It’s been a tough food year

I love my food. I love baking cakes and eating them. I love chocolate. I love a roast dinner. I love vegetables picked in the garden and placed into a waiting, boiling pot. I love food.

I love writing this blog. It has given me purpose when I needed purpose. It has inspired me in the kitchen. It has given me a reason to spend more time in the kitchen. It has taught me new skills – cooking skills, yes, but also how to write one of these blog things. It has led to new, albeit virtual, friendships with people all over the UK and the world.

This year, the blog has faded a little into the background of my life and I haven’t given it the effort that it deserves. One of the reasons for this is the creation of Veg Patch Kitchen. My focus has been diverted into setting up the cookery classes.

Another reason though is that I have been struggling with food this past year. For about eighteen months, and perhaps with hindsight, a great deal longer, I have had stomach ache, back ache, bloating and a general feeling of sluggishness. On bad days I have had little energy for anything very much. My brain exists in a fug. Coherent thoughts become difficult. It has been frustrating. It has also been worrying. I have been wondering what was causing all of this. I have been through tests and thankfully nothing serious has been found. A possible diagnosis is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Did I tell you that I love my food?

Now, I have to work out how to make myself feel better. I have to keep a consistent food diary so that I can work out which foods are upsetting my gut. I mustn’t do it for a week or two then get wrapped up in life again and forget about it. I must focus.

Food, a massive part of my life, has become something that is making me unwell. I have been researching online and found out about FODMAPS. These are foods that are not so easily digested and therefore should be avoided and guess what, wheat is on there. This means that I have to curb my bread obsession. I can still bake lots of bread for everyone else though and it certainly doesn’t stop me teaching others how to bake it, and I am continuing to enjoy my spelt sourdough as that is allowed in small doses. I am also trialling gluten-free bread making so that I can teach others, so maybe this will help too.

All in all, I hope this goes to explain a little about why so few blog posts have been appearing here. I have been baking, but mostly the cakes that are already an established favourite of the girls and most of them are already on here, although I must get round to posting my coffee and walnut cake.

Maybe, as a result of this The Ordinary Cook will change direction a little bit and less cakes and more savoury recipes will start to appear. Watch this space.

Kath x

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10 thoughts on “It’s been a tough food year”

  1. Kath: I’m sorry you haven’t been feeling well this year.

    If you do have IBS, the first thing I would cut from your diet would be

    carbonated beverages (puts air in bowels) and pork (the hardest meat to

    digest. There are other foods that may also cause it but sometimes they are

    different in each individual. But the two I mentioned are two of the worst for

    most.

    I been there, done that and bought the t-shirt.

    I hope I have been able help in a small way.

    Have a Joyful Day :~D
    Charlie

  2. I’m so sorry life has been so tough for you lately. So hard for someone who loves food to be obliged to curb enthusiasm for it. I’m sure you’ll find your way through, and find favourite recipes that showcase the foods you’re obliged to prefer these days. It’ll be great to feel healthy again. Good luck.

    1. Thank you Margaret. I have grasped it as a challenge now, after avoiding it for so long. I will enjoy finding a new diet for myself (I hope). It will be great to feel healthy again. I am very much looking forward to it. It is wonderful to have so much support. Hope you are well x

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