Low FODMAP Chèvre, Spinach and Quinoa salad

Low FODMAP Chèvre, Spinach and Quinoa salad

Low FODMAP Goats Cheese, Spinach and Quinoa Salad

With summer on our doorstep we are just loving this low FODMAP quinoa salad with goats cheese and spinach. 

Healthy, light and delicious it really ticks all of the boxes for a summer dish. Enjoy it cold for a refreshing lunch during the hottest parts of the day, or have it as a tasty side dish for a chilled out evening barbeques.

Chèvre cheese

This quinoa salad feels extra decadent with this chèvre goats cheese. I somehow always thought cheeses were really high in lactose. This simply is not the case for a lot of cheeses. Typically it is the harder cheeses that are lower in lactose, but it turns out that you can still eat a fair amount of some of the softer cheeses. In this case, chèvre is perfectly suitable for the low FODMAP phase of the diet at up to 40 grams per portion. This quinoa salad uses a total of 60 grams for two portions so it keeps it a little lower than what Monash have recommended (if you haven’t already, check out their FODMAP app!)

Spinach

I absolutely love spinach. Luckily you can eat a rather large amount of it before you run into moderate levels of FODMAPs. It is a great source of iron as well as plenty of other vitamins and minerals to keep your immune system feeling fighting fit and helping you to feel overall great. I mean, obviously the goal is to control IBS symptoms, but who doesn’t love the added benefit of a boosted immune-system and an increased feeling of overall wellbeing? 

Even if you don’t care about all of that, it certainly adds some colour and bulk to this quinoa salad, whilst helping keep it a low calorie meal.

Quinoa

This certainly isn’t the first quinoa salad I have done, and it definitely will not be the last. The possibilities with quinoa salads are absolutely endless! Not only that but it is a nice little source of protein compared to other carbohydrates. Plus, it contains all of the essential amino acids that we need! This makes it particularly great to bulk up vegetarian and vegan meals to make sure you are getting all the nutrients that you need.

I use the tri-coloured mix of quinoa for this salad as I like the different textures and flavours they all contribute. Plus it is visually a little more interesting. However, you can use whichever type of quinoa you like for this salad. Black, red and white are all suitable in terms of the Low FODMAP phase of the diet. 

The dressing

This is one of our go to dressings for a lot of salads. It takes just 4 simple ingredients and takes just two minutes to whip together. The most important ingredient is the dijon mustard. This is an absolute must when using vinegar and oil in a dressing as it the ingredient that allows the dressing to form an emulsion. That is to say: make the oil and vinegar mix together and result in a delightfully creamy textured dressing. 

Looking for some inspiration for other summer salads?

Why not check out some of our other summer-suitable salads:

Low FODMAP Greek salad
-Low FODMAP Tuna Niçoise salad
Low FODMAP Potato salad

Low FODMAP Chèvre, Spinach and Quinoa salad

This quinoa salad feels extra decadent with this chèvre goats cheese.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Dinner, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Summer
Servings: 2
Cost: $

Ingredients

  • 70 grams Quinoa uncooked
  • 1 large tomato keep it under 130 grams
  • 40 grams yellow pepper
  • 60 grams chèvre goats cheese
  • 40 grams fresh spinach
  • 5 fresh basil leaves
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing (optional)

  • 1/2 tbsp honey +1 tbsp water if using solid honey
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions

Making the salad

  • In a medium saucepan bring the quinoa to a boil, and let simmer on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
  • Start chopping up the spinach leaves. I usually quarter the bigger ones and halve the smaller ones.
  • Once the quinoa has cooked, drain it and set aside to let fluff up a bit.
  • Dice the tomato and pepper and place into a medium mixing bowl.
  • Finely chop the basil leaves and mix in with the tomatoes and pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Mix in the quinoa with the tomatoes and peppers and fold in the spinach*.
  • Split the mixture between two bowls or you can also make four smaller side portions. Crumble the chèvre cheese on top of the portions.

The dressing**

  • In a mug or bowl, mix together the Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, honey (and 1tbsp water if not using runny honey!) and salt until fully combined.
  • While gently whisking, slowly add in the olive oil until the dressing has formed an emulsion. It should be smooth and creamy.
  • Drizzle over the top of the salad and enjoy!

Notes

*If you don't want your spinach to wilt then you need to make sure the quinoa has cooled (this salad is great both warm and cold so you choose). If you want your spinach to stay fresh then rinse your quinoa with cold water when you drain it.
**The dressing will keep up to a week in the fridge!

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