Would you believe you can make caesar salad without garlic? This low FODMAP salad recipe swaps fresh garlic for garlic-infused olive oil, making it low FODMAP without compromising on flavour. Inspired by one of my favourite restaurant salads ever, this massaged kale salad is the ultimate side dish for any meal. Bon appetit!
If you’ve been to Calgary, you may have heard of Una Pizza + Wine – one of the best restaurants in the city! However, like most Italian-style restaurants, most dishes at Una contain lots of high FODMAP ingredients like garlic, cream, and wheat. Which is exactly why I wanted to make a FODMAP-friendly version of the famous Una Kale Caesar Salad – if you know, you know.
As an IBS dietitian, I love finding delicious alternatives for people to enjoy on the low FODMAP diet. you won’t be disappointed with this flavour-packed low FODMAP recipe. Try serving it alongside some protein like chicken, fish, or low FODMAP meatballs. It’s also perfect paired with a delicious low FODMAP pasta dish.
Is kale low FODMAP?
Not only is kale a nutrient-packed leafy green vegetable, but it’s also low FODMAP. According to Monash University, only trace amounts of FODMAPs are found in this food, meaning we can eat it quite liberally on the low FODMAP diet.
That being said, some people do notice that raw kale in particular can sometimes upset their stomachs. This is mainly because of the amount of insoluble fibre or “roughage” that kale contains. When a food contains a lot of roughage, we may digest it better if we first manipulate it with extra chewing, chopping, or cooking. In the case of kale, we can massage the leaves to help soften the texture.
How to Massage Kale
The term ‘massaging kale’ always makes me chuckle. It sounds like kale is having a day at the spa! Massaging kale leaves is a technique where you gently rub the fibrous leaves in order to soften them, making them more tender, and easier to chew and digest. Typically this works best when you add some oil or an acidic ingredient like lemon or vinegar before massaging the leaves.
In this low FODMAP kale salad recipe, the dressing itself contains both olive oil and lemon juice – so we just massage the kale leaves after adding the dressing in the final step.
Is panko low FODMAP?
Panko is a somewhat confusing ingredient on the low FODMAP diet. According to Monash University, panko breadcrumbs are low FODMAP up to 1¼ cups. It makes sense that individuals following a low FODMAP diet may feel uncertain about this food, as it contains wheat (it is essentially made from bread after all). While we don’t have a great explanation for this, the flexibility of panko breadcrumbs is likely due to the manufacturing and dehydration of the wheat.
This recipe contains only 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs in total which should be well tolerated by most. Keep in mind, if you also need to follow a gluten-free diet, it’s best to substitute the regular panko for a gluten-free version.
How to Make Low FODMAP Kale Caesar Salad
Start by preparing the dressing.
Zest and juice the entire lemon and add into a food processor or blender. Then add in 1/3 cup garlic-infused olive oil, 2 tablespoons capers, and 1 tablespoon dijon mustard. Pulses for about 30 seconds, until well combined and capers are broken down. Set the dressing aside for later.
Next, it’s time to prepare the ingredients for the salad.
Place a medium frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add in 5 pieces of prosciutto and fry until slightly brown and crisp. My pan only fit 3 pieces at a time, so I cooked it in 2 batches. Let the prosciutto cool on a plate lined with paper towel. Once it has cooled, chop it up or crumbly it with your hands.
Reduce the same pan to low heat and then add the panko breadcrumbs. Stir regularly until they are toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Move them to a bowl to cool and season lightly with salt.
Wash and remove the stems from the kale. Using your hands, shred the kale into bite-size pieces. Add it to a large bowl and pour the dressing over top, tossing to combine. Use your hands to gently massage the kale for about a minute. The dressing will help to soften it – you will notice the volume start to reduce.
Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with toasted panko, prosciutto crumbles, pecorino romano cheese. Season with salt & pepper to taste.Optional: add 1-2 hard boiled eggs for extra protein!
Massaged Kale Caesar Salad (Low FODMAP)
Ingredients
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 tbsp capers
- ⅓ cup garlic-infused olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 lemon zested, and juiced
Salad Ingredients
- 1 large bunch kale
- 5 slices prosciutto
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup shredded pecorino romano cheese (or parmesan)
- 2 hard boiled eggs (optional)
Instructions
Prepare caesar dressing
- Add all dressing ingredients into a blender or food processor, and blend until well combined. Set aside.
Prepare salad
- Place a medium frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add prosciutto and fry until slightly brown and crisp. Let the prosciutto cool on a plate lined with paper towel. Once it has cooled, chop it up or crumbly it with your hands.
- Reduce the same pan to low heat and then add the panko breadcrumbs. Stir regularly until they are toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Move them to a bowl to cool and season lightly with salt.
- Wash and remove the stems from the kale. Using your hands, shred the kale into bite-size pieces. Add it to a large bowl and pour the dressing over top, tossing to combine. Use your hands to gently massage the kale for about a minute. The dressing will help to soften it – you will notice the volume start to reduce.
- Transfer to a large serving bowl and top with toasted panko, prosciutto crumbles, pecorino romano cheese. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Optional: add 1-2 hard boiled eggs for extra protein!
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