Low FODMAP Coconut Banana Bread Recipe

Until recently coconut was listed as an 'avoid' on the low FODMAPs diet because it contains polyols - however under the revised food list (from Monash University) it's been included as a safe to eat food on the FODMAP diet plan because the amount of polyols coconut contains is very small. You'd have to eat a whole tree's worth of coconuts to consume a significant enough amount of polyols to be a problem! Having said all that, if you find coconut does irritate your IBS in anyway you can switch the coconut in this recipe for ground almonds.

Ingredients:
250g ripe bananas (about 3 medium ones)
200g gluten free flour
175g soft brown sugar
3 large eggs whites
50g dessicated coconut
100ml rice milk 
1tsp gluten free baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Grease a 1lb loaf tin.

Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz until well combined and no large pieces of coconut remain.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf tin and bake for around 30-35 minutes or until well risen. lightly browned and firm to touch. If the cake looks like it is browning too quickly during cooking, cover with tin foil for remaining cooking time.

Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool fully.

FODMAP Diet Friendly Coconut Flour Chocolate Cake

I suddenly needed a FODMAP diet chocolate cake recipe the other day for a friend and couldn't find one I thought was both tasty and healthy enough so I had an experiment in the kitchen and came up with this delicious FODMAP diet plan friendly Coconut Flour Chocolate Cake. This is a pudding-type cake which is similar in texture to a chocolate mousse cake. It's gluten-free and grain free and is sweetened almost entirely by natural sources. Coconut flour makes it high in fibre and it is also much lower in calories than a traditional chocolate cake. Whilst it does contain dried fruit (which you can see on the printable FODMAP list of foods here, is only ok in small quantities), the amount per slice is only equal to about 3/4 of a date so should be tolerable for most people - but as always, be guided by your own judgement. The recipe makes one small cake but you could double the recipe and increase the cooking time by 15 minutes to make a large, deeper 23cm cake.

Ingredients:

50g coconut flour

20g cocoa 

2 medium eggs

2 medium egg whites

150ml almond milk

100g dried, pitted dates

1 medium banana

1 tablespoon sunflower or macadamia nut oil (you could use coconut oil but I'm not sold on the supposed health benefits)

40g dark, dairy free chocolate

1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

1tsp vanilla extract

1tsp gluten-free baking powder

Makes 8 slices

Heat the dates with the almond milk in a small pan or the microwave until they begin to soften. Add the banana, chocolate, oil and vanilla essence to the date and milk mix and then puree in a blender. Allow to cool for 10 minutes whilst you prepare the dry ingredients.

Place the coconut flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and espresso powder in a large bowl and stir together. Add the date mix, followed by the eggs and beat well for 2 minutes (you could use your blender again for this or food processor/stand mixer).

Grease a 15cm cake pan and pour in the cake batter. Smooth the top and give the tin one good whack on the kitchen counter to help level the mix.

Bake at 150C/300F for 20 minutes of until the centre has risen slightly and is just set. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for 30 mins before plating up.

FODMAP Orange and Almond Cake

This is a lovely, damp fragrant cake. Instead of flour the cake uses FODMAP diet friendly polenta and almonds which give it a lovely moist crumb. It's gluten-free and dairy free by it's very nature which makes it a wonderful FODMAP dessert to serve to friends or family without anyone feeling like they are being served something 'alternative'. The recipe isn’t my own – it’s a traditional Middle Eastern cake and I first came across it in 'Food from the Village' by Thane Prince. 

The almonds make the cake a good source of monosaturated fat and there is a healthy boost of vitamin C from the orange.

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

1 large orange

125g golden caster sugar

75g polenta

75g ground almonds

2tsp baking powder

Makes 8 good slices

Put the orange in a pan and pour boiling water over it – enough for it to be well afloat. Heat the water to a simmer and let the orange cook for about 45 minutes.

Drain the orange and allow it to cool, then cut it into quarters (leaving the skin on).

Put the orange pieces, eggs, sugar, almonds and polenta into the food processor and blend well until you have a bright, sunshine orange mixture.

Pour the mixture in a lightly greased loaf pan and bake for 40 minutes at 180c.

Remove cake from oven and allow to cool.

To serve, run a knife around the edges of the tin and then turn out. 

FODMAP Cute Cupcakes or Muffins

You can make amazing cakes suitable for anyone on a special diet or allergies with a bit of imagination and sense of adventure in the kitchen. FODMAP friendly cakes can be a bit of a challenge to make tasty without loading them up with fat and sugar, which isn't going to help anyone's arthritis, so it takes a bit of creativity to get the texture and flavour right. One book that really shook up my approach to baking is Harry Eastwood's 'Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache' which is full of inspiring cake recipes made with vegetables! I'd recommend it for anyone with IBS who wants cake ideas that are a bit different from the usual boring 'free-from' variety. This recipe is adapted from one of hers and it is a great, fool-proof cupcake. 


Ingredients: 
150g peeled and finely grated courgette/zuchinni 
90g gluten free flour 
1 medium free-range egg 
15g ground almonds (if you want to make nut free just omit) 
75g sugar (I used soft brown for a moister cake or if you want a fluffier cake, use caster sugar) 
1tsp baking powder 
1tsp vanilla extract 


Makes 6 cupcakes - easily doubled 


Beat the egg and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric whisk for 3-5 minutes until pale and frothy. Add the flour, courgette, almonds (if using) vanilla and baking power and beat again until well-combined. Pour into cases and bake for about 20 minutes at 180c/350f until risen and lightly golden. Variations: Chocolate cupcakes - use 20g cocoa powder and only 70g flour Lemon - add the grated zest of one lemon