Recipes for Crohn's Disease

As a wife of someone with Crohn's Disease, I've gotten very good at developing Low Residue recipes. But what I wasn't prepared for was a flare that didn't respond well to LR. So I hit the boards in search for high-calorie, low volume foods that worked for other sufferers. The most frustrating thing was not finding any suggestions!

Fear not, caretakers of Crohn's patients, I've got some options for you!

This Coconut Ginger Carrot Soup from About.com is now a staple. It's extremely tasty, easy to make, and full of healthy fat for my skinny husband.

Peanut Butter "Fudge"

1/2 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup peanut butter (or any other nut butter)
1/4 cup of honey
1/2 banana, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract

Line a small pan with wax paper. Put all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour into pan and let set in fridge. Cut into small pieces once hardened.

* Make sure to keep this in the fridge unless you are eating it or it will melt!

Honey Carrots

Honey is supposed to be anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, which is a natural way to help treat Crohn's. These carrots are easy and especially perfect if you are suffering around Rosh Hashanah!

Heat your oven to 400 degrees. In a baking dish add chopped carrots, drizzle over olive oil and honey, toss, sprinkle lightly with ground cardamom, salt, and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft, stirring up every so often.

Inflamed intestines need well cooked veggies, so be sure to test them before serving. This is a great side dish to a roasted chicken and some potatoes.

Spinach Omelet

1 egg
1/8 - 1/4 cup egg whites (or just use 2 eggs, but the eggwhites keep it light and fluffy)
1 tbsp milk
1 1/2 cups of spinach
salt and pepper
olive oil

When Crohn's = bleeding, anemia is always lurking around the corner. Which makes it really important to eat foods high in iron like spinach. This recipe will work unless you are also lactose intolerant.

Crack the egg(s) in a bowl, add the egg whites and milk and whisk until slightly frothy. Heat a pan on medium-low and spray with olive oil. Add egg mixture and swirl around pan, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook and swirl around pan until completely cooked. Remove egg round from pan and set aside. Add olive oil and spinach to pan and cook until wilted. Add spinach to one half moon of the omelet and fold the other side over the spinach.

There is so much you can do here, add mushrooms, a little cheese if tolerated, roasted chicken. Just keep it fairly mild and you'll have a delicious healthy meal on your hands.

I hope this post helps a little for those of you searching for recipes. No doubt it's hard suffering from Crohn's, but being a caretaker is no walk in the park either. Please feel free to leave a comment of foods that your loved one can tolerate and I'd be happy to create some recipes for you.

It's a lot of work picking up the slack and playing nurse, so I tried to keep these recipes pretty simple. A departure from my norm :)

Sending healing thoughts to all that are suffering from an IBD.

<3

Split Pea Soup with Hot Dogs

Growing up in a Jewish household generally means you don't chow down on ham. So when my mom would make delicious split pea soup, she'd make it with kosher hot dogs. And that's what I still do today.

Here's my take on the classic:

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• bay leaf
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb dried split green peas (washed and picked over)
• 4 cups of chicken stock (I like Natures Promise, it's just a little healthier)
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 4 reduced fat Hebrew National hot dogs
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. Dice up the carrots and onions. Heat stock pot to medium-low and add the oil. Dump in your onions, carrots, oregano, salt and pepper. Let cook for about 8 minutes and add the garlic and cook  until the onions are golden and soft.

2. Add the peas, stock, bay leaf, and hot dogs. Cook for about 45 minutes or until the peas breakdown on their own.

3. Remove the hot dogs and cut into small chunks. Add about 1 hot dog worth back to the pot. 

4. Break out the ever-handy immersion blender and go to town until the soup is smooth.

5. Add the rest of the hot dogs, stir and serve.

Toast some bread and cozy up with this soul satisfying soup. Hope you are all staying warm on these cold winter nights!

Tomato Basil Soup Stolen from Nordstrom

Okay, I know I said that recipes really aren't my thing. But, I have to hand it to Serious Eats on this one for recreating a legend. I am obsessed with Nordstrom's tomato soup. It is creamy without being heavy and perfectly seasoned with basil. 

My tip: Serve it with great crusty whole wheat bread, or even better a grilled cheese and avocado sandwich. To make it fancy, drizzle a little leftover cream on top.