Good morning, and happy Monday! Today I have a recipe for you that I know you’ll enjoy. Not only is this recipe low FODMAPs and gluten-free, but I can safely say it’s a great recipe for your baby who may be trying the “Baby Led Weaning” approach (or for your infant or toddler who has made it past purees). The quinoa can be a little scary for young ones (at least, for me, being new to this) so I just game Paige the veggies and whipped off the quinoa. As someone with a 6-month old, a husband, and a full-time job, I don’t have much time on my hand for blogging, let alone tacking great photos. That’s my excuse for the two photos below. I used my phone. I’ve been away from the serious blogging for a while so the camera didn’t make its way out. I apologize.
Anyway, about the recipe…..I used to be afraid of a fennel bulb. It’s large and somewhat ugly, really. Then I started tasting it in dishes and realizing that this low-carb vegetable is full of flavor, versatile and has just the perfect amount of CRUNCH to satisfy any craving (especially when doctored up with a bit of oil, salt, and pepper).
This dish was easy and also could be modified to fit your own personal likes and dislikes. For example, don’t like zucchini? Try carrots. Don’t like red pepper (you’re crazy)? Use cherry tomatoes (just be careful when they burst in your mouth and are hotter than sin). You get it. Really, you could use whatever vegetables you want, as long as they are sturdy and “roastable” (think potatoes, parsnips, sweet potato, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, turnips). If you’re sticking to a strictly low FODMAPs diet, however, tomatoes, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, red pepper, and fennel would be your best choices. The others listed could be used, but you’ll have to moderate your intake (who wants to do that?!).
4.0 from 1 review
Simple Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Side Dish
Ingredients
- 4 bell peppers (any color), seeded and cut into chunks
- 2 large zucchini, cut into chunks
- 2 small fennel bulb, cut into thin wedges
- 5 Tbsp. olive oil **
- 4 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock **
- 2 cloves chopped garlic **
- 4 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- ⅔ cup pine nuts, toasted
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 435 degrees. Put the peppers, zucchini, crazy salt and fennel in a roasting pan large enough to hold the vegetables in a single layer.
- Drizzle the oil over the vegetables and sprinkle with the rosemary and thyme. Season well with the salt and pepper (if you are using this for a young child use very little salt!) and mix well with clean hands. Roast in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until tender and lightly charred.
- Meanwhile, put the quinoa into a saucepan with the stock and garlic. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or according to the package directions. Remove from the heat, but keep the pan covered for an additional 7 minutes to let the grains swell. Fluff with a fork.
- Remove the vegetables from the oven. Add the quinoa to the roasting pan. Add the parsley and pine nuts and toss together. Serve warm or cold.
Notes
** NOTE: If you are following a low FODMAPs diet be sure to look for a low FODMAPs stock (find a recipe on my low FODMAPs tab. Another option is Progresso Tuscan Chicken Broth or if you have Giant Eagle; Valu Time Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth). Also, omit the garlic cloves and use a Tuscan or garlic-infused olive oil to replace the flavor.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 cup Calories: 300 Fat: 15 Carbohydrates: 30 Fiber: 6.5 Protein: 9
Enjoy! And, have a wonderful week. I’ll be back soon with a one-pot Thai chicken recipe. Another great low FODMAPs and a baby-friendly recipe for your files (i.e.: your Pinterest page).
