I Be a fooDie has undergone some recent website changes and we are now back to our wonderful WordPress site. We have been busy cooking, studying, eating and doing everything BUT blogging. Forgive us. We are in the process of moving over all of our recent blog posts but given how busy we are, it may take a little while.
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During our graduate school winter break we took a trip to Los Angeles to visit Marnina’s uncle. We were eager to experience Los Angeles’ vibrant culinary scene. In addition to the usual Malibu, Venice Beach and Santa Monica sightseeing, Marnina’s uncle provided us with quite the culinary tour. We sampled Indian, vegan Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and American cuisine. We even hit up the famous Magnolia Bakery (yes, the banana cream pudding was UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS). While partaking in one of L.A.’s new fads, personal piea, at a cafe called SimpleThings, Marnina grabbed the menu (she loves to bring home menus). The menu included many delectable sounding sandwiches. The combination of ingredients in each sandwich sounded so gourmet and unique that we anticipated returning to the shop and trying their sandwiches. Unfortunately we were not able to make it back before we left town. To compensate for our loss (and because Marnina saved the menu), we vowed to recreate the best sounding sandwich on their menu – The Sweet Potato.
We have blogged dozens of recipes, most of which we have thoroughly enjoyed. Some of the recipes were incredible (Blintz Souffle), some were surprisingly good (Sweet Potato Gnocchi) while others were a bit disappointing (Greek Moussaka). We have done our best to give you some of the the recipes that have turned out well, but alas, we are guilty of witholding a recipe that we have selfishly enjoyed for years now. We hope you can forgive us…we know you will after you try a bite of this dish.
I Be a fooDie takes a cooking class in Istanbul!
As foodies, we enjoy learning about different cuisines. Our ethnic culinary adventures have ranged from experimenting with a traditional Greek food to popular Korean dishes. Food was a big part of our travels this past July in Turkey and Israel. We encountered new ingredients and new flavors, and we gained a new perspective on cooking, as well as a renewed respect for specific ingredients. In Turkey, ingredients are simple and unadulterated. There are hardly any incredibly complicated dishes. The natural state of food is heavily emphasized, and this brought us back to the basics of cooking: using fresh ingredients. The Turks often love to take seasonal and local ingredients and cook them with some olive oil and a few spices. This method of cooking brings out the flavors in a way that is not complicated or overwhelming, but just perfectly balanced. (more…)
Dinner in Cappadocia
We recently returned home from our global travels, and in many ways our trip was a gastronomic tour of Turkish and Israeli cuisine. We tried our best to sample as many mezes, main dishes, desserts, and other foods that we could fit into our stomachs within a 3-week time span. We were able to stay relatively svelte and fit thanks to walking an average of 8 miles each day. Our goal during the trip was to try all the authentic cultural foods that these two countries offer, and of course, to stay healthy. At times, Marnina was forced to expand her diet either because: 1) a Crohn’s-friendly dish was not available; 2) the language barrier caused confusion that led to Marnina biting into a food stuffed with seeds; or 3) she could not resist the temptation of ordering an authentic dish that contained some form of food that might upset her GI tract. However, thanks to proper plannning (over-the-counter medications, antibiotics, flushable wipes), Marnina was prepared for the worst. Luckily, neither of us got sick from the food and water in either country. It turns out that the water is unsafe to drink in Turkey (even for natives) so bottled water was incredibly cheap. (more…)
Does this make your mouth water?
In the IBD Guide to Eating Out, we mentioned that typical Indian restaurants in the U.S. serve many dishes that are oily, creamy, and incorporate lots of fat (and sodium as well). In general, individuals with IBD need to be conscientious of the amount of fats/oils in their food, and must also be aware of the amount of spices used. IBDers should know, however, that almost any recipe can be modified to fit their dietary preferences. There is always an IBD-friendly version of a dish. Here, we present you with an alternative to the Indian dish Palak Paneer (farmer’s cheese in a thick curry sauce based on pureed spinach) called Palak Tofu, a vegan twist to the normal recipe. It tastes very similar to Palak Paneer, but is healthier, less oily, and more protein rich. The dish is basically tofu cooked in curried spinach, a very healthy dish that goes well with some rice or naan. You will love the green color, and your house will smell like an Indian restaurant for hours afterward….what could be better?? (more…)
One of the (many) blessings of Passover is that we see some delicious dishes that are traditionally made only once a year….not from a lack of access to particular ingredients (who doesn’t keep matzah in their pantry year-round??), but because the dietary restrictions of Passover require us to utilize ingredients that we don’t generally use year-round. For many, this means the holiday is the one time a year we see the Passover dishes that we remember our parents making since we were children. This year, Marnina made her mom’s peach kugel that was so good that we were scraping the sides of the 9 x 13 baking dish to salvage all of the caked-on pieces. And for the Seder, my mom made a flanken tzimmes with carrots, sweet potatoes, and prunes – the meat and veggies are slow-cooked with honey and sugar to the point where they are so tender and sweet that they just instantly melt in your mouth (don’t worry, we avoided the prunes at all costs). (more…)
Enter...the Exodus from Egypt!
For those with gastrointestinal issues, Passover presents a conundrum. On the one hand, we are commanded to avoid eating leavened bread, and we are also not allowed to consume many types of additives, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients that are ubiquitous in today’s food supply. As a result, Passover is almost like going on a detox diet. We are essentially eliminating the wheat/gluten products from our diet, a boon to our health. We toss everything that is made with white flour and loaded with sugar, and we fill our kitchen with fruits, vegetables, proteins, some matzah, and only a modest amount of artificial ingredients. (more…)
The Chefs!
I Be a fooDie: Cooking with Crohn's and Colitis 
