It’s time to gear up for summertime outdoor entertaining! I love this time of year!
Today, I am sharing a very simple and healthy appetizer recipe that you can bring to your next party or enjoy as a hearty snack. Cucumber and Dill-infused Cottage Cheese Appetizer. Don’t worry FODMAPers: you can sub in lactose free cottage cheese for this recipe! Easy Peasy.
Simply mix lactose free cottage cheese (I used Lactaid brand) with fresh or dry dill, add a smattering of garlic infused oil and blend. Wash cucumber and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices. Hollow out some of the seeds with a melon scooper and add a dollop of your seasoned cottage cheese mixture. Garnish with course black pepper and a few green scallion slices. You are done. 🙂
Cucumber and Dill-infused Cottage Cheese Appetizer
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber
- 3/4 cup lactose free cottage cheese (I used Lactaid brand)
- 2 teaspoons garlic infused oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped or about 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 scallion, sliced, for garnish (green part only)
- Course ground pepper
Instructions
- Wash cucumber, trim ends and cut into 1 1/2 inch slices.
- Scoop out small amount of the seeds and flesh with a melon scooper (in the center of the cucumber slice) be sure not to scoop through the other side!
- In small bowl, season cottage cheese with garlic infused oil and dill.
- Place tablespoon of cheese mixture over each prepared cucumber slice.
- Garnish with scallion slices and ground pepper.
I just returned from DDW15–Digestive Disease Week, an annual US GI conference, that was in Washington DC this year. My mind is still digesting all that I learned. There was so much interesting research shared, new product developments and more! It was such an amazing experience! I will post a re-cap on some of the top stories that I think you will be interested in early next week. Stay tuned!
For my US friends, I hope you get to enjoy a nice long weekend of relaxing this Memorial Day weekend. And of course, I want to take time to remember the veterans that gave their life to provide the freedom we enjoy daily.
Nikki
Can I use chopped garlic in oil (jar) to infuse grapeseed oil for cooking and making salad dressing? I’ve read your recipe for infusing, using crushed whole garlic.
Also, my husband really enjoys onions, raw. I am highly susceptible to the bad affects of onions. Any suggestions for satisfying his taste and not subjecting myself to the side affects.
Claudia
Dear Kate,
Thank you so much for the recipes. I am new to your site, and I am enthusiastic about the information and resources you offer. Thank you for that, too. With the help of a nutritionist (in San Diego), I am learning about FODMAP. I am seeing some results already, and I have suffered with digestive problems for years.
The summary from the DDW Conference was so interesting and informative. Since I live in San Diego, I would like to attend the conference next year. Is it open to the public or is it limited to health professionals?
I have a question (actually I have many, but one for now!). I have been eating salmon because it’ s one of the foods that I could tolerate. However, recently I have been reacting to it. I don’t know whether it’s the dye that is sometimes used or that my gut has become more sensitive.
Again, thank you so much for this site and the work that you are doing to help people like me. It’s a Godsend!
katescarlata
Hi Claudia,
I am not sure if DDW is open to the public–but it certainly is worth checking…when registration opens up early next year. Is it just the salmon that bothers you or do you notice an issue with fatty foods too? Salmon is rich in fat–healthy fats–but still some people have issue with fat digestion. If you find fats bother you–I typically recommend further testing to see what might be impacting fat digestion–I recommend stool elastase, qualitative stool fat for starters. Check for small intestinal bacterial overgrowth which often leads to fat maldigestion. Then depending on results–might discuss gall bladder emptying test with GI doctor. If you tolerate fat just fine, I might try wild salmon vs. farmed and see if you tolerate one better than the other.
Claudia
Dear Katie,
Thank you so much for your response, especially about the salmon. Your suggestions are very helpful and I will follow-up with my GI doctor.
In my early thirty’s (nearly forty years ago) I had gallstones and my gallbladder was removed. Perhaps that had long-term consequences in maldigestion.
Again, I fell so blessed to have learned about your site. Thank you, thank you for your expertise and sharing it with those of us who benefit from your knowledge, interest and kindness.
Claudia