**This post was developed and written by Nancy Gammack, RD when she was a dietetic intern and volunteer for Ignite Nutrition.
As a registered dietitian I hear some of my patients tell me that they find daily cooking is a chore. I understand that cooking is not everyone’s forte. Some would even say that if they had the opportunity to never have to cook again they would take it! There are many recipes out there that are super complex. A recipe with multiple steps that takes over an hour to cook can be very discouraging for those who already find cooking stressful. However, just because it looks complex and the picture looks Instagram worthy does not mean it is more nutritious or delicious. In fact, basic recipes can still be very nutritious. Although cooking your own meals does give you the control over which ingredients you add and the nutritive value of a meal, you don’t need to follow complex recipes to get the benefits of home cooked meals.
I have a new low FODMAP recipe that is super simple. It is perfect for those who can relate to not wanting to spend a minute longer in the kitchen than they need to! It uses basic ingredients and requires minimal cooking skills to make. This recipe below makes 5 cups, but if you are serving other people, I would advise that you double the batch to make sure you have extras for days to come. With lots of leftovers, you can minimize the kitchen time each week and have a great salad to grab for lunch.
Looking for another super simple recipe? Try this dairy free tzatziki sauce which would be lovely drizzled over this easy lemon quinoa salad.
Is quinoa low FODMAP?
Yes! quinoa is low FODMAP in 1 cup servings. Therefore, this super easy lemon quinoa salad is low FODMAP at a serving size of 1 cup. Looking for another delicious side salad? try this sweet potato salad – it is also low FODMAP.
How do you make plain quinoa taste better?
Quinoa can be plain on it’s own, but with a little bit of effort you can turn plain quinoa into something super flavourful. (Like our super easy lemon quinoa salad!) A squeeze of lemon juice and some herbs can go a long way. I especially like adding in dried basil – and if you can find fresh basil – even better! Adding in some freshly chopped veggies like bell peppers adds a juicy crunchy texture and flavour. A can of drained chickpeas is also another excellent way to jazz things up a little.
Need some more low FODMAP recipe ideas?
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.
The Easiest Lemon Quinoa Salad (15 minutes)
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, 1 cup uncooked
- 1 large red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup of canned drained and rinsed chickpeas
- ¼ cup lemon juice, canned or approx. 1 lemon
- 1 TBSP dried basil
- ⅛ TSP salt
- ¼ TSP black pepper
Instructions
- Make 1 cup (uncooked) quinoa, as directed on package.
- While quinoa is cooking, dice pepper into small pieces and place in large bowl.
- Drain and rinse canned chickpeas and measure 1 cup. Add to large bowl.
- When quinoa is cooked, add to the large bowl.
- Season with lemon juice, basil, salt and pepper. Add more spices or lemon juice to taste, if desired.
Notes
**Last reviewed February 2022 for Monash FODMAP portions
Categorized: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Healthy Eating, Low FODMAP, Nut-Free, Salad, Vegan
Do you have nutrition info for this? Can’t wait to try.
Hi Susie! We don’t provide the nutrition breakdown for the recipes but they can easily be input into Chronometer or similar if you’re curious! We see a lot of patients with eating disorders and disordered eating so that’s why we’ve opted to not display that information as it wouldn’t be suitable for that particular patient population when we’re recommending specific recipes on our blog in counselling sessions. 🙂