If you've been partying a bit too hard this summer, this healthy, Low FODMAP* Summer Detox Salad will help set you back on a healthy eating track as well as delight your taste buds! Featuring a rainbow of fresh and grilled vegetables with 'garlicy,' grilled shrimp topped with my dairy-free homemade ranch dressing, this detox salad recipe adapted for low FODMAP from a recipe on Pinch of Yum is also dairy-free and gluten-free with an easy Paleo and Whole30 option.
*Please note: after the initial posting of this recipe, some of the ingredients in this summer detox salad have been retested for FODMAPs by Monash University. As written, this recipe now exceeds the tolerable amount per serving for fructose. See recipe notes below for further information. For the most up-to-date info on FODMAP information, check Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App.
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What is a Detox Salad?
A detox salad is a salad chock-full of healthy vegetables (and sometimes fruit) that, upon eating it, will pump your body full of healthy vitamins and minerals, thereby detoxifying or cleansing you from bad stuff you've ingested. Whether this theory actually works is anyone's guess as I haven't found any evidence that it's been scientifically tested. However, I figure eating a ton of vegetables representing almost every color of the rainbow certainly couldn't hurt, especially if you've been filling your body full of junk for awhile. I always feel great after eating this salad, and it is light and perfect for steamy, hot summer weather.
I discovered this summer detox salad recipe by Lindsay of Pinch of Yum about a year ago and it's become one of my favorite summer recipes - ever. It's so tasty, crunchy, and cooling that it completely blew our minds. I hope you will find this low FODMAP summer detox salad recipe as mind-blowing as our family does!
Low FODMAP, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Paleo/Whole30 Option
As mentioned, this detox salad recipe is low FODMAP quantities of 1 serving. It's also gluten-free and dairy-free. As written, it's not Paleo or Whole30 compliant due to the corn. If you're eating strictly Paleo or Whole30, you can simply omit the corn to make it Paleo or Whole30 compliant. The dairy-free homemade ranch dressing for the salad is low FODMAP, Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Is Corn Low FODMAP?
According to Monash University's Low FODMAP Diet App, fresh sweet corn is low FODMAP in single servings of up to ½ of a cob or 38 grams. Corn contains moderate levels of the FODMAP sorbitol at ¾ of a cob or 63 grams, so the jump between low and moderate is very slight.
If you are unable to tolerate the FODMAP sorbitol, I suggest using a kitchen scale to weigh out 38 grams of corn per serving after it’s cooked and chopped from the cob or keeping careful track of the quantity of corn being chopped so that it comes to one half of a cob of corn per serving.
½ of a cob of fresh sweet corn may not seem like a lot, but it is a perfect quantity or our summer detox salad. In terms of other types of corn, according to FODMAP Friendly, canned sweet corn is high FODMAP even in small servings. The good news is, the varieties of corn used to make corn flour are lower in the FODMAP sorbitol. Therefore, things like cornmeal or polenta, corn tortillas, corn starch, and other foods made with corn flour or starch are lower in FODMAPs and can be consumed by people with IBS in larger quantities. I have a few recipes in the works that call for cornmeal, so subscribe to be notified when these recipes hit the blog!
Necessary Equipment
The equipment I use to make this low FODMAP summer detox salad includes:
- Outdoor grill (I use a natural gas grill) or a grill pan on a stovetop
- Chopping board and knife
- Large bowl
- Salad tongs
- Tinfoil
- Basting brush
- Grill tongs
- Skewers (I use three metal skewers)
- Large plates or platters
- Serving spoons
- Paper towel
- Plate with rounded edges
- Kitchen scale (optional)
Low FODMAP Summer Detox Salad: Ingredients and Success Tips
Make the Dressing
To start, I make a ½ batch of my dairy-free homemade ranch dressing (or a full batch if I plan on using it for other things, like my low FODMAP Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tenders Salad or low FODMAP Taco Salad). Once made, I cover and refrigerate the dressing until I'm ready to serve the detox salad.
Chop the Raw Vegetables
I use the following vegetables in the base of this detox salad:
- Green leaf or romaine lettuce, chopped
- Cucumber, chopped into small, ¼ inch sized cubes
- Red bell pepper, chopped into cubes
- Orange bell pepper, chopped into cubes - please note that orange bell pepper has not yet been tested for FODMAPs. If you're not sure if you tolerate them, I suggest using two red bell peppers instead of one red and one orange, just to be safe.
I chop the vegetables and place them in a large bowl, tossing them with my hands or tongs to combine.
Grill the Corn
Once the raw vegetables are good to go, I preheat my grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Then, I prepare two ears of fresh sweet corn for grilling. First, I husk, wash and dry the ears. Then, I place about ¾ of a foot of tinfoil on a clean surface for each ear of corn, placing each ear on top of the foil. Using a basting brush, I brush each ear with ½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (or more if needed) and sprinkle them with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. I wrap up each ear of corn in the tinfoil, place them on the preheated grill, and cook them for 20 minutes, turning ¼ turn every 5 minutes or so.
Alternatively, you can skip the tinfoil and grill the corn directly on the grill at medium high heat for 12 minutes, turning ¼ turn every 3 minutes. This will give your corn a tasty char from the grill.
Once cooked, I remove the corn from the grill to a large plate or platter and reduce the grill's heat to medium. I set the corn somewhere to cool for a few minutes before removing the tinfoil.
Grill the Shrimp
While the corn is grilling, I thread the shrimp onto three metal skewers and place the skewers on a large plate or baking sheet. I brush the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of garlic-infused olive oil (or more if needed to cover the shrimp) and sprinkle them with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Once the corn has been removed from the grill and the heat set to medium, I place the skewers of shrimp directly on the grill and cook for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Using tongs, I remove the shrimp skewers to a fresh plate or baking sheet.
Chop Corn off the Cob
Once the corn has had a chance to cool for a few minutes, I chop the corn kernels off the cob. I do this without burning myself by using a folded up paper towel to hold the tip of the cob of corn on top of a plate with rounded edges and chop everything off underneath, being careful not to get too close to the cob. I then flip the cob over and chop off the corn that was underneath the paper towel.
To keep the quantity of corn at a low FODMAP serving, I separate the corn into four, 38 gram (or less) servings. I suggest using a kitchen scale to do this or being mindful when you're cutting the corn off the cob how much is coming off ½ of a cob.
Assemble the Salads
Using tongs, I place salad base on four plates. I spoon corn and shrimp on top of the raw veggies, and dress everything with ranch dressing.
Storage
If there are any leftovers, I store the corn and shrimp in separate containers from the raw salad so that I can heat them up later in the microwave. All salad components should be stored in airtight containers for up to three days.
Low FODMAP Summer Detox Salad (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
FOR THE DRESSING:
- ½ batch of my Low FODMAP Ranch Dressing
FOR THE SALAD BASE:
- 4 cups green leaf or romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups cucumber, chopped into small, ¼ inch sized cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped*
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped*
FOR THE GRILL:
- 2 ears of sweet corn, husked, washed and dried (omit for Paleo/Whole30 option)*
- ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails removed
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- Salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Make ½ batch of low FODMAP ranch dressing (or a full batch if you plan on using the other half for another salad, like my low FODMAP taco salad). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Chop the vegetables. Chop the lettuce, cucumber and bell pepper and place in a large bowl. Toss with tongs until mixed. Set aside.
- Grill the corn. Preheat your outdoor grill (I use a natural gas grill) or grill pan to medium-high. Place two, ¾ foot pieces of tinfoil on a clean surface, and place each cob of corn on one piece of tinfoil. Using a basting brush, coat the corn with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly-cracked pepper to taste. Wrap the corn in the tin foil. Place wrapped corn on the preheated grill and grill for 20 minutes, turning a ¼ turn every 5 minutes. Remove from the grill, set somewhere to cool, and reduce grill heat to medium. Once the corn has had a chance to cool for a few minutes, chop corn off the cob. Separate into four, 38 grams (or less) servings.
- Grill the shrimp. While the corn is grilling, thread shrimp onto skewers (I use three metal skewers). Brush shrimp with garlic-infused olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Place shrimp skewers directly on the grill. Grill for 5 minutes at medium heat, flipping halfway through. Remove shrimp from the grill.
- Assemble the salads. Using tongs, place salad base on plates. Spoon corn and shrimp on top, and dress with ranch dressing.
- Store leftovers (if any). Store shrimp and corn separately from the salad base to enable easy reheating in the microwave. Store all salad components in air tight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Equipment
Notes
- Red and orange bell peppers: This recipe was posted prior to Monash University retesting red and orange bell peppers for FODMAPs. Their more recent tests show they contain the FODMAP fructose and are low FODMAP in quantities of up to ⅓ cup (red) and ¼ cup (orange) per serving. When eaten in combination with each other, they exceed the tolerable amount per serving for fructose. If you are able to tolerate fructose or had no problems with red or orange bell peppers in the past, this may not be an issue for you.
- Sweet corn: Monash University’s low FODMAP diet app lists sweet corn as low FODMAP in single servings of up to ½ of a cob or 38 grams. Corn contains moderate levels of the FODMAP sorbitol at ¾ of a cob or 63 grams, so the jump between low and moderate is very slight. If you are unable to tolerate the FODMAP sorbitol, I suggest using a kitchen scale to weigh out 38 grams of corn per serving after it’s cooked and chopped from the cob or keeping careful track of the quantity of corn being chopped so that it comes to one half of a cob of corn per serving.
- If you want some tasty char on your corn, you can grill it directly on the grill for 12 minutes, turning a ¼ turn every 3 minutes.
- Prep time and nutritional information does not include the low FODMAP ranch dressing. See that post for details specific to that recipe.
- Adapted from Pinch of Yum
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