Pasta- the epitome of comfort food. Unfortunately, comfort food frequently goes out the window for those following SIBO diets. But it can and should have a place in all “diets”.
Optimal Wellness
Food is meant to nourish us not just physically, but mentally as well. And I believe the key to optimal wellness is finding and nurturing the intersection between these two.
Loading your plate with a huge pile of pasta on a daily basis might not get you the results you want. But pairing it with a hefty portion of greens and tossing in some delicious veggies- that’s what I am getting at.
Pasta & SIBO?
You might be wondering how pasta can possibly fit on a SIBO diet? Especially considering that most SIBO diets equate grains to the devil.
While some individuals with chronic illness are sensitive to all grains, I actually see a surprising amount of people with SIBO who do just fine incorporating modest portions of certain gluten-free, low FODMAP grains into their diet.
Rice seems to be one of the best tolerated grains for those with SIBO. When I have clients introduce rice back into their diets, not only do they typically end up feeling fine in the digestive sense, but they experience a huge amount of emotional relief. Suddenly food becomes enjoyable again and they no longer feel like they are starving all the time.
Fortunately, pasta isn’t only made out of wheat (one of the highest FODMAP foods out there). Rice pasta has made its way into the gluten-free aisle of even the most conventional of grocery stores.
My favorite gluten-free pasta is Jovial Foods Egg Tagliatelle. It’s a rice-based pasta made from two ingredients: brown rice & eggs. It is incredibly tasty and you can even fool your gluten-eating friends into thinking it’s the real deal.
Unfortunately, the above product is a little pricey. So when my budget is feeling a little more tight, I opt for the Trader Joe’s Organic Brown Rice Penne (pictured in this recipe post). One thing to keep in mind is that brown rice pasta tastes best when eaten right after cooking. It dries out when it is stored in the fridge and then reheated.
- 1 lb chicken tenders smothered in olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper
- Large handful green beans, ends trimmed, cut into 2" pieces
- 1 small zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 1 batch Lemony Basil Spinach Pesto (or you can simply make a pesto from basil leaves, olive oil, salt, pepper, and your favorite nut/seed- hazelnuts are my current favorite and are low FODMAP if you stick to just 10 nuts per serving)
- 2 cups Trader Joe's Brown Rice Penne (or your favorite GF Low FODMAP Pasta)
- Make pesto in a food processor.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions.
- In a large skillet, cook chicken tenders over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side or until browned on both sides and cooked throughout. Transfer to a small plate.
- Add a little extra olive oil to the pan, if needed. Saute green beans until tender, then add zucchini and cook for just a minute or two. Return chicken tenders to pan to warm them up, then turn off heat and stir in cooked noodles and pesto.
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