Minimalistic Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet

This book describes SCD
My intent with this effort is to gather in one location Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) legal recipes that are easy to prepare (and VERY tasty).  This diet is used to treat Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, autism, diverticulitis, celiac disease, cystic fibrosis and chronic diarrhea.  The diet was popularized by Elaine Gottschall in her book Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Intestinal Heath Through Diet.


The viscous cycle addressed in the book centers around undigested carbohydrates and subsequent damage from bacterial overgrowth fed by the undigested carbohydrates.  The purpose of the SCD is to sort foods into those foods whose carbohydrates can be digested easily (mono-saccharides) and foods with hard to digest carbohydrates (complex carbohydrates such as di-saccharides and poly-saccharides) also called starches including the starch in gluten.  Ms. Gottschall stated that in describing the SCD it is almost more important to stress what is NOT eaten than what is eaten:  The following are NOT eaten on the SCD diet:
  • Grains (no cereal grains or flour-based products)
  • Fluid milk (yogurt is used instead)
  • Starchy veggies (potatoes, yams, etc.), seaweeds, algae, or mucilaginous veggies (okra and malabar spinach)
  • Bean sprouts or bean flour
  • Processed meats (hot dogs, luncheon meats, etc.)
  • Canned veggies (due to added starches and sugars)
  • Sugar, maple syrup, molasses, corn syrups, agave nectar or artificial sweetener (except saccharin)
  • Soy in its various forms including soy sauce
  • Balsamic vinegar because of the added sugar
  • Chocolate or carob
  • Added starches (corn starch, tapioca, arrowroot, etc.)
  • Baking power
  • Sodas, beer, sweet wines, sherry, cordials, liqueurs, or brandy
So now we know what foods are not allowed. Lets look at the groups of foods we have to work with for cooking SCD meals:
  • Meat/fish (fresh or frozen), eggs, yogurt, butter, and hard cheeses
  • Beans, lentils, and split peas after pre-soaking
  • Non-starchy veggies/greens (fresh or frozen) and natural veggie/greens juices
  • Natural Fruits (fresh. frozen or dried) and natural fruit juices and ciders
  • Nuts, seeds, coconuts (also coconut milk), natural nut butters
  • Flours made from finely ground nuts 
  • Honey or saccharin
  • Cooking oils, vinegars, spices, garlic, onion, herbs
  • Baking soda
  • Unflavored gelatin
  • Plain coffee, tea, herbal tea, very dry wine, diet soda, or club soda
For some of those questionable vegetables I look to the Legal/Illegal Food list on Breaking the Viscous Cycle  through SCD website.

Over the years I have collected several SCD cookbooks – all of them with wonderful recipes.  Unfortunately while I found myself frequently looking through the cookbooks, I did very little actual cooking of the recipes from the cookbooks.  Frequently, I continued to cook more simple meals using my steamer and wok.  I did bake occasionally from the cook books but I typically made the recipes with fewer ingredients.

While several aspects of my life are organized and run very smoothly, keeping a well stocked SCD pantry and preparing SCD legal meals has been a struggle.  Wanting further changes in my life I began reading articles on mindfulness.  Mindfulness led to further reading on minimalism where I stumbled onto great resources for minimalist cooking.

Jules Clancy, The Stone Soup Virtual Cookery School, has a wonderful website and blog where she declares:

For the rest of my life, I am committed to mostly cooking recipes with 5 INGREDIENTS.
Several of Jules’ recipes can be prepared in 10 to 15 minutes.  Her concept is simple and straightforward but she presents a wide variety of cooking styles and food choices within her minimalist cooking framework.  For several months now I have tried to do the same in my kitchen.  


When 2011 began it was time for me to consider my New Years Resolutions.  After much deliberation I decided I didn't need a series of New Years Resolutions but a simple mantra like Jules has with her 5 ingredients/10 minutes.  2011 is my year for mantras; not mandates.  For 2011, I settled on the mantra of

HEALTHY, HAPPY, AND WHOLE
I’ve develop this SCD recipe collection of 5 ingredient/10 minute style recipes to support my personal SCD/mindfulness eating for 2011.  I hope that I also can provide this collection as inspiration to others who are overwhelmed with attempting to cook all their meals from scratch.  May others on the SCD find themselves Healthy, Happy, and Whole.


My Minimalist Recipes for the SCD project got off to a great start in early 2011 and then my mother fell in March 2011.  She fractured her neck and required hospitalization and rehab during which time I was traveling back and forth from Louisiana to Oklahoma.  While wearing her neck brace she can not see her small dog (a Westie), so Pete has transitioned to living with us while she heals.  Now in early June 2011 my schedule has settled down again and I intend to get back to organizing the cooking concepts in my mind and the recipe note scribbles in the folder into a searchable e-book.  Please inquire at StatelyWarrenManor[at]gmail[dot]com.


SCD Blogroll and Resources
Eating SCD (Paul Stocker)
SCD News (Matt Herod)
SCD Recipes (Ramad Prasad)
Lucy's Kitchen Shop (Lucy Rosset)
The Food Lady (Jan Locker)
GutFood (Scharf Family)


Minimalistic Cooking Blogroll
Stone Soup (Jules Clancy)
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