Interstitial Cystitis Vegetarianism

Sweet Potato Nut Crackers (VEGAN)

Modified from a recipe grabbed off the Whole Foods “Health Starts Here” display. The original was IC-unfriendly, but luckily the modifications leave it tasting yummy still. Very cheap and very quick.

INGREDIENTS

1 sweet potato

fresh parsley (to taste— original recipe called for 1 tablespoon, but I used two roughly chopped large sprigs, i.e. considerably more)

black pepper (to taste)

24 crackers (preferably firmer so spreading is easier)

24 almonds (or other nuts)

paprika (optional if it causes you to flare up)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook the sweet potato. If you microwave it, poke it with a fork several times, and cook for about 5-6 minutes.

2. Scoop/scrape the sweet potato from the peel and mash it with the parsley and pepper.

3. Spread the mash onto the crackers, top with an almond, and sprinkle with paprika.

Vegetarian Refried Beans (VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE)

Incredibly quick and easy. This recipe seems kind of obvious, but I wanted to post it here anyway, in case anyone hasn’t thought about it. No source, just made up. If you like, add crumbled meat substitute (like mushroom protein) when you’re cooking this.

INGREDIENTS

1 can of pinto beans (or any kind, including cooked beans from dry)

spices to taste (Typical “taco seasoning” spices include: garlic, paprika, cumin, chili powder, onion powder/dried minced onion, pepper… you pick what you can tolerate, even if it’s not on this list)

olive oil (or any cooking oil)

crackers, bagel, bread, or chips for dipping/spreading

optional: water, vegetable broth, or stock

optional: shredded or grated cheese

optional: fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a small/medium pot on the stovetop on medium heat, with a generous helping of olive oil.

2. Place cooked beans in oil, and smash with a spoon, fork, potato masher, etc, continuing to add oil to taste or as necessary.

3. When beans are smashed to your liking, add spices and mix evenly.

4. Add more liquid (water, vegetable broth, or stock) if necessary to give it a better consistency— once again, to your liking.

5. Continue to cook and add liquid and/or oil as necessary until the beans have darkened in color slightly but are not burned.

6. Serve/eat with grated cheese and fresh cilantro on top (optional) with your choice of dipping/spreading surface!

Amaranth Quinoa Corn Chowder (VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE)

Found elsewhere, but a similar recipe here. Modified, once again (recipe also halved from original so that it would fit in my rice cooker). Very, very quick and easy if you have a rice cooker, and if you don’t, just do it in one big pan (sautéing and all). The yummiest amaranth recipe I’ve found yet, and hasn’t given my IC any problems. Remember, amaranth and quinoa are both complete proteins, yay!

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil), divided between 1 tablespoons and 1/2 tablespoon

3/4 cups finely chopped onion (Leek, green onion, sweet onion, or whatever you have)

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper (If red bell pepper bothers your IC, use whatever you have on hand to add some flavor)

1/8 cup amaranth grain

1/4 cup quinoa

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme or tarragon

2 cups corn kernels (thawed if using frozen), divided between 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup

1/2 cup milk or heavy cream (or rice milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter/oil over medium heat. Stir in the onion, celery, red bell pepper, and salt. (Add olive oil if too dry/sticky after stirring. Use your judgment on the right amount for sautéing.) Stir frequently until the vegetable are soft and the onion is becoming transparent.

2. Stir amaranth into rice cooker with 1 1/2 cups of water. Add sauteed vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat (or press “cook” on rice cooker, and wait for it to begin boiling). Stir in the quinoa and thyme/tarragon. Return to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly (or not, in the one-setting rice cooker) and cook at a gentle boil, partially covered (or with the usual steam-outlet cover for the rice cooker), for 10 minutes.

3. In a blender or food processor, puree 1 1/2 cups of the corn kernels with 1/2 cup of water. Stir the corn puree and the remaining 1/2 cup of whole corn kernels into the soup. Add salt to taste. Reduce the heat (once again, or not) and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes or until the quinoa and amaranth are tender.

4. Stir in the milk and remaining tablespoon of butter/oil.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers (VEGAN)

From here. Additions/changes are mine. A lot of prep time if you’re starting from fresh/uncooked ingredients, but super tasty, and made a lot of food (12 burgers). I’m freezing some.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cooked quinoa (I ran out of quinoa, used rice-cooker boiled bulgur, and it was awesome.)

1 medium sweet potato, baked with flesh scooped out

1/2 cup onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup white beans (I definitely used more like 1 cup to add moisture. Use canned if you want to save time, but to save money, I soaked dry beans overnight and cooked them today.)

25 crackers (I used Monet Pepper and Poppy water crackers. Might be a little rough for some IC folks, but fine for me.)

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (Add more if you like it!)

3 tablespoons chopped mushroom

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

olive oil for sautéing

DIRECTIONS

1. Place crackers in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground (not a powder, but not chunky). Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions, garlic and celery. Add beans to saucepan, stir and cook for a couple more minutes. Lightly mash beans with a fork until they’re semi-crushed. Remove from heat.

3. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. If the mixture is too moist, add some more ground crackers. If too dry, add some more smashed beans.

4. Form into “burger” patties and place on [olive oil] greased cookie sheet. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes. Check after about 15 minutes and rotate pan to insure even browning.

5. Serve on a bed of lightly steamed spinach or use as a burger with a bun.

General IC food guide