I'm so excited that my body's attacking itself
March 7, 2017 5:53 PM Subscribe
I learned that exposure to at least seventeen foods is progressing my newly diagnosed Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Can you help me live a new life with food?
Scratch tests revealed that I ate eight or nine foods that could be the culprits. We followed up with IGE blood testing that revealed seventeen foods that measured moderate (1), high-moderate (11), or high (5), so my allergist and gastroenterologist recommended full elimination to reduce the damage from decades of EOE. DECADES. I turn forty in a few months and I still don't consider myself old enough to have "decades" of exposure to anything, save Monkees reruns and the London Les Mis soundtrack.
Okay, these are the foods, in no order:
egg white (yolks are also out of the question due to cross-contamination)
peanut
wheat
walnut
cow's milk
sesame seed
hazelnut
almond
broccoli
cabbage
cauliflower
soy
rice
carrot
onion
flax
lima bean
Cooking the food doesn't prevent the reaction, though I wish it did, because onion is my worst offender and it's. in. everything.
There's no hives or GI discomfort or anaphylaxis (thank goodness) when I ingest any of these foods. I immediately get a runny nose, and sometimes numbness in my mouth. Mostly, it's that when I eat these things, my body sends eosinophils to my esophagus to attack and basically I am turning my esophagus into hard cardboard. This prevents me from swallowing normally, lodges food there, and increases the chances of aspiration by something like 80%. I love my body. I also love that this is a chronic condition that can only be tracked via endoscopy, and that both of my doctors said my food allergies will not diminish to a point where i can eat these foods freely again, at least not in the next twenty years. So, the only thing that might alleviate my symptoms is aging. I can't wait to maybe eat broccoli and most nuts again...
When I read the list in the doctor's office I snarked that if anyone needed me I'd be in the corner with some clementines and a pound of bacon. In the moment, I felt like those were just about my only options: meat and fruit. Now, two weeks later, it doesn't seem nearly as terrifying, but it's still stifling.
No cow's milk? Okay, that's cool. No soy milk either? Alright, how about almond...oh lord, seriously? Well, then, cashew. Oh, this really popular cashew milk that comes in half-gallons has 'a touch of almond in it.' Basically, I'm fine until I start realizing that the "normal substitutes" for foods are also things I can't eat.
Green, I hope that none of you deal with anything like this. Maybe you have one or two foods that you can't eat, or you follow a Jain diet, or something. I'm reaching out for suggestions on how to cook complete meals for myself without these foods. I'm not a big at home cook, but that's going to need to change, because I can't use things like packaged broths/stocks anymore. Or seasoning mixes. Or ketchup (not completely true, just making a point, thank you Kissan). As you can tell, it's easy to go down a self-pity rabbit hole. My nutritionist and I created a plan, but she's just one person and you are many, so I'd value your thoughts. Do you have brands that you love that are gluten/soy/dairy/wheat free? Is there a cereal you like that isn't one of the usual suspects, but also isn't rice or flax based? Do you not eat eggs? What do your breakfasts look like? This has been one of my biggest hurdles. Have you a kind word? I'll take anything.
Scratch tests revealed that I ate eight or nine foods that could be the culprits. We followed up with IGE blood testing that revealed seventeen foods that measured moderate (1), high-moderate (11), or high (5), so my allergist and gastroenterologist recommended full elimination to reduce the damage from decades of EOE. DECADES. I turn forty in a few months and I still don't consider myself old enough to have "decades" of exposure to anything, save Monkees reruns and the London Les Mis soundtrack.
Okay, these are the foods, in no order:
egg white (yolks are also out of the question due to cross-contamination)
peanut
wheat
walnut
cow's milk
sesame seed
hazelnut
almond
broccoli
cabbage
cauliflower
soy
rice
carrot
onion
flax
lima bean
Cooking the food doesn't prevent the reaction, though I wish it did, because onion is my worst offender and it's. in. everything.
There's no hives or GI discomfort or anaphylaxis (thank goodness) when I ingest any of these foods. I immediately get a runny nose, and sometimes numbness in my mouth. Mostly, it's that when I eat these things, my body sends eosinophils to my esophagus to attack and basically I am turning my esophagus into hard cardboard. This prevents me from swallowing normally, lodges food there, and increases the chances of aspiration by something like 80%. I love my body. I also love that this is a chronic condition that can only be tracked via endoscopy, and that both of my doctors said my food allergies will not diminish to a point where i can eat these foods freely again, at least not in the next twenty years. So, the only thing that might alleviate my symptoms is aging. I can't wait to maybe eat broccoli and most nuts again...
When I read the list in the doctor's office I snarked that if anyone needed me I'd be in the corner with some clementines and a pound of bacon. In the moment, I felt like those were just about my only options: meat and fruit. Now, two weeks later, it doesn't seem nearly as terrifying, but it's still stifling.
No cow's milk? Okay, that's cool. No soy milk either? Alright, how about almond...oh lord, seriously? Well, then, cashew. Oh, this really popular cashew milk that comes in half-gallons has 'a touch of almond in it.' Basically, I'm fine until I start realizing that the "normal substitutes" for foods are also things I can't eat.
Green, I hope that none of you deal with anything like this. Maybe you have one or two foods that you can't eat, or you follow a Jain diet, or something. I'm reaching out for suggestions on how to cook complete meals for myself without these foods. I'm not a big at home cook, but that's going to need to change, because I can't use things like packaged broths/stocks anymore. Or seasoning mixes. Or ketchup (not completely true, just making a point, thank you Kissan). As you can tell, it's easy to go down a self-pity rabbit hole. My nutritionist and I created a plan, but she's just one person and you are many, so I'd value your thoughts. Do you have brands that you love that are gluten/soy/dairy/wheat free? Is there a cereal you like that isn't one of the usual suspects, but also isn't rice or flax based? Do you not eat eggs? What do your breakfasts look like? This has been one of my biggest hurdles. Have you a kind word? I'll take anything.
(By the way, the reason I specified gluten-free oatmeal is that gluten-free oatmeal will be free from cross contamination with wheat, which I've heard can be a problem in general with cereal grains. I don't know if you need to be that restrictive about wheat CC, but there are a number of gluten-free oatmeal options out there, so I figure you may as well be on the safe side.)
posted by BlueJae at 6:25 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by BlueJae at 6:25 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
For breakfast, I think you could adapt these chewy granola bars, which are one of my favorite breakfasts. I use melted coconut oil in place of the butter and I don't add peanut butter or any other kind of nut butter. Lots of add-in possibilities that fit your diet: maybe shredded coconut, cashews, dried fruit, and mini-chocolate chips (assuming you can find gluten/nut free versions of those).
posted by hydropsyche at 6:30 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by hydropsyche at 6:30 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Grits are made of corn and might be a good breakfast option. They might even be an ok substitute for rice.
posted by azalea_chant at 6:30 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by azalea_chant at 6:30 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I don't see coconut on there. Can you do coconut milk to sub for cow's milk and almond milk?
Are oats OK? They can be done hot or cold (soak overnight in liquid, e.g. coconut milk). Another breakfast option could be green smoothies, with coconut milk, frozen fruit, baby spinach.
Lots of veggies that aren't on the list. Green beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes (that's huge!), kidney beans, lentils, celery, bell peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes. You could make chili for example, with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, served with avocado and corn tortillas.
I'm mentally roaming the produce aisle and checking it against your list. You might want to do that for real.
posted by snowmentality at 6:32 PM on March 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Are oats OK? They can be done hot or cold (soak overnight in liquid, e.g. coconut milk). Another breakfast option could be green smoothies, with coconut milk, frozen fruit, baby spinach.
Lots of veggies that aren't on the list. Green beans, peas, spinach, tomatoes (that's huge!), kidney beans, lentils, celery, bell peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes. You could make chili for example, with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, served with avocado and corn tortillas.
I'm mentally roaming the produce aisle and checking it against your list. You might want to do that for real.
posted by snowmentality at 6:32 PM on March 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Oh! But you can do rice milk and coconut milk!
Looks like you could still do a tomato-based curry with chickpeas or lentils and veggies that are not on your list.
Mushroom and chickpeas stir fried using coconut oil or sesame over rice.
Looks like you can still do meat too? Add it to the stir fry, or brown beef with corn and a can of tomatoes and eat with corn tortillas. If you are worried about packaged tortillas you can buy a bag of masa flour for $2 and grill your own. It super easy. Toss in avocados and a spritz of lime and salt.
There are some damn tasty coconut milk ice creams and yogurts out there too.
posted by floweredfish at 6:37 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Looks like you could still do a tomato-based curry with chickpeas or lentils and veggies that are not on your list.
Mushroom and chickpeas stir fried using coconut oil or sesame over rice.
Looks like you can still do meat too? Add it to the stir fry, or brown beef with corn and a can of tomatoes and eat with corn tortillas. If you are worried about packaged tortillas you can buy a bag of masa flour for $2 and grill your own. It super easy. Toss in avocados and a spritz of lime and salt.
There are some damn tasty coconut milk ice creams and yogurts out there too.
posted by floweredfish at 6:37 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Go paleo and call it a day. MEAL = MEAT or FISH + VEGETABLE. Sometimes I add water! Now it's a soup. Now I add lettuce! It's a salad. What if I put it on the griddle? Got myself a stir-fry.
Buy fatty cuts and drizzle liberally with olive or avocado oil. Can you do ghee, if not butter? I can digest that much easier, it removes the milk solids. A slow cooker is your friend.
If you wanna keep moderate to high carbs, looks like you could do Mexican pretty easily... add corn chips, all-corn tortillas, pinto and black beans for sides. Sweet potatoes and other root vegetables are easy to bake and freeze. Coconut milk for frozen treats.
posted by fritillary at 6:40 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Buy fatty cuts and drizzle liberally with olive or avocado oil. Can you do ghee, if not butter? I can digest that much easier, it removes the milk solids. A slow cooker is your friend.
If you wanna keep moderate to high carbs, looks like you could do Mexican pretty easily... add corn chips, all-corn tortillas, pinto and black beans for sides. Sweet potatoes and other root vegetables are easy to bake and freeze. Coconut milk for frozen treats.
posted by fritillary at 6:40 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Manjula, of manjulaskitchen. com is a Jain, and her recipes are great. I find that most curries are very forgiving of vegetable substitutes. If quinoa is ok, you can use it to stand in for rice.
posted by florencetnoa at 6:41 PM on March 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by florencetnoa at 6:41 PM on March 7, 2017 [6 favorites]
You can also try sheep's or goat's milk. I routinely see goat's milk at Publix. This is also how you can have cheese now.
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:41 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:41 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
If you're going to switch to quinoa, be sure to wash it. I have learned this the hard way.
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:43 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by Medieval Maven at 6:43 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Heh, I'm currently on the Candida diet temporarily. Which is extremely strict. (Let me put it this way, I WISH I had your restrictions only at the moment.) So yes, you can do this.
Overall tips:
-Read all ingredients multiple times.
-Generally organic / gluten free stuff will have less overall ingredients and less allergens.
-Shop the gluten free aisle and health food stores, those areas tend to have the foods without allergens.
-Coconut milk is your friend.
-Search for allergen free recipes and paleo recipes.
-There is quinoa that is pre-washed. I use the Ancient Harvest brand.
You'll likely be buying a lot more stuff you'll have to cook versus buying stuff premade. Is onion powder an issue for you? Onion doesn't like my tummy but onion powder is fine.
Make a doc or list of foods that are ok and brands and whatever. Once you get into a groove it gets easier.
posted by Crystalinne at 6:52 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Overall tips:
-Read all ingredients multiple times.
-Generally organic / gluten free stuff will have less overall ingredients and less allergens.
-Shop the gluten free aisle and health food stores, those areas tend to have the foods without allergens.
-Coconut milk is your friend.
-Search for allergen free recipes and paleo recipes.
-There is quinoa that is pre-washed. I use the Ancient Harvest brand.
You'll likely be buying a lot more stuff you'll have to cook versus buying stuff premade. Is onion powder an issue for you? Onion doesn't like my tummy but onion powder is fine.
Make a doc or list of foods that are ok and brands and whatever. Once you get into a groove it gets easier.
posted by Crystalinne at 6:52 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
I notice that you have to cut out eggs AND flax seeds. Substitutes for those include applesauce for baking and aquafaba (garbanzo bean runoff water!!!) for many egg dishes - including meringue!
posted by aniola at 6:56 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 6:56 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Substitute jicama sticks for carrot sticks.
posted by aniola at 6:57 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 6:57 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Sunflower seeds are among the cheapest nut/seed in the grocery store, and it looks like those are still ok for you to eat. They go great on salads and work ok in trail mixes, too.
posted by aniola at 7:00 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 7:00 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oh man, I feel your pain. I've been on a really strict elimination diet since last August and there's no end in sight. Trust me, it *will* start to become easier after 2 months or so, once you've got a pantry and fridge with stuff you like and can eat, and once you know 10 or so recipes that work for you. Unfortunately, you will likely be spending a lot more time in the kitchen. At least if you can do some paleo stuff you stand a chance of finding safe food to eat at restaurants.
Since my restrictions are pretty much the opposite of yours, I don't have a ton of ideas but how about some buckwheat noodles (make sure they are 100% buckwheat), topped with a stir fry of meat of your choice, and some greens and bell peppers sauteed in ginger, chiles, and coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)?
Can you eat lentils and chickpeas? Could you do a lentil and sausage soup with celery, bell peppers, greens, chiles, tomatoes?
I love Plentils and it looks like the original flavor would be ok for you. You can crush them and use them as breading for meats. Roasted chickpea snacks are awesome too.
posted by bluebelle at 7:12 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Since my restrictions are pretty much the opposite of yours, I don't have a ton of ideas but how about some buckwheat noodles (make sure they are 100% buckwheat), topped with a stir fry of meat of your choice, and some greens and bell peppers sauteed in ginger, chiles, and coconut aminos (soy sauce substitute)?
Can you eat lentils and chickpeas? Could you do a lentil and sausage soup with celery, bell peppers, greens, chiles, tomatoes?
I love Plentils and it looks like the original flavor would be ok for you. You can crush them and use them as breading for meats. Roasted chickpea snacks are awesome too.
posted by bluebelle at 7:12 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Cooking for relatives with various food restrictions, I've given up on the "find an allergen-free replacement" approach. I pile up a stack of the ingredients I can cook with for a given meal and take the "how will these be tasty?" approach instead. Often this involves googling for recipes for something and discovering that a particular cuisine has a lot of approaches and some of them are usable, but sometimes it's a pure "this will be sweet and soft... and I can make this savory and a little chewy... so something acidic and something crispy will round it out nicely." They aren't all hits, some are, but it avoids the problem of constantly thinking about can'ts and imitiations and second-bests.
posted by clew at 7:13 PM on March 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
posted by clew at 7:13 PM on March 7, 2017 [7 favorites]
Came in to also say coconut and rice milk, but looks like those are nicely covered.
I have a tree nut allergy and will pass on this advice, ALWAYS read labels, even if it was something safe last time you bought it. I learned that the hard way.
Breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast food, if that helps. Though I certainly understand wanting to have pancakes occasionally. You can grind oats and sub those for flour, coconut milk, a touch of oil, honey and cinnamon.
For the nutty type fix - can you do seeds like sunflower, pumpkin or squash? Lots of flavouring options for home roasting.
It may not seem like it now, but eventually these food restrictions will become routine. You can do this...good luck!
posted by MandaSayGrr at 7:34 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I have a tree nut allergy and will pass on this advice, ALWAYS read labels, even if it was something safe last time you bought it. I learned that the hard way.
Breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast food, if that helps. Though I certainly understand wanting to have pancakes occasionally. You can grind oats and sub those for flour, coconut milk, a touch of oil, honey and cinnamon.
For the nutty type fix - can you do seeds like sunflower, pumpkin or squash? Lots of flavouring options for home roasting.
It may not seem like it now, but eventually these food restrictions will become routine. You can do this...good luck!
posted by MandaSayGrr at 7:34 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Breakfast: bulk rolled or instant oats, hot water from a teapot, maybe a few bits of walnut or cashew, apples, cinnamon, maybe a touch of brown sugar or not - you can cut up dried apple into bits and store everything together, then serve some into a cup and add hot water.
Other meal: Mushrooms on quinoa. saute or roast some mushrooms. make plain quinoa (very quick, just add to the right amount of boiling water, lid, let it steam a while). Put mushrooms on top. Serve with reheated frozen spinach. Lightly toasted pine nuts if you're feeling saucy.
Later, you can start experimenting with risotto. Consider using nutritional yeast as a flavoring, along with celery or celery seed.
Rice milk is great on cereal (but not for baking). Always have it super cold. Look for _unsweetened_ rice milk _without_ vanilla.
posted by amtho at 7:36 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Other meal: Mushrooms on quinoa. saute or roast some mushrooms. make plain quinoa (very quick, just add to the right amount of boiling water, lid, let it steam a while). Put mushrooms on top. Serve with reheated frozen spinach. Lightly toasted pine nuts if you're feeling saucy.
Later, you can start experimenting with risotto. Consider using nutritional yeast as a flavoring, along with celery or celery seed.
Rice milk is great on cereal (but not for baking). Always have it super cold. Look for _unsweetened_ rice milk _without_ vanilla.
posted by amtho at 7:36 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Glowing with the great recommendations and support so far. What's really nice is seeing people unknowingly seconding things that I'm already doing, which means I'm on the right track.
Please note that all things rice are off-limits for me, which is ultra bummer but definitely doable, especially now that I've found a cashew-only cashew milk.
Please keep 'em coming - I spent all these years building these habits up, so it will take some time and a lot of suggestions to re-groove the mental record.
posted by ovenmitt at 7:56 PM on March 7, 2017
Please note that all things rice are off-limits for me, which is ultra bummer but definitely doable, especially now that I've found a cashew-only cashew milk.
Please keep 'em coming - I spent all these years building these habits up, so it will take some time and a lot of suggestions to re-groove the mental record.
posted by ovenmitt at 7:56 PM on March 7, 2017
I'm on a very restricted diet, and have been for almost 23 years. I started with a shitty registered dietitian, and eventually found a wonderful registered dietitian. My partner had to change his diet recently, and through the wonders of modern technology he had a couple of Skype sessions with a registered dietitian who specializes in vegan diets for type 2 diabetes management. I'm saying this because RDs are no longer these little niche specialists--they're everywhere, they have reviews online, and you can even do consults with them online. Have you looked into EOE-specializing RDs?
I'm a little bit surprised your allergist recommended full elimination all at once. not any sort of graduated elimination approach that starts with the worst offenders and then works its way down the list? I say this because food allergy isn't exactly as straightforward as, say, nasal allergies. There's a lot of ambiguity in the mix, even professional disagreement about what it means to have a positive skin prick test to an allergen whose usual route of exposure isn't through a skin prick. I'm sure you've talked to your allergist about this ad infinitum already, but it may be worth prodding around for deeper sorts of evaluation and/or second opinions.
Be well!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 7:58 PM on March 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
I'm a little bit surprised your allergist recommended full elimination all at once. not any sort of graduated elimination approach that starts with the worst offenders and then works its way down the list? I say this because food allergy isn't exactly as straightforward as, say, nasal allergies. There's a lot of ambiguity in the mix, even professional disagreement about what it means to have a positive skin prick test to an allergen whose usual route of exposure isn't through a skin prick. I'm sure you've talked to your allergist about this ad infinitum already, but it may be worth prodding around for deeper sorts of evaluation and/or second opinions.
Be well!
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 7:58 PM on March 7, 2017 [4 favorites]
Mr. gudrun is a fan of unsweetened Milkadamia (Macadamia nut milk) on his cereal.
It is also possible to find cashew butter that is not cross contaminated with peanuts (and is gluten free), and which then makes a tasty substitute for peanut butter in sandwiches and cooking.
I see no onions, but are chives a possibility, or leeks?
posted by gudrun at 8:13 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
It is also possible to find cashew butter that is not cross contaminated with peanuts (and is gluten free), and which then makes a tasty substitute for peanut butter in sandwiches and cooking.
I see no onions, but are chives a possibility, or leeks?
posted by gudrun at 8:13 PM on March 7, 2017 [1 favorite]
I just checked on this Follow Your Heart fake mozzarella I have in my fridge (I buy some dairy substitutes since I'm lactose intolerant, and they have to also be peanut-free since my son has a peanut allergy) and it looks like it might be free from your allergens? Ingredients say: Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Food Starch, Potato Starch, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor (Plant Sources), Olive Extract, Beta Carotene for Color.
You'll probably want to call or email the company to see what they mean by "natural flavor" (that can sometimes include onions so it's good to double-check, but I think it's unlikely they used onion flavor in mozzarella). They could be getting that beta carotene from carrots, too, but hopefully if they are it would be purified enough to not have any of the allergenic proteins in it? I have to admit this doesn't really taste like cheese-- it lacks the umami flavor cheese has, and I find myself needing to make up for that in recipes by adding more garlic and spices-- but it's nice to add creamy texture to things. I also get their sliced "gouda" which has a nice smoky flavor to it.
posted by BlueJae at 8:34 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
You'll probably want to call or email the company to see what they mean by "natural flavor" (that can sometimes include onions so it's good to double-check, but I think it's unlikely they used onion flavor in mozzarella). They could be getting that beta carotene from carrots, too, but hopefully if they are it would be purified enough to not have any of the allergenic proteins in it? I have to admit this doesn't really taste like cheese-- it lacks the umami flavor cheese has, and I find myself needing to make up for that in recipes by adding more garlic and spices-- but it's nice to add creamy texture to things. I also get their sliced "gouda" which has a nice smoky flavor to it.
posted by BlueJae at 8:34 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Oh also, you might want to look up U.S. packaged food labeling rules if your dietician and/or allergist hasn't explained them to you already. Top 8 allergens must be labeled in plain language if they are intentional ingredients. But unfortunately allergens outside the top 8 (like sesame, onions, or rice) can be listed under "natural flavor" or other such ambiguous ingredient terms, and labeling for cross contact risk is not mandatory ("may contain" and "shared equipment" statements on labels are voluntary). So, if you want to know for sure what allergens are in a packaged food you haven't tried before, you'll need to contact the manufacturers and ask whether they use your allergens in the product you want to buy, and if you're worried about cross contact risk you'll need to ask about that too if it's not clearly labeled. (I know, I know, that's super annoying to do, but after a while you get used to it, and also, the allergy support groups I mentioned above can be great resources for finding safe packaged food brands someone else has already done all the annoying calling and emailing about.)
posted by BlueJae at 8:43 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by BlueJae at 8:43 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
have a pretty restricted diet too (vegetarian/no dairy/no gluten/no soy) and i've found, that indeed, once you get over the freak out, you'll figure out that you're really lucky to *have* alternatives to choose from. i was cracking up about the bacon and clementines quip - having a sense of humor will def. be one of your biggest assets - especially when peeps start going "aww" when they hear about your foodventures.
I fully recommend looking into ancient grains which lend themselves well to baking as well as a rice/pasta kind of substitutes - like quinoa, millet, spelt and amaranth (which is yummyyy, and incidentally, also a metal band) - also, theres a ton of beautiful food out there like blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries, dark chocolate, oats, corn tortillas, chia seeds, fennel, sweet potato, olives..
vegan recipes & foods will be a resource for you. i have a couple of colleen patrick goudreaus cookbooks and they have some bomb recipes in there for things like corn bread, french toast, dal, spice cake etc. that are easy to modify. even my brother who is a diehard meat eater loves the vegan french toast.
also! don't be afraid to eat out. a lot of restaurants will be happy to make you stuff off menu. i was a little worried about doing this in Istanbul (esp. with a language barrier and huge meat culture), but to my surprise i was getting fucking fantastic stews along with grilled veggies and stuff. calling the restaurant ahead will also make the chefs happy to have a heads up. you got this. best of luck!!
posted by speakeasy at 9:36 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
I fully recommend looking into ancient grains which lend themselves well to baking as well as a rice/pasta kind of substitutes - like quinoa, millet, spelt and amaranth (which is yummyyy, and incidentally, also a metal band) - also, theres a ton of beautiful food out there like blueberries, lingonberries, raspberries, dark chocolate, oats, corn tortillas, chia seeds, fennel, sweet potato, olives..
vegan recipes & foods will be a resource for you. i have a couple of colleen patrick goudreaus cookbooks and they have some bomb recipes in there for things like corn bread, french toast, dal, spice cake etc. that are easy to modify. even my brother who is a diehard meat eater loves the vegan french toast.
also! don't be afraid to eat out. a lot of restaurants will be happy to make you stuff off menu. i was a little worried about doing this in Istanbul (esp. with a language barrier and huge meat culture), but to my surprise i was getting fucking fantastic stews along with grilled veggies and stuff. calling the restaurant ahead will also make the chefs happy to have a heads up. you got this. best of luck!!
posted by speakeasy at 9:36 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Not to build up hope, but my 12 year old has EOE, and his elimination diets have waxed and waned depending on the results of the latest endoscopy. IANAD etc, for him we average about 2 scopes per year with some biopsies at the same time. At the start we had to cut almost everything out. But he's gotten a lot of the foods back.
If I may ask, what treatment regimen do they have you following?
posted by ericales at 9:47 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
If I may ask, what treatment regimen do they have you following?
posted by ericales at 9:47 PM on March 7, 2017 [3 favorites]
This isn't a direct answer to your question, but my boyfriend had similar food allergies (allergic to soy, peanuts, walnuts, carrots, onions, hazelnuts, almonds, sesame seed, plus a few things not on your list such as garlic, apples, pears, and stone fruits) with similar symptoms, and after getting allergy cluster shots for about six months, he can eat almost everything that was previously prohibited. I don't know if you explicitly discussed allergy shots with your doctor or not, but it might be worth looking into.
It's honestly not that bad. I can't really give specific recipe recommendations b/c his dietary restrictions were in many ways very different (on the one hand, he could eat rice and wheat; on the other hand, he is a vegetarian) but seriously we worked around it just fine. Amazon is your friend. They have onion-free stock, for example, and shelf-stable almond-free cashew milk.
It might also help if you identify which banned foods are currently problems for your diet, and why, and what are your favorite foods that are ok. Like, an ok-for-you version of my boyfriend's breakfast would be Schmilk made with cashew milk, but that's not everyone's cup of tea (or glass of meal replacement drink, whatever).
posted by phoenixy at 11:02 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
It's honestly not that bad. I can't really give specific recipe recommendations b/c his dietary restrictions were in many ways very different (on the one hand, he could eat rice and wheat; on the other hand, he is a vegetarian) but seriously we worked around it just fine. Amazon is your friend. They have onion-free stock, for example, and shelf-stable almond-free cashew milk.
It might also help if you identify which banned foods are currently problems for your diet, and why, and what are your favorite foods that are ok. Like, an ok-for-you version of my boyfriend's breakfast would be Schmilk made with cashew milk, but that's not everyone's cup of tea (or glass of meal replacement drink, whatever).
posted by phoenixy at 11:02 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I was diagnosed with EoE six years ago. The following comments are things doctors have told me. I am not a doctor.
This disease is not broadly well understood. If the doctors you are seeing do not specialize in EoE, I encourage you to find such a doctor (like the authors of that paper).
posted by actionstations at 12:11 AM on March 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
- The mechanism behind EoE is not a simple food allergy, and allergy testing (both skin and blood) may not necessarily tell you what foods are triggering to your EoE. The proper way to identify those foods is to start with a strict elimination diet and add back one food at a time, observing symptoms as you go.
- Regardless of what foods are triggering the EoE, diet changes are not the only way to treat the disease. Mine is under control with medication alone; no special diet. (Specifically, I use Prilosec and Flovent. [Flovent is traditionally an asthma inhaler. To treat EoE, you swallow it rather than inhaling it.])
- Of course, this technique has downsides of its own. Long-term use of either of these drugs can cause significant side effects.
This disease is not broadly well understood. If the doctors you are seeing do not specialize in EoE, I encourage you to find such a doctor (like the authors of that paper).
posted by actionstations at 12:11 AM on March 8, 2017 [5 favorites]
Best answer: So, I'm in a similar situation to yours, but 20 years later, and I now can finally eat most of the foodstuffs I was reacting to then (sometimes I get a swelling of my tongue when I eat out, but not seriously or frequently enough for me to figure out why). The thing is, I don't really care anymore. Once I thought my life would be miserable without soy, but it wasn't and isn't. I appreciate that I can eat processed food now if I'm busy or uninspired, but to be honest, I prefer my own home-cooked tastes.
In the beginning, I was overwhelmed by all the home cooking, now I don't give it a second thought.
You'll get this, and it will improve your life in ways you didn't expect.
Over time, you might find yourself looking for what you can do with the foodstuffs you can eat, rather than those you can't eat. Instead of trying to find replacements for your former diet, create a new one. When it becomes your lifestyle rather than something you need to think about, it will help you eat out, too. Till recently, I hadn't been in a Chinese restaurant for 20 years, and it was OK (though I am overdosing on dumplings these days..) I tried other stuff.
For inspiration:
There are tons of lovely goat and sheep cheeses, it seems you can eat them. I've often used goat cream cheese as a replacement for cream in recipes, it's a bit acidic, but you just tune down the wine/lemon/vinegar
Polenta is delicious, not least grilled
Anchovy paste is a good condiment for adding to sauces and dressings and stews for umami taste (you only use a little so no fishy taste in the final dish)
I can buy oat milk at the store - it seems in the US people make it themselves. Doesn't look too hard.
For breakfast, a water-based porridge with raisins (check the package for cross-contamination) and apple. You can mix oats and barley for a richer blend of proteins and vitamins. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon for spice. (pro-tip, a pinch of salt in the porridge enhances the taste) Or a goat-milk yogurt with jam? Or make your own müsli with only stuff you can eat in it?
Get yourself a pressure cooker so you can make your own chicken and bone broths for the freezer fast. Use celeriac and herbs for taste, I prefer just thyme, bayleaf and peppercorns in mine, just very simple, but try lovage for some of the taste you may miss from not having onions and carrots.
I just heard on splendid table that there is now good vegan mayonnaise, I thought of this because if you make a chicken broth, you will have chicken meat, and from that you can make a mayonnaise salad with chicken meat and asparagus to put on whole rye bread or maybe rye crisp bread. With lettuce, bacon and tomato as garnish.
In general, my daughter prefers mayo to butter as a spread, and maybe it is healthier, too.
When you have your broth, risotto made with pearl barley instead of rice is good (use pecorino instead of parmesan cheese and just omit the onion, it's OK)
Jain food and Mexican food are good for inspiration, as is Thai food like this recipe- though you might want to make your own curry paste to avoid onion.
Soba noodles are delicious, but it is a bit hard to find some without wheat. These are quite tasty Make a sauce with bacon, bell pepper, tomato, some of your broth and a little lemon juice. You are so lucky you can have tomatoes. Or just put the cooked noodles in a bone broth where you have added a tiny bit of anchovy paste, and sprinkle with herbs.
posted by mumimor at 1:05 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
In the beginning, I was overwhelmed by all the home cooking, now I don't give it a second thought.
You'll get this, and it will improve your life in ways you didn't expect.
Over time, you might find yourself looking for what you can do with the foodstuffs you can eat, rather than those you can't eat. Instead of trying to find replacements for your former diet, create a new one. When it becomes your lifestyle rather than something you need to think about, it will help you eat out, too. Till recently, I hadn't been in a Chinese restaurant for 20 years, and it was OK (though I am overdosing on dumplings these days..) I tried other stuff.
For inspiration:
There are tons of lovely goat and sheep cheeses, it seems you can eat them. I've often used goat cream cheese as a replacement for cream in recipes, it's a bit acidic, but you just tune down the wine/lemon/vinegar
Polenta is delicious, not least grilled
Anchovy paste is a good condiment for adding to sauces and dressings and stews for umami taste (you only use a little so no fishy taste in the final dish)
I can buy oat milk at the store - it seems in the US people make it themselves. Doesn't look too hard.
For breakfast, a water-based porridge with raisins (check the package for cross-contamination) and apple. You can mix oats and barley for a richer blend of proteins and vitamins. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon for spice. (pro-tip, a pinch of salt in the porridge enhances the taste) Or a goat-milk yogurt with jam? Or make your own müsli with only stuff you can eat in it?
Get yourself a pressure cooker so you can make your own chicken and bone broths for the freezer fast. Use celeriac and herbs for taste, I prefer just thyme, bayleaf and peppercorns in mine, just very simple, but try lovage for some of the taste you may miss from not having onions and carrots.
I just heard on splendid table that there is now good vegan mayonnaise, I thought of this because if you make a chicken broth, you will have chicken meat, and from that you can make a mayonnaise salad with chicken meat and asparagus to put on whole rye bread or maybe rye crisp bread. With lettuce, bacon and tomato as garnish.
In general, my daughter prefers mayo to butter as a spread, and maybe it is healthier, too.
When you have your broth, risotto made with pearl barley instead of rice is good (use pecorino instead of parmesan cheese and just omit the onion, it's OK)
Jain food and Mexican food are good for inspiration, as is Thai food like this recipe- though you might want to make your own curry paste to avoid onion.
Soba noodles are delicious, but it is a bit hard to find some without wheat. These are quite tasty Make a sauce with bacon, bell pepper, tomato, some of your broth and a little lemon juice. You are so lucky you can have tomatoes. Or just put the cooked noodles in a bone broth where you have added a tiny bit of anchovy paste, and sprinkle with herbs.
posted by mumimor at 1:05 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
There's some decent gluten-free pasta that is made out of corn. Be careful with a lot of gluten-free products, because they often use rice flour. Schär brand gluten-free cornflakes are a good breakfast option. Schär brand stuff in general is really good, but I imagine some of the products I like have rice in them too.
If you make your own guacamole (mash up an avocado, add a chopped tomato, a chopped up garlic clove, salt, pepper, lime juice, and a hot pepper if you want), then you can make a pretty tasty burrito with corn tortillas, sautéed peppers, kalamata olives, and black beans or chicken.
posted by colfax at 2:12 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you make your own guacamole (mash up an avocado, add a chopped tomato, a chopped up garlic clove, salt, pepper, lime juice, and a hot pepper if you want), then you can make a pretty tasty burrito with corn tortillas, sautéed peppers, kalamata olives, and black beans or chicken.
posted by colfax at 2:12 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
I recommend leeks or shallots/spring onion as a substitute for onion. I had to go on an elimination diet several years ago and wasn't allowed onion, but could have those.
posted by Kris10_b at 2:25 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Kris10_b at 2:25 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Anything you'd have with rice you can substitute for quinoa with bonus protein. There are also a bunch of weird (OK, unusual) grains that you'll find with the gluten free stuff - millet, buckwheat etc. which would work for cereals. Rice unfortunately is in a lot of gluten free stuff so read labels carefully. Rice flour also a filler in things like seasonings, some spices, and in sausages in Australia so read labels.
Your list doesn't include any deadly nightshade foods which is awesome because they are so tasty! You could do fajitas, fresh salsa with lemon or lime and chopped fresh herbs will still be great without onion. Bell peppers can be done a bunch of ways - stuffed maybe with quinoa?
posted by kitten magic at 2:44 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Your list doesn't include any deadly nightshade foods which is awesome because they are so tasty! You could do fajitas, fresh salsa with lemon or lime and chopped fresh herbs will still be great without onion. Bell peppers can be done a bunch of ways - stuffed maybe with quinoa?
posted by kitten magic at 2:44 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I am not an expert in eosinophilic esophagitis, but I do have a strong scientific/medical background and an interest in finding practical ways to help people with conditions that have no proven treatments.
First, although allergy testing sounds like a great way to guide an elimination diet, it may not actually help. You might want to try a simpler elimination diet just for practicality.
Second, I know someone who had both EoE and severe sudden unpredictable asthma attacks. She was taking maximal standard asthma treatments but started curcumin to see if cheap TSLP inhibition might be helpful. It helped both the asthma and the EoE.
I researched this on pubmed and found that TSLP is indeed implicated in EoE. Redoing this search today shows the evidence is stronger.
So, although I am not your doctor, to me there seems to be enough evidence that I would try curcumin in addition to other treatments for EoE to see if it reduces symptoms.
A few caveats about curcumin. Much of it is degraded in the intestines. It would be interesting to see if topical curcumin alone helped EoE similarly to the use of swallowed fluticasone from inhalers. If, however, you have eczema, asthma or allergic rhinitis in addition to EoE then you'll want to take a preparation that has better absorption into the body. This is done by combining it with piperine or by micronizing it. I've included a few links to preparations that should allow better systemic absorption of curcumin.
Best of luck!
posted by Emmy Noether at 5:43 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
First, although allergy testing sounds like a great way to guide an elimination diet, it may not actually help. You might want to try a simpler elimination diet just for practicality.
Second, I know someone who had both EoE and severe sudden unpredictable asthma attacks. She was taking maximal standard asthma treatments but started curcumin to see if cheap TSLP inhibition might be helpful. It helped both the asthma and the EoE.
I researched this on pubmed and found that TSLP is indeed implicated in EoE. Redoing this search today shows the evidence is stronger.
So, although I am not your doctor, to me there seems to be enough evidence that I would try curcumin in addition to other treatments for EoE to see if it reduces symptoms.
A few caveats about curcumin. Much of it is degraded in the intestines. It would be interesting to see if topical curcumin alone helped EoE similarly to the use of swallowed fluticasone from inhalers. If, however, you have eczema, asthma or allergic rhinitis in addition to EoE then you'll want to take a preparation that has better absorption into the body. This is done by combining it with piperine or by micronizing it. I've included a few links to preparations that should allow better systemic absorption of curcumin.
Best of luck!
posted by Emmy Noether at 5:43 AM on March 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Incredible. Everyone. Thank you.
Treatment plan - basically since my endoscopy in December i've been on a steady diet of prescription prilosec and fluticasone (swallowed). i didn't realize how different my swallowing had gotten, b/c i had adjusted to it. getting through a meal without feeling food catch is a revelation. and now that we think we've identified the right allergens, i'm working on the elimination diet with the prilosec and fluticasone modified slightly to see if it's manageable without meds. i had twenty-two months of chemo when i was a kid and am happy to not have any other meds in my system if not necessary tyvm.
Oats - yes, gluten free oats are fine and they are now on my list of foods to try. That's right, I've never cooked oats on my own. It's on my "foods i might like and am willing to try" list. as are most of the recommendations people have made for things i've never heard of: schmilk, just mayo, plentils, massels...once i check and recheck nutritional information. holy crap has that thrown me for a loop. someone talked about rice as a filler - you are not kidding. rice, onion, whey... they're in so many things i buy to help make the things i eat. oh, and carrot. it was in one of the FODMAP no onion/garlic stock powders i'd found. and after getting so excited when i saw a possible replacement last week, it was a trigger to spiral into self pity again.
Paleo is definitely an option, though I kept getting hung up with the eggs piece, and really breakfast without eggs. No pancakes or waffles? No problem! No microwaved egg with cheese and bell pepper for breakfast? LIFE STOPS COMPLETELY.
I've started baking corn tortillas and flavoring with lime juice and salt to replace my favorite chips, which use onion in their natural flavoring. At this point we want to get as much out of my system as possible to be sure these foods are actually the ones that are exacerbating the EoE.
knowing that sheep's milk and goat milk yogurts and cheeses were out there helped a lot with the food elimination acceptance and the disorientation that came with it. i've got a good cheese assortment in the fridge now, and find that i like sheep's milk yogurt better than goat yogurt...which likely has something to do with the fact that i just call it goat yogurt, but whatever.
someone wrote about not looking for replacements - i LOVE this. i accept that right now i'm still in fight or flight mode, clinging to the foods i knew (being cognizant of the fact that mr. mitt also hasn't asked for this and can still have ramen and nigiri and chimichangas and soon dubu) to keep it like it used to be. but it's not as it used to be, and this thread is already making a difference for us easing into a new way of eating.
the research on EoE is incredibly helpful, even if i admit some of it is above my pay and comprehension grade. just cause i don't get it doesn't mean my doctors won't and being informed is the only way to get the best treatment tailored to my situation. so thank you.
lastly, thank you for your personal stories, especially the ones that talk about potentially living without these restrictions, those are such a salve. it's such a new Dx that to know someone who has had it longer than i have and is coping with it is a bit of a dream come true.
In 2015 I came to accept that I was a compulsive overeater and started to completely abstain from certain foods in order to prevent the trigger to overeat. It's not too many things, and while the first few whatevers were difficult, I am now not only 92 pounds lighter, I am also in a far better place emotionally. And this has definitely tossed all that up in the air. I knew what was routine. I knew my go to meals. Someone said I just need to get my ten meals down and I'll be good to go - and that's right. Y'all are helping me get there. There have been times when I've felt like I had it down, you know... I really had it, and then here's the damn rug being pulled out from under me. But I know that someday there will be someone with this similar story (as mine is to many of you) and these interchanges will help them through. So, again, thank you.
posted by ovenmitt at 5:59 AM on March 8, 2017 [7 favorites]
Treatment plan - basically since my endoscopy in December i've been on a steady diet of prescription prilosec and fluticasone (swallowed). i didn't realize how different my swallowing had gotten, b/c i had adjusted to it. getting through a meal without feeling food catch is a revelation. and now that we think we've identified the right allergens, i'm working on the elimination diet with the prilosec and fluticasone modified slightly to see if it's manageable without meds. i had twenty-two months of chemo when i was a kid and am happy to not have any other meds in my system if not necessary tyvm.
Oats - yes, gluten free oats are fine and they are now on my list of foods to try. That's right, I've never cooked oats on my own. It's on my "foods i might like and am willing to try" list. as are most of the recommendations people have made for things i've never heard of: schmilk, just mayo, plentils, massels...once i check and recheck nutritional information. holy crap has that thrown me for a loop. someone talked about rice as a filler - you are not kidding. rice, onion, whey... they're in so many things i buy to help make the things i eat. oh, and carrot. it was in one of the FODMAP no onion/garlic stock powders i'd found. and after getting so excited when i saw a possible replacement last week, it was a trigger to spiral into self pity again.
Paleo is definitely an option, though I kept getting hung up with the eggs piece, and really breakfast without eggs. No pancakes or waffles? No problem! No microwaved egg with cheese and bell pepper for breakfast? LIFE STOPS COMPLETELY.
I've started baking corn tortillas and flavoring with lime juice and salt to replace my favorite chips, which use onion in their natural flavoring. At this point we want to get as much out of my system as possible to be sure these foods are actually the ones that are exacerbating the EoE.
knowing that sheep's milk and goat milk yogurts and cheeses were out there helped a lot with the food elimination acceptance and the disorientation that came with it. i've got a good cheese assortment in the fridge now, and find that i like sheep's milk yogurt better than goat yogurt...which likely has something to do with the fact that i just call it goat yogurt, but whatever.
someone wrote about not looking for replacements - i LOVE this. i accept that right now i'm still in fight or flight mode, clinging to the foods i knew (being cognizant of the fact that mr. mitt also hasn't asked for this and can still have ramen and nigiri and chimichangas and soon dubu) to keep it like it used to be. but it's not as it used to be, and this thread is already making a difference for us easing into a new way of eating.
the research on EoE is incredibly helpful, even if i admit some of it is above my pay and comprehension grade. just cause i don't get it doesn't mean my doctors won't and being informed is the only way to get the best treatment tailored to my situation. so thank you.
lastly, thank you for your personal stories, especially the ones that talk about potentially living without these restrictions, those are such a salve. it's such a new Dx that to know someone who has had it longer than i have and is coping with it is a bit of a dream come true.
In 2015 I came to accept that I was a compulsive overeater and started to completely abstain from certain foods in order to prevent the trigger to overeat. It's not too many things, and while the first few whatevers were difficult, I am now not only 92 pounds lighter, I am also in a far better place emotionally. And this has definitely tossed all that up in the air. I knew what was routine. I knew my go to meals. Someone said I just need to get my ten meals down and I'll be good to go - and that's right. Y'all are helping me get there. There have been times when I've felt like I had it down, you know... I really had it, and then here's the damn rug being pulled out from under me. But I know that someday there will be someone with this similar story (as mine is to many of you) and these interchanges will help them through. So, again, thank you.
posted by ovenmitt at 5:59 AM on March 8, 2017 [7 favorites]
Cybele Pascal's books saved my life when I was nursing a baby with top 8 food allergies and feeding three other people with various allergies and preferences. Coconut based milkish products (we call it "white" so that my kids don't get confused and think they can have milk) are the ones I find tastiest and with the best mouthfeel and recipe usefulness.
posted by annathea at 9:26 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by annathea at 9:26 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Another exercise you might want to try: do some homework and prepare lists of foods that you CAN eat, and keep it separate from the list that you can't.
You could look all over the internet - lots of diet plans have lists of foods: paleo, southbeach, mediterranean, FODMAPS, gluten free, etc. Even just calorie counting lists or Weight Watchers. Go crazy and collect as many as you can. Then print them out or dump them into a spreadsheet and go through it line by line to cross off the things you can't eat.
Once you are done, you should have a list of foods that you can eat, and it will help to inspire you as to what you can cook or what restaurants you can find that will stay within the limits of the good list.
posted by CathyG at 11:20 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
You could look all over the internet - lots of diet plans have lists of foods: paleo, southbeach, mediterranean, FODMAPS, gluten free, etc. Even just calorie counting lists or Weight Watchers. Go crazy and collect as many as you can. Then print them out or dump them into a spreadsheet and go through it line by line to cross off the things you can't eat.
Once you are done, you should have a list of foods that you can eat, and it will help to inspire you as to what you can cook or what restaurants you can find that will stay within the limits of the good list.
posted by CathyG at 11:20 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Looks like you have an exciting world of different types of burritos (in corn tortillas), since most of the things I'd put in a burrito are, mercifully, not on your list (yeah, you can't do pico de gallo anymore, but I don't usually use onions in my burritos). If you can have non-cow's milk, stop up on interesting goat and sheep cheeses. You can make a an apparently passable 'sour cream' substitute by combining goat's cheese and goat's milk in a blender.
Sweet potato w/ cumin and black/refried (non-lima) beans! Spiced chicken/beef! Fried (in cornmeal, natch) fish! Radishes to top it!
A coworker had a problem with onions and he just got used to being very careful when ordering food. Does your restriction on 'onions' include garlic, green onions, or leeks? If not: learn to love garlic, green onions, and leeks. If so: try sliced radishes, asafoetida (please store it in a sealed jar, it can be quite potent-smelling) or ginger (my friend said that pepper + an herb like oregano or thyme made ginger taste more onion-y). Pickled and/or fermented foods can also help give your meal the 'snap' that garlic and onions give it.
In fact, try to focus on all the things you CAN eat and which you enjoy. Every time you remember an ingredient you CAN eat, write it down somewhere, even if it's obvious. Just for the mental calm of seeing your "can eat" list grow and grow and grow until it is much longer than your "can't". And also for going down your "can" list and trying new-to-you combinations: it's asparagus season! What can I try serving with asparagus? OK, I can eat lemon.... what else?
posted by flibbertigibbet at 11:36 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
Sweet potato w/ cumin and black/refried (non-lima) beans! Spiced chicken/beef! Fried (in cornmeal, natch) fish! Radishes to top it!
A coworker had a problem with onions and he just got used to being very careful when ordering food. Does your restriction on 'onions' include garlic, green onions, or leeks? If not: learn to love garlic, green onions, and leeks. If so: try sliced radishes, asafoetida (please store it in a sealed jar, it can be quite potent-smelling) or ginger (my friend said that pepper + an herb like oregano or thyme made ginger taste more onion-y). Pickled and/or fermented foods can also help give your meal the 'snap' that garlic and onions give it.
In fact, try to focus on all the things you CAN eat and which you enjoy. Every time you remember an ingredient you CAN eat, write it down somewhere, even if it's obvious. Just for the mental calm of seeing your "can eat" list grow and grow and grow until it is much longer than your "can't". And also for going down your "can" list and trying new-to-you combinations: it's asparagus season! What can I try serving with asparagus? OK, I can eat lemon.... what else?
posted by flibbertigibbet at 11:36 AM on March 8, 2017 [1 favorite]
When I’ve had dietary restrictions (nowhere near as strict as yours!) it was really helpful to me to have “treat” foods that I didn’t limit in ways I might have prior to the other restrictions. For example, avocados and fresh berries… living in the Northeast, these were more expensive than I usually budgeted for most of the year, but I splurged on them for the sake of my mental health. Can you come up with things that you love that you can eat? Get them and enjoy them, even if you may have found them too indulgent to have regularly in the past. Some possibilities: a really good allergen-free chocolate, sorbets or coconut-based ice creams, unusual fresh fruit, potato chips, Fritos, avocado (for me, this was a surprisingly good replacement for cheese in many contexts), cashew butter (makes a good sauce mixed with salsa)?
There are plenty of foods you can eat to keep you alive. The trick to handling it psychologically is to make sure that even if you’re not as excited about some of your meals as you’d like, you have some options that keep you from feeling depressed about it.
posted by metasarah at 6:43 AM on March 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
There are plenty of foods you can eat to keep you alive. The trick to handling it psychologically is to make sure that even if you’re not as excited about some of your meals as you’d like, you have some options that keep you from feeling depressed about it.
posted by metasarah at 6:43 AM on March 13, 2017 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
For breakfast you might want to look into gluten-free oatmeal, variations on hash browns, vegan eggs by Follow Your Heart (oddly enough, they're made of algae, and as far as I know do not contain flax or soy).
Since it seems you can still eat corn, maybe look into corn tortillas as a bread substitute? Maybe you could use them to make breakfast tacos with the abovementioned fake eggs, chopped tomatoes, avocado and spices.
Can you still eat garlic despite your issues with onion? If so, that could be decent sub in a lot of recipes that call for onion.
For vegetable sides at lunch and dinner, beets, potatoes and sweet potatoes are all easy to cut up and roast with olive oil, salt and herbs (no premixed broth or seasoning packets required). It looks like you can still have lots of kinds of fresh fruit, too.
This does sound like a really tough set of restrictions but I hope that if you look, you will find lots of help coming up with a diet that will keep you healthy AND happy. As the parent of a child with a food allergy, myself, I've found that there are a number of really supportive food allergy communities online where people are happy to share recipes and safe brands and offer moral support. Try asking around in allergy community social media groups and I'm sure you'll get good help and advice. You are not alone, and there are a number of people who have done a lot of hard work already trying to come up with allergy-friendly food ideas who I'm sure would be happy to share their discoveries with you.
posted by BlueJae at 6:21 PM on March 7, 2017 [2 favorites]