Recipes for Catering for Digestive Problems

Text by Ivana Xie | Photos by Julia Provvisionato

FODMAP stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols, which are short-chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed by the body, resulting in abdominal pain and bloating. Low FODMAP foods are generally what you want to follow to help with digestive problems. High FODMAP foods do not absorb well in the small intestines resulting in gas, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and a feeling of fullness after consuming small amounts of foods.

Here is a list of recipes that may help with digestive problems.

Salad Orange bell pepper (sweeter and fruitier), cucumbers, grape tomatoes, tofu (firm), shrimp olive oil, carrots, almonds, avocado Peanut Butter Jelly Sandwich Trader Joe’s crunchy unsalted peanut butter, organic strawberry jam, gluten free white bread Shrimp Japanese Soba Spaghetti Shrimp, soba noodles, grape tomatoes, yellow or orange bell peppers, basil, Japanese pasta sauce

Banana Almond Toast White wheat bread, almond butter, unripe/ semi ripe banana, honey, sliced almonds

Almong Milk Masala Chai Latte Rishi Masala Chai concentrate, almond milk Bagel (sweet) Cashew milk cream cheese (Miyoko’s), Paleo bagels, strawberry jam

Ginger Tea Organic ginger, water, lemon Bagel (savory) Scallion cashew milk cream cheese (Miyoko’s), Paleo bagels, lox (smoked salmon)

Vegan cream cheese is a good replacement for regular cream cheese if you’re sensitive to dairy.

Oat Milk Latte Oat milk, espresso

Shrimp contains no FODMAP because it’s a protein, which is also a great source of nutrients and sustenance.

Tofu is a soy product that’s low FODMAP Strawberry jam is a great choice for low FODMAP foods because strawberries are a low fructose fruit. Make sure there’s no additional sugars or fructose. Paleo bagels contain cassava flour, which is a low FODMAP, and serves as a great substitute for regular bagels. Bananas can act as a low FODMAP choice. As bananas ripen, they accumulate oligofructans, which is a high FODMAP, so go for green to yellow bananas! Cashew milk cream cheese is a great alternative to dairy cream cheese. HighFODMAP dairy foods include cottage cheese, cream cheese, milk, quark, ricotta and yogurt, so basically vegan cream cheese will lessen the chances of abdominal pain/ irritation. Chai can be a great way to spice up your palette and keep your stomach happy. Masala Chai contains green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, white pepper, ginger root, fennel seeds, nutmeg, saffron, licorice, star anise, holy basil, orange peel, lemongrass, and mint which are all low FODMAP.

Lox is naturally low in FODMAP levels, and plain salmon contains no carbohydrates. It can be difficult to enjoy food when faced with many dietary restrictions, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying food. It will just take time to learn about your body and what feels good for you. This trial-anderror phase will be tough and extensive at times, but it can be fun as well because you get to try new foods. The recipes above are not something you haven’t seen before, but a lot of the ingredients are substituted with other low FODMAP to prevent abdominal irritation. When learning about what works for your body, it can get frustrating because you simply want a meal that won’t hurt your stomach. One thing to keep in mind is patience. Be patient with yourself and your body. Some foods that may work for a friend who has similar digestive problems might not work for you, and vice versa. Every individual’s body is different and will react accordingly, which is why this is called the trial-and-error phase.

Imagine you’re in a dimly lit restaurant. In my mind it’s definitely an Italian restaurant and my stomach is full of penne alla vodka but whatever cuisine you want will do. You’ve just finished your meal and your waiter asks if you want a dessert cocktail to which you say, obviously. No simple vodka cran or gin and tonic will do for a late night aesthetic like this one. Your best bet: an espresso martini.

This coffee and alcohol collab has been revived in popular culture recently thanks to the work of celebrities like Larry Bird and Timothee Chalamet (you know the picture we’re talking about) and the work of restaurants to promote the drink on their menus. Picture a shot of espresso with a kick and some fancy garnishing and violà, you have the drink. It’s pretty simple really, a shot or two of espresso, one shot of baileys, one shot of khalua and a half shot of vodka. Then garnish with some cocoa power around the rim and float some espresso beans on the top and you’re basically a professional bartender.

According to GQ this caffeinated drink was created in the 1980s by British bartender Dick Bradsell after he realized that combining coffee, coffee liquer and vodka would be the delicious and energy jolting beverage that his patrons needed in their lives. Now flashing forward to today the espresso martini is the most ordered drink in Australia and can be celebrated at a five-day long Espresso Martini Festival in London that started in 2017.

While this famous and milky addition to your meal isn’t solely limited to being enjoyed in dark sticky bars, that is where it started so you may as well get the full experience.