Onions & Garlic

[BT]

My husband cannot handle onions or garlic. I love both and find most recipes bland without them. Is there a good substitute (onion juice, onion powder) that will give food taste without giving my husband intestinal troubles?

[funnybone]

Make him take some "Beeno" if that is his intestinal trouble. LOL. Seriously, there is no substitute for onions and garlic in my opinion. Can you try using less than the recipe calls for? Perhaps this may help him. The older I get, the more I find I have the same problem - with green peppers too. Foods that never bothered me before, do now (I'm 37). Use them in moderation - or just use one or the other, not both.

[BT]

Even in moderation he dies a slow death.

[funnybone]

Originally posted by BT:
Even in moderation he dies a slow death.

. . . and that's a bad thing?? LOL

In all seriousness, I hope someone else can help you better. Try adding extra herbs and spices. I sure there are lots of people out there with the same problem - there may even be a cookbook out there to help cook for such problems. Check your local library.

[makedah]

Some Hindus don't eat onions or garlic. If you have a good selection of Indian cookbooks where you live you might find interesting recipes and/or suggestions for cooking without it.

[sneezles]

How about leeks in place of onions? They're in the same family but leeks are much milder. As for garlic, that might be a bit tougher. Elephant garlic is milder but often difficult to find. Have you tried using the paste? I use it a lot in dishes I want my children to try but don't want them to see the onion.

[makedah]

Penzey's sells onion powder, by the way. Can he handle garlic powder? I second the Beano suggestion. I have trouble with dehydrated/reconstitued onions, but I can't give them up, so if I'm going that route I take Beano.

[kwormann]

I feel your husbands pain....I cant eat raw onions, major heartburn! I love raw onions, too. Im so glad I can eat garlic (by the truckload, I might add!!!)

kim

[lorilei]

Does he get a reaction from ALL onions (red, white, yellow)?

Have you tried roasting the garlic or carmelizing the onions first? Sometimes this breaks down strong flavor of the onion and causes less digestive distress...

It's worth a try http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif

[Hoosier65]

I have had major intestinal problems too the older I get (53, but don't feel a bit older than 30)and have changed my eating habits in the last year. I have found that taking an ENZYME DIGESTANT, found at GNC after every meal helps a bunch. I did some research on the internet and some other sufferer suggested it. It has certainly helped me. I do try to limit the things that are a bother.

[LGBurns]

Have you tried shallots? They are sort of between an onion and garlic but milder. If that doesn't work I would second funnybones suggestion to try to add more herbs to add flavor. It also probably depends on what you are making: can you give us some idea of the kinds of food you cook that call for onions & garlic? Italian? Mexican? Chinese?

[funnybone]

I have heard that "elephant garlic" really isn't a garlic, but more like in the onion family. I heard this on a cooking show.

[Emdg]

If it's a heartburn problem with raw onions I find that rinsing them with water after you have cut them takes some of the burn off. What a horrible thing....I think I would die a slow death if I couldn't eat onions or garlic!

[This message has been edited by Emdg (edited 03-29-2001).]

[sneezles]

Yes, elephant garlic is actually closer to a leek than garlic but still has the taste of garlic only milder.
One thing you might try is to simmer the onion and or garlic in a small amount of water before using in a recipe this reduces is pungency. Or just saute in the oil and then rmove entirely. I know many Italian cooks who use whole cloves to to flavor the oil and then remove the cloves.

[BT]

Thank you for all your suggestions. I will certainly give them a try. We love good food and would hate to lose the enjoyment. I bought some enzymes a while back at a health food store and totally forgot about trying them.