Last updated: August 4, 2023
Hey there! Welcome to Rad Foodie, where you’ll find healthy every day and globally inspired recipes.
I’m Tracey, the recipe developer, writer and photographer behind this blog. I am Monash University trained in the Low-FODMAP diet and I’ve spent many years following and helping my patients follow special diets and manage dietary restrictions. It’s my mission to show you how to create easy recipes that are bursting with flavor – because following a special diet doesn’t have to be boring! Eating should be fun and taste buds deserve to be happy.
What you’ll find at Rad Foodie
- Recipes for everyone: Here you’ll find recipes for everyone, with a focus on low-carb, keto and low-FODMAP diets – many with globally inspired flavors. Try this Pisto Manchego recipe (a Spanish vegetable stew) and my Asian Tuna Salad, which is a fan favorite. I also include many recipes and recipe variations for the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP) and paleo diets. And, many recipes are also Whole 30 compliant.
- Amazing BBQ: I firmly believe in amazing barbecue and love my Traeger smoker. Great BBQ doesn’t rely on sugar or onion and garlic! Fire up your smoker and enjoy these Smoked Beef Ribs with a low-FODMAP BBQ rub and a keto and FODMAP-friendly BBQ sauce.
- Easy to follow instructions: I aim to create recipes with easy to follow instructions so everyone can enjoy wholesome, flavorful food, even if you’re new to cooking.
- Variations: All recipes include variations so you can expand your culinary horizons, cook creatively and venture into new tastes and flavors.
Changing diets can be challenging, but I'm here to help make it much easier. You can search by diet or look for a specific dish in the Rad Foodie Recipe Index.
A little about me
I am a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist and bodyworker and I have always loved to cook. Some of my earliest memories were in the kitchen, kneading bread and working as ‘sous chef’ in my family kitchen, which included a fair amount of chopping things and dishwashing.
My college career started with my major in dietetics but I realized my true passion was in Oriental Medicine where I could still use diet and nutrition as the foundation for healing. After changing my major, I finished my undergraduate education with a degree in General Science. My Master's degree is in Oriental Medicine, from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, where I graduated with honors. I have been practicing natural medicine and acupuncture for over 20 years and love the art of healing. I use diet and nutrition as well as acupuncture, herbal formulations and physical medicine to heal the whole person.
Due to my own health history with two autoimmune diseases, I've followed many special diets over the last 20 years. My experience with ulcerative colitis and ankylosing spondylitis has lead to a lot of experimentation with food and many dietary restrictions. I have found that a low-carb, mostly animal-based diet has had tremendously positive effects. As a result, I have been following a targeted ketogenic lifestyle since 2018 and a low-FODMAP diet since 2012.
I spent over a decade in the natural pet food industry, as a consultant, pet food formulator and manufacturer, making a very popular healthy raw food for cats. It was a way I could use my education and experience to help heal our feline familiars with IBD and to feed cats like the carnivores they are.
Currently, I share my little 1923 bungalow in Portland, Oregon with my wife, three cats and the multitudes of urban creatures that frequent our garden and little wildlife habitat we've created.
I’m passionate about spending quality time in nature. When I’m not working on the blog, making a mess trying out new recipes in my tiny bungalow kitchen or treating patients, you can usually find me in the great Pacific Northwest outdoors hiking, cycling or kayaking when it it isn't raining.
How this blog came about
Put simply, cooking makes me happy. I've always loved cooking creatively, combining global and international flavors and creating fusion recipes that are easy and healthy. When I started following a low-FODMAP diet over 10 years ago, I jumped into the challenge of createing recipes that are bursting with flavor, while still including FODMAP-friendly ingredients. When I started following a ketogenic diet, I applied that knowledge and creativity to develop recipes that are not only FODMAP-friendly, but also low-carb. I know how difficult meals can be with dietary restrictions, but they definitely don’t have to be boring and flavorless. I’m here to help!
I've always loved photography and have been an aspiring photographer for many years. When I realized that I had a growing pile of notebooks with hundreds of recipes for special diets, starting a blog seemed like the perfect next step. It's the best way for me to share my tasty and sometimes very unique creations with others. Blogging lets me do things I love doing, while still challenging myself to learn more. I enjoy immersing myself in food photography and the other technical aspects of managing a growing website. It's a lot of work, but so very rewarding!
FAQ
I’ve created a keto diet resources page that includes a beginner’s guide to keto as well as information on why electrolytes are an important consideration when following a ketogenic diet. Be sure to visit my keto diet category for delicious, healthy low-carb recipes to help get you started.
FODMAP is an acronym that stands for Fermentable Oligo- Di- Mono-saccharides And Polyols. These are poorly absorbed short-chain carbohydrates that are fermented in the intestines and can lead to pain, bloating and changes in gut motility, especially for those with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). The effects of these carbohydrate subgroups have different actions and effects in the gut. Some may cause symptoms, where others do not.
The low-FODMAP diet is a three-stage elimination diet that helps to identify which subgroups cause symptoms. It is intended to be short-term, allowing you to determine if FODMAPs are a symptom trigger, then find out what FODMAPs are tolerated and in what quantity. The goal is to restrict the smallest number of foods possible, while still controlling symptoms.
A low-FODMAP diet has been shown in numerous studies to be very effective in the treatment of IBS, with about ¾ of people responding favorably. However, response to the diet is highly individual and not everyone will experience symptom relief. There are many factors that can influence IBS symptoms, but FODMAPs can be potential triggers for symptoms. Once you identify the FODMAP subcategories that aggravate symptoms, those can be avoided and hopefully improve overall quality of life.
Monash University (the pioneers of the low-FODMAP diet) has excellent information and a comprehensive list of qualified and trained dieticians to work with to provide guidance and help tailor the diet for individual needs and preferences.
I’ve found that I’m most sensitive to fructans and oligosaccharides. Onions and garlic tend to create the worst symptoms. However, I’ve found I can eat them in small quantities on occasion.
While I love everything I include on the blog, there are a few stand-out favorites that we eat on repeat in our house. This Smoked Flank Steak is so simple and delicious and makes great leftovers. Leftovers for the win! I almost always have it with Red Chimichurri. Blue Cheese Dressing and Cilantro Lime Dressing are staples in our fridge. And, these Cheddar Biscuits are my go-to comfort food. Want to make me happy? Give me a soft, buttery biscuit!
My top recipes
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