Recipe and photograph – Dr Joan Ransley

roasted-baby-carrot-salad-with-walnuts,-puy-lentils-and-feta-featured
Onions and garlic contain a type of complex carbohydrate called inulin which acts as a prebiotic. Prebiotics provide a food source for healthy gut bacteria however people on a low FODMAP diet may wish to restrict the white part of onions if they cause symptoms.

Nuts and seeds are a good source of dietary fibre and help to keep the contents of the gut moving. Carrots and pomegranate seeds are an excellent source of polyphenols and dietary fibre. If you are following a FODMAP diet you may be interested to know precooking and canning reduces the galactans* in lentils. Most people with a sensitive gut can tolerate a couple of tablespoons of precooked lentils.

*(Galactans are a type of FODMAP).

Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/Gas mark 6.

Wash, but do not peel, the carrots. Lay the carrots in a roasting tray with the red onion, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with ground cumin.

Place the carrots and onion in the oven for about 20 – 30 minutes until tender and a little wrinkled. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a jar and shake well. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. This dressing should taste a little sharp.

Mix the remaining salad ingredients together with the cooked carrots in a bowl with half of the dressing. Lay the salad in a shallow bowl or serving platter and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Cooks tip
The best way to remove the seeds from a pomegranate is to cut it in half and immerse the halves in a medium sized bowl filled with water. Gradually tease out the pomegranate seeds and remove the thin yellow skin. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl of water and the thin yellow skin will rise to the surface and can be skimmed off. Drain the seeds from the water and store any extra in an airtight container.

Variations
For a low FODMAP version of this recipe replace the red onion with the green leaves of young leeks.
The dressing can be flavoured with garlic oil (which is low in FODMAPs) rather than fresh garlic.
A simple vinaigrette dressing is a good alternative to the pomegranate molasses dressing.

 Per Serving (317g)Per 100g
Calories (kCal/KJ)322 / 1335101 / 421
Protein (g)10.53.3
Fat (g)23.37.3
Saturated Fat (g)6.22.0
Carbohydrate (g)19.06.0
Sugar (g)13.44.2
Fibre (g)6.92.2
Sodium (mg)325102
Salt Equivalent (g)0.810.26
FODMAPsRed onion, garlic and pomegranate are high in FODMAPs
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