New product review: Enjoy Life Protein Bites

These were delicious. Very chewy, chocolatey and not too sweet. No doubt about it they tasted good! They are gluten and corn free since they are from Enjoy Life. However a tad expensive and a bit high in fat and calories. I will still buy them as a special treat. they fit in with my diet of being totally gluten and corn free in order to keep my Crohn's in remission.

How I survive when traveling

It's hard enough to travel, let alone when you have a special diet. I am corn and gluten free. I do this to control my Crohn's disease. I also avoid all derivatives of corn and gluten. Such things as soy sauce, salad dressing, mustard, ketchup, relish, white vinegar, corn syrup...I take no medicine and I am in complete remission, my last colonoscopy was normal and showed no signs of Crohn's. However if I eat the wrong foods, that could change.

This is how I dealt with my recent trip to Charleston S.C. for a wedding. It took some planning and some luck.

First off, what I brought with me: I made a big dish of Oatmeal -to -Go. I figured if nothing else, I could have these for breakfast or a snack. I also packed lentil chips, Nu Go protein bars, and dried fruit packages. I did not bring fruits or veggies figuring I could find those anywhere.

All of these came in handy during my five day stay.

The Hotel that we stayed at offered a free breakfast. No carbs of any kind that I could eat. Now the oatmeal bars came to the rescue. They had Nutella there! This was so nice spread on the bars. They also offered hard boiled eggs, Chiobani yogurt, bananas, oranges, apples and orange juice. Plenty now for breakfast. Note: Hard boiled eggs are usually safe. I do not trust scrambled eggs that are already made. Too many things that could have been added.

The next challenge was eating out at restaurants. The safest for me is to get baked fish with a salad or vegetables. No sauce. No dressing. The steamed mussels were a bit if a gamble but the chef said there was no soy sauce in them. Just lemon garlic and butter.

Some of the best places in Charleston were Toasts, The crab Shack, Hank's and Fleets Landing.

Another small challenge was lunch. We found a few smoothie and juice bars so that settled that issue. One sold lovely salads as well. Juice bars also came in handy when we were going through the airports.

And finally, the wedding. It was gorgeous ceremony right on the beach. The food however...nothing that I could eat. It's ok. The night was beautiful and it was a wonderful time with family and friends. I ate a protein bar.

My daughter's dinner and my dinner:

And finally airport food. This was not the best. I felt safe ordering a plain hamburger without the bun and a side of veggies. Everything was over cooked. They still put it on a bun. Really the only bad meal I had the whole trip.

Traveling is a wonderful thing, but not when you feel sick or need to use the bathroom constantly. A little planning can go a long way. And btw Charleston is a beautiful city and we will go back.

Xanthan substitute

Ok this is sweet! Really nice! This company, Pamela's, has come out with a substitute product for xanthan and guar gum. These are generally used in baking products and add to the texture. They make gluten free less crumbly and more chewy delicious.

Of course, I avoid all gluten and corn as well as gluten and corn derivatives in order to control my Crohn's disease. I am on no medication and I am in total remission from the disease. I discovered this diet through trial and error.

Xanthan is a derivative of corn. And it'll flare me. This is one of the ingredients I never eat.

Above are pictures of my latest bread using this product. I just added 3 teaspoons to the usual recipe. The results were good. Would recommend this product.

I bought it at Whole Foods for a little more than 5 dollars and it will last a long while.

What I Eat: Soup

Now that it is getting back to Fall weather, I am starting back on my soup making. Nothing is more satisfying and nutritious. Yesterday I made this lovely soup with the vegetables that I had on hand plus a potato to give it bulk. Any vegetables would do. I start my broth with a large tablespoon of miso paste, whole onion and garlic in the water. Then I just add add add vegetables. I let it simmer most of the day. I did not need salt because of the miso. I also added about a teaspoon of turmeric. That was it. This soup contains onion, garlic, bok chow, celery, poblano pepper (yes the soup was a little spicy), yellow squash, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, miso paste, turmeric, and a can of green beans. This is so healing and easy on the digestive tract.

Note: I use miso paste because it is hard to find ready made broth that is corn and gluten free. This diet (corn and gluten free) has kept me in remission for years.

Lentil Chips by Enjoy Life

Sometimes you just need to crunch something. These chips are just the thing to satisfy cravings. I just eat them plain though they have a nice shape for dipping. 3 grams of protein per serving. 140 calories for a generous portion.

Gluten and Corn Free Bread

I am reposting this recipe after a little tweaking. It is very easy to make and no bread machine is required. Bread is a staple. There is no reason to go without bread when avoiding gluten and corn. This recipe was delicious. I also use Earth Balance buttery spread since it is free of corn oils.

*3 whole eggs
*1 tbs apple cider vinegar (white vinegar is a corn derivative)
*3/4 cup milk or milk substitute
*2 tbs oil (olive)
*1 tsp honey
*1/4 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp baking powder (featherweight; other baking powders contain cornstarch)
*1 tbs ground flax
*1 and 1/2 cup rice flour
*1/2 cup gluten free oats
*1 and 1/2 tbs baker yeast
*2 tbs gluten free oats to sprinkle on top prior to baking

     DIRECTIONS:

      *in large bowl mix wet ingredients
      *in separate bowl mix dry ingredients and yeast
      *slowly incorporate the dry into the wet ingredients
      *grease 1 bread pan with canola oil
      *pour batter into pan (Note: it will not be doughy)
      *sprinkle top with gluten free oats

This makes one loaf.

Bake at 350 degree for 50 minutes

The importance of checking labels

Well tonight I kind of made a mistake. I can usually eat Altoid mints without problems. They're quite delicious. Ive had them dozens of times and did not check the label. Something about the texture felt off. So I checked the label and they are now using CORN STARCH as one of the ingredients. It may flare me. We'll see in the morning. I won't really know till then. This just demonstrates the importance of always checking the labels, every time, since things can change.

What I drink: Kevita

T'his drink is a nice substitute for soda but without the sweeteners. It comes in a variety of flavors. It's bubbly just like soda. And it provides at least some probiotics. However a little expensive, of course.

Teen dies due to severe allergic reaction

Below is a link to a story of a teen who recently died due to a severe reaction to dairy. He talked to the wait staff but was not full informed of all the ingredients. This tragedy should never have to happen. His family is now pushing to require all restaurants to list all ingredients in their foods.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/teen-dairy-allergy-byron-buttermilk-chicken

Treating Crohn's with worms

Ok this is totally new to me. Apparently there is a new treatment for Crohn's that introduces microscopic worms into the intestines. This is done through a doctor's office and can be taken as a liquid that contains worm eggs. Ummmmm yuck. But apparently it has had worked on some patients. When the worms attach to the lining of the intestines it produces an anti-inflammatory effect. Not currently available in the United States.

  This is NOT something you can do yourself and there are side effects. Click on the link below to read the article.

https://www.healthline.com/health/crohns-disease/hook-worms

Found this beauty at Whole Foods. Just like the Ramen noodles eaten by college students everywhere, except healthier. It did come in other varieties as well. The nice thing about these noodles, other than being gluten free and corn free, is that they only take a few minutes to cook. I added vegetables and dry sea weed to make it more of a meal. Nice texture as well.

Eat the Rainbow

We all know the importance of eating lots of fruits and vegetables every day. They provide an abundance of phytonutrients along with fiber. They are low fat and full of flavor. They can be used in tons of recipes. Each color provides a different combination of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. 

In order to keep a healthy gut it is important to get both soluble and insoluble fibers. Soluble fibers can dissolve in water and are found in such things as apples, citrus fruits and bananas as well as oats, beans and rice. Insoluble fibers can not be dissolved in water and are not broken down by the intestines. They can be found in root vegetables such as carrots as well as cucumber, celery and edible seeds such as berries. 

Soluble fiber breaks down in the intestinal tract and is used for food to feed the healthy bacteria that lives there. These healthy bacteria keep our gut in balance and keep down any inflammation. This type of fiber is also responsible for lowering cholesterol. 

Insoluble fiber cannot be digested or absorbed. It pushes things along the intestinal track and prevents constipation. Some of it may be broken down by healthy bacteria. 

The more variation the better. Try to eat the rainbow, different colors of fruit and vegetables throughout the day. 

Of course the above picture shows corn as a healthy choice. I do not recommend eating corn in any form. This is how I was able to get my Crohn's under control.

Gluten and Corn Free Sichuan Beef

Being both gluten free and corn free makes it virtually impossible to eat out at Chinese restaurants. I really miss good Chinese food. This Sichuan beef recipe was really good and really quick. I started with flank steak that was already shredded, that I found at Whole Foods. You can also start with a pound of flank steak and slice it yourself.

Ingredients:

* 1 pound flank steak shredded or cut in thin strips
* 4  celery ribs, cut julienne
* 2 carrots, cut into ribbons
* 1 green onion, sliced
* 1/4 cup canola oil
* 2 Tablespoons potatoes starch
* 1 and 1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
* 4 Tablespoons gluten free soy sauce or Bragg's liquid aminos
* 1 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
* 3 tsp brown sugar
* 1/4 tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp minced ginger
* hot pepper flakes to taste
*2 cups cooked rice, if desired


Directions:

1. If meat is not pre shredded, cut into thin strips
2. cut celery, carrot and green onion in strips, ribbons and slices
3. In large bowl combine steak strips with potatoes starch, toss well to coat all sides
4. Heat oil in non stick pan
5. Add meat to pan, stirring frequently till cooked, several minute
6. Add vegetables and ginger, cook until desired tenderness
7. In small bowl, mix soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, peanut butter and desired pepper flakes
8. whip together
9 Add sauce to pan and stir
10. serve with rice

New Name for High Fructose Corn Syrup

In order to keep my Crohn's in remission, I avoid all gluten and corn in my food. This includes all gluten and corn derivatives such as high fructose corn syrup. People are becoming aware that these substances can cause a lot of problems in some people. Manufacturers know that people are demanding a change. Well, that costs money. High fructose corn syrup is cheaper to use that white cane sugar. So instead of making the switch, they are renaming high fructose corn syrup, sometimes to just "fructose" which can be very misleading! See link below for the story:

http://achnews.org/2019/08/01/high-fructose-corn-syrup-has-been-quietly-deceitfully-renamed/?fbclid=IwAR3QOUrQ-1E-RHP7JC-_eItP4qN_Dp0YVCSPKvD-VcZSmS8NQ3aKrdkk5Rg

Gluten Free Corn Free S'mores

 Who doesn't love s'mores? But impossible when you're gluten free and corn free. Not anymore. You just have to know which brands to use. Marshmallows are made with corn syrup. And graham crackers of course are made with wheat flour.

For the marshmallows I use Dandies. They taste exactly the same as regular marshmallows. Bonus, they're also vegan.

For the graham cracker I used Kinnikinnick brand. They were not exactly the same but they were good.

I used regular Hershey bars for the chocolate.

Gluten and Corn Free Granola

This is one of my favorite things to eat for breakfast or to take with me when I go hiking. It is gluten and corn free. I would not recommend eating this during an active flare.

Ingredients:

* 2 cups rice Chex (crunched up)
* 2 cups gluten free oats
* 1/2 cup dry coconut flakes (check ingredients for corn syrup)
* 1/2 cup dried fruit (I use raisins or craisins)
* 1/2 cup nuts of choice (I like walnuts and almonds)
* 2 Tablespoons whole flax seeds
* 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
* 1/2 cup honey
* 2 Tablespoons blackstrap molasses
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

 Directions:

- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Put all ingredients in large bowl
- Add honey, molasses and coconut oil
- mix well
- add cinnamon and salt
- place on baking sheet with parchment paper
- press down with large spoon
- bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes