Low FODMAP Diet

Happy Friday!

That delicious burger at the top of today’s post is from Oak Park Brewing Company here in Sacramento. You wouldn’t think a microbrewery would be the most gluten-free and low-FODMAP-friendly place to eat, but, they actually are. In addition to having a gorgeous and tasty gluten-free bun for their burgers, they also have really good gluten-free chicken tenders, a farm-fresh salad, and a selection of wine and hard seltzers to choose from.

Unfortunately, the fries are not celiac-safe, as they are fried in the same fryer as the beer-battered cauliflower bites. I’ve been able to eat a few of the fries with my burgers and not had it trigger my wheat allergy, however.

Eating out is almost always a challenge with food allergies and the low FODMAP diet. While I’ve had pretty good luck around Sacramento, some of my travel over the past year has not been great on the food front. For example, I attended a conference in September that asked for food allergy information upfront (Great!) But once I got there, all the food was served buffet style, with partial ingredient lists and a strange new acronym I’d never seen before: AVG. It turns out, that acronym apparently meant “avoiding gluten.” Yet it was on dishes that had bulghur wheat and wheat germ. And a different gluten-free and vegan dessert didn’t list any ingredients, which meant I had to skip it in case it had cashew butter in it as so much vegan baked treats do.

So guess who had some gifted dark chocolate peanut brittle and a sugary granola bar for her only meal the first day of the conference and gave herself a migraine as a result? Yup, that would be me!

I fared much better on the second day thanks to buying a ton of healthy snacks from a nearby market. I brought extras with me and ended up sharing my cache of gluten-free food with other hangry conference goers. The moral of the story here is even if they ask for your food allergies that doesn’t mean an event venue or restaurant will necessarily understand how that information plays out for its diners. That means it’s important to ask questions, and come prepared with your own food when you’re limited in your food options at an all-day event, or be prepared to leave if a restaurant doesn’t take your food allergy seriously.

This Week’s Low FODMAP Recipes

• Cool winter days call for hearty dinners like this one-skillet low FODMAP and gluten-free beef pot pie recipe from Dr. Rachel Paul.
• Soup is my go-to lunch in the Winter months. I’m excited to try this potato soup from Karlijn’s Kitchen next week.
• I end up making beef stew every other weekend in the colder months. But I’ve never used Za’atar to season them, even though I use it on chicken frequently. Adding this recipe for Middle Eastern Beef Stew with Za’atar to my to-try list!
• If pumpkin spice is your jam, you’ll definitely want to try this pumpkin pie spice oatmeal recipe.
• I’m baking my low FODMAP lemon cookies this weekend, subbing in tangerine rind and juice since my tree has its first few mandarin oranges ready for the picking.

Get Your Low FODMAP Fall Favorites Delivered

When it’s cold outside, who wants to leave a cozy warm house to go grocery shopping? Instead, why not make a purchase from my Amazon store? You’ll find gluten-free and low FODMAP ingredients for the above recipes, and support Erika’s Gluten-free Kitchen at the same time!

Unfortunately, a lot has changed since my last trip to New Orleans in 1997. In addition to the havoc from Hurricanes Katrina and Ida, there’s the small issue of my gut tolerance for foods that are in almost every restaurant kitchen. While I’ve been able to reintroduce some FODMAPs into my diet in small doses, onions and garlic are still in my do-not-eat category.

And then there’s the allergies. Do you know how much Southern cooking starts with making a roux with all-purpose flour? While it’s not quite every dish, it’s the base for so many delicious things—dirty rice I’m looking at you—I can no longer eat. And, of course, it’s still crab season. And if crab even touches a surface my food touches I get hives.

Despite all these obstacles, I DID manage to find a ton of delicious allergy-free and low FODMAP food to eat during our trip, with the above ribs being a highlight. See @ErikaGlutenFree on Instagram for more photos and the scoop.

Since I went gluten-free, it’s been almost impossible to find BBQ ribs I can eat. Almost every place seems to dredge them in flour before cooking them. So when I saw Luna Distillery had them listed with a gluten-free notation, I had to try them! After all, vacation time is meant for eating all those delicious foods you can’t get at home. They did not disappoint!

Since it’s been 3+ years since we went on a proper vacation, I’d forgotten that one of the most lovely side effects of vacationing is coming home full of inspiration and enthusiasm for trying out all sorts of new dishes. Especially ones I wasn’t able to eat but had the pleasure of smelling as they went past our table to other happy diners.

I also got inspired to roll up my sleeves and make a mess in the kitchen to try out something I’d been wanting to do for ages and kept avoiding because I was a little intimidated by them. That’s right—I finally got up the courage to make macarons! They weren’t pretty, and I really need to work on my piping. But they tasted delicious! So, sooner than later, I’ll be able to start experimenting with flavors and sharing them here on the blog.

Sometimes it just takes getting out of your comfort zone to give you the confidence and motivation you need to try out new skills, What is the one thing you’ve been too intimidated to try making at home? Let me know in the comments! That way, we can cheer each other on.

This Week’s Low FODMAP Recipes

Put all the springtime produce from the farmers’ market to good use with these low FODMAP recipes:

• Did reading the above cause you to start daydreaming about making gumbo and a bunch of other New Orleans favorites? If so, you will want to check out this post to learn how to make a gluten-free roux.
• Lamb isn’t just for Easter! I can’t wait to try this lamb stew with my next farm box green beans.
• While it’s not Bananas Foster, this banana porridge looks like it will address some of the same cravings.
• Store-bought teriyaki sauce is full of FODMAPs. So why not learn how to make your own with this delicious low FODMAP shrimp stir-fry?
• Last but not least, here’s a fresh new Low FODMAP take on a traditional Viennese Farmer cheesecake.

Restock Your Low FODMAP Pantry

Support the blog and give yourself a healthy + delicious treat by making a purchase from my Amazon store. You’ll find gluten-free and low FODMAP ingredients for the above recipes, and support Erika’s Gluten-free Kitchen at the same time!