Low FODMAP Indian-Spiced Salmon Cakes

There’s no denying the pleasure of a simply prepared salmon cake. A nice fish cake with light bit of crust and a moist interior can be very satisfying. However the addition of Indian spices can elevate a simple fish cake into a culinary delight. These golden-toned salmon cakes are packed with flavor. Serve them as a main course or as an 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.

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Low FODMAP Indian-Spiced 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 sauce
• 2 tbsp finely chopped scallions (green parts only)
• 4 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp low FODMAP chili powder (if tolerated)
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• pinch sea salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
• lemon wedges for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the panko, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, scallions, cilantro, spices, 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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 15-minute GF Personal Pumpkin Pie

Make your own single or double serving pumpkin pie quickly in the microwave. This yummy crustless treat can be ready in just 15 minutes. Generally microwave pies aren’t the prettiest baked goods due to the cooking method, but they taste great! I used pumpkin pie spice I made myself (recipe follows pie recipe) since I had an excess of the right spices, but store bought pumpkin spice blends work just as well.

Usually a recipe like this one requires heavy whipping cream. Whipping cream is surprisingly a low FODMAP food due to its high fat content and low lactose content. In fact up to half a cup of real whipped cream should be tolerated by most. However I personally don’t like buying ingredients for one recipe that I won’t use up. I decided to employ an old baking trick in which you can substitute milk plus butter for cream since I often have lactose free milk on hand. (If you have heavy whipping cream on hand and would like to use it, omit the butter and use 1/4 cup of heavy cream instead of lactose free milk. )

This recipe makes a fairly large single serving. It can easily be split into two servings. My recommendation is to use wide, shallow microwave-safe bowls so it cooks evenly. Mine took a little longer than 2 minutes for the center to set. All microwaves are a little different so your pie may need more or less time.

Pumpkin pie with a dollop of whipped cream. It ain’t pretty but it sure is yummy!

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Low FODMAP Personal Pumpkin Pie

Makes 1 large serving or 2 average servings.

Ingredients

• 1/ 3 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup lactose free whole milk
• 4 tsp unsalted butter, melted
• pumpkin pie spice to taste (approx. 1 tablespoon)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth.
2. Pour mixture into 1 or 2 microwave-safe bowls. Microwave for approximately 2 minutes, checking it every 30 seconds.
3. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve as is or topped with low FODMAP whipped cream.

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Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix

You remembered the pumpkin but forgot the Pumpkin Spice? I’ve got you covered. This recipe should make enough for this recipe twice over. I happened to have both Cassia (Saigon) cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon (true cinnamon) on hand so I used both types. The flavor was fabulous, but by no means is it necessary to use both kinds to get great results. Use whatever you’ve got in your cupboard.

• 1.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 grind black pepper

Low FODMAP Easiest Hot Ham & Cheese

On low spoon days it can be really nice to have a hot meal, but hot meals are often taxing to make. Fortunately this low spoons hot meal requires no chopping, no standing over a stove and takes under 10 minutes to prepare. Make as many or as few as fits your appetite, but Monash recommends up to 3 corn tortillas per meal.

I use black forrest ham as I found a brand with no high FODMAP ingredients, but you can use whatever type of low FODMAP ham you wish. Even thin slices of home-baked ham work.

Customize this recipe as you like. Add thinly sliced tomato if you like. Use different low FODMAP cheese. A little Dijon mustard spread on the tortilla could add some spice. You could even swap out the ham for turkey or roast beef. Just don’t overfill the tortillas. Too much and hot cheese will ooze everywhere when you take a bite. Make sure to allow to cool a bit before eating so the cheese doesn’t burn your mouth.

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Low FODMAP Easiest Hot Ham & Cheese

Makes 1 serving.

Ingredients

• 3 corn tortillas
• 3 slices of deli ham
• shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 425.
2. Place tortillas on a lined baking sheet. Center a slice of ham on each tortilla. Top with shredded cheese to taste.
3. Move oven rack to the highest position and bake until cheese is completely melted and just starting to brown – about 3-6 minutes depending on your oven.
4. Remove from oven. Transfer to a plate using tongs or a spatula. Fold tortilla in half. Allow to stand for 1-2 minutes then serve.

All cheese is melted with just a little brown. It’s ready to be folded.

Ready to eat! Don’t burn yourself.

Low FODMAP Green Olive Egg Salad

Eggs are an easy low FODMAP food. They last a while in the fridge, they’re portable, and they can be used in whatever quantity you need from single serve to feeding the family. You can boil eggs early in the week and have them ready to go for snacking or use in recipes. That makes egg salad a perfect low spoons meal since it comes together very quickly and easily. While I enjoy traditional egg salad and eat it often, this recipe brings my bored tastebuds back to life with hint of briny olives.

If you can find low FODMAP bread, it is ideal for this recipe. Some sourdough breads are low FODMAP enough that they can be tolerated, but they vary widely between brands. You may need to experiment to find a brand that works for you.

Another option is lettuce cups. Keep it low carb by skipping the bread. Butter lettuce (aka Boston or Bibb lettuce) makes ideal cups. Romaine lettuce can be a bit harder to work with so opt for hearts of romaine instead of the outer leaves.

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Low FODMAP Green Olive Egg Salad

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 3 hard boiled eggs, peeled
• 1-2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp green pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped
• 1 tbsp scallions, minced (green parts only)
• 1/2 teaspoon olive brine
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
• 4 slices of low FODMAP bread OR 4-6 lettuce cups

Instructions

1. Chop the eggs by hand or with an egg slicer. Stir in the mayonnaise, olives, scallions, mustard and celery seed.
2. Divide the egg mixture into two portions and use it to make two sandwiches or 4-6 lettuce cups. Serve immediately.

Low FODMAP Easy GF Queso

Traditional Mexican white queso is made with either asadero or chihuahua cheese, both of which are fresh cheeses that melt easily. Unfortunately fresh cheeses can be high in FODMAPs. Mild white cheddar or Monterey Jack, which are both hard, aged cheeses, make good substitutes that are more easily tolerated.

There is no flour in true Mexican queso. It is an American addition, usually added to keep the sauce from hardening as it cools. Serve flourless queso in small batches that are consumed quickly so the cheese does not become hard. Alternatively large batches can be kept warm in a crockpot while small batches can sit on an electric mug warmer or tea light warmer.

Monash’s app says that up to 1.5 ounces of cheese is tolerated by most individuals. Please keep your eye on your intake as necessary. Up to 3 corn tortillas are tolerated by most people on the low FODMAP diet.

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Low FODMAP Easy GF Queso

Makes 2-3 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 cup mild white cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1⁄4 cup lactose free half-and-half or whole milk
• 2 scallions, finely chopped (green parts only)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil (optional)
• 2 oz canned green chilies (optional, if tolerated)
• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
• 6 grape or cherry tomatoes, chopped (optional)
• GF corn tortilla chips (we like Juanita’s) or warm corn tortillas, for serving

Instructions

1. Add the cheese, garlic-infused olive oil, half and half or milk, cumin, chilis, tomatoes and salt to a small sauce pan. Heat over medium and stir frequently as the mixture warms. Do not allow it to boil.

2. When the cheese melts completely and the texture of the queso is smooth, remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips or warm corn tortillas.

Low FODMAP Chicken & Cheese Bites with Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce

These quick and easy snacks are versatile. On their own they are gluten-free, low carb and keto-friendly. Serve them with this honey-less honey mustard sauce for a bit of sweetness or with another sauce of your choice such as low FODMAP marinara or low FODMAP taco sauce.

When serving with sweet mustard sauce, I use cheddar or a cheddar-jack cheese blend. When serving with marinara, I use low moisture mozzarella. I typically use poached chicken when I make these, but you can leftover baked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken – whatever is easiest for you.

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Low FODMAP Chicken & Cheese Bites with Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce

Makes ~12 bites (4 servings of 3 bites)

Ingredients: Chicken & Cheese Bites

• 10 oz (~1-1/4 cups) cooked chicken, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or mozzarella)

Instructions: Chicken & Cheese Bites

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl until evenly combined. Carefully form about 12 patties, placing them on a parchment lined baking sheet as you go. They will be quite wet and you may need to form them on the sheet.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove. Allow to stand for 2-3 minutes before serving.

Ingredients: Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp mayo
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 4.5 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions: Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce

1. Whisk all ingredients together. Allow to stand for 5 minutes or more then whisk again before serving.

Low FODMAP GF Italian Sub ‘Tacos’

This quick snack is basically a sub sandwich without the bread. It’s got all the toppings you’d find on a classic Italian sub folded up into ‘tacos’. Make sure the cheese is always the outer later to avoid greasy fingers.

The cold cuts listed below are generally low FODMAP, however it’s always a good idea to double check if possible. Ham tends to be high in fat and sodium so it’s a good idea to limit your intake.

In the area I grew up Italian subs are topped with sweet peppers or hot peppers or both. If you tolerate peppers, try a little bit be careful not to overdo it!

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Low FODMAP GF Italian Sub ‘Tacos’

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

• 3 deli slices provolone cheese
• 3 deli slices genoa salami
• 3 deli slices capicola/gabagool
• 3 deli slices peppered ham
• 3 ‘sandwich slim’ style dill pickles (optional)
• 2-3 leaves of lettuce (iceberg or romaine), shredded
• 3 cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 2 scallions, sliced (green parts only)
• black pepper to taste
• oregano to taste
• fruity olive oil (optional)
• Italian hot peppers or sweet peppers (optional)
• sliced black olives (optional)
• toothpicks (if serving as appetizer)

Instructions

1. Lay out the provolone slices separately on your work surface. To each slice of cheese add a slice of salami, ham and capicola.
2. Place a dill pickle slice on the cold cuts so that one edge aligns with the center of the stack. Add a small amount of each of the following: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sliced scallions. Add hot and sweet peppers if using.
3. Drizzle a small amount of oil over the vegetables and add a sprinkle of oregano and black pepper to each.
4. If eating immediately, simply fold the cheese slice so that it forms a ‘taco shell’. If serving as an appetizer, you can secure each ‘taco’ closed with a toothpick.

Cento Hoagie Spread aka Hot Peppers

Cento Roasted Peppers aka Sweet Peppers

Low FODMAP Pan-Fried Tacos

Fried tacos filled with shredded chicken and cheese with a side of low FODMAP taco sauce

All of the yum of flautas (taquitos), much less of the hassle. These crispy fried snacks require no rolling and no deep frying. Fill them with whatever low FODMAP fillings you like from meat to cheese to mashed potatoes. I prefer to use seasoned meat, but traditional flautas from Sinaloa use unseasoned meat. Poach your own chicken or use leftover rotisserie chicken. Make a batch of seasoned ground beef or cut up some leftover roast. It’s really up to you!

Even though these are very easy to make, it may take a little practice to get them perfect. By the third taco I was happy with my efforts. Overfilling is a common issue. Go easy on the fillings – just about 2 tablespoons is plenty. Try to keep cheese away from edges of the tortilla. If cheese starts to ooze out during cooking, don’t panic. Let it be. It will fry into a delicious crust. In general it’s better to serve fresh vegetables alongside fried tacos instead of putting them inside the tacos.

Serve pan-fried tacos as you would traditional taquitos – with low FODMAP guacamole, low FODMAP taco sauce or lactose-free sour cream. They’re also delicious with low FODMAP salsa cruda. Corn tortillas do contain some FODMAPs so limit your intake to 3 pan-fried tacos.

Ingredients

• small gluten-free corn tortillas
• olive oil for frying
• shredded cooked chicken or seasoned ground beef
• shredded Mexican cheese blend

Instructions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil.
2. When the oil is hot, place a corn tortilla in the pan. Add a couple tablespoons of meat and some cheese. Do not overfill. As soon as the filling is in place, use the spatula to fold the tortilla in half and gently press the taco so it flattens a little.
3. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the tacos to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. They are ready when golden brown and crispy.
4. Remove hot tacos to a plate lined with paper towels in order to absorb sone of the excess oil. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes. Serve with low FODMAP condiments.

Individual Deviled Eggs

Sometimes you want deviled eggs, but you don’t feel like making a big batch. I wrote this recipe for one deviled egg for those occasions. Eggs are high in protein and contain no carbohydrates. They’re also nutritious and easy on the stomach. That makes them an ideal meal or snack.

I keep a small supply of hard boiled eggs in my fridge. However I have noticed that it gets pretty boring eating a plain boiled egg all the time. It’s nice to dress them up with a little mayonnaise and mustard once in a while. When the egg is already boiled, making deviled eggs goes very quickly.

Deviled eggs can also be an opportunity to get creative. Try topping them with black or green olives, capers, chopped cornichons, smoked salmon, crumbled bacon, fresh herbs or sliced scallions.

Makes 1 serving.

Ingredients

• 1 large hard boiled egg
• 1tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp yellow mustard
• paprika

Instructions

1. Carefully slice the egg in half. Pull apart the cooked whites and set aside. In a small bowl, mash the yolk with a fork. Add mayonnaise and mustard. Mix until even.
2. Using 2 spoons, fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture. Lightly sprinkle paprika over the eggs. Set in fridge to chill for 30 minutes or serve immediately.