Low FODMAP Italian Seasoning

This seasoning blend mainly contains the Italian big 3 – basil, oregano and parsley. Of course we could stop there, but we can get a more complex flavor by filling it out with more herbs like rosemary and thyme. Omit the chili flakes if you are sensitive to capsaicin. Add the marjoram and sage if you have them on hand for the best flavor.

Use Italian seasoning in soups and sauces, mixed into bread crumbs, in olive oil to make bread dipping sauce, on chicken or pork, mixed into meatballs, in marinades, in pasta dishes, in salad dressings and in dips – really anything that could use some delicious Italian of flavor. Be sure to use in combination with garlic-infused olive oil or garlic scape powder to give your dish a more authentic Italian flavor.

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Low FODMAP Italian Seasoning

Makes just over 1/4 cup.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 1.5 tsp dried rosemary
• 1.5 tsp dried thyme
• 1.5 tsp red chili flakes (if tolerated)
• 1/2 tsp marjoram (optional)
• 1/8 tsp rubbed sage (optional)

Instructions

1. Using a small funnel or a folded sheet of clean, sturdy paper, add all ingredients to a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. (Old spice jars are ideal.)
2. Close the lid and shake vigorously until well-mixed.

Low FODMAP Potato and Cornmeal Pap

Makes ~4-6 side servings

Pap is a staple food commonly eaten in South Africa. It takes many forms, but most commonly it is white cornmeal boiled in water or broth. It can range from soupy to very dry and stiff. Pap is usually served alongside stew, sausages or saucy vegetables.

This version of pap includes starchy potatoes, placing it somewhere between polenta and mashed potatoes. In addition to going great with stews, potato pap makes an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats like steak or lamb chops.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cornmeal/polenta
• 1.5 cup water
• 1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Add potatoes, water, salt, and oil to a small saucepan and cook over medium high heat with the lid on. When the potatoes are soft enough, mash them in the pot with the remaining water.
2. Stir in the cornmeal and continue to cook, uncovered for about 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Pap is ready when it has the consistency of mashed potatoes. If you prefer, you can add a little warm water for a looser texture.
3. Serve immediately while hot.

Low FODMAP Egg Roll Veggie Sauté

Makes ~4 servings

This easy and healthy side dish captures the flavors of everyone’s favorite Chinese restaurant appetizer without the deep frying and wheat. Shredded carrots and cabbage seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil are the stars of the show. Use gluten free soy sauce to make it gluten free. Serve alongside your favorite Chinese dishes.

Egg Roll Veggie Sauté with Char Siu Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 2-pound cabbage, shredded (8 cups)
• 1 cup carrots, shredded or matchstick cut
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts (optional)
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tbsp avocado or other neutral oil
• 4 tsp sesame oil
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add ginger, shredded cabbage and carrots to the pan. Sauté until just wilted.
2. Add scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and black pepper. Sauté until cabbage is tender-crisp. Serve immediately.

Perfect Popcorn on the Stovetop

Making popcorn on the stove is fun and it’s way easier than many people think. You can avoid the unhealthy fats, excessive sodium, preservatives, gluten and artificial flavorings found in microwave popcorn. Plus stove-popped popcorn is noticeably better-tasting with a lighter texture. The best part? Popcorn is low in FODMAPS. According to the Monash app, up to 7 cups of popcorn should be tolerated, making it something you can indulge in as you like.

A close up look at popcorn made with Black Jewell kernels. Notice the snowy white color and tiny hulls.

Great popcorn starts with great popcorn kernels. Skip the traditional yellow or white corn kernels, which tend to be bland and result in hulls that get caught in your teeth. Instead select blue, red or black heirloom variety kernels known for flavorful, fluffy popcorn and their lack of hulls. My two favorite varieties are Black Jewell Original Black Popcorn Kernels and Los Chileros Blue Corn Popcorn Kernels.

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Makes about 8 2.5-cup servings.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup coconut oil or avocado oil
• 2/3 cup heirloom variety popcorn kernels
• 3 tbsp real butter (or low FODMAP vegan spread)
• sea salt to taste

Instructions

1. Add the oil and 3 popcorn kernels to a stock pot with a lid. Cover and heat over medium-high heat until all 3 kernels pop. Remove the three popped kernels from the pot to prevent them from burning.
2. Take the pot off of the burner and add the rest of the popcorn. Cover with lid. Lift the pot off the stove and carefully shake back and forth for about 30 seconds. This coats all the kernels with the oil and heats them evenly.
3. Return the pot to the burner and allow to cook, shaking the pot occasionally until the popping slows down – about 2 minutes. Remove the lid carefully in case there are any last moment pops and pour the popcorn into a large bowl for serving.
4. Return the pot to the burner and turn off the heat. Add the butter to the hot pot and allow it to melt. Be careful not to let it brown. Pour the melted butter over the popcorn, sprinkle with sea salt to taste and gently toss to combine.

Low FODMAP Asian Salad Dressings

A friend rhetorically asked why restaurant salads taste so much better than homemade. I had to stop and think about it. There are a few reasons but the biggest difference to me is the dressing. Most restaurants make their own dressings from fresh, flavorful ingredients, unlike bottled dressings, which are loaded with preservatives and food stabilizers. Since I switched to making my own years ago, I have never gone back to bottled.

Today I have 3 Asian salad dressings for you. Make them up fresh and use them right away for best flavor. If you haven’t seen my post about ingredients for cooking Asian cuisines, you may wish to check it out first. For more information and ideas for making salads, please check out Low FODMAP Salad Building 101.

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Bento Box Sesame Dressing

This is the thin, pale dressing most often seen drizzled over iceberg lettuce in a bento box. Personally I prefer it tossed with shredded romaine lettuce and julienned carrots.

Makes ~4 side salad servings

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Combine all ingredients and stir well.

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Teriyaki Joint Poppyseed Dressing 

This is an Asian-style poppyseed dressing. It’s simple, sweet and tangy. Add just a few poppy seeds or go heavy. Up to 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds are typically tolerated by those on the low FODMAP diet. I love this dressing over shredded cabbage.

Makes ~4 side salad servings

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• poppy seeds to taste

Combine all ingredients and stir well. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 min to allow the sugar to dissolve completely. Stir or shake before serving.

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Vietnamese Nuoc Cham 

Nuoc cham is the dressing usually served at the side of a Vietnamese vermicelli bowl. You can soak rice vermicelli noodles according to the instructions on the packaging and serve them with all the trappings of a regular vermicelli bowl or you can use it on plain lettuce. I’ve even poured a little over chilled quinoa for a lovely Vietnamese grain salad.

Makes ~4 dinner salad servings

• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 4 tsp cane sugar
• 4 tbsp water
• 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Combine all ingredients and stir well.

Low FODMAP Spiced Steel Cut Oats

This breakfast is a bowl of warm happiness. I particularly enjoy it in fall and early winter. Scaled up, it makes a festive family breakfast.

Keep in mind portion size when it comes to this dish. It is not recommended to exceed 1/2 cup dry oats per serving. As for the toppings, according to Monash up to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup per serving should be tolerated and just one tablespoon of raisins. This recipe makes 2 low FODMAP portions as written.

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Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup dry steel cut oats
• Pinch salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2-4 tbsp real maple syrup
• 2-4 tbsp low FODMAP milk/plant milk of your choice (optional)
• 2 tbsp raisins (optional)

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add steel cuts oats and stir well. Cook until thickened, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Continue to stir periodically so that it does not stick to the pan.
3. Add the salt, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and ladle into bowls. Top each with 1-2 tbsp of maple syrup and 1-2 tbsp of milk/plant milk if using. Serve immediately.

Low FODMAP Quinoa Veggie Bowls

Figuring out a portable low FODMAP lunch that doesn’t need to be microwaved can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily cold quinoa makes a nutritious and versatile base for lunches on the go. Add veggies, dressing and maybe some cheese for a satisfying vegetarian meal.

Quinoa with kale micro greens, chopped tomato, sliced radish, chopped cucumber and feta

The ingredients that go into a quinoa bowl can vary with what is on hand. Use classic flavor combinations or invent your own. The following recipe uses tahini and feta for a Mediterranean feel. Check out the variations listed after the recipe for more ideas.

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Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (preferred) or apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp tahini (or to taste up to 2 tbsp, optional)
• 5 grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 radish, sliced (up to 4 radishes per serving)
• 1/2 cup Persian or English cucumber, chopped
• a few pinches of micro greens such as micro kale
• 1 tsp fresh oregano OR 1/2 tsp dried
• 2 scallions (green parts only), sliced
• feta crumbles
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp ground sumac (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly with cool water. Several changes of water may be necessary. Rinsing helps remove a natural coating, which some people find irritating to the stomach.
2. Bring water to a boil in a small sauce pan. Add rinsed quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Be sure to check on it periodically so it doesn’t dry out and burn. Add a small amount of water if necessary. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes after cooking. (Overnight in the fridge is great.)
3. Create a dressing by combining the lemon juice or ACV and olive oil in a small bowl. Add tahini, a few cracks of sea salt, a few cracks of black pepper and sumac. Mix thoroughly.
4. Combine cooled quinoa, veggies, cheese crumbles and herbs in a large mixing bowl. Mix in dressing and micro greens just before serving otherwise the dressing will not taste as good and your micro greens will wilt.

Variations

The beauty of this dish is it’s versatility. You can throw pretty much any low FODMAP ingredients you like into the bowl, just be sure not to exceed recommended portions. Other delicious things to add could include:

• roasted eggplant cubes (up to 1 cup)
• fresh carrot shreds (up to 1 medium carrot)
• chopped red, orange or yellow bell pepper (up to 1/3 cup)
• edamame (up to half cup)
• baby spinach (up to 1 cup)
• radicchio (up to 2 cups)
• arugula (up to 2 cups)
• olives (up to 15 small olives)
• lime juice (up to 1 cup)
• low FODMAP portions of nuts
• fresh herbs (mint, basil, parsley, cilantro, or dill)
• Vietnamese nuac cham
• goat cheese crumbles (up to 1 tbsp)
• garlic-infused olive oil
• marinated firm tofu (up to 1 cup)

How about a Greek-inspired quinoa bowl? Tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, black olives, feta, scallions (green parts only) and oregano.

You could make a Thai-inspired version with Thai basil, fish sauce, lime juice, cayenne (if tolerated), soy sauce, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, and peanuts.

It’s up to you.  Get creative!

Quinoa with yellow bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, scallions and feta dressed with dried oregano, dried mint, garlic-infused olive oil and ACV.

Quinoa with goat cheese, fresh mint, chopped tomatoes, chopped cucumber, sliced scallions and yellow bell pepper

Low FODMAP Japanese Curry Hash Browns

This recipe is meant to mimic the flavor of Japanese curry potato croquettes without the mess and hassle of deep frying. It starts with frozen hash browns for ease. Carrots are quickly and easily shredded with a shredding peeler. You may wish to omit the sugar, but it really makes it taste authentic. (As a Japanese friend of mine says, Japanese cooks put sugar in everything. ) It should be lightly sweet.

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Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups frozen hash browns
• 1 carrot, peeled and shredded
• 2 tsp low FODMAP curry powder
• 2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 tsp cane sugar (optional but recommend)
• 2 tbsp avocado oil or other neutral oil

Instructions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the frozen hash browns, shredded carrot, garlic-infused olive oil, sugar and curry powder in a mixing bowl. Toss until well mixed.
2. Add the avocado oil to the skillet. When it starts to shimmer add the potato mixture and pack down tightly into a patty. Cover and cook just until the perimeters start to get lightly crispy, about 5 minutes.
3. Use a spatula to press the top down then flip. Cook, uncovered, until the bottom is golden and crispy, another 3 to 5 minutes.

Low FODMAP Moroccan Carrot Salad

Salatat al jazar aka Moroccan carrot salad can be prepared in many ways. Some recipes leave the carrots raw, while others use cooked. Sometimes it’s sweet, sometimes it’s sour. Each cook has their own way of making this refreshing salad.

My version is based on the one found at my favorite Moroccan restaurant, where it is served with fluffy bread called khobz. (If you bake, here’s a recipe for gluten free khobz.) This carrot salad is distinctly spiced with cumin, cilantro and ground coriander with a bit of tang from vinegar. Carrot salad makes a delicious side dish or appetizer. I prefer to serve it cold, though it is also good at room temperature.

Monash recommends 1/2 of a medium carrot is tolerated by most.

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Makes 8 side servings.

Ingredients

• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4” thick coins or angled coins
• 3 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/4 tsp of ground coriander
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 cup white or red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the carrots and cook until just tender. They should still have a little bite to them. Do not overcook. Drain in a colander and set aside.
2. Return the empty sauce pan to the stove and set to medium heat. When the pan is dry, add the garlic infused oil followed by the cumin, paprika, coriander and salt. Return the carrots to the pan and stir until well coated in the oil mixture and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar and cilantro. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Low FODMAP Pico de Gallo

Pico de Gallo – sometimes called Salsa Cruda – is a colorful fresh Mexican salsa. Not only is Pico de Gallo great with tortilla chips/nachos but it also makes a tasty condiment for topping burgers, wraps or tacos.

Use tomatoes from the garden in summer. In winter use ‘snacking tomatoes’, grape or cherry tomatoes for that sweet summer flavor. Avoid using green bell peppers as they are higher in FODMAPs. This recipe as written is mild. Feel free at add chopped jalapeños to taste for some heat if tolerated. Keep an eye on your serving size. Monash University recommends no more than 5 cherry tomatoes or half a regular tomato (about 2.5 oz).

Substitute fresh mint for the cilantro if you dislike it. It provides a bright herbaceous character without making it taste ‘soapy’ to a percentage of the population. (Approved by my cilantro-hating friends!)

Please note that Monash recommends limiting tomato to about 2 ounces (half of a medium tomato) or 3 cherry tomatoes per serving.

Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup yellow 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

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.

Breakfast Tacos with Pico de Gallo