Low FODMAP doesn’t have to mean boring!
This recipe is a perfect example of why a Low FODMAP diet doesn’t have to be boring! It’s important even if you are avoiding certain FODMAP foods to have a varied diet. Sweet potatoes are a great source of complex carbohydrates which are the primary fuel source for our bodies. Not only that but they are also a rich source of beta-carotene, a key nutrient for eye health.
Prawns are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have an important role in protecting our cardiovascular system as well as promoting brain health. Selenium is a trace element found in prawns and is used in our immune and reproduction systems.
Folate found in asparagus as well as other green vegetables is needed to make DNA and is especially important in unborn babies. It’s important if you’re pregnant or hoping to be become pregnant within the next year that you aim for 800mg of folate/folic acid per day.
Simple and adaptable – whether you’re Low FODMAP or not!
Grace, the originator (and eater) of this recipe has used the AIRE device to test her tolerance to these vegetables and finds that the amounts used here suit her. However, if you’re in the elimination phase, or you don’t tolerate these vegetables well, or you just plain don’t like them, then you can change the recipe to suit yourself. It’s very adaptable – e.g., spinach would go nicely, as would broccolini, carrots or parsnips. Use the FoodMarble app to see what the FODMAP content of your preferred vegetables are. It’s good to have as varied a diet as possible so once you’ve finished your elimination phase you should try incorporate as many different foods as you can.
If you don’t like prawns, how about grilled salmon, halloumi or a poached egg on top? Some firm tofu rolled in cornflour and baked would be delicious too.
Recipe
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
This recipe is pretty simple. I’ve given standard serving sizes for one person in the recipe and you can adapt depending on how many people you’re cooking for and what level of FODMAP you can tolerate!
Low FODMAP Tip – It can be hard to find low FODMAP options on your lunch break from work, so consider cooking ahead and bringing your lunches with you! This recipe will keep in the fridge and can be reheated.
What you need:
- Rice – the standard serving size for rice is approx. half a cup per person. I used basmati rice here, but any type of rice can be used
- Preferred vegetables. I used sweet potato and asparagus
- Sweet potato – a medium sweet potato is about 130g. On the FoodMarble app, a serving of 140g is considered “high” in mannitol. So, I used half a medium sweet potato per person. At this serving size, the FODMAP content should be manageable
- Asparagus – On the FoodMarble app, a serving of 30g is considered “medium” in fructose and FOS. This equals about 2-3 medium sized asparagus spears per person. If like Grace, you can tolerate asparagus, you should eat more!
- Prawns. A standard serving size is approx. 115g per person.
- Pesto – Store bought pesto likely uses garlic which you might be trying to avoid. However, if you’re out of your elimination phase you might consider giving store bought pesto a try – the amount of garlic you eat per serving would be low. Use your AIRE device and app to test your reaction!
Low FODMAP Tip – If you want to avoid garlic, it’s very easy to make your own pesto. Just combine fresh basil leaves, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic oil and salt, and either mash together with a fork or blitz in a blender. This will keep in a jar or other sealed container in the fridge for a week and can be used with pasta, on sandwiches, with olives etc.
Method
- Cook the rice
You can just use salted water to cook your rice, or you can add chicken or vegetable stock if you tolerate them. However, most stocks contain garlic and onion so if you’re avoiding these, then you can flavour your rice in other ways! For this recipe, I added a dash of turmeric and salt to the water before adding the rice. You could also add some chopped chives, or the green parts of spring onions into the water for added flavour. Once the rice was finished cooking, I stirred a little dab of butter into it for extra richness. If you don’t like butter, olive oil would work just as well
- Prepare and roast your vegetables
I chopped the sweet potato into bite sized pieces. I left the skin on the potatoes so I gave them a good wash beforehand. I put the chopped sweet potato on an oven tray and drizzled with olive oil, some salt and smoked paprika. The smoked paprika gives the vegetables a nice deep flavour and is low FODMAP!
For the asparagus, I trimmed them, put them on an oven tray and drizzled with olive oil and salt.
Both trays of vegetables went into the oven at about 150 degrees until they were nice and browned – about 20 minutes or so.
- Cook the prawns
I fried the prawns on a pan with some olive oil. Once they were cooked through, I took them off the heat and stirred through some of our pesto.
That’s it! You’re ready to plate it all up and enjoy.
FoodMarble is a pocket-sized breath analysis device. It helps people with chronic digestive issues determine the foods that work best with their digestive system. To learn more about FoodMarble, visit www.foodmarble.com.
