Super simple baked Dijon chicken with panko crust (low FODMAP)

30 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • This chicken can be served as a main course or a hot appetizer. It’s low FODMAP, gluten free and oh so simple to make.

INGREDIENTS:

1/8 cup butter, melted

1/8 cup garlic infused olive oil

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup gluten free Panko crumbs (you can substitute crushed Kellogg’s Corn Flakes or other gluten free corn flakes)

2 tablespoons fresh grated parmesan cheese

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (chicken breast filleted in two) or 8 - 12 chicken tenderloins

DIJON SAUCE (double these amounts if you prefer more sauce):

1/4 cup mayonnaise (without added FODMAPs)

1/8 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon gluten free soy sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment (not required but makes clean-up a snap).

Whisk together the melted butter, olive oil and Dijon mustard.

In a separate bowl, combine the Panko crumbs, parmesan and thyme.

One at a time, dip the chicken cutlets in the butter mixture then press just the one side of the chicken in the Panko mixture.

Place chicken, crumb side up, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.

Bake until crumbs are golden and thickest part of chicken is no longer pink inside (about 15 minutes).

Plate and serve, drizzled with Dijon sauce, alongside our Simple Gem Salad or cut into bite-size pieces and serve as a hot appetizer with the sauce as a dip.

Original recipe inspired by my sister, Sarah Aitken, of Ashland, Oregon.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Katherine’s Mongolian Beef and (or) Veggies

30 Minutes (+ 30-minutes to marinate meat) • Gluten-free • Lactose-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • Make this dish with meat only, meat and vegetables or vegetables only. You decide what you want for dinner! It’s hearty, delicious, and pretty to look at, but best of all, it’s IBS friendly.

 INGREDIENTS:

Meat:

3 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil

1 pound flank steak or sirloin sliced thinly sliced ACROSS the grain

¾ teaspoon baking soda (to tenderize the meat)

4 scallions (green part only) sliced on the diagonal

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

Veggies:

3 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil

1 head broccoli (florets only-no stems)

1 cups chopped Oyster mushrooms (optional)

1 red, orange, or yellow pepper or 2 carrots – thinly sliced for color

1 can sliced water chestnuts – for crunch

2 scallions (green part only) sliced on the diagonal

Sauce (for both meat and veggies):

4 tablespoons garlic-infused olive or vegetable oil

2 teaspoons ginger, minced

1 cup soy sauce (low sodium is best)

1/2 cup water

1/3 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Ramen or rice:

4 – 6 biscuits ramen noodles – cooked and drained (keep warm)

Or steamed white rice – (keep warm)

DIRECTIONS:

When ready to prepare the meal, cook the rice or the pasta per package instructions and keep warm.

Slice steak thinly across the grain (you can freeze it for a short while to make it easier to slice thinly). To tenderize your meat before cooking:

Sprinkle 3/4 tsp baking soda/pound (bi-carbonate soda) on sliced flank steak or sirloin

Toss with fingers, let stand for 30 minutes

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce:

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-low.

Add ginger and stir just until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a boil.

Let boil 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Set aside.

Cook the meat:

Put two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large frying pan and heat to medium-high

Once the oil is hot, quickly stir fry in small batches so steak cooks quickly – it doesn’t need to cook all the through as it will cook completely when combined with the sauce

Overcrowding the pan can cause the beef to steam rather than sear

Add more olive oil if needed for the next batch

Once all the beef has been cooked, combine with the sauce and heat over medium until hot and bubbly. Remove from heat, stir in green onions, and set aside.

Cook the vegetables:

Use the same pan you cooked the meat in, or a second pan (if you have strict vegetarians) to cook the vegetables.

Put about 2 tablespoons garlic olive oil in the pan and heat over medium-high heat

When the oil is hot, add the broccoli and cook for about five minutes, then add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and carrots after a few minutes. Cook all until the broccoli is just fork tender. Add the peppers at the last minute so they don’t get overcooked and too soft.

To serve: place pasta or rice in a bowl, top with meat and/or veggies. Add some of the sauce from the pan. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and sesame seeds if you like.

Enjoy!

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

20-Minutes. 10 Ingredients. FODMAP friendly Garlic Butter Ramen

20 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • This dish is simple to make, full of fresh and fabulous flavors, and oh so comforting to eat. Perfect for a weeknight pasta dinner or easy Sunday supper.

INGREDIENTS

(Makes four servings)

4-6 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil

4 tablespoons salted butter

4” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

4-6 cups finely chopped spinach or kale

8 biscuits (2 packages) of Lotus Foods Jade Pearl rice ramen noodles (or other low FODMAP ramen noodles)

4-6 tablespoons gluten free low sodium soy sauce

1 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for serving

4 eggs (optional but VERY delicious)

Toasted sesame seeds (optional but very pretty) - You can make your own by toasting raw sesame seeds in a dry frying pan

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet, over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the grated ginger, stirring regularly for about 3 minutes. Add the spinach or kale and cook another 2-3 minutes until the greens are wilted.

Meanwhile, cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and add, along with the soy sauce, to the frying pan with the greens and the ginger. Toss well over medium heat until ramen is warmed through and coated with the sauce.

Remove from the heat and add the basil, tossing to combine.

Divide the ramen mixture among four warmed bowls.

Add a bit more olive oil to the skillet you used to cook the pasta and place over medium heat. Crack 4 eggs into the pan – keeping them separated – and cook “over easy.”

Then top each bowl of ramen noodles with a fried egg, a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds, and fresh basil. Season with pepper and serve immediately.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Cedar plank salmon with lemon cream

45 Minutes (+1 hour to soak cedar planks) • Gluten-free • Lactose-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 • Don’t be surprised I’m posting a grilling recipe in the dead of winter. I like grilling rain or shine and salmon is a hearty fish you can enjoy year-round. This low FODMAP salmon is the best I’ve ever had. I prefer using steelhead, but you can modify this recipe to use the type of salmon you prefer. The Lemon cream sauce is especially good with salmon but goes well with any fish or seafood and is super easy to make.

INGREDIENTS

3 (12-inch) untreated cedar planks

1 1/2 - 2 pounds Steelhead (or other) salmon filets (boneless and skin on)

⅓ cup garlic-infused olive oil

1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

⅓ cup gluten free soy sauce

¼ cup chopped green onions (green part only)

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

LEMON CREAM INGREDIENTS

1 cup lactose free sour cream

1 teaspoon lemon zest, grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh-squeezed

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

DIRECTIONS

Soak the cedar planks for at least 1 hour in warm water. Soak longer if you have time.

In a shallow dish, stir together the olive oil, rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, scallion greens, and ginger. Place the salmon fillets in the marinade and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to one hour.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. Place the planks on the grate. The boards are ready when they start to smoke and crackle just a little.

Place the salmon fillets onto the planks and discard the marinade. Cover, and grill for about 20 minutes. Fish is done when you can flake it with a fork. It will continue to cook after you remove it from the grill.

Remove salmon from cedar planks and serve on warmed plates with lightly steamed vegetables, steamed white rice and, if you like, a lemon cream (see recipe below). Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and a grinding of fresh pepper.

LEMON CREAM DIRECTIONS

While your salmon is marinating, in a medium bowl, combine sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar; mix until well blended. Store, covered, in refrigerator until ready to use.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Cranberry orange tea pastry

75 Minutes (mostly baking time) • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 • Sweet and tart with a delicate crumb and pretty color. Delightful heated with a bit of butter melted into each slice. Or follow my grandmother’s lead and serve warm in a bowl with a spoon of hard sauce (recipe included) and turn this into a rich and delicious holiday dessert.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup lactose free whole milk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 ¾ cups Betty Crocker rice flour blend (or other rice flour blend containing white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and Xanthan gum)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup white sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter – melted and cooled

¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice

2 teaspoons orange zest

1 large egg or 1 medium egg plus one egg white – at room temperature

1 cup raw cranberries

½ cup walnuts – toasted in a dry frying pan and finely chopped

DIRECTIONS (makes two small loaves or one larger loaf)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Grease your bread pan(s) and put a strip of parchment down the middle and leave the extra hanging over the short ends of the pan.

Combine milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup and let it sit for 5 minutes to sour.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.

Pour the soured milk into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar, melted (cooled) butter, orange juice and zest until fully incorporated.

Whisk in the egg until the mixture is smooth.

Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and fold together until just combined. Then fold in the cranberries and the walnuts.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan(s) and cook for 45 – 60 minutes (less time for smaller pans). When you insert a toothpick in the center of the loaf, it should come out clean when the bread is fully cooked.

Cool in pan 10 minutes then turn out to cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap and eat within 3-4 days. Bread freezes well so make extra and freeze a loaf!

OPTIONAL HARD SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1 cup sugar

½ cup butter

½ cup lactose free whole milk, half and half, or cream

1 teaspoon Brandy

 DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour over cake and serve warm.

Low FODMAP serving size is one slice. A bit more if you’ve made the small loaf.

Perfect Buttery Pate Brisee Low FODMAP Pie Crust

15 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 • I had given up on creating a flaky, buttery, pie crust that was gluten-free until I came up with this combination of rice flour and butter and a few other things that resulted in a melt-in-your-mouth crust that complements anything you put inside—sweet or savory! Try this crust with our Better Than Classic Pumpkin Pie or our Spring Vegetable Quiche. You’ll love it.

Ingredients

2 egg whites

1/3 cup ice water

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 1/2 cups Betty Crocker Rice Flour Blend (or other rice flour blend containing white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and Xanthan gum)

1 tablespoon sugar (optional – for pie with sweet filling)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter cut into cubes

Directions

Makes one large deep dish or two small pie crusts.

Whisk the egg whites, water, and apple cider vinegar together and set aside in the refrigerator.

Put the flour blend, sugar (if using), baking soda, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse to combine. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed in the flour mixture. With the food processor on, pour the egg, water, vinegar mixture into the feed tube of the food processor until the blend comes together and is evenly moistened and holds together if squeezed gently.

Empty the dough into your deep-dish pie pan or split it between your two small pie pans. Gently bring the dough together with your hands then press it into the pan with your fingers. If your fingers stick you can sprinkle the crust lightly with additional gluten-free flour. Press out to an even thickness on the bottom and up the sides of the pan with a small overlap on the edges. The dough is quite delicate and falls apart easily, but this pie crust is unlike crust made with regular flour in that it doesn’t get chewy when you handle it. So don’t worry if you have a lot of poking and pushing to do to get it evenly distributed in the pan – it will end up being delicious!

Once you’ve formed the crust into the pie pan(s), place the crust(s) in the freezer long enough to freeze (20 - 30 minutes). Once frozen, you can wrap them in plastic wrap and keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to use them.

When ready to use the pie crust(s), remove from the freezer, brush the inside of the frozen crust with egg white, then add your filling and place it in the oven. Bake as directed in your recipe.

If you have some extra dough, roll it out, cut it into shapes with a cookie cutter or freehand. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with lactose-free whole milk or half and half and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Then bake for about 15 minutes until crisp and just starting to brown at the edges. You can also use these cutouts for your upper pie crust by placing them (uncooked) on top of your pie filling before baking.

Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!

This post may contain affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. In some cases, we have provided a special discount code for IBS Game Changers so be sure to use it when you purchase an item to get the discount that has been arranged just for you! 

Katherine’s Perfect Kale Chips

30 Minutes • Gluten-free • Lactose-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 2 - 4 • They’re so good you’ll want to eat the whole bunch of kale this way so make sure you make enough! Pro tip: You can use this same recipe for roasted broccoli and it's delicious too! (Just make sure you use the tops only to keep it low FODMAP).

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch kale – leaves trimmed away from stems (discard the stems)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt (about ½ tsp)

Pepper (generous grinding)

Cayenne pepper (1/4 tsp)

Paprika (1/4 tsp)

Chili powder (1/4 tsp)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 300 (keeping the temp lower helps prevent burning)

Line rimmed baking dish with parchment paper

Wash kale and dry as much as possible.

Cut or tear into palm size pieces.

Put in plastic bag.

Drizzle ½ the olive oil in the bag and shake vigorously to coat kale leaves.

Add the remaining olive oil and shake again.

Spread in 1 layer on the parchment.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and spices

Cook for 10 minutes.

Rotate pan (turn it around)

Cook for another 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool slightly (if you can wait that long!)

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Homemade ginger tea is a delight for your tummy and your tastebuds

Ginger is a great soother for an upset stomach and ginger tea is a delightful alternative to coffee or other sorts of tea when you want a hot drink. Making your own ginger tea is simple – and you can make up a batch and keep it in the fridge for a few days if you’re a big ginger tea drinker like I am.

INGREDIENTS

Ginger – 1” per cup (scrubbed clean but not necessary to peel)

Water – 1 cup per serving

Lemon or orange slice (optional)

Maple syrup (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Thinly slice your fresh ginger. You don’t need to peel it first but do rinse it and scrub off any visible dirt. Plan on using about a one-inch piece of ginger per cup of tea.

In a saucepan, combine the ginger with fresh water (use one cup of water per serving).

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer.

Simmer for five minutes (or up to 10 minutes, if you want extra-strong tea). I usually think it’s pungent enough at five minutes.

Pour the tea through a fine sieve to catch all of the ginger. If desired, serve your tea with a thin round of lemon or orange for some complementary acidity. You might also appreciate a light drizzle of maple syrup, which will temper the fiery ginger flavor.

Some low FODMAP variations

Cinnamon Stick Ginger Tea

For a sweet and warming variation, add a cinnamon stick to your tea before bringing to a simmer.

Fresh Mint Ginger Tea

Fresh mint helps balance the spicy nature of your ginger tea. Add a few sprigs of fresh mint to the water before bringing it to a simmer.

Extra Spicy Anti-Inflammatory Ginger Tea

Turmeric offers anti-inflammatory benefits along with a pretty orange color. Treat fresh turmeric the same way that you treat fresh ginger—scrub the roots and cut it into thin slices and add it to your ginger and water mixture before bringing it to a simmer. (1 teaspoon per serving of Turmeric is low FODMAP.)

Original recipe inspired by Cookie and Kate

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Arugula salad with toasted hazelnuts and parmesan (low FODMAP)

20 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • This simple salad, with wild arugula, toasted hazelnuts, fresh grated Parmesan, and lemon Dijon dressing is my all-time favorite. The combination of toasted hazelnuts, a lemony dressing, and fresh parmesan is wonderful on arugula. (My little secret: I like to make this salad and put it on top of margarita pizza. It’s a game changer!)

SALAD INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups Fresh arugula (preferably organic)

Raw hazelnuts (max 10 nuts per serving)

½ cup fresh grated Parmesan

LEMON DIJON DRESSING INGREDIENTS

Juice of one lemon-about 1/3 cup (preferably Meyer lemon)

Equal amount (about 1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut hazelnuts in half and place in frying pan over medium high heat. Toast, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.

Place arugula in salad bowl.

Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small jar and shake to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. If taste it too tart, add a bit more olive oil.

Pour dressing over salad, add toasted hazelnuts and toss the salad to combine.

Sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan and serve.

Recipe inspired by Vesta, Redwood City, California.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Honing the practice of having a great day. Every day.

Waking up and going directly into your workday can put you in an anxious, high-stress state from the start. If you don’t give yourself time to sort through your own thoughts, ideas, to-do lists, and anxieties before launching the day, it’s a perfect recipe for a stressful, scattered, and unproductive day. And yet, that’s how most of us function!

In this blog, we have talked about building habits and planning ahead by using that part of your brain that has your best interests in mind. When you wake up in the morning, your mind is open and relaxed and your thoughts can flow easily. You can quickly access what you learned from yesterday’s experiences and prioritize what things you plan to do today. Capturing that energy and harnessing that clarity of thought is one of the best tools to maximize your own potential and begin to meet, and even exceed, your goals — no matter what they might be.

Using your brain to benefit yourself is incredibly powerful, free, and, once you establish a practice, quick and easy.

But how do you do it? One of the most powerful, and easy-to-implement, practices is to download (write down) your thoughts first thing in the morning. This thought download serves to capture key learnings from the day before and inform your priorities for the day/week/month ahead. It takes a bit of practice but if you can take 10 - 15 minutes each morning to do it for yourself, you will reap incredible rewards. Of course I can hear some of you saying no way, I don’t have time for that. What would I write down? How would I even start? This is stupid.

Use this template to give it a try. There’s no downside.

For those of you in the IBS Game Changer program, you’re already documenting some of this stuff on a daily basis in the IBS Game Changer journal you received when you signed up for the program. Good for you! You’ve already started to establish a practice. To help you take that to the next level, I’m sharing a template that should be very helpful.

Following this template will make the work of downloading your thoughts a powerful tool that benefits…you!

“It’s not what happens to us but what we learn from it that matters most.” - Michael Hyatt

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Yesterday

What happened?

• Don’t chronicle everything, just the highs, lows, and anything you want to remember later.

What did you read or hear? 

• List important books, articles, podcasts you consumed since your last thought download.

What were your biggest wins? 

• This gives you a sense of momentum to start the new day.

What lessons did you learn? 

• Try to distill your experience down to a couple of lessons you want to remember. It’s not what happens to us but what we learn from it that matters most.

What stood out? 

• I don’t want to lose what I learn in my reading and listening, so I record key insights.

Today

What are you thankful for right now? 

• This is one practical way you can cultivate a sense of abundance and gratitude.

What are you thinking and feeling right now? 

• Your thoughts and feelings are the be-all-end-all because they drive everything you feel, actions you take, and the results you get. Writing them down prevents you from ignoring or suppressing them and gives you an opportunity to check in on yourself.

What are your goals for this week/today?

• Keep your goals focused and no more than 3

• Allow yourself to include goals related to personal growth and self care in addition to work and productivity

What are your top 3 priorities to support those goals today?

• Stay focused so you can keep your priorities in mind. It’s ok to list them all, but then prioritize and focus on the top 3. \

What can you do for someone else?

• Doing things for others is one of the best ways to feel connected and reap personal rewards. This can be as simple as reaching out to a friend or family member with a call, text, or card or it can be as much as volunteering your time at a local food pantry or shelter to help strangers who are in need. The simple act of helping someone else is powerful in lifting your own spirit.

Tomorrow

What are your goals for this week/tomorrow?

• Give some thought to tomorrow and what your focus can be to maintain your progress.

What can you do next to move forward on your goals? 

• Think through your goals, priorities and schedule and identify a few key actions you could take tomorrow to keep your momentum going. 

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Here’s a text version of the prompts you can copy and use as you establish your daily practice.

Yesterday

What happened?

What did you read or hear? 

What were your biggest wins? 

What lessons did you learn? 

What stood out? What did you like best?

Today

What are you thankful for right now? 

What are you thinking and feeling right now? 

What are your goals for this week/today?

What are your top 3 priorities to support those goals today?

What can you do for someone else?

Tomorrow

What are your goals for this week/tomorrow?

What can you do next to move forward on your goals? 

It doesn’t take long to build a practice that works for you and allows you to mentally prepare yourself for a great day every day!

Queso chicken and rice with fresh salsa that’s low FODMAP and amazing!

60 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 • This dish is the perfect combination of flavors and colors and will transport you straight to the Southwestern US, famous for Tex-Mex cuisine. You’ll love it and it will quickly become a favorite for the whole family.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on size)

1 ounce low FODMAP taco Seasoning (see recipe below)

15 oz. fresh low FODMAP salsa (see recipe below)

3/4 cup lactose free milk

4-5 ounces can diced green chilies

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2-3 green onions, chopped (green part only)

4 cups cooked white rice

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375° F. Butter a baking dish large enough to accommodate the rice mixture with chicken breasts overlaid so the sauce doesn’t bubble over.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with half of taco seasoning mix. Cook chicken for 6-8 minutes, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Cut larger breasts so all pieces are about the same size. Chicken may not be cooked all the way through but will finish baking in the oven.

 In large bowl, stir together salsa con queso, milk and diced green chilies; stir in bell pepper, green onions and remaining taco seasoning. Set aside 1 cup of the sauce mixture. Stir rice into remaining sauce mixture.

Place rice mixture in casserole; place chicken on top of rice. Top with reserved sauce mixture, and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Cover with parchment (so the foil doesn’t stick to the cheese) and then with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes more, or until sauce is bubbly and chicken is cooked through. Garnish with chopped tomatoes and cilantro before serving.

Serve with: Lactose free sour cream, chopped tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and crisp tortilla chips.

IBS Friendly Taco Seasoning

INGREDIENTS:

Combine and store in airtight container

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper 

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients and store in air tight container.

Fresh Salsa (with Salsa con Queso option)

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 Jalapeno peppers – seeded and finely chopped (wear gloves while you seed and chop)

5 ripe tomatoes chopped – heirloom are nice or choose “on the vine” for best flavor

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 scallions chopped (green part only)

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons lime juice

FOR THE “CON QUESO” VERSION (only if you can tolerate the added lactose from the additional cheese):

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese (grated)

¼ cup lactose free milk

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, place seeded jalapeno, roughly chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, cumin, chili powder and lime juice. Process using pulse setting until an evenly chunky texture is obtained.

For the Con Queso version: grate cheese and combine with milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 7-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Add salsa and mix until well combined.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

30-minute Szechuan noodles and chicken (low FODMAP and so good!)

30 Minutes • Gluten-free • Lactose-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • Szechuan style noodles in a fabulous sauce and tossed with gingery ground chicken, mushrooms and kale. (Don’t be afraid of the kale! It’s delicious and mild as it’s chopped and cooked in this recipe.) And to top it off? Toasted chili oil you make yourself. You will want to put it on everything. You can make this quick and healthy vegetable-filled noodle dish in about 30 minutes – less time than picking up takeout and ohhhh so much better!  

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup combined ½ garlic infused olive oil and ½ toasted sesame oil (1/3 cup total)

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/3 cup raw peanuts, roughly chopped

2-3 strips orange or clementine peel (use your vegetable peeler to make the strips)

10 ounces gluten free ramen noodles (I use Lotus Foods Organic Quick-Cook Jade Pearl Rice Ramen Noodles)

1/2 cup gluten free low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons maple syrup (or honey if you tolerate)

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 pound ground chicken

3 cups oyster mushrooms, chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, grated

2 cups roughly chopped kale

2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds

Green onions and additional peanuts for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Make the chili oil first. In a large skillet, heat the garlic-infused olive oil combined with the sesame oil (1/3 cup total), and the peanuts over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the peanuts turn golden, about 5 minutes. Don’t cook too hot and watch for burning as that will change the taste. Remove from the heat and transfer the oil to a heatproof bowl or glass jar. Stir in the red pepper flakes and orange peel and let sit while you make the rest of the meal.

Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, and water and set aside. Wash and chop the kale, mushrooms and green onions.

Meanwhile, Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Place the skillet used to make the chili oil, over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons sesame oil and the chicken. Season with black pepper and brown the chicken all over, breaking the chicken up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and ginger and cook another 2-3 minutes. Slowly pour in 1/2 of the soy sauce/water mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the chicken and it begins to caramelize and get crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining soy sauce mixture, the kale, and the sesame seeds. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Stir in the noodles and 1 tablespoons chili oil (or more depending on how spicy you prefer and can tolerate).

Remove from the heat. Serve warm, topped with additional chili oil, peanuts and green onions.

Original recipe inspired by Tieghan Gerard, Half Baked Harvest

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Gnocchi and rosemary bacon in a creamy and delicious soup that’s low FODMAP? What?

45 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • This creamy soup is delightfully warming and chock full of delicious low FODMAP ingredients. The perfect meal when you’re craving warm comfort but you still want to feel good afterwards!

INGREDIENTS:

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary

2 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil

4 scallions chopped (green part only)

6 carrots, chopped

4 celery stalks, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)

1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried basil)

1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds lightly crushed (to your taste)

1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes

kosher salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons salted butter

2 tablespoons rice flour or gluten free one for one flour

4-6 cups low FODMAP chicken broth (more for more “soup” and less if you want more “stuff.”)

4-6 cups roughly chopped kale or spinach

1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk, or lactose free whole milk

1/2 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese, plus more for serving

1 pound fresh potato gnocchi (read the ingredients to be sure potato gnocchi is gluten free) 

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven (soup pot) over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the rosemary to the cooking bacon and cook for one minute. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but about 1 tablespoon. Add the scallions and cook 3 minutes, until softened. Add the carrots, celery, thyme, basil, fennel, crushed red pepper, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes, until very fragrant.

Stir in the butter and flour, cook 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender.

About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the kale/spinach, cream/milk, parmesan, and gnocchi. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth.

Serve the soup topped with the rosemary bacon and parmesan and some toasted sourdough or gluten free bread.

Original recipe inspired by Tieghen Gerard of Half Baked Harvest

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Easy peasy creamy sage fusilli with pumpkin cream sauce (so good and low FODMAP too!)

30 Minutes • Gluten-free • Dairy-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 4 • Simple to make, this sage fusilli pasta with pumpkin cream sauce is delicious, gluten free and low FODMAP. Serve this pasta as a hearty vegetarian main course for 4 or as an excellent side dish for more.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup canned light coconut milk

1 teaspoon ground sage or 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil

salt + pepper, to taste

12 ounces gluten free fusilli pasta

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chopped chives

¾ cup freshly grated parmesan

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare your pasta according to package instructions.

While the pasta is cooking prepare the pumpkin cream.

Combine pumpkin, coconut milk, sage, cayenne pepper, garlic infused olive oil, salt and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Once heated through, let simmer over low heat until pasta is ready.

Drain pasta and rinse to prevent sticking. Add pasta to saucepan and stir gently to combine.

Place in heated serving bowl or serve in individual bowls with walnuts, shredded parmesan and chives.

Original recipe inspired by Kate Scarlata of Maine.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

IBS friendly Sweet Potatoes with candied pecans. Yup. I just said that.

45 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 - 10 • Mashed sweet potatoes are a wonderful holiday tradition but more than 1/2 cup can be too much if you’re on a low FODMAP diet. This recipe combines sweet potatoes with Russet potatoes so you can enjoy a bit more. The candied spiced pecans are the piece de resistance so don’t leave them out! In fact, the pecans are so good, you’ll want to eat them plain. Consider including them with your appetizers before the meal, or alongside a post-dinner cheese plate with grapes and an array of aged cheeses.

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 pounds Russet or other white potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1.5 pounds orange fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup lactose-free whole milk

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)

1/2 cup candied spiced pecans (recipe below), chopped, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Cook potatoes in large pot of salted water.  Bring to a boil over high heat then turn heat down to simmer and cook partially covered until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.

Drain well in a colander then return all of the potatoes to the pot. Place over low heat and stir them around to dry them out a bit. Remove from heat.

Add about 1/4 cup of the milk, the maple syrup, orange zest and butter and begin to mash. Taste and season with salt and pepper and add remaining milk, as needed, to make satiny, smooth, creamy yet fluffy mashed potatoes.

Sprinkle with Candied Spiced Pecans, see recipe here. Serve immediately. Low FODMAP serving size is 1 cup.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Candied Spiced Pecans

These candied pecans are so good you’ll want to eat them as soon as you take them out of the oven. They make a wonderful accompaniment to a beautiful cheese board or our low FODMAP mashed sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

2 cups pecan (or walnut) halves

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cardamom (optional)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

1.      Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 325°F/165°F. Spray a rimmed baking sheet pan with nonstick spray.

2.     Fold all of the ingredients together in a bowl using a silicone spatula to make sure the nuts are well coated. Spread out onto prepared pan in one even layer.

3.     Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during baking to toast evenly. Nuts are done when sugar has melted and nuts are glazed and golden brown but not blackened.

4.    Remove from oven and scrape nuts from pan onto parchment paper to cool. While still hot spread out as much as possible so nuts don’t stick together and let cool completely.

5.     You may store nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. But it’s unlikely they’ll be around that long. They’re so good!

Tip: Due to their high fat content, nuts can burn easily. Watch them carefully and take them out when you can smell a roasted nutty aroma but not a burnt aroma.

Eat and enjoy every bite because you can!

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Simple sausage and vegetable soup (low FODMAP)

60 Minutes • Gluten-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 6 - 8 • This low FODMAP sausage and vegetable soup is delicious to eat and simple to make. And because you make it yourself, you get that “sausage” taste by adding just the right combination of low FODMAP ingredients without the garlic and onions. So enjoy it without consequences!

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil

1 pound ground chicken or pork

8 oz oyster mushrooms – chopped

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or equal parts: thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, and marjoram)

½ teaspoon fennel seed (crushed) - this is what gives it the “sausage” taste

¼ teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

14-ounces diced tomatoes (canned or fresh)

32 ounces chicken broth (low FODMAP)

¼ - ½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil (or two teaspoons dried

2 – 3 cups fresh spinach roughly chopped

2 small zucchini – cubed (1/3 cup serving is low FODMAP)

2-3 carrots (thickly sliced)

Gluten free pasta or rice (already cooked)

DIRECTIONS

Put garlic olive oil in a good size soup pot over medium high heat. When hot, add the ground chicken or pork, the chopped mushrooms and all seasonings. Cook until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms are tender – about 6 – 8 minutes.

Add:

Chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, and dry basil (if using).

Simmer for 30 – 60 minutes

Adjust seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, red pepper flakes).

Add carrots and cook about 5-6 minutes.

Add zucchini, spinach and fresh basil (if using), cover and simmer just until it spinach wilts – about 1-2 minutes

Add cooked pasta* (cook separately and add before serving)

*If you are serving some gluten free and some regular, then put cooked pasta in bowls and spoon hot soup over the pasta (just remember which ones have the gluten free pasta!)

Garnish with a generous grating of parmesan cheese.

Serve with side salad and warm gluten free bread (such as Against the Grain rosemary bread)

Original recipe inspired by Leslie Kingsbury of Ajijic, Mexico.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.

Quick Reference Guide to Sugars and FODMAPs

As we enter the holiday season we always seem to find ourselves surrounded by food — much of which is sweet! Even this year, while we’re all on pandemic quarantine, the cookies, cakes, and candies seem to be materializing as if by magic or maybe it's the baking fairy in my kitchen! The gifts from friends, neighbors and colleagues. The displays at the supermarket. All seem to say “eat me I’m deliciously sweet!”

The low FODMAP diet is definitely not intended to be a sugar free diet and you can indulge in an occasional treat, but you need to make sure you are choosing treats that are sweetened with a low FODMAP sweetener. This is why we created the Quick Reference Guide to Sugars and FODMAPs.

Of course we all know, any sugar or sweetener should be consumed in moderation. But that gets tricky when you are literally surrounded by sweets everywhere you go! To limit your consumption, you need to plan ahead so you don’t spend all your time arguing with yourself. If you’re going to eat a cookie. Plan to eat a cookie. And when you eat the cookie, be very conscious about what you’re doing. Don’t just wolf it down as though you’re going to get “caught.” Enjoy every bit of it! Savor it! Make it last. Doing this will make it a pleasure NOT a guilty pleasure. But it does require some advance planning.

When it comes to sugar and sweets, having a plan you make ahead of time that you can stick to in the moment, is your best bet. Just decide “Today I’m going to eat a cookie.” And then stick with your plan and don’t make it negotiable. Don’t wonder if you’re actually going to eat ten cookies. You’re not. You made a plan and you’re sticking to it. And, you can make a new plan for tomorrow.

Once you have your plan, knowing what sweets are “safe” when you have IBS means you can indulge without fear.

To help you navigate your way around sugars and FODMAPs grab our handy quick reference guide. It will make selecting safe sweets easy.

Grand cranberries

20 Minutes • Gluten-free • Dairy-free • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 - 10 • Cranberries that taste this good should be served all year round! They are the perfect combination of tart and sweet and the citrus and Grand Marnier lend a wonderful orange complement to the flavor of these low FODMAP cranberries.

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)

¾ cup white sugar

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon orange zest

¼ - 1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (juice of 1 small orange)

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (orange liqueur)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Rinse and sort the cranberries to remove any that are soft.

Zest your orange and lemon and then squeeze the juice out of the orange.

In an oven-safe pot, add cranberries, sugar, lemon and orange zest, Grand Marnier, and just enough orange juice to be able to stir the mixture and dissolve the sugar.  

Stir to combine.

Put in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes. The cranberries will pop and the mixture will bubble when ready.

Remove from oven and put in serving dish (or glass storage container if you’re not using the cranberry sauce right away).

Low FODMAP sourdough stuffing. So good you’ll want to make it for everyone.

90 Minutes (mostly cook time) • Low FODMAP • Serves 8 - 10 • Looking for low FODMAP stuffing that holds up to your holiday expectations? This is it! It’s full of flavor, color and texture. Make it for everyone. They will love it.

INGREDIENTS

1.5 pounds real sourdough bread cubed (look for traditional sourdough bread that does not include yeast in the ingredients)

3 pounds chicken wings

2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup finely chopped leek greens (green part only)

½ cup finely chopped scallion greens (green part only)

¾ cup finely chopped celery

¾ cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

½ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Finely chopped fresh herbs:

1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2.5 tablespoons fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons fresh parsley

2 cups low FODMAP chicken broth

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons Gourmend garlic scape powder

DIRECTIONS

1.      Shift the oven racks to the lower and middle positions and preheat the oven to 250ºF (120ºC). Slice and cube the sourdough loaf into a mixture of 1 inch and ½ inch cubes.

2.     Spread the bread evenly onto two rimmed baking sheets. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes or so until the edges of the bread have dried, but the centers are still slightly moist.

3.     While the bread toasts, finely chop the fresh oregano, thyme, sage and rosemary. Finely slice the dark green leaves of the leeks. Finely chop the celery, green tops of the scallions and the walnuts (if using).

4.    Remove the bread from the oven and let cool. Increase the oven temperature to 375ºF (190ºC).

5.     Use a paring knife and poke 3 to 4 holes in each chicken wing to allow juices to escape. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, pan-fry the wings in a single layer for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, until the skin is golden brown. Then transfer the wings to a bowl and set aside.

6.     Place the now empty skillet back over medium heat and add the butter.  Once the butter has melted and the foaming subsides, add the celery, leek tops, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the vegetables soften but are not brown, stirring every now and then. Next add the thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, scallion tops, walnuts, and black pepper, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in 1 cup of organic chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan as you stir. Pour the vegetable mixture over the bread chunks and gently stir until the bread is well coated.

7.     In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, remaining 1 cup of broth, garlic scape powder, parsley, and ½ teaspoon of salt together along with any juices that have gathered at the bottom of the bowl of wings. Pour over the bread mixture and gently toss to combine. Transfer bread mixture to a greased baking dish, place the chicken wings on top, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

8.    Bake on the lower-middle rack for 45 to 50 minutes until the juices in the wings run clear, or the internal wing temperature is 175ºF (80ºC). Remove the wings from the dish and place to one side (reserving the wings for another use) and fluff the stuffing with a fork.

9.     Turn the oven temperature up to 450ºF (230ºC) and bake the stuffing for another 5 to 10 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let the stuffing rest for 5 minutes then serve and enjoy!

Original recipe inspired by Gourmend foods.

This recipe contains affiliate links so you can easily purchase items listed on the page. This is for your information and convenience. If you purchase through this link, I may earn a commission but there is no additional cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more information.