I was lucky enough to receive the “Oh She Glows Everyday” cookbook, by Angela Liddon, for Christmas this year. Like the registered dietitian that I am, my friend must have known I had been eyeing this cookbook in stores already. I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and pick my first dish to share with you today. However, it was quite the challenge to pick one recipe, as they all sounded so good. At last, I chose the Excellent Eggplant Parmesan. Here is my version! It is both vegan and also low FODMAP for all you IBS’ers.
The Eggplant slices are coated in a fragrant vegan ‘parmesan’. They are then cooked in the oven until crisp and golden brown. The ‘parmesan’ is prepared with pumpkin seeds (also known as raw peptitas) for a nutty taste, but a nut-free alternative. It is then mixed with nutritional yeast, which creates a cheesy flavour.
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a great source of many B vitamins. It is often fortified with vitamin B12, which can often be hard to get enough of in vegan diets. The combination of the cheesy parmesan crunch and the soft eggplant is what makes this dish a picky eater pleaser.
Is nutritional yeast low FODMAP?
Nutritional yeast has been confirmed to be low FODMAP at a serving of 1 tablespoon. Although larger servings haven’t been tested, it’s likely that those on a low FODMAP diet could have even more, as only trace amounts of FODMAPs are detected in this food. This recipe contains 1/3 cup of nutritional yeast, which works out to be less than 1 tablespoon per meal.
What does eggplant go well with?
I would recommend pairing this easy vegan eggplant parmesan dish with a bowl of low FODMAP spaghetti and your favourite low FODMAP marinara sauce! The flavours of a tomato-based sauce with eggplant parmesan is a satisfying combination. Or you could also try pairing this easy vegan eggplant parmesan with a bowl of tangy parmesan tomato soup.
Love this low FODMAP recipe as much as we do? Our collection of low FODMAP recipes were created to help you navigate the low FODMAP diet. Many of our patients have tried implementing the low FODMAP diet on their own. However, this diet should be conducted with the support of a registered dietitian. At Ignite Nutrition we offer one-on-one nutrition counselling to help you start on the low FODMAP diet with guidance.
Low FODMAP Vegan Eggplant Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 cup unsweetened unflavoured almond milk, or your other favourite low FODMAP milk alternate
- ¾ cup buckwheat flour
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds (raw peptitas)
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450° F and line a large baking sheet with tinfoil.
- Wash, peel and chop the eggplant into round slices that are ¾ -inch/2 cm thick.
- Place eggplant in a large strainer and sprinkle with sea salt to help tenderize the eggplant. Let it sit for 20 minutes in the sink as the eggplant will swell, and water will be released.
- In a medium bowl, prepare the batter by mixing the almond milk, flour, apple cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Set aside.
- Next, in a food processer, prepare the ‘parmesan’ coating by blending the pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, and ¾ teaspoon salt until a coarse texture is formed. Place in a shallow bowl and set aside.
- Return to the eggplant by rinsing each slice with water to remove excess salt and drying each of them with a paper towel.
- Dip one slice in the batter and scrape off any excess batter before firmly pressing into the ‘parmesan’ coating on each side of the eggplant until it is completely covered.
- Place the eggplant cublet on the baking sheet, and repeat until all slices are coated. It can be helpful to dry hands after every couple of slices to reduce the amount of water that ends up in the ‘parm’ (which will make it too gooey)
- Bake in the oven for 16-22 minutes until golden brown, flipping once halfway through.
Notes
**Last reviewed February 2022 for Monash FODMAP portions
For more Mediterranean inspired meals check out our ‘Eat like an Italian! The Mediterranean Diet for Beginners’ course, you’ll get:
- 10 short videos so you understand WHY each part of the Mediterranean diet is important
- Two week long menu plans with recipes & grocery list (one with lots of new recipes and ideas, and a more basic one utilizing leftovers)
- A daily and weekly checklist to keep you on track
Get started on the Mediterranean diet today!
Written by Nancy Gammack
University of Alberta Dietetic Student
Categorized: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Healthy Eating, Low FODMAP, Main Dish, Vegan
