talkhealth Blog

Aubergines are my favourite vegetable and suitable for a Low Fodmap diet. Aubergines have been stated to be the vegetable to use if you wish to replace meat in a dish as they have a good texture and is satisfying to eat, but they will not replace some of the nutrition when replacing like for like. A vegetarian diet is great to have and can be very healthy if some regard is taken to ensure that it is nutritionally complete and not too high in energy. But some people really struggle to follow a vegetarian Low Fodmap diet because the diet on the exclusion phase excludes sources of protein from legumes and pulses.  This recipe contains nuts and just a small amount of low fat hard cheese – sources of protein – you can change the cheese for a vegan alternative cheese but use it sparingly as it tends to be quite high in fat and is a possible source of Fodmap, so check the label. Quorn and quinoa are good sources of protein but again check the label for Fodmaps if you choose Quorn products. To ensure you have adequate iron in your diet include some dark green leafy vegetables (chard and spinach are reasonably good sources,) along side a small amount of citrus fruit (or small amount of juice – 100 ml maximum) to improve the absorption. You could also include some fortified breakfast cereal to add to your iron intake. Egg yolk is a source of iron too, if you do eat them. Very small amounts of canned lentils and chickpeas can be included and these do contain iron, but again the iron is more difficult for the body to absorb, so need a source of vitamin C consumed at the same time – rinse well before use. See a dietitian if you need more individual advice – in fact I would encourage any vegan considering the Low Fodmap diet to ask their GP for a referral.

Do remember the Low Fodmap diet is a learning diet and not a diet for life – most people find they can re-introduce some Fodmap foods back in, if only in smaller amounts. This is important to help your bacterial populations in your bowel and to increase the variety of your diet. If you are struggling to find a dietitian as your GP to refer you – the National Institute of Health & Care Excellence advise you should see a trained healthcare practitioner to follow the Low Fodmap diet for IBS – at the moment this is Registered Dietitians only, or you could see a freelance dietitian, check out www.freelancedietitians.org.

Ingredients

4 Aubergines

Small amount of olive oil

1 teaspoon of coriander seeds

1/2 lemon (juice only) and slices to decorate the top

1 teaspoon of peanut butter

20 g of pumpkin seeds

25g red skinned peanuts

Salt + pepper to taste

60g of gluten free couscous (based on corn)

50g of low fat hard cheese

Method

Slice the aubergine length way season and rub the surface with a little cooking oil.

Roast in an oven for 20-30 minutes.

Remove and cool.

Remove the flesh and mash with the other ingredients except the cheese. Use around 40g of aubergine per portion.

Divide the mix between each aubergine skin.

Grate the cheese and sprinkle on the top and add a slice of lemon.

Cook till the cheese has melted and the aubergine is cooked (20-30 minutes) Serve with fresh green salad.

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Julie

I am a state registered dietitian and advisor to The IBS Network, the UK charity for people with irritable bowel syndrome. My specialty is dietary treatment of gut disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, crohns disease, ulcerative colitis, coeliac disease, lactose & fructose malabsorption and complex food intolerances. I also have experience in dietetic treatment of people who have bariatric surgery and weight management.