Low-FODMAP Salad Ideas

Following the Low-FODMAP diet may seem easy when eating at home, but when you are invited out to a friend’s house, a barbecue, or a pot luck dinner, figuring out what to eat can be anxiety-provoking and a challenge.

I share with my clients that they can advocate for their health by sharing their dietary restrictions with their host in advance, but another option is to offer to bring a dish that can be shared by all (and is also low-FODMAP!) A salad is an easy way to do this.

Since it’s currently summer and many of us are enjoying trips to the beach and picnics, I have developed two low-FODMAP salad recipes that are also gluten-free and vegetarian so that they will appeal to the masses.

The first salad is a Kale Caesar Salad that is gluten-free because the croutons are made with polenta.  The kale is first massaged with garlic-infused oil that you can make yourself or purchase ready-made.  Adding oil to kale and massaging it in helps to break down the fibrous leaves making them easier to chew.

The second salad is a Meditteranean Chopped Salad that includes garbanzo beans and feta cheese. Both are in amounts appropriate for people in the elimination phase of the low-FODMAP diet.  This low-FODMAP salad uses quinoa as a grain, which you can now find ready-made in stores, or you can substitute it for brown rice or buckwheat.

In both cases, I used Fody Foods* salad dressings because they are naturally low-FODMAP, gluten-free, and vegan. You can find them online or in many supermarket-chain stores.  If you make a purchase online, use code “0718brosen” to get 15% off of your order.

Kale Caesar Salad: A low-FODMAP and Gluten-Free Recipe

A twist on the classic Caesar salad using polenta croutons.

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Ingredients

• 4 packed cups kale about 3 oz
• 2 tsp garlic-infused olive oil divided
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 loaf ready-made polenta
• 2-3 Tablespoons Fody Foods Caesar Dressing
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Tear kale into bite-size pieces and remove and discard the stems.
3. Add one teaspoon of garlic-infused oil and massage into the kale to soften it. Do not over-massage or you will have mushy kale.
4. Slice the polenta into ¼” thick by ½ wide squares.
5. In a small bowl, toss the polenta squares in a teaspoon of garlic-infused oil.

6. Line a small baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Lay the polenta onto the sheet in a single layer. Bake at 425F for 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Remove and cool.

7. Add 2-3 tablespoons of Fody Caesar dressing to the kale and toss to evenly distribute.
8. Top with polenta croutons and serve immediately. If you are serving at a later time, wait to add the croutons until you serve.

Recipe Notes

Add croutons before serving to avoid them losing their crunch.

Low-FODMAP Mediterranean Chopped Salad

An easy-to-assemble salad that is low-FODMAP, gluten-free, and vegetarian.

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Ingredients

• 1 red pepper cut into ½ inch squares
• 1 yellow pepper cut into ½ inch squares
• 2 cups English cucumber seeded and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 2 cups canned garbanzo beans rinsed and drained (15 oz can)
• 1 Tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
• 1 ½ cup cooked red quinoa
• 6 Tablespoons Fody Garden Herb Salad Dressing
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa according to directions and allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl and toss until mixed and coated with dressing.
3. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

I shared these salad recipes on the Fox 61 Morning Show recently.  When the video becomes available, I will share it here.

If you want to learn more about the low-FODMAP diet to improve your gut health, I have a free video training that explains 3 Strategies for Success with the Low-FODMAP Diet. You can click here to get instant access to this training, which can be very helpful to understand more of the why behind this specific diet for people with gut health issues.

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