS will feel better. There are 3 important steps to the diet.

Step 1- Swap out high FODMAP foods for low. (2-6 weeks)

Step 2- Reintroduce individual FODMAPs (8-12 weeks)

Step 3- FODMAP personalization include the foods that you tolerate back into your regular diet.

At this point I’m thinking I’ve lost a few readers or have bored you into a deep sleep. But, if you have experienced any of the above of what shall not be mentioned again, and are looking for a relief; read on 🙂

Swapping out FODMAPs; The low FODMAP diet does not remove whole food groups from your diet. Foods that are high FODMAPs are swapped for similar foods that are low in FODMAPs.

Your dietitian can help to work out which foods trigger symptoms, how to reintroduce and tailor a diet to suit you- while looking after your all nutritional needs.

I’m not going to list all the foods containing high FODMAP (the bad guys), but I’ll give you a sample and encourage you to read; Monash University FODMAP diet, to educate yourself.

Almond meal, pearl barley, bran wheat processed, rye bread, wheat whole-grain, granola fruit and nut cereal, wheat couscous, corn flakes,  wheat flakes w/ corn, rice, oats, dried fruit and nuts, coconut flour, wheat flour and the list goes on and on..but there is some good news, there are many foods containing the low-FODMAPs, hence my homemade spelt loaf of bread.

Here are a few foods containing low-FODMAPs (the good guys), Bagel 100% spelt, Bakers Delight lowFod Pizza Base, Peanut Butter Chocolate Quinoa bars, Kiwi fruit, Almond unsweetened milk, Quaker Oats Gluten Free, Garlic infused olive oil, alfalfa, artichoke hearts canned, eggplant, bamboo shoots, green beans, red bell pepper, bok choy, broccoli (heads only), carrot, corn kernels canned, zucchini, cucumber, edamame, ginger root and the list goes on. Oh, and eggs.

I was feeling sorry for myself the other day when I realized what was happening and especially when seeing garlic and onions on the, no-can-do list.

“What”? How can I live without the two blessed saints of my kitchen? 90% of every meal I make has both of those tasty ingredients. My Gawd, I whined to Rick, and threw myself an epic pity party for 24 hours; big frowns and deep loud sighs, only to be woken up the next morning and seeing my Mother had called from a phone number I didn’t recognize.

Back to the roller coaster; my Mom, bless her heart, she’s being discharged today. A lot has to be done; find home health aid, housekeeper and make sure she is safe because she insists on living alone and won’t come home with me (she must’ve got word on the no-onions, no-garlic 🙂

And regarding the big change of direction with diet, I’ve realized plenty of people have gone on to have really nice lives while doing the low-FODMAP diet. My two daughters for example, “Mom! We’ve been telling you for years!” Clare said. I must’ve blanked on the name FOD-etc…

I don’t think I mentioned I prefer the spinning teacups ride, so sweet and manageable. Ah life!

(Aren’t these adorable? Nothing bad can happen when you ride in the cups. Sweet and predictable with just enough spinning to make it exciting… and so cute. 🙂 )

But, I want to end on a positive note; how wonderful to do the research and find answers regarding the diet; something I can do myself. We’re on a new adventure here at Cooking for You My Love; stick around, buckle in and enjoy the ride.

Chow for now 🙂 

Stick around, buckle up, and enjoy the ride!

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