Low-FODMAP, Stupidly Yummy Broccoli Tots

Here’s a good way to enjoy eating more vegetables: fry the hell out of them. These broccoli tots are so good that your friends will be like, HOW DID YOU DO THAT.

Ingredients:
2 heads of broccoli, stems cut off
½ cup cooked white rice
3 tbsp. rice flour
½ lemon, squeezed
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. walnut oil (or you can just use 2 more tbsp. olive oil)
1 egg

Directions:
1. Boil the broccoli for about 3-4 minutes, until it starts to get soft (but isn’t entirely cooked). Drain the broccoli in a colander, and then finely-dice on a cutting board.

2. While the broccoli is boiling, whisk together the egg and lemon, and then add the salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and rice flour. Once that’s nicely mixed, add the white rice and then the finely-diced broccoli.

3. WAIT AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE PROCEEDING. This step is important, because it allows the tot “batter” to bind together a little bit. If the batter doesn’t bind, the tots may fall apart in the skillet.

4. Heat 3 tbsp. of oil in a large skillet on high (cast iron works really well for this recipe). Once the oil is hot, turn the temperature back to medium.

5. While the oil is heating, work the batter into tot-shaped pieces using your fist and fingers, as shown below.

Be sure to squeeze out all excess liquid before you place each tot on the skillet. If you don’t do this, the tot will fall apart.

6. Place tots on skillet. 

Once the bottom of the tot has browned (about 3-4 minutes, depending on how hot your skillet is), carefully give it 1/3 turn so it’s now resting on a side that’s not yet browned. Then once that side is browned, give it another 1/3 turn. If the oil “dries up” at any point during this process, add the last tablespoon of oil to the skillet.

Serve with dipping sauce. I love these with honey mustard or Sriracha. The recipe makes about 25 tots.

Easy Low-FODMAP Cucumber Sesame Salad

I’m still obsessed with my spiralizer (for details, see previous recipe for zucchini pasta).

This cucumber salad is super easy and pretty adorable, if vegetables can be adorable.

Ingredients:1 cucumber
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
½ teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon maple syrup (or sugar)
dash red pepper flakes (less than 1/8 teaspoon)

Directions:
-Spiralize the cucumber (do not remove the peel or it will fall apart). Toss with salt, then put cucumber in a colander and let it breathe for half an hour.
-Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a pan.
-Mix together rice vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup, and red pepper flakes.
-RINSE cucucumber thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels (I skipped this step once and the salad was intolerably salty).
-Toss with dressing

You can double or triple this recipe, depending on how many people you’re serving.

Easy Low-FODMAP Zucchini Spaghetti with Lemon Shrimp

My new obsession is my Oxo Spiralizer, which turns boring veggies into noodles:

For this dish, I noodle-ized zucchini. To make the noodles, just cut the tip off the zucch, press the un-peeled flat edge to the center of the Spiralizer, and twist. I’m 99% certain that zucchini tastes better in noodle form. Especially when it’s smothered in olive oil and herbs:

Ingredients:
2 zucchinis
10-12 shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ lemon, squeezed
¼ teaspoon fresh thyme (if you use dried herbs, use less)
½ teaspoon fresh oregano
½ teaspoon fresh basil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Parsley for garnish (or you can skip the garnish)

Directions:
Drop the zucchini in boiling water until it starts to get soft, about 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the shrimp on medium heat in the olive oil and lemon for 2 minutes per side. Add the herbs and let the shrimp continue to sauté while you briefly drain the zucchini in a colander. Add zucchini to the pan with the shrimp and herbs. Toss and sauté everything together for another 2-3 minutes, until zucchini is at desired level of softness. Total cooking time will probably be around 8 minutes – make sure the shrimp are cooked all the way through.

Garnish with parsley and additional lemon if desired.

Makes 2 servings.

Low-FODMAP Almond Flour Pancakes

Your non-digestively-challenged friends will love these pancakes just as much as their beloved traditional pancakes. Actually, a lot of my friends love them more.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt

1 ½ cups almond flour
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (I sometimes add more)
¼ cup blueberries
Coconut oil for cooking

Directions:
Whisk together eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla. Add the salt, cinnamon, and 1 ¼ cup almond flour. If you want the batter to be thicker, add the rest of the almond flour. Once batter is the right consistency, add the blueberries.

Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet (I use cast-iron) over medium heat. Pour 1/4-cupfuls of batter onto the skillet and cook the pancakes until golden brown and cooked all the way through (about a minute or two per side).

Y'welcome. :) 

Low-FODMAP Samon Croquettes

I could eat these salmon croquettes twice a day for my whole life and never get tired of them. They are as gentle on the stomach as they are yummz. I try to use all organic ingredients, because I figure my sensitive stomach might not appreciate a dose of poison.

Ingredients:

1 8-oz can of salmon (you can use slightly more or less salmon if you prefer)

1 medium sweet potato, boiled, peeled and mashed

1.5 cup rice, cooked

1 egg

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry dill

½ teaspoon dry rosemary

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon brown rice flour

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon walnut oil (you can use 2 tbsp olive oil if you don’t have walnut)

Directions:

Mix the first 9 ingredients together (everything except the oil) to create a sort of “batter.” Heat the oil in a big pan (cast iron works great for this recipe). Form mixture into patties the size of a small burger and drop them into the oil. You should be able to make about 20 patties. Cook the croquettes on medium-high for 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Serve over greens.

Enjoy. xo

Video Explaining What FODMAPs Are and How They Affect The Gut

For lots of people (including myself), a low-FODMAP (Fermentable Oligo-Di-Monosaccharides and Polyols) diet is a reliable way to eliminate painful IBS symptoms. The diet was developed by researchers from the Australia’s University of Monash, who discovered that IBS sufferers have trouble digesting certain kinds of food sugars. Those sugars are found in foods in varying degrees: for example, watermelon is high-FODMAP and cantaloupe is low-FODMAP. A complete list of high- and low-FODMAP foods can be found here.

The University of Monash has created a video to explain what FODMAPs are and how they affect the gut. The first 20 seconds of this video feature some laughably bad acting (you can skip the first 20 seconds), but the animation in the next 2 minutes is really useful.

Here's the article associated with the above video, which gives some additional info. You can also download a smartphone app where you can look up any food to find out whether it’s “safe.”

Happy eating, my friends. 

2015 Movies that Deserve More Recognition

Like everyone else, I loved Star Wars and Spotlight and The Big Short. But a lot of the best movies from the past year aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order:

Amy – Grotesquely compelling and important documentary about the degenerative power of fame. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/amy_2015/?search=amy

Far from the Madding Crowd – How is this film not getting more recognition? If you love epic, perfectly-acted, beautifully shot British romances, you’ll thank me for recommending this one. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/far_from_the_madding_crowd_2014/?search=far%20from%20the%20madding

Love & Mercy – One of the best films I saw this year. I don’t understand why it’s not nominated for more awards. Paul Dano and John Cusack were masterful, and the story is fantastically compelling. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/love_and_mercy/?search=love%20and%20mercy

The Wolfpack – If this story about 5 kids who grew up almost exclusively inside a NYC apartment (they only went outside briefly once each year) weren’t a documentary, I wouldn’t believe the story was possible. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_wolfpack/?search=the%20wolfpack

Going Clear – I thought about this Scientology documentary for days after I saw it - http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/going_clear_scientology_and_the_prison_of_belief_2015/?search=going%20clear

Ex Machina – This unique sci-fi film should be nominated for all the awards. Go see it. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ex_machina/?search=ex%20machina

Slow West – This indie western is unique and beautiful. One of the best films I saw this year. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/slow_west_2015/?search=slow%20west

McFarland USA – there’s nothing Oscar-worthy about this inspiring film about a track team from a rough part of LA, but I loved every second of it. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mcfarland_usa/?search=mcfarland%20usa

Going Clear – I thought about this Scientology documentary for days after I saw it. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/going_clear_scientology_and_the_prison_of_belief_2015/?search=going%20clear

Trainwreck – Not a perfect movie, but it made me laugh. And laugh. And that’s worth a lot. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/trainwreck/?search=trainwreck

Obvious Child – This movie, which admittedly came out in late 2014 (though I didn’t see it ‘til 2015 so it’s going on my list) is a comedy about an abortion, which at face value sounds like a really bad idea. But in actuality, it’s incredibly compelling and touching and funny. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/obvious_child/

Happy viewing! And please send me YOUR recommendations!