Second movie in a (long) weekend – sometimes there are perks to having weird weekend days.

Food • Photography • Life
Second movie in a (long) weekend – sometimes there are perks to having weird weekend days.


This was my third reintroduction week on the FODMAP diet.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Reintroduction Week 1
Reintroduction Week 2
An explanation
Breakfasts
Lunches/Dinners
Snacks
Breakfasts
Lunches/Dinners
Snacks






What did I learn this week?
Challenge foods for this week were accidental dairy (super out), overeating (also super unpleasant), a small amount of onion (less pleasant once – ok a second time), and a Chinese food amount of cooking garlic (fine I think; I was bloated but I think from the salt content of PF Chang’s).
Wheat is still in, but based on the pics of my food this week I look like I need to reign in my consumption of unnecessary breads and fried foods. I’m also tired of potatoes again, and have picked back up a wicked Diet Coke craving, so I may be doing a Whole30 to reset my tastebuds soon.

Rawr

At the movies

Mood lighting
This Summer, my seasonal obsession with seafood has taken the form of canned tuna. Which is great for my wallet and healthy, so I’m not complaining.
I was, however, starting to feel like I was getting into a rut with my favorite dead-simple pasta + other warm-ish and cozy things that at least approximated the feel of tuna noodle casserole. Ok, not actually really, but in my mind that’s what was going on.
I have issues, I know.
This recipe takes my current love, digs the can of weird Aryan kid peanut butter that’s a pain in the ass to use out of the pantry, and goes somewhere approximating Thailand with it. Thailand, at least in peanut sauce and some toppings. I used what I could find locally and what my FODMAP diet would allow me.
gluten-free, paleo, pescatarian, FODMAP

Canned Tuna Thai Bowl
1 large zucchini, spiralized into noodles
1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
1/2 red bell pepper, also matchsticked
1/3 daikon or other radish, sliced or grated or whatever
1 small can tuna per serving (I used 95g cans of lemon pepper flavor)
Cilantro & lime to top
Dressing:
1/2 cup peanut butter (mine was natural unsweetened)
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. coconut aminos or soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp. fish sauce
2 tsp. grated ginger
Big pinch cayenne pepper
Salt & pepper
Juice of 1 lime or 1/2 lemon
Honey or other sweetener to taste if you need to balance flavors (I ended up using 1 tsp. because I got a tad over zealous with the ACV)
Prep all your veggies. Sautee the zucchini noodles in a dry pan until your desired doneness is reached. Split into 2 servings.
While your zoodles are working, zap the peanut butter in a large microwave-safe vessel :20 or so or until warm. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir carefully to form a sauce.
Assemble your bowl and top with peanut butter sauce, cilantro & more lime juice.
Makes 2 bowls zucchini-wise; the rest of the ingredients can stretch a couple more. Keep in mind that when you grab out of the fridge, you might want to add a Tablespoon of water to your sauce and zap it in the microwave :15 or so to loosen up to a drizzle-able consistency (especially if your peanut butter is the hippie kind with the oil on top).

Living my best life with a double-sling of wieners (again) on returning home. 😍🤩🐶😍🤩🐶

An Abra (wooden taxi boat) from the Dubai Museum. Dragged myself out, braved the Metro, and saw something cultural.

From a ride on the dork bus, the Hop On/Hop Off red bus.
This was actually a great way to see the city, with interesting trivia and commentary. And while it was warm all day, I mostly sat in at least some amount of air conditioning while I watched Dubai roll by.

This was my second reintroduction week on the FODMAP diet. Week 1 went fairly well, and it seems as if everything I’ve introduced so far is fine. I may switch to monthly updates or a big go/no-go list of foods in a few months, because this phase is going to take awhile. Like, could take 9 months awhile, and I don’t want to bore you all with the details.
The procedure for reintroduction is to eat a little of a food from the high FODMAP list, pay attention to what my mind and body is telling me for 2 days, record any and all reactions, and either re-test the same thing on day 3 or go for something different. I’m starting with foods that I’m fairly certain are on the ‘go’ list, and working my way up to foods I suspect I have a reaction to or have had reactions to in the past – and crossing my fingers that whatever form of inflammation or whatever it was that was going on in my gut when I started this journey stays as calmed down as it is now when I go for the biggies (to me) like garlic, onions and brassicas.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Reintroduction Week 1
An explanation
Breakfasts
Lunches/Dinners
Snacks
Breakfasts
Lunches/Dinners
Snacks






What did I learn this week?
Mushrooms and wheat are in! Not sure on a bowl of cashews & almonds, because I think travel always makes me bloated and burpy – so I’m counting that as not a real challenge.
Smoothie bowls are also fine – I think all the ingredients were either FODMAP-friendly or I’ve already tested, but quantity was key here regarding fructose.