I’ll never forget the shock of losing my mom to a sudden health crisis. She hadn’t suffered for years or shown obvious signs of illness, just one day, she was gone. That moment reshaped my life. It sparked a relentless drive to understand the hidden imbalances that can simmer beneath the surface, undetected by conventional medicine. Since then, my mission has been to uncover root causes, not just manage symptoms. 

One common, and often overlooked, trigger I see in clients who are “doing everything right” is poor digestion and hidden food sensitivities. Even nutrient-rich foods like apples, garlic, or onions can aggravate the body when the gut is inflamed or out of balance. These reactions often show up as bloating, fatigue, mood swings, or even hormonal disruption.

This is where FODMAPs come into focus. FODMAPs (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols) are short-chain carbohydrates that can ferment in the gut, especially in people with IBS, SIBO, or other forms of digestive sensitivity. Foods high in FODMAPs like cauliflower, beans, or stone fruits are typically healthy, but they can trigger bloating, abdominal pain, and even hormonal disturbances in sensitive individuals.

That’s why I created this Low FODMAP Summer Salad. It’s colorful, nutrient-packed, vegan, blood sugar–friendly, and gentle on digestion. It’s rich in fiber and phytochemicals but free of common FODMAP triggers, making it a great option for managing digestive conditions, following an SCD or Low FODMAP protocol, or simply wanting to feel lighter and clearer after meals.

This salad is “safer.” It’s a flavorful, functional meal designed to support your microbiome, hormone balance, and steady energy throughout the day.

What Is This Low FODMAP Salad Made Of?

This gluten free, vegan salad starts with a medley of cabbage, celery root, carrots, and fennel, all  shredded to create a texture similar to coleslaw. It’s topped with chopped green onion tops, artichoke hearts, fresh tomato, and optionally, arugula for a peppery finish. 

The dressing is a luscious blend of raw tahini, lemon, ginger, sesame oil, and jalapeño. It’s creamy, a little zesty, and ties the veggies together with a deep, satisfying flavor.

It’s intentionally low in fermentable fibers.  It’s suitable for those with SIBO, IBS, or other gut imbalances who still want the benefits of raw, living food. Don’t let the simplicity fool you, every forkful is packed with micronutrients and phytochemicals that quietly do big things behind the scenes.

How Do You Make It?

You’ll start by shredding the firmer vegetables using a food processor—cabbage, celery root, carrot, and fennel. Then you’ll toss them in a bowl with chopped scallion greens, artichoke hearts, tomato, and arugula. 

For the dressing, blend tahini, lemon juice, ginger, sesame oil, a little water, and jalapeño until smooth. Drizzle it all over and mix well. You end up with a light, crunchy salad that’s perfect for digestion and metabolism support.

How Do You Customize This Recipe?

• Skip the arugula or replace it with kale

• Add more jalapeño if you want a spicy kick

• Swap lemon juice for apple cider vinegar if citrus is a concern

• Use avocado oil instead of sesame for a milder flavor, or omit

• Add hearts of palm or sprouted pumpkin seeds for texture

• Make it a main dish by topping with a few walnuts or almonds (only a few) or marinated tofu or tempeh if you are not sensitive to soy.

How Do These Ingredients Help With Blood Sugar, Hormones, and Heart Health?

This Low FODMAP Salad is rich in prebiotic fiber, antioxidants, and essential micronutrients. It supports blood sugar stability, cardiovascular health, and hormone regulation. Celery root, fennel, and cabbage include compounds that promote estrogen metabolism and liver detoxification, and the tahini-based dressing supplies healthy fats and lignans that support hormonal balance. 

Celery Root

Celery Root (Celeriac) is a low-glycemic, fiber-rich root vegetable that helps with blood sugar by slowing glucose absorption and supporting insulin sensitivity. It provides a good source of potassium and magnesium which are essential for adrenal function, blood pressure regulation, and muscle contraction. Its fiber feeds short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria which enhance gut integrity and modulate systemic inflammation. These indirectly benefit thyroid and sex hormone metabolism.

Cabbage

Cabbage contains glucosinolates which are sulfur-containing compounds that upregulate phase II liver detoxification needed to clear metabolized estrogens and xenoestrogens. Indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane in raw cabbage enhance estrogen metabolism by promoting the formation of 2-hydroxyestrone, a more protective estrogen metabolite. Cabbage is also high in vitamin C and polyphenols that reduce oxidative stress in vascular tissue and support capillary integrity.

Fennel

Fennel has a unique combination of volatile oils and phytoestrogens. Its anethole content has antispasmodic effects on smooth muscle which help ease cramping and bloating. Fennel’s fiber and antioxidants also support bile flow and estrogen detoxification. From a cardiovascular perspective, fennel is rich in potassium and folate which support healthy blood pressure and homocysteine metabolism.

Scallion Tops

Scallions (green tops only) provide quercetin and other flavonoids that have mast cell-stabilizing and anti-inflammatory effects. This is particularly relevant in hormone-related conditions with an immune component like in the case of PCOS and endometriosis. Quercetin also enhances endothelial function and supports nitric oxide production which benefits vascular health and insulin signaling.

Artichoke Hearts

Artichoke Hearts contain cynarin, a compound that stimulates bile production and assists in fat digestion and hormone clearance. They are a good source of prebiotic fiber, particularly inulin, which feeds the beneficial microbes. A well-supported microbiota enhances estrogen metabolism via the estrobolome for more stable blood glucose through improved SCFA production.

Tahini

Tahini is rich in lignans like sesamin and sesamol which can bind estrogen receptors and modulate estrogenic activity in tissue-specific ways. These compounds also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect endocrine tissues. 

Tahini is a good source of calcium and zinc  which are essential for ovarian and thyroid hormone synthesis, as well as insulin signaling.

Ginger

Ginger supports the HPA axis by modulating inflammatory pathways through inhibition of COX and LOX enzymes. Its bioactive compounds (gingerols and shogaols) enhance insulin sensitivity and help to lower blood sugar. Ginger also improves gastrointestinal motility and supports nutrient assimilation for hormone synthesis and balance.

Each of these ingredients plays a multi-system role working through pathways involving digestion, detoxification, blood sugar regulation, and immune modulation. They form a salad that is not only Low FODMAP and SCD-friendly, but clinically relevant for metabolic stability, hormonal balance, and improved functional health.

If you're struggling with hormonal imbalances, digestive distress, or blood sugar issues, this salad can be a smart and soothing place to start. It’s quick to make, easily adaptable, and delivers therapeutic nutrition in every bite.

Where Can You Find This and Other Nutritious and Delicious Recipes Like It?

This recipe is featured in the Healing Kitchen Show episode: Low FODMAP and SCD-Friendly Foods by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo. You’ll find it with dozens of other plant-powered, hormone-supportive recipes inside the Empowered Self-Care Lab. Join Dr. Ritamarie and learn how to turn your kitchen into a healing tool for blood sugar balance, digestive support, and lasting energy. Join today and start transforming your meals into medicine.