sauce

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (low-FODMAP recipe)

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (low-FODMAP recipe)

This chimichurri sauce is packed with fresh herbs, bright lime juice, olive oil and a few other flavor boosters. It perks up any low FODMAP meal, especially grilled steak!

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Chimichurri is a sauce from Argentina made with fresh herbs and typically served over grilled meat. Since the sauce is uncooked it’s not only a snap to make, but the perfect summer condiment.

Chimichurri should be renamed “magic sauce,” because it’s magically delicious on just about anything. I’ve used it on:

Grilled steak, pork chops, and chicken breasts
Grilled fish and shrimp
Sandwiches
Eggs
Rice bowls
Tacos

If you’ve been to an Argentinian steak house, you’ve likely had chimichurri. The classic recipe includes a good amount of raw garlic, which I never liked (before the FODMAP Diet, I would actually cook the garlic before adding it to the chimichurri).

Luckily, the sauce is just as good sans garlic. In my opinion, it’s better. If you love garlic flavor, substitute garlic infused oil for 1 to 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. 

You’ll also find my recipe for roasted potatoes below, which is a typical side for an Argentinian grilled meal. The potatoes couldn’t be simpler, but I like to think I’ve perfected the method over the years to make the perfect roasted spuds. :-)

Looking for more low-FODMAP grilling recipes? Check out Lemon-Caper Fish and Veggies Grilled in Foil Packets and Caprese Salad with Grilled Eggplant!

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

If you prefer sirloin or another cut of steak, go for it! The recipe calls for bone-in NY strip because that’s what I used, but boneless is great too. The sauce is also delicious on grilled pork, chicken, and fish. To use as a marinade, add extra olive oil and/or lime juice to thin. 

Serves 4 - Makes about ¾ cup sauce, double recipe if needed (1 serving = 3 tbsp)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (packed) parsley (leaves and thin stems)
1/4 to 1/3 cup mint leaves (about 4 sprigs)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus additional if needed
1 lime, juiced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional if needed
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp granulated sugar (or your sugar of choice)
1/2 tsp red chile flakes, or to taste (optional)
Sea salt to taste (1/4 to 1/2 tsp)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 lbs bone-in New York strip (see note above)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add parsley and mint to a food processor and blitz until finely chopped, scraping down bowl as needed. Add vinegar and lime juice. With processor running, slowly pour olive oil through the feed tube. 

2. Add mustard, sugar and chile flakes if using. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until blended. Consistency should be thick but pourable. Add additional oil or red wine vinegar to thin, depending on whether you like more or less acidity. Check seasoning. Can be used as a marinade, or served over grilled meat or fish. May be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Serve at room temp.

3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill (high for gas) and brush grate with oil. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Grill steaks over direct heat, turning once or twice, until done to your liking, 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (130F to 135F). Rest at least 5 minutes. Slice and serve family style drizzled with chimichurri sauce.

Roasted Potatoes

Serves 4

Cooking spray
2 lbs yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 to 2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil (optional, to minimize clean up) and coat with cooking spray. Add potatoes and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

2. Roast until potatoes are golden brown and very tender with pierced with a fork, tossing 2 times during cooking, 35 to 45 minutes. 

 

Vegan Nut & Veggie Tart with Green Herb Sauce (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

Vegan Nut & Veggie Tart with Green Herb Sauce (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

If you are vegan or plan to cook for vegans or vegetarians, this meatless main dish is perfect for a crowd! It makes a beautiful holiday main course, and it can be made ahead of time. It's full of delicious winter vegetables, plus rice, lentils and …

Ah, holiday cooking. So many dietary needs to take care of. Enter the vegan tart. This recipe is for you if…

  • You're a vegan or vegetarian.

  • You're cooking for vegans or vegetarians sometime soon.

  • You want a crazy-nutritious meatless main dish for the holidays.

But let me backtrack for a second. This recipe came about through an informal collaboration with Alana, the very talented writer behind the blog, A Little Bit Yummy.

She had a lot of readers asking for a vegan nut loaf recipe to make for the holidays. However, being allergic to nuts, she asked if I'd be interested in developing the recipe.

My answer: Heck, yes!

Through the past 9 years of doing freelance recipe development, some of my favorite jobs have been the ones that are different from my personal eating style. Stretching that creative muscle is always a good idea: It's both fun and mentally engaging!

Let's get into the details...

Here's what the ingredients look like before stirring in the nuts and right before going in the oven. Everything stays super-moist, without any crumbling.

Here's why I think this is the vegan recipe you need to try this season:

It won't weigh you down. Some vegan nut loaves have the heft of a hockey puck and come in at 1,000 calories per serving (it happens!). Not this tart. Instead of mostly nuts, this recipe consists of brown rice, lentils and a bunch of winter veggies. It will make your kitchen smell like Thanksgiving.

The sauce. The sauce alone is a gem. With the creaminess of avocado and a tangy hit of lemon, you'll want to eat it straight. Double the recipe if you want; whip it up anytime you've got extra herbs on hand; put it on everything!

It's not a loaf, it's a tart! If you've never found the look of traditional vegan nut loaves all that enticing, this pretty tart is the answer.

No advanced cooking skills. There are quite a few steps to get all the components together, but they're easy-peasy. Plus, you can do some or all of it ahead if you want.

Freedom of choice. If you really want to make a loaf, this recipe should fit in 2 standard loaf pans. But there are other fun possibilities: Use a muffin tin to make individual servings for a potluck or buffet. Use mini muffin tins to make appetizers (cute!)--just be sure to decrease the baking time. I love baking in my cast iron skillet because it looks great at the table, but a pie plate or similar-sized baking dish will work too.

So are you convinced? I'd love to know how many of you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. Do want to see more recipes like this? Will you give this one a try? Let me know below in the comments!

If you are vegan or plan to cook for vegans or vegetarians, this meatless main dish is perfect for a crowd! It makes a beautiful holiday main course, and it can be made ahead of time. It's full of delicious winter vegetables, plus rice, lentils and …

Vegan Nut and Veggie Tart with Green Herb Sauce (Low-FODMAP, Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

A cast iron skillet is great for baking this rustic tart, but any oven-safe 9-inch pan will work, as well as any similar-size baking dish, such as a pie plate. If you use a baking dish, I recommend greasing it with butter or ghee as noted in the recipe. The easiest way to shred the carrot and parsnip is with a food processor with a shredding disk. If you don't have this attachment, you can grate them on a box grater or cut into very thin strips (julienne) with a knife.

Author: Julie-Calm Belly Kitchen             Recipe type: Entrée
Prep time: 50 mins        Cook time: 25 mins        Total time: 1 hour, 15 mins
Makes 8 servings


INGREDIENTS

For Tart:
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
3/4 cup (84g) walnuts
3/4 cup (84g) pecans
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup/85 g shredded; see note above) 
1 medium parsnip, peeled and shredded (about 1 cup/85 g shredded; see note above) 
½ tsp dried rosemary
½ tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium leek, green part only, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 rib celery, diced (about 2/3 cup)
¾ cup (105 g) cooked brown rice
2/3 cup (92g) rinsed and drained canned lentils
3 small slices (75g) low-FODMAP, gluten-free bread
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp chia seeds
Nonstick cooking spray, butter or ghee for greasing your pan (see note above)

For sauce:
1 cup (packed) mixed parsley and cilantro (leaves and thin stems)
¼ avocado, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ to ½ cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spread walnuts and pecans on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake until fragrant and light golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes, stirring them around about halfway through. Transfer to a plate and set aside until completely cool (I like to do this a day or two ahead of time). When cool (otherwise they can turn into a paste), finely chop in a food processor fitted with the metal blade.

2. If the shredded carrots or parsnips are very long, roughly chop so pieces are no longer than 1 inch. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet (if you'll be baking the tart in a 9-inch oven-safe skillet, you can use that) on medium. Add the carrot, parsnip, rosemary, thyme, and salt and black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Add remaining 1 tbsp of the oil to the same skillet and heat on medium. Add leek, celery and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender and light golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add to bowl with carrot mixture. Add the rice, lentils and chopped nuts and stir until combined.

4. Place the bread in a shallow bowl or small baking dish in a single layer. Add the almond milk and allow the bread to soak until very soft but not dissolving, about 5 minutes, turning once. Tear into small ½-inch pieces and add to bowl with veggie mixture (discard remaining almond milk). Stir until combined.

5. In a small bowl, stir together the chia seeds and 3 tbsp warm water. Set aside until mixture thickens to a gel-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Add to bowl with veggie mixture and stir until combined. Taste for seasoning and add extra salt, pepper or herbs (or other spices) as desired. Coat a 9-inch oven-safe skillet (such as cast iron or stainless steel) with nonstick cooking spray; or coat a 9-inch pie plate or similar-size baking dish with butter or ghee. Add veggie mixture and pat into an even layer. Bake at 350F until slightly puffed in the center and lightly browned at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. 

6. Make the sauce: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine herbs, avocado, lemon juice, mustard and hot sauce if using. Pulse until herbs are chopped, scraping down the bowl as needed. With processor running, slowly pour the olive oil in through the feed tube, followed by ¼ cup of the water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add more water as needed until the sauce is thick but pourable (you should be able to drizzle it off a spoon). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

7. When tart is done baking, cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into slices and drizzle with the sauce to serve. Tart may be made up to 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. To reheat, cover with foil and bake at 275F until heated through, about 20 minutes; or transfer to a microwave-safe plate and microwave on medium power for about 2 minutes or until center is hot. For the most vibrant color, it's best to make the sauce just before serving.


Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/8 of recipe (including sauce)  Calories: 360  Fat: 26 g Saturated fat: 3 g Carbohydrates: 29 g Sugar: 3  g Sodium: 108 mg Fiber: 6 g Protein: 8 g