I have a confession to make: I can get really stubborn about small things.

Like my morning coffee, for instance.

Since I was in high school, I’ve had a cup of coffee every morning with half-and-half and sugar.

Every. Single. Day.

That’s why when I started having issues with my knees in the morning, I didn’t give my morning ritual any thought.

I got a massage, went to the acupuncturist, and tried walking more. But none of these activities helped in the slightest.

By this point, I’d cut out lactose from my diet in every aspect…except my morning cup of coffee. Sugar was also something I consumed little of, other than in the occasional gluten-free cookie or other baked treat.

Surely, my morning cup of coffee wasn’t the problem—right?

Well, just to make sure, I replaced that splash of half-and-half with Ripple half-and-half. And guess what? Things did get a little better. Emboldened, I bought a package of Swerve (affiliate link) and started using a spoon of that in place of the sugar in my coffee.

And guess what? That did the trick! No more stiff, inflamed knees!

So what I learned from all this—and my food journey over the past two years—is it pays to get out of your comfort zone and try new things.

And with that in mind, check out this week’s low FODMAP recipes.

This Week’s Low FODMAP Recipes

• Give your next pasta and meatballs low #FODMAP dinner a new twist with these Paleo Whole30 Chicken Zucchini Meatballs from Jay’s Baking Me Crazy.
• These 5-Ingredient Buckwheat Crepes from Minimalist Baker would make a great date night dinner when paired with a savory filling.
• Chai Spice Banana Muffins from Delicious as it looks would make a great breakfast-on-the-go or a post-workout snack.
• Liven up your weekend breakfast with FODMAP Everyday’s Lemon Poppy Seed Waffles
• There’s nothing easier tha n a sheet pan dinner but no one will ever guess how easy this Sesame Sheet Pan Salmon with Roasted Bok Choy and Baby Turnips from Feed me Phoebe is.

Find my picks for the tools and ingredients to make these recipes + more via my Erika’s Gluten-free Kitchen Amazon shop.