Cooking with Crohn’s: Recipes That Work for Me and Might Work for Other IBD Sufferers
One of the most difficult aspects of having an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is determining what foods you can eat without causing discomfort, diarrhea, or a flare of any other symptoms. I have Crohn’s disease, one of two IBDs; the other is ulcerative colitis. They are essentially the same illness; the difference is that ulcerative colitis is limited to inflammation of the colon, while Crohn’s disease can affect the entire digestive tract, from mouth to anus. For a better description of what Crohn’s disease is, see my article How I’ve Learned to Live a Normal Life with Crohn’s Disease.
There is no “IBD Diet Book;” my doctor said that if there were, the world might be free of IBDs. I rather doubt this; people are aware of the potential health hazards of tobacco, alcohol, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and more, and yet many continue to consume them. The only way for an IBD sufferer to learn what really works for her or him is trial and error, with some attention paid to generalities.
Some of the generalities are that alcohol and tobacco should be avoided; both can cause flares. Another is to avoid a high-sugar diet; this is incredibly difficult for me, because I think chocolate is a major food group, and that carob is the work of Satan. Many people with IBDs have difficulty digesting milk products, although some can tolerate yogurt with live cultures. Another generality is to avoid glutens; this is much easier said than done if you are eating out or buying processed food, since most do contain glutens (even bouillon cubes can have glutens). Adding fish to your diet is a “to do” rather than a “not do” generality; so is eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. The spice turmeric is also considered by some to be helpful with IBDs, as are some herbs, including marshmallow, yarrow, slippery elm, licorice, and chamomile, among others. Since Inflammatory Bowel Diseases impair your body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food, a good quality multi-vitamin with minerals is a must.
I don’t seem to have a big problem with glutens. I can eat yogurt, and milk in small quantities, although cheeses can set me off. If I’m having a flare, that “rich in fruits and vegetables” diet, with its concomitant high fiber, only adds to my misery. I do better with soluble fiber than insoluble; for example, a peeled apple doesn’t usually bother me, but apple peel will ensure that much of the next day is spent in the bathroom. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are necessary for a healthy diet, though.
Based on what I’ve learned about my own body, I’ve developed some recipes for when I’m doing reasonably well, with modifications that make them appeal to the whole family, or a group of friends. Some of the recipes include soy milk; if you don’t have a problem with dairy, you can use regular milk.
This recipe gets its name from first, the fact that Texas chili never uses beans, and second, I’m of Norwegian ancestry, and most Norwegian foods are quite bland! (If you really want beans, and your intestines don’t protest, soak a bag of pinto beans for 24 hours, then cook them with water for about 1 hour; add them with the meat mixture.) WARNING: Tomatoes and tomato products can irritate some IBD patients! If you know it will upset your intestinal tract, avoid this recipe!
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed tomato soup
1 can (16 oz) stewed tomatoes
1 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound super-lean ground chuck, or shredded beef
1/2 cup cashews, chopped (make sure no one has an allergy!)
1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
In a large stock pot or dutch oven, combine the soup, stewed tomatoes, and water; stir it together to blend, cover, and simmer. In a frying pan, heat the olive oil to medium heat; add the ground or shredded beef and brown it. When it’s nearly browned, add the cashews, onion, and chili powder, and cook until the beef is browned and the onions are clear. Add the beef mixture to the tomato mix, and cook for up to two hours (you can also do this in a slow-cooker, and throw everything into it in the morning; it will be done by dinnertime!) Add more water if you think it’s too thick! (if you don’t have an IBD, saute diced chiles of your choice with the meat).
When you serve, provide bowls of chopped onion, shredded cheese, and sour cream, and a bottle of hot sauce for those who want more flavor. This should serve four.
Corn Bread
This makes a great companion to the chili; if I’m having a flare, however, it can cause irritation. This is for “good” days.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray an 8″ by 8″ pan with a cooking spray. In a medium or large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, use a fork to beat the egg, then blend in the soy milk and canola oil. Pour this mixture into the dry mix, and stir just until it is all moistened (don’t overmix!). Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and the top springs back when touched. Serve with honey or preserves, and butter or a margarine without trans-fats. (I like butter. It tastes good, and it’s not plastic. I just don’t eat much.)
This is a great meal for a cold day. And it’s not a cream soup, nor does it contain soy. (I know soy is healthy, but I really hate it.)
4 cups chicken broth (if you purchase canned or condensed broth, READ THE LABEL! If it has too much salt or contains gluten, put it back and make your own)
2 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 medium sweet potatoes)
Put the chicken broth in a large stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the sweet potatoes and cook on medium heat until it begins to boil; then cover and reduce the heat. While that is heating, in a skillet, heat the olive oil, and add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and nutmeg (if you can get fresh nutmeg, even better!) until the onion is clear. Add this mixture to the stock pot, and continue to simmer for about an hour, to give the flavors time to blend. This soup is also good with cornbread, or with oatmeal muffins.
Oatmeal Apple Muffins
This is a pretty basic muffin recipe, altered just a bit to better fit my needs.
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup “quick cooking” oats
2 tablespoons SplendaTM or DiabtiSweetTM Sugar Substitute
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg or egg substitute
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup peeled and chopped apple (Granny Smith or another tart apple works well)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 12-cup muffin pan with a cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg slightly, and mix in the soy milk and canola oil. Add the egg mix to the dry mix and mix just to moisten it. Fold in the apple. Divide the batter into the 12 cups, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Baked White Fish with Grapefruit
I’m not a big fan of fish, but I know it’s good for me. I try to disguise the flavor as best I can. This recipe will work with cod, halibut, haddock, or similar “low fat” fish.
1 large grapefruit
2 large cod or halibut fillets, preferably fresh
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup herbed bread crumbs (I buy Pepperidge Farms boxed crumbs, but you can make your own)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Preheat oven to 350, and spray a 9″ by 13″ or 9″ by 9″ pan with cooking oil (choose the pan size that best suits your fish). Peel the grapefruit and section it into a small bowl. Let it stand long enough to collect some juice (about 5 to 7 minutes). Brush the fillets generously with the grapefruit juice, sprinkle with salt, and place in the pan. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and thyme with all but one tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the fish. Arrange the grapefruit sections over the crumbed fish, and brush the grapefruit with the reserved olive oil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
This recipe has been handed down in my family from my great-grandmother, Alma Brown Drake. My only change was to make the milk soy milk; you can use a sugar substitute if you want. This recipe is best with four bananas.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and spray two loaf pans with cooking spray.Cream together the sugar, shortening, and salt. Add eggs one at a time. If you have a good mixer, or are using a stand mixer, you don’t need to mash the bananas; just break them into pieces and blend in one banana at a time; otherwise, mash the bananas and add about one banana at a time. Stir in one cup of the flour and the baking soda. Add the soy milk. Stir in the rest of the flour. Stir in the nuts if desired. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
This is a simple and fun dessert; kids love it too.
1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup soy milk
2 fresh bananas, peeled and sliced
4 teaspoons brown sugar, or SplendaTM brown sugar or DiabetiSweetTM Brown Sugar Substitute
Prepare 1 large package of “instant” Vanilla pudding, following package directions and substituting soy milk for the milk (I use Jell-O brand pudding; it tastes better to me). In four dessert cups or parfait glasses, layer the pudding with banana slices, parfait-style, dividing it as evenly as possible. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or substitute) on top of each “parfait.” It’s probably better not to caramelize the brown sugar, unless you’re much better in the kitchen than I am. The last time I tried it, I set my clothes on fire. The kids don’t know that it should be caramelized, and lighting yourself on fire can frighten them.
