FODMAP Diet Almond Cookie Recipe

Having cracked making FODMAP diet cookies and biscuits, I've been experimenting with the basic recipe. I wouldn't normally post a recipe variation as a whole FODMAP post but I made these for a party recently and they were one of the most popular things with everybody who attended, so I thought I'd better share the recipe with you too.

Ingredients:

175g gluten free flour

75g almonds

100g light brown soft sugar

1 tbsp chia seeds (or you could use ground flax/linseeds)

50ml almond milk or water

2 tablespoons golden syrup (or maple syrup)

2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or you could use rapeseed etc)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Makes 20

 

Put the chia seeds in a bowl with the almond milk and leave to soak for 5 minutes.Then combine with the syrup, oil, vanilla extract and salt. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until you have a stiff dough. Roll into a log and wrap in cling film. Put in the freezer for 20 minutes.

 

Remove the dough from the freezer and slice into 20 3/4 inch thick rounds.

 

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 180C/350F for 15 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to crisp up.

 

 

FODMAP Diet Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Not only is this recipe FODMAP diet friendly, it is also egg-free, soy-free and dairy-free so perfect to serve to anyone with dietary intolerances or allergies. I've adapted this from a recipe by the brilliant Dan Lepard to make it suitable for the FODMAP diet plan. The chia seeds help bind the mixture and replace the gluten in the recipe. Feel free to vary the nuts and flavourings -  use seeds instead or skip out the cocoa altogether and make blonde cookies.

Ingredients:

175g gluten free flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate)

75g hazelnuts

100g light brown soft sugar

1 tbsp chia seeds

50ml water

2 tablespoons golden syrup 

2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or you could use hazelnut, rapeseed etc)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Makes about 18 small cookies

Put the hazelnuts in a food processor with the flour and sugar. Pulse until the nuts are in fine crumbs. Pour into a large bowl.

Add the chia seeds to the water and leave to soak for 5 minutes. Then combine with the syrup, oil, vanilla extract and salt. 

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until you have a stiff dough. Roll into large marble sized balls and place on a greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with the back of a fork or a glass.

Bake for 12-15 minutes at 180C/375F. Remove from oven and leave to cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy.

FODMAP Diet Chocolate Muffin Recipe

It turns out that you really, really like chocolate recipes. The most viewed recipe on this site, is for these chocolate chip cookies, closely followed by these brownies. And, there is no reason why on the FODMAP diet you shouldn't still be able to 'have your cake and eat it'! So in the interests of giving FODMAP foodies everywhere more of what they want, here is a great, healthier mini chocolate muffin recipe. 

Ingredients
1 egg
50g brown sugar
50g dairy free dark chocolate
20g cocoa powder
50g gluten free flour
1tsp gluten free baking powder
1/2 tbsp sunflower oil (or other flavourless oil)
150g butternut squash, cooked and mashed (or pumpkin purée)
Pinch of salt
2tsp vanilla extract

Makes 24 mini muffins

Beat the egg, oil and sugar with the butternut squash until well combined. Melt the chocolate and stir in.

Fold in the flour, baking powder, cocoa, salt and vanilla extract.

Using two teaspoons, spoon the mixture into the mini muffin cases. Each case should be about two-thirds full.

Bake at 180C for about 10-15 minutes or until well-risen and just cooked in the centre.

FODMAP Frozen Yogurt Recipe

You can buy some pretty good dairy free ice-creams but many have fructose syrup in them which makes them unsuitable for anyone following the FODMAP diet plan. Instead buy yourself a very cheap ice cream maker and keep the bowl in the freezer ready for use, you can then whip up delicious FODMAP -friendly ice cream and sorbets in minutes. This recipe uses low fat natural yoghurt which many people with IBS can tolerate as most of the milk sugars (lactose) are broken down by the fermentation process. If you find any dairy irritates your digestive system you could try using a non-diary yoghurt, just make sure it is not sweetened with fructose syrup, honey, agave or artificial sweeteners.

Ingredients:
500g low fat natural yoghurt
5 tbsp icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
1tsp vanilla extract

Mix together the yoghurt, sugar and vanilla extract. Taste to check flavour and add more sugar or vanilla if required. 

Pour into ice cream maker and churn until it reaches desired consistency. Try not to eat all at once!


Variations:
Double chocolate chip - add 2T cocoa (dutch process) and 20g grated dark chocolate (check it is dairy-free, most premium 70% cocoa solids bars are)
Lemon meringue - add zest and juice of one lemon. Serve sprinkled with crushed meringues
Coffee and hazelnut - add 1tsp hazelnut flavouring, 150ml hazelnut milk and 1 shot of espressso

FODMAP Granola Bars

IBS or FODMAP diet friendly snacks can be a bit tricky to find. Most processed biscuits and cakes aren't suitable. Dried fruit is also off the list for most people trying FODMAP, although you may find you are ok with small quantities of low fructose dried fruits such as a few raisins or dried pineapple pieces .

Gluten-free crackers, lightly salted popcorn, seeds or almonds make good, healthy FODMAP friendly choices if you are eating on the go. And, if you need a sweet treat, these FODMAP-diet banana granola bars are great. Simple to make and eat on the go. They even make a good portable breakfast.

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
230g (1 1/8 cup) rolled oats
3 tablespoons rapeseed or sunflower oil
3 tablespoons golden syrup (or pure maple syrup - don't use honey, it is high in fructose)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinammon

Grease an 8 inch x 8 inch square baking tin and heat the oven to 180C (375F).
Mash together the bananas, oil and honey. Stir in the oats, cinammon and a pinch of salt.

Spoon into the greased tin and press down. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool and then cut into 8 large or 16 small bars.

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

FODMAP Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are fantastic, soft chewy chocolate chip cookies. They are a great treat for taking to friends or when you have people over as they taste like ordinary cookies just yummier. They are brilliant if you are cooking for a bake sale too as they are suitable for wheat or dairy intolerances so no-one needs to miss out. Butter is very low lactose so fine for FODMAP and you can feel free to use it here, if you like, as it will add great flavour.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose gluten free flour
1 cup of light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons maple syrup or golden syrup
1/4 cup softened butter/vegan spread/sunflower oil (whichever you prefer)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used Green and Blacks dark chocolate chopped up which is dairy free)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract

Makes 24
Heat oven to 180C/375F. Lightly grease two or three large baking sheets with oil spray.

Blend butter, sugar, vanilla extract and egg together with electric whisk in a large bowl. Add salt, baking powder and flour. Blend on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Put heaped tsps of mixture on baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake in oven for about 12mins or until cookies are light golden (tip: give the baking tray a bang half-way through cooking to stop the cookies rising up too much and going cakey). Allow to cool for a moment and then transfer to wire rack (this keeps the bottoms crisp). Try not to gobble whole batch at once!