Hello folks! Here we are at the end of month roundup already. Once again I feel like I blinked and the month just vanished before my eyes. It's been a good, and busy month. We've had all the weather here in Stockholm, snow at the beginning of May, lots of rain, and some hot, hot days. Sweden doesn't have a lot of long weekends or holidays during the year, but those that exist are all packed into May and June, which is awesome. We've been hitting the park circuit hard, including the one pictured above, Owl Park, which is Danish design, made almost completely of wood. It was a bit too advanced for my boy, but I'm certain he'll be loving it when he's a bit bigger.
On a quick technical note, I've recently added a yum button to the top of recipe posts, so that those of you who like to organize your recipes with Yummly will have an easier time doing so. I'm new to Yummly, but I already love how you can set up your dietary preferences in your profile and they'll automatically filter recipes for you.
when in doubt, donate
This month's donation is to the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation. Niemann-Pick is a rare genetic disease that manifests in a variety of ways. A dear friend of mine has Niemann-Pick-C in her family, and though she herself is a carrier, her younger sister has the disease and already requires full-time care. This disease is so rare and so poorly understood that treatment options and resources are far and few between. Being that today is my dear friend's birthday, a donation in her family's honour seemed appropriate.
the muffin myth in other places
This month on Hello Glow I wrote an article explaining what FODMAPS are. Any of you struggling with non-celiac gluten intolerance or other forms of digestive troubles should check out this post and consider whether FODMAPS may be what's bugging you. I also shared a guide on what to eat in some popular chain restaurants in the US if you're vegetarian, trying to eat light, or counting carbs.
a little bit delicious
How good do these Tofu Bahn Mi Bowls from The Foodie Dietitian look? That golden crispy tofu is totally calling my name!
I'm super intrigued by the idea of this Yoghurt Brûlée from The Foodess. Is it breakfast? Is it dessert? Time to break out the torch and find out!
Another delish looking recipe here with this Broccoli Rubble Farro Salad from Smitten Kitchen. I loved her broccoli rubble pizza, so am definitely going to give this salad a try!
And hi, dumplings in a stir-fry?! Why have I never thought of that before! Alissa uses homemade dumplings in this Veggies and Dumplings Stir-Fry from Connoisseurus Veg, but I bet that using store-bought would be damn tasty too.
last but not least, the links!
1. Let's kick things off with yet another study that indicates a plant-based diet may be protective against type-2 diabetes.
2. Fresh food by prescription: how this healthcare firm is trimming costs.
3. Why are Americans drinking less cow's milk - has the appeal curdled?
4. Confused about what's healthy? A new survey shows that you're not alone.
5. The worst fat in the food supply. This isn't new information, but a good reminder of how harmful trans fats really are.
6. Got juice? Pediatricians are recommending you say no to juice for children younger than one.
7. Understanding weight neutrality and its important consequences for healthcare.
8. Why we should shift from measuring food intake to measuring nutrition status.
9. This study suggests that unless you have celiac disease, avoiding gluten will not reduce your risk of heart disease.
10. Lastly, not about nutrition, but on a wellness vibe: The phones we love too much.
Susan
Thank you for the FODMAP graphic. Without even reading the article, I know I gravitate towards the low FODMAP instinctively. Unfortunately, my husband just brought a lot of high FODMAP home from grocery shopping. I'll have to have a word with him, and show him the article and photos. I knew about FODMAP from a Stanford article, but as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Katie Trant
Susan, you should give the full article a read. FODMAPS aren't inherently unhealthy at all. On the contrary, many foods that are high in FODMAPS, like onions, garlic, apples, avocados, and honey, are healthy whole foods. It's just that some people have difficulty digesting them and experience digestive distress when they eat them. If you're not sensitive to FODMAPs (and some people are only sensitive to one or two) then there's no need to avoid them!
Susan
Thanks, Katie. I did read the article, and it's good to know more about them. I was kind of making a joke about it, as it does seem my husband buys stuff he likes but that isn't as gut-friendly for me. I love apples, for example, and I buy them myself, but I find that I do better when they are cooked than raw. Asparagus? I'm good, but only a spear or two at a time, and not every meal.
Katie Trant
Some people are very sensitive to certain high FODMAP foods but tolerate others just fine. An elimination diet could help you pinpoint those that you have trouble with.