Orange Miso Bowl

This recipe came from a craving I was having for my Miso Pepita Broiled Squash but couldn’t remember what was in it aside from miso – and then I went in a wildly different direction because of what I had on hand + FODMAP issues. Actually, that other recipe is pretty FODMAP-friendly as well, in case you want to give it a whirl.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, FODMAP

Orange Miso Bowl

Medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
Medium to large sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
Large carrot, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 Tbsp. white miso
1 Tbsp. crushed or grated ginger
1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup or date syrup
Juice + zest of 1 orange
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt, pepper and ground cumin

Preheat your oven to 200C/400F. Whiz all the non-veggie ingredients together (minus the spices) to form a dressing.

Chuck your veggies onto a large prepared baking sheet, and drizzle half the dressing over top. Toss to coat well. Sprinkle with the spices.

Bake for 25 – 35 minutes or until done to your liking. Pull from the oven, drizzle with the second half of the dressing, and serve.

Serves 4 – 6, depending on serving size and what you do with it. I ate mine most days with a little protein and called it a meal. I had intended on serving with wilted baby spinach and had thoughts of turning it into a hash one day – but those things never quite materialized.

Salmon Fried Rice

This FODMAP-friendly recipe is full of flavor, simple to prepare, and makes enough servings for a batch cook.

gluten-free, pescatarian, FODMAP

Salmon Fried Rice

1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1/2 cup green onion, sliced (tops only if FODMAP)
3/4 cup frozen chopped green beans
2 tsp. or a few squirts (if spray) garlic oil
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. fresh ginger, crushed
195g. canned salmon
65g. canned tuna
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. fish sauce
2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
2 cups leftover white rice

In your largest skillet, heat the garlic oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and stir-fry until just browning. Add the peppers and green beans and stir-fry until carrots are softened and the rest are just starting to brown.

Add the rice, fish, sauces, sesame oil & ginger. Stir to combine and push to the sides to create a well in the center.

Crack the eggs into the well, stir, and let sit a couple minutes to create some curds.

Stir all together to combine.

When the eggs are solid, split into fourths and serve.

Serves 4

Spicy Lime Vinaigrette Meal Base Two Ways

This past week, all I could fathom making were things involving lime juice and chili flakes. A weird craving, I know, but my brain was in search of something simple I could use to dress up a couple different meal variations while requiring the least effort possible. I think this was a success – I felt like my diet was fairly varied, I got the lime punch and heat I was missing, and because I batch cooked, meal time while hangry didn’t beckon me to easily overeat.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, Whole30, FODMAP

Spicy Lime Vinaigrette

1/2 cup fresh lime + orange juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos depending on your diet

Mix all ingredients together and give a good whisk or shake. Dole out through the week like liquid gold.

Now, what to pair with this bounty? I went two routes: a simple cold salad and a warm veggie bowl.

Summer Salad with Spicy Lime Vinaigrette

1.5 cups chopped cucumber
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1.5 Tbsp. minced or grated ginger
4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
About 1/4 cup of the Spicy Lime Vinaigrette above

Optional toppers: shredded rotisserie chicken, rice/quinoa blend. This is also great as a stand-alone salad.

Mix all ingredients and let marinate a few hours or overnight. When serving, make sure to salt & pepper to taste and add more red pepper if you want more heat.

Spicy Lime Vinaigrette Summer Veggie Bowls

3 cups chopped zucchini and carrots in whatever mix makes you happy
Garlic oil
1/4 – 1/2 cup FODMAP-friendly stock
Salt, pepper and ground cumin to taste

Heat a large sautee pan over medium-high heat. Spray with a little garlic oil (or drizzle). Add the veggies, salt, pepper and cumin. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until they are on their way to browning nicely. Add 1/4 cup of the stock, cook until the liquid is evaporated. Repeat for another round if your carrots still aren’t soft. Taste for seasoning this second time and adjust if necessary.

Makes 3 – 4 servings as part of a larger bowl. I served mine most days with a blend of long grain rice + quinoa, a couple Tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and a hand full of rotisserie chicken. One day, I switched it up and went with chili tuna + brown rice pasta.

Strawberry Milk Overnight Oats

This recipe came about because of a chance walk-through of a German grocery store, and the bottle of strawberry Nesquick that caught my eye in the UHT/fake milks section.

I loved strawberry Nesquick as a kid – it didn’t taste like strawberries, but pink milk was super fun to drink and pretty much the only way (other than chocolate syrup, marshmallow flavoring or whatever is in an egg creme) I would touch cow milk.

This actually tastes like strawberries, and bonus: packs a bit of nutrition.

Gluten-free, FODMAP

Strawberry Milk Overnight Oats

2 strawberries
1/4 c. dry measure rolled oats
That same measuring cup full hazelnut milk
Half that cup full of water
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Few grinds salt
1 scoop collagen peptides

Toppers

Peanut (FODMAP) butter thinned Out with a little water to the consistency of tahini
Hand full raw pepitas for crunch

Blend the strawberries, water and milk. Pour over the oats, vanilla, collagen peptides and salt. Shake or stir to combine. Let sit overnight. Serve with optional toppers.

Serves 1

Cucumber Carrot Greens

This recipe came about because after ODing on pork, potatoes and Diet Coke (to the point I didn’t want to see another potato or fizzy drink which is suuuuuuper weird since that was 90% of younger-me’s diet) during my recent German vacation, I needed a reset. And what says “reset” more than Japanese food and bok choy?

Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, Paleo, Whole30, FODMAP

Cucumber Carrot Greens

1 – 2 c. chopped cucumbers
Few grinds salt
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce or coconut aminos if Paleo
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 – 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1.5 c. carrots, in thin coins
3/4 – 1 c. chopped bok choy
1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
Few sprays garlic oil

In a large pan, heat the garlic oil over medium-high. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant.

Add the carrots and 2 Tablespoons water. Stir-fry until just beginning to soften.

Add the bok choy and 2 Tablespoons water. Stir-fry until softened.

Turn the heat off and set aside while you whisk the rest of the ingredients together.

Add the cooked veggies to the cucumber and dressing and toss again.

Serves 4

Easy Japanese-Style Chicken Zoodles

This is an easy, FODMAP-friendly, low calorie and carb dinner for nights when you don’t want to be bothered and/or have macros to hit.

Gluten-free (check your labels), FODMAP, keto (especially if you increase the fat), could be Paleo if you use coconut aminos, but that will be higher FODMAPs

Easy Japanese-Style Chicken Zoodles

1 large zucchini, spiraled into zoodles

2 tsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari (coconut aminos will be higher in FODMAPs)

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat the sesame oil. When it starts to shimmer, add the zoodles and stir-fry until just beginning to soften. Add the soy sauce and continue cooking until the zoodles are to your liking. I like mine still a bit toothsome (or at least not mushy).

While that’s working, whisk together:

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1.5 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of red pepper flakes

When the zoodles are ready, add to the sauce and top with 4 ounces shredded poached chicken and 1 tsp. sesame seeds per serving.

Serves 2 as a light dinner

Macros per serving (assuming your zoodles come out to 1 cup and you use standard soy sauce):

345 Calories

36.6g Protein

6.6g Net carbs

16.9g Fat

Mango Coconut Ice Cream

The FODMAP-friendly, vegan Dole Whip I was working on this week didn’t work near as well as this dessert I made a couple weeks ago – which is a bummer, because this was awesome and mangoes are a no-go at the moment.

Gluten-free, Paleo, vegetarian, vegan, elimination diet

Mango Coconut Ice Cream

1 cup full-fat canned coconut milk
1 1/3 cups frozen mango
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Blend all together and freeze. Serve topped with your favorite berries.

Serves 4

Elimination Diet Friendly Overnight Oats

This was my staple breakfast while on the IFM Elimination Diet. It’s (relatively) quick, easy, and can be batch-cooked ahead of time so you have plenty on hand.

Gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, elimination diet

Elimination Diet Friendly Overnight Oats

1/4 cup measure rolled oats
1/4 cup measure + half water
Few grinds salt
1-2 Tbsp. pumpkin (I did 2 because I like the taste; if you don’t want yours as vegetal, cut back to 1 Tbsp.)
1 Tbsp. tahini
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 tsp. slivered almonds

Combine the oats, water, salt & pumpkin. Let sit overnight or batch prep for the week.

To serve, top with everything else.

This quantity serves 1

Summer Sunshine Salad

Another potluck, another veg (pescatarian)-friendly salad. The tastes are great here, but I would caution to know your audience – I saw a couple plates of beetroot floating around after all was said and done. I loved it, though, and so did my veggie-heavy friends!

If you can find them, add toasted unsweetened coconut shavings – I think they’d add a nice subtly sweet crunch here, but couldn’t find them anywhere. If you’re in the States, Trader Joes & Whole Foods usually carry them.

gluten-free, pescatarian, paleo

Summer Sunshine Salad

2 grapefruits, cut into supremes – reserve 2 Tbsp. of the juice for the dressing
1 kohlrabi, shredded (I ribboned, but this would have been better julienned like the beets)
400g prawns, sauteed and chopped in half
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 avocados, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
2 scallions, sliced
1 c. beetroot, julienned
2 c. red cabbage, ribboned
Hand full of mint, chopped
1 Tbsp. tamarind paste
1 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper

Chuck all the non-wet ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk all the wet ingredients and pour over top. Toss again. Taste, hit with salt + pepper if needed.

If you have toasted coconut, top with that – pepitas would also be nice.

Serves a party 

Eggplant Soba

This recipe is the first stab at recreating a bread spread I had at lunch one day that was so magical I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it was. I thought some form of mustard with cardamom, but no – hidden veggies! Yay, hidden veggies!

This version isn’t half bad. It isn’t quite there, so expect to see more attempts this summer – but it’s good. And it was delicious swirled into some leftover buckwheat noodles with nice crunchy radishes on top.

gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan

Eggplant Soba

4 small Italian eggplants
10 garlic cloves, halved
Neutral oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 tsp, fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cardamom
2 tsp. cayenne powder
2 tsp. lemon powder
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
Salt & pepper
1 stack soba noodles per person to serve
2 – 4 thinly sliced radishes per person to serve
1 green onion, thinly sliced to serve

Halve your eggplants lengthwise and cross-hatch score. Salt, and lay face down on a cooling rack to drain for 10 minutes.

When your eggplants have drained, pat dry and preheat your oven to 200 – 220C. Line a baking sheet with foil or a silpat.

Fill the scores of the eggplants with the garlic halves. Drizzle some oil over top and sear in a large pan 3 – 5 minutes or until you get some color. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet face side up.

Roast eggplants 20 – 30 minutes or until softened and cooked through. Pull from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

This is a good time to make the soba according to package directions.

When your eggplant is cooled, scoop the flesh into a blender or food processor.

In your searing pan, toast the onion and spices in 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat until the spices are fragrant and the onions are beginning to go translucent. Add the mixture to the eggplant and blitz. Taste, add the vinegar (if desired) and salt and pepper to taste.

Serve tangled into the buckwheat noodles and topped with the green onions and radish if desired.

Makes enough sauce to feed 4