Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | Re: Heather

Hi there - In general it's really easy and generally fool-proof to make recipes IBS-safe. You can always use soy milk for dairy - I don't think I've ever had that not work. The only thing you can't do is whip soy milk like you could whipping cream. For all other purposes (custards to chowders and more) it's great.

In most recipes I substitute canola oil (or olive oil) for butter or margarine. The only place this won't work is in baking pastries, drop cookies, scones, biscuits, etc. where you get a flaky/tender/chewy texture from solid fat. For quick breads and cakes and such canola oil works great, as does using fruit purees like applesauce to replace about 2/3 of the fat called for.

I've replaced whole wheat with white flour without any problems. Fruit juice...hmmm...it depends on how much you're using and what the recipe is. Bottled fruit juice tends to be super high in fructose, which is a trigger. But if you're just adding a few tablespoons to a high soluble fiber recipe it shouldn't be a problem.

I usually double or even triple the amount of herbs/spices/extracts in most recipes. Fat carries flavor, so if you lower the fat in a recipe you need to heighten flavor in other ways. In baking, for example, I usually use 1 T of vanilla when 1 t is called for.

For main ingredients, you really just need a soluble fiber base (rice, pasta, potatoes, oatmeal, white breads, flour tortillas, polenta, etc.). Then you can add your fruits, veggies, ground nuts, egg whites, seafood, skinless chicken breasts, pureed beans, etc. Basically, all the other good stuff goes on top of that soluble fiber foundation. If you do that and keep the triggers out you should be just fine.

Oh - and two egg whites virtually always works to replace a whole egg. Never had that one fail either!

PS - I hope you'll sign up for the Seattle IBS support group. The list is at http://www.ibssupport.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php You'll have to become a new member and log into post, it's a separate board from this one. I'm going to be moderating the new group starting in April or May, and it would be so fabulous to have a local chef (which you will soon be!) in the group.

Best,
Heather

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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!

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