Time to explain myself

On Friday, I had an appointment with Sarah, my dietitian, to discuss my low-FODMAP diet now that we know what foods trigger my irritable bowel symptoms. 

I am now at a point where I can gradually start re-introducing or increasing my intake of certain foods. And the thought of trying some of my favourites again is pretty exhilarating, which might seem a tad dramatic, but after two months without aioli, trying it again is pretty big deal. 

The point is, I can now find my 'new normal'. (Of course, I use the term 'normal' here very loosely.)

And as it turns out, the hardest thing about this new normal - because eating aioli certainly isn't difficult - has been explaining exactly what that new normal is. 

Talking about low-FODMAPs is one thing. But explaining my version of low-FODMAPs is even harder. People have been extremely supportive during my journey and it's nice to have opportunities to explain myself to those who are interested. But finding the right words is another matter entirely.

"It's changed my life", while accurate, doesn't convey enough information. But "here's a monologue on gastroenterology..." doesn't quite work either. 

  

It's a balance between having a simple explanation - so that I don't put people to sleep or, worse, put them off their dinner - and making sure that I don't shy away from the reality of my digestive problems. 

Because my reality might resonate with someone else. 

Irritable bowel syndrome (or IBS) affects about one in every six people (yes, really), which means that every person I talk to either knows someone with IBS or is struggling with it themselves. 

So, while explaining my diet might be (ok, definitely is) embarrassing, it's a conversation that might be needed. (Of course, a conversation can only get you so far - treatment of IBS should always be overseen by a doctor and / or a dietitian. See the Monash University app for more information about the low FODMAP diet.) 

Through trial and error, I've got my new normal summarised down to three sentences. Here are those three sentences explained. 

I am gluten intolerant, but I am also on a low FODMAP diet to manage the symptoms of IBS.

Irritable bowel syndrome is very common, but the symptoms and their severity can very a lot between individuals. For me, IBS means excruciating stomach pains. The low-FODMAP diet helps me to alleviate these pains and encourage normal bowel function. In fact, the low-FODMAP diet has been shown to improve symptoms in 76 percent of people with IBS. 

FODMAPs - or Fermentable Oligo-saccharides, Di-saccharides, Mono-saccharides and Polyols - are a group of sugars. For many people with IBS, some or all of these sugars are malabsorbed in the small intestine, leading to digestive discomfort. 

The low-FODMAP diet limits the intake of these sugars (the 'elimination phase'). Then, if symptoms are alleviated, the sugars are then re-introduced one by one to identify individual triggers (the 're-introduction phase'). Once these triggers are known, the diet is customised to achieve symptom control (the 'normalisation phase').  

This means that I can't digest certain foods properly (for example, apricots, milk and honey). 

FODMAPs are in a wide range of foods that fall under six broad categories. Here are some examples of foods that are high in FODMAPs.

Fructose (in excess of glucose) - honey, fruit, especially dried fruit or juice, and some vegetables 

Lactose - milk products (but not all dairy products - cheese and butter are ok)

Sorbitol - some fruit (e.g. apples, pears, blackberries, apricots, nectarines, plums), vegetables (e.g. avocado) and artificial sweetener  

Mannitol - some fruit (e.g. watermelon), vegetables (e.g. cauliflower, mushrooms, snow peas) and artificial sweetener  

Fructans - garlic, onions, wheat, rye and barley (and some other fruits and vegetables)

GOS (galacto-oli-saccharides) - legumes, such as chickpeas (and some other fruits and vegetables)

The elimination and re-introduction phases that I have been through have revealed which of these six broad categories are my triggers. 

It turns out that I malabsorb sorbitol, lactose, and fructose, especially sorbitol. Apricots are NOT my friend.  

On the plus side, I can tolerate mannitol, fructans and GOS pretty well. This means that, among other things, I do not have to live without aioli. 

Interestingly, I can absorb the sugars in gluten-containing foods (i.e. fructans) fine, which means that I am intolerant to gluten itself (the protein) rather than the FODMAPs in these foods. This confirms that my gluten intolerance is a very separate issue. 

But while I have to strictly avoid gluten, I just need to limit my intake of FODMAPs. 

Due to the potentially-damaging effects of my gluten intolerance, I have to be very strict in avoiding gluten. But that is not the case with FODMAPs - I'm not trying to cut them out entirely.

Foods that are high in FODMAPs are good for you nutritionally and eating them is not damaging. The diet is about symptom management, not exclusion. Tolerance for the different sugars can also change over time, so it's important to be continually re-testing tolerance levels to get the most enjoyment and nutritional value out of the diet.  

Mindfulness is important when it comes to managing symptoms. The effects of eating FODMAPs are cumulative, so it is important to be aware of how much of each FODMAP you are eating - even the ones that don't tend to cause you problems - and how they might interact. 

Non-dietary factors are important too - on one hand, stress and hormonal fluctuations can exacerbate symptoms. On the other hand, dietary supplements can help.  Probiotics and lactase enzymes can help enhance tolerance, and peppermint capsules can help with symptom management. 

Burger Fuel gluten-free C N cheese burger with aioli (but no onions).

So this is where my version of the low-FODMAP journey starts. 

I'll be sticking to my rice porridge, back to eating aioli sometimes, and avoiding apricots like the plague - with lots of other food groups in between. 

I'll be cutting back on lactose, except on the odd occasion (as in, I'll be eating a whole packet of lactase tablets at Christmas to enjoy our delicious family traditions). 

When I'm eating out, I won't be as strict as I have been, so some of my blog posts won't be relevant for everyone's version of the low-FODMAP journey (but I'll give you information where I can). 

Most of all, I'll be feeling my way as I go - discovering my limits and eating lots of delicious treats on the way.

I hope you'll join me on the next phase of my journey. 

Chow down on this

Despite my obsession with eating - and, in particular, eating out - I actually don't think it's necessary for all restaurants and cafes to cater for my dietary requirements. 

Some requirements are difficult to cater for and the market just isn't big enough for everyone in the hospitality industry to be able to do it economically. 

Of course, I think it's important that some businesses cater (I wouldn't be able to eat otherwise). And I also think it's important that those who do cater make that known to their patrons and completely understand what is required (dealing with a waitress who doesn't really understand what gluten free means is always fun. "Oh, but I know someone who is gluten free and they would eat that" or "but I was told couscous is fine so it must be". You get the picture.).  

But if a business doesn't cater, then that I understand. Genuinely, I do. And if they do cater, well, then that's a bonus. 

What I don't understand is outlets that do not engage with their customers. 

If a person asks whether a restaurant or cafe can cater for them, it's important for the business to respond - regardless of whether they can cater or not. It helps the business understand customer demand, it might attract a new customer, and - perhaps, most importantly - it is courteous customer service. 

Which is why I don't understand why Chow hasn't responded to a query I sent them well over a week ago. 

I wanted to visit Chow and I was trying to help them by asking ahead, rather than nagging waitresses and kitchen staff when they are really busy and the information might not always be on hand. 

But the fact that they didn't reply tells me they don't actually care about my health. It tells me that they only offer gluten-free and dairy-free options to cater for what's trendy, not because they are actually conscious of dietary concerns. 

Maybe I am expecting too much and blogging has turned me ranty (please tell me if that is the case). But the difference between this experience and the superb service I have received elsewhere is so stark. 

At the same time that I emailed Chow, I emailed Dragons who replied to me in less than 12 hours with a very helpful, informed response. And - bonus - they can cater for me!

The contrast makes my eyes hurt.  

I certainly know which restaurant I will be visiting this weekend. 

In the meantime, Ross and I have decided we don't need Chow anyway. We've been making our own Asian fusion food and it's pretty damn good!

Update: Chow have been in touch. They intended to get back to me but due to an error on their part the email never came through. It's great to know they do care (and can cater) after all! The options sound pretty tasty, too. 

Beef sticks with low FODMAP spicy satay sauce.

Juicy duck breast with Asian glaze, polenta fries (cooked in duck fat), and bok choy.

Thai coconut sticky rice with passionfruit curd. 

Not-so-forbidden fruit

One of the challenging things about the low-FODMAP diet is that it restricts a number of healthy, wholesome foods, which is a key reason why seeking professional advice about the diet is important. 

Fruit, in particular, can be tricky. 

Mandarins - a year round FODMAP friendly fruit.

A number of fruits trigger symptoms of irritable bowel. This includes some quite common fruit varieties - apples and pears, for example - and many that tend to be canned or dried, like peaches and apricots. 

An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Ah, no. Not in this case.   

Thankfully, there are a number of fresh fruits that are easy on the tummy. So there's no need to sacrifice nourishing fruit - and the accompanying fibre or flavour - when pursuing digestive health. 

Blueberries and lactose-free yoghurt.

To help you make the most of tummy-friendly produce, I've put together a guide to low-FODMAP fruits by New Zealand season.

Shopping by season is great for ensuring that you are getting the freshest of flavours. The economist side of my brain likes the value-for-money aspect, too.

There are exciting flavours available no matter the time of year, including a number of options that are available year round.

In fact, there are so many fruit options. You might just discover some new favourites!

Add stewed rhubarb or defrosted berries to your breakfast (or your pudding, for that matter!). Make fresh fruit salad with pineapple, grapes, and berries, adding kiwifruit or melon depending on the time of year. Or pop bananas, mandarins and kiwifruit into your lunchbox (because you're never too old to own a SpongeBob lunchbox). 

Low-FODMAP fruit by season

This guide was put together using the Monash University app and 5+ a day website. A vegetable guide will follow in a subsequent post. 

Some of these fruits (denoted by asterisks) are high in FODMAP when consumed in large quantities - check the Monash University app for details. 

PS: Yes, I know that rhubarb is technically a vegetable; and tomatoes (which have been omitted) are technically a fruit. The way I see it, if it could conceivably go in a shortcake, it makes the list. Tomato shortcake anyone? Didn't think so.

Rhubarb and berry shortcake.

Friday night in

Looking for an easy, tasty Friday night dinner? Something to go with a glass of wine and back-to-back episodes of Gossip Girl, perhaps? Yeah, me too. 

My easy Friday-night-in dinners usually involve pasta, or some other form of carb-filled deliciousness (oven fries are another winner). 

But unfortunately on a low-FODMAP diet, easy pasta sauce options are pretty limited. Cream, garlic, onion and mushroom are all out. So.... yeah.

Today's experiment: low-FODMAP / gluten-free pesto. 

Simply put a good handful of fresh basil, some pine nuts, parmesan, and 3 teaspoons of garlic-infused oil in a food processor. Whizz it up, add pepper, and season generously with salt. 

The key here is to make it to your taste. Hmmm, does it need more cheese? Of course it does. 

In a matter of minutes, you'll have an easy pesto base from which to make whatever pasta dish you fancy. 

You'll be on the couch watching Gossip Girl in no time. 

Happy Friday!

Pesto with gluten-free pasta, cherry tomatoes and prosciutto ham.

Staying warm in Wellington

On a wet, dark, miserable evening like this it's nice to write about - if not eat - the sort of food that fills the belly and warms the heart.  

And nothing does that quite like a good Indian curry. 

Indian food is a great choice for naturally gluten-free food. And during my time in Wellington, I have been to some restaurants that were heavenly, a lot that were characteristically average, and a couple that were downright abysmal.

Based on our extensive sampling, Ross and I have two favourite Indian restaurants in Wellington. One is a wee drive away (there's a hint) and I will tell you about it another time. 

The other is Great India. 

The curries at Great India are, of course, amazing. Rich, succulent, flavoursome, and exotic. 

But delicious accompaniments are what makes a good Indian meal truly outstanding - even for someone who is gluten free. 

Sadly, we can't have the breads (except in Blenheim - this place wins major kudos). But, of course, there are other options. The coconut rice and onion bhajia (in chickpea batter) are an absolute must.

An Indian restaurant is a step above the rest if I can go there, eat gluten free, and have food so exquisite that I forget that naan bread ever existed. Great India does that.

But, as if that wasn't enough, the service at Great india is impeccable. And the atmosphere is quite special, making it perfect for an intimate date, a fun BYO, and everything in between.

An inviting setting with mouth-watering food - bringing warmth to even your dreariest of evenings.

Chicken madras, chicken masta masala, and coconut rice

Onion Bhajia

Gluten-free gnocchi

Saturday - ANZAC day - was a beautiful day of remembrance. 

We stood together to remember and peacefully reflect. 

After the dawn service - which I watched in the comfort of my pajamas (thank you, TV one) - Ross and I went for a walk in the botanical gardens - coffee in hand - and enjoyed the solitude. It was a day of quiet thankfulness. 

And with a free day ahead of us, we decided it was a also a good day to cook something new and exciting. 

ANZAC biscuits would have been an obvious choice of something to try - I have never made a gluten-free version, and I am keen to find some good gluten-free biscuit recipes in general. But I decided to do something different - more because I didn't think to get the ingredients at the supermarket than anything else. 

Inspired by the latest edition of cuisine magazine and this recipe, I decided I wanted to try and make gluten-free gnocchi. So last night Ross and I made potato gnocchi with sage butter sauce - put simply, fried potatoes in butter.

I concocted a gluten-free formula for the gnocchi. The quantities below make three filling, delicious servings.

750g (4 large) potatoes

50g of ground cornmeal flour

50g of rice flour

50g of potato starch

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt

We decided we wanted to be really radical and saute the gnocchi - rather than just boil it - and add bacon (because there obviously was't enough calories involved already).

I peeled my potatoes and popped them in a big pot to boil. Then, while the potatoes were cooking, I chopped some bacon, fried it and set it aside to add later. I also chopped a handful of fresh sage and minced two cloves of garlic.

Once my potatoes were cooked, I tipped them into a colander and left them for a few minutes to completely drain.

I mashed the potato, mixed the flours and salt together and then added them to the potato. The next step was adding the egg. I had to stir the mixture quite a lot to make sure it was evenly combined.

I floured a surface with potato starch and kneaded the mixture until I had a nice, soft dough. To keep the mixture manageable, I split it into three parts and rolled each potion into a long tube about 2cm wide. I cut the tubes into 2cm pieces and attempted to make the pieces look pretty by denting one side with a fork.

While I was still cutting up the gnocchi, Ross - because it was definitely a two person job by now - brought a big pot of water to the boil and started cooking the gnocchi in three batches of about 15 each.

It took a minute, or sometimes even less, for the gnocchi to float to the top of the water, indicating it was cooked. Ross would scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate ready to be sauteed.

We had quite a production line going from the bench, to the pot, then into the frypan to be cooked until crisp and lightly golden.

When Ross was frying the last batch of gnocchi, I started on my sage butter sauce. I melted 125g of butter in a pan (to be clear, this recipe is not for the faint hearted) then added my crushed garlic and cooked it in the butter for 5 minutes. Once this was done, I removed the pan from the element, added my chopped sage along with 1/2 tsp salt, and stirred for about minute.

Lastly, we combined the gnocchi, bacon and a handful of grated parmesan with the sage butter sauce and let it warm through. It was a little hard to mix the bacon evenly while still being careful with the gnocchi. 

On reflection, I would probably just add the bacon to the sauce next time, then place the gnocchi in bowls and pour the sauce over top. I'm keen to experiment with a lighter sauce next time as well. 

All the dish needed was some extra chopped fresh sage and a few shards of shaved parmesan to garnish and we were ready to eat.

And the result was even better than I had imagined. 

If you have never tried gnocchi before, I absolutely recommend giving it a go - gluten free or otherwise. It took longer than we expected to make it, but the result was definitely worth it.

The tasty golden nuggets were divine. And, with the rich sauce, they made a dish that was hearty yet exquisite.

Gluten-free potato gnocchi with bacon and sage butter sauce.

Long Xiang

Last night was a nice, quiet Friday. Ross and I had a relaxed dinner with Ross's brother, Andrew, at one of my absolute favourite restaurants: Long Xiang.

Long Xiang is a sweet, unassuming restaurant that will surprise you with it's delicious simplicity.

What it lacks in pretence, it more than makes up for in flavour - serving classic Chinese dishes that will keep you coming back for more.

Ross and I love going with a small group and getting a number of dishes to share (one dish and a rice per person is a good amount). They are BYO, licensed and also do takeaways. 

We often go to Long Xiang for quiet weeknight dinners. It's an especially good option if things are busy at work. And, as one of Wellington's best options in terms of value for money, it's probably cheaper than cooking!

The hardest part about going to Long Xiang is deciding what to have. They cater for gluten-free and vegan diets and the options are enormous. As those of us with dietary restrictions well know, too much choice is not a dilemma we are faced with often!

The lemon chicken, orange beef and sweet and sour pork are all fabulous. Plus we usually try and have a stir fry dish to get a good serving of vegetables.  

But, actually, what makes this restaurant truly special isn't the food. It is the beautiful couple who greet you with a smile when you walk in the door. Yvonne and Charlie are such lovely hosts - it almost feels like you are being welcomed into their home. 

Long Xiang provides simple, traditional cuisine with authentic and friendly service. And last night was no exception.

We had a delicious meal of lemon chicken, orange beef and pork and cashew nut stir fry before heading home to play Settlers of Catan. As it turned out, I really needed the energy for the game. Andrew absolutely annihilated us!

  

Lemon chicken, orange beef, and pork and cashew nut stir fry.

  

My food bag

This week was a great week to start my blog. Ross and I are doing our second ever My Food Bag.

Our first My Food Bag was a Christmas gift from Ross's parents. We loved the food the first time around, but we had some trouble getting our bag delivered. When they arrived to drop off the bag, they rang my cellphone but the call never went through (for reasons that are still a mystery to me). Our bag was taken back to the depot and we had a very underwhelming dinner on the first night (never underestimate having a bag of frozen oven fries in the freezer). 

I suspect that the company was still experiencing some teething problems at the time and when I contacted them about it, they were very apologetic and offered us 10 percent off our next bag.  

So, this week we were ready to give it another whirl.  

My Food Bag is a great option for anyone wanting some more variety in their cooking. We get the gourmet option, which feeds two foodies for four nights with pretty decent sized portions. I'm pretty sure Ross and I are the target market for the gourmet bag - young urban professionals who can't always be bothered searching books for new ideas and co-ordinating recipes with seasonal produce and supermarket specials (we are both economists, after all!). So the whole concept is really right up our alley. Really the only downside is that it creates a few more dishes than we are used to. 

On Sunday night, all I have to do is pop downstairs when the buzzer rings - slippers, trackpants, the whole get up - to pick up our bag. Well, it's two bags really, but I'm not going to complain about overachieving. 

We unload our bags full of tasty and nutritious food. There's always lots of vegetables, which makes me happy, and the meat is always high quality. Invariably there's an ingredient in there that I haven't cooked with before. This week it's eggplant. I look at it suspiciously and hope that I can make something erring more on the side of tasty than rubbery - I have had varied experiences eating eggplant in the past. 

The exciting range of ingredients in our bag.

Our first meal was a Panang fish and vegetable curry. We like our food quite spicy, but you could adjust it to whatever heat you like. We often don't get enough fish in our diet, so this was an absolute treat. 

Panang fish and vegetable curry with rice.

For me, the highlight was Monday night when we had scotch fillet with balsamic tomatoes and parmesan mash. I wasn't sure what to expect of balsamic tomatoes, but they were off-the-charts delicious. And Ross cooked the scotch filet absolutely beautifully. 

Scotch fillet with balsamic tomatoes and parmesan oregano mash.

Compared with the last time we did My Food Bag, the meals were a lot simpler to make. The caramelised onion, camembert, courgette and mushroom pizzas we had on Tuesday were the ultimate in easy yet delicious. 

We had to replace the pizza bases that were supplied with gluten-free ones. Usually there are only one or two items that aren't gluten free and the recipes always say whether they are gluten-free, dairy-free or vegetarian, so we find it easy to adapt for us. However, at this stage, it doesn't seem like My Food Bag would be easily adapted for other dietary requirements. Hopefully the company will eventually be able to grow to a point where they can do a wider range of bags for different needs (and be able to deliver them to a wider range of regions).

Caramelised onion, camembert, courgette and mushroom pizza with pear and rocket salad.

The smoked duck salad on Wednesday night was something really quite different for us. The smoked duck was quite rich, so the salad and the tangy glaze provided nice balance. There were oodles of green vegetables. It was almost disappointingly healthy. Almost. 

We couldn't have the panko crumbs so our eggplant was simply fried in oil. And, guess what? It wasn't rubbery! 

Nailed it. 

Smoked duck salad with panko eggplant, apple and pak choy.

Good food

Good food doesn't need to be expensive. It doesn't need to be decadent. And it definitely doesn't need to contain gluten.

Here is a selection of some delicious gluten-free treats that I have had the pleasure of tasting in the last wee while.