Maple-Soy Chicken Drumsticks with 5-Spice (Low-FODMAP, dairy free)

Maple-Soy Chicken Drumsticks with 5-Spice (Low-FODMAP, dairy free)

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The easy sauce for these chicken drumsticks has just THREE ingredients, but a huge flavor payoff. If you’re bored with the same old chicken dishes, this will wake up your taste buds!

The key ingredient here is Chinese 5-Spice.

Like the name suggests, it’s a blend of 5 spices: typically fennel, cinnamon, star anise, Szechuan pepper, and cloves. But this combination isn’t set in stone - sometimes ginger, cardamom, anise (different from fennel and star anise) nutmeg, or orange peel are substituted or added to the mix.

Overall, 5-spice comes off as sweet with slightly bitter undertones and a zip of licorice from the fennel. With so much going on, a little bit goes a long way.

You can find Chinese 5-Spice in most supermarkets or online. Naturally, it’s great in Asian stir frys, braised dishes, and soups. It’s a perfect match for pork, lamb, and duck, as well as dark meat chicken and turkey. But there are plenty of unexpected ways to use it...

How To Use Chinese 5-Spice:

• To flavor roasted nuts (toss with butter and 5-spice)

• For glazed carrots (like these)

• On stir fried green beans

• In Vietnamese pho

• Add to muffins or quick bread

• Spice up oatmeal, sweet grits, or other hot cereal

• Add to spice cookies or Chinese almond cookies

• In sauce for stir fried rice noodles

• Add to ground lamb and rice stir fry

• In lamb or beef stew

• Season roast or braised duck

• On roasted vegetables like parsnips, squash, rutabaga, and celery root

This post is part of a series on low-FODMAP spices. Check out the other posts below:

Grilled Chicken with Curry-Lime Marinade

Ancho-Orange Roast Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

Easy Coconut-Shrimp Curry with Chickpeas

Maple-Soy Chicken Drumsticks with 5-Spice (Low-FODMAP, dairy free)

You can change up this recipe by using chicken wings or thighs; adjust baking time accordingly. Finishing the chicken under the broiler crisps the skin and helps thicken the sauce. If you prefer, you can remove the skin before baking; bake until temp reaches 165F, do not broil.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs chicken drumsticks (about 12)
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp Chinese 5-Spice
Sesame seeds for garnish
Chopped scallion tops for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Place chicken in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish or similar size that fits chicken in a single layer.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the syrup, soy sauce, and Chinese 5-Spice. Pour over chicken. Bake until chicken is no longer pink in the thickest part or temperature reaches 160F on an instant-read thermometer, 35 to 40 minutes, basting chicken with maple sauce 2 to 3 times during baking.

3. Turn on broiler to high and place an oven rack in the upper third position (8 to 10 inches from broiler). Broil until chicken is lightly browned and internal temp reaches 165F, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and pour remaining sauce over chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions and serve.
 

Grilled Chicken with Curry-Lime Marinade (Low-FODMAP, Dairy-Free)

Grilled Chicken with Curry-Lime Marinade (Low-FODMAP, Dairy-Free)

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Adding curry seasoning to an otherwise simple marinade gives it a whole new twist, and that’s how today’s recipe was born. 

Having a few great spices and marinades up your sleeve is essential for tasty low-FODMAP cooking. Since sweet curry powder is a blend of spices typically used in Indian cooking, it packs a lot of flavor into a dish without much effort--this marinade only has 6 ingredients (plus salt)!

You can find sweet curry powder in most supermarkets, and of course online. It has little to no heat and is highly versatile. 

Other ways to use sweet curry powder:

• Season roast vegetables

• Season grilled or baked fish

• Add to dips or yogurt sauce

• Spice up chicken or tuna salad

• Add to rice

I served this chicken with basmati rice seasoned with cumin and allspice. I love to make sauces like this on the fly with whatever I have on hand so that’s what you see here.

I used lactose-free plain yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, chopped tomatoes, and a couple dashes of curry powder.

Want more? Check out the other posts in the Low-FODMAP Spices Series:

Easy Coconut-Shrimp Curry with Chickpeas

Ancho-Orange Roast Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

Maple-Soy Chicken Drumsticks with 5 Spice

And one more great curry recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken and Perfect Basmati Rice

Grilled Chicken with Curry-Lime Marinade (low-FODMAP, dairy-free)

You can substitute any other chicken pieces (boneless or bone-in), but cooking times will vary. Sweet curry powder (also called “yellow” or “mild”) is a blend of spices that typically does not include onion or garlic, but always check the ingredient list to avoid any FODMAPs.

Serves 4 to 6 

INGREDIENTS

1 ¼ cup (lightly packed) cilantro (leaves and thin stems), plus additional for garnish
⅔ cup chopped scallions (7 to 8)
7 tbsp lime juice (3 to 4)
7 tbsp oil (olive, grapeseed, or vegetable oil)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp sweet curry powder (see note above)
1/2 tsp salt
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add cilantro and scallions to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulsing in 5-second bursts, process until chopped, scraping down bowl as needed. Add lime juice. With processor running, slowly pour in the oil through the feed tube.

2. Add mustard, curry powder, and salt. Process until combined, scraping down bowl as needed.

3. Place chicken thighs in a heavy duty zip top plastic bag. Add marinade and seal. Shake the bag a bit to coat chicken. Refrigerate 4 to 24 hours, turning back once or twice. When ready to grill, transfer chicken to a plate (discard marinade) and bring to room temperature.

4. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill (high for gas) and brush grate with oil. Grill chicken over direct heat, turning once or twice, until internal temperature reaches 165F on an instant-read thermometer or center is no longer pink, 7 to 9 minutes. Rest 5 minutes, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
 

 

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (low-FODMAP recipe)

Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce (low-FODMAP recipe)

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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. 

Caprese Salad with Grilled Eggplant (low-FODMAP recipe)

Caprese Salad with Grilled Eggplant (low-FODMAP recipe)

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During summer, I want easy recipes using the fresh produce that isn’t around come January in Chicago. I also want to grill as much as possible.

If you agree, you’ll love this recipe! “Easy” is really an understatement. Make this dish once and you’ll have it memorized forever. :-)

It’s a caprese salad, the classic Italian salad with colors meant to resemble the Italian flag, with the tasty addition of grilled eggplant. The eggplant makes this a more substantial side or appetizer, or even a light meatless meal.

When you have IBS, large servings of vegetables can be hard to digest, but caprese gives you that salad experience without a big bowl of lettuce and raw veggies. If you’re sensitive to vegetables, start with a small serving and see how you feel!

Looking for more low-FODMAP grilling recipes? Check out Lemon-Caper Fish and Veggies Grilled in Foil Packets or the Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce!

Caprese Salad with Grilled Eggplant

This salad works best with flavorful tomatoes in season - If you grow them or have access to a farmer’s market, that’s the way to go! I used heirlooms, but common varieties are great too. Pair with sourdough bread or another grain for a light meatless meal. You could also add prosciutto or chicken to the salad for extra protein.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 medium eggplant, sliced in rounds about ¼-inch thick
Cooking spray or oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
2 medium (7 to 8 ounces each) tomatoes (see note above), cut into wedges
Sea salt to taste
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
Chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill (medium-high for gas). Coat both sides of eggplant rounds with cooking spray (or brush with oil) and season with salt and pepper. Grill until very tender, 16 to 20 minutes, turning 3 to 4 times during cooking.

2. Arrange 3 eggplant slices (you may have some leftover) on each of four plates. Top evenly with mozzarella and tomatoes. Drizzle each plate with 1 tsp each extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season tomatoes with sea salt. Garnish with basil and serve.

Tip: Want to make sure your fresh mozzarella is low lactose? Look at the “Sugars” line on the Nutrition Facts label. Lactose shows up as sugar in dairy products, so if it says “0 g” you know it’s low-FODMAP. This works for any cheese, as long as there are no added sugars in the ingredient list (honey, for example), which there shouldn’t be unless it’s a flavored cheese product.

>>> Need to make food shopping on the FODMAP Diet a little easier? I created a free shopping list of everyday food you can find at most supermarkets (plus links to some of my favorite low-FODMAP recipes!). Click to grab it!

Lemon-Caper Fish and Veggies Grilled in Foil Packets (Low-FODMAP Recipe)

Lemon-Caper Fish and Veggies Grilled in Foil Packets (Low-FODMAP Recipe)

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Need a simple, healthy grilling recipe that happens to be low-FODMAP? If you've ever tried to cook delicate white fish on the grill, there's a good chance you've ended up with a hot mess. I definitely have!

This simple foil packet method not only solves that problem, but it also gives you super-moist fish and flavorful veggies. It's a full meal in a packet!

The lemon and caper topping creates a delicious broth that doubles as a sauce...next time I'll likely transfer the entire contents of the packets into shallow bowls so I can catch every drop.

For the veggies I chose zucchini and red bell pepper, but you can change it up! Other great options are shredded carrots, kale, Swiss chard or green beans. You could also swap the lemon-caper topping for your favorite herbs and spices. It's the cooking method that's the star in this dish.

>>> Need to make food shopping on the FODMAP Diet a little easier? I created a free shopping list of everyday food you can find at most supermarkets (plus links to some of my favorite low-FODMAP recipes!). Click to grab it!

Looking for more low-FODMAP grilling recipes? Check out Caprese Salad with Grilled Eggplant or the Grilled Steak with Chimichurri Sauce!

Lemon-Caper Fish and Veggies Grilled in Foil Packs

Serves 2 (double recipe if needed)

This recipe works with especially well with delicate fish fillets that can be difficult to cook directly on the grill rack. I used whitefish fillets, but cod, tilapia, trout, or snapper would all work well - skin on or off.

INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray
1 medium zucchini, sliced thin
½ red bell pepper, sliced thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 6-ounce fish fillets (see note above)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1 lemon, sliced thin and seeds removed
Chopped parsley, basil, tarragon or cilantro for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill (medium-high for gas). Tear off two pieces of foil, 20-22 inches long each. If fish fillets are long and narrow, cut in half crosswise.

2. Place half the zucchini and bell pepper in the center of each piece of foil. Season with salt and pepper. Place fish on top of veggies. If you cut fillets into two pieces, place side by side. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Top with capers and lemon slices.

3. Fold long sides of foil together and fold over to seal. Fold over each short end several times to seal tightly.

4. Place foil packets on grill and cook until fish is opaque in thickest part, 9 to 13 minutes. Thin, skinless fish will cook faster than thicker pieces or pieces with skin. Since the steam inside the packets is mainly responsible for cooking the fish, it’s difficult to dry out your fish with this method. The whitefish I used took 11 minutes. Place packets on plates or in shallow bowls and rest unopened for 5-10 minutes. Open carefully (steam will be hot), sprinkle with fresh herbs, and serve.
 

When is it time to reintroduce FODMAPs? (3 simple ways to know!)

When & how to reintroduce FODMAPs? (3 simple ways to know!)

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When you start the FODMAP Diet, the goal is to hit the reset button on your body by eliminating as many high-FODMAP foods as possible.

But how do you know when it’s time move out of that restrictive phase and bring FODMAPs back into your diet? And how do you reintroduce FODMAPS?

It’s not about a certain period of time, and it’s definitely not about being 100% symptom-free.

Instead there are 3 specific factors that let you know when to test your FODMAP tolerance so you can eventually enjoy a whole lot more variety in your diet.

Keep reading to learn if it's time for YOU to test FODMAPs. Or watch this episode of Calm Belly TV to go even deeper. I cover the 3 factors in about the first 10 minutes, but if you’re not pressed for time there are some great Q&As from the live viewers!

Ready to challenge and reintroduce high-FODMAP foods?

Click to get your FREE Reintroduction Checklist! 

(Watch the video or scroll down to read about the 3 factors!)

When is it time to reintroduce FODMAPs?

#1 You've seen consistent improvement in your IBS symptoms

• You don’t have experience 100% improvement in symptoms

• 75% improvement is awesome, 50% is still great

• At 50-75% improvement you feel well enough to easily recognize reactions to high-FODMAP foods when you test them

• If you do the elimination phase for 6 to 8 weeks, feeling that level of symptom relief for about a 4-week period qualifies as consistent

#2 You've identified other factors that affect your digestion 

• Other factors include stress in all its forms, hormonal fluctuations, exercise level, the overall volume of food you eat, the timing of meals, or how fast you eat

• Your goal during the FODMAP testing phase is to keep your IBS symptoms as well-controlled as possible, so understanding those other factors is an important part of the elimination phase

• Becoming more aware of your body and what it needs (NOT a common skill!) is one of the great side effects of the elimination phase

#3 You have a black belt in taking FODMAPs out of your diet

In other words, you’re really good at doing the elimination phase, and you know what your body feels like when you have maximum symptom control (remember, that doesn't necessarily mean being symptom-free - see #1).

This is important so you can recognize reactions when you test high-FODMAP foods in the reintroduction phase.

Here’s what a black belt in FODMAP looks like:

• You know you’re not missing any hidden FODMAPs in your meals

• You understand how portion sizes impact FODMAP load

• You know where sneaky FODMAPs can hide in restaurant meals

• You’re good at checking ingredients lists

• You’re super-comfortable using the Monash app

• You’ve got plenty of tasty go-to meals and snacks

>>> All of the above means you’ll be able to easily test your FODMAP tolerance for those high-FODMAP foods without the stress of what to eat the rest of the time. It’s also a helpful skill because you can fall back on it during stressful times or health challenges that might come up in the future.

When you can check off the 3 items above, it’s time to move onto the reintroduction phase and test your personal tolerance to the various types of FODMAPs.

Key Takeaway

Most people with IBS can add certain high-FODMAP foods and categories back to their diets and still feel great. But the only way to know which FODMAPs are your friends is to test!

Your 4-Step Plan for Life After the FODMAP Diet

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Doing all the phases of the FODMAP Diet usually looks something like this:

• You learn about the FODMAP Diet (the short-term learning diet that helps you find your unique IBS triggers and control your symptoms) and start changing the way you eat

• You eventually get the hang of it, and your IBS symptoms improve

• You test high-FODMAP categories to find your personal tolerance levels

• Along the way, you learn a ton of valuable information about all the things that affect your digestion (both food and non-food factors)

• You’re more empowered when it comes to IBS than you’ve ever been.

This is awesome. But where do you go from here?

How do you know you’ve been successful? When are you actually finished?

The end goal of the FODMAP Diet is rarely explained. If it’s not supposed to be a lifetime diet, what should you be eating for the rest of your life?

Short answer: You should bring as many high-FODMAP foods back into your diet as you can while keeping your belly happy.

This is “your unique lifetime eating style.” It’s unique to your FODMAP tolerance levels (based on testing those various FODMAP categories) AND what you enjoy eating. For example:

• You may want to move toward a plant-based diet

• You might want your diet to fuel you for a fitness goal, like running a marathon

• You might want to get back to the family recipes and comfort foods you love, but modified to keep your belly happy

Today, I want to give you a simple framework to go from, “What’s next after to FODMAP,” to a lifetime eating style you love.

Your 4-Step Plan for Life After FODMAP

Step 1: Figure out our tolerance for all the high-FODMAP foods you’ve been missing    

Testing each FODMAP category through the reintroduction process helps you determine your tolerance level for ALL the foods in that category, but how much should you eat?

Go through the Monash app. List out the high-FODMAP foods you can bring back into your diet and an estimated serving size based on your tolerance for that food’s category.

If you had a moderate tolerance for wheat and want to eat rye bread, start with one slice. If you have no issues, you might try two slices next time. 

Do this with all the foods you love. You can take a casual approach, or add one new thing every other day. Soon, you’ll know the portion sizes that work, and you can start enjoying them regularly.

Step 2: Experiment with frequency

Now that you’ve brought back the foods that don’t trigger your IBS, it’s useful to understand how many high-FODMAP foods you can tolerate in a day or in single meal.

Do some experiments. If you have a moderate tolerance for wheat, can you eat toast at breakfast, half a sandwich at lunch, and a serving of pasta for dinner?

Step 3: Revisit other factors that impact digestion

At this point you’re regularly enjoying high-FODMAP foods in the amounts you can tolerate. If your IBS symptoms are fully in check, fabulous! If you have symptoms more than you’d like and can’t link them to a specific food, then take a look at other things that impact digestion.

For example, have you started eating larger portions? Are you skipping meals or eating late at night? Have you stopped exercising or moving as much throughout the day? Have you started a new medication or supplement that might be causing side effects?

Step 4: Take on a new health goal 

The FODMAP Diet tends to be all encompassing. Giving it your focus likely helped you succeed, but that probably forced you to put everything else on the back burner. 

The momentum you’ve built by taking control of IBS puts you in the perfect position to tackle a health goal you’ve put on hold for months, maybe even years.

Do you want to finally get to your happy weight? Kick sugar? Go vegetarian? Keep refining your lifetime eating style? Now's the time to go for it!

Ready For the Next Step?

If you're ready to create your lifetime eating style or tackle a NEW health goal ASAP, save time and get valuable support in Calm Belly Club, our members-only online community. As a member, you get access to Free To Eat, my comprehensive guide to the reintroduction phase!

Navigating the FODMAP Diet for Vegetarians and Vegans

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If you're a vegetarian or vegan who just learned about the FODMAP Diet (the diet that shows you how to manage IBS symptoms), you might be freaking out right about now.

Why? The FODMAP Diet requires that you eliminate most legumes, a huge variety of fruit and vegetables, not to mention wheat and certain nuts. So what's left for you if eating meat isn't really your style?

Never fear, veggie lovers, this post is your getting started guide. You'll learn:

1. What to do first

2. How to create delicious meals with variety so you don't die of boredom

3. The best (meatless) protein options

Watch the video get all the tasty details, or keep reading for the key points (and a bunch of great resources!)...

Getting Started with FODMAP as a Vegetarian or Vegan

What To Do First

Here's my general advice for approaching the FODMAP diet as a vegan or vegetarian: Instead of diving right in, spend a week or two learning the ins and outs of the diet. Get the Monash app (the most reliable, up-to-date reference) so you know the foods and serving sizes you should be eating.

>>> IF YOU DO JUST ONE THING: Go through the app and make a list of all the foods you CAN eat and then start building your meals around those. 

Meal Planning Without Boredom

When you're coming up with meal ideas, focus on meals you can play around with. That way, you can have a handful of different meals made with the same core ingredients to create a FODMAP meal plan that works for you.

For example, if you eat quinoa or brown rice, you can combine that with your choice of low-FODMAP veggies like zucchini, tomatoes, salad greens, bell peppers, carrots, etc. You can roast, saute, or steam them.

Then you can add olives, cheese, nuts, seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, tempeh, avocado, canned lentils, canned chickpeas, hot sauce if that's your thing. Just check your serving sizes, and you'll discover more variety than you think!

>>> TIP: Small amounts of canned lentils and chickpeas, as well as red lentils, are low-FODMAP. Check the Monash app so you're sticking to the correct serving size (too large a serving and you cross over into the high-FODMAP range). You can eat these legumes more than once a day - just space them about 3 to 4 hours apart.

Use different herbs and spices to create different flavor profiles. For example, you can have a curry bowl one day and a Mexican-style bowl (avocado, ancho chile powder, cilantro) the next day.

Think about soups you can create with this method. Gluten free pasta and risotto are two more foods that can be prepared with different ingredients every time.

Your Top Protein Options:

You could probably guess this one: tofu and tempeh. Soft, firm and extra firm tofu are low-FODMAP.

Silken tofu is processed differently and retains some of the liquid from the pressed soybeans where those FODMAPs are found, so avoid the silken variety.

With tempeh you're in the clear. Although it's made from whole soybeans, the fermentation process reduces FODMAP content. Just be sure to check the ingredients if you're buying tempeh that's already seasoned. The best bet is to buy it plain and dress it up yourself. Tempeh contains even more protein than tofu.

Cooking tempeh and tofu:

• Tempeh has great earthy flavor on it's own, but you can dress it up any way you like. I usually cut it into cubes and sear it in a pan with with a little stir fry sauce made with tamari, lime and sugar.

• When it comes to tofu, try baking it. It gives it a satisfying texture, and you can do a big batch to use for several days. Here are some recipe ideas and cooking instructions for both:

Get to Know Tempeh

Recipe: Tempeh with Charred Peppers and Kale
-Omit onion; add more bell pepper or carrot if desired; add scallion tops

Calm Belly Kitchen: Brown Rice Noodle and Veggie Stir Fry
-Replace Shrimp with Tempeh

Monash Blog: Tofu Scramble Recipe

How to Make Baked Tofu

Remember This, Veggie Lovers!

Finally, remember that it's temporary. You do the elimination phase to confirm your FODMAP sensitivity. Then if it does improve your symptoms, you slowly bring back high-FODMAP foods. You'll learn your tolerance levels so you can have a lot more variety and flexibility in your diet.

More FODMAP Diet Plan Resources for Vegetarians and Vegans

http://thefodmapfriendlyvegan.com/product/fodmap-friendly-vegan-ebook/

https://www.amazon.com/Low-Fodmap-Vegan-What-When-Anything/dp/1570673373/

A very helpful resource for vegan menu planning I found through Kate Scarlata's website: http://blog.katescarlata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Vegan-Menu-Planning-Low-FODMAP.pdf

I do have one vegan recipe on my website, and I love it. It's great as leftovers too: https://calmbellykitchen.com/blog/vegan-nut-loaf-low-fodmap-gluten-free

More meal and recipe ideas:

Monash Blog: Eating Vegan on a Low-FODMAP Diet

Meat Free Meals the Low-FODMAP Way by Stephanie Clairmont, RD

If you’re ready to dive into the FODMAP Diet, then check out our ebooks!

What is the end goal of the FODMAP Diet?

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The FODMAP diet is sometimes called a journey, yet the end goal of this "journey" is a vague and shadowy place. 

It's a lot easier to explain things that are black and white, like taking FODMAPs away. But since life AFTER the FODMAP Diet looks different for everyone, it's a lot less clear cut.

You wouldn't start off on a journey without a destination (or at the very least, a certain transformation) in mind. So today we're looking at the big picture of the FODMAP Diet, or the true end goal.

Knowing what you get in the end makes it a whole lot easier to work hard and persevere.

Hint: the end goal is NOT to give up all high FODMAP foods forever.

Watch the video to go deep on this topic, or read the key points below!

KEY POINTS:

The FODMAP diet is not a lifetime diet.

You shouldn't stay on it indefinitely because:

• It's nutritionally restrictive

• It's socially restrictive

• And (most importantly) it's not necessary

So what's the end goal?

To put it simply, it's to have control over your symptoms, NOT to eat as few FODMAPs as possible.

Less FODMAP = less symptoms isn't the whole story.

If you're taking away food with no specific purpose, you're causing yourself more work and more deprivation.

The goal of the elimination phase is to:

1. Confirm you're sensitive to FODMAPs

2. Hit the reset button on your body

3. Learn what other factors play a role in your digestive symptoms

Once you've done that it's time to move to the next phase which to test your personal tolerance to specific FODMAP categories. From there you take all the awesome knowledge you've gained and create a lifetime eating style.

Still not convinced? At this point you've taken away all FODMAPs and felt better but until you test each category, you don't really know why you felt better - wouldn't that be great to know!?

What does a lifetime eating style look like?

• You're confident about your food choices because they're based on real knowledge about your body

• You don't feel "sick" or like you have to police every bite because you have some flexibility - For example, there's no need to avoid every possible instance of garlic in your chicken broth

Conclusion

The FODMAP Diet is a learning process. That’s great news, because it means you don’t need to worry about success or failure, only learning what you want to know or not.

Once you’ve learned the information you’re seeking about FODMAPs and your unique body, you can create new eating habits, new routines…in other words YOUR new normal.

The end goal, then, is to eat and make food choices based on knowledge about your body. It’s a pretty great goal to strive for, don’t you think?