Tag Archives: diet

Vegan, Low FODMAP Banana Oatmeal Mini- Muffins!

10 Apr

Check out these yummy bite-sized treats! Super healthy, low FODMAP, and even VEGAN!

Banana Oatmeal Mini-Muffins

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 ripe bananas (medium) (appx. 160-180 calories)
  • 1 2/3 cups oats (Your choice! I purchased bulk granola w/ raisins at my local grocery store. YUM! appx. 200 calories/half cup)
  • 1/2 cup mixed dried fruit & nuts (Your choice! I chose an antioxidant blend from the bulk section of my local grocer. appx. 150 calories/fourth cup)
  • 4 tsp peanut butter (Again, I grabbed this FRESH from the bulk section of my local grocery store. Can be REALLY handy when you don’t need a lot and reasonably cheap! appx. 170 cal/2 tbsp)
  • 1 tsp vanilla (appx. 12-15 calories)
  • 1 tsp pure brown can sugar (appx. 15 calories)
  • 2 heaping tbsp protein powder (I used Genisoy, since it is vegan, non-GMO and reasonably low in calories & sodium. However, many low FODMAP eaters can’t handle soy. If this is the case, research other protein powder options! appx. 75 calories)

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Start by mashing the bananas and then adding oats (granola), mixed fruits & nuts, and brown sugar. Add in vanilla and peanut butter. Mix well. Add the protein powder one tbsp at a time. The mixture will start to thicken and have a dough-like consistency.

ImageSpoon the mixture into a mini muffin tin. You should have around 20 servings.

Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes. (I personally did mine for about 20 and it worked out great!)

ImageThe muffins should have golden brown edges while still preserving a spongey texture and bounce. They are meant to be light, yummy snacks!

ImageMy mini muffins ended up being about 70-75 calories each with my ingredients. I’m sure you could find granola/oats and fruit/nut mixes that are lower calories and cutting that as well if you are counting.

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Homemade Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas!

17 Jan
Homemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Homemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken EnchiladasHomemade Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Foodie Adventures, a set on Flickr.

I had a blast tonight making these! I had to make little changes here and there (but what fun is cooking if you don’t?), but I think they turned out pretty well!

Definitely spicy, but I think getting the “HOT” not mild Hatch green chiles made a difference!

Anyway, I’m proud of my work and excited to make these again!!!

CALORIES NOTE: [Edit 01/17/12] I put in the recipe on MyFitnessPal and came up with a number- 588 calories for 2 enchiladas made with the extra cheese in my recipe (4 cups as opposed to the 2.5 cups). So, made with the lower lactose content (cutting sour cream, heavy cream, & cheese), these could potentially be a VERY low calorie option! YAY!

Low FODMAP Note- These are definitely gluten-free, but definitely NOT lactose free. However, I did do some math on lactose content, and for two enchiladas it’s (I believe) 4 grams or less if you follow the recipe! (I found a great listing of low FODMAP “Do’s & Don’ts” at theintolerantdiner. According to her listing, heavy cream & sour cream both have appx. 1 g per 1 tbsp, which means 24 g total for this recipe or 2 g per enchilada. Of course, as I note later, I didn’t even use all the cheese/sour cream sauce. And you *could* simply omit the cream from the chicken mixture and just use hard cheese to keep lactose content low. OPTIONS! YAY!)

RECIPE:

2-1/2 cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
–I used just one can of Member’s Mark Shredded Chicken Breast
2 cups Reserved Broth From Chicken
–Just got low sodium chicken broth, canned
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
–I actually omitted the oil and just used organic whipped spread!
12 whole Corn Tortillas
–To keep it low calorie, I used Mission Thin Corn Tortillas (80 cal for 2!)
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
–Instead of onion, to make it low FODMAP, I added red/orange/yellow capsicum! YUM!
3 whole 4 Oz Cans  Fire Roasted Whole Green Chiles, Diced
–If you like spice, you can definitely find it here by adding the HOT green chiles! (I used HATCH!)
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
–Everything is definitely “season to taste.” That said, I think I just used what I wanted. haha…
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
–I could only find quart containers of heavy cream, so I actually used whipping cream which is only 30% milkfat (or whatever), but it still turned out really well!
2 Tablespoons Butter
–Again, watching calories & content, I used Earth Balance Organic Whipped Buttery Spread. I also used more than this amount b/c this is what I used to soften the tortillas.
2 Tablespoons Flour
–I used Bob Mill’s White Rice Flour for this to keep it low FODMAP.
1 cup Sour Cream
–Found store brand Fat Free Sour Cream which was surprisingly low in calories!
2-1/2 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
–Alright, here was my big “cheat.” I used extra cheese! But I definitely went overboard. You can get away with using only a 1-1.5 cups honestly.
Salt And Pepper, to taste
–I actually never salted. Just peppered. I also used a dash of chili powder in the sour cream sauce.
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped
–I didn’t use cilantro, BUT I *did* top the enchiladas with cold, fresh diced tomato.

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil (or butter substitute) in a small skillet over medium-high
heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do
not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack
of paper towels to drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil (I used butter substitute!) in separate skillet over medium heat (original recipe used the same oil by draining out any excess). Add onions (Or in my case peppers!) and
jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process.
Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir
together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir,
allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk
together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups
chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir
in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour
cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon
paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one.
Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x
13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra
cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (It took
the original recipe person 40 minutes, and I think mine took about 30ish). Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro (or in my case, fresh tomato!).

NOTES: These were absolutely DELICIOUS! One thing I did notice about this recipe was the amount of sour cream sauce it made… which was a LOT. I think you could definitely reduce that to 1 cup chicken broth, 3/4 cup sour cream, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese. Also, if you’re watching calories, try to find a reduced fat Monterey Jack or simply try another cheese that’s easier to find in reduced fat/fat free form. I think next time, I’ll just cut the amount of cheese I put on there since I REALLY love the Monterey Jack taste with this!

The Low FODMAP Diet Experiment: Day #9

15 Dec

Oh, experimentation! SO delicious.

I’ve been just having boring ol’ Rice Chex and Soy Milk for breakfast (and lunch meat for protein, haha…), so I was wanting some REALLY TASTY for lunch today.

So, instead of prepping, I decided to just see what came up…

I ended up with spicy rice with a turkey burger patty with cheese. Basically, I made minute rice, fluffed, and added Julio’s Mild Salsa and a touch of salt/pepper. I grilled the turkey burger patty and added some tasty seasoning. I placed the turkey on the bed of rice and sprinkled a 1/4 cup 2% reduced fat cheddar cheese on top and melted it in the microwave. And oh my goodness, it was delicious. Cheesy, spicy, a little salty… mmmmMMmm… Of course, anyone could adapt this to their level of spice (or for that matter, what KIND of spice they like) or whatever other tasty things they want to add!

I’m not sure what else I’m going to eat today. Probably going to try the gluten/dairy-free mac-n-cheese. We’ll see if it’s any good!

Much love,

Jacie

BREAKFAST:

-Rice Chex
-Silk Light Soy Milk
-Oscar Meyer Rotisserie Chicken Breast Lunch Meat

LUNCH:

-Jennie-O Turkey Burger
-Minute White Rice
-Julio’s Mild Salsa
-2% Reduced Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese
-Simply Limeade

SNACK:

-Blackberries
-Carrots
-Kiwi

DINNER:
??? 🙂

The Low FODMAP Diet Experiment: Day #8

14 Dec

It’s been a week. I don’t know if I should be quite celebrating yet.

It had been rather difficult for me to fully embrace the new diet. There are so many things that I love eating and enjoying and now… I can’t. I’m still having symptoms because I keep cheating, so I’m thinking this week, after counting last week as more of a “transitional period,” I’m actually going to be strict.

My problem mostly right now is a handful of things-

#1.) Not enough protein in my diet. I’m not a huge “meat-eater” and while this isn’t really related to FODMAP, it’s still an issue in my dietary planning.

#2.) I love dairy. Ice cream/frozen yoghurt, milk, and cheese have always been staples in my diet. Giving them up is awful.

#3.) I used to always talk about how I wasn’t a huge carb eater… but now that I’m actually having to watch where my carbohydrates are coming from… wow. Pasta and flour tortillas were big for me. And in the month before (attempting to go) going low FODMAP, I had started eating these “sandwich thins” as part of my weight loss plan. And now, the first loaf of gluten-free bread I tried wasn’t as tasty. I finally found gluten-free crackers, but they’re pretty expensive and I’ve gone through them fairly quickly. I don’t want to eat potatoes because they’re SO high in carbs AND the vegetable spread I use with them is so high in fat & carbs, too! It’s just frustrating. The “gluten-free” part of this I would say is definitely the most taxing for me. My only major triumphs in this area are finding 100% Spelt Pasta, Glutino crackers, eating fruits with carbs.

#4.) APPLES AND ONIONS. These are two of my favorite fruits/veggies. And they’re gone. Along with broccoli and so much more… These were my staple fruits & veggies. And it’s somewhat hard to transition to eating new foods on a regular basis. Plus, I was reading more the other day that I shouldn’t be having TOO many fruits in a day. The excess fructose can build up. AWESOME.

#5.) Eating out. Granted, I’ve only done this twice (Monday & yesterday), and only because a good friend is leaving town and wanted to meet up for a few meals. But still, I found options that were mostly approved: grilled chicken breast, lettuce, corn based tortillas, rice, potatoes… But little things like too much cheese or being fried or needing a condiment I shouldn’t have… It makes it so difficult.

#6.) Planning out food EVERY MORNING is tedious.

#7.) Eating these certain foods, I’m having a hard time keeping to my low calorie plan recently because I’m getting hungry again so quickly. Despite the fact I’m typically eating a bunch of small meals a day, I’m trying to balance my carbs/fat/protein and just, not. Not doing it well. Ugh… It’s just frustrating.

 

So, there you have it. One frustrated little ginger who WANTS to give up, but WON’T.

THIS WEEK I WILL DO IT. This experiment will not be a failure! I promise!

 

Breakfast:

-Rice Chex
-Silk Lite Soy Milk
-Hormel Turkey Pepperoni’s

Lunch:

-Glutino Gluten-Free Crackers
-Oscar Meyer Rotisserie Chicken Breast Lunch Meat
-Julio’s Mild Salsa
-Peeled Baby Carrots

Snack:

-Kiwi
-Blackberries

Dinner:

-I’m hoping that maybe tonight I can finally try that turkey burger! haha!

The Low FODMAP Diet Experiment: Day #7

13 Dec

WOW.

Has it really already been a week? Well, technically, not an entire week. I still have to make it through the day! haha…

But I have to say, little by little, I’m beginning to feel like I can do this!

I had a HUGE moment of hope yesterday. I had just stepped into my local Wal-Mart to try and grab a few things (some ground turkey breast, a few fruits/veggies, potatoes, etc.) and while walking down the rice aisle, lo and behold… There was a GLUTEN-FREE section! Granted, it was small and a big picked over, but my goodness, did it give me hope! I found some DELICIOUS crackers (Glutino brand) and a gluten-free pancake mix. Granted, the pancake mix I *think* had a small amount of some milk product in it, but when making the mix I used soy milk in the batter, so I don’t think I’ll really have any problems with it. My body can typically tolerate some lactose decently. My biggest cheat with this little impromptu purchase is the syrup. I didn’t have time this morning after cooking breakfast to stop by the store on the way to work to grab the kind of natural syrup I can have on low FODMAP and instead had to use the cheap stuff we already at at the house that contains high fructose corn syrup. I’ve actually managed to completely avoid HFCS this week up until now, so we’ll see if it has any effects on symptoms.

As for an update on “winging it” yesterday, I ended up having a lunch date with a friend and went to a local restaurant that specializes in healthy options. I had grilled chicken breast topped with a bit of mozzarella and diced tomatoes/jalapenos. I only ate a smidge of the salad which was just romaine lettuce with a “Southwest Ranch” on the side, that wasn’t really ranch. But, I had such a small quantity of it that there were no problems. For dessert? No-fat frozen yoghurt with live active cultures, chocolate flavored with fresh sliced strawberries on top! YUM!!!

I didn’t have time for a snack yesterday because of work, so by dinner, I was STARVING! I ended up cheating a smidge and had Annie’s organic gluten-free mac-n-cheese. Again, I used soy milk in making the cheese sauce, so really the only cheating was what lactose was in the powdered mix for that, which I again assume was some small amount because I had no problems. For some protein, I had some grilled lite sausage with orange & yellow peppers left over from the other day, and since I was still quite hungry, I had some soy crisps dipped like chips in Julio’s Mild Salsa. MmmMMmm…

By the way, I’m eating the gluten-free pancakes as I type and they’re actually pretty good! Anyway, on to the food for the day!

PS- If you’re reading this and you’re one of the people who have subscribed or liked any of the posts… THANK YOU! It’s oddly comforting to know that there’s someone out there reading this… someone who’s possibly been through this or seen someone go through it. Anyway, enough with the sappiness. To the food!

BREAKFAST:

-Arrowhead Mills Organic Gluten-Free Pancake & Baking Mix (Bought at Wal-Mart)
-Silk Lite Soy Milk
– All-Whites Liquid Egg Whites
-Pompeii Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-(CHEAT) Great Value Syrup
-Fresh Blackberries & Raspberries

LUNCH:

-Annie’s Organic Gluten-Free Mac-n-Cheese (SLIGHT CHEAT, I THINK)
-Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
-Fresh Baby Carrots

SNACK:

-Glutino Gluten-Free Crackers
-Oscar Meyer Rotisserie Chicken Breast Lunch Meat
-Julio’s Mild Salsa
-Kiwi

DINER:

-Not really sure yet… I’m thinking maybe…
-Grilled Turkey Burger over
-White Rice with
-Italian Cut Green Beans

The Low FODMAP Diet Experiment: Day #6

12 Dec

I’m blogging a little early today just because I’m not sure what my schedule will be like today.

Also, I wanted to say that today, I’m wingin’ it. I didn’t plan out what I’m eating meal by meal. I mean, not that I’ve exactly followed my plans. But, I’ve at least stayed fairly close. But today, I’m going to see how I do NOT planning.

Another side note- I had read when I started this whole thing that there was a lady on a forum that SWORE by having a spoonful of olive oil every morning to help coat the GI track/intestines… So, what the heck. I decided to give it a whirl. Only day #2 of that, but so far, no major improvements, but we’ll see if it’s worth keeping up.

So, as for the food today, I can go ahead and say I had my protein packed breakfast of liquid egg whites with a smidge of soy milk scrambled and the four slices of the pre-cooked low sodium bacon. Also, grabbed a mini-pack of carrots. And downing water like it’s going out of style.

OH! Sorry, ONE last random fact. After my weight drop yesterday, I am glad to say that it stayed the same so it wasn’t a fluke! I’m down to 165 and proud! WHEE!

The Low FODMAP Diet Experiment: Day #5

11 Dec

I’m a cheat.

 

I’ll admit it. I cooked dinner for a friend on Friday night and I used a seasoning mix for pasta sauce that had whey and whatnot in it and had some juice I shouldn’t have. Symptoms weren’t too bad from that, but Saturday ( Day #4) proved to be my breaking point. Last night, I had BREADED chicken strips, mashed potatoes with MILK in them, and brown GRAVY. I also was having some major ice cream withdrawls and decided to splurge on a pint of double dark chocolate gelato. I had remembered seeing this on the approved list for low FODMAP, but was confused as to why it is on there? It’s made with milk and sugar (and the brand I bought had cream in it as well), so just curious… does anyone know WHY it’s listed on the approved low FODMAP foods?

Continuing on the cheating, I had a soda today (Coke is another of my vices, although I had cut them down to 2 a week this fall b/c of kidney stones this summer…). But, I did keep all my food today low FODMAP, so that’s a plus. Thinking out loud (sort of) for a moment here, I know my symptoms are definitely prevalent in my life, at least enough to drive me to try this little experiment… but I always thought I was likely on the low end of symptomatic people. However, after even just a LITTLE cheating yesterday, I realized just how much my symptoms have affected me. Normal amounts of lactose and a smidge of flour later, and my torso’s a babbling brook. I had always known I had a problem with legumes and cut them out of my life completely about a year ago. But I never thought that lactose and gluten could be such an issue for me (along with fructans!). As I had said earlier, apples and onions were STAPLES in my diet. Now, not having them on a regular basis is sad, but I’m trying to find new fruits and such that have great flavors that hopefully I can replace them with…

After my little cheat period, I think I can do this. I’ll admit, I’m probably going to have another cheat day next Friday because of our annual Holiday lunch at work (which is DELICIOUS!), but if we have what we did last year, I actually should be pretty good since they typically do mexican food. Enchiladas (with corn tortillas and hard cheese topping) are do-able and rice.

I also should mention my body has been going a little crazy through this, I guess, transition period? Low FODMAP has really thrown a big kink in my typical meal planning, particularly with my focus on weight loss this past month. However, after a couple of cheat days, and giving my body a break from working out, and low FODMAP foods helping out some of my symptoms, I am proud to say I’m down to 165.5 lbs and hoping I can keep under 167! We’ll see how my weight fluctuates this week.

Alrighty… Enough of this… on to foods!

Lunch:
-Hillshire Farms Lite Sausage
-Yellow & Orange Pepper
-Smashed Potato
-Organic Whipped Spread (with Vegetable Oil)

Snack:
-Green Grapes
-Soy Crisps

Snack #2:
-Carrots
-Kiwi

Dinner:
-Shredded Chicken Breast
-Organic Southwest Taco Seasoning
-2% Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese
-Diced Tomato
-Hard Corn Tortilla Shells
-Quinoa (with Tascosa Hot Sauce for seasoning)

The Low FODMAP Diet Experiment: Day #3

9 Dec

Oh my goodness. I was absolutely RAVENOUS all day yesterday, at least until dinner. Having a lite breakfast is NOT for me. haha!

So, today I went unconventional (I get made fun of regularly at work for my odd taste in breakfast foods…) and had green grapes first, followed by soy crisps topped with hot sauce and turkey breast lunch meat. Odd, but VERY filling and I’ve been good today!

Also, I think getting a good dinner in me last night and drinking water was helpful.

As far as symptoms go, I’ve seen some improvement actually. I’m wondering at a week if I’ll even be having my typical major problems at all! haha…

Another thing I was thinking about… So, granted, I did this experiment to see if it would help with my symptoms. And I said that if it did, I would like to try and keep it up. However, even after just 3 days, I don’t know if I can keep up this strict of a diet. A lot of my favorite foods are on the “no-no” list, and my life would be much less cheerful if I didn’t get my apples or onions. haha…

I tried to console another of my cravings (ice cream!), but made the foolish mistake of getting a brand made with coconut milk, apparently forgetting the fact that I hate coconuts. For some reason, my brain saw milk and thought “oh hey, probably tastes like milk.” and completely neglected the coconut portion. Oh well. I’ve already given it away to a friend and got a suggestion to try to the almond kind (though I’m not a huge nuts fan) or the soy chocolate. …I’m gunning for the soy chocolate.

Also, I’m trying my spelt spaghetti noodles tonight, so we’ll see how those go! If not, I’ve got some rice pasta waiting on backup. haha…

 

Breakfast:

-Green Grapes
-Soy Crisps
-Tascosa Hot Sauce
-Oscar Meyer Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Lunch:

-Hillshire Farm Lite Sausage
-Orange & Yellow Bell Peppers
-Homemade Smashed Potatoes
-Organic Whipped Spread (Made with vegetable oil)

Snack:

-Kiwi
-Raspberries
-Blackberries

Dinner:

-Ground Turkey Breast in
-Tomato Sauce
-Italian Seasoning
-Spelt Spaghetti Noodles

The Low FODMAP Experiment: Day #2

8 Dec

Oops. Tried to cook last night, but ended up gross. (For lack of a more sophisticated way to say it.) The soup/chili stuff I made ended up waaay too salty (I think it was the off-brand of seasoning I used), so no left overs for me today.

I’m thinking tonight I’m going to play it safe.

As for my progress, yesterday was still rough. I’ll admit, I had some foods I shouldn’t have in preparation, knowing I couldn’t have them for two weeks. My “guilty pleasures” last meal? Beef enchiladas from Taco Bueno (and I even ate a small amount of the refried beans, negligible to most, but still significant for me since I cannot typically have most legumes) and a coke. MmmmMMMmm…

But like I said, yesterday was rough, but today’s already been better. Of course, the morning usually is… Anyway, here’s my food for today. See you again, tomorrow!

Breakfast:

-Blackberries
-Raspberries
-White Grapes
-Bacon Strips

Lunch:

-Gluten Free Bread
-Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Lunch Meat
-Tascosa Hot Sauce
-Carrots

Snack:

-Kiwi
-Mini Soy Cakes
-Tascosa Hot Sauce

Dinner:

-Lite Sausage
-Orange & Yellow Peppers
-Mashed Potatoes (With Organic Vegetable Oil Spread in place of butter)
-2% Reduced Fat Shredded Cheddar Cheese
-Italian Cut Green Beans

 

YUMMMM!!!

The Low FODMAP Experiment: Day #1

7 Dec

So, Day #1! I have to admit, I’m not being the strictest of following guidelines, but doing my best with what I could find in my local market. I know some of the meats are cured with sugars (don’t know what kind), but I feel that since this is my first go out at this, I can have a little leeway at this point. Haha!

I didn’t prep any food last night (BIG mistake on my part), so this morning was a little hectic trying to get everything ready for work. However, I grabbed a lot of good stuff, so I’ve got some good choices…

Breakfast:

-Scrambled egg whites with light soy milk to fluff

-Precooked low sodium bacon strips

 

Lunch:

-Udi’s gluten free wheat bread

-Oven roasted turkey breast lunch meat

-Tascosa hot sauce

-Green grapes

-Baby carrots

 

Snack:

-Kiwi

-Raspberries

-Blackberries

 

Dinner:

-Taco Soup

–Ground Turkey Breast
–2% shredded cheddar cheese
–Tomato Sauce
–Taco Seasoning
–Stewed Tomatoes and diced green chiles
–Corn

-Lime Juice