Low FODMAP Ceviche-Style Canned Fish Salad

I developed this recipe as an alternative to making tuna salad with mayonnaise. Ceviche is a Peruvian dish of raw fish mixed with vegetables and citrus juice. The citrus juice ‘cooks’ the fish. For our low spoons version we are using canned fish – tuna or salmon – and adding the fresh, tasty flavors of ceviche.

This ‘ceviche’ is fantastic on corn tortilla chips. You can buy them or make your own. You can of course also enjoy it on toasted low FODMAP bread or low FODMAP crackers. Also makes a yummy soft taco filling.

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Low FODMAP Ceviche-Style Salmon Salad

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 (5-ounce) cans of salmon or tuna, drained
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped (green parts only)
• 2 med tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 med green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, finely diced (optional)
• 1 English cucumber (~1.25 cups), peeled, seeded, and chopped
• a handful cilantro, chopped, plus several sprigs for garnish
• 1 lemon or lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• avocado slices (optional)
• GF tortilla chips for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Place salmon in a bowl. Add scallions, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, and drizzle with lemon or lime juice and combine.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
4. To serve, top with fresh sliced of avocado and serve with GF corn tortilla chips.

Low FODMAP North African Tuna Salad

Canned tuna is super convenient and cost-effective, making it a great center of a low effort meal. However the usual go-to tuna salad with mayonnaise is not something I eat on purpose. I don’t mind it for nostalgia’s sake once in a great while, but generally I’d rather have something else. I decided to try to come up with a new recipe using ingredients I’d normally have on hand that was nothing like mayo-based tuna salad.

What I came up with was a Tunisian-inspired tuna salad that’s nothing like the old standard. Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you have for this. Use your choice of olives. Black pearl olives have a mellow flavor. When I use them, I skip the scallions. The much stronger flavor of kalamata olives is complimented scallions. It’s up to you to make it yours. Lemon juice is the better choice of acid, but if you don’t have any on hand, red wine vinegar makes a decent substitute.

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Low FODMAP North African Tuna Salad

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 – 5oz can tuna, drained
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (preferred) or red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
• 5-6 black pearl or kalamata olives, roughly chopped
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
• 2-3 scallions, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
• tomato slices (optional)
• fresh arugula (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, capers, olives and oregano in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the tuna, scallions and parsley and mix well. Taste and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and stir.
3. Serve with sliced tomatoes and fresh arugula.

Low FODMAP Easy PNW Salmon Chowder

When you live someplace cool and rainy, you tend to develop a fondness for soups. A local favorite soup here in Seattle (and the rest of the Pacific Northwest) is Salmon Chowder. Some folks use smoked salmon for their chowder, others use a combination of unsmoked salmon plus bacon. However it’s made, smoke flavor adds a nice dimension to this creamy soup. If you tolerate sourdough, salmon chowder is wonderful when accompanied by a chunk of bread. It’s even better served in a sourdough boule bread bowl.

For this easy recipe you can use either canned skinless, boneless salmon (plus optional bacon if you can swing the effort) or you can use hot-smoked salmon. Just be sure your hot-smoked salmon contains no high FODMAP ingredients. Be aware that some ‘traditional’ types of canned salmon contain skin and bones. Look for cans that are clearly labeled skinless and boneless to avoid any texture unpleasantness.

Concerned about heavy cream? It turns out that heavy cream is high enough in milk fat and low enough in lactose to be low FODMAP. I admit I was nervous trying it for the first time, but I was fine. However, everyone’s tolerances are different. If a particular type of plant milk works better for you, by all means use it. Because this soup is thickened with flour, it doesn’t need the cream to stay thick.

If you don’t have Old Bay on hand or you don’t feel like making a copycat version, you can add 1/8 teaspoon each of paprika and celery seed.

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Low FODMAP Easy Salmon Chowder

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 1 large leek, rinsed & chopped (green parts only)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 4 tbsp sweet rice flour
• 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning (optional)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 4 cups low FODMAP chicken broth
• 2 cups cubed Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 – 5 oz cans boneless, skinless salmon, drained plus 4 strips bacon, cooked (optional) and crumbled OR 8 oz hot-smoked salmon, chopped into bite sized pieces, skin discarded
• 1 cup heavy cream
• fresh parsley (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Melt the butter then add leek, carrots, celery and corn. Stir in sea salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until they start to soften.
2. Sprinkle the sweet rice flour and pepper over the buttery veggies and stir until coated. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth a little at a time, stirring constantly to avoid clumps.
3. Add the potato, salmon and bacon to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
4. Stir in the heavy cream and warm until heated through. Serve topped with a little parsley.

Low FODMAP Meximelts

A Meximelt is a discontinued Taco Bell menu item. It was a soft flour tortilla filled with seasoned ground beef, lots of melted cheese and salsa. For our version we swap out the flour tortilla for corn and use low FODMAP Pico de Gallo to make gut-friendly cheesy goodness.

The Meximelt, now gone from the Taco Bell menu.

Meximelts are meant to be extra cheesy, almost like a TexMex grilled cheese. You can use a Mexican cheese blend or you can try half cheddar and half Monterey Jack cheese. If you tolerate pepper Jack cheese, that could work as well.

According to Monash, up 3 corn tortillas are tolerated by most people on the low FODMAP diet. Supermarket chili powder often contains garlic and onion. Look for chili powder without garlic and onion online. Some ethic brands of chili powder are also free of those ingredients. If you can’t find it, replace with more paprika.

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Low FODMAP Meximelts

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients: Seasoned Ground Beef

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced (green parts only, optional)
• 1 tbsp chili powder (optional, see above for info)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 pack low FODMAP beef broth concentrate
• 1/2 cup water plus 2 tbsp water, divided

Instructions: Seasoned Ground Beef

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and 2 tbsp water. Cook the beef, stirring and breaking up the meat, for 5-6 minutes. Pour off excess fat and water. Stir in garlic-infused olive oil and cook for another minute.
2. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, pepper, oregano, salt, cornstarch and scallions. Stir until well combined. Add the water and broth concentrate, stir, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.

Ingredients: Pico de Gallo

• 1 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup scallions, sliced (green parts only, about 4 scallions)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice of half a lime (about 2 tbsp)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions: Pico de Gallo

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. It can be served right away, but for best flavor refrigerate for at least an hour.

Ingredients: Assembly and Cooking

• 16 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 10-12 corn tortillas
• prepared Salsa Cruda (see above)
• prepared Seasoned Ground Beef (see above)

Instructions: Assembly and Cooking

1. For each Meximelt: Place a slightly damp paper towel on a plate and lay a tortilla on it. Add shredded cheese to just half the tortilla in a half moon shape. Top with 1-2 tablespoons of seasoned beef, spreading it evenly over the cheese. Add a spoonful of salsa cruda. Fold the empty half of the tortilla over.
2. Wrap the paper towel around the filled tortilla. Microwave for 1 minute or until melted. Serve.
3. Alternate cooking method: Heat oven or toaster oven to 425. Move rack to the highest position. Place unfolded Meximelt on a lined baking tray and bake 3-4 minutes or all the cheese is melted. Do not overcook. Remove from oven and fold in half. Serve.

Low FODMAP Easy Mashed Potatoes for 2

Most of my experience making mashed potatoes has been preparing them for holiday dinners. They’re a big favorite so I usually make a lot at a time. It occurred to me recently, however, that I wasn’t sure if I knew how to make a small batch.

You can certainly use this recipe to make as many servings as you like of course; in that case this recipe will help you more accurately plan how much to make. But I developed this recipe with a time- and effort-saving trick for smaller dinners and smaller appetites. (Don’t worry it works on big recipes too.) This recipe features a unique step involving a baking rack. If you don’t have one a sieve, colander or other food safe wire rack could work.

Up to 2 cups of potato should be tolerated by most people following the low FODMAP diet, but a typical single serving of mashed potatoes is around a half cup.

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Low FODMAP Easy Mashed Potatoes for 2

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 pound russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut in half (2 large potatoes)
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 8 tablespoons
• 1/4 cup lactose free whole milk, room temperature
• 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil (optional)
• 1 1/8 tsp sea salt, divided

Instructions

1. Add halved potatoes to a large pot then pour over enough water to cover potatoes by 1″. Add 1 tsp sea salt. Bring water to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook at rapid simmer until potatoes are easily pierced with a paring knife or fork – about 10-20 minutes. Drain. Let cool until able to be handled comfortably – 5-10 minutes.
2. Arrange a clean baking rack over a large mixing bowl. One at a time place the potatoes cut side down on the rack and gently press so the flesh falls into the bowl but not the skin. Discard the skins or save for another use.
3. Mash potatoes by hand with a potato ricer or beat on the lowest speed possible with a mixer.
4. Add the butter, milk, garlic infused oil and 1/8 tsp salt. Mash/beat until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Serve warm.

Low FODMAP Nachos for One

Across the Rio Grande from Eagle Pass, Texas lies the Mexican city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila. This bustling binational metropolitan area sees lots of cross-border traffic, just as it has for over a century. It was such a cross-border trip, in fact, that led to the development of a much-beloved snack, nachos.

In 1941 American patrons of the Victory Club restaurant in Piedras Negras requested a new and different snack. The maitre d’, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya, returned with a dish of fried tortilla triangles topped with melted cheese and sliced jalapeños. The snack was extremely well received and was quickly dubbed ‘Nacho’s Special’. Nachos quickly became very popular at the Victory Club and eventually throughout the region and beyond.

When I am making nachos, I tend to try to use up whatever produce I have on hand. Usually I make my nachos vegetarian but on occasion I’ll top them with shredded chicken or low FODMAP TexMex seasoned ground beef. It really depends on my mood and how much energy I have. As with many low FODMAP dishes, take care not to exceed recommended portion size so that it is more easily tolerated.

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Makes 1 serving.

Ingredients

• 16-20 gluten free corn tortilla chips
• 2-3 cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2-3 black olives, chopped
• 1/4 cup or less yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 scallions, chopped green parts only
• 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (up to 1.4 oz)
• 1 tbsp sliced jalapeños (optional)
• 1/8 medium avocado, diced (optional)
• Handful chopped cilantro (optional)
• lactose free sour cream (optional)
• low FODMAP Pico de Gallo (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven or toaster over to 425F. Move the oven rack to the highest position. Line a baking sheet with parchment or aluminum foil.
2. Arrange tortilla chips in a single but slightly overlapping layer on the baking sheet. Evenly distribute as much shredded cheese as you like over the tortilla chips. Try not to make any deep piles of cheese or it won’t melt properly.
3. Bake the chips until all the cheese has just melted and the chips are just starting to brown. Remove from oven. Carefully slide the parchment or foil off the baking sheet onto a plate.
4. Top nachos with tomatoes, olives, scallions and bell pepper as you like. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately while still hot and the cheese is melted.

Low FODMAP Homestyle Chicken Kebat

Kebat is Burmese dish of of usually chicken or steak and tomatoes prepared in a light curry sauce and served with rice. Restaurant versions of kebat can be quite complex featuring a vast array of herbs and spices, while homestyle kebat keeps it simple. Burmese food is not very well known in the United States unfortunately. It’s a shame because there’s so much to love about it. The flavors of Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent meld in Myanmar to create a uniquely delicious cuisine. This easy home-style dish is an excellent introduction to it.

The most authentic curry to use for this dish is Madras curry. Madras curry is on the hotter side of curry powders. If you tolerate chilis and spicy food, find a low FODMAP version that does not contain onion or garlic and use that. If, like me, you don’t do well with capsaicin, you can make your own low FODMAP Curry Powder and customize it to your liking. It’s just as delicious. Really though, any curry powder (Malaysian, Indian, Japanese, etc) you can tolerate will taste great.

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Low FODMAP Homestyle Chicken Kebat

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 ½ tsp low FODMAP curry powder
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 bunch scallions
• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil, divided
• 2 tbsp water
• 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped, for serving
• 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving
• hot jasmine rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Combine curry powder, fish sauce, 1 tbsp garlic infused oil and salt in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken and mix until evenly coated. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Chop the white ends off the scallions and discard. Take the top 1/3 of the useable portion of the scallions and chop them. Cut the remaining sturdier lower portions into 2” lengths.
3. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil. When it is hot, add the chicken. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the water and the chopped scallions. Continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through and the water has evaporated, about 4 minutes more.
4. Add the long-cut scallions and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for about 1 minute more. The scallions should be wilted with a bit of crunch. The tomatoes should still be solid, not squishy. Do not overcook.
5. Remove from heat. Dish out portions. Top each with fresh cilantro. Serve with hot jasmine rice, lime wedges on the side.

Low FODMAP Florentine Chicken Soup

The culinary term “Florentine” has historically referred to dishes made with spinach and meat topped with Mornay sauce, which is béchamel sauce supplemented with cheese. However over the years the meaning has changed somewhat, with cooks often dropping the heavy cream sauce from ‘Florentine’ dishes, but retaining the spinach and cheese.

Florentine Chicken soup with low FODMAP pasta variation.

This easy soup is packed with flavorful, healthy veggies, Italian seasonings and of course chicken. For this dish, you can chop the chicken before adding if you like, but I prefer to cook the pieces whole then shred them. Either method produces great results. Top each bowl of soup with a handful of Parmesan cheese to make a delightfully satisfying one-pot meal that’s ready in about 40 minutes.

The soup can be made as written or modified to your tastes. Following the recipe are several variations to try. Please note that this dish contains some ingredients that are not low FODMAP. Keep an eye on portion size.

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Low FODMAP Florentine Chicken Soup

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped (optional)
• 2 med carrots, chopped
• 1/2 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
• 2 packed cups chopped fresh spinach or 5 oz of frozen spinach
• 6 cups low FODMAP chicken broth
• 1 ½ tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
• sea salt or to taste
• black pepper to taste
• shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

1. Heat a stock pot over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrots, bell pepper, scallions, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add chicken thighs whole. Simmer on low for 25 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken to a plate and shred using two forks, then return it to the pot.
3. Add garlic-infused olive oil and the spinach. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring, until spinach is wilted. Taste and add sea salt and pepper as desired.
4. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

Variations

Need to extend the soup or simply want to mix things up?

• Try adding 2 diced Yukon gold potatoes along with the other vegetables.
• Try adding a can of diced tomatoes along with the other vegetables.
• Try topping individual portions with cooked low FODMAP pasta.
• Try topping with shredded mozzarella instead of Parmesan.

Low FODMAP Chicken Shogayaki (生姜焼き)

Shogayaki is rumored to have originated in Ginza, a neighborhood in Tokyo, some time in the 1940s. It was a dish meant to be prepared quickly and in large quantities. Typically made with various cuts of pork, it’s the second most popular dish in Japan. (Tonkatsu is #1). Shoga (生姜) means ginger and yaki (焼き) means grill or fry – an accurate description of this gingery, often-sweet dish flavored with mirin and soy sauce. Traditionally it was made with lots of onions, but they are not a requisite part of the dish these days.

Today there are countless variations of this dish, including some made with other meats. Regardless of what the specific ingredients are, shogayaki is always quick and easy to make. For my version I chose to use chicken thighs since I almost always have some on hand. Chicken breast would work equally well if that is your preference. You can leave out the sugar if you prefer a more savory dish. Shogayaki is almost always accompanied by undressed shredded cabbage, which helps cleanse the palette between bites of meat. Serve with hot Japanese rice.

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Low FODMAP Chicken Shogayaki (生姜焼き)

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral oil
• 2 tsp ginger, finely grated
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp cane sugar
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage for serving
• hot Japanese rice for serving

Instructions

1. Combine grated ginger, mirin, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl to create the sauce. Set aside.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the oil. When it is hot, add the chicken and cook until it is no longer pink. Add the sauce and continue to cook until sauce is thickened, 4-5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, divide into four portions and serve alongside hot white rice and shredded cabbage.

Low FODMAP Cheesy Bacon Potato Bake

Sometimes comfort food is where it’s at. This simple dish of cheese and bacon topped roasted potatoes is homey and satisfying. Though this dish is more of a side dish, I have been known to eat it as a main course. (Accompanied by a vegetable of course.) It is best served immediately from the oven and all in one sitting so that the cheese is melted. Add more cheese if reheating.

Did you know that bacon can be cooked in the oven? If you wish to skip frying, line a baking tray with parchment, then place the bacon side-by-side on the tray. Bake for 10-20 minutes at 400F. Start checking on the bacon around 10 minutes and watch closely until the desired crispness is reached. If baking bacon at the same time as the potatoes, be sure the bacon is above the casserole as it splatters and can get grease on it.

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Low FODMAP Cheesy Bacon Potato Bake

Makes ~6 servings.

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
• 4 slices uncured sugar free bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3-4 scallions, chopped (green parts only)
• 2 teaspoons garlic-infused olive oil
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a casserole dish with butter or oil.
2. Add potatoes, salt, pepper and paprika to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until potatoes are well coated. Pour potato mixture into a casserole dish. Potatoes should be in a single layer or close to it.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Remove potatoes from oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Return dish to oven. Broil for about 5-7 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with bacon crumbles and scallions.