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

A Not-so Mat-zo Passover: Recipe 2

Here's a recipe for your last morning of Pesach. You're sick of eggs at this point; you've had them scrambled, fried, hardboiled, on matzoh, next to matzoh, etc. Now it's time to punch up the flavor with every Jew's favorite: lox.

The smokey goodness shines through in this lox dill frittata. Enjoy it with some fruit or even a side salad for a filling (and healthy) lunch.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz lox
• 2 eggs
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tbs fresh chopped dill
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 garlic clove
• bag of baby spinach
• 1 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350. Chop spinach and mince garlic.

2. Heat oven-proof skillet to medium-low. Add oil and let warm until shimmering. 

3. Add spinach and garlic and cook until spinach is wilted, adding the dill for the last minute. Remove from pan and press out water.

4. Beat eggs until fluffy with milk. I like to use a milk frother to get it extra fluffy. Add in lemon zest, salt, and pepper.

5. Spray pan with olive oil. Now add in layers, the spinach/garlic, lox and then pour over the egg mixture.

6. Cook without stirring for 4-5 minutes then place in oven and cook until set, about 15 minutes.

7. Slide frittata out and cut like a pizza.

Don't have spinach? Arugula is also a great green for this dish. 

Hope you all had a meaningful Passover. Slavery is still practiced all over the world, and on this day I am thankful to be free enjoying delicious food. Until next time...

Better for You Benedict

Reading Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential was enlightening and frightening all at the same time. His mention of brunch simply being a meal that chefs create using leftover scraps from the week makes me want to just stay at home and cook. Oh yeah, and that delicious fattening hollandaise sauce is a playground for bacteria just sitting beside the stove. So instead of going out to Founding Farmers, which by the way has made a huge slide downhill, I stayed in my kitchen and mastered the poached egg.

Here is my recipe for a healthier, yet oh-so-satisfying eggs benedict:

2 servings

30-45 mins

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs (I like mine brown, organic, and cage free)
• 2 whole wheat english muffins 
• lox a.k.a smoked salmon (Whole Foods sells this little container of pieces that worked out well)
• white vinegar
• heaping tablespoon of lite mayo
• heaping tablespoon of non-fat plain yogurt
• squeeze of lemon
• dash of white pepper
• a few grinds of sea salt
• a small handful of chives, finely sliced
• buttery spread or butter

Put a small pot of water on and bring to a boil. While it is coming to temperature, open up your english muffins and spread a light layer of buttery spread/butter on the tops.

In a small bowl combine: mayo, yogurt, lemon, chives, white pepper, and salt.

Once the water is boiling, turn it down to a simmer and add a dash of white vinegar. Crack your first egg into a small bowl. Then with your spoon start swirling it in the water until you have a little tornado brewing. Drop the egg into the water and cook for about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Repeat until all 4 eggs are cooked.

While you are poaching the eggs, you will want to toast your english muffins. I like to do this in a pan or griddle. Start by toasting the bottoms and flip it over onto the top so that both sides are golden. 

Now it's time to assemble! First the english muffin, then your lox, gently place your egg on top , and a sauce drizzle to finish.

Serve and enjoy without the concern of food poisoning...yay!