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.
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
Place salmon in a bowl. Add scallions, tomato, cucumber, cilantro, and drizzle with lemon or lime juice and combine.
Season with salt and pepper.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
To serve, top with fresh sliced of avocado and serve with GF corn tortilla chips.
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.
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
Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, capers, olives and oregano in a mixing bowl.
Add the tuna, scallions and parsley and mix well. Taste and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and stir.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
Stir in the heavy cream and warm until heated through. Serve topped with a little parsley.
I’d almost given up on salmon cakes. The recipes I’d tried in the past always seemed to deliver dry fish-flavored pucks. It occurred to me that Maryland crab cakes are usually moist with a light crust. Fish and crab behave similarly in the kitchen. Why not try making salmon cakes the same way? As it turns out, the results were pretty good.
There’s a lot of debate as to exactly what constitutes an authentic Maryland crab cake, but the most basic crab cake is simply lump crab meat mixed with a little mayo and mustard with some kind of starchy binder mixed with egg. The trick to making it delicious is to keep it simple. Preparing salmon in a similar fashion results in an inexpensive, quick meal or an easy appetizer.
This recipe was developed with canned salmon in mind. Be aware that some types of canned salmon contain skin and bones. They are soft and edible but some people dislike the texture. If you prefer no skin or bones, be sure to read the packaging carefully. Look for the labels ‘boneless’ or ‘deboned’. You can of course use any leftover salmon fillets you may have on hand. The rest of the ingredients are usually found around most kitchens, making this an ideal ‘pantry meal’. The resulting salmon cakes are light and moist. They’re great on their own, but some folks prefer theirs with a bit of sauce. Try low FODMAP Tartar Sauce, Basil-Balsamic Mayo or serve with eggs and 2-Minute Hollandaise Sauce.
Feeling a little spicy? Take your salmon cakes to the next level by introducing seasonings and fresh vegetables. Check out the Variation section for how to make a less simple salmon cake.
Low FODMAP Simple Salmon Cakes
Makes 8 small cakes or 2-3 servings.
Ingredients
10 oz cooked salmon (2 5 oz cans)
6 tbsp gluten-free panko
2 tbsp real mayonnaise (Best Foods/Hellmans recommended)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp of Worcestershire
pinch sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
lemon wedges for serving (optional)
Instructions
Combine the panko, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Drain the salmon well and gently stir in, leaving some large chunks of fish. Add enough egg to be able to form patties that stick together and mix until even. If it becomes too runny, add a little more panko.
Divide the salmon mixture in half, then repeat 2 more times so that there are 8 equal portions. Form each portion into a small cake about an inch tall.
Heat a nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium heat. Add the avocado oil. When hot, add the cakes to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Do not overcook. Remove cakes to a plate lined with paper towels.
Serve hot, with or without sauce, accompanied by lemon wedges.
Troubleshooting
Having trouble with cakes that don’t hold together? Let’s figure out why.
Too chunky – it’s great to leave larger chunks of fish for texture, but there must be enough fish mashed with the panko and eggs to hold together. Try leaving fewer chunks.
Too dry – there must be the right amount of beaten egg in order for the mixture to hold together. Add a little bit of egg at a time, mixing well, until you can form a patty.
Too wet – sometimes there’s too much egg and it becomes too wet to hold shape. In this case add small amounts of panko until the mixture becomes sticky enough to hold together.
Don’t overdo it – if you wind up adding a lot of egg and panko, this can cause the resulting fish cakes to become dense and heavy. Use a light touch when adding egg or panko.
Variation
Old Bay Salmoncakes – Try adding 2 tbsp finely diced red bell pepper, 1 tbsp of finely chopped scallions (green parts only), 1 tsp fresh parsley and 1/4 tsp of Old Bay seasoning blend (if tolerated, contains capsaicin).
Old Bay Salmoncakes. I only wish I’d used red bell pepper instead of green.
This fusion recipe takes advantage of all those Asian pantry staples hanging out in your kitchen – noodles, soy sauce, hoisin and oyster sauce. Canned clams serve as protein for this quick and easy meal. (You can of course use fresh clams if you prefer.) Be sure to get the noodles soaking before starting anything else as they will take a little while to soften.
For this recipe I use A Taste of Thai rice fettuccine. There are 8 servings (16 oz) in each package. It can be a little tricky to portion without a kitchen scale, but it can be done by carefully eyeballing it. If using a kitchen scale, allow 2oz dry fettuccine noodles per serving.
Please note that soy sauce, hoisin sauce and oyster sauce are not low FODMAP foods. According to Monash most folks can tolerate up to 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp of hoisin sauce and 1 tbsp of oyster sauce. It is advised to adhere to your portion size accordingly.
Low FODMAP Clam & Noodle Stir Fry
Makes 2 servings.
Ingredients
1-6.5 oz can of clams, drained
2 portions of uncooked rice fettuccine
¼ cup scallions, sliced (green parts only)
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other high smoke point neutral oil)
½ tsp garlic infused olive oil
sea salt
black pepper
sesame oil (optional)
1-2 more sliced fresh scallions for serving
Instructions
Soak 2 portions of rice fettuccine for stir frying as directed on package. Drain and set aside.
Heat the avocado oil in a wok or cast iron skillet over high heat. Add the clams and the scallions. Season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of pepper and cook until clams are heated through. Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce and garlic-infused oil. Toss.
Add the noodles to the pan and toss again. Stir fry just until the noodles are heated through. Remove from heat and divide into 2 portions. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the noodles (if using), top with fresh scallions and serve.
What if I told you that it was possible to make crispy, gluten-free fried shrimp without the hassle of deep frying? Sounds pretty great huh? It turns out that it’s very easy to do. Shrimp cook quickly and easily in just 1/4” of oil.
Don’t let the name fool you. It might sound a bit plain, but sea salt and white pepper are a surprisingly flavorful combo. Cornstarch fried shrimp are tossed in garlic-infused olive oil and dusted with Pepper-Salt to make delectable Chinese Salt & Pepper Shrimp. If you can tolerate the chili peppers, they give a delicious spicy kick. Serve alone as an appetizer or add hot jasmine rice and a vegetable for a meal.
When buying shrimp, unless you have a very good fishmonger, buy your shrimp frozen. There’s no way to now how many times ‘fresh’ shrimp has been frozen and thawed. Shrimp sold frozen is frozen just once, making it a safer choice. Thaw what you need in the refrigerator, then peel and devein. Alternatively, buy your shrimp already peeled and deveined to make your prep easier.
Even without scallions and chilis, these shrimp are tasty!
Low FODMAP GF Crispy Salt & Pepper Shrimp
Makes 2 meal-sized servings or 4 appetizer servings.
Ingredients: Pepper-Salt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions: Pepper-Salt
Make the pepper salt by mixing the salt and white pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
1-2 red chile peppers , sliced into thin rings (optional)
Instructions: Fried Shrimp
Dry the shrimp thoroughly with paper towels. Mix the sea salt and cornstarch in a plate or tray. Add the shrimp. Mix everything together until all the shrimp are lightly coated with cornstarch.
Line a baking tray with a wire rack or paper towels. Heat 1/4” of oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375 °F (190 °C). If you do not have a thermometer, drop a tiny pinch of cornstarch into the oil. You should see small bubbles rapidly forming around the cornstarch.
Add the shrimp one at a time in a single layer. Use your fingers to grab the tail of the shrimp, shake off the extra cornstarch, and gently lay the shrimp in the oil. You may need to work in batches. Cook on each side for about 2 minutes, until the surface turns pale golden and the shrimp are curled. Once done, transfer the cooked shrimp to the baking sheet.
Once all the shrimp are cooked, drain the oil from the pan. Add the garlic-infused olive oil to the pan. When hot, add the chili peppers (if using) and scallions. Stir a few times to release the fragrance. Add the shrimp and sprinkle the Pepper-Salt over them. Toss until the shrimp are evenly coated.
Transfer everything to a plate and serve hot as an appetizer or over steamed rice as a main dish.
When I was growing up in the mid-Atlantic region, New England style clam chowder was the Friday soup of the day at many local restaurants. The preferred style was thickened with flour to a medium chowder consistency. It was a favorite of mine and I was always excited when we headed out to a restaurant on a Friday.
These days I live in Seattle, where many variations of New England clam chowder are served. Perhaps the best-known version in this city is served at Ivar’s, which I have based this recipe on. It’s fairly thick and lightly sweet when prepared as this recipe is written. I prefer to thin it a little and to leave out the sugar. I also like my potatoes unpeeled. Occasionally I will add cooked bacon or hot-smoked salmon for a bit of umami. Feel free to adjust this recipe to your tastes.
Many people on the low FODMAP tolerate sourdough bread. It’s the perfect accompaniment to clam chowder. Just be sure to watch your portion size. Up to 4 ounces (2 slices) is permissible. Look for sourdough bread bowls or small loaves to slice. Add a simple green salad for a complete meal.
4 cups lactose free whole milk or half and half, warm
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp white pepper
2 scallions, chopped (green parts only, optional)
1 tsp cane sugar (optional)
water
sourdough bread for serving
Instructions
Drain the juice from the clams into a medium sauce pan, set the clams aside. Add the potatoes and leeks to the pan. Add just enough water to barely cover them and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, over medium until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the rice flour and stir into the butter. Slowly whisk in the warm milk. Cook and whisk until smooth, about 5 minutes.
Add the vegetables with their cooking liquid, the clams, celery seed, salt and pepper. Stir well. If you want a thinner chowder, add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water or clam broth, stir and cook until heated through.
Ladle into bowls and top with chopped scallions. Serve with sourdough bread.
I first discovered smoked salmon hash on a trip to Boise at Goldy’s, which is a fabulous little breakfast cafe. Unsurprisingly, potatoes are the star of many menus in Idaho so you’ll find variety of potato hash dishes. I absolutely love smoked salmon and I love potatoes so it was the easy choice for my breakfast. My version is a satisfying low FODMAP meal that can also work for dinner. You can turn it into a fancier brunch dish by topping it with Easy 2-Minute Hollandaise sauce.
When selecting hot-smoked salmon for use in this dish, choose wild-caught, no color added, alder plank smoked salmon. Be sure that any seasonings are low FODMAP. If you can’t find alder plank smoked, regular hot smoked is fine. Learn more about the difference between hot-smoked salmon, lox and nova here.
Makes 2 servings.
Ingredients
1 tbsp butter, olive oil or ghee
8oz alder plank smoked salmon, cut into bite-sized chunks
2-3 large Yukon gold potatoes, 1/2″ dice
4 eggs, poached, soft-boiled or fried
2 tsp capers, drained
2 scallions, green parts only, chopped
1-2 tsp fresh chives, chopped (optional)
Hollandaise Sauce (optional)
Instructions
Heat oil or fat in a large skillet. Add diced potatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes or until just tender.
Add salmon, scallions and capers and cook for about 5 more minutes until heated through.
Remove from heat, divide into 2 servings and mound on plates. Top each with 2 eggs. Sprinkle generously with chives.
Easy 2-Minute Hollandaise Sauce
This amazing hack requires a microwave and a bit of uncultured dairy. If you don’t tolerate dairy well, use lactose-free half-and-half. Refrigerate any leftover sauce in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Makes enough for 2 servings.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
1/2 medium lemon
1/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch of salt (or to taste)
Instructions
Place 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 2-cup glass measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until mostly melted, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir until the butter is completely melted.
Place 2 large egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 medium lemon. Add the yolks, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half to the melted butter and stir until combined.
Microwave in 15-second bursts, whisking between each burst, until slightly thickened but still pourable (about 185ºF), 1 to 1 1/2 minutes total.
Add 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard and whisk to combine. Taste and season with more lemon juice and salt as needed. Serve warm.
Sometimes you just need something that’s quick, easy and yummy. Not every meal needs to be a big effort. For many, a quick and easy go-to is the tuna salad sandwich. Tuna salad made the traditional way in its simplest form consists of canned tuna, mayonnaise and minced onions. It can be made low-FODMAP friendly by subbing out the onion for just the green bits of scallions. Scallion bulbs contain olio-fructans – the ‘O’ in FODMAPS – but the greens do not.
For this recipe I’ve re-invented the canned fish salad, using canned salmon instead and ditching the mayo. You can also use leftover chilled salmon filets if you have some on hand.
Serve in lettuce wraps or on low FODMAP bread.
Makes 2 servings.
Ingredients
1 (5-ounce) can pink salmon
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions, green parts only
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
Drain the salmon, gently squeezing to remove excess moisture. Place the salmon in a small bowl and use a fork to break it up. Add the ginger, lime juice, scallions, salt, and sesame oil. Mix well and taste. You may want to add a pinch of salt or a squeeze of lime.
Forks, Lives and Spoons 
You must be logged in to post a comment.