Food Balance Your Body Type Archives - Page 6 of 43

Low FODMAP Diet Restores Bloating

Low FODMAP diet is one food map you can follow when you have bloating symptoms… that anyone can feel from time-to-time caused by disagreeable food choices.

…That’s just a part of living and trying new foods.

When that happens, restoring the gut with a list of researched, healthy, and selective food choices that will soothe the tummy is the fastest and least painful cure with tummy discomfort.

It’s easy to do when you know what to do.

And choosing a low FODMAP diet (at least temporarily) is the easy way.

…It’s like reigning in Nature’s medicinal foods, where Nature is a 3rd party talking some sense into your gut.. so you can bounce back to less restrictive eating and get back to regular food celebration.

…Where baby foods and water aren’t the only items on the menu.

A Low FODMAP diet can also be a digestive reset, supporting a healthy eating lifestyle. The foods are mostly all plant-based and anti-inflammatory. 🌱

So you can think of a low FODMAP diet as a food map to optimize healthy eating. And lower gut acidity that can show up as heartburn, upper GI inflammation, or lower bloating abdominal discomfort.

Many of our American or Western world diet foods are high acidic and can tip the cause to a condition called GERD… that I can attest to feels like amped up heartburn.

…So it’s good to keep a handy list of Low FODMAP foods that won’t 🌱 exacerbate stomach acidity, so that you can fully enjoy your preferred daily foods and beverages.

Where it gets tricky is that some foods can fall into higher or lower FODMAP categories.

Coffee is one such example. It’s a Low FODMAP healthy ingredient. But the way it’s prepared (like as a regular hot brewed coffee) makes it more acidic.

That’s why on that note, daily home cold brew coffee is my safe choice so I don’t have to give up the healthy caffeine starter. Cold brew is easy to make and an easy tweak. But I still cushion with food like a banana. 🍌

Another example is nuts where walnuts and peanuts can be okay… that is, assuming you can even eat nuts.

But then other types of nuts like cashews and almonds that you and I can cross off the list as they can be digestive havocs… it’s nut. 🤪 and there’s no rhyme or reason or easy way to remember (other than with a handy list).

That doesn’t even factor how the foods react individually with us.

But you can see how complex it can get in our busy world food choices.

Food is not black-and-white to our guts.

With any food, we can feel poked and burdened with the weight of lead after it goes down.

So bypassing questionable how-it-will-go-down ingredients, you can go straight to the unquestionable and safe… simple to digest foods..

…Early on, we relied on the B.R.A.T. diet that was bananas, rice, apples and toast. It was easy to remember and you didn’t have to break out a list.

It was so short and easy to remember that I also added yogurt on my stomach-friendly list when I was a young brat. 🧒🏻

Yogurt has probiotics and protein. It’s relatively inexpensive food medicine.

And finding the lowest sugar yogurt option optimizes the good bacteria count.

And the B.R.A.T.Y. (I added the “y”) simple digestive diet still works.

But these days… NOT ALL SO SIMPLE.

…With all the tempting choices around us.

So a personal Low FODMAP list that works for your palate and body is good to compile, so you can reach for the safe decisions made when needed. You can even set the list in your pantry cupboard for your emergency convenience.

I have a label on my Five-Spice.

That way you’re not confused or anxious when emergency calls… and especially with all the conflicting information out there of what may or may not help your bloating or digestive symptoms.

…Like ACV mixed with water.

In my world, it works.

It signals to the stomach to stop producing acid that it does.

Our bodies are all about being counterintuitive mystery curve balls where the best proof is our baby steps and trial-and-error.

That’s how we learn anything specific in our lives.

We test the apples.

And apple fruit is another one that is low FODMAP questionable depending on the apple type (for us apples).

Apples are on the B.R.A.T. diet from a simpler world time.

And you may find you do better with unsweetened applesauce as I learned with my stomach.

What works for one person may not for you.

Just don’t be afraid to try foods for variety.

Most guts aren’t happy on an empty stomach and delays our healthy restoration.

Our guts are forgiving if we’re biodiverse trying… otherwise none of us would be still be on the planet.

It comes from a similar diversifying principle of not putting all your eggs in one basket.

Eggs, btw, are generally ok too. 🥚

And even if we make a one-time food mistake, we can cushion with foods and ingredients that are generally safe on a low FODMAP list:

-bell peppers and most veggies

-avocado

-many fruits (and believe it or not… green bananas are lower FODMAP than soft, ripe ones).

-Yogurt (low-sugar Greek yogurt)

-quinoa, oatmeal, cooked soft rice

Amaranth is one grain I discovered to be super gut-friendly. It has a Cream of Wheat bowl texture… but is gluten-free.

If you’re a sourdough or bread making person, for Low FODMAP you can even add amaranth to your whole grain roll or bread loaf.

And, some other Low FODMAP list adds:

-herbs/spices: fennel (in Five Spice powder), anise, peppermint

-teas: green, black, and some herbal teas (chamomile, chicory root, peppermint).

Peppermint tea is something I always keep in my “food-as-medicine” cabinet. It does wonders for stomaches and other body aches like headaches.

And instead of reaching for candy or sugar sweets, you can chew on an anise star or make a low-sugar applesauce blueberry cobbler.

Use fruit and maple syrup for sweeteners.

Those can be okay if you’re experiencing high acidity where a GERD grocery list is also a good idea next time you’re in the store.

Fruit Pastry Tart (Low-Sugar)

Fruit pastry tart that’s jam berry-filled is berry filling and puts a smile on some days and faces. And you can make a healthier, low-sugar version with little butter, so you can save the calories and still enjoy the pastry anytime!

Like these clouds, star, and moons…

That have a zing-y blackberry glaze for your starry gaze!

For the pastry filling, you make your own jam or use a store-bought (organic) jam with 10 grams of cane sugar per tablespoon or less.

It’s not the low-sugar 5 grams per 100 grams, or half-a-cup… but it’s lower sugar that still counts.

And for this fruit pastry tart, the pastry is made from whole wheat flour that’s a little more fiber and protein vs. all-purpose flour more commonly used.

Every little healthy bit adds up.

For the fruit pastry tart below 👇, you could use the steps to make a wholewheat simple pastry dough… or use the dough you would use for a pie shell or shortcrust.

No proofing needed.

And there’s no need for folding pastry to make lamination layers like in puff pastry (that looks like fabric bolts in a fabric store if you need an imaginary visual).

But the difference is the ingredients below are modified to healthier ones.

And if that’s important, save these measured steps because this is a simple pastry recipe that you can use over and over again for many baking and dessert applications.

So let’s begin…

First off, allow about an hour from start to finish.

The baking itself will only take 15-20 minutes, but pastry dough is easier to work with when it’s cold. So stopping to refrigerate twice (or at least once) when you’re picking up the delicate cutout dough shapes, will pay off in the end.

…I’m just trying to prep you for what to expect.💭

And the good news is that the minimal extra time needed to refrigerate is about as complicated as it gets for this pastry!

Fruit Pastry Tart Ingredients:

And so starting with the easy prep, gather your pantry cupboard ingredients and combine in a bowl with a regular spoon:

Whole wheat flour, honey, and neutral (light) olive oil will add to the healthy aspects. You can also sub in coconut oil that has a different viscosity, so the amount can vary.

Small amount of butter: Keep in mind it’s easier to work with butter when it’s room temp soft so you can bring out what you will need (the 2 pats), a few hours or a day before.

If you forget, you can use heated, melted liquid butter. Both ways will work in the end.

But before you add to the other ingredients, let warm butter cool down because you want to work with a colder dough.

Water: Use coldish water after you combine the other ingredients.

Add flavor extract, salt, and baking soda.

And after you’ve combined all the ingredients together by hand or machine (if you wish), you can roll out your pastry dough onto a sheet pan (like a 17″ x 11″ cookie sheet pan with a Silpat setup works great).

Add some bench flour, so the dough doesn’t stick to your hands and rolling pin.

If you use a full size Silpat, you’ll know you’re done rolling when you reach the inner orange edges (or about 1″ from each side).

When you’re happy with your evenly rolled out dough, then take your chosen cookie cutter(s), and imprint-cut 12 shapes (2 for each shape if you use different shapes, as you’ll need a top and bottom).

Any regular size cookie cutters will work, and you will have extra pastry that you can make more with or save for another pastry project. I’m a scrapbooker, so this step makes me happy! 😊

And at this point, do not remove the excess pastry yet as it’ll be easier if it’s cold. It’s easier to move shapes when the pastry is cold.

I mentioned that already, but it’s worth repeating.

fruit pastry tart shapes in the making. — Imprint cut but easier to remove shapes when the pastry dough is cold. ☁ ⭐️🌙

So then this is a good pause point to refrigerate the pastry pan for at least 10 minutes. (You can do a few yoga moves if you don’t know what to do).

Then when cold, bring out and remove the excess pastry from your shapes with a knife or offset spatula that you’ll use to pick up the shapes. I find it easiest to put the matching cookie cutter shape ontop of where I’m removing the excess pastry as I move from left to right on the pan.

But you do you! …and the way that makes sense to you.

Then add jam to center of the bottom shapes (or 6 of the shapes). Leave some room for the jam to ooze out when you close up the pastries.

Refrigerate again: You can refrigerate the pan for the second time so you don’t mess up the shapes. This mostly depends on how quickly you work. I’m purposefully slow and detailed, so I refrigerate again.

You’re less likely to mess up the shapes when they’re cold and firmer.

When pastry sheet is cold again or easy to work with, use an offset spatula (or regular cooking spatula) to pick up the top fruit pastry tart shapes (without jam) and gently place on top of the bottom shapes.

Then crimp the matching tops and bottoms together with a silverware fork (no fancy tool needed).

I find this step very satisfying too. 😉

And if instead of vertical line patterns, alternatively, you can also use a toothpick to poke holes evenly spaced apart on the pastry shape edges, and then push down on the pastry making a line in-between the toothpick holes you’ve made. See the star and moon shape below.

You do this with the long side of the toothpick . . . like you’re connecting dots.

Then when you’re happy with your pastry creations, bake your fruit pastry tart pan.

It’s a quick bake… like cookies.

So stick around. And while you’re waiting for the bake, you can make the glaze.

You can use crushed berries. I like a blackberry, lime, and honey trio. You can use a sieve to filter the berry seeds and push the glaze through into a bowl so the consistency will be the same (consistent).

Let the fruit pastry tart pan cool before adding the glaze ontop.

These look like soft leather plushies. I could put a few faces on these. 🙂

Regarding freezing… yes, you can freeze them (and with a glaze), and bring them out and revive them with a smeared drizzle of honey (or maple syrup).

Like changing clouds, the smeared honey look like shadows… and now they’re glazed shiny again, happy, and ready to eat.

These will pair well with a refreshing low-sugar lime sherbet with blackberry.

Whole Wheat Berry Filled Pastry

These are pastries that you can serve anytime with your favorite cookie cutters!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 20

Total Time 1

Servings 12 pieces

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

cookie sheet pan
Silpat optional
offset spatula optional

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp neutral oil (light olive oil)
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
3/4 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
fruit jam
berries, maple syrup, juice and/or water for glaze

Instructions

Add the flour into a bowl. Then evenly combine the softened butter.
Add the remaining ingredients and form a pastry dough ball.
Roll out on a sheet pan. If you use a full Silpat (17" x 11-1/2") sheet, the dough will roll out to the inner orange edge or about 1" from the edge on each side.
Use your cookie cutters to imprint cut shapes but do not remove the excess pastry yet. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes.
Then remove excess pastry. You'll be left with extra pastry you can re-roll or freeze for another time or pastry project.
Add jam to center leaving an edge on the pastry shape bottoms.
Refrigerate again.
Add a top pastry with the same shape ontop.
Use a small silverware fork to make an edge pattern and crimp edges shut. Alternatively, use a toothpick to make evenly spaced hole indents and then press down with the long side of the toothpick to "connect the dots."
Bake pastry on 350°F/180°C for about 15-20 minutes. The bottom edges will look darker. Don't overbake.
For the glaze: crush berries and add milk, maple syrup, and water or liquid like lime juice until you get the right glaze consistency. Tip: push the glaze through a filtered sieve. If it's too thick, it won't go through.

Baked Alaska (Oven Method) Made Easy

Baked Alaska is one of my food dreams I’ve had ever since I started my career in catering after graduating college. And I finally made my own and you can too with just your oven! You don’t need fancy fiery equipment. The easy steps and healthy ice cream cake recipe 🍨is found below.

Jump to Recipe

And I get excited dishing on the Baked Alaska dish! 🎂

It was served on a dish in hotel events I worked hard in.

And I had been thinking about it, but didn’t try one until two decades later. 💭

…Can you imagine!? My mind and stomach never forgot and when I tried my FIRST ever celebration for my birthday at the swanky DBGB DC restaurant.

…Say that 10 times! I don’t think I can… but I think I can eat it 10 times. 😊‼️

DBGB near restaurants where I event planned

My memorable Baked Alaska experience that became experience-sss did not disappoint.

…So I was inspired to make my own. I mean… what’s better than cake and ice cream, I scream! 😀

baked Alaska in the freezer before going in the oven. How dramatic! — The freezing before the oven broiling… how dramatic! 🎂

Because when you look at this cake as an ice cream cake, it makes it so much less intimidating.

And I can tell you, it’s much easier than you may overthink like I did.

If you’ve worked with meringues, you’ll be golden… as in golden brown flecks on the meringue.

The bombe effect may be a little more effort, but you can make the ice cream cake part and then decide if you want the fireworks. 🎆

And this recipe is Baked Alaska in the oven.

If you were like me on my first Baked Alaska bake, you may have wondered how the ice cream didn’t melt…

A-ha! I figured out why…

The magical oven 🪄 doesn’t melt ice cream that is sooo cold (as has been in the coldest back part of the freezer for hours). Something to do with 32°F melting points and not reaching that limit… but scoring baked (Alaska) points.

…And btw, the dessert is named after the purchase of Alaska in case you’re wondering.

That was a celebratory reason to have cake. As much as end of summer, new season, or a birthday is. 🎂

And for your Baked Alaska, you can start with a boxed cake… but I think you’ll find baking a homemade chocolate cake easy and simple for your first one.

You can try a healthy chocolate cake with eggs or healthy chocolate cake with no eggs recipe.

You can even use a NO-BAKE rainbow cake that’s called a rainbow cookie… you decide!

And for ice cream, you can use store bought ice cream or make your own ice cream that’s so easy to make…

You can make the ice cream dairy free with coconut cream. You can even make this a Neapolitan (strawberry, vanilla, chocolate ice cream trio)… up to you! Or add a soft serve ice cream.

With cake and ice cream prepared, you’re ready for the meringue.

So here we go with the steps.

First off, grab a big bowl like one you would put a big salad in. It won’t be baked but it will need to be freezer safe. Be sure to clear enough space in your freezer for your Baked Alaska dessert.

Add a plastic wrap layer to line the inside of the bowl. I use a stainless steel round bowl. Those were the kinds I saw in hotel and restaurant kitchens I worked in, so I know they work well.

Or you could use a glass Pyrex or freezer safe one as all glass are not created equal. And some could break in the freezer. But then that’s why I used stainless steel.

Then make your meringue and add a layer to the plastic lined bowl. You actually don’t need to freeze your meringues at all. But for a better effect, you can freeze for a few minutes.

Another tip is to make your meringues and ice cream ahead of time. That’s the planner tip to do less in one swoop. That way you can enjoy the assembling on the day you want to enjoy your Baked Alaska (aka baking day or Alaska baking day!).

This is a great dessert to celebrate holidays, change of seasons, and flavors that are calling you like cinnamon and/or a healthy chocolate cake made with coconut oil that was on my mind. You get the picture! 😁

Flavors like chocolate, coffee, vanilla, Neapolitan trio, or cinnamon (my fave 🍥) always WOW 🤩 and work for a Baked Alaska.

Also, if you love the idea of a Baked Alaska ice cream cake, you’ll probably also love to make an easy and fun party tartufo dessert.

Easy Baked Alaska (Apartment Oven Toasting Method)

Baked Alaska is my favorite celebrations cake hands down and you can make your own cake, meringue and ice cream. I heard about the dessert working in catering and waited until I was ready to have the best cake slice of my life at DC's DBGB restaurant in 2015.

Course desserts

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Equipment

bowl to fit the ice cream shape
cake stand or plate

Ingredients

meringue shell
ice cream of choice
cake of choice

Instructions

You can make or prepare ice cream and meringue a day ahead or a few hours in advance.
Bake cake. Let cake cool or set aside covered in fridge until you're ready to bake. Cut the cake around the circle part of your bowl you'll be using.
Line your bowl with plastic wrap. Make meringues and add a meringue layer as thick as you want (up to 1" recommended). Cover with fanciful swirls if it suits your fancies.
Add ice cream until the bowl is full. Flatten out the top of the bowl.
Freeze meringue and ice cream at least 2 hours in the back of the freezer (but before/without icicles forming that would add unwanted moisture). Bake same day.
Lower top oven shelf low enough to cover the height of the Baked Alaska plus a minimum of 6 inches from top of oven to broil.
Pull ice cream/meringue bowl out of freezer and place into oven. Broil for several minutes until there's a toasted top. Safety tip: do not turn or move the cake (optional) in the hot oven without turning OFF the oven first! Then wait for the broil setting oven to cool down before opening oven door and turning oven/broil setting back on (optional). Watch the broiling for several short minutes until lightly toasted pretty, that happens quickly.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie – Frozen Anti-Inflammatory

Strawberry banana smoothie is one I can get behind. It’s a great start.

For frrozen smoothies, frozen strawberries are a reliable source. They are a high source of Vitamin C.

For bananas, you don’t have to wait until they are ripe for a smoothie as texture best. You can go ahead and add your just bought bananas to your freezer.

Peel the banana and add to a freezer safe bag. The bananas will turn brownish black but they will be a good taste and soft texture for your smoothies. So like strawberries you can freeze or buy frozen, you have your bananas ready.

I learned this after I had been using fresh bananas that were too soft to eat by themselves. I like bananas when they are firm and about a day away from their green unripe peel.

And if you’re picky like I am with banana brown spots, if you freeze them you won’t have to deal with them. The entire banana will be brownish.

Frozen Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This is a reminder of childhood popsicles.

Course beverage

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

3 frozen strawberries.
1/2 medium banana
almond milk (or milk of choice)
basil, mint, or cilantro.
orange juice
coconut oil (optional)

Instructions

Blend the ingredients. When you add the herby flavor, it gives a third dimension. Mint will be mildest, basil is middle of the road, and cilantro will the the most pungent. Save Money Tip: you can freeze your fresh organic strawberries when they are in season.
Pour about 3/4 full, leaving a little room for the orange dreamsicle layer.
Mix orange juice and milk about half and half.
After frozen, pour the orange layer on top.
Freeze again or add crushed ice to the top layer
Enjoy!

Summer Cool Tips and Good Reminders ☀️

Summer cool tips are needed during the scorcher months. Our bodies are screaming for cool and hydration. And our minds are looking for adventure and outdoor exploration where excessive heat and humidity causes havoc on our bodies.

I think and feel for the Tour de France cyclists 🚴 who rode in all weather conditions over mountains ⛰️ and uphill Montmartre Paris narrow neighborhood cobblestones that look like these whole wheat peach cobbler cobblestones.

Can you imagine what that would be like? I can’t …and to feel the impact less, below are 12 cooling tips to help soothe the mind and body… plus highlights of past blog post articles with good healthy summer reminders.

For starters, you can enjoy your summer by leaning into Ayurvedic ways like a cool and refreshing bowl that can help drive away heated Pitta season moods. You can easily save money and make your own chocolate ice cream …and not be disappointed that the soft serve machine is broken at the drive thru. 😊

And when you’re packing and getting ready for your hot day, these are 12 good summer cool reminder tips:

1. Keep aloe vera near you. Aloe helps with burns, heat rashes, and to instantly cool your skin. That’s like giving a spa water bath to your body when it’s thirsty for cool relief. Many moisturizers have aloe barbadensis leaf juice ingredients, but I like to go straight to the 100% ingredient source.

2. Bring a water spray bottle that comes in handy. You can hang it to a beach bag or something in case you run out of car cupholders, and so you don’t have to go rummaging for it like a regular water bottle.

3. Start your day with a smoothie, that has chilled ingredients like nut-based milk, bananas, coconut, and berries. Try frozen smoothies. Let them cool you down as they defrost. 🧊

…Up for it? Try a sweet smoothie challenge.

The point is to lower sugar intake and increase fiber and nutrients. For sweetener, try adding maple syrup, honey, or fruits instead of white table sugar. Did you happen to see my blueberry cobbler recipe that has no added sugar?

4. Take cool showers or end on a cool setting for 10-30 seconds. This is can keep you chillin’ down to the bone. 🚿 You can feel cool inside and warm to the touch on the skin. To lock in skin moisture and help stay hydrated cool, moisturize right after showering when the skin is still moist.

Movin’ on, now we can talk about the fun stuff… food! (I think fun, anyway!).

5. Use cooling spices like cumin. Adding a Pitta spice like cumin is going to help your body stay cool. You can add to a hummus dip or a beet cauliflower soup that can be served cold (or served warm if you’re feeling fall Vata cold in the summer… that can happen). Mint herb is another great cooling add… that goes well in a pea bowl.

6. Eat foods that hang between a fruit and a veggie like beets, avocados, and medley color tomatoes. Many are vibrant in summer colors as well as nutrients! And you can always freeze produce and add them to smoothies.

If you’re on staycation or grocery shopping, you can also challenge yourself to these cool smoothie and healthy beverages.

7. Cut up summer tropical fruits like a mango, guava, dragon fruit, passion fruit, coconut, and pineapples that are eat-from-the-rainbow 🌈healthy. For more happy vibes, you can make a tropical fruit salad or tropical fruits pie.

8. Add refreshing whole fruits to your list like peaches and plums that are usually summer abundant. Handing them out to others in the car is always fun and well received. And you can make and take healthy peach juice and drink ideas 🍑

9. Add and eat hydrating juicy fruits like watermelon, kiwi, pears, grapes, and oranges that can go in a salad and make great food garnishes too.

10. Bring out cool veggies that win you plant-based points. Like raw carrots, lettuce, and celery that are easy to transport. You can make a memorable Italian bean salad or no-bitter radish salad.

11. Bring along a cooling towel or T-shirt. A day or two before, roll up a towel and leave in the freezer or fridge, and then bring along with you so you can wrap around your neck or put on and quickly cool you down.

12. Use an aluminum water bottle that keeps water and beverages cold longer. Sometimes all day.

Another cool item from the fridge I like to bring out, are high antioxidant-rich fruits like sweet-scented pineapple chunks or tart lemons. Not for eating, but I can run one down my face for a hydrate cooling moment and get a Vitamin C fruit facial.

It’s a topical tropical 🍍😎🍍

And when you’re out and about, think of healthy drinks such as coconut water. Some have electrolytes. Check the label also for low sugar content.

Instead of water or milk, you can add coconut water to smoothies like a watermelon smoothie, tropical smoothie with dragon and passion fruit, and mango green smoothie. 🥥💧

A smoothie is a way to squeeze in more antioxidant foods that help the skin and protect the body from chronic damage that shows up as aging. Unlike juicing, you keep the food fiber that’s also good for weight loss.

You can also get food shopping inspiration from this eat-from-the-rainbow 200 anti-inflammatory grocery food list.

Hope you enjoyed these summer cool tips.

Have an excessively cool week! 🍉 …and if you’re driving or sitting down a lot, reminder to do a ‘lil seated yoga to help unwind and build up flexibility!