The Perfect Watercress Soup – low FODMAP

Watercress soup is sublime and tradition in our household means that we have it as a starter every Christmas. I have considered the fact that we can’t use onion – the complete taste profile onion gives to the dish – including the slight amount of sweetness it provides and I have replaced the onion with alternatives in hope of retaining it’s benefits without its nasty gut side effects.

Watercress is a member of the brassica family of vegetables, therefore it is related to broccoli, cabbage, radish and rocket. Watercress has lot’s of peppery goodness, but although it is rich in some nutrients you would only gain benefit if you include it in your diet regularly – luckily it has lots of uses. It tastes excellent with salmon and watercress is great to use as the leaves for a salad, if you enjoy it’s slightly hot taste! It contains some vitamin A, vitamin K and folate, plus iron (plus is a reasonable source of vitamin C to help absorption of the iron – it is probably better eaten as a salad leaf to achieve this benefit.) As it is a source of iron it is therefore useful for vegans to include in their diet alongside other sources – but this recipe would have to be made with almond milk and dairy free margarine instead of butter to make in suitable. Perhaps I could try that next!

The soup does contain butter and uses full cream milk – but this is a soup for special occasions – so it is OK to have this amount of fat occasionally and you could change to semi skimmed milk and 20g fat, if needed, if you do find that rich foods result in symptoms. The garnish I have used is watercress leaves, radish sprouts and dried seaweed – radish sprouts and seaweed are not integral to the dish, however – and the conkers in the picture are not edible. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

  • 1 bag of fresh watercress
  • 500ml of full fat lactose free milk
  • 1 sprinkle of asafoetida
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 40g butter
  • 1 tablespoon of corn flour

Method

  • Melt the butter in a pan and add the cornflour whilst mixing and the sprinkle of asafoetida and the sugar. This will not form a traditional roux, but not to worry.
  • Slowly drizzle in the milk – note that it will start to thicken at this stage and a whisk might be a better tool to use to ensure that no lumps are formed.
  • When all the milk is added then bring to a slight boil to thicken.
  • Add the watercress and cook until wilted then blend the soup
  • Season to taste.
  • Serves 1-2

Mac and cheese – low fodmap

OK, so it really has an Autumnal feel today perhaps a comforting meal is required and macaroni and cheese is definitely one to make. This is a low fodmap recipe made with lactose free milk and cheese suitable for a low fodmap diet – please note that the fat content is high due to the cheese used. If you find that meals higher in fat cause symptoms it probably isn’t worth trying this recipe, although a small portion might be suitable. This is a great recipe if you are underweight and want to increase the calories in your diet. Unfortunately I didn’t have any macaroni so strictly speaking this isn’t mac and cheese but penne and cheese – you can get gluten free macaroni by ordering it on the internet but most supermarkets I use don’t stock it, which is a shame!

Ingredients

300g of gluten free pasta

560ml of lactose free whole milk

28g butter

28g cornflour

70g of cheddar cheese (I used an orange cheese for more effect)

20g parmesan

1 teaspoon mustard powder

2 slices of gluten free bread

seasoning

Extra grated cheese for topping

Method

Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour, mix well till the flour is incorporated into the butter

Start to add the milk slowly whilst keeping stirring

Add all the milk and warm the sauce till mixed

Add both cheeses to the sauce after grating

Add the mustard powder

Cook the sauce till thickened season if required (do taste the sauce first as the cheese does add flavour)

Cool whilst stirring to avoid a skin forming

Cook the pasta in water till al dente

Add the cheese sauce to the pasta and add to an oven proof dish

Top with gluten free crumbs made from the bread and the extra grated cheese

Bake in an oven for 20 minutes at gas mark 5 or 190 degrees C.

Serves 4 with a green salad

Zucchine (courgette) Pizza gluten free low lactose

Just the job for using up all those extra glut of courgettes that you have in the garden! Courgettes are great for the low fodmap diet, this recipe used yellow courgettes but green ones will work just as well so don’t feel you need to produce this recipe exactly – although the pizza dough does need to be followed closely and it is a modification of one of Jamie’s gluten free pizza bases, but using lactose free milk and one or two tips from someone who is familiar with using the ingredients and fickleness of cooking gluten/wheat free.

Ingredients

Dough

400g of gluten free bread flour (I used doves Farm with zanthan gum already added)

250ml lactose free semi skimmed milk

2 1/2 teaspoons of castor sugar

7g fast yeast powder

1 teaspoon of zanthan gum

1 teaspoon of salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon of oil

1 teaspoon of gluten free baking powder

Topping

1 sachet of lactose free mozzarella

1 courgette

2 small handfuls of pine nuts

a few basil leaves

2 tablespoons of grated parmesan

a few thyme leaves

oil and egg (beaten)

seasoning

Method

Warm the milk to lukewarm

Add 50ml milk to a dish and add the sugar and yeast, mix and leave in a warm area till it bubbles

Weight out the flour, sieve and add the zanthan gum, baking powder and salt – mix well to ensure the gum is fully dispersed in the mix

Add the egg to the rest of the milk, pour in the oil and mix well

Add the milk to the flour and incorporate well, kneed.

Leave for 1 hour in an oiled basin with a cover in a warm place for the dough to rise.

Add two pieces of cling film to your work surface

Add the dough

Roll out as thin as possible if a thin based is wanted (makes around 4 seven inch or one large pizza)

Lift and turn upside down onto a pre-heated pizza stone

Remove the cling film (now on the top of the dough!)

Topping

Add a drizzle of oil to the top of the pizza

Wash and slice the courgette

Remove the lactose free mozzarella from the packaging and tear into thin strips

Dry the mozzarella well with kitchen paper to remove as much moisture as possible – this is very important as any excess will make the base soggy.

Tear the basil and thyme

Grate the parmesan

Combine the ingredients on the pizza base except the pine nuts

brush dough edges that are free of topping with beaten egg.

Cook at gas mark 7-8 at the top of the oven for 10 minutes

Remove and add the pine nuts and cook for a further 5 minutes

Serve and enjoy

Maple and muscat grape no bake cheesecake – Low fodmap

Love cheesecake and having problems with lactose intolerance? Then look no further – this recipe is for you! It is a simple recipe and other grape varieties can be used – but for a special dinner party then these muscat grapes do taste a little bit special and really marry with the flavour of the maple syrup used to sweeten this dish. The recipe is for occasional consumption as it is high in calories but as you will know from the other recipes on this website a small amount of the cheesecake can be consumed occasionally. Cheesecake is a wonderful flavour and dessert for a treat. Your dinner party guests will not suspect that you follow a lactose free or low fodmap diet.

Ingredients

2 tubs of lactose free cream cheese

50g maple syrup

1 packet of gluten free biscuits.

40g butter

2 sheets of gelatine

warm water

1 pack of grapes

Method

Crush the biscuits to a consistently sized small crumb

Melt the butter and add the biscuit crumb and mix well

Add to the bottom of a flan dish and flatten to form the base

Chill

Place the lactose free cream cheese in a dish and add the maple syrup (ensure that the maple syrup is free of added fructose syrup.)

Add the gelatin to cold water till soft

Remove and pour on some just boiled water 100ml – just enough to dissolve the gelatin.

Add the dissolved gelatin to the cream cheese mixture

Mix well

Add the cream cheese mixture to the top of the biscuit base and chill

Decorate with grapes and maple syrup drizzle.

Serves 8-10

Turmeric roasted parsnips with fennel leaves – low fodmap.

This recipe is based on mini parsnips – they do taste great roasted, even the well done ends are crisp and add a flavour to the dish. Something to pick up the mood on a wet damp bank holiday weekend. Fennel bulb is limited on the low fodmap diet (49g maximum) so do be careful with having large amounts of fennel bulb – perhaps roast it and give the roasted fennel bulb to other members of the family! I hope you enjoy the recipe.

Ingredients

1 packet on mini parsnips

1 piece of turmeric sliced thinly

spray oil

Springs of fennel

Method

Slice the turmeric and spray both the turmeric and parsnips with oil

Add the parsnips to a baking tray and sprinkle with the turmeric and roast till crispy.

Add sprigs of fennel leaves before serving.

Easy!

Cod and celeriac risotto

Ingredients

200g Cod

100g ham

200g celeriac

1 glass of wine

10g thyme

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon of oil

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

200ml of lactose free milk

2 teaspoons of cream (lactose free if needed)

Method

Add the cod to a bake-proof dish and cover with milk

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes

Remove milk and retain and flake fish

Add the oil to the pan and then add chopped celeriac, herbs and ham

Fry

Add the rice to the pan and the glass of wine

Cook till the fluid is absorbed by the rice

Add the cream and milk (from cooking the cod) in stages and repeat till fluid is absorbed

Use a small amount of water if needed to finish cooking

The rice should have a small amount of bite when properly cooked

Add the cooked cod and fold through the rice

Taste and add seasoning

Serves 3-4