Diet Tips:Low FODMAP carrot & cumin dip

Low FODMAP carrot & cumin dip ............................................................................................ Adapted from Taste.com.au Serves 4 .............................................................................................. INGREDIENTS 500g carrots, peeled, coarsely chop    30 ml garlic infused olive oil 1 tsp ground cumin Salt & ground black pepper to taste .............................................................................................. METHOD         Cook the carrot in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 30 minutes or until tender.   Drain        Place the carrot, oil and cumin in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.         Taste and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.      Serve with plain rice crackers and low FODMAP vegetables sticks (carrots, red capsicum and cucumber) .............................................................................................. Please note: One serve of this dip (100g) is low in FODMAPs Tip: You can store this dip for two days in an airtight container in the fridge.

           

Diet Tips:Low FODMAP Muesli Bars

By Peta Hill (Paediatric Dietitian)

Muesli bars are a popular lunchbox item, but with many containing wheat, honey and/or dried fruit they tend to be high FODMAP and thus avoided on a low FODMAP diet. Interestingly, while muesli bars are often thought of as healthy ‘everyday’ foods, they are often better classified as ‘sometimes’ or ‘treat’ foods, containing lots of sugar – as much as some chocolate bars!

These Low FODMAP Muesli Bars (inspired by Georgia Harding’s ‘Healthy No Bake Muesli Bars’ from Well Nourished) are nutrient dense, combining the goodness of oats with sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds, and contain just over 1 teaspoon of sugar per serve.  They contain no nuts, so can be packed in the lunchbox of children attending schools with a nut-free policy.

For more tips on packing a Low FODMAP lunchbox, click here.

Health tip:

Seeds are nutrient dense – packed full of vitamins (such as B and E), minerals (including iron and zinc), good fats and fibre. They’re low FODMAP and healthy to include on a low FODMAP diet, especially given the restrictions on many fibre-containing foods, including specific/excessive fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and certain nuts.

Low FODMAP Muesli Bars .............................................................................................. AUTHOR: Peta Hill Makes approx 15 muesli bars .............................................................................................. INGREDIENTS 100g (1 cup) rolled oats 60g (1/2 cup) sunflower seeds 60g (1/2 cup) pumpkin seeds 60g (1/2 cup) sesame seeds 1 tablespoon of group flax seeds 60g (1 cup) desiccated coconut  1 tsp ground cinnamon  125g olive oil spread 170g (1/2 cup) rice malt syrup .............................................................................................. METHOD 1.     In a small saucepan, melt and combine olive oil                  spread, rice malt syrup and cinnamon. 2.     In a large non-stick fry pan, combine oats, seeds and          coconut and toast over a low heat for approximately            5-10 minutes. 3.     Add dry mix to the oil-syrup-cinnamon mix and mix              until combined*. 4.     Press into a slice tin lined with baking paper and                  freeze for approximately 20-minutes until set. 5.     Cut into squares. I cut the baking paper, lining the tin,        into strips and wrap bars individually. 6.     Store in freezer until use. * If your child doesn’t like ‘bits’ in their baked goods, use a food processer to combine and break down the mixture. .............................................................................................. Handy hint: Use this recipe as a base and experiment with adding other low FODMAP ingredients, such as dried cranberries or nuts (check app for details and serving sizes). NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION NUTRITION INFORMATION per serve Energy total Protein Fat total          - Saturated Carbohydrate Sugar Fibre 785KJ 4.1g 14.7g 4.5g 9.9g 5.2g 3.3g

Stay tuned for next week's recipe for a breakfast on-the-go!

Diet Tips:Serving suggestions for Monash University Certified low FODMAP sourdough spelt breads Part 1/5

By Dr Jane Varney

Tomato and basil bruschetta

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 medium tomatoes, deseeded, finely chopped

1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon caster sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

8 slices sourdough spelt bread*

Salt and pepper

Method:

1.         Combine tomato, basil, vinegar, sugar and 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

2.         Preheat grill on medium-high. Place bread on a baking tray. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to plates. Drizzle with remaining oil. Spoon tomato mixture onto toast. Serve.

Stay tuned for the next Monash Uni Certified bread recipes we'll be revealing over the coming weeks!

*Monash University Certified lowFODMAP sourdough spelt bread 

           

Diet Tips:Serving suggestions for Monash University Certified low FODMAP sourdough spelt breads 2/5

By Dr Jane Varney

Capsicum, feta and chicken sandwiches

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast fillet

Olive oil cooking spray

4 slices, sourdough spelt bread*

125g feta cheese

1 large red capsicum, deseeded, cut into strips

1/4 cup basil leaves

Salt and pepper

Method:

 1.       Cut the chicken breast in half, to form 2 thin fillets. Spray with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken fillets for 3 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Remove to a plate. Cover with foil. Stand for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips.

       2.       Preheat a sandwich press. Lightly spray 4 slices of bread with oil.

       3.       Place 2 slices of bread on a place, oiled side down. Spread with feta. Season with salt and pepper. Top with chicken, peppers and basil.

       4.       Sandwich together with remaining bread slices, oiled side up.

       5.       Cook sandwiches for 5 to 6 minutes or until golden. Serve.

*Monash University Certified low FODMAP sourdough spelt bread

           

Diet Tips:Serving suggestions for Monash University Certified low FODMAP sourdough spelt breads 3/5

By Dr Jane Varney

Panzanella Salad

Serves 4

Image from taste.com.au

Ingredients:

4 large red capsicum, deseeded and cut in half

4 slices sourdough spelt bread*

1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

250g cherry tomatoes, halved

100g pitted kalamata olives, halved

1/2 cup torn basil leaves

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method:

1.       Place capsicum under the griller for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally until skins blacken and blister. Turn occasionally. Place aside to cool.

2.       Brush bread with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place bread under the griller until lightly charred. Tear into bite-sized pieces.

3.       Peel capsicum over a bowl to save juice. Discard skins. Cut into 3cm wide strips.

4.       Place bread, capsicum, tomatoes, olives and basil in a large bowl.

5.       Season bread mixture with salt and pepper.

6.       Whisk remaining oil, vinegar and capsicum juice together. Season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad.

7.       Toss salad gently and serve

*Monash University Certified low FODMAP sourdough spelt bread

           

Diet Tips:Going to the Movies? Can I Snack on Popcorn?

Newly Tested Food: Popcorn

By Lyndal McNamara (APD)

Exciting news from the Monash FODMAP team- Your favourite movie treat has now been tested and meets our low FODMAP criteria in a <100g serving! So what does a 100g serving of popcorn actually look like? To answer this question we ventured to our local cinema and investigated the typical popcorn buckets on offer, and here are the results:

 So the good news is that you can still enjoy a small box of cinema popcorn (or 1/3 of a medium box or ¼ of a large box if you are sharing) as part of your low FODMAP diet. It is important to note that many cinemas now offer flavoured popcorn or flavouring sachets that you can add yourself. If you are planning on choosing a flavoured option, just be sure to check the ingredients list first for any high FODMAP ingredients such as garlic powder, onion powder, honey or high fructose corn syrup.

Cinema popcorn is also usually popped in oil with butter and salt added, so can be quite high in calories, saturated fat and sodium. High fat foods can trigger IBS symptoms in some individuals, so consider this type of popcorn an occasional treat and be mindful of how much you eat in one sitting.  Despite this, a typical serve of plain, air-popped popcorn (60g) makes a nutritious and satisfying snack, providing around 9g of dietary fibre and 8g of protein. Why not try making your own air-popped popcorn at home with one of these low FODMAP flavour toppers- Enjoy! Lyndal McNamara (APD)

•   For a savoury option, lightly spray your hot popcorn with olive oil spray and sprinkle with smoked paprika, dried oregano and parmesan cheese (1 tbs. max)
•  For a sweet option, lightly spray your hot popcorn with coconut oil spray and sprinkle with cinnamon, icing sugar (1 tsp max.) and cocoa powder 

Diet Tips:New App Food Category - Nutritional Drinks

We get many enquiries from dietitians about the FODMAP content of nutritional drinks, so are excited to announce the latest product to join our Monash University Low FODMAP Certification program, ProNourish™ by Nestle Health Science. 

ProNourish™ is a nutritious, low FODMAP drink that can be included as a mini-meal or snack by people with digestive sensitivities such as IBS. The drink provides a range of vitamins and minerals, is high in protein, a source of fibre, and importantly, low in FODMAPs, as confirmed by analyses performed at Monash University laboratories. 

This final point differentiates the Nestle product from other similar products in the market place, many of which contain high FODMAP ingredients such as inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). ProNourish™ is available in two delicious flavours, French Vanilla and Strawberry Banana. 

The product is listed in the Monash University Low FODMAP diet smartphone app under the new, ‘Nutritional Drinks’ category and is available for purchase by US consumers both in-store and online.