Summer Rolls

These lovely little rolls are a delight to pack for lunch.   For a dipping sauce, I used leftover peanut dressing from the Bok Choy salad recipe.  When I pack up the rolls, I separate them from each other with wax paper.  Otherwise they stick together mightily and get torn when I pull them apart.   This is a recipe that you can customize endlessly depending on what you like and what ingredients you have on hand.  Last night, I filled mine with “crab”, lettuce, cilantro, mint, red bell pepper, carrot, and cucumber.  These are way easier to make than sushi rolls.

one package of 8 inch round rice paper wrappers

Choose any combination of the following:

Protein, choose 1 – “crab legs” made from surimi, shredded chicken or pork, cooked shrimp, tofu

Vegetables, choose 2 or 3 – very thinly sliced lengths of cucumber, carrot, red bell pepper, zucchini; bean sprouts; small lettuce or spinach leaves;  shredded bok choy

Fresh Herb, choose 1 or 2 – mint, cilantro, basil, Thai basil, parsley

Have all ingredients ready to roll before starting.  Fill a large shallow dish with hot tap water.  Take one rice paper wrapper and place it in the water.  Wiggle it around for at least 30 seconds until it is thoroughly softened.  Carefully place the wrapper on a flat surface as smoothly as possible.  I use a cutting board and I let about 1 inch of the wrapper hang over the edge. This makes it easier for me to grab it.  Place a small amount of each filling ingredient on the wrapper.  Grab the edge of  the wrapper that is hanging off the edge of the cutting board and fold it up over the filling.  Fold in the wrapper at each side and then tightly roll up the bundle to enclose the filling.  If you find that you have a big, sloppy roll that won’t stay shut, you probably used too much filling. Try it with less.   Repeat until you’ve used up your ingredients!  These can be stored for a day or two  refrigerated in a covered container and  separated by wax paper or plastic wrap.

Potato and Pesto Gratin

This recipe is by Martha Rose Shulman, I found it at the New York Times. It uses the garlic scape recipe I posted below.  The FODMAP load of garlic scapes is unknown.  Eat at your own risk!

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes

1/2 cup garlic scape pesto

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with olive oil. Slice the potatoes no more than 1/4 inch thick and place in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the pesto. Stir the mixture until the potato slices are evenly coated, then transfer to the baking dish, making sure to scrape all of the pesto out of the bowl.

Cover the baking dish with foil or a lid and place in the oven. Bake 30 minutes, then uncover and return to the oven. Bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are thoroughly tender, the olive oil in the dish — now a beautiful green — is sizzling, and the top is beginning to color. Serve hot or warm.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Last fall, before I’d heard of the low FODMAP approach to managing IBS, I had planted a couple of dozen garlic cloves in my garden to harvest this spring.  Half of the garlic was a soft neck variety and half a hard neck variety.  Hard neck varieties of garlic produce a flower stalk called a scape.  Scapes can be harvested and eaten.  We know that garlic bulbs and onion bulbs are sources of FODMAPS.  We know that the green stalks of scallions are not.  I am making an assumption that the green flowering stalk of garlic is also low in FODMAPs.  I have made and eaten this pesto with no ill effect.  If you want to experiment and you run across some fresh garlic scapes at your local farmer’s market, here’s an easy recipe.  If garlic scapes prove to be a safe alternative to garlic cloves, I’m going to be using them a lot more in my cooking.  And I’ll be planting lots of hard neck garlic this fall!

Garlic Scape Pesto 
You will need a food processor.

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped garlic scapes
4 cups baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 cups Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and dry garlic scapes; then cut into one inch lengths. Add scapes to the food processor and process until they are starting to look finely chopped, about 2-3 minutes.  Add spinach and pulse the mixture about 1 minute more, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and pine nuts and process about 2 minutes more.  Add Parmesan and process 1-2 minutes more, or until the pesto reaches the texture you prefer.

Use this as you would any pesto. It freezes well.

Bok Choy and Pineapple Salad

Bok Choy is one of those foods that I never quite believe is FODMAP friendly.  But it is and I have eaten it numerous times with no ill effect.  This is another of the salad recipes from chow.com that is already quite low FODMAP.  The original recipe uses chili-garlic paste.  If you can tolerate a little garlic, go ahead and use it in place of the red pepper flakes.  Be careful with purchasing peanut butter.  Some are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, some with agave nectar. Avoid those!

For the dressing:

1/4 cup natural smooth peanut butter (low or no sugar)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 medium limes)
2 tablespoons wheat-free soy sauce
2 teaspoons cane syrup (or sugar)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon dried red chile flakes
2 tablespoons garlic oil

For the salad:

2 pounds baby bok choy
2 1/2 cups fresh small-dice pineapple (from about 1/2 medium pineapple)
2 medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 medium English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced (green parts only)

Combine the dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Toss all salad ingredients together in a bowl. Top with dressing and toss again.  Serve immediately.

Moroccan Vegetable Salad

The food website chow.com recently posted a bunch of recipes for “chunky, unusual summer salads”.  I found two of them were already very low FODMAP and needing only minimal modification.  I had this salad for supper last night and it was delicious! I’ve discussed preserved lemon before.  You can purchase it in international food markets or you can make your own.

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 1/2 medium lemons)
1 preserved lemon, rind only, finely chopped (about 5 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup garlic flavored oil

For the salad:

1 pound yellow squash (about 3 to 4 medium squash), medium dice
1 pound zucchini (about 3 to 4 medium zucchinis), medium dice
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and medium dice
8 ounces seedless green grapes (about 1 1/2 cups), halved
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
salt to taste

Combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk or shake until thoroughly mixed.

Combine all of the salad ingredients and toss.  Coat with dressing and toss again.  Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Tip: To pack the salad for lunch, put UNdressed salad ingredients in a bowl  with a lid and pack the dressing separately.

Chiffon Cake with Strawberries and Cream

I’m a big fan of the recipes for gluten free baked goods that Elizabeth Barbone posts over at Serious Eats.  I don’t do much baking but when I saw her recipe for chiffon cake, I knew I had to try it.  The only change I made from her recipe is to add some King Arthur flour gluten free cake enhancer. Be sure to use excellent quality vanilla extract.

• 1 quart strawberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons King Arthur Flour cake enhancer
• 1 1/2 cups (10.25 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) white rice flour
• 1/2 cup (3 ounces) potato starch
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• lightly sweetened whip cream for serving

Hull and slice strawberries. Combine them with the 2 tablespoons sugar, mix, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk together the cake enhancer, granulated sugar, white rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in medium bowl. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks, water, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add whisked dry ingredients. Mix until thick batter is thick and smooth.

In another large bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Beat with electric mixer on high speed until medium peaks form. Add whipped egg whites, one quarter at a time, to batter. Fold, taking care not to deflate the batter, until no large lumps of egg whites remain.

Spoon batter into ungreased 10-inch tube (angel food) pan. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back to the touch, about one hour. Remove from oven and immediately invert pan either onto legs that are on the pan or onto the neck of a beer or wine bottle. Allow cake to cool in the pan upside down.

To remove cake from pan, run a knife around the outside of the cake, between cake and pan bottom, and around the tube. Turn cake onto a serving plate. Store cake, covered, on the counter for up to four days.

Serve cake slices with a spoonful of strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.

Shrimp Cakes

I used up the remainder of my leftover shrimp on this recipe.  It is a variation of the Veggie Corn Fritters recipe that I posted in January.  I didn’t measure anything, so the measurements I give here are approximate.  These were delicious! I served them with a side of sauteed bacon and zucchini.

heaping 1/4 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon corn flour (masa)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
2 large eggs

1/2 lb. cooked, shelled shrimp, finely chopped
1 cup cooked corn kernels
2 fresh hot Serrano chiles, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion greens
2 tablespoons minced cilantro

oil for frying

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Beat in the two eggs. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat.  Add a few glugs of oil to the pan (about 1/4 inch deep). When the oil is hot and shimmering, drop 1/4 cup size mounds of batter into the hot oil. Flatten the tops of the mounds a bit with the bottom of the measuring cup.  When you’ve filled the pan, turn the flame down to medium.  Let the patties sit, undisturbed, until they are golden brown and crispy on the bottom.  You don’t want to turn them too soon.  When they are ready, flip them over and fry for another couple of minutes until cooked through.  Serve hot.

Shrimp Spread

My daughter came home from Baton Rouge at the start of her spring break bearing a sack of fresh oysters and 5 pounds of wonderful shrimp.  If you should ever find yourself anywhere in the vicinity, I highly recommend a stop at Tony’s Seafood Market. The prices are unbeatable and the seafood super fresh.  After a big oyster feast and shrimp boil, I had a little shrimp leftover.  I’m eating this spread right now on wheat-free crackers and it is so good.

1/2 lb. peeled, cooked shrimp
4 tbsp softened clarified butter
1 tbsp fresh parsley
1 heaping tbsp prepared horseradish
juice of 1 lemon
a healthy dose of freshly ground black pepper

Combine everything in a food processor and pulse until you’ve got a rough paste.  Put it in a bowl and refrigerate for an hour or so, covered.  Serve with wheat-free crackers.

Stuffed Peppers

I used to make stuffed peppers with a filling of Italian sausage and grated zucchini. I would have used zucchini again except all I had in the fridge was a carrot. Adding some grated vegetable to the mix helps keep the filling moist.  I used ground turkey as a base for this recipe because it is lower in fat than pork and because I could reduce the FODMAP load by getting rid of the garlic usually present in sausage.  The amount of red pepper flakes I used makes a spicy dish, use less if you do not like the heat.

2 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons garlic oil
1/4 cup wheat-free dry breadcrumbs
1 small egg
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 small carrot, grated

Preheat oven to 350F. Place bell peppers in a  baking dish, cut side up.  Combine turkey, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.  Divide the meat mixture among the bell pepper halves. Top the meat with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes, until the meat is thoroughly cooked and the peppers are soft.

Sweet Potato Hummus

I did not mourn giving up beans for the low FODMAP diet.  I’ve never been particularly fond of bean dishes, with one major exception: chickpeas – particularly hummus.  I LOVE hummus.  Unfortunately, even a little bit of hummus gives  me problems.  Recently, I came across a recipe on a vegan recipe blog for a hummus based on sweet potatoes … RAW sweet potatoes.  I made a variation of it to make it low FODMAP and found that I liked it a lot.  The texture, though, was a bit too raw for me.  So, I made the same recipe, only this time with some cooked sweet potato.  I like the texture, but the flavor is not as bright as the raw.  In both cases, the hummus improved after a day resting in the fridge.

According to Kate Scarlatta’s handy chart, sweet potatoes are a mild source of polyols, so be cautious about how much you eat.

1 large or two small sweet potatoes, about 10 – 12 ounces, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup roasted sesame tahini
2 tablespoons garlic oil
grated zest and squeezed juice of 1 whole lemon
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste

For the raw version, pile all ingredients in your food processor and process until smooth.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

For the cooked version, boil the sweet potato chunks until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and cool before proceeding as before.  I found that for the cooked version, I needed to add a couple tablespoons of water to get the consistency that I wanted.

Serve with wheat free crackers, chips, or pita.