Happy & Fructose Free

I love pomegranates!

BUT… They Are High Fructose Tally Food Item.  The good news?  This recipe only uses a few tablespoons, so if you have a few fructose enzymes in your daily allotment to spare (or a roll of Smarties in your cupboard), then your gut should be just fine 🙂

Maple Oatmeal Pudding Pom(egranate) Parfait

.5 Cup – Oatmeal (I prefer Quaker Old Fashioned) – Cooked
1 Tbsp – Jello Vanilla Instant Pudding (I prefer Sugar Free to save calories)
.5 Cup – Unsweetened Almond Milk (Original or Vanilla would both be great here)
1 Tbsp – Maple Syrup of your choosing (see below for options) 
2 Tbsp – Fresh pomegranate seeds (or substitute your favorite berry)

Directions:

Before.) Prepare your fresh pomegranate seeds by removing them from the crazy maze-of-a-fruit they come in.  Here is a link if you’ve never tackled a pomegranate before.  They are work, but totally worth it!  http://video.about.com/gourmetfood/Pomegranate.htm   

1.) Cook oatmeal per package instructions. While it cooks…
2.) Mix together the pudding mix and almond milk, and whisk together till thickened (approx 1-2 mins)   *Note: Dairy Milk works fine too, but you may need to add some water if your mix is too thick.
3.) Once the oatmeal is done, mix it with the maple syrup.
4.) Assemble the parfait with a layer of oatmeal, pudding, and sprinkle of berries, and repeat two more times.

How easy is that?!  And a calorie bargain at 230 cals/recipe!

Fructose Malabsorption doesn’t mean zero fruit in your life.  You just have to find a balance, and eat your fruits and veggies wisely.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at HappyAndFructoseFree@gmail.com

Happy Eating to All 🙂  ~ Lindsey

Syrup Options for Fructose Sensitive Folks

** SUPER IMPORTANT NOTE **  All syrups are  High Fructose Tally Items, so you must be very careful for the rest of the day if you choose to splurge.  You only get a certain amount of enzymes per day and it depends on your tolerance.  Experimentation is necessary but fear is optional 🙂

Make it (the easy way) ~ Karo Light Corn Syrup + Water (to desired consistency) + Maple, Vanilla & Butter Flavoring to taste.

Make it (from scratch) ~ Add 1 cup of water to 3 or 4 cups of sugar + 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar (makes it stable in the fridge for awhile).  Bring to a boil until sugar is completely dissolved.  Remove from heat then add flavorings to taste like above.

Make it from scratch (with berries) ~ Take any frozen berry and add some water to a pan and let reduce to a fruit syrup.  Add sugar and spices to taste, and if it is too liquidy add a bit of flour (gluten free works great) and stir constantly until thickened then blend for a smooth texture.  You can also strain out the seeds once the berries are blended (prolly best to do before you add the flour).

Buy it ~ Pure Maple Syrup.  As long as it is 100% pure then it is safe in moderation.

Buy it ~ Mrs. Butterworth’s Lite Syrup.  The new formula IS FREE OF HFCS and I had a total party in the cereal isle when I realized this!

–> But manufacturers can change formulas at any time, so ALWAYS CHECK THE INGREDIENTS, even if you have bought this item a million times.  Better safe then sick!