Comfort Food

Sometimes we just need comfort food. Sweet or savory, some foods actually make our endorphins flow.  While food should not be used to cope with life, which can lead to obesity, food should be enjoyable and a positive experience.

Comfort foods should come with a health scale on the label.



So one of my comfort foods can be made vegan or vegetarian, more or less healthy.  French Toast.  Just breakfast? Maybe for you, but for me, every bite melts away stress so long as I take the time to enjoy it and not scarf it down.

"MY" Version of French Toast - 49% Healthy on the scale 

• 2 eggs (farm fresh, organic)
• dash of milk (about 2-4 Tbsp) I never measure when I cook (only when I bake, LOL)
• Canadian Rye Bread (a light rye with NO caraway seeds, almost like white bread but with some fiber)
• Vanilla (optional, just a dash)

Whisk eggs and milk.  Dip bread into egg mixture and fry in a medium hot non-stick pan for a couple minute each side.  Top with margarine, icing sugar, and cinnamon. Ok, honestly my cookbook recipes are much better than this, but with comfort food part of the joy for me is NOT using a recipe! LOL.  Here is an actual recipe from my cookbook (you can get my cookbooks FREE here).

Vegan Version of  "MY" French Toast - 95% healthy on the scale

• 1 loaf stale, good brown bread or gluten free (Silver Hills sprouted works great!)
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 tsp maple syrup (or agave nectar)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch (or arrowroot), optional*

Blend all until very smooth; pour into large flat bowl. Dip bread quickly into mixture and fry on med low heat on non-stick pan or griddle. Flip when golden brown. Top with sliced fresh fruit!

*Use the cornstarch for ‘fresh’ or soft bread. We keep the bread pre-sliced and frozen. The sprouted bread is drier and not easily made soggy so it works great for this recipe. We find homemade or other
brands of store bought bread need to be dried out just a bit before using to prevent them from going soggy.

(From the Healthy Home Cookin' Cookbook Vol 5. - Breakfasts, Lunch, Soup & Salads)

What are your favourite comfort foods? Do they need help to dial up to the healthier side of the scale?  Let us know!

Well, it's been 7 years since I've posted on this blog and I'm not sure anyone out there is even listening, but I've decided to be more involved and hope you tune back in - let me know below!  I've started a new blog for health tips and information and this blog will focus mostly on cooking. See my new blog here: bodymindhealthcoach.blogspot

Since I last posted, I've made some real changes in my life.  I've become a full time health coach and  narrowed my focus to healthful living through plant based nutrition, vegetarian cooking, and other lifestyle choices along with a positive mental outlook.  While that may not seem narrow in this world of ultra niches, for me it's a real reduction.  Before I was a photographer, videographer, graphic designer, printer, and more.  While I am still all these things, they all relate to the same subject now and that has really taken a burden off my life. Ok, ok, enough about me.  What about FOOD!

So, I've been working on a new cookbook that is low FODMAP and gluten free.  Not that I am exclusively gluten free myself, nor do I buy into the fads out there, but there are enough people who need to reduce their wheat consumption and have intolerance to gluten.

Here's a recipe from that upcoming book.

Banana Bread
Like traditional, soft and delicious.  Can make into muffins or mini-loaves as well.  See below for freshness tips, VERY important!

Ingredients:
2 cups Low FODMaP Flour Mix*
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or dairy free chocolate chips (many semi sweet varieties are non-dairy. )
3 medium well mashed, ripe bananas
water in the mashed banana to equal 1 3/4 cups
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Combine all dry in a large bowl.  Combine wet ingredients well and stir into dry.  Mix quickly and well, pour into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes.  I like making these as mini loaves as seen in the picture.

Learn More
Freshness Tip: Freeze any breads, muffins, or cake you don’t use right away.  All breads and cakes store best frozen even for just a few days.  Just pull out the day before you want to eat it and leave UNWRAPPED to thaw.  Many gluten free items go soggy if you leave them to thaw in a bag.  I have found two problems, gluten free items go too dry or way too wet!

To learn how to cook plant based and gluten free visit our website.

Low FODMaP Flour Mix

A good “all purpose” flour.  Unlike many gf flours, this has nutrients and fiber.  You aren’t just using something to mimic those favourite dainties, but actually adding something beneficial.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tapioca starch 
• 2 cups corn starch
• 2 cups almond flour (or quinoa but not as nice)
• 2 cups oat flour (blend oats in blender till fine)
• 8 cups brown rice flour 
• 4 cups buckwheat flour (regular or light)
• 2 cups sweet rice flour 
• 2 cups potato starch 

Directions:
Combine all and store in air tight container.  Use in 2 to 3 months, the cooler you store it, the longer you can store it.  Variety is your friend when cooking gluten free or in this case ‘low FODMaP’.  Yields: 24 cups

Note: this is less than 2 almonds and less than 2 Tbsp oats per 1/2 cup.  Just bare this in mind when making recipes that call for oats and almonds.  You’ll need to factor in these amounts to stay low FODMAP.

Buckwheat, almond, and oat make this a nutritious flour.  Many prepackaged gluten free flours are void of nutrients and mostly empty calories. If you can tolerate more almond, I’d add another 2-4 cups for even more nutrition, protein, and fiber.