If you've heard the words "Low-FODMAP diet" bandied around among your most health-obsessed friends over the past few months but been too scared to ask what they're on about, then you need our handy explainer on the diet that could help show your IBS the door.
In brief, FODMAPs are the short-chain carbohydrates and sugars found in food. Some of us are intolerant to some of them, which could be the reason you're IBS-ing all over the shop. The diet itself isn't new, but it's only within the last year that it's been added to the guidelines used by doctors to advise patients with IBS.
Talk to your GP first about whether you should consider a low-FODMAP diet (and beware, it's not a diet to take lightly) but, if you both agree it might be right for you, you're going to have to come up with a whole new set of meals you can eat.
Luckily, Emma Hatcher, owner of low-FODMAP-friendly blog She Can't Eat What?! has some recipes from her new book to hand.
Here are two to tide you over until you figure out your new repertoire of go-to meal staples.
Low-FODMAP Tropical Overnight Bircher
Serves 1
Ingredients
50g rolled oats
125ml lactose- or dairy-free milk of choice
1 tbsp flaked almonds
1 tbsp sunflower seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp lactose-free yoghurt
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 kiwi fruit, skin removed and sliced
1/2 passionfruit
Instructions
1. Combine the oats, milk, nuts, seeds and salt in a bowl and cover with a plate or clingfilm, leaving to soak overnight in the fridge.
2. In the morning, give the mixture a stir and top with a dollop of yoghurt, a drizzle of maple syrup, slices of kiwi fruit and a spoonful of passionfruit seeds.
Low-FODMAP Lightened-up Lasagne
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1kg minced beef
2 tins (each 400g) chopped tomatoes
120ml water
2 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
20g basil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 butternut squash
200g spinach
100g grated mozzarella
Instructions
1. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and sauté the parsnip, carrot and pepper until soft.
2. Add the mince and cook until browned. Pour in the tomatoes and water and stir in the oregano, bay leaves and basil.
3. Simmer for roughly 1 hour until the meat is tender and saucy. Taste and season. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas 4).
4. Peel and cut the squash into thin slices, as if lasagne sheets.
5. Bake in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil for 15 minutes. Once tender, you can get to work on layering the lasagne, just quickly fish out your bay leaves from your meat first.
6. In a baking dish, add one layer of the mince mixture, one layer of spinach and one layer of squash, repeating until all of the ingredients are used up.
7. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the oven at the same temperature for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and crispy.
The FODMAP Friendly Kitchen by Emma Hatcher is out now
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