Chicken!

Intestinal diseases usually require a change in diet.
While every person has a different experience, one basic truth is that our intestines essentially dictate what we can and cannot eat on a regular basis.

Dietary restrictions for diseases like Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Coeliac Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, will often result in a boring diet.

Overall, the best foods for my system are chicken, fish, rice, potatoes, and rye bread. I have been lucky the past few years and my diet has expanded quite a bit, but on days when I don't feel quite right, those 5 foods are my failsafe (along with Boost and apple sauce). Especially the chicken.
So so so much chicken.

With how much I eat chicken, you would think it would get tiresome... but chicken is one of the most versatile proteins! There are so many different ways to cook it and so many flavour combinations simply from spices - it is easy to make something bland become exciting. I have had far more than my fair share of this bird, so I am pretty well-versed in chicken recipes.

If any of these chicken recipes sound particularly tasty, email me and I can send you a recipe:

• Chicken Roulade with arugula and goat cheese
• Garlic Chicken Fajitas
• Buffalo Chicken Sandwhich
• Mushroom and Balsamic Stuffed Chicken Breast
• Chicken Skewers
• Boiled Lemon Chicken
• Roasted Chicken with Mango Sauce
• Lemon-Dill Baked Chicken
• Chicken Alfredo
• Honey Mustard Chicken Strips
• Chicken and Tomatoed with Rosemary
• Sweet Tropical Chicken
• Coconut Crusted Chicken
• Bbq Marinated Chicken
• Chicken and Strawberry Salad
• Chicken and Dumplings
• Chicken Monte Cristo
• Chicken and Pickled Asparagus

Seriously there are endless flavours and combinations.
Below are some of my favourite herbs and spices that I like to keep on hand:
▪︎garlic
▪︎chives
▪︎basil
▪︎cumin
▪︎marjoram
▪︎coriander
▪︎oregano
▪︎dill
▪︎lemon pepper
▪︎roasted garlic and red pepper
▪︎dried onion mix
▪︎paprika
▪︎parsley
▪︎alder smoked sea salt
▪︎Holy Smokes sea salt from the Salt Cellar (they have a large selection of infused salts and peppers that are delightful)
▪︎herbs de Provençe
▪︎mint
▪︎sage

And if you want extra special flavour for proteins, salads, or just to dip bread in, I HIGHLY recommend finding infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars.
Here are my favourite flavours:
▪︎Blood Orange Olive Oil
▪︎Hot Pepper Olive Oil
▪︎Garlic Olive Oil
▪︎Garlic Coconut Oil
▪︎Pineapple White Balsamic
▪︎Comice Pear White Balsamic
▪︎Key Lime White Balsamic

If your body can handle physical herbs and spices, then go to town! It is so easy to make a relatively bland meal really exciting with just an array of balanced spices. There are even special combinations of spices that have ZERO salt in them. Epicure sells some called Sansels that pack a good punch of flavour without the salt AND all of their products are entirely gluten-free. (No I do not sell Epicure). If your body can't seem to handle the physical spices (they can sometimes get caught and wedged into the ulcerations of inflammatory bowel disease), then try some of the infused olive oils.
It sounds like a luxury, but it is an easy way to infuse a TON of flavour into a meal without compromising intestinal health. Evoolution carries some fantastic flavours and they are made locally! Bonus!

A 'bland' diet does not have to taste bland. Sure, it may look super boring on paper to be eating chicken 5 times a week, but you can fool everyone by making it incredibly flavourful.
Happy eating!