This blog is dedicated to sharing recipes that are low in Fructose, and lactose. Recipe 1 at the bottom.
Just to introduce myself, I am Maggie. I am from New York (not the city) but am now what you consider an ex-pat (which is why I may write in a strange manner). I moved to Germany in 1999 right before the "spooky" millennium change to be with my Daniel - I really did fill my bathtub with water (just in case). I was 24 at the time.
I was passing gas all the time. I even woke up Daniel one morning "ripping a loud one". This 6'4" man jumped frightened out of bed crawling across the room wondering what that "disturbing" sound was.
Scaring my husband with my flatulence was the beginning of the end. This wasn't the only problem though: There were also the daily buckle-over-in-pain stomachaches, plus the rashes on my arms and stomach, the random diarrhea mixed with constipation (I had learned severe control of my body during this time - especially when there is no bathroom in view), and the ever recurring colds that would happen every weekend making going out on the weekend not fun in smokey Europe.
I went to more Doctors than I can remember over a 5 year period. They would say the same thing: Take these little pills and it will be better. When it wasn't better I would go back and they would talk to me as if I were a hypochondriac. It had gotten to the point that I was wishing I was.
I was so frustrated I tried everything:
My friend Spider said "You have Candida! That's it!" I was hoping she was right- I was actually hoping I had a fungus problem. It was getting that debilitating.
Spider gave me a diet that I needed to follow, and "after 6 months you should be better". She even explained that this was causing my moments of Anxiety. My diet was making me scared? And all those years I thought it was from taking a bad E pill in Prague.
The diet was hell, the good part of hell though, is you loose 15 pounds! I am 5'3, and weighed 135 pounds (and I can assure you that was not muscle). I was finally my dream body. That was great. The problem was that the rashes, and all other maladies were still there and going strong.
I finally was given the name of a doctor who in the end said "You're too skinny to have a belly like that!" And said "Your tonsils are very swollen... they are infected." (Since I was a child I thought I had large tonsils). someone finally knew the problem.
One thing I need to point out is that all my life I have had a belly. The type of belly a 4 month pregnant women has. I have even been asked many a time if I were pregnant. So you can imagine my joy when she said that was not normal and that I can make it go away!!!! God that felt so good to hear.
When the tests came back it had turned out that I have a Fructose, and Lactose intolerance. My body (along with around 1 out of 4 adults) doesn't have the proper enzymes to digest these things, resulting in the production of gases creating bloating (the belly), ergo Flatulence! I was so happy!
I went home practically skipping, singing, "I'm intolerant, I'm intolerant!"
Then it hit me - after the euphoria ended, "OH crap! What am I going to eat now?"
After 5 weeks of depression and 3 years of research and recipe attempts (not always fun), I found a way of cooking that not only kept me healthy, but was yummy. There was no one cookbook that helped me. I took my knowledge and creativity and went for it. I want to share this with all those out there who may be in that frustrating I-am-ugly-and-sick-feeling place I once was. I hope this helps.
I will publish these about every week, once a week. And I promise the next blogs won't be so lengthy. Good luck to anyone who might read this...
We'll start with a simple one:
Fish with rice
you need:
2 quart baking dish
2 medium whole Bass or Trout
2 tablespoons of Lovage (a cousin of garlic, but since garlic is high in fructose I use this)
if you can't fine Lovage use rosemary.
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large, or 2 small lemons
salt
pepper
3 large carrots (organic)
3 cups of salted water
Preheat oven at 350°
Put the rice on (add a little salt and pepper in the water) and then do the following:
wash the fish inside and out in cold water, then pat with a dry towel.
mix the Lovage and with the oil and a 1/4 tsp of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
bast the fish with the Lovage mixture inside and out. then place sliced lemon pieces in the belly of the fish.
check the rice!
If you don't have a grill for your baking dish, then peel the carrots, and slice them lenghtwise. Place the flat side down in the baking dish so that you can lay the fish on top not touching the 3 cups of water you will add next. Otherwise just place the carrots under the grill.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish flakes.
place on plate next to rice with a sprinkle of cracked pepper on top.
Guten Appetit!
