With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and Christmas approaching not far behind, the festive feasting season is firmly upon us. For people with sensitive digestive systems, these times can be filled with more digestive discomfort than usual. With some small changes, you can enjoy your favourites without feeling like you’re compromising! Stuffing is always a popular side dish, and I usually like to make more than I need so I can use the leftovers in sandwiches the next day!

Stuffing is normally very high FODMAP, with bread and onion the main ingredients. In these two recipes, I used sourdough bread to make my own breadcrumbs. You can use gluten free bread, or buy ready-made breadcrumbs if you prefer (many supermarkets sell ready-made gluten free breadcrumbs).

For the bread stuffing, I used a small amount of the dark green parts of a leek, to get an oniony flavour, without as much inulin. Portions up to 54g of the green parts of leeks are low FODMAP, and this recipe has just over 8g of leek per serving. I also added some of the green parts of spring onions to the mix, so you will get all of the flavour, without the FODMAPs! Finally, I added some chopped pecans to the breadcrumb mix, for extra texture and flavour. Walnuts would work nicely as well if you prefer.

For the sausage stuffing, I used minced meat that I flavoured with herbs myself. You could buy sausage meat stuffing in a supermarket, but making it yourself means you can control the ingredients to suit you and your guests’ tolerance levels.

Why not make these two stuffings along with our Green Bean Casserole for your festive feast!

Recipe

Difficulty Rating: Easy
Prep/ Cooking Time: 30 minutes each
Serves: 6 people as sides to a main meal

Ingredients – Bread Stuffing

1. 150g sourdough or gluten free bread (if making your own breadcrumbs – you can use ready-made breadcrumbs if you prefer)
2. 2 teaspoons olive oil
3. 50g dark green leek tips, chopped into 1cm rounds
4. 50g butter or dairy-free butter alternative
5. 30g pecans or walnuts
6. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
7. 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, flat leaf
8. 1 tablespoon dried oregano
9. 1 tablespoon dried sage
10. Salt and pepper, to season to taste

Method – Bread Stuffing

1. Make the breadcrumbs by roughly chopping the bread and then pulsing in a food processor with some chopped spring onion greens
2. Roughly chop the pecans or walnuts and add to the breadcrumbs. If you prefer a smaller crumb you can pulse the nuts in a food processor
3. Soften the green parts of the leeks in olive oil. When they are softened, add the butter. Cook until the butter melts and the leeks are softened but not browned
4. Mix the breadcrumbs and herbs in an oven proof dish – I used a loaf tin
5. Add the melted butter and leeks to the breadcrumb mixture and mix well
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste
7. Place in a 180°C oven for 20-25 mins until golden
8. Serve alongside your main dish, and enjoy!

Ingredients – Sausage Stuffing

1. 400g minced meat – pork, turkey etc.
2. 150g sourdough or gluten free bread (if making your own breadcrumbs – you can use ready-made breadcrumbs if you prefer)
3. 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
4. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
5. 4 tablespoon fresh parsley, flat leaf
6. Salt and pepper, to season to taste
7. 2 teaspoons olive oil
8. 24 pecans (optional)

Method – Sausage Stuffing

1. Make the breadcrumbs – roughly chop the sourdough or gluten free bread. Add to a food processor along with the paprika, fresh herbs and some salt and pepper. Pulse to your preferred consistency
2. Mix the breadcrumbs and minced meat in a bowl
3. Lightly oil your cooking tin. I used a mini cupcake tin to make 24 stuffing balls, but you can cook the stuffing in any type of ovenproof dish you have to hand
4. I placed a whole pecan on top of each stuffing ball before placing in the oven. If you are using a loaf tin or another type of oven dish, you can roughly chop the pecans and cover the stuffing mix before placing into the oven
5. Cook at 200 C/ Gas Mark 6 until the inner temperature reaches at least 70 C for 2 minutes. The mini cupcake tin I used ensured they cooked very quickly – if using a deeper dish check after 15 minutes and lower the heat if needed
6. Serve with your main dish, and enjoy!

Fabien Dubois, PhD

24 November, 2019 | Recipes, Food

FoodMarble AIRE is the world’s first personal hydrogen breath tester. It 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 foodmarble.com or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn!