FODMAP Carrot and Cumin Dip

Finding a tasty FODMAP diet friendly dip can be a bit tricky. Most recipes or store-bought dips either use dairy or beans as a base which makes them less than ideal for IBS sufferers. This dip recipe puts an end to all that - cumin is traditionally used to soothe the digestion so this dip is not only FODMAP friendly but also wonderfully soothing for bad IBS days. I've used spring onions as the white-part is ok on the FODMAP diet but you can omit from the recipe if you know you don't get on with them. Try dipping in wheat-free bread, corn tortillas, rice cakes or sliced peppers.

Ingredients:

500g organic carrots
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika (smoked if you have it)
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 chopped spring onions (green part only)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple balsamic (or other good sharp vinegar)
Salt to taste

Roughly chop the carrots and put in a pan (there is no need to peel them if you have organic ones). Cover with boiling water and simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the carrots and leave in the sieve.

Heat the oil in the pan and add the spring onions, cooked carrots and spices. Cook on a gentle heat for a couple of minutes.

Remove from heat and add vinegar. Puree with a hand blender (or if you prefer you can mash by hand but the texture will be less smooth) until just blended.

Season to taste.

Gluten-free FODMAP Chocolate Brownies

Perfect, gooey, chocolatey brownies that are FODMAP-friendly. 'Nuff said!

Ingredients:

100g (4oz) dark dairy free chocolate

75ml (5 T) rapeseed oil

200g (1 cup) soft brown sugar

2 eggs

4 tbsp cocoa (dutch method for US)

1tsp vanilla extract

1/2tsp salt

85g (3/4 cup) gluten-free flour

3tbsp brewed coffee (boosts the chocolate taste but you can use water instead)

Heat the oven to 180c. Grease and 8in x 8in brownie pan.

Place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl and melt by heating at HIGH for 30 second intervals and stirring until runny. Remove from the microwave and add the rapeseed oil and sugar. Stir to combine. Add in the coffee, vanilla extract and salt and mix again.

Tip in the flour and cocoa and give another stir. Finally add the eggs and mix until smooth. You should have a thick batter that falls in a thick ribbon off a spoon. 

Pour the brownie batter into the pan and bake for 25-30mins or until the tops are shiny and cracked but the batter still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool then cut into 16 pieces.

FODMAP Orange and Almond Cake

This is a lovely, damp fragrant cake. Instead of flour the cake uses FODMAP diet friendly polenta and almonds which give it a lovely moist crumb. It's gluten-free and dairy free by it's very nature which makes it a wonderful FODMAP dessert to serve to friends or family without anyone feeling like they are being served something 'alternative'. The recipe isn’t my own – it’s a traditional Middle Eastern cake and I first came across it in 'Food from the Village' by Thane Prince. 

The almonds make the cake a good source of monosaturated fat and there is a healthy boost of vitamin C from the orange.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 large orange

125g golden caster sugar

75g polenta

75g ground almonds

2tsp baking powder

Makes 8 good slices

Put the orange in a pan and pour boiling water over it – enough for it to be well afloat. Heat the water to a simmer and let the orange cook for about 45 minutes.

Drain the orange and allow it to cool, then cut it into quarters (leaving the skin on).

Put the orange pieces, eggs, sugar, almonds and polenta into the food processor and blend well until you have a bright, sunshine orange mixture.

Pour the mixture in a lightly greased loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes at 180c.

Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.

To serve, run a knife around the edges of the tin and then turn out. 

FODMAP Olive Bread Recipe

Artisan breads are a bit of a treat but you shouldn't have to miss out if you are on the FODMAP diet plan. This recipe is FODMAP-friendly and a bit special so you don't have to walk past loafs of ciabbatta and drool (please tell me other people do that too). I like this with some chopped tomatoes, basil and olive oil or grilled the next day sprinkled with a little parmesan (which is ok on the FODMAP plan) and plenty of black pepper.

Ingredients:
300g gluten-free bread flour (or use any blend of gluten free flour but add 1/2 tsp xantham gum)
250g milk substitute (I used soya milk as I don't have any problems with it)
4 tablespoons of pitted green olives
1tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon of olive oil


Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the milk and stir until everything is just combined.Don't overmix - the mixture should be a bit damp.Shape into a rough round and score a cross on the top. Bake at 35-45 mins at 160c. Remove from oven and leave to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing

FODMAP Diet Friendly - Lime and Ginger Salmon

As meat and fish are simple things to eat on the FODMAP plan, it is useful to have some reliable ways of making them more interesting. FODMAP or IBS diet friendly marinades mainly need to avoid using onion or garlic but that doesn't need to mean that they can't still be very flavoursome.This marinade packs a punch but also includes IBS-soothing ginger.You can make up extra of the marinade and store it in a jar in the fridge for about a month or so. I like to serve this with jasmine rice and pack choi dressed in sesame oil for a great FODMAP dinner.


Ingredients:
2 fillets salmon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp salt

Serves 2
Mix together all the ingredients except the salmon to make the marinade. Pour over the salmon fillets and allow to marinade for at least 20 minutes.

Line a grill pan with foil and heat grill to medium-high. Wipe excess marinade of salmon and place on pan. Grill for about 8 minutes or until the centre of the salmon is just opaque.

FODMAP Cute Cupcakes or Muffins

You can make amazing cakes suitable for anyone on a special diet or allergies with a bit of imagination and sense of adventure in the kitchen. FODMAP friendly cakes can be a bit of a challenge to make tasty without loading them up with fat and sugar, which isn't going to help anyone's arthritis, so it takes a bit of creativity to get the texture and flavour right. One book that really shook up my approach to baking is Harry Eastwood's 'Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache' which is full of inspiring cake recipes made with vegetables! I'd recommend it for anyone with IBS who wants cake ideas that are a bit different from the usual boring 'free-from' variety. This recipe is adapted from one of hers and it is a great, fool-proof cupcake. 


Ingredients: 
150g peeled and finely grated courgette/zuchinni 
90g gluten free flour 
1 medium free-range egg 
15g ground almonds (if you want to make nut free just omit) 
75g sugar (I used soft brown for a moister cake or if you want a fluffier cake, use caster sugar) 
1tsp baking powder 
1tsp vanilla extract 


Makes 6 cupcakes - easily doubled 


Beat the egg and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric whisk for 3-5 minutes until pale and frothy. Add the flour, courgette, almonds (if using) vanilla and baking power and beat again until well-combined. Pour into cases and bake for about 20 minutes at 180c/350f until risen and lightly golden. Variations: Chocolate cupcakes - use 20g cocoa powder and only 70g flour Lemon - add the grated zest of one lemon

FODMAP Basic Bread Recipe

Bread can be a bit of a challenge on FODMAP as many wheat-free alternatives contain dairy or fructose, and can be very pricey. With this recipe you can whip up a delicious, fresh loaf in under an hour. It's best eaten on the day it's made.

Ingredients

300g gluten-free bread flour (or use any blend of gluten free flour but add 1/2 tsp xantham gum)

250ml milk alternative (I used almond milk)

1/2 tablespoon sunflower or other oil

1/4 tsp salt

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the almond milk and stir until everything is just combined. 


Don't overmix - the mixture should be a bit damp.Shape into a rough round and score a cross on the top. Bake at 35-45 mins at 160c. Remove from oven and leave to cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before slicing

FODMAP Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are fantastic, soft chewy chocolate chip cookies. They are a great treat for taking to friends or when you have people over as they taste like ordinary cookies just yummier. They are brilliant if you are cooking for a bake sale too as they are suitable for wheat or dairy intolerances so no-one needs to miss out. Butter is very low lactose so fine for FODMAP and you can feel free to use it here, if you like, as it will add great flavour.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose gluten free flour
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup or golden syrup
1/4 cup softened butter/vegan spread/sunflower oil (whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Green and Blacks dark chocolate chopped up which is dairy free)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract

Makes 24
Heat oven to 180C/375F. Lightly grease two or three large baking sheets with oil spray.

Blend butter, sugar, vanilla extract and egg together with electric whisk in a large bowl. Add salt, baking powder and flour. Blend on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Put heaped tsps of mixture on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in oven for about 12mins or until cookies are light golden (tip: give the baking tray a bang half-way through cooking to stop the cookies rising up too much and going cakey). Allow to cool for a moment and then transfer to wire rack (this keeps the bottoms crisp). Try not to gobble whole batch at once!