How to add flavor to your food without using garlic and onion.
My secret to success on the Low FODMAP Diet - Great tasting food that satisfies your taste buds!
While on my quest to heal my IBS I discovered the Low FODMAP Diet. I was psyched to finally find an approach that was based in nutrition, backed up by scientific research, and able to tout an impressive success rate of 75%! I was hopeful that this diet could work, but I was also concerned about how complicated and restrictive it seemed. Temporarily limiting dietary FODMAP levels seemed doable, but eliminating garlic and onion felt daunting. It’s delicious, and it’s in EVERYTHING. How was I to make food taste good? Would I have to eat bland food for the time being and possibly the rest of my life? These thoughts made me question whether I would be able to be successful on the Low FODMAP Diet, but I was in such dire straits with my health that I didn’t have a choice. It was actually a blessing in disguise. It helped me to completely comply with the recommended dietary restrictions; something I have seen to be true with my health coaching clients as well.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably struggling with the thought of giving up garlic and onions, but I am here to tell you that you can still lead a very flavorful life - I do! I’m here to help you through this uncertain time, and share the Low FODMAP hacks that I have learned along my journey.
Hack #1: Green Onions
Different parts of plants contain different levels of FODMAPs, and you’ll often notice that you can freely eat the leafy green parts of plants, but must limit consumption of the root or bulb. This enables us to eat the green stalks of scallions (green onions), which are lower in FODMAPs and easier to digest, but not the white bulb.
You can use scallions as a substitute for other kinds of onions in recipes. Most recipes that call for white or yellow onions, or even shallots, direct you to add them at the beginning of the cooking process to either, sweat or caramelize them which tones down the bite that onions can have. Green onions don’t have that same bite so we can add them at the end of the cooking process. This also helps these delicate greens to retain their color, texture, and flavor better. You can also use them as a substitute for red onions, though most of these recipes aim to have the bite and crunch of raw red onions in their dishes. I have found that combining green onions with finely chopped radishes gives me a similar flavor and texture. I love this combo on tacos and anywhere else I want that stronger flavor and crunch!
At first, it doesn’t seem like this will be enough onion flavor, and in the beginning it might not be. But I promise your tastebuds will readjust and become more sensitive to and appreciative of this flavor. This is also very helpful when you’re dining out or eating at a social gathering. You will be able to taste when foods have a lot of garlic or onion in them and may trigger a flare up of symptoms, which is especially helpful when you aren’t able to, or don’t want to get a complete ingredient list from the party’s host.
Hack #2: Garlic Infused Oil
I. Love. Garlic. I used to use so much of it in my cooking, which probably contributed to my digestive issues, and I am so glad I discovered this trick that I’m about to share with you.
Experiments conducted at Monash University in Australia have shown that FODMAPs are water soluble, but not oil soluble. This means that we can infuse all that amazing garlic flavor into oil without worrying about FODMAPs leeching into it and causing a digestive upset.
I think if I was able to eat garlic again I would still make garlic oil. I have amazing roasted garlic flavor on hand whenever I want, I never have to chop or peel garlic, and my hands never smell! I love adding a few tablespoons to whatever I’m cooking. Or drizzling a bit over hummus, bread, pasta, or veggies. I use it in guacamole, salsa, gravy; anything I would normally add garlic to. It also makes a great salad dressing when combined with a little lemon juice, and salt and pepper. This recipe has changed my life and my health! I hope I can do the same for you!
Hack #3: Herbs and Spices
I think it’s important to branch out and explore different flavors while on this dietary journey. Most of us lean heavily on garlic and onion to flavor our cooking and are not very comfortable using the vast array of herbs and spices that are available to us. If you don’t have a well stocked spice cabinet, I would recommend buying a spice rack set to help get you started. From here you’ll be able to begin mixing and matching different combinations and quickly discover which kinds of flavors you enjoy most.
Whenever I’m working with a new spice, I like to give it a good whiff and taste a little of it on it’s own to help myself become acquainted with it’s aroma and flavor. I also find it extremely helpful to try and describe what I’m tasting and smelling. This helps my brain create a context in which to categorize these flavors. For example, when tasting oregano, the adjectives herbal and peppery come to mind. For sumac, tangy and lemony. So in the future, if I want to make a dish with a lemon-pepper taste to it, I know that sumac and oregano would help me to achieve that.
If you find yourself really struggling to pair herbs and spices, you can always google it! Try, “What spices go with _____?” Or, “What spices are used in ______ cuisine?” I find this to be a nice hack, and over time you will begin to internalize this knowledge.
Lastly, garnishes are a great way to add an additional layer of flavor to your cooking. Not only do they make your dish more visually appealing, which totally makes it taste better, but they add extra greens to your meal thereby increasing the micronutrient content. But what should I use to garnish each dish, you ask. My general rule is cilantro for anything Hispanic, Asian, or Indian; and parsley for anything European (except Spain) or continental. Of course there are exceptions, like cuban chimmichurri, which contains both cilantro and parsley. Mediterranean and Middle eastern food can also go either way since the region lies at the crux of two very different parts of the world. The best way to start is to echo the flavors you used to cook your recipe. And again, over time you’ll gain a feel for which garnish best suits your dish.
Hack #4: Vinegars and Oils
Just like garlic oil, there are other infused oils that can help to jazz up your cooking by adding other layer of flavor. Sesame oil is great for adding some extra flavor to a stir fry - but be careful, a little goes a long way. A few of my other favorites are: lemon, rosemary, and truffle oil. While you can cook with them, I think it's better to use infused oils as a finishing touch to add complexity to your dish. It also feels really fancy and is sure to impress your dinner guests.
Rice wine vinegar is another great addition to stir fries and other asian dishes. Vinegars are acidic and help to add a little zing to your cooking. Some, like rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and white wine vinegar and mild; while others, like balsamic can be much heavier and sweeter. Just like with spices and garnishes, playing around and experimenting with different oils and vinegars will help you to discover which combinations you like best. And remember, there are no rules when it comes to cooking and flavor pairing. As long as your dish is nourishing to the body and delightful to your tastebuds, you’ve found success in the kitchen!
Low FODMAP Garlic Infused Oil:
Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Cool Time: 30 mins
Makes: 3 cups
Ingredients:
3-4 Garlic Bulbs
3 cups Olive Oil
Directions:
Slice garlic bulbs in half, widthwise. Remove any loose bits of the husk, but don’t be concerned about peeling them. Place bulb halves flat side down in the bottom of a medium saucepan. Don’t worry about any cloves that come loose, just toss them in.
Cover garlic with oil - the amount will depend on how big you pot is, but be sure not to fill it more that halfway. You don’t want to start a grease fire.
Start cooking over a high flame for a couple of minutes to bring it up to boil, them reduce the flame to low. We only want to simmer the oil, not boil it.
Let simmer for about 30 mins or until cloves are a light golden brown.
Turn off the flame and let the garlic oil cool for about 30 mins. You’ll see that the garlic cloves have deepened in color, which is what we want. The cooling process is part of the cooking process.
After it has cooled, use a wire mesh strainer to strain the oil into a large wide mouth mason jar.
Let it continue to cool on the counter for a couple of hours, then cover with the lid and refrigerate.
This oil should last a while, I’ve never seen mine go bad. I typically use mine up within 2-3 weeks.
Enjoy!
Note: For those of you who are concerned about heating up olive oil and causing oxidative damage and potentially creating harmful compounds, we’re only simmering this oil at about 200 degrees. The smoke point of olive oil is 375 degrees, which is where you’re going to start seeing that oxidation occur. So don’t worry.
