I have been targeting my last few posts and recipes towards an almost exclusive group of people: HFIers (read more about my story here!). Although technically, anyone can greatly benefit from a low-fructose approach to life. This is why I thought I would write a post for absolutely everyone; whether you are an HFIer or not, feel free to compare your daily eating habits to mine, I’d love to know! All the products mentioned have links, so you can get them, if you wish.

I spent almost a year trying to determine what my body needs rather than giving into meaningless cravings. I want to feel satisfied and happy with my food choices, not guilty or accidentally sugared (it happens to the most experienced of us. They are often related to snack foods in my case. Cheese crackers anyone?). Although living with a dietary restriction is difficult when you are out, it doesn’t have to be when you are in. If you know exactly what you are feeding your body, it is much easier to rule out what doesn't work for you. 

My daily meals are far from repetitive, but I go through various phases throughout the year. Sometimes, I veer towards high-carb, low-fat meals, sometimes high-fat, low-carb, sometimes high-protein. It really depends. It’s the second year I’ve gone through a vegan mindset at the beginning of the spring, but as I am sure you are aware, restricting vegetables, fruit and even some starches on an HFI diet is already challenging, let alone on an HFI vegan diet. But it’s great fun! I find meal planning such a calming task, it sets you up for the week and, most importantly, sets you up for success. 

I like simplicity in my products, but complexity in the appearance of my meals. A sky-high salad is ideal in my opinion; it’s balanced and adaptable, especially if you use fresh produce and homemade toppings. I rarely eat packaged food; I am always sceptical of mile-long ingredient labels. I would rather make my own pre-packed lunch from scratch, for half the price and twice the flavour. Not to mention the macronutrients and nutritional composition! 

I had my breakfast after a medium-intensity routine of pilates and yoga; I exercise almost every day, a combination of pilates, yoga and indoor cardio works very well for me, along with outdoor running in the summer. Since the weather is finally improving, I’ve transitioned my breakfast from cooked oats to a lighter, more flavourful option. Today, I had smashed avocado and sliced radishes on a slice of seeded bloomer, topped with rocket and black pepper. I also had some water and a cup of black coffee, along with my vitamin C, folic acid and biotin tablets.

I like green tea, coffee, black tea and water, and those are all I drink on a typical day. Sometimes my water is sparkling, I find that it adds a bit of dimension to the list of authorised drinks us HFIers are given. It feels a little bit special, for some reason! 

I like snacks a lot. Today, I had a little plain Greek yoghurt with organic brown rice puffs from Rude Health and a teaspoon of pumpkin seed butter whilst I was reading M&S’s free Italian recipe flyer.

Lunch is when I get to be creative again! I love rice bowls and open-faced sandwiches as much as I like quiche or grilled chicken, so literally anything could land on my plate. Today, I had a bowl of pasta, which isn’t uncommon! I found that Tesco’s freefrom spaghetti, which is made from rice and maize flour, contains less sugar than Barilla’s pasta (0.5 grams per 100 as opposed to 3.5 grams per 100). Although I prefer the taste of whole-wheat pasta, I try to stay away from it as the sugar content is somewhat higher. Doves Farm brown rice pasta is great, too, at 0.5 grams per 100. I made a light avocado and basil pesto with plenty of lemon juice and black pepper. I sprinkled a few flaked almonds on the top for effect and ate the entire bowl with chopsticks. 

I had a kallo corncake later on, to keep me going until dinner. I prefer them to rice cakes, they have a buttery consistency which is much more pleasant and satisfying! 

Dinner turned out to be out, today, which is great as I can show you what I order when that is the case! This is a mixed spiced bean burger with pesto mayonnaise and a basket of chunky chips. I am not a fan of chain-made burgers, I don’t like Nando’s burgers, Byron’s burgers or even fast-food burgers. The meat is often full of fat, the bun full of sugar, and the chips full of grease. I’d rather have a homemade one, for half the calories and sugar, and twice the satisfaction. But when a really good burger comes along, I’m loyal to it. Being halfway through The China Study, I am attempting a meat-free and mostly dairy-free diet, with some leniency when eating out. This burger is meatless, but it is most likely made with eggs, and the mayonnaise with dairy. I asked for the traditional brioche bun to be replaced with the focaccia bun on their menu, which contains no sugar. The chips are flash-fried and finished in the oven. The whole ensemble is absolutely delicious, although a little bit naughty! 

I had a cup of herbal tea when I got home and that’s it! If I have a lighter dinner, I might have a refreshing bowl of yoghurt as a dessert, but most of the time, I don’t need it. 

That’s my day of eatses on a low-fructose diet! It’s a lot easier than you might think, and keeps me full and happy every day of the week, wherever I am!

Happy eating, HFIers!

I am writing this post from my garlic-infused apartment. If you love garlic, you have to make this. Not only will your tastebuds start dancing, your kitchen will smell divine as it’s roasting. Did I mention it takes no time at all? Chop, drizzle and in the oven it goes. Then you can sit back and enjoy the smell. Or if you’re like me, run to the oven every 5 minutes and inhale deeply.

So, why is this little 2-in-1 recipe so perfect for us HFIers? Because garlic is safe for us. And if you like it, you’ll love these! The taste and texture of roasted garlic is considerably different from raw garlic; it’s much deeper and sharper. I love it, it’s such an effective addition to a plain dish (I can see a pasta recipe coming up very soon, here!) yet it’s a very sophisticated flavour. It blends fabulously into pastes and sauces, and melts delightfully on meats, fish or pasta. Versatile, isn’t it? Which is why I’ve added a heavenly hummus recipe. It really is heavenly. 

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Chop the top off your garlic and drizzle with olive oil. This will make the cloves easy to squeeze out and allow them to become soft and buttery. Create a nest out of parchment paper (like you would with a fish parcel) or foil for your garlic. This prevents the tops from burning. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until soft and fragrant. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes before trying to squeeze out the cloves. You can keep them in the fridge or use them straight away!

The official recommendations suggest our intake of hummus should not be superior to a tablespoon. Now, I don’t know about you, but when I first read this, I was not pleased. I could live on hummus and pita bread. After thinking about it more seriously, one tablespoon is actually quite a lot. The problem with hummus is that it is addictive. The great thing about this recipe is that it’s potent. One of the main reasons roasted garlic works so well is that it’s much more satiating. And so is cumin. So after a tablespoon, you’re good. As much as I love this recipe, I would not be able to eat the entire recipe (yes, that happens sometimes.) Result: happy HFIer! No bloating, no nausea. Tested and approved! 

If you would rather use a different type of bean, you could try white or black beans. Or you could even mash it up with soft cheese for an easy spread instead.

Can we talk about these adorable new mini pita breads from Sainsbury’s? I am so glad they don’t have any added sugar!

Here’s the recipe!

If you snack on this once a day, this recipe will last you a week.

Half a can of chickpeas

1 teaspoon tahini

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon olive oil

Juice of half a lemon

4 to 6 roasted garlic cloves, depending on your preference

Salt and pepper

Water

I have found the quality of your blender will make or break your hummus. I have a cheap blender, so it never turns out very smooth. But don’t worry if you, too, have a crappy blender. You might need some elbow grease to finish the process.

Put all the ingredients in your blender, apart from the water. Blend for a few seconds, then add water accordingly. The more water you add, the runnier it will be; it depends whether you like your hummus to be a paste or a spread. Don’t forget to run a spoon along the sides of your blender and stir through to incorporate all the chickpeas.

Dip homemade crackers in it for a quick snack or spread on sandwich bread instead of mayonnaise! Yum!

Happy eating, HFIers!

What are your thoughts on hummus? Let me know, I would love to hear from you!