foods I can eat

I have a new friend whose love language is cooking.  She asked if there are any foods I can’t eat.  I said it would be easier to list for her the foods I can eat!

“Thai food is usually pretty safe,” I said.

I don’t expect you to cook for me, reader.  Yet I thought you might be curious to see my lists of yes foods and no no foods.

foods I can eat

• rice
• cauliflower
• tofu
• tempeh
• garlic cooked (small quantity raw ok)
• ginger cooked
• onions cooked
• potatoes
• carrots
• zucchini
• sweet potatoes
• non-wheat, non-corn pasta
• most non-wheat fake meats
• lettuce
• most spices but not super hot
• spinach small quantity
• collard greens, chard small quantity
• fresh basil
• quinoa
• chia seeds, hemp seeds
• sesame seeds, tahini
• pinenuts
• pecans
• rice protein powder
• blueberries
• a little apple
• half a ripe banana
• half avocado
• plain oatmilk
• oils, vegan butter

no no foods

• corn
• mushrooms
• wheat
• concentrated sugar
• chocolate
• cowsmilk, ice cream, yogurt
• lots of citrus (small amount ok)
• lots of strawberry
• concentrated tomato like tomato sauce
• aged cheeses
• lots of cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts (small amount ok)
• lots of beans, split peas, lentils (small amount ok)
• pumpkin
• underripe banana
• a lot of sunflower seeds (sunflower seed butter)
• old storebought salad dressing
• eggs (small amount ok?)

don’t like or avoid for other reasons

• meat other than fish and seafood
• celery
• jicama
• water chestnuts
• bamboo
• arugula
• boc choi
• hazelnuts (but hazelnut butter seems ok)
• more than two Brazil nuts
• wasabi
• pickled ginger
• a lot of cardamom
• hard things in my food I’m supposed to pick out like cardamom pod or fish bone

additional notes

Most Indian food gives me bad heartburn.  Much Mexican food gives me bad heartburn.  Veg sushi is great.  

There are some things I’m not sure about: sometimes a little almonds seems ok–sometimes not.  I love eggplant, but I might have a bad reaction if I eat too much.  Coconut seems fine now, but it was bad before, so I feel cautious.  Coconut trauma!

I love soft foods and like my veg cooked soft.  My previous favorite food was mac and cheese.  I also loved lasagna, enchiladas, beans, pumpkin, pizza, soyrizo and eggs, bread, toast, eggs and toast.  Paneer tika masala,  palak paneer, malai kofta.  Falafel, labneh, baba ganoush, hummus.  I ate a cheese sandwich for lunch every day for years. 

Ice cream, cookies, cheesecake, and chocolate were favorite desserts.  Now I don’t have desserts at all.  I’ve changed a lot!

Thank you to everyone who’s ever cooked for me.  I appreciate the sacred gift of your love.  Especially my mom’s mom who said to my mom, “That baby needs some food!” and fed me some beans.