A Friendly, Low FODMAP Easter Menu

Each year as Easter rolls around, there’s one thing that excites me most. More than chocolate and a four-day weekend, the best thing about Easter is the food.

I get excited about the planning, the preparing, and of course, the sharing of food with my loved ones. Whether it’s a large feast, or a few simple dishes, there’s always something special about sitting around the table, enjoying a thoughtfully prepared meal with great company. At Easter, it’s all about creating scrumptious and comforting dishes that perfectly match the shorter, cooler Autumn days.

This year I’ll be heading to the coast with my family, and no doubt, the focus will be on food, food, food (and maybe a chilly stroll or two along the beach – after all it is my favourite place).

But it can’t be all beach strolls and eating dish after dish of delicious food. Creating a special meal for special people in your lives requires a bit of hard work. And let’s not forget that a festive season like Easter can bring added stresses, but also added expenses. Throw a few food intolerances into the mix, and hosting can become plain overwhelming.

Luckily for me, my family is now well acquainted with my low FODMAP diet, but as it wasn’t always that way, I wanted to share with you my Easter plan of attack!

With the help of Australian grocer, Aussie Farmer’s Direct and their Easter Grocery Shopping promo, I’ve put together my low FODMAP and gluten free Easter menu to help you have a stress-less holiday. I’ve also included a few classic FLK recipes below, especially for the occasion.

If you head over to Aussie Farmer’s Direct, you’ll not only get your Easter shopping done quick and easy, but you’ll be supporting Aussie farmers and home-grown produce. Double win!

Have a happy Easter break everyone, and don’t forget to share your Easter creations with the hashtag #friendlylittlekitchen!

Low FODMAP & Gluten Free Easter Menu

Cheese Board Starter

Rocket & Goats Cheese Dip (recipe below)
Homemade Chunky Salsa
Original Corn Chips
Double Brie, Vintage Cheddar &/or Blue Cheese (all naturally low in lactose)
Smoked Salmon
Carrot Sticks

Main

Paella (recipe below)
Green Salad with Olive Oil & Apple Cider Vinegar

Sweets

Panforte Brownies (recipe below)
Fresh Fruit – Strawberries, raspberries, passionfruit
And, maybe a cheeky Hot Cross Bun for your guests! Not gluten free, but if you can tolerate spelt flour, you could even bake a batch of my Spelt Hot Cross Buns!

Recipes

Rocket & Goats Cheese Dip

2 large handfuls rocket
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
Half lemon rind
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp yoghurt of choice
50g Yarra Valley Goat’s Cheese
Salt & pepper

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blitz until you have an almost smooth consistency.

Paella
Serves 4-6

Olive oil
1 chorizo sausage
4 chicken thighs, chopped
1 large red capsicum, chopped
Parsley stalks, finely chopped
Sea salt & ground pepper
400g paella rice (or Arborio)
2 tsp sweet paprika
10 strings of saffron, ground with salt in mortar and pestle until fine powder
200g tinned tomatoes
1L chicken stock (no onion or garlic)
~8 large whole prawns
150g calamari rings
120g peas
Fresh parsley leaves
Lemon

First and foremost, prepare all your ingredients so they are ready to go. Cover base of 36cm paella pan (or casserole dish) with oil and heat over medium heat. Add chopped chorizo, chicken and capsicum, fry for 5 minutes, until coloured and fragrant. Add parsley stalks, salt and pepper, and continue to fry gently for 2 minutes. Add rice, paprika and ground saffron powder, stirring until the rice is coated. Add the tomato, stock and more salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, stir for the last time, then turn down to a medium-low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until rice starts to look cooked. This can be a bit of a guessing game so use your instinct. Then press the prawns on top of the paella. As the prawns begin turning pink, turn the prawns over and sprinkle the peas and calamari on top. Cook for another 5 minutes or until everything is perfectly cooked.

Sprinkle with fresh parsley and squeeze half a lemon over the top. Plonk the paella pan in the middle of your table and dish up with a lemon wedge on the side.

Panforte Brownies
Makes 12 squares

1 1/2 mixed nuts (roast almonds, walnuts & hazelnuts)
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/4 cup almond meal
1 tbsp corn flour
2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Sea salt
1/4 cup orange peel, diced
1 cup dried fruit (use a mixture of lower FODMAP dried fruit – blueberries, cranberries, currants & raisins)
70g 70% dark chocolate
1/4 cup rice malt syrup

Preheat oven to 170°C. Place any of the raw nuts on a tray in the oven to roast for approximately 10 minutes. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, along with chopped dried fruit, orange peel and roasted nuts. Melt chocolate in a metal bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water. Add the rice malt syrup, continually stirring until smooth. Add a drizzle of hot water if the chocolate begins to harden. Pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients, stir until it all comes together. I like to use my hands. Press the mixture into a lined cake tin, making sure it’s even and firm. Press baking paper over the top and bake for approximately 12 minutes. Once cooled, slice into squares and sprinkle with raw cacao (or some sneaky icing sugar).

Enjoy!

This post is sponsored by Aussie Farmers Direct