Guest Post by Charlotte Christensen, Vital Food Therapeutics Nutrition Intern This SIBO-friendly, batch-cook-able menu was created to help simplify your life! With summer in full swing there can be a lot going on. I hope these recipes can set you up for success and stock your refrigerator with nutritious, yummy food that will keep you feeling great throughout the week. All the items on this menu are low FODMAP in the serving amount suggested. Many of these recipes include nightshades, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, paprika and chili, so this might not be the right menu for you if you are sensitive to nightshades. Without further ado, enjoy the following menu. This menu is equipped with a complete shopping list. It was designed to take approximately 2 hours of active cooking and yields enough lunches or dinners for 1 person for several days.

Menu: • Homemade chili spice blend (feel free to substitute with your own favorite blend) • Slow cooker cilantro lime shredded chicken • Slow cooker enchilada rice • Creamy dreamy avocado lime dressing • SIBO friendly zesty fajitas • Tangy cucumber, tomato salad • Prepped herbs & citrus: tops of green onion (green part only), chopped cilantro, lime wedges • Cucumber boats • Seasoned shredded lettuce

Suggested Combinations: • Cucumber boats stuffed with shredded chicken and a side of cucumber tomato salad topped with avocado dressing and fresh herbs • Fiesta bowl or salad in a jar with layers: rice, chicken, fajitas, cucumber salad, creamy avocado dressing, shredded lettuce, and corn tortilla chips (on the side of the jar) • Lettuce wrap tacos with rice, chicken, fajitas, creamy avocado dressing, cilantro & lime • Cast iron nachos with corn tortilla chips, rice, chicken, avocado dressing, nutritional yeast, red pepper flakes, garnished with shredded lettuce and cilantro

Shopping List:

2 cups brown rice
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch of green onions
6 limes
1 head of romaine lettuce
2 cucumbers
1-pint cherry tomatoes
1-2 lbs. chicken breast
1 (28 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes (no added garlic)
1 4 oz. can mild diced chilis (no added garlic)
1 large red bell pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 medium zucchini
1 medium avocado
Green Valley lactose free sour cream
Corn tortilla chips

Pantry Staples you might need to pick up:
Sea salt
Avocado oil
Cayenne
Red chili flakes
Ceylon cinnamon
Paprika
Oregano
Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Nutritional yeast

RECIPES Chili Spice Blend Yield: ½ cup

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Red chili flakes
2 Tablespoons Cumin
4 teaspoons Paprika
4 teaspoons Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoon Ceylon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Cayenne
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat whole seeds and spices (chili flakes, cumin seed, oregano, and black pepper) in a small skillet and dry roast for 3-5 minutes until fragrant. Thoroughly combine in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder with paprika, cinnamon and cayenne. Store in an airtight glass jar for up to 6 months in a cool, dry area. If you do not do well with spicy foods try leaving out the cayenne or start with a small amount and work your way up.

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken Yield: 4-6 ½ cup servings

Ingredients
1-2 pounds Chicken breast or thighs
1 (28 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes (no added garlic)
2 Tablespoons Spice blend
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 4 oz. can mild diced chilis (no added garlic) • Juice of 2 limes, divided •
½ cup chopped cilantro

Combine tomatoes, chilies, and juice from 1 lime in the crockpot. Season with spice blend and sea salt. Place chicken breasts into tomato mixture and spoon the mixture so that the chicken is smothered. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 F. Remove chicken into a large bowl and shred using two forks. Add juice of second lime and cilantro. Add tomato mixture back into chicken one spoonful at a time until it reaches desired consistency, about 1 cup. Reserve liquid for rice (about 3 cups)

Slow Cooker Enchilada Rice Yield: 8-10 1/2 cup servings

Ingredients
3 cups of reserved tomato sauce from shredded chicken
1 cup water or broth
2 cups white or brown rice
2 Tablespoons cilantro
1 Tablespoon green onion
Juice of a half a lime

Add water or broth to slow cooker with reserved tomato sauce. Add rice and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high for 2.5 hours or until soft. When all the liquid is absorbed, fluff with a fork and add fresh herbs and lime juice. *NOTE: For most people with SIBO, white rice is easier to digest than brown rice. If you cannot tolerate resistant starch (i.e. rice that has been cooked, and then cooled before reheating) consider reserving liquid in a large jar and cooking fresh batches of rice as needed throughout the week.

Creamy Dreamy Avocado Lime Dressing Yield: 2 cups, serving size ¼ cup

Ingredients

1 medium avocado
½ cup lactose free Green Valley sour cream
Zest and juice of ½ a lime
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 heaping Tablespoon cilantro
1 heaping Tablespoon green onion
¼ teaspoon chili spice blend
⅛ teaspoon sea salt

Combine ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy. Add water to desired consistency (about half a cup) Store in airtight container for up to one week.

Low FODMAP Grilled Fajitas Yield: 8-10 ½ cup servings

Ingredients
1 large red bell pepper, sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 Tablespoon avocado oil
1 Tablespoon chili spice blend
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Juice of half a lime T

oss all ingredients together until veggies are well coated. Cook on medium high heat, uncovered on a grill or skillet until slightly charred. Remove from heat and store in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Remember not to cook too long, so they are not overcooked when reheated later in the week.

Seasoned Shredded Lettuce Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 small head of romaine lettuce, shredded (be sure to reserve about 6 good leaves for the lettuce wrap tacos) 
Juice of half of 1 lime
⅛ teaspoon sea salt, or too taste

Toss ingredients lightly in a mixing bowl until well combined. This will not only flavor the lettuce but keep it fresh and long-lasting in the refrigerator. Plus it’s very convenient for throwing together flavorful meals on the fly!

Prepped Herbs

Ingredients

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 bunch of green onions (tops only), chopped
6 limes, 3 cut in half, 3 cut in wedges

Chop all herbs and slice lime wedges. Use as directed in recipes and store left overs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Cutting all the herbs at once makes it more likely that you will use them to flavor your food throughout the week (which is highly recommended!) and will reduce food waste. If you feel you will use the cilantro and green onion together on everything, go ahead and store them in the same container!

Cucumber Boats

Yield: 4 cucumber boats

Ingredients
1 cucumber
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 lime wedge

Peel the cucumber and cut cucumber in half (cross-wise). Next slice in half (length wise) so you have 4 cucumber halves. Using a spoon, scrape seeds out of the center of the cucumber. Season with salt and let rest for 10 minutes. Using a clean paper towel, blot excess water from the cucumber. A squeeze of lime juice will add flavor and preserve freshness. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Best served stuffed with shredded chicken.

Zesty Cucumber & Tomato Salad Yield: 4-6 ½ cup servings

Ingredients

1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and sliced into crescents
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon chopped green onion (green stalk only)
Sea salt to taste

Stir ingredients to combine. Store in an airtight container overnight for flavors to develop.

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