Homemade Applesauce with a  Special Twist
Most people peel their apples when making applesauce to keep the texture nice and smooth. But in the process they are discarding the most nutritious part! The apple peel is rich in gut loving and anti-inflammatory polyphenols including well known quercetin. Quercetin is most well known for inhibiting the production and release of histamine, thereby reducing the severity of seasonal allergies and other histamine related symptoms. 

The peel is also an excellent source of pectin a soluble fiber which can soothe the GI tract and can be especially helpful when struggling with diarrhea. Pectin is also fermented by good gut microbes and therefore helps support a healthy and diverse gut microbiome.

Since we are keeping the peel on for this applesauce, it becomes increasingly important to choose ORGANIC apples, as conventional apples are highly sprayed with pesticides. And to help improve texture of applesauce, I recommend grating the apple peels instead of just coarsely chopping the apples. Although this is an extra step, it allows the apple peel to easily dissolve during the cooking process, leaving the texture more smooth. With the addition of the skin, and the increase in polyphenols and pectin, the applesauce is pinker in color and is thicker in texture. 

However, apples are rich in fructose and sorbitol, two kinds of sugars that are considered FODMAPs. If you don't tolerate either of these well, then applesauce (and apples) may trigger uncomfortable digestive symptoms until the underlying cause is addressed, such as SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), which can lead to fructose malabsorption. Some people unfortunately, struggle with hereditary fructose intolerance, and will have to limit fructose entirely to avoid uncomfortable symptoms. 

Applesauce
INGREDIENTS 
Organic apples
Filtered water 
Lemon juice
Spices (fresh ginger root, cinnamon, vanilla, etc)
Sea salt 
Sweetener of choice (optional) - depending on the type of apple you may need more of less

DIRECTIONS
Wash your apples and grate the peels. Cut out the core and dice up the remaining apple flesh. Add the grated peels, apple bits, water, lemon juice, and your choice of spices to a large pot, cover, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the chunks. Remove lid, and mash with a potato masher or whisk, stir in salt, and optional sweetener to taste. You may continue to simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes to evaporate excess water if needed until desired texture is achieved. Transfer to a sealable glass jar and enjoy. I love it with Nancy’s whole milk yogurt or cottage cheese.

Show me your applesauce making skills!!

Spaghetti bolognese is the ultimate comfort food for me. It is uncomplicated and delicious. However, if you struggle with digestive issues and can't tolerate garlic and onion (hello fructans), well then, spaghetti quickly becomes a "no go". But wait....what if you don't have to give it up? Well, then you can have the best of both worlds, no bloat and a bowl full of delicious spaghetti. 

This LOW FODMAP SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE is just that. Plus, NO complicated ingredients or online purchases necessary. My favorite pasta is hands down Jovial spaghetti, the texture and the taste is perfection! My other highly recommended staple is Organico Bello Imported Italian Passata (strained tomatoes). The sauce is smooth and creamy and only contains tomatoes and salt. It's also an excellent source of potassium which I find many of my patients are NOT getting enough of. If you want to use low FODMAP garlic infused olive oil you can, but honestly I NEVER use it. I prefer to stick with a quality extra virgin olive oil with robust flavor to really make this dish shine. If you toss your noodles in the olive oil before serving it adds even more flavor and aroma. Plus, you get all those healthy, gut friendly polyphenols to boost! I usually add a splash of red wine to my bolognese sauce, but you don't have to. Just add a little bit of balsamic vinegar instead (don't use the super sweet concentrated kind).

If you don't have any issues with FODMAPs of course you can feel free to add garlic and onions to this recipe along with the dried herbs. Really all you need is 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and 1/2 chopped yellow onion. Many people think they need to go overboard with these two ingredients, but often more is not always better, AND someone who is sensitive to FODMAPs may still be able to tolerate the small amount of fructans per serving if you take it easy. 

Easy Low FODMAP Spaghetti Bolognese
INGREDIENTS
1 package Jovial gluten-free spaghetti (or your favorite alternative)
1 tablespoon robust extra virgin olive oil (plus more to toss with your noodles)
1lb grass-fed ground beef (1 prefer 80-85% lean for bolognese because it provides additional flavor)
1 teaspoon each dried oregano, marjoram, and thyme
1 bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1 jar Organico Bello Imported Italian Passata
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (or a splash of red wine)
1 tablespoon sugar
Optional: chili flakes, fresh basil, and/or grated pecorino cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook pasta per package instructions. Rinse and toss in extra virgin olive oil before serving if desired. 

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium low heat. Add the olive oil and evenly cast the bottom of the pan. Add the grass-fed ground beef, and sauté for 2 minutes, breaking up the beef with a spatula. Add in the desired herbs and bay leaf, and continue to sauté until cooked through and aromatic. Add salt and fresh ground pepper. 

Pour in the entire jar or strained tomatoes, and stir well to combine. then add the balsamic vinegar (or splash of red wine) and sugar. Stir and allow to simmer 5-10 minutes for the flavors to blend. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and add a pinch of chili flakes if desired. 

Serve over pasta and top with freshly chopped basil and pecorino cheese. 

To celebrate Mother's day I would like to share my favorite spring tart. It is very refreshing, light, and symbolic of Spring and Summer. If you like lemony desserts then this is for you! Plus, it looks beautiful and is a wonderful dessert for any special occasion. Although each step is very simple and very easy, some steps do take some time. In order to make this tart with ease, I recommend making the cookie crust and lemon curd the night before so that you can sleep away the cooling time and quickly make the rest of the tart the following day. Fortunately, for those who may be on a restricted diet, this tart is gluten free and naturally low FODMAP if you stick with strawberries and raspberries. Also, it only contains butter, so those who are dairy sensitive may still be able to tolerate it. Serves 8. 
 
Sweet Cookie Crust:
½ cup softened salted butter (I use Kerrygold)
¼ cup sugar
1 egg
1 ¼ cup Bob’s 1:1 flour, plus more as needed 
½ tsp baking powder

Lemon Curd
½ cup lemon juice (~3 lemons)
1 whole egg
1 yolk 
3 tablespoons natural cane sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
2 T salted butter, flaked
 
Berry Topping
1lb of organic strawberries, washed
12oz of raspberries (or another pound of strawberries)
Optional: Any other berries of choosing
 
Lemon Zest Gelee
1 cup (250ml) water, divided
2 ½ teaspoons gelatin or 1 packet Knox Gelatin
Zest of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons sugar

​With a wooden spoon stir together the softened butter, sugar, and egg. Mix together the flour with the baking powder and gradually mix into the creamed butter mixture. Using the spoon and your hands mix dough until smooth, adding more flour as needed until the dough is no longer super sticky and easily handled. Gluten free flour will always be a bit more sticky than regular flour. Flatten into a disc and cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate 1 hour or best overnight. When ready to bake the tart, remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to warm up a bit until pliable and knead a bit. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil the pan. Then roll out the dough (or see tip) to fit a 10” tart pan. Poke holes into the crust with a fork and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely. 

Tip: Since gluten free dough tends to tear easily, and to avoid discarding bits of the dough, I prefer to break the dough into 4 or 5 equal chunks and divide it out directly onto the tart pan. Then using a baby bottle (without the top) I like to roll out the dough directly into the pan. Then using my fingers I spread the dough evenly into the sides. This way there is no transfer and all dough is used up. 
 
Meanwhile, while the dough is chilling, make the lemon curd. In a small saucepan simmer the fresh lemon juice over medium heat until reduced down by half. Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool. Create a double boiler by filling a saucepan with about 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. In a ceramic bowl that is large enough to sit in the saucepan without the water overflowing, mix together the whole egg, the egg yolk, sugar, and lemon zest. Add the cooled lemon juice, and whisk together.
 
Place the bowl into the medium saucepan, and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. Using heat proof gloves remove from the heat and immediately add the salted butter flakes to the curd and whisk for about a minute to create a shiny smooth lemon curd. Transfer into a small glass jar and refrigerate. 

While curd and cookie crust are cooling, prep the berries of your choice. If using strawberries, rinse well and cut off the green tops. Depending on the size of the strawberry slice into half, thirds, or quarters to have even slices. If using raspberries, leave them as is because water tends to soften them too much. Rinse and dry blackberries or blueberries if using. 
 
Once the cookie crust is cooled and the curd is cold, use a spatula to evenly spread the curd over the bottom of the crust. Then arrange the berries on top in any way that suits your fancy and refrigerate.
 
Finally, pour ~1/4 of the cold water into a jar and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Pour the remaining water into a saucepan. Add the lemon zest and sugar and bring to a boil. Once boiling allow to simmer for a minute and then remove from heat. Add ~2 tablespoon of the hot liquid to the cold liquid and stir to combine. Then pour the cold liquid mixture back into the hot liquid mixture. Stir to combine. 
 
Transfer the gelee mixture into a glass or metal bowl and refrigerate until it is just starting to gel. You want it to be spoonable and thick like kefir, but not thin like water. Check after 30 minutes, then again every 5 minutes so that you don't miss the perfect texture. If it does gel too much, just sit the bowl into a warm water bath to gently warm up the gelee and thin up a little. Gently spoon the mixture evenly over the entire tart to cover the berries as best as possible. Then refrigerate the entire tart until the gelee has fully set and ready to serve. Best enjoyed within 3-4 days after making, if it lasts that long. For extra decadence serve with homemade whipped cream, but it’s not required because it tastes super yummy on its own.