Alfredo Sauce

Amber Alden's Alfredo Sauce 

Ingredients
100g butter
2 Tsp gluten free flour
100g lactose-free cream cheese
230g lactose-free milk
75g grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp garlic infused olive oil
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp basil
¼ tsp oregano

Method
1. Medium non-stick skillet, melt the butter. Using whisk, add the flour and cook approximately 2 minutes whisking continuously.
2. Add the cream cheese and milk, continually whisking until the sauce begins to thicken. (approx. 5 minutes) Once sauce thickens, add grated cheese and continue to whisk until the cheese melts. Add the garlic oil, pepper, basil, oregano and more milk if necessary. Once cheese has completely melted and smooth, serve.

2.2kg in a week!

I don't know quite how this has happened, but it appears I've lost 2.2kg (5lb) in a week! That's the equivalent of a small baby!

The FODMAP diet is not  designed to be a weight loss programme. However, the foods I have chosen to eat this week have been chicken, salmon, a bit of cheese, veggies, a bit of fruit, granola, some yogurt and a bit of oil. There have been a few naughties, some chocolate and a couple of banana and chocolate chip muffins. I haven't been properly low FODMAP, but lower than usual. 

Next week, I will try to do better, and achieve a properly low FODMAP intake of food. The chocolate I had caused some discomfort, but the reaction was too swift for it to have been FODMAP related. There is some non-FODMAP issue with some forms of dairy.

Granola, Mark 2

Ingredients

6 cups rolled oats 

1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds 

0.5 cup chopped hazelnuts

0.5 cup chopped pecans 

0.25 cup brown sugar (omitted in the latest batch)

0.5 cup maple syrup 

0.5 cup vegetable oil 

1 Tsp ground cinnamon 

1 Tsp vanilla extract 

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line two large baking sheets with parchment.

Combine the oats, seeds, and nuts in a large bowl. Place in a saucepan,  the sugar, maple syrup, oil, cinnamon, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.

Bake until crispy and toasted, about 25 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then store in an airtight container.

Notes

This is a pared down version of the previous recipe. The original recipe made a huge quantity. This one produces about half. I prefer the taste of maple syrup to honey, so have replaced the honey with syrup. Cinnamon and vanilla are also favourites; I haven't cut those back. The seeds and nuts were what I had in the cupboard at the time. 

One portion of this granola is low FODMAP. It is great with lactose-free yogurt and fruit compote.

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In the latest batch of granola, I left out the brown sugar, and I greatly prefer the reduction in sweetness. The maple syrup adds enough sweetness for my tastes. We also had no pecans, so cashews were used instead.

What's Cooking?

Dinner last night was roast chicken with roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots and lightly boiled broccoli. The gravy was made by using some of the chicken juices and cooking the dark green part of spring onions into it. Mixed herbs were added, along with some salt. It was thickened with a little Dove Farm flour. The gravy was not my typical fayre, but it had some flavour and it was wet.

The breakfast I had planned was a BLT with mayo on gluten-free toast. And when I was just about to make it I realised there was no bacon. There was some cold chicken from last night, so I had a CLT with may on gf toast. It worked really well.

Feta and Parma Ham Salad

Ingredients

lettuce

spring onion (green part only)

cucumber

cherry tomatoes

honeydew melon

feta cheese

parma ham

balsamic vinegar

Method

Cut or rip the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. Slice the cucumber, and quarter the tomato. Scatter all on the dish. Cube some melon. Cut a little feta and rip a slice of parma ham. Drizzle over with balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle a little finely sliced spring onion (green part only).

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I do like the combination of flavours and colours. It's very fresh and lovely. It would also work well with some finely sliced red cabbage and a dressing made from oil, lemon juice and a little mustard.

FODMAPing in the New Year

I'm so glad I didn't just launch head first into the FODMAP diet. Instead, I've been doing some research and reading. This afternoon I spent time making a start on a seven day menu. It would have been rather difficult to deal with festive foods whilst in the elimination stage of FODMAP.

Breakfasts are simple, most days it will be homemade granola, with lactose-free yogurt and fruit. Then, every so often it there will be a BLT on gluten-free toast. Lunches are proving to be simple too, mostly salads with other bits thrown in. Dinner is the one that will take the most work. Normally dinner starts with 'Take one onion...' and that's not on whilst FODMAPing. I seriously hope to be able to get back to onions and garlic. Living without those would be a sadness. But, it's now only a little bit of sadness when I smell a Danish pastry or a croissant. I'd rather have a happy gastro-intestinal system than a few titillated taste buds.

Dinners I have planned are maple-glazed salmon with new potatoes and green beans, butternut squash with pasta and home made blue cheese dressing, roast chicken and roasted veggies, and jacket potatoes with tuna and salad. I'd like to add another three to my menu. Seven meals in rotation will be easy to maintain for a number of weeks.

Low FODMAP Diet

My tumski is not a happy part of my body when it's been given gluten or high levels of dairy (mostly, but not exclusively lactose). For the last 8 years or so, I've been living gluten-free and dairy-light. This has brought serious benefits to my health and life. However, I feel it's not all it could be. There's can still be bloating and serious windy-pops, from the top, and also the bottom. 

The FODMAP diet was proposed and researched by Monash University, Australia. It was initially designed for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome to reduce symptoms like gas, bloating, abdominal discomfort, pain, diarrhea, and constipation. It has since been recommended to others who have digestive problems. FODMAP and elimination diet, and after three to six weeks, the high FODMAP foods are gradually re-introduced. 

My plan is to start it in the New Year, but try out various recipes and ideas before then. The biggest challenge for me will be saying "No" to onions and garlic. They are in so many meals I make. But, it will be good to find out what is problematic, and what is fine. 

The very good news is I can eat chicken, rice, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, broccoli, corn, strawberries, raspberries and grapes. I can survive on this for quite some time, and I did when I had shingles. It was then my digestive problems became apparent. 

It all feels rather positive. I'm working towards a healthier, happier me.