A long overdue food-related post

As I mentioned in a previous post, the reason I haven't talked about food in a while is because I was going through a rather intense elimination diet to help pinpoint my IBS triggers. I kind of lost the joy of food last year as I attempted to seek out the things that continued to make my digestive system attack itself. Food was strictly utilitarian until I could figure out what was making me so sick all the time.

I'm happy to say that I've finally started to pinpoint the things that were causing me problems, but more importantly, I know better how to manage my eating so that I can indulge in an amazing meal every now and again as long as I practice more restraint in my every day eating habits. For anyone battling IBS and are beginning to feel hopeless about your condition (I know I was), I highly recommend seeking out a nutritionist who can help you with the Low FODMAP diet. It's not a cure or a magic pill, but it is incredibly empowering to understand your body better. I am so thrilled with how much hope this experience has given me.

So, one of the glorious things I've discovered about this diet is that even though lactose is considered a no-no in the beginning total elimination phase, most hard cheeses have virtually no lactose in them, so I was able to indulge in cheese every day with no problems. That was truly my saving grace. I pretty much don't drink milk anymore because it is a huge trigger for me, and have finally discovered a dairy free milk I can tolerate: rice milk. So much so that the other night I mixed it with some Kahlua and couldn't tell the difference between rice milk and regular milk. ;)


I also was told of this delicious, refreshing Low FODMAP salad from the very awesome Raina Telgemeier: pineapple, bell pepper, green onion, with your favorite herbs (I used mint and cilantro).


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Unrelated to above, last night my husband and I watched The Hundred-Foot Journey and wow! If you are a foodie, that movie is a must-see. It's actually one of the few movies I enjoyed more than the book. I think this is because Helen Mirren played Madame Mallory so much better than the one-dimensional character the narrator made her seem when I listened to the audiobook. Helen Mirren brings out more dimensions in her character than what I experienced listening to the book. Not only that, but you leave the movie feeling absolutely famished. :)

 It probably goes without saying but Chef  is also another must-see movie for foodies. The food porn in it is definitely meant to titillate the senses for sure! Watching both of these movies recently has helped to remind me of why I am a foodie in the first place: because good food is such a rich, sensory experience. As a writer and lover of words, I get excited over the prospect of not only tasting delicious food, but being able to describe it.