This traditional salad can still be enjoyed on a low-fodmap diet! It makes for a great summer lunch or large evening meal. We love filling our bowls to the brim with fresh veggies and a variety of protein. As I watched my husband drizzle his delicious ranch dressing, I decided it was about time I had some too. Wa-la! Homemade Ranch Dressing that is still fodmap friendly. A perfect combination! And as always, portion sizes for ingredients depend on the rumbling in your tummy.

For this salad, I purchase Applegate brand deli ham because it is casein, dairy, gluten, and nitrate free and has no hidden spices that are high in fodmaps. I also buy bacon from the local butcher shop because it is fresh, thick, and awesome.

I use Green Valley Organics Lactose-free Yogurt as the base for this dressing. I don’t have exact measurements for the dressing because I usually taste as I go and add more or less depending on my mood. In other words, it’s versatile and can adjust to your liking!

Ingredients

• Large bowl of mixed salad greens
•  3 hardboiled eggs, sliced
• 3-4 slices of deli ham, roughly chopped
• 4 pieces of bacon, crumbled
• cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 avocado, diced (omit for low-fodmap)
• cheddar cheese, shredded

Ranch Dressing

• 6 oz. lactose-free plain yogurt
• ground black pepper, to taste
• sea salt, to taste
• parsley, to taste
• 1 tsp dill weed (this makes the dressing!)
• stone ground mustard
• lemon juice

Directions

Place yogurt, pepper, salt, parsley and dill into a food processor and pulse until blended. Add and blend lemon juice and mustard a little at a time and taste as you go. Adjust spices as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Combine mixed greens, tomatoes, and cucumbers into a bowl. Top with bacon, egg, ham, avocado and cheese. Drizzle with dressing and enjoy!

*the dressing in this recipe was adapted to fit the low-fodmap diet