What I Eat: Tuna Salad on rice cake

 Had a real hankering for tuna this morning. These are the vegetables I happened to have on hand today. Any vegetable will do, including carrot, radish, onion, parsley, sweet or hot pepper, snap peas...   I used:

1 small pouch tuna

1 small baby cucumber (peeled and sliced)

1/3 cup broccoli (chopped small)

1 tablespoon Vegenaise 

2 rice cakes

Why this fits with my diet: I make sure to get the tuna that is packed in water. The oil are questionable and could contain corn oil. The Vegenaise is a substitute for mayonnaise. Commercial mayonnaise contains white distilled vinegar which is a big no no. White vinegar is derived from corn. All forms of corn must be avoided to keep my Crohn's in remission. Vegenaise uses Apple Cider vinegar instead.

Oat Start Cookies

 Great find! Oat Start cookies. These come in three varieties; chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin and cran-blueberry. 

Right out of the box I knew they would be good. They came in a resealable plastic container where they can stay fresh for quite a while.  

These little cookies are 50 calories each with 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving. They hold a lot of nutrients with the oats, flaxseeds, fiber and dried fruits. 

The texture was very moist with no crumbling. Sweet but not too sweet. Nice consistency. 

These are available on their website   https://oatstart.com for 5.99 per package of one dozen   These cookies are little but nutrient dense. Very portable. They would make a good quick breakfast.

I brought these cookies with me when I went visit my brother this weekend. I had my brother and friends try them. Friends and family agreed they were really tasty even if you don’t need gluten free. 

I keep a very strict diet of no gluten or corn. I also avoid all gluten and corn derivatives, such as soy sauce and white distilled vinegar. Being on this diet, of my own making I have been in remission from Crohn's disease. This is through diet alone. These cookies fit in perfectly with my restrictive diet.

Soozy's Grain Free Bagels

 

This was a real treat this morning. These bagels by Soozy's made my morning special. They come frozen. One package holds 5 bagels. I'm writing this 4 hours after eating it and I am still full. These are satisfying to say the least. 

Another plus is that they come pre-cut. I wrapped them in a paper towel and heated it in the microwave for 45 seconds. The texture was pleasantly chewy and held together great! 

I had mine with Earth Balance Margarine and honey comb.

These bagels are made with a combination of cassava flour, almond flour, tapioca flour and flaxseed flour. All nice gluten free flours that offer lots of texture.

These bagels are 170 calories each with 4 grams protein. They have psyllium seed which brings the fiber content up to provide 25 percent of daily fiber needs. 

These can be found at Whole Foods

Sugars derived from corn

There are several sugar substitutes out there, all of which can be derived from corn. Why is this bad? Well for me, it is wheat, gluten and corn that flares my Crohn's. I made a decision early on to eliminate these from my diet. I am in complete remission because of it.

HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP: This is everywhere, especially in sweetened drinks. Farm substitutes are paying farmers to grow lots of corn. This drives up the price of sugar. As a result, many companies are using the cheaper sweetener. Good for them, bad for me.

MALTOSE: Almost always derived from corn.

DEXTROSE: Chemically this is the same as glucoses, or blood sugar. However it is usually derived from corn. I might be able to tolerate it but better to be safe than sorry.

FRUCTOSE: Sugar that comes from fruits and vegetables, including corn.

BARLEY MALT: This is sugar that is derived from barley. Barley, however, is glutinous so this is a big no no.

XYLITOL: There are actually two sources for this sugar, corn and Birch wood. Unless I am sure of the source I avoid this.

SORBITOL: Usually derived from corn.

POWDERED SUGAR: Usually mixed with corn starch. There are some organic brands that do not use corn starch.

HONEY: Usually ok. However some farmers will feed High Fructose Corn syrup to their bees. I buy from my local farmer.

SUCROSE: Also known as table sugar. Sucrose is a combination of glucose and fructose. Though sugar is not good for you in general and not in large doses, this is well tolerated by my colon.

In conclusion, it is of utmost importance for me to avoid gluten and corn, even in what seems like minuscule amounts. I almost alway opt for table sugar or honey.

Special Note: If you are diabetic you must use sugar substitutes and follow doctor's orders!!

What I Eat: Apple "Donuts"

These are quite easy to make, delicious and full of nutrients. I chose oats for my topping. There can be an endless variation of toppings such as ground flaxseed, raisins, chocolate chips, granola, chia seeds and coconut flakes. You can also use any nut butter. I used peanut butter. I also used gluten free oats. I am corn and gluten free to control my Crohn's.

*Wash apples well, skin will stay on
*slice apples through center
*core the inside
*Pat dry with paper towel
*spread peanut butter or other nut butters
*add toppings. It's easier to turn the apples upside down and dip in the topping than to sprinkle them

Staying safe during a pandemic

In light of the Covid 19 pandemic it is even more essential for those with Crohn's and other intestinal diseases to stay healthy. This is not a good time to eat junk food. While comforting, it may lead to a flare. We need to be as careful as we can, eating foods that we know are not going to flare us. Our immunity goes down when we are fighting a flare. Please stay safe out there!

Here are a few things you can do:

*Follow cdc recommendations for social distancing 
*practice safe hand washing, cleaning etc
*Don't try any new foods that have not been tested. You may not know how you will react
*Stick with safe foods, such as plain rice, plain chicken and cooked vegetables
*If you're stuck in your home or apartment, try baking a gluten free bread
*Eliminate potential triggers, gluten and corn
*Take a daily probiotic
*keep up immunity with fresh fruits and vegetables as well as juices and smoothies
*light exercise
*fresh air and sunshine
*meditation for healing

Siete taco shells

Another wonderful find at Whole Foods. Siete taco sells. They taste very good, slightly sweet. Lots of crunch though they fall apart quite easily. They come 12 in a pack for $5.49. I would definitely buy them again. Almost like a corn taco shell but not quite. Not too bad though.

In order to keep myself in remission from Crohn's I avoid all gluten and corn as well as gluten and corn derivatives. Corn tacos of course would be a big no no.

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.