Kale and Blueberry Quinoa Bowl (Low FODMAP Diet Recipe)

By Calgary Nutritionist and IBS Dietitian Kate Chury

This Kale and Blueberry Quinoa Bowl is a delicious (and nutrient-packed) way to include these berries at lunch and dinner. Beyond the blueberries, it also has other great ingredients that will keep you ultra satisfied. Packed with fresh kale, crisp red peppers, cool cucumbers, crunchy walnuts, creamy goat cheese and nutty quinoa this salad is sure to not disappoint. 

For those of you with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and following the Low FODMAP diet, this Kale and Blueberry Quinoa Bowl is free from excess FODMAPs. Check out the note below the ‘method’ section for some details on how to keep this recipe safe and nutrient-packed FODMAPs. For those of you without IBS and not following the Low FODMAP diet, don’t worry, this is still a great salad.

This recipe was originally featured on Calgary Dietitian Kate Chury’s personal blog: ThinkyBites

Ingredients

Serves 4

DRESSING

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup lemon juice (about one large lemon)
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (*for those on Low FODMAP Diet – check ingredients to ensure no high FODMAP ingredients)

QUINOA BOWL

• 3 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled (about 1 cup uncooked)
• 4 cups kale, de-stemmed and chopped
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup cucumber, diced
• 1 medium red pepper, diced
• 4 tablespoons (about 1/4 cup) chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Method

1. Cook quinoa (for a tutorial on how to cook quinoa see here). Set aside and let cool. 
2. Make dressing. Combine olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon and maple syrup. 
3. Prepare kale – wash, remove stem and chop into bite-sized pieces. 
4. Combine kale with diced cucumber, red pepper, walnuts, goat cheese and blueberries in a large salad bowl.
5. Drizzle salad with a small amount of the dressing (approximately 1/3 of total dressing). Let sit for about 10 minutes. This will work to soften the kale a bit. 
6. Assemble individual quinoa bowls:
   • Put 3/4 cup quinoa in each bowl (or plate)
   • With salad tongs, scoop out 1/4 of the salad (approx. 1.5 cups of salad mix) and place on top of quinoa. 
   • Drizzle remaining salad dressing on the quinoa bowlsAssemble individual quinoa bowls:
7. Enjoy!

A note for those following the Low FODMAP Diet: 

If making this during the elimination phase of the diet, I recommend making the salad part of the recipe without the blueberries, goat cheese and walnuts. According to the Monash FODMAP App (as of August 2018), kale, cucumbers and red peppers (capsicum) can be eaten freely, so there isn’t a risk of serving oneself too much of these in terms of FODMAPs. For the other ingredients, the blueberries, walnuts and goat cheese, I suggest adding the safe servings directly to the individual bowls, after the quinoa and kale mix has been plated. In other words, add 3/4 cup quinoa to each bowl, add kale/cucumber/red pepper mix on top of quinoa and then to each of the 4 bowls add 1/4 cup blueberries (approximately 20 blueberries), 1 tablespoon plain goat (chevre) cheese, and 2 tablespoons of walnut pieces. Then top with dressing (dressing is low FODMAP as long as using low FODMAP Dijon mustard). 

Nutrients per serving:
488 calories
41 g carbohydrate
12 g protein
33 g fat
7 g fibre

Looking for support for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and how the low FODMAP diet may help? CONTACT US.

Have Kate Chury our digestive health Calgary Nutritionist and IBS Dietitian walk you through step-by-step the best diet plan for IBS to help you manage your symptoms for gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. As one of the specialized IBS dietitians of Canada, Kate Chury can see you in our local Calgary dietitian office or by phone or video conferencing for virtual nutrition counseling.

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