Looking Like A Rice Cake!

As my dietician waved me off 2 weeks ago, she said (with a glint in her eye), "You might end up eating a lot of rice cakes!" I am now 2 weeks into this Low FODMAPping lark and I can confirm......I have eaten a lot of rice cakes! So much so, I fear I may be starting to look a little white and crinkly round the edges!! Thank goodness for corn cakes....least I can mix it up a bit from time to time!

So, this blog post has my Low FODMAP life savers and little of the the plain old, regular gluten free, thrown in for good measure!

Big FODMAP hurrah to Arla (www.arlafoods.co.uk) and their Lactofree range for helping to keep me sane over the last fortnight. I have been drinking the milk, eating the yogurts and spreading the cream cheese (on.... you guessed it.....rice/corn cakes!)

I've been living in my own little GF bubble for the last 4 years, never having to give Lactose a thought! However, super impressed with the whole range. Turns out that removing the lactose doesn't change the taste at all! Although the yogurts are particularly sweet, the cheese spread and milk just taste.....normal!

Swedish Glace ice cream has definitely cheered me up amidst my FODMAP food grumps, especially when I realised I could put golden syrup on it, or even better Whipped!! (Marshmallow Spread). Sadly can't find website for either but both bought in Sainsburys.

Not the healthiest of diets but it would be a boring blog if I wrote about the honeydew melon, raisins, carrots, spinach, green beans and swede I have also been consuming in large quantities wouldn't it?!

I nearly fell over when I read in my FODMAP manual I was allowed a couple of these

Oh yes, it's true! Thank goodness because I was forgetting what chocolate tasted like!! These are seriously addictive, especially when you're missing chocolate! Need to keep them under lock and key so I can only indulge occasionally!

It seems my cheap Lidl jam was not FODMAP appropriate as it contains the wrong kind of sugar! However, the rather expensive Bonne Maman (www.bonnemaman.co.uk) (at approx quadruple the price), is FODMAP appropriate! Well, it jazzies up the breakfast round of rice cakes and it really does taste rather good!

I use it sparingly, so am hoping it lasts me for the remainder of my FODMAPping journey!

Anyway, enough of the FODMAP fun......I left you last time of the cusp of my birthday. I explained that I managed to acquire a GF birthday cake from Tesco but had not yet had chance to try it out!

I can confirm that this cake was really good! I mean REALLY good, couldn't tell the difference between this and regular cake! Sadly, everyone at church thought it was good too and there was no chance of seconds for the birthday girl ha ha! What a shame they are so difficult to get hold of as I am sure they would be really popular. I also bought one of their Free From Finest Chocolate Cake and sadly didn't get chance to try it. 

Nevertheless, I can confirm by the speed at which the cake went and the number of chocolately looking mouths, it was clearly a bit hit! Well done Tesco!

As you may know Dale took me to Paris for my birthday. I was thrilled when a friend bought me a pack of Genius (www.geniusglutenfree.com) pan au chocolat as a birthday treat! Where better to eat them than on the Eurostar to Paris!

Dale, a fully fledged gluten eater, was not overly impressed! Me, on the other hand, I was thrilled and took delight in any GF joy before starting the FODMAP fiasco 2 days later! Admittedly, we did not eat them hot, I heated them up the night before then wrapped in foil for the journey. I liked them and they certainly got me into the French spirit of the day oooo la la!

As we were only there for one day I packed a picnic, thought it would save time and frustrations! However, I left my sandwich at home (disaster!!). I did remember these though

Great little snack from Tesco, not FODMAP friendly but hopefully I will be able to enjoy them again someday. They also do packets of beetroot and carrot which look good too. Not cheap though, over £1 for a small bag. Handy for a trip out though!

Well, I shall bid you adieu for another fortnight, by which time I will have completed my low FODMAP month and will be ready to be weaned off the rice cakes!! Have a good one everyone! Xx (@lizprice79)