This salad is seriously easy to make and is hearty enough to be a complete meal. All you need is a pot, bowl, knife, cutting board and cheese grater. Quinoa is considered a complete protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids, is high in fiber and relatively low in carbohydrates, making it a great option for low FODMAP diets. This recipe is gluten free, dairy free and plant-based.
Why this recipe is low FODMAP diet friendly:
FODMAP stands for: fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. High FODMAP foods may exacerbate IBS symptoms for some people. This recipe is low FODMAP as all of its ingredients are fairly low in FODMAPs.
Recipe Tips:
Customize this salad to your liking by substituting vegetables or adding more, making sure that they are low FODMAP. If you’d like to up the protein content and don’t follow a plant based diet, try adding a grilled chicken breast.
Ingredients:
- 1 C Quinoa
- 1 ¾ C Water
- 2 Bell Peppers, diced (green is lowest FODMAP but red and yellow are low as well)
- 1 Medium Carrot
- 1 Medium Beet
- ½ C Pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 3 Tb Olive Oil
- 1 Tb Vinegar (rice, red wine, apple cider) or Citrus Juice (lemon or lime)
- ½ Tb Agave Syrup (or maple syrup or honey)
- 1 Tb Dijon Mustard
- Salt & Pepper to taste
How to:
- Add the quinoa and water to a pot on the stove and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover the pot and set a timer for 15 minutes.
- Chop the peppers into ~1 cm squares and add to the bowl. Grate the carrot and beet into the bowl.
- Add olive oil, vinegar, syrup, mustard, salt and pepper to a separate bowl or blender and mix thoroughly.
- Stir quinoa once timer goes off and see if it needs more time (should be no water left at bottom of pot), checking every couple of minutes as this last part happens fast and you don’t want your quinoa to burn to the pot! (As I have done many times!) Once it’s done, remove from heat, remove the cover and fluff it before letting it cool down.
- Once quinoa is cool, add to the bowl and top with the dressing and pumpkin seeds.
- Mix all ingredients and enjoy!
